FPL
7 October 2025 92 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Love them or hate them, defensive contribution (DefCon) points have added another dimension to Fantasy Premier League (FPL) this season.

With the October international break here, we’ll be taking a look at all things DefCon in a series of articles over the next week.

First up: the opposition.

More specifically, which teams have allowed defenders and midfielders to rack up the most DefCon points in 2025/26 so far?

For this article, we’re using the final, recalculated Opta totals in our Members Area rather than the cut-off-at-the-FPL-closing-deadline numbers. For instance, Maxence Lacroix (£5.1m) hit 10 clearances, blocks etc against Aston Villa in Gameweek 3 – but FPL had him marooned on nine and didn’t factor in the following day’s recalculation.

We’re still in ‘small sample’ territory, of course, but it’ll be interesting to see how these figures evolve over the campaign.

THE OPPOSITION: A TEAM-BY-TEAM DEFCON BREAKDOWN

 

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92 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. WVA
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Pedro or Enzo on WC? Leaning Enzo.

    Pope
    Gab Tim Chal
    Saka Semenyo Sarr Enzo Caicedo
    Haaland Wolt
    Dub Guehi Sen Foster

    1. Pedersen
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Pedro xgi have been 0.03 the last 3 games. Even some goalkeepers have had equal xgi numbers....

      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Yeah, no reason to go with him over the two mids

      2. Studs Up
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        xgi usually drop off when playing with 10 men... no?

        1. Four Letter Wirtz
          • 10 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Interesting question, so let's compare team xG and Joao Pedro's slice of the pie:

          Chelsea team xG vs ManUtd: 0.43
          Chelsea team xG vs Brighton: 1.83
          Chelsea team xG vs Liverpool: 1.00

          Joao Pedro XGI vs Liverpool: 0.03
          Joao Pedro XGI vs Brighton: 0.03
          Joao Pedro XGI vs Liverpool: 0.03

          Not looking good for JP, but at least he's consistent

    2. The Hunt
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Enzo Ezentiol.

    3. SakaDeezBallz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Enzo is on my priority watchlist for gw9

  2. Eddie Nketamine
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 23 days ago

    Timber or Eze for 3rd arsenal spot?
    Already have Gabriel and Saka.
    Top of my ML and want to keep it that way.
    Brain says Timber, heart says Eze especially with Odegaards injury.
    My mind’s telling me no but my bodyyy is telling me yes.

    1. Slitherene
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 23 days ago

      Ok

    2. Obi 1 Kenobi 0
        3 months, 23 days ago

        I’d go timber, would rather double up on Arsenal defence than attack

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

      Grealish to Enzo?
      Or just roll and play VDV?

      Raya
      Senesi, Chalobah, Guehi, VDV
      Salah, Semenyo, Kudus, Reijnders
      Haaland, Gyokeres

      (Dubravka. Grealish*, Gudmundsson, Gulu)
      0.3 itb.
      1ft.

      1. Slitherene
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Roll

      2. Obi 1 Kenobi 0
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Roll

        • Bluetiger1
          • 3 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Roll

      3. Meta12345
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Does anyone knows if caicedo is in the squad list for ecuador for the upcoming games?

        1. Slitherene
          • 7 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Absent

      4. Slitherene
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Bruno, Watkins ---> Saka, JP (-4)

        For the run in?

      5. BUZZBOMB ♡
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Who wou,d you rather have?
        A Pope and Gordon
        B Raya and Rejjnders

        1. Slitherene
          • 7 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          A

          1. BUZZBOMB ♡
            • 11 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            Cheers. Thats where Im at.

        2. Bluetiger1
          • 3 Years
          3 months, 23 days ago

          B

      6. Mighty Duck
        • 1 Year
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Nice stat, thank you. Shouda appear sooner or later.

      7. Jordan.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        gabriel

        1. LegoheadARTETA
          • 1 Year
          3 months, 23 days ago

          Good to know

      8. Weeb Kakashi
        • 9 Years
        3 months, 23 days ago

        Best option here.

        A Gabriel Saka (442)
        B Eze Semenyo (352)

        Have Timber.

        1. Obi 1 Kenobi 0
            3 months, 23 days ago

            B for me, Semenyo is a must have

          • Bobby Digital
            • 8 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            B, because you need Semenyo, man's on fire

          • Bluetiger1
            • 3 Years
            3 months, 23 days ago

            B

        2. Obi 1 Kenobi 0
            3 months, 23 days ago

            1 FT this week, IB injuries permitting whats the thoughts on Andersen to Mukiele/Alderete and bench boost?

            Raya
            Gabriel/Senesi/Guehi
            Semenyo/Reijnders/Kudus/I Sarr
            Haaland/Gyokeres/Isak

            Dub/Caicedo/VDV/Andersen*

            1. Obi 1 Kenobi 0
                3 months, 23 days ago

                Cheers lads 🙂

              • PremGem
                  3 months, 18 days ago

                  Good bench as is. You are fielding Senesi, Guehi, Semenyo, I.Sarr, those 4 are facing each other. So the BB is also to hedge the outcome of that game?

