Rate My Team

Rate My Team surgery with five-time top 1k finisher Tom Freeman

The international break is over and with the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) deadline approaching ahead of Gameweek 9, five-time top 1k finisher Tom Freeman is here to help with your FPL dilemmas for the next hour.

Whether it’s questions on transfers, chip strategy, bench order or anything in between, Scout’s Deputy Editor will tackle whatever’s thrown at him.

He’ll be on hand to first reply to requests from Premium Members in the Hot Topic below the line of this piece and will get through as many as he can until the next article goes up. If there’s time, Tom will also turn his attention to other requests in the comments section.

If you’d like to receive an email notification letting you know when future RMT Surgery’s are live, you can now do so. When editing your profile, under ‘Alerts & Notifications‘, you’ll find a section on ‘Email Notifications‘. In there is an option for ‘Rate My Team Surgery‘, check that box and you will receive an email letting you know when the surgery is about to go live.

You can, as ever, chip in with your own opinions on the RMT requests filtering through – and naturally, you’re free to ignore the article subject matter and talk about any other wider FPL topics that you’d normally be musing on.

Don’t forget that, if it’s an algorithmic answer you’re after rather than an opinion-based one, we also have a ‘Rate My Team’ tool available in the Premium Members Area.

Haaland Foden


223 Comments Post a Comment
  1. RMT SURGERY WITH TOM
  2. Mighty Wings
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Hi Tom, hope you're doing well!

    Would like to get Salah, but struggling to find a good way:

    Leno, Areola
    Trippier, Schär, Udogie, Cash, Estu
    Son, Maddy, Saka, Rash, JWP
    Haaland, Alvarez, Archer

    Any ideas? Thanks!

    1. Mighty Wings
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Sorry, have 2 ft

  3. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Pretty decent differential cap options this GW.

    Who would you pick?

    Salah, Son, Saka or Alvarez?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Salah - guaranteed to start and not a minutes/injury doubt this GW

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Trippier seems an out there option as well.

    2. fish&chips
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      I'm on Salah. Mr. reliable.

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Yeah, he likes playing against Everton as well.

  4. Fast Hands Phil The Keeper
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    6 months, 15 days ago

    1FT, 0.6m in the bank. Wildcard next week.
    How do I use my free transfer?
    Tsimikas for Baldock?
    Diaby for Sterling?
    Darwin for Alvarez?
    Schar for Thiago-Silva?
    Gibbs-White or Net for Mitoma?
    And who then do I bench?
    Squad is:
    Turner (Pickford)
    Trippier, Porro, Gabriel, (T. Silva, Baldock)
    Mbeumo, B-Fernades, Maddison, Mitoma,
    Haaland, Watkins, Alvarez.

    1. RoyaleBlue
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      I like Gibbs-white vs Lut!

  5. Disco Stu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Anything worth using my 1 FT on this week or just save it?

    Martinez/Areola

    Trip/Cash/Udogie/Tark/Kabore

    Son/Maddison/Bruno/Gordon/Bowen

    Haaland/Watkins/Morris

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Save

    2. fish&chips
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Save. Think this is the week Bruno finally delivers. Bit jealous not having him.

    3. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Save. 2FT will be useful for gw10 and your team is fine for this week

  6. Joelinton Travel Tavern
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Hi Tom,

    Currently on Wildcard and as my team value is shot after a poor start, I can't afford the team I want.

    Currently on:

    Turner Areola
    Trip Udog Cash Tsimi Taylor
    Salah Son Madd Gordon Palmer
    Haaland Watkins Archer

    Haaland, Watkins and Salah are really the only non negotiables for me. So my question is, is building the rest of my team around Son, Madd and Trip the right approach? Or would you downgrade Trippier and use the fund to upgrade Madd and Gordon to Bowen and Martinelli?

    Thanks in advance!

    1. Rock n Grohl
      • 13 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      I'd aim for having Arsenal, West Ham and a Brighton midfielder personally. Your going to want them from GW10 being the difficult part of being on a Wild card this week.

      So maybe one of the Spurs chaps could make way? Minutes being managed etc.

  7. Graham555
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Hi Tom

    Looking at moving out Haaland and bringing in Salah for the fixtures ahead

    This would leave £5.8 for another strker . . any tips

  8. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Bench one;

    A) Cash
    B) Mitoma
    C) Gabriel

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      B

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      C

  9. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Assuming Haaland does well against Brighton this GW I think I would be happy to captain him at OT vs United next GW too.

    1. OptimusBlack
      • 11 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Yes Me too

    2. Funkyav
      • 14 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      think it has to be saka next week

      1. JBG
        • 5 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Salah*

    3. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      I am thinking Saka at home vs SHU but all depends on his Arteta fitness etc.

    4. Pipermaru
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      And if he doesn't? What Brighton game has to do with playing MUN next weekend?

  10. OptimusBlack
    • 11 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Best Two defenders for this GW only IF U already have
    Tripper Cash Udogie
    To use BB
    *Can't get Trent & Have 3 Spurs*

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      You will want to start Trippier Cash and Udogie so unless you are getting in an Arsenal defender then I would not be wasting any transfers.

      1. DNML
        • 7 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        He’s on BB 😉

  11. Gentlemens club
    • 5 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Hi guys, team good to go? WC next GW. 0ft.

    Turner
    Cash Walker Udogie
    Salah Son Maddi Foden Mbuemo
    Haaland Wissa

    Andersen/Kaboré/Mubama

    1. XX SMICER XX
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      G2G
      Bet you are looking forward to getting rid of the Brentford double up!

      1. Gentlemens club
        • 5 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Oh yeah

  12. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    1ft 0.4itb

    Johnstone
    Gabriel Cash Gusto Botman*
    Salah Diaz Son Maddison
    Haaland Alvarez

    Areola Nakamba Awoniyi* Beyer*

    A) Awoniyi to Solanke
    B) Beyer to Tsimikas
    C) Awoniyi, Nakamba to Archer, Mitoma -4

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Solanke in 11 and 12 is a no go.

      I think still consider Foster instead.

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Don't really like any of the cheap forwards so that's why i'm thinking option C to be honest.

    2. JBG
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      You're not contemplating taking out Botman?

      Curious as a fellow Botman owner who might take him out for Burn. After the Gabriel or Saliba debacle at the start of the season, I don't want to be burned again.

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Rather do Beyer to another defender as Botman will be fit and a good option again soon.

  13. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Turner (areola)
    Poro gabriel burn (andersen cash)
    Diaby son mads bowen (diaz)
    Haland watkins hojlund

    Which ?

    A) roll ft, g2g
    B) diaz to hwang/neto, bench diaby

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      A

    2. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      A

  14. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    One week punt Tsimikas or Murillo (or other def up to 4.8)

    Thank you

    1. XX SMICER XX
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Tsimikas

    2. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      VDV

    3. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Tsim Tsim-eree

    4. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Thanks folks

  15. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 7 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    At a cost of -8

    Out: Saliba Doku Ferguson

    In: Tsimikas Gordon Darwin

    I would like to wait til tomorrow for early lineup leaks but I'm not sure I can wait.

    1. XX SMICER XX
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      No No No

    2. Grande Tubarão
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Not being funny but no

    3. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      No.

    4. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Sleep on it and you'll think clearer tomorrow morning

    5. Pipermaru
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Go for it.

  16. XX SMICER XX
    • 6 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Please rate my GW10 WC team:

    Areola Turner
    Cash Gabriel Udogie Tsimikas Brainwaite
    Salah Saka Maddison Mitoma Soucek
    Haaland Watkins Hojlund

    Thanks!

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Let 9 end.

      1. XX SMICER XX
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Oh

    2. RoyaleBlue
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      I’d downgrade Hoj to archer and use the funds to upgrade Soucek, then play 3-5-2

    3. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Looks okay but anything could happen in gw9 that could throw a curve ball at that team

  17. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Save FT here? 0.2 ITB. Playing Strakosha. Areola comes on if Flekken features.

    Strakosha
    Porro Cash Burn
    Salah Son Maddison Neto
    Haaland Darwin Watkins

    Areola Anderson Taylor Castagne

    1. XX SMICER XX
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Roll

    2. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Save

  18. Fodderx4
    • 6 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Haaland and Saka to Mo (c) and Watkins -4
    a) yes
    b) no

    I'm chasing with a terrible rank if that matters.

    Still got.my wild card too but fancy holding on to and doing something later.

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Are you mad?

    2. XX SMICER XX
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      If want to chase rank captain Saka.

    3. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Oh dear, B

  19. XX SMICER XX
    • 6 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Anything worth a 1 week punt?

    Turner
    Cash Udogie Trippier
    Son Maddison Foden Mbuemo Rashford
    Haaland Hojlund

    1.5M ITB - WCing next week

    Thanks

    1. MADCHESTER UTD
      • 8 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Make sure Sheffield Utd Vs Manchester Utd game is on first. Massive flooding in Sheffield

      1. XX SMICER XX
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Thanks - there were rumours Forest game could be impacted

    2. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Probably lose Rashford as his price could drop tonight. You've got Hojlund as Utd attacking cover anyway

      1. XX SMICER XX
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Who would you bring in?

        1. House Frey Wedding Planner
          • 5 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          Probably Jota

  20. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Would you save FT here?
    Or do something like Botman to Van de Ven?
    Turner
    Trip Porro Cash
    Gordon Bowen Salah Maddi
    Haaland (c) Watkins Morris

    Areola Botman JWP Bayer

    1. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Save

    2. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Roll...

