Here’s our 4 Winning FPL Squads article with more FFGeek latest draft teams. There’s Ori, Clay, Yaniv and Andrew’s teams. Between them they have finished in the top 1% of teams 21 of 28 times in the last 7 ultra competitive seasons. It includes a No Bruno Fernandes team
4 Winning FPL Squads – FFGeek Contributors Teams
4 FFGeek Contributors Teams, Joe’s Transfer Planner, 4 Chip strategies to start the season with
4 GW1 Contributors Teams, The Gameweek 1 template team, Analysing the teams of 12 top FPL managers
Introduction
It’s worth noting that the teams shown may not necessarily end up being the final teams or the transfers may have been made in the days prior to the posting . It’s an informal situation to give you an idea of trends.
However the FFGeek team, the Transfer Planner Team and the Contributor Vote team Plus the Contributor teams of Andy, Rob, Rick, Andrew, Pete, Javier and Joe mentioned above on the FFGeek Patreon site all make notified transfers live as they are completed. So you’re always up to date and live for a maximum £4 PCM with no annual commitment
Ori Gal
Ori’s last 8 seasons are 58k, 71k, 91k, 82k, An incredible 243rd, 6k and 4k
The FPL season is finally here, and I’ve put together my first draft ahead of Gameweek 1. There is one big difference from my usual opening-week strategy, though: I’m going straight in with the Bench Boost.
The Big Call is no Bruno Fernandes. I’m thinking with Haaland a perma captain and money being able to be invested elsewhere in the squad I can offset that loss.
I’ve built the squad around a strong starting XI, with Haaland wearing the captain’s armband and Mbeumo taking the vice-captain role. Up front, Haaland is joined by João Pedro and Calvert-Lewin, while my midfield features Cunha, Mbeumo, Semenyo and Szoboszlai. It’s an attacking setup, and I’m hoping there’s enough goals with the excellent fixtures to get the season off to a strong start.
At the back, I’ve gone with Gvardiol, Mosquera and Shaw in front of Raya in goal. However, with the Bench Boost activated in Gameweek 1, the players on my bench are just as important. Verbruggen, Aina, Nørgaard and O’Shea will all have the opportunity to contribute points, so I’ll be hoping for a solid return across all 15 players. I’ll be checking the last lot of friendlies here with FFGeek to make sure everyone is likely to start
Using the Bench Boost immediately is definitely an aggressive move. Rather than waiting for a potential double Gameweek later in the first half of the season, I’ve decided to trust my initial squad and give myself the chance of getting points from every player straight away. Of course, there’s always the risk that the bench doesn’t deliver or someone unexpectedly doesn’t start, but I’m happy to take that gamble and get rid of the Chip.
As for the Wildcard and Free Hit, I don’t have any fixed plans yet. I know many FPL managers have locked the Wildcard in for GW4 or GW6 in order to tri down the bench and take the Chelsea fixture turn but I’m going to see how the opening weeks develop, assess players form, fixtures and injuries, and make those decisions when the time feels right.
For now, the plan is simple: start fast, trust my squad and Bench Boost in GW1.
Haaland has the armband.
Here’s my current thinking. I will update my team here before the GW1 deadline on the 21st August
Clay Van Doren
Clay’s last 12 seasons Overall ranks are 206k, 129k, 970th, 36k, 29k, 219k, 97k, 43k, 37k, 1k, 83k and 10k
See the full article and team on the FFGeek Patreon Site for £3.00 PM plus loads of other FPL Content outlined above. No annual committment required
Yaniv Salomon
Yaniv’s history top 5k×2. top 10k×3. top 100k 7 times in the last 9 years!
See the full article and team on the FFGeek Patreon Site for £3.00 PM plus loads of other FPL Content outlined above. No annual committment required
Andrew Whitfield
Andrew’s best overall ranks are 6k and 19k
Follow Andrew on twitter here
Introduction
Hi everyone
It’s nearly two weeks since my first article and less than two weeks until the Premier League gets underway, so it feels like a good time to check in and bring you up to speed with my latest FPL thoughts.
It’s worth noting that things can change very quickly. It only takes a major injury or a marquee signing and our team drafts can be ripped up and changed completely. If Bruno Fernandes tweaked his hamstring or had Vinicius Junior signed for Arsenal, then everything is turned on its head.
A number of players, including Erling Haaland, are not even back in training after the World Cup. If Haaland doesn’t make GW1, then that really shakes things up. All eyes on training photos and pre season friendly line ups from now, particularly for all the players who went deep in the World Cup.
The Community Shield next weekend will be VERY informative for Arsenal and Man City players. We probably can’t begin to firm things up until after that game. It’s potentially going to have a significant impact on our plans. Only then can our drafts take shape in the final seven days.
EARLY CHIPS ??
A reminder that “double chips” are with us again this season. We have a full set to use by GW19 and another set after that. It’s very unlikely that we get any “blank or double gameweeks” in the first half of the season.
There has been a lot of talk in the FPL community about playing very early chips. And the major change since my first write up, that affects my GW1 team selection, is that I’m strongly considering playing my BENCH BOOST in either GW1 or GW2 !!
The expectation is also that we see plenty of early wildcards in either GW4 ( fixture swings ) or GW6 ( a very long international break ) and it will also be an opportunity to reshuffle our squads when some players may have been slow starters due to World Cup involvement.
There’s also a lot of information to gain in the first few weeks, with TEN new managers in the league. We need to see how that affects line ups and playing styles. And the transfer window doesn’t close until GW3.
Triple captain fever will potentially see Erling Haaland popular in GW3 at home to Coventry. Maybe even Bruno Fernandes at home to Ipswich in GW2. Targeting the three promoted teams is going to be a recurring theme this season. Haaland has Hull at home in GW16 which is the stand out fixture. But will Haaland be fit, in form or rotated due to UCL commitments by then ?
As well as GW4 being a potentially popular wildcard week, free hits could also appeal that week too. Man Utd play Man City so what about a Palace triple up of Mateta, Sarr and Munoz at home to Ipswich and Chelsea triple up at home to Hull. Palmer might be the best captain that week and you might not want to sell Bruno Fernandes to get him.
There’s a good chance that I look to play my bench boost in GW1 or GW2, play my triple captain on Haaland in GW3 and possibly either my free hit or wildcard ( or even both !! ) in the first six weeks too. I’m definitely considering an aggressive push to get myself on the front foot this season.
REASONS TO PLAY AN EARLY BENCH BOOST:
It gets the chip out of the way, so I’m not thinking about it every week and letting it dictate my plans, waiting until the perfect week when fixtures align, only for an injury to scupper it.
It avoids using precious transfers to set it up, when it’s a potentially low value chip in a single gameweek. 8-12 points in a single week is a reasonable outcome.
There are no confirmed 4M playing keepers currently. So we can’t just wait for a good week to bench boost, like we did with Dubravka last season. We need a 4.5M second keeper to play the chip.
Starting with a more expensive bench does limit the team initially. So there is a sacrifice in the first few weeks, investing extra money on the bench, instead of the starting line up.
But with the expectation of early wildcards, there’s an opportunity to beef up the bench now, get the bench boost played and then “wildcard out of it”
An early WC GW4-6 can trim the bench to a 4M keeper and 4.5M forward or mid, and carry the least money on the bench for the longest time, until the second wildcard, maybe up until around GW30, when the blanks and doubles come into play, maximising money in the starting eleven.
Those playing the first wildcard and still holding a bench boost at that time will need to invest on wildcard in a 4.5M keeper and a stronger bench for a longer period. And still have to plan for a bench boost and use transfers to optimise it.
There are definite risks involved. In the first couple of weeks, line ups could be uncertain, particularly with players returning late from the World Cup. There’s a risk of fielding less than 15 players. Lack of information could be dangerous and limit the success of the chip.
But players can miss out in any game, in any week. There are no guarantees, whenever it’s played. Putting 15 players out in any gameweek needs a good slice of luck.
BB1 or BB2 ??
Both are likely to be popular. But which is best ? Both are very early to use the chip.
BB2 can have 2-3 cheap Coventry players v Hull at home in GW2, which looks attractive. Less money on the bench also allows more money in the eleven in other gameweeks. Good chance of a clean sheet or double clean sheet, which would make it a success.
That’s if the Coventry clean sheet lands. It’s heavily reliant on one fixture so could go either way. The probability of the clean sheet being busted will still be about 65% so the odds are against it. And you’re left with 2-3 Coventry players.
BB2 has a chance to assess who played in GW1 and BB with a bit more security of the GW2 line ups. There is a risk on first day line ups, so BB1 might not get 15 players.
But GW1 is the only opportunity all season to bench boost alongside unlimited transfers. The only chance we get. You can’t BB and play a wildcard any other week. We effectively can in GW1.
BB2 may need to use a transfer to fix any missing GW1 players and still play the BB. If there’s an injury on top, it may mean having to take a -4 hit to play BB2. Or postponing the BB and not using the chip.
I think the teams prevalent on BB1 generally have better fixtures over the first five gameweeks, which means more longevity in the team. Coupled with more squad depth than BB2 teams, it means a greater chance of being able to hold off the first wildcard for longer. That’s a significant factor for me.
BB2 means going without Brighton, Forest and Palace players who play Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City respectively in GW2.
However, Brighton and Forest have good fixtures early on, both playing Leeds H and Coventry in the first five. Palace also play Ipswich and Leeds in the first five. Verbruggen rotates well with Kinsky and plays Leeds & Coventry in GW4-5. As does Gross.
Bournemouth and Sunderland are more popular on BB2 but Bournemouth play Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea in the first five. Sunderland have Arsenal and Man City.
I can see most BB2 teams being forced into a WC as early as GW3 or GW4, especially with those Coventry players putting pressure on the starting eleven and not having the squad depth to rotate around the fixtures.
If I can get to WC6, it’s over a long three week break, due to the first two International breaks being combined into one, and all countries playing four internationals each. Potential for lots of issues. More chance to deal with these on WC6 compared to WC4.
BB2 looks good, to play the Coventry v Hull fixture, if happy to commit now to WC4. But BB1 offers better fixtures in the weeks after the BB, more squad depth and the option to remain more flexible to hold the WC for longer.
I’m in the BB1 camp currently. But I’m not completely set on it.
MY LATEST GW1 TEAM:
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