Here’s our Fantasy Football Tips 2021 article where we rank the FPL midfielders for GW5 and beyond. There’s stats and commentary which will help you with you FPL teams now
Fantasy Football Tips 2021 – The FPL Midfield Player Rankings For GW5
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Introduction
This article consists of a schedule ranking midfielders based mainly on last season based on their underlying stats over the whole season. xG90 and xA90 are converted to FPL attacking points adjusted by their average minutes played.
There’s also their FPL points per match as well as their value for money rating. The higher the better. Above 10 is the gold standard
The rankings are purely mathematical although there has been some subjective adjustment for performances so far this season and fixtures. The attacking players fixture ease schedule is below
Their is a new stat based on the performances in each individual gameweek where they are rated good, ok or bad in relation to their cost. The column “21/22 xVal” states how many times they were rated good and ok in the first 3 gameweeks. Prices are as of 15 September.
The Schedule
Comments on individual players
Salah
3 goals and 2 assists already and returning in 3 of the 4 games it’s been the expected start to the season backed up by his underlying stats. Undoubtedly will be a captain favourite v Palace this week and a difficult player to not have in your team. Missed a pen vs Milan but did score.
Mane
Their are 2 crucial differences between Mane and Salah. 1 is that Salah has penalty duties. The other is that Salah just about meets his expected goal target. Last season Mane just couldn’t finish and this season we saw that to a ridiculous extent v Leeds in GW4. His price makes his ranking pretty theoretical as it’s unlikely many FPL manager will want them both in their team given the alternative options. A well earned rest in the UCL only playing half an hour from the bench.
Torres
The obvious attraction here is that he is a £7.2m Mid playing CF/False 9 for Man City. In theory an FPL managers dream. However we’ve now seen two 60 minute odd subbings off and he’s only returned in the 1 match. And we haven’t even had to put up with UCL related rotation yet with De Bruyne and Foden now fit.
However the underlying stats in terms of volumