Members

FPL first-draft team reveals: Big at the back, Jesus up front

With Fantasy Premier League (FPL) live for 2022/23, we’ll be welcoming back our stellar team of Pro Pundits and Hall of Famers for the new campaign.

We’ll be hearing from a different writer every day in the aftermath of the FPL relaunch, to get their thoughts on the pricing and to see their initial picks.

Our writers will be providing regular articles and team reveals throughout the new season, with only Premium Members able to access every single one.

Next up is Burning Questions co-host Pras.


Fantasy Premier League is back! That rush when the game opens and you quickly check some prices (personally I went straight into checking the £4.5 midfielders and forwards), the warm fuzzy feeling buying the big hitters, and the beginning of multiple screenshots on your phone. That’s what FPL is about. No doubt the disappointments will come after Gameweek 1 deadline, but let’s enjoy the next few weeks first.

For my first article in the 2022/23 season, I’ll share a very early draft. In fact, I wouldn’t even call it a draft – more like the initial gut feel/instinctive picks given the pricing. I will use this to talk about my immediate thinking and some pros and cons of going for this structure. The only guarantee is that this will change as the pre-season friendlies, the Community Shield and incoming transfers inevitably add vital information over the next few weeks.

Macro

Everything you need to know about the FFS World Cup of FPL

A couple of macro points first. 

The fact that the entire game has unlimited transfers during the World Cup makes this effectively a 16-week game with one Wildcard that must be played during this period. The first Wildcard can therefore be used strategically to either (i) pre-plan for fixture swings or (ii) act as an emergency bailout by going ultra-aggressive initially. I like both ideas.

We have been blessed with a unique situation where the best teams also have the best first few fixtures. In the first seven Gameweeks on the Fantasy Football Scout fixture ticker, Arsenal are #1, Chelsea are #3, Liverpool are #4 and Manchester City are #7 when the matches are sorted by difficulty. We don’t need to be taking unnecessary punts on promoted teams or bottom-half sides with good fixtures; remember the Adam Armstrong (£5.5m) gambles last summer?

The premiums

Who are the best FPL captain options for Double Gameweek 36?

Currently, I strongly favour the two-premium structure with Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) and Erling Haaland (£11.5m) and using the extra funds for more full-backs. However, given the attractive pricing across the board, I do expect a few ‘threemium’ drafts. Andy North and I did a video for Scout this week on the different structures, so do check that out:

The defence

FPL 2022/23 prices released: Live updates - James  and Chilwell revealed 1

I ended the final five Gameweeks of last season with Reece James (£6.0m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m), Andrew Robertson (£7.0m), Joao Cancelo (£7.0m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.5m) in my team. I very much intend to continue this theme with these “game-breakers”. Going back to the ‘good teams and good fixtures’ strategy, I genuinely see points at both ends of the pitch for these players yet again; it’s how the game has evolved now. 

My five picks are therefore Alexander-Arnold, Cancelo, Robertson, Ben Chilwell (£6.0m) and Ivan Perisic (£5.5m). Every single one of these guys could have arguably a million more in price and still be good picks.

I am fairly certain I will have the first three but I am still scouting Chelsea for any change in formation/transfer activity to decide whether it is an ‘and/or’ with Reece James (£6.0m) and Chilwell. On Perisic, I want to see his fitness and minutes in pre-season and am ideally hoping that Sergio Reguilon (£4.5m) is sold but the upside is certainly there with him in the Antonio Conte wing-back system.

The goalkeeper


629 Comments Post a Comment
  1. trixz
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    RMT please

    Henderson (Raya)
    Cancelo—Robertson–Gabriel—Cash
    Saint-Maximin—Salah—Luis Diaz—Martinelli
    Jesus—Haaland

    (Ramsey—Vestergaard—Greenwood)

    1. pilgrimchris
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      nice team mate. Saint-Maximin could be a nice differential, not seen him in many sides. So too could Martinelli, are you expecting Martinelli - Jesus - Saka to be the regular Arsenal starting forwards?

      1. trixz
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        thanks! yeah it certainly looks like they're just gonna improve their 4-2-3-1 which worked great last season, replacing laca with jesus, who perfectly knows how to play the false 9

    2. TOBY1
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Like it but I not sure asm scores more than chilwell/james

  2. TOBY1
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    In every conversation about city midfield nobody has mentioned the risk of Alvarez taking minutes…

    1. EugeMurts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      He’ll be eased in gently but if he plays well will certainly add to the Pep roulette mix

  3. 15men1cup
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Hi Guys,

    My first draft, your comments are appreciated,

    Mendy, 4.0
    Trent, Cancelo, Tripper, Cash, Tomiyasu
    Salah, Coutinho, Neto (4.5, 4.5)
    Haaland, Kane, 4.0

    Thanks and good luck

  4. THELUCKYONE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    I think the forwards are going to flop again this year outside KANE ,HAALAND and JESUS last years figures again pointing to the midfield positions but the strength of the defenders and goalkeepers create fantastic £ for points.

  5. AD105
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Thoughts? Also, why are so many going Chilly > James? Not much in it but just curious

    Raya
    TAA Cancelo Perisic James
    Salah Coutinho Martinelli Bruno G
    Haaland Jesus

    Balcombe Neto Williams Greenwood

    1. tyiocoyg34
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Injury wise Chilly is the better option?

    2. UnluckyXI
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Chilwell outscored James per game last season and James also went on quite a long run of blanks.

      I think they'll both score similar

  6. Letsgo!
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Raya
    Rjames taa cancelo trippier
    Son rash martinelli diaz
    Jesus haaland
    Subs sanchez mings colback greenwood

  7. tyiocoyg34
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    RMT Please

    Chose not to pick Salah ^^

    Mendy - (Forster)
    Tomiyasu | Castagne | TAA | Dias - ( Vestergaard )
    KDB | Sancho | Luis Diaz | Trossard - ( Andreas )
    Jesus | Haaland - ( Mitrogoal )

    1. The Mentaculus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Some nice differentials there, I like it. I would probably tweak the defence with Mendy - 4.5, Castagne - 5

  8. tai31YNWA
    • 1 Year
    1 year, 8 months ago

    thought?
    raya
    TAA,chilwell,cancelo,trippier,perisic
    Salah,neto,wissa
    Haaland,kane

    (caballero-gk,murphy-mid,andreas-mid,taylor-fwd)

    1. UnluckyXI
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      That mid is too inflexible for me.

      If two of the long list of 8.0m players start doing well you'll have to really pick apart team or play wild card.

      So think you'd need to save a bit on the defence to get Neto up to the 8.0 bracket

  9. Saviour22
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    RMT

    Raya
    Taa Cancelo Perisic Tomi
    Salah Diaz Mahrez Neto
    Kane Jesus

    Any changes required

    1. UnluckyXI
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Like it, we have the same core except right now I'm on Haaland over Kane then Sancho and Chilwell over perisic and mahrez

  10. Jimbojunior
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    How do you add the fixture difficulty

    1. Chemical76
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      It's a premium member only feature now. Available through Members Tools

  11. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Wilson over Jesus for GW1+2
    Ars opens at CP / Then has Leicester at home
    New starts with Nots at home / Than BHA on the road

    I know planning a GW2 switch is overconfidence personified.
    But I am happy for now

  12. Ruckly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Hey Guys A or B
    Team A
    Sanchez & 4.0M
    James, TAA, Perisic, Cancelo, Tomi
    Salah, Bruno G, Kul, Neto, Andreas
    Haaland, Jesus, Taylor
    Team B:
    Rays, Sanchez
    Chilwell, TAA, Tomiyasu, Perisic, Vestergaad
    Diaz, Kul, Bruno G, Neto, , Andreas,
    Jesus, Haaland, Kane

  13. NJ MetroStars
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    i cant not have son. what do you guys think?

    sanchez

    taa, robbo, laporte, james

    salah, son, rashford, martinelli, neto

    jesus

    steele, undav, neco, greenwood

    obviously zero bench but looking to go hard early and use the wildcard by week 6/7

    1. RogDog_jimmy
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      i'd go further and downgrade Undav to a 4.5
      leave the extra money in the bank.

      bench won't be needed - and if it is you have Neco and his 1-2pts sitting there.

  14. Frozone_Wy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    1 year, 8 months ago

    If you want a chelsea midfielder now, is sterling worth paying 2mil more than mount?

    1. RogDog_jimmy
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      doubt it.
      i'm on Mount right now. i really like him.

  15. Dale Sartip-Zadeh
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Jesus up front

  16. Damien Sartip-Zadeh
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Alonso is a bargain

  17. seamusseamus
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Raya (4.0)

    TAA Cancelo Doherty Cash Trippier

    Salah Son B.Guimaraes Kulisevski (Benharama)

    Toney (Undav, Greenwood)

  18. Satriales
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Is it worth changing my team around to fit Koulibaly in?? Would have to lose Rice and Cash to make the ££ work.

    1. StevenW
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Feel like Rice is a bad pick, not sure Koulibaly would be one I would target from Chelsea. James / Chillwell if possible

  19. SamBlue
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Thoughts and Prayers: RMT

    Raya
    TAA Consaleo Gabriel Chilwell
    Son(C) Foden Diaz Ramsey
    Kane Jesus

    (B) Darlow Neco Murphy S.Greenwood
    ITB 0.0

    I've been sitting on this squad for a week now...2nd Draft.

  20. Holteenderinthesky
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    First Draft, thoughts?

    Mendy
    TAA, Cancelo, Ait-Nouri, Tomiyasu
    Salah, Sterling, Rashford, Neto
    Haaland, Jesus,

    4.0, Andreas, N,Williams, Phlange

  21. StevenW
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Which 3 score more points over the first 8?

    1) Raya, Robertson, Grealish
    2) Alisson, Cash, Mahrez
    3) Alisson, Other 5m?, Mahrez

  22. Evasivo
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    The battle of the £8Mil Mids, whose your pick?

    I’m probably gonna have 3 of them, currently Maddison Mount Saka

    Mahrez Diaz Kulu close

    1. Stamford B
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      I’ve got Mahrez and Diaz at the moment. Not sure if I’m kidding myself with Mahrez but the Charity Shield might give us a clue.

      1. Evasivo
        • 13 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        Just worried about usual Citeh rotation… and yea he could do great but not much between the 8MM,s so going for guaranteed starters at this stage

        1. Evasivo
          • 13 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Diaz impressed me last season but with Salah on all dead balls will he still outscore others…. Possibly tbh

        2. Stamford B
          • 2 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Probably wise.

      2. Andy_Social
        • 11 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        Appreciate the 20-year throwback there

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      I have four; Foden Mount Saka Diaz

      1. Evasivo
        • 13 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        No Salah or Haaland, surely a lot to jeapardise?

        1. Bobby Digital
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 8 months ago

          Got Kane Jesus up top... Kane could become Haaland.

          1. Evasivo
            • 13 Years
            1 year, 8 months ago

            Wow, impressive…. Left wind too, I like it

            1. Evasivo
              • 13 Years
              1 year, 8 months ago

              *wing

              Surely no Salah?

              1. Bobby Digital
                • 6 Years
                1 year, 8 months ago

                No... Can't have em all.

                1. Evasivo
                  • 13 Years
                  1 year, 8 months ago

                  True that! I can get 3 8MMs and Salah but then Jesus Havertz up front…. Plenty of tinkering to come

  23. Herman Toothrot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Anybody looked at the NFO lineup tonight?

    Johnson is in the #10 spot, Awoniyi and Taylor (4.5 forward) playing up top.

    Neco RWB

  24. Tdog7
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    RMT

    ramsdale raya
    zinchenko chillwell robertson malacia vestergaard
    kdb son diaz dewsbury hall elneny
    wilson martial jesus

  25. Longlatini
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Haven’t been on here for a while so sorry if this has already been talked about a lot but is Neco Williams about the only starting 4.0 def?