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Zophar’s FPL Gameweek 1 team reveal: Salah + Wirtz but no Bruno

14 August 2025 697 comments
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With the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 1 deadline just a day away, our pundits are sharing their teams with us.

Here, eight-time top 10k finisher Zophar talks us through three-way defensive rotation and reasons for overlooking Bruno Fernandes (£9.0m).

Make sure you sign up for the new season to get all the Member-only articles, tools and features to make 2025/26 your best FPL campaign yet!

FPL 2025/26 first draft team reveals: DC magnets + Bench Boost 1
 

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The rest of this article below is completely free to read but requires a Fantasy Football Scout user account for access – you can get yours at no cost here

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FPL pre-season: Malen + Watkins again, Xhaka debut, secretive Man City 2
697 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. FDMS All Starz
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Team looks settled but highly considering Bruno & Wirtz to Saka & Gakpo, have a feeling that Arsenal Leeds match would be a blood bath. Can always downgrade to Bruno after that. Thoughts?

    Sanchez Dubravka
    Munoz N.Williams VDV (Anderson Rodon)
    Salah Writz Palmer Bruno Rejinders
    Watkins Fullkrug (Guiu)

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  2. You've got red on you.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Considering No Salah.

    Salah and S Larsen

    or

    Sarr and Haaland

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    1. nico05
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      The latter

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    2. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      SH

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    3. TBL
      • 3 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      a

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  3. RedKev81
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Hi guys

    Any last minute thoughts before I lock in?

    BB GW1 WC GW2

    Sels/Verbruggan
    Pedro/Tarkowski/Ait-Nouri/Diouf/Rodon
    Palmer/Wirtz/Gakpo/Kudus/Mitoma
    Watkins/Bowen/Ekitike

    Want everyone as nailed as possible. Main concern is Ait-Nouri but he played nearly all the CWC and I do like a punt on a player at their old ground. Could swap him and Verbruggan to Murrilo and Vicario but that means doubling up on 2 defences

    Cheers

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    1. Winter_is_coming
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      That's really interesting BB1 team, I like it! Why WC2 and not FH2 for example and give yourself more flexibility to watch more teams/games? Just interesting

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      1. RedKev81
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Cheers Winter! I generally always WC early anyway, I wanna put full value on the pitch and reduce bench asap and I’ve got a later gw in mind for my FH. I also want to load up on arsenal for gw2 but don’t necessarily want any for gw1…but yeah I get why most would at least wait for the transfer window to close before they WC.
        Think my WC team is pretty solid with mostly prem proven player and/or teams and I’ve got a plan to move for Isak too if needed (yeah I can get a bit ocd with FPL 🙂 )so any surprises should be manageable hopefully
        Any thoughts on Ait-Nouri?

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  4. blacky7475
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Let's try that again...

    Evening folks.

    The wait is nearly over and after a week of week of Mo Hokey Cokey, he's out again...I think.

    Any comments or suggestions before I shut the laptop and forget all about it...until Mo wakes me in a cold sweat at 4am, wheeling away in celebration of his first half hat-trick, despite Wirtz's early red card:

    Sels (Dubravka)
    Milenkovic, Porro, Tarkowski (Munoz, Rodon)
    Wirtz, Saka, Palmer, Bruno, Anderson
    Watkins, Pedro (Guiu)

    £0.5m spare, but I'm happy with that.

    Still undecided on Palmer (CRY) or Watkins (NEW) for the GW1 armband, or perhaps even a cheeky punt on Wirtz (BOU). Any opinions on that would be greatly appreciated too, thanks.

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    1. Moon Dog
        3 months, 23 days ago

        All solid picks.

        Only gripe is that you've got money on your bench and in the bank. As a chess player, I like to develop all my pieces from the back and get them involved in the game. Money sitting at the back is doing nothing for you, when it could be earning you points and affecting the game!

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        1. blacky7475
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Thanks Moon Dog.

          I take your point re the £0.5m sat in the bank, but a) I like the little bit of flexibility it gives me should a GW2 change be needed; and b) I'm not sure where I'd spend it - Tarkowski to Virgil has been toyed with, but I'm not completely sure about Liverpool early doors at the back.

          Munoz is a long-term pick for me, I just really don't like Palace's opening fixture (che).

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      • RedKev81
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Like it! I’d rather risk Reijnders over Anderson myself…especially with Forest likely getting a new midfielder and with you having decent cover in Munoz in case he doesn’t play.
        I’m currently on Watkins over Palmer myself…he’s had 4g 2a in 8 v Newcastle and they’re in a pretty rough place atm

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        1. blacky7475
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Thanks Kev.

          Reijnders made it in earlier in the week, but then I read a lot of good things about Anderson and it seemed the less risky pick in a non-Salah team. Your point about Munoz as cover is a good one though.

