The week in Fantasy Premier League: Selling Sanchez and Zlatan, Liverpool midfielders and the surprise Double Gameweek
Emotions were already high after Brunt and Evans owners lost their collective minds when West Bromâs late equaliser was credited to .
The eventual release of a video explaining the call quieted the conspiracy theorists, but it set the tone for a tense couple of weeks.
đ„ Conclusive proof.
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) February 15, 2017
The @premierleague have this morning officially awarded our equaliser against @WestHamUtd to @G23mcauley!#WBA pic.twitter.com/FaHLUphBsP
FA Cup fixtures, for so long virtually ignored by FPL devotees, suddenly became all-important - deciding as they would which teams would miss out in .
Then, as if things werenât complicated enough, we had this bomb dropped on us...
đš POTENTIAL DOUBLE GAMEWEEK for @ManCity in GW27 đš
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) February 22, 2017
SUN (a)
STK (h) https://t.co/78uELaenqm
So letâs look at the four most crucial questions being asked this week in FPL.
Should I sell Sanchez and Ibra?
As a general rule, I never sell a player with the intention of buying him back soon afterwards - why commit a future transfer to a player you already own, when the FPL gods will invariably find a way to land you with a bigger headache when that week comes around?
Mind you, itâs not hard to see why gameâs top scorer has become the second-most transferred out player this week. The prospect of having an ÂŁ11.7 player facing two Blank Gameweeks (BGW) with a tricky trip to Liverpool in between has seen the appeal of dip considerably.
While itâs certainly reasonable to sell now, especially given the options that Liverpool playing GW28 has now opened up, there are two factors that should give FPL managers pause for thought.
Those prudent enough to have brought the Chilean early at around ÂŁ11m are now effectively being âpunishedâ and stand to lose team value by selling him (donât look for any sympathy, lads!).
Also, unless managers intend on banking ÂŁ2m or so, the temptation will be to spread that Sanchez cash around the team, making the task of bringing him back in (which, letâs face it, you will want to do) pretty awkward.
So if you have a lot of value âtied upâ in Sanchez and your team is pretty well set up for anyway, consider holding him. Otherwise, sell - and sell this week.
In the case of , itâs not as clear-cut. Already one of the FPLâs most consistent scorers, that hat-trick against St Etienne hinted at potential for big returns.
Price is less of a factor, and do you really want to be without him for that plum tie against Bournemouth at Old Trafford?
Bournemouth have conceded 21 goals in their last 7 matches. Looking forward to captaining Zlatan in GW27 when many will have sold him #FPL
— FPL General (@FPLGeneral) February 15, 2017
Wait until after that to sell, if at all.
Of course, if youâre planning to use your wildcard on GW29 or soon after, the decision to sell players like Sanchez and Ibra becomes much easier, but more on that later.
Do I need to buy Liverpool midfielders?
An impressive performance against Tottenham has made comfortably the most transferred in midfielder this week.
Delve deeper into the stats over the last two matches Mane has played 90 minutes in, however, and thereâs plenty of encouragement for those suspicious of this sudden clamour to get the Senegalese speedster into their team over his Anfield teammates.
If the âpick and stickâ mantra on Liverpool players this season holds true, you need to ask yourself if Mane is worth that extra ÂŁ1m outlay?
His 83.3% rate of shot accuracy in his last two games is impressive, but unsustainable.
Liverpool are a different team when all of the quartet of , , and play together, and this table shows that while Mane is making the most of his chances, there is at least the potential there for others to improve.
Shot-happy now looks like a fixture in that âfalse 9â position, and given his recent injury, Liverpoolâs 16-day break could see Coutinho return to something resembling his early-season form.
It would be nice to delay this transfer and have time to assess in particular, but if youâre going to buy a Liverpool midfielder, it HAS to be done now to take advantage of that Leicester fixture. Time to go with your gut!
How many players do I really need for GW28, and whoâs best to bring in?
Hopefully by now you will have restricted your recent transfers to those six teams (now eight) who definitely play in GW28, but in all likelihood you wonât have 11 players on that virtual pitch when it finally comes around.
Donât worry, very few managers will be able to do it either. If you can get 8-10 out, youâre doing just fine.
Navigating these blank Gameweeks has often been more about the players you canât sell as much as who to buy. The likes of , whose form has gone off a cliff, and are hanging on like grim death in our squads, simply because it doesnât make sense to move them on.
Andy Carroll "maybe" has a chance of facing Watford: "I was expecting him to train in Dubai but it is a bit slower than we expected." #WHUFC
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) February 23, 2017
So as we continue to plan for the truncated GWs 26 and 28, the best value can probably be found in defence.
Hullâs inviting fixture list and new-found defensive solidity makes them an easy choice, with attack-minded the standout pick.
Maguire's tally of 11 goal attempts in the last 6 GWs is more than any other defender. #FPL #GW26
— FPLtips (@_FPLtips) February 22, 2017
Full video âĄïž https://t.co/ZotW7zH8jN pic.twitter.com/ur3GDjuoRw
If you donât have a playing goalkeeper, the cut-price is a no-brainer, too.
The only slight downside here is that it reduces your overall points potential in GW 28 if you also have Swansea attackers.
With three home ties in the next four against goal-shy sides like Sunderland, West Brom and Hull, Everton defenders like are attractive - but then thereâs those trips to Spurs, Liverpool and Man United to contend with. By all means keep or bring in one Everton defender - but two is overkill.
A 15-point return put firmly on the FPL radar, but if Swansea are to begin returning clean sheets, they wonât be starting against Chelsea this week.
Moving into midfield, by the time GW27 comes around, itâll be hard to make a case for not having in your squad. Swanseaâs fixtures ease considerably and with returns in five of his six matches under Paul Clement heâs a pick for now and the future.
If Siggyâs out of your price range, enabler-in-chief remains one of FPLâs best-kept secrets.
Speaking of secrets, blank-proof players like , , continue to fly well under the radar. Owned by 1% or less, they could reward those willing to take a punt.
Elsewhere, , who created six chances in the previous Gameweek (joint top with ) and remain solid picks..
Incidentally, any shopping for West Brom assets needs to stop now.
The ones you have will serve you well during the blanks, but the Baggies are looking at a nightmarish run of fixtures after that, facing four of the Premier Leagueâs current top six from GW29-34.
Do I need a Man City player for their double in Gameweek 27?
Well, first things first - we donât know for certain that Man City will have a Double Gameweek (DGW) soon.
They must first overcome Huddersfield in the FA Cup, and thatâs by no means a given - so donât make any moves this week.
But if it does happen, then it definitely makes sense to have one City player to captain, especially given the relative lack of armband options in GW27.
The good news is that you donât actually need to disrupt your current Blank Gameweek planning too much to do it! Taking a -4 hit to bring in a DGW player to captain is a perfectly legitimate move - after all, youâre replacing a player who scores once with a player who scores four times.
Of course, when we think of DGWs, one name always springs to mind, right?
Yes, it looks like whoever decides these fixtures has conspired to bring us a new twist in the ongoing soap opera that is this season.
Aguero's demise in English football lasted about as long as an X-Factor Winners career...
— GadFly* đ» (@FPL_Fly) February 22, 2017
Conveniently affordable for sellers, heâs back in the starting 11 and his reputation alone will be enough to instill the fear of God in your mini-league opponents, which should, if nothing else, provide you with plenty of entertainment.
Downsides? Well, it will mean banking that Sanchez cash on the presumption that the DGW happens, as well as committing ÂŁ12.7 on a player set to face Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in GWs 29-31 (again, early wildcarders need not worry here).
Consider instead investing in one of Cityâs in-form midfielders - or , whichever one floats your boat.
While they lack Agueroâs potential for explosive returns, both are scoring consistently and their price makes them more palatable to keep through those tough three fixtures. Late wildcarders in particular will be delighted to have them for Cityâs tasty run of games from GW32 onwards.
Some final thoughts...
Remember - when youâre planning for these blanks and double Gameweeks, youâre basically playing the percentages. A player who plays three games will score more than a player who plays fewer, right?
You see the problem, donât you? With all your careful planning, there will be players who buck the trend and outscore those blank-proof recruits of yours - usually itâs . Itâs inevitable - so just dust yourself off and stick to your gameplan. It should pay off in the long run (well, most of the time!).
And if it feels like youâre not quite getting it right with your transfers over the next three weeks or so, donât worry - thatâs exactly how everyone else feels, too!
QUICK TIP
It may be tempting to wildcard in GW29 to refresh your team after all that BGW planning, but think carefully before you commit to doing it now.
We may have a bumper DGW in GW37, which could reward patient managers who wildcard in GW36 and then use Bench Boost to field four DGW substitutes - thatâs eight extra scorers, almost like having an extra Gameweek!
BUY
Itâs incredibly tight, but Iâm tipping as the Liverpool midfielder to plump for as they prepare to face managerless Leicester.
His price point, assist potential and recovery from injury just about shade it.
Mane, Firmino, Lallana or Coutinho?#FPL Daily reveals which @LFC midfielder is the best value for money pic.twitter.com/LT1jR7ckKQ
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) February 23, 2017
TRY
Liverpool loanee has impressed since his arrival in January.
His price could be kinder, but blank-proof status and just 0.2% ownership makes him a potential big-scoring differential.
GOODBYE
Hot property until recently, Spurs midfielders like and have gone off the boil, blanking in their last three league matches. The fact that their dip has coincided with an injury to marauding full-back is probably no coincidence.
Danny Rose [knee] will not feature for Tottenham this weekend. The full-back is said to be a "number of weeks away" from a return. #COYS
— Ben Dinnery (@BenDinnery) February 22, 2017
Some short-term appeal lingers courtesy of a home tie against Stoke, but midfield alternatives from Liverpool, Swansea and West Ham are looking ever-more tempting.
Top of the League
Itâs that man again - MicheĂ l Nevins and his MultipleScoregasams still reigns supreme in . He wisely ignored that tendency of some managers to avoid captaining a player in the early kick off and banked 30 points from Sanchez on the way to 72 overall. Will the upcoming fixture turmoil upset the applecart? We shall see.
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