Our team of Hall of Famers and guest writers are writing about all things Fantasy Premier League (FPL) in 2023/24. Next up, seven-time top 10k finisher Zophar takes his usual weekly FPL Q&A.
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Q: What do we do with Ollie Watkins (£8.5m)? Both Darwin Nunez (£7.6m) and Alexander Isak (£7.4m) look like promising buys with increased minutes due to injuries around them and have better fixtures. Is it worth pivoting off him with the intention of buying back in Gameweek 16+?
(via Camzy)
A: I think this question comes down to your FPL style. Both Liverpool and Newcastle have much better fixtures and this pair is arguably more haul-worthy than Watkins. However, there is no doubt in my mind that they are both minutes risks for midweek during this busy upcoming programme.
Yes, Callum Wilson (£7.8m) is out and Isak is Newcastle’s only option but it still wouldn’t surprise me to see him benched or taken off early with so many December games for the Magpies. Themselves, Liverpool and West Ham United are the only teams playing in three different competitions over the month and – of the trio – only their European position is precarious.
As for Darwin, keep in mind Liverpool have to play Sunday-to-Saturday for the Gameweeks 14 to 16 period, something that Jurgen Klopp really does not like. That being said, would it surprise me if Darwin or Isak still outscored Watkins with two starts instead of three? Nope.
I also think Aston Villa’s attack is on another level during home matches. They’ll give Arsenal and Manchester City a tough time at Villa Park, so I’m not personally in favour of this move. But, as you know, my playing style is not aggressive. If it suits your own, there are gains to be made by jumping off
Watkins until Gameweek 18.
Q: With three games in quick succession and Moyes being Moyes. Is now the time to hop off Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m)?
(via Ryan)
A: At the time of writing, we know that Bowen has yet to train with the team and won’t make the squad for West Ham’s Europa League game. The news coming from various ITK sources, who can’t be trusted completely, is that Bowen might make the weekend.
My personal guess is that a player who has not trained all week is unlikely to start but that is just my
opinion. We have seen the likes of Bukayo Saka (£8.8m) start for Arsenal despite this. We know that David Moyes is very coy with team news – like Mikel Arteta and Eddie Howe, it’ll be the usual “we have a few knocks” line.
That being said, if Bowen’s problem has completely cleared up, it’s very likely he will start all three games next week so it’s a difficult one to judge. I think if Moyes is vague or indefinite about Bowen’s fitness, you simply move off him. You cannot afford to carry players with injury and minutes risks over December. Especially when there are many other good midfield options.
Q: Who is the best long-term goalkeeper?
(via A Moon Shaped Pool)
A: A lot of us are frustrated with Alphonse Areola (£4.3m) but I don’t think this is the week to sell him, with West Ham playing a Crystal Palace side without Eberechi Eze (£6.2m) and Cheick Doucoure (£5.0m).
There are two options on my watchlist – David Raya (£4.9m) and Robert Sanchez (£4.6m). If you move for the former, this Wolverhampton Wanderers fixture is a decent entry point. Aaron Ramsdale’s (£4.7m) display at Brentford did not inspire any confidence in him and I like that more as an Arsenal defensive double-up instead of having both Gabriel Magalhaes (£4.9m) and William Saliba (£5.5m).
Long-term, I think Raya is the best pick. I’d still like to keep Areola as the second goalkeeper though, as you never know when either Arteta will tinker or Raya will have a howler.
I think Sanchez is the only investible FPL option in Chelsea’s defence over December. Thiago Silva (£5.0m) will struggle with so many games and Reece James (£5.4m) isn’t yet fully fit yet. Furthermore, Levi Colwill (£4.5m), Benoit Badiashile (£4.4m) and Axel Disasi (£5.0m) could all be rotated. But I’d wait until Gameweek 17 to bring in Sanchez.
Q: Apart from Mohamed Salah (£13.0m), who else would you buy from Liverpool in attack, Or do you prefer a double Arsenal attack?
(via @TheSportsBox1)
A: With the injury to Diogo Jota (£7.7m) and an assumption that Salah starts, it’s now Darwin, Cody Gakpo (£7.2m) and Luis Diaz (£7.4m) for two of the three slots.
Although Darwin can play on the left, I think Diaz is a better option there so I think the Uruguayan will be competing with Gakpo for centre-forward. For me, I think Diaz would be the one to pick rather than Darwin but the latter is definitely the more explosive option.
Again, I’m just a little bit concerned about the closeness of Liverpool’s three matches. In previous seasons, Klopp has done funny things with his team sheet when it’s like this.
With the Arsenal attack, I wouldn’t own two. Saka alone is fine, as there are other midfield and forward options who are more talismanic for their teams.
Q: Jamaal Lascelles (£4.1m) or Tino Livramento (£4.3m) until January?
(via @Sha_MUFC)
A: As a Sven Botman (£4.5m) owner, this is a question I’m asking myself and it’s not easy. Firstly, we don’t have any clarity on Botman’s fitness. There are contrasting reports where some say he’s training in isolation while others claim he needs surgery. Howe has not been definitive either but my personal guess is that they’ll give Botman at least a week of training with the team before thrusting him into the starting line-up, especially given how good Lascelles has been.
I think it’s necessary to mention that last bit as, if Botman was a confirmed absence until January, Lascelles
would be my pick over Livramento without hesitation. However, it would be very annoying indeed if we see Botman back for Newcastle’s great run from Gameweek 17.
Full-backs generally get rotated more than centre-backs and it appears that Howe plans to use Livramento on the left with Kieran Trippier (£7.0m) on the right. But left-back naturally suits Lewis Hall (£4.3m) more and, with so many fixtures, we might see more Livramento benchings.
I’m waiting to see if Howe sheds any light or if we get more information from the various Geordie press outlets. But as of now, I see myself grabbing Lascelles this week. As seen in Gameweek 13, he does offer some goal threat by being Newcastle’s main set-piece target.
Q: Anthony Gordon (£5.9m) vs Cole Palmer (£5.3m) for the Christmas run-in?
(via Lallana)
A: Another tough one, especially as a Chelsea fan! Palmer has yet to put an open-play goal alongside his four penalties but the underlying numbers look good for both goals and assists, so these returns will come.
Meanwhile, Gordon feels like more of a known quantity and I think Newcastle’s attack is better, despite Chelsea scoring plenty of recent goals. The security of starts feels better with Palmer, due to fewer fixtures but I think that’s a one-game difference at most.
Not much splits them for fixture difficulty either, as both have a tricky-looking Gameweek 14 to 16 spell preceding an improved run from Gameweek 17. Newcastle’s fixtures in Gameweeks 20 and 21 are tougher but that’s a long way away – there are plenty of points to be gained before then.
It’s a very close one but I think I just about prefer Gordon, despite being without penalties or set-pieces.
Q: What about Gameweek 14 captaincy?
A: There’s nothing really decisive I can say about Salah versus Erling Haaland (£14.0m) this week. Both have been very strong at home and I think whoever scores higher will largely come down to luck.
Personally, I am currently with Haaland, knowing Spurs’ injuries at centre-back. It’s going to be a back four of primarily full-backs and, from what we’ve seen under Ange Postecoglou, they know only one way to play – an all-out attack. They’re unlikely to park 10 men behind the ball like Fulham might.
Aston Villa got plenty of opportunities at Spurs last weekend and, unlike Watkins, Haaland is a clinical
finisher. Again, they’re both great picks and Salah actually has superior stats at home compared to
Haaland this season, so I would not stop anyone from going with the Egyptian.