          I'm Palmer currently for captain, but I think you're right about it being a good time to be playing Newcastle.

          Maybe one last tinker first thing in the morning!

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          1. RedKev81
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 4 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            Yeah he’s definitely less risky and yeah Palmer an excellent choice too - 1g 3A in 4 against palace…don’t let me sway you on either and go with your gut!
            Regards to the 0.5itb …I’d maybe keep it too for this week but then use to upgrade to a premium 6 defender fixtures depending

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    2. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Pick one for GW1

      A. Kudus vs BUR(H)
      B. Georginio Rutter vs FUL(H)

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      1. nico05
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        A

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      2. FDMS All Starz
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Both will come good, Kudus higher ceiling

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      3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 9 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        A

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    3. boombaba
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Why are people bb GW1

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      1. Ball Ake
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Start of the season giddiness

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      2. Wet Bandits
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Easy week to use it.
        Fixtures favour the majority of template teams.
        Frees up the thought process of lining up for a SGW later on.

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    4. Skout
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Thoughts on RAN? Is he worth the risk, is he close to being nailed?

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      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Nailed for most games I would guess

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      2. You've got red on you.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Who is RAN?

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        1. Tony Moon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Ait Nouri

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    5. You've got red on you.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Any good?

      Sanchez
      Diouf - Porro - Willaims
      Palmer - Wirtz - Bruno - Reijnders - Sarr
      Haaland - Watkins

      Dubravka - Dorgu - Esteve - Guiu

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      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Pretty solid. Bit poor defense.

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      2. Pep's Money Laundry
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Wirtz isn't even enough Liverpool

        I'm not a keen on Sarr as he goes periods without returns but I'll be probably be in a minority in that opinion

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        1. You've got red on you.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Yeah, had Salah in every draft until I tweaked a Haaland draft

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        2. Royal5
          • 14 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          He os 5.0, not expected to return every week to say the least

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          1. Pep's Money Laundry
            • 10 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            I thought he meant Ismail Sarr, my bad

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            1. Royal5
              • 14 Years
              3 months, 23 days ago

              Ah then I would agree

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            2. You've got red on you.
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 months, 23 days ago

              Yes, the Palace Sarr

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    6. The Frenchie
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      When to use the Bench Boost ? What's your thoughts ?

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      1. You've got red on you.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        I'm thinking during AFCON when you get the 5 free transfers and free up Salah money

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        1. The Frenchie
          • 9 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          AFCON isn't during the second part of the season

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          1. You've got red on you.
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            Don't you get 2 bench boosts this season?

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            1. dabber7
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 4 Years
              3 months, 23 days ago

              Yes you do but it crosses over when the first chips end and the second chips start.

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            2. The Frenchie
              • 9 Years
              3 months, 23 days ago

              Yes, I just didn't notice AFCON was begging during the first part of the season, so you will use your BB1 in December.

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              1. dabber7
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 4 Years
                3 months, 23 days ago

                It would have to be the last week of December.

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        2. dabber7
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 4 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          You've got a Bench Boost chip to use before AFCON.

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      2. Pep's Money Laundry
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        The most useless chip in the game without a dgw, easy to use in gw1 or gw2 without the need to waste valuable FT's building towards a BB team

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      3. Wet Bandits
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Now

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    7. The Frenchie
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Galkpo / Haaland
      vs
      Salah / Joao Pedro

      Cheers

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      1. Yav
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Salah & j pedro

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    8. Football99
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Haaland or Salah
      Wan bisska or diouf

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      1. Yav
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Salah & Diouf

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    9. Roshen
      • 3 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      GTG?

      Sanchez – Dubrawka
      Muillo – Nico Williams – Van de Ven – Dorgu – Esteve
      Palmer – Gakpo – Rogers – Ndiaye – Reijnders
      Haaland – Watkins – Solanke

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    10. Wet Bandits
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Planning on BBGW1. Pick 2 to complete the midfield for the next 3 or 4 weeks?

      1. Kudus
      2. Gapko

      A. Saka
      B. Bruno

      Sels, Vert
      RAN, Diouf, Cucu, Porro, Konsa
      (1/2), (A/B), Writz, Palmer, Reijnders
      Watkins, JP, Fullkrug

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      1. nico05
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        2B

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      2. RedKev81
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        2A

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    11. Jjay
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Good to go?

