The week in Fantasy Premier League: Breaking the template with under-the-radar players
For weeks the FPL community has been furiously debating the relative merits of Paul Pogba, whether to go four or even five in defence, and what teamsâ pre-season form can tell us - if anything!
Check out where your #GW1 players and favourite clubs would of landed if 2017 had a #Preseason Table!
— FPL_FootballFallout (@FPLFallout) August 7, 2017
RT's appreciated! đ€#EPL #FPL pic.twitter.com/2Dlup1Kzm6
Some things never change, though. As always, an ideal opening squad should position you to take advantage of one of the many early bandwagons, allowing you to build team value that will become so crucial later on in the season.
We can allow ourselves a cheeky gamble, but if youâre fighting fires around your squad after GW1, youâre already playing catch-up.
With kick-off just hours away, everyone will have decided on their big hitters by now, so this weekâs column will instead focus on those cheaper, under-the-radar prospects that will be doing the hokey-cokey in your team right up until today's 6.45pm deadline - with a nod of approval to the more obvious players who have found favour among the FPL community.
Goalkeepers
Itâs by no means certain, but this season could be the first time we see two starting ÂŁ4.0m goalkeepers in the game, with both of and looking likely to start GW1.
Gambling on one or both could allow us to splurge on those altogether sexier outfield players - but it could go horribly wrong.
Is Rob Elliot as GK2 sensible when we know Rafa is in the transfer market to replace him?
— FPL Stag (@FPLStag) August 9, 2017
Plummeting ownership...
Plummeting price!!! #FPL pic.twitter.com/RGrIs7UqwK
Foster (WBA, 4.5), de Gea (MUN, 5.5)
Defenders
Clean sheets are a defenderâs bread-and-butter. Attacking wing-backs may be very much in vogue right now, but the overall strength of each teamâs defence must always be our primary consideration.
You might find this interesting. Average goals conceded per game per club (last #FPL season) pic.twitter.com/nEOja0tpfq
— Fantasy Football Secrets đ€« (@FPLSecrets) July 21, 2017
Burnley were the surprise package at home last year, but have struggled to keep clean sheets since the departure of Michael Keane to Everton.
The Clarets may yet provide us with that holy grail of FPL - the ÂŁ4.0m starting defender - in the form of Irelandâs own , but this is far from a sure thing. remains the stultifyingly boring pick here.
So we look to the Premier League new boys for some value, and this season offers more potential than most.
Brighton side picked up an impressive 21 clean sheets on their way to promotion, and while we can hardly expect a similar tally in the Premier League, Chris Hughtonâs doggedly defensive approach could work in our favour.
One fan questions why CH doesn't leave an extra player up when defending set plays. CH confirms he won't change this. #BHAFansForum #BHAFC
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) August 10, 2017
The standout candidate here is .
The Austrian has played on the wing at times in pre-season and has set-piece duties in his locker too. If youâre happy to bench him for the GW1 visit of Man City, he should reward your patience.
Over at Newcastle, Toon fans have been purring about Rafaâs ÂŁ8.7m signing . Favourable fixtures await the ball-playing centreback and his famously conservative manager.
Huddersfieldâs defence is best avoided, having famously achieved promotion despite a negative goal difference!
Over at Bournemouth, produced the most assists (5) from a defender last season alongside Walker and Trippier, but itâs hard to look past - one of the best value points-per-million players in the entire game last season.
New blog post! Check out Nicholas Oo's chart/analysis of #FPL Points-Per-Million & Points-Per-90 data https://t.co/uVUijPAQN4 #FPLdraft pic.twitter.com/OdERV1RjMO
— Always Cheating: A Fantasy Premier League Podcast (@hailcheaters) July 28, 2017
There could even be a bargain at Anfield for those brave enough to take a chance on the much-maligned (but keenly priced) . Heâs been a fixture in Liverpoolâs pre-season line-ups, and is â100% backâ, according to Klopp.
Back in the ÂŁ5m range, you wonât go too far wrong with the likes of and .
In general, itâs probably best to resist the urge to spend big on your backline at this stage. Clubs with expensive defenders like Chelsea and Arsenal face deceptively tricky opening fixtures, and teams tend to get more clean sheets later in the season in any case.
Did #FPL teams keep more Clean Sheets in the first half or second half of the season last year? First Half = 2, Second Half = 14, Equal = 4 pic.twitter.com/rCJDJl1vW1
— Fantasy Football Secrets đ€« (@FPLSecrets) July 22, 2017
Bertrand (SOU, 5.5), CĂ©dric (SOU, 5.0), Kolasinac (ARS, 6.0), Kompany (6.0).
Midfielders
For those determined to wildcard early, provides an enticing route into Arsenalâs midfield as the Gunners weather a mini injury crisis.
When Brighton do manage to score, you can bet will be involved. The free-kick taker scored three in pre-season and created more chances (95) than any other player in the Bundesliga before his move to the south coast.
Patriotic Irish readers will be well aware of the danger poses on set pieces, and could be an inspired maverick pick.
The departure of Andre Gray to Watford has also opened the door to teammate to become an out-of-position prospect up front.
If your budget for a fourth midfielder doesnât quite stretch to these, is an intriguing option. He didnât have the best of seasons last time out, but a more advanced role, along with free kick and corner duties could make a mockery of that ÂŁ5.0 asking price.
Jason Puncheon
— FPL Master (@MasterFPL) August 4, 2017
ÂŁ5m
Owned by 1.8%
đ#FPL pic.twitter.com/HRxZOCgiHl
If his European Super Cup performance is anything to go by, could have more licence to get forward than first thought, and is well worth monitoring.
has also impressed in pre-season, clocking up two goals and four assists.
In the ÂŁ4.5m price rage, ticks every box and should be the first name on your teamsheet.
Tom Carroll with 3 assists today.
— FPL Mad (@FPLMad) August 5, 2017
On corners and priced at 4.5.
He's set to start.
Do you need more reasons? #FPL
Now that FPL favourite Gylfi Sigurdsson is Merseyside-bound, Carroll has assumed free-kick duties and will likely spearhead the Swansâ attacking threat from midfield (such as it is).
Although the initial excitement around has cooled, he's still the standout option for those putting their faith in Carroll to be their fourth midfielder.
Any other season would see emerge as a stalwart pick for fifth midfielder but alas, heâs been eclipsed by the bigger points ceiling on offered by the previous pair.
Zaha (CRY, 7.0), Willian (CHE, 7.0), Â Alli (TOT, 9.5), De Bruyne (MCI, 10.0).
9 - Only two players (De Bruyne and Sanchez) provided more assists from open play last season than Wilfried Zaha. Snip? #OptaFPLTips pic.twitter.com/VnQ04tr2bP
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 10, 2017
Forwards
Last season, the most problematic position was, without question, that third striker slot.
After the rise and fall of Charlie Austin, many of us clumsily groped at the likes of Origi, Rondon and Deeney, before biting the bullet and paying a premium for Defoe - just in time for him to hit his barren spell!
Meanwhile, smug mini-league rivals were gleefully packing the likes of Coutinho, Alli and King into their stellar 3-5-2 midfields.
But it looks like the unfortunate disciples of 3-4-3 may get their revenge this season however, as some intriguing mid-priced forwards have emerged.
Still (just about) south of 30 years old and generously priced at just £7m, is no stranger to the Premier League, boasting an overall scoring rate of a goal every 131 minutes - far superior to what  the likes of Defoe (221), Benteke (209) and even the almighty Josh King (170) managed last season. One to make space for come GW2 and beyond.
Javier Hernandez has told Mexican TV that he isn't sure when heâll play his first West Ham game, because he isnât quite match fit yet. pic.twitter.com/IVqCu1dX6A
— West Ham News (@WHUFC_News) July 29, 2017
The romantics among us to take their annual punt on a keenly-priced after his switch to West Brom. Six goals in over 1,000 minutes of football last season doesnât inspire confidence, but perhaps ÂŁ6m isnât a lot to spend on a player with a 15-goal season on his CV.
If youâre not the nostalgic type, perhaps the idea of a real under-the-radar differential with more recent goalscoring form would be more up your alley?
It just goes to show how painfully unfashionable Huddersfield Town are that ÂŁ6m-priced âs ownership has barely troubled the 1% mark, despite his 14 goals for 15th-placed Montpellier in Ligue 1 last season. Thatâs just one behind galactico-in-waiting Kylian Mbappe, you know.
scored four goals in pre-season and his move to Watford could give him the clean slate he needs to make that step up in class.
Lukaku (MUN, 11.5), Kane (TOT, 12.5), Firmino (LIV, 8.5).
QUICK TIP
A new factor to bear in mind this season is the Premier Leagueâs plan to impose retrospective two-match bans for diving. Yellow and red cards given to the opposing player can also be rescinded.
We all have our own pantomime villains in this particular field of endeavour of course, but to help us to cut through our respective biases, one bookmaker puts Sterling, Sanchez and Sane as the 10/1 joint favourites to receive the first ban, with names like Knockaert, Alli, Jesus, Rashford and Zaha not far behind.
BUY
He may have to make way for Eden Hazard in September, but until then represents excellent value for money. He takes a mean free kick and should play on the left of Chelseaâs front three.
Willian does enjoy a banger. Here's the 8 goals he's scored so far this season. #CFC #FPL. pic.twitter.com/bQhxH7lBAO
— #FPL Avids (@FPLAvids) January 8, 2016
TRY
came from nowhere last season to effortlessly establish himself in The Saintsâ backline. The classy centreback should flourish this season and Southamptonâs easy opening fixtures should see him continue to rack up those clean sheets and bonus points.
Love this from @JackStephens_18 đ #SaintsFC pic.twitter.com/2OU8pihndU
— Saint Harris (@LHarrisSFC) August 5, 2017
GOODBYE
Any Everton players you may have in your current line-up need to go - now.
With a sadistic run of fixtures that includes trips to Man City, Chelsea and Man United, itâs safe to say that now is not the optimal time to buy Everton assets.
Simply wait until GW6 comes around, by which time youâll have had a look at them, and should be able to pick one up for a rock-bottom price.
Top of the League
Donât forget to pit your wits against the Sports Department in.
Reader will be there defending his title - do you have what it takes to beat him?
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