              • paulojdsc
                • 6 Years
                3 months, 23 days ago

                Cheapeast forward that plays regularly?

                Foster from Burnley?

                1. theshazly
                  • 2 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  True

                2. Evasivo
                  • 15 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  Thiago?

              • theshazly
                • 2 Years
                3 months, 23 days ago

                Gakpo or Reijnders on WC?
                Play Pope or Dubravka ?

                1. BrockLanders
                  • 10 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  Reijnders
                  Pope

              • Gudjohnsen
                • 9 Years
                3 months, 23 days ago

                Saliba, Gyokeres to Timber, Joao Pedro

                1. LegoheadARTETA
                  • 1 Year
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  If not on WC, not worth 2FT

                  1. BrockLanders
                    • 10 Years
                    3 months, 23 days ago

                    This.

              • Weeb Kakashi
                • 9 Years
                3 months, 23 days ago

                On WC. Exclude one

                A Semenyo
                B Enzo
                C Gordon
                D Eze

                1. Bobby Digital
                  • 8 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  C

                2. Evasivo
                  • 15 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  What’s the Eze pick based on?

                  1. Weeb Kakashi
                    • 9 Years
                    3 months, 23 days ago

                    Gut feeling I guess

                3. Miguel Sanchez
                  • 9 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  D

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

                  D

                5. AAAFootball
                    3 months, 23 days ago

                    Has to B3 d

                  • The Hunt
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 16 Years
                    3 months, 23 days ago

                    Eze non ezential

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

                  Play Gordon or Rudolph?

                  1. LegoheadARTETA
                    • 1 Year
                    3 months, 23 days ago

                    Both if possible prob Gord

                7. sminkypinky
                  • 14 Years
                  3 months, 23 days ago

                  Could I get an opinion?

                  Take a hit for Andersen + King -> Alderete + Anthony in order to bench boost this:

                  Vicario Dubravka
                  Alderete Gabriel Senesi Guehi VDV
                  Semenyo Anthony Bruno Gakpo Kudus
                  JP Haaland Gyokeres

                  Or just chill and reassess?

                  1. Miguel Sanchez
                    • 9 Years
                    3 months, 23 days ago

                    I don’t think taking a hit for Sunderland and Burnley players is a good idea

                    1. AAAFootball
                        3 months, 23 days ago

                        This

                      • Miguel Sanchez
                        • 9 Years
                        3 months, 23 days ago

                        Just hope Fulham can do something if set on playing this week or wait til they have a better fixture

                      • sminkypinky
                        • 14 Years
                        3 months, 23 days ago

                        Truer words were never spoken. 😆
                        Cheers both!

                  2. AAAFootball
                      3 months, 23 days ago

                      Very interesting had wondered about this a lot thanks

                    • Weeb Kakashi
                      • 9 Years
                      3 months, 23 days ago

                      Is this a weak defence if playing 4 at the back regularly?

                      Timber Burn Richards Andersen Diakite

                      1. AAAFootball
                          3 months, 23 days ago

                          Not horrible but depends on the rotating fixtures

                      2. jonnybhoy
                        • 13 Years
                        3 months, 23 days ago

                        What to do? 2FT 0.1ITB

                        Raya
                        Gabriel Gvardiol Sensei
                        Bruno Semenyo Ndiaye Reijnders
                        Haaland J Pedro Gyokeres

                        Dubravka Tarkowski Stach Gudmundsson

                        A) Gyokeres, Bruno and Ndiaye to Saka, Enzo, Woltemande -4pts
                        B) Bruno to Saka
                        C) Roll
                        C) Something else

                        1. AAAFootball
                            3 months, 23 days ago

                            B, maybe jped t9 wolte as well

                          • Bobby Digital
                            • 8 Years
                            3 months, 23 days ago

                            B

                          • Punned It
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Can't do just B, will give you 4 Arsenal players. Do Gyökeres and Bruno > Saka and Woltemade. Or wait and see.

                          • Soyland
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 5 Years
                            3 months, 23 days ago

                            Pope
                            Gabriel Senesi Porro
                            Bruno Gakpo Reijnders Semenyo
                            Watkins* Haaland Pedro

                            Dubravka Rodon P.M.Sarr Konsa
                            1ft, 2,9itb

                            a) wildcard
                            b) Watkins to a striker (but who?)

                            1. Bobby Digital
                              • 8 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              b) Gyokeres

                            2. The Hunt
                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                              • 16 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Anyone but Gyokeres

                              1. Count of Monte Hristo
                                • 12 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                This

                            3. The FPL Units
                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                              • 15 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Bowen

                            4. BrockLanders
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              B/ Bowen for me

                            5. Crazy crazy horse
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Munoz

                            6. DagheMunegu
                              • 5 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Keep Watkins. Bruno to Saka

                              1. Soyland
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 5 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                Thanks. Thats an option. I like 90-minute-men dough. Watkins sub after an hour last match make me think he is not an option right now. Like the bowen-move. Also think Goykeres will be better versus the weaker teams.

                          • tuturututu
                            • 5 Years
                            3 months, 23 days ago

                            BB active, thoughts ?

                            Petrović (cry), Dubravka (LEE)
                            Timber (ful), Chalobah (nfo), Guehi (BOU), VdV (AVL), Esteve (LEE)
                            Saka (ful), Doku (EVE), Semenyo (cry), Kudus (AVL), Enzo (nfo)
                            Gyokeres (ful), Haaland (C) (EVE), Evanilson (cry)

                            1. BrockLanders
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Looks a decent week to use tbf

                            2. Count of Monte Hristo
                              • 12 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Good to go. Evanilson has been so disappointing sadly, don’t expect much from him.

                          • TeddiPonza
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 15 Years
                            3 months, 23 days ago

                            Can only pick 2 out 3. Who would you leave out on WC?

                            A. Mateta
                            B. Pedro
                            C. Bowen

                            Thanks

                            1. BrockLanders
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              A & C

                            2. DagheMunegu
                              • 5 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              A

                          • Crazy crazy horse
                            • 10 Years
                            3 months, 23 days ago

                            Why no love for Rice

                            1. BrockLanders
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Looks like Odegaard is out for quite a while too

                              1. Crazy crazy horse
                                • 10 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                Not returned in only on match he’s started!

                                He’s in my team and I’m loving it.

                                Not mentioned at all.

                            2. Punned It
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                Saka or Rice in for GW10, just waiting and watching.

                            3. BrockLanders
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Any changes on WC here??

                              Pope/ Dubravka
                              Senesi, Gabriel, Timber, Munoz, Anderson,
                              Saka, Semenyo, Sarr, Enzo, Xhaka
                              Haaland, Bowen, DCL

                              1. Crazy crazy horse
                                • 10 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                Go on, sneak Rice in there.

                            4. Athletic Nasherbo
                              • 8 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Will do Mbeumo > Semenyo. No need for a wildcard, right?

                              Donnarumma
                              Cucurella Timber Porro Munoz
                              Gakpo Mbeumo* Minteh
                              Haaland Gyokeres J.Pedro

                              Valdimarsson Rodon Rutter Carvalho

                              1. DagheMunegu
                                • 5 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                Having the same dilema just under.

                                I think you can hold the WC

                            5. DagheMunegu
                              • 5 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Can I save the WC till GW 12 ?

                              Raya
                              Porro Richards Rodon
                              Saka Eze Reijnders Semenyo Kudus
                              Haaland Watkins

                              Dubravka Larsen VDV Andersen

                              Have 1ft and will BB GW9

                              1. The FPL Units
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 15 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                Based on current information, yes.

                            6. The FPL Units
                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                              • 15 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Any changes on this WC?

                              Pope Dubs
                              Senesi Lacroix Andersen Timber Gabriel
                              Saka Caicedo Enzo Semenyo Sarr
                              Haaland Bowen Foster

                              Half thinking I go Saka, Rice and Gab? Drop Enzo for Rice?

                              1. The Night Trunker.
                                • 2 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                If you do that, and are still on the 532 541 train, I would at least double the New defence with Burn or your flavour of Magpie.

                            7. theshazly
                              • 2 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Pope ( Dub )
                              Timber Gabriel Diouf ( Guehi / Guddmnssn )
                              Saka Reijnders Kudus Caicedo Semenyo
                              Haaland JPn( Foster )

                              2.5 ITB

                              Any comments on this WC ?

                              1. The FPL Units
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 15 Years
                                3 months, 23 days ago

                                My WC above, I am not keen at all having JP in on a WC.

                            8. Sloopy
                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                              • 14 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Thanks! Very usefull!

                            9. Dubem_FC
                              • 10 Years
                              3 months, 23 days ago

                              Well thought article.