FPL GW17 Preview
What a World Cup that was. Proof, if more proof was needed, that the best teams play in blue and white stripes.
But the end of the World Cup means only one thing: FPL is back!
The period between Gameweek 16 and Gameweek 17 gives all FPL managers Unlimited Transfers to refresh our Squads (which sounds great, but all Transfers made during this period count towards out Total Transfers, which comes into effect when you are level on points with another Team).
Picking our new Squad is helped by the news that there are some Double Gameweeks already announced, as follows:
Gameweek 19:
Fulham - Leicester (A), Chelsea (H)
Chelsea - Man City (H), Fulham (A)
Gameweek 20:
Man City - Man Utd (A), Spurs (H)
Spurs - Arsenal (H), Man City (A)
Although, Man City v Spurs is subject to neither side being involved in an F.A. Cup 3rd Round replay.
Gameweek 23:
Man City - Aston Villa (H), Arsenal (A)
Arsenal - Brentford (H), Man City (H)
The big one here is Man City having two Double Gameweeks potentially.
Looking at the Fixture list, Man City, Chelsea and Fulham top the chart, which is great news as they are the sides involved in the Double Gameweeks. There aren’t really any sides with horrendous Fixtures, but no one is devoid of tough games either.
Another factor to consider is injuries, pending yellow card suspensions and players given extra time off for the World Cup. Liverpool’s Jota, Diaz and Firmino are all injured. Arsenal’s Jesus and Richarlison of Spurs are the main players out who would be in our considerations. Players who reach 5 yellow cards before Gameweek 19 will serve a 1 match ban. Notable players on 4 yellow’s are: Mitrovic, Kane, Saliba, Bailey and Schar. Players given extra time off would definately be the Argentinians and French, with other players also a potential doubt for the restart, so Martinez (both the Aston Villa and Man Utd ones), Mac Allister, Alvarez, Lloris and Varane to name the most significant to FPL.
So, putting all this information together, let’s compile a Watchlist, position by position, of the best players to look at for our Squads.
Goalkeepers:
Ederson (Man City) and Arrizabalaga (Chelsea) have the best Fixtures plus the Double Gameweeks. Pope (Newcastle) has been the best FPL option so far this season and Ward (Leicester) is the cheapest playing keeper at £4.1, and also sits 6th on points out of all keepers.
Defenders:
From Man City, Cancelo is the best pick, but at £7.4 is a good £2.0 more expensive than most other Man City defenders. He is, however, 30 points clear of the other Man City defenders, so the Price is justified. Dias is injured, Stones, Akanji and Walker could be good picks, but alongside Ake and Laporte, there is Rotation risk. You will want at least one Goalkeeper / Defender from Man City.
Chelsea are currently hampered with injury, with new first choice keeper under new manager Graham Potter, Arrizabalaga, injury flagged, along with James, Chilwell and Fofana. I’d expect Arrizabalaga and James to be fit, and a double-up could be good given the Fixtures, and they are the two I would target.
High flying Newcastle have Trippier 22 points clear of the next highest scoring Defender. He is on set pieces and over 65% ownership currently, so he is one to seriously consider.
Liverpool’s Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have had poor starts to their season by their own standards, but they could both now be good Differential picks to consider.
Man Utd have good Fixtures but with Martinez and Varane out, it will mean Maguire and Lindelof at centre back, so I would probably avoid.
On the Budget scale, Patterson of Everton and Williams of Forest come in at £4.0 and Bueno of Wolves at £3.9 and coming into favour of the new Wolves Head Coach. Having one of these as your fifth Defender will free up money to use elsewhere.
Midfielders:
The big debate is Salah or De Bruyne. Toss a coin, as I can’t split them, but I would look at Man City’s Double Gameweeks as maybe a decider. Arsenal’s Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli, Man Utd’s Rashford, Fernandes and Anthony, Chelsea’s Mount, Kulusivski of Spurs, Trossard of Brighton, Almiron of Newcastle and Maddison of Leicester are all good options to consider. Andreas of Fulham at £4.6 is the best Budget option, and again, as the fifth choice, will give you more funds to use elsewhere.
Forwards:
Haaland, obviously. Just pick him. The injury to Jesus opens up Darwin of Liverpool, Kane of Spurs, Mitrovic of Fulham, Martial of Man Utd and Wilson of Newcastle as the contenders.
A 3-4-3 Formation seems the best way forward, and I think it may be a good way to go about selecting your Squads by choosing the Bench players first. Ward in goal, Patterson in Defence and Andreas in Midfield with maybe a White or Castagne in Defence on the Bench also. Then pick your 2 Premiums: Haaland and one of Salah or De Bruyne let’s say, then the essential picks (or whomever you deem Essential) in Cancelo and Trippier for example, then play around with the remaining places with however much you have left.
Captaincy this week, Chelsea are home to Bournemouth but there is a lack of good Captaincy options for Chelsea. Man Utd are home to Notts Forest, and without Ronaldo who has now left the club, Fernandes, Rashford, Anthony and Martial could all be good Differential options. Man City travel to Leeds so Haaland or De Bruyne are the obvious ones.
Gameweek 17 Deadline is Monday 26th December 11:00am.
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Denny Ledger
Twitter: denny_ledger