FPL GW3 Preview

It’s certainly been an exciting start to the FPL season, with heroes and villains already peppered onto the FPL landscape.

While last week I encouraged saving the Transfer, this week I would encourage ‘putting out fires’, that is, removing any players who are already proving to be a poor selection. If you did save last week’s Transfer, having two available puts you in a great position to tinker, and even change up your Formation if you want. If you only have one Transfer, that is also fine, but it is important to actually ‘put out the fire’ and not just get blindsided by shiny new toys you want to bring in.

Let’s look at some popular underperformers who populate our Squads. Anyone from Man Utd and Aston Villa we’ll put in here, along with all the Spurs wingbacks and Forwards in Bamford of Leeds and Jota and Nunez of Liverpool. Some Picks do not work. Any of these Players are those. Anyone from Man Utd and Aston Villa I think can go, the Spurs wingbacks can also go save for Perisic (more on him in a minute) as we do not know who is first choice. Bamford and Jota are injured so are easy sells and Nunez is now suspended for the next three games so is also a sell.

Perisic is an interesting one, and I don’t mind admitting I started the season with him and (for now) am happy to keep him. It was always the plan to Bench him in the first two Fixtures and assess after that. When he does play, his Points Ceiling is so high he could be one of the highest scoring defenders in the game. The issue is he isn’t up to full fitness yet and he hasn’t been starting, but like we saw in the last game against Chelsea, he did come on and took set pieces and got an Assist. For what it’s worth I do think he will start on Saturday against Wolves so I will be starting him in my Team.

Who do we replace these players with? Well, in goal, unless you chose De Gea of Man Utd or Bazunu of Southampton that is a position you can leave. If you are in the market for a new keeper, there is a £4.0 playing keeper in Leicester’s Danny Ward (the other Danny Ward, the 16/17 Promotion Winning one for Town). However, he has scored 1 point in each of his opening games so be warned. In the £4.5 region, Brentford’s Raya and Brighton’s Sanchez are both doing well and have great Fixtures. In the £5.0 bracket, Arsenal’s Ramsdale and Chelsea’s Mendy are my picks. Pope of Newcastle has a poor run of Fixtures ahead and Wolves’ Sa saved a penalty which has bumped his Points Total up, but they have not looked convincing as a defence. In the £5.5 it is Man City’s Ederson who stands out.

In Defence, the usual suspects in Chelsea’s James (£6.1) and Man City’s Cancelo (£7.1) have looked class. Arsenal’s Zinchenko (£5.2), Brighton’s Dunk (£4.5) and Forest’s Williams (£4.0) all stand out in their price point.

In Midfield, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz (£8.0) and Arsenal’s Martinelli (£6.3) have looked great and, more importantly, likely to continue their early form. There is a long list of Midfielders who I do not see sustaining their early form, in Leeds’ Rodrigo (£6.1), Brighton’s Gross (£5.5) and Brentford’s Jensen (£5.0) and DaSilva (£4.6).

Up Front, Arsenal’s Jesus (£8.1) has looked unbelievable and Brentford’s Toney (£7.1) looks to have picked up where he left off last season.

They are the ins-and-outs, but there are some players who are a hold. Liverpool’s defensive pair Alexander-Arnold and Robertson have no Returns in either game but I think are worth holding onto. Son and Kane of Spurs have started slowly but we know what they can do. They are a hold for me, as the difficult Chelsea Fixture has passed and Fixture run ahead looks good. The £8.0 Midfielder selection of Mount, Saka and Mahrez are all still great picks and I would hold them for now. I’ll caveat that by saying if you do not have Martinelli I would strongly consider a move to him.

Looking ahead to Captaincy, Liverpool’s trip to Man Utd is a real stand out given Utd’s dismal start to the season. Jesus away to Bournemouth is another great option. I own both Players and I am 50/50 on the decision. I am currently leaning towards Salah though. I see no reason to go against these two this early in the season.

Deadline is Saturday 20th August, 11:00am.

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Denny Ledger

Twitter: denny_ledger