We are almost ready for week two of the Fantasy Premier League and my team has started off fairly well. How did the selections do and is there any scope for changes for this weekends fixtures?
Considering my form over recent seasons I have started this year pretty well. I've been playing along with this fantasy football game for a long time and on the fpl site alone, since the 2011/12 season.
Only twice in 8 years have a managed to crack 2000 points. This total is a decent benchmark but still wasn't good enough to win any of the mini-leagues I have been participating in over this time.
This season I'm entered into 5 leagues, my old workplace have seemingly given up with their league but we now have three Steem leagues, and I also have the hometown (yes, I'm a Macc lad) leagues to try and win. There is money involved in the majority of these mini-leagues, as well as some large bragging rights - particularly with regards to the 'home' leagues. I'm getting annoyed at coughing up 15 quid to enter each year and sending that over to the same couple of guys!
However, hope is renewed come the start of the new season, and this year I've started off well with the team in the opening image. 5 goals (including a hat-trick), 3 clean sheets, and a couple of assists brought my total for the week to 87. Considering the first game week average was 65, I can't complain too much about that.
The first 11 last week did well, but I think there is scope for improvement, especially if the Wolves players, Moutinho and Jimenez don't get their act together soon. This week Wolves host Manchester United and so it doesn't seem ideal to be fielding two players from Wolves in light of the opposition. I'm also not 100% sure about Bournemouth's Frazer although this week they are away to an average looking Villa team.
Moved to the bench this week is Origi, who did score last Friday for Liverpool, but is also likely to be replaced by Mane who was an excellent addition to last years teams scoring a glut of goals from Midfield. I actually think I'm missing a Liverpool midfielder, but already have 3 players picked from last years runners up and so bringing Salah or Mane in, especially due to their price, is going to be tricky.
I guess that is part of the reason that I'll likely make no transfers this week. 'Saving' the one free transfer you acquire each week to give you a couple the next week is a tactic I've used in the past to give a bit more flexibility, without cost, when making transfers and I think I'll be looking at making at least two subs following this weeks games.
For now though, the side will be mostly unchanged. I think David Luiz will come in from the bench to make 4 at the back as a swap for Origi, and Guendouzi will replace Moutinho in midfield.
Shortlisted players I have at present are: Zinchenko, Stones (DEF), Pogba, Salah, Sane (MID), Jesus, and Rashford (ATT).
Clearly it's going to be tough to fit those fairly expensive subs in, but good to have a shortlist in case tricky fixtures, or injuries, or double game weeks pop up.
It was interesting to see a couple of teams play their triple captains on the first week, without this being a double game week where the odds are more in your favour, but it seems they did well / got lucky in selecting hat-trick hero Sterling as their choice who earned them an impressive 60 points.
My captain this time is Arsenals main man at present, Aubameyang who leads the line at home to Burnley in the opening fixture tomorrow lunchtime. I'm not a fan of Arsenal but will secretly be cheering this guy on :)
Good luck with your selections this week!
Asher