      Vebruggen
      Lewis Skelly - van de Ven - ait Nouri - Frimpong
      Palmer - Wirtz - Kudus - Rogers
      Haaland - Joao Pedro

      Dubravka - Piroe - Reijnders - Truffert

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      1. boombaba
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Fine

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    12. FDMS All Starz
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      A) Porro, Lacroix, Dorgu
      Or
      B) Munoz, N.Williams, VDV

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    13. The Frenchie
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      A )

      Sanchez
      Pedro Porro - Murillo - De Cuyper
      Bruno Fernandes - Wirtz - Gakpo - Georgino
      Haaland - Watkins - Gyokeres

      B)

      Sanchez
      Pedro Porro - N. Williams - De Cuyper
      Salah - Bruno Fernandes - Wirtz - Georgino
      Watkins - Gyokeres - Joao Pedro

      So basically :

      A) Murillo - Gakpo - Haaland
      B) N. Williams - Salah - Joao Pedro

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    14. nico05
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Best 4.5 GK & 4.5 Def please (have spurs cover with porro & dorgu already)

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      1. boombaba
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Dorgu is spurs cover ?

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    15. Vague88
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Set on my team now but stuck on

      A) Gyokeres and Van de Ven

      Or

      B) Bowen and Porro?

      Please help me make up my mind so I can sleep.

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      1. boombaba
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        A

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      2. DangerFC
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        A for me

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      3. Wet Bandits
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        GW1.. B!

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      4. theshazly
        • 2 Years
        3 months, 22 days ago

        A

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    16. TafOnTour1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Think I've cracked it and locking this in, please rate this!

      Kelleher (Dubravka)

      Aït-Nouri, Pedro Porro, Cucurella, Milenkovic (Gudmundsson)

      Salah, Palmer, Wirtz, Reijnders (King)

      Gyökeres, João Pedro (Guiu).

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      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        V nice

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      2. Kiwivillan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Don't like Villa fixtures?

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        1. TafOnTour1
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 1 Year
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Don't think Villa are all that personally. They blow too hot and cold, and the only player I think is worth it is Rogers who is a big question mark fitness wise.

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      3. Ball Ake
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Absolutely love it until the forwards, not convinced by Gyokores yet and Pedro will share minutes with Delap (and lose his place to him eventually). I'd rather go with proven forwards initially, maybe Watkins, Bowen, Wood or Mateta

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    17. boombaba
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      RAN or Frimpong

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    18. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Do you reckon dubravska will start ?

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      1. Kiwivillan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Burnley fans say he wasn't spotted at training so no

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    19. Gudjohnsen
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      A. Rejinders, Bowen
      B. Brennan Johnson, Fulkrug

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      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        A

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      2. Ball Ake
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        A by a distance

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    20. Dynamic Duos
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Which rotation are people preferring with Dorgu(if you have him)?

      Andersen for defcon and better defence team
      Diouf for attacking potential and opening fixture

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    21. FDMS All Starz
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Anyone remember Matheus Nunes and how much Pep was praising him before he signed. Yh kinda getting de ja vu with Rejinders, hope I’m wrong

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      1. boombaba
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Yep you are wrong

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      2. Ball Ake
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        I think Reijnders will end up as the best signing of the season, class player

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    22. Unbelievable_jeff
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Hi all

      What’s best option plz?
      (Players in caps are only changes)

      (A bench boost)

      Sels

      Frimpong MUNOZ Porro

      Wirtz (C) FERNANDEZ Palmer Rogers

      EKITIKE Joao Pedro Watkins

      Bench: (boost)
      Dubravka / Esteve / Reijnders / Diouf

      B) No Bench boost

      Sels

      Frimpong Diouf Porro

      Wirtz Reijnders SALAH (C) Palmer. Rogers

      Joao Pedro. Watkins

      Bench

      Dubravka. MARC GUIU SEELT

      Thanks

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      1. boombaba
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        The option with the least spaces ?

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      2. dabber7
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        No guarantee that Dubravaka will start, so don't think you can BB with him.

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    23. HellasLEAF
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Preferred nailed on 4.0 after Esteve??

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      1. Kiwivillan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        I have Hartman instead

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      2. dabber7
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Rodon or Gudmundsson from Leeds?

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    24. DangerFC
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Thoughts?

      A awb and Anderson (forest mid)

      B re

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      1. DangerFC
        • 6 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        B dorgu and reinjers

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      2. theshazly
        • 2 Years
        3 months, 22 days ago

        B

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    25. Dutchy
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Final decision

      Cucurella Reijnders or Van De Ven Rogers?

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      1. Captain Beefheart
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        C and R

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      2. Captain Beefheart
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Sorry the R was referring to Reijinder

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      3. Tony Moon
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        VDV and Rogers for me

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    26. Pep Roulette
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Best midfielder for 5.0m? Only for GW1 in isolation!

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      1. Kiwivillan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Stach at home to Everton

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      2. Ball Ake
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Wharton maybe

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      3. Tony Moon
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Sarr (Spurs)

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    27. Gudjohnsen
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Going with Gakpo, Wirtz and Salah

      Too much?

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      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Of course. Eggs.

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