  21. The Pep Revolution
    • 12 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Hope everyone had a nice international break but glad it's over and FPL is back tomorrow.
    Salah or Haaland as captain?

    1. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Going Haaland myself

    2. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      The blonde Andy Carroll

    3. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      On Haaland and will leave it there...

  22. smokedsalmon
    • 4 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Hi Tom,

    Making a WC this week. Thinking of something like this

    GK: Areola, Turner
    D: Trippier, Udogie, Cash, Tsimikas, Taylor
    M: Salah, Maddison, Bowen, Gordon, Diaby
    F: Halland, Watkins, Archer.

    Any suggestions? Have no money left in the bank with this squad

  23. GreennRed
    • 12 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Gomez is fairly limited going forward but a better defender than Tsimikas. What cgance he starts LB while Robertson is out?

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Thought he already was playing?

      1. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        And not sure why people keep talking down Tsimikas. At times, when he played more regulary he was as good as Robbo aven better.

        1. GreennRed
          • 12 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          He's not as good a defender as Robertson. Arguably he's better going forward.

          1. Royal5
            • 12 Years
            6 months, 15 days ago

            Yeah probably right

    2. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      if it happens, Tsmi will play the easier games, when you would want to start him anyway.

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        amazing fixtures now.

      2. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        I don't want either. Just asking. The next 9 fixtures don't look bad on paper but they'll play on grass. Tsimikas got a lovely assist for Greece in the Aviva. But Ogbene skinned him. Even if I'm a bit biased I know Ogbene is a limited hardworking winger and Tsimikas will face better opponents than him in so-called easier fixtures.

    3. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      and Gomez is an AWFUL defender

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Better than Tsimikas though.

  24. ShaunGoater123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    Would you rather play Cash (will be playing Bowen too) or Udogie meaning double Spurs defence?

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Udogie.

    2. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      I think Cash as he is more attacking and Uddo keeps getting those YC

    3. House Frey Wedding Planner
      • 5 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Cash if you have double Spurs defence

  25. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    6 months, 15 days ago

    With so many 'experts' and content creators doing badly - most are currently ranked in the millions, my current OR of 260k seems like dizzy heights but if the season ended now, this would be my 2nd worst OR in the 18yrs I've been playing. Weird season so far.

    1. Manic M
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Even though I haven’t started particularly well I’m enjoying this season because I can’t remember it being so varied in the way people want to play. Wildcards going at different times, going with or without Salah, Haaland Son etc.
        The next few weeks should be really good hopefully.

        1. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          Agreed

      • _Freddo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        This is some flex.

        1. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          Hardly

      • Grande Tubarão
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        260k would be my worst ever finish. That’s not something I’d be bragging about but congrats!

        1. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          It’s funny how differently people interpret things. In no way do I see this as a brag. It’s neither impressive or terrible. Just normal and he’s just talking to us about it.

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      6 months, 15 days ago

      Any Alvarez news, didn’t see him in predicted lineup?

      1. Manic M
          6 months, 15 days ago

          I don’t think it’s the final draft but it’s all guesswork anyway. There’s no news and no reason to think he won’t start.

      2. HairlessGrealish
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Start Morris or Mbeumo. Or bench both and do Bell>Tsimikas and play him?

      3. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Championship match off https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67097336

      4. Patio Kev
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Friday's Championship match between Rotherham and Ipswich has been postponed after Storm Babet caused flooding by the stadium.

        Surely that could mean Sheff Utd vs Man Utd might be at risk tomorrow considering Bramall Lane is only 10 miles away from Rotherham ?

        Be a real shame for all those that kept Rashford and Bruno through all their recent blanks just for the plum Sheff Utd fixture if it got called off.

        1. Hairy Potter
          • 9 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          Isn't Rotherham's ground next the river?

          1. Rupert The Horse
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            6 months, 15 days ago

            Yeah it’s right in it. Same river in Sheffield, just the stadium isn’t connected to it.

        2. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          6 months, 15 days ago

          It’s further from the river but yeah there’s still a decent chance.

      5. Solly The Seagull
        • 6 Years
        6 months, 15 days ago

        Save ft with this team? 1.2itb

        Turner
        Schär Udogie Cash
        Salah Son Bruno Diaby Gordon
        Haaland Solanke

        Areola Botman Kabore Archer

        Thanks!