With Gameweek 1 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) almost upon us, we’re welcoming back our stellar team of Pro Pundits, Hall of Famers and guest contributors for the new campaign.
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 five-time top-1k finisher and Scout’s Deputy Editor Tom Freeman, who talks through his Gameweek 1 plans.
On the eve of the new FPL season, I’m ready to share my Gameweek 1 team.
I’ve opted for a 4-4-2 formation which includes big-hitters Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) and Erling Haaland (£11.5m), as well as two outfield substitutes who should both get plenty of minutes.
If you’re anything like me, then tinkering will undoubtedly continue right up until deadline, but it does feel like I’m almost there with this latest draft.
AARON RAMSDALE
I usually start with a £4.5m/£4.0m ‘keeper combo, but this year I am spending a bit more on Aaron Ramsdale (£5.0m). The 24-year-old finished with a very decent 4.0 points per match last season, despite a late run of blanks which coincided with an injury to Thomas Partey (£5.0m). Arsenal were significantly weaker at the back without the Ghanaian, conceding an average of 0.96 goals per game in matches he appeared, compared to 1.64 without him. They also struggled to control matches, so the return of their best defensive midfielder is huge, as is adding Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.0m) into the mix. It’s also worth noting that Arsenal have a great run of fixtures to start the season – they only play Manchester United from last season’s top six in the first eight Gameweeks.
