With Gameweek 2 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) nearing, we’re getting team reveals from our panel of Hall of Famers and guest writers. Here, five-time top 1k finisher Tom Freeman talks us through his team, who his Dominic Solanke replacement is and some early FPL observations.
For the latter, he’s calling on Statsbomb graphics and Premium Members Area data.
- READ MORE: FPL General’s Gameweek 2 team reveal
- READ MORE: FPL Milanista: Gameweek 2 team reveal + five differentials
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It’s way too early, of course, to identify any new trends in FPL. However, in this piece, I want to highlight some early observations from the opening weekend. If nothing else, it’s something to keep an eye on in Gameweek 2.
- Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) was widely criticised for his performance against Leicester City on Monday, which I thought was a bit unfair. Firstly, his movement was really good, with Tottenham Hotspur’s shape more akin to a 3-4-3 in possession. He’s now injured, of course, and probably a sell given his schedule once back (new/ARS). That said, with James Maddison (£7.5m) and Pedro Porro (£5.5m) creating in the half spaces, I do like the idea of bringing him back soon, potentially on a Gameweek 6 Wildcard.
Above: Passing Network: Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur in Gameweek 1, via StatsBomb
- Nottingham Forest directed 54% of their attacks down their left flank in Gameweek 1, a potentially promising sign for new arrival Alex Moreno (£4.5m). He’s a player I like from his time at Aston Villa, with his ability to arrive unmarked at the back post an underrated quality. If Forest can start delivering a few clean sheets, something they’ve failed to do so far under Nuno Espirito Santo (one in 22 matches!), Moreno could become a decent rotation option.
Above: Nottingham Forest’s positional stats v Bournemouth in Gameweek 1, via WhoScored
- I don’t see too many clean sheets in the near future for Manchester United, but of all the new signings on show last weekend, Noussair Mazraoui (£4.5m) probably impressed me the most. He looked composed on the ball against Fulham and drifted into some nice central areas, which is captured below. He’s not an immediate target, but a potential transfer in once United’s fixtures improve.
Above: Noussair Mazraoui’s touch heatmap v Fulham in Gameweek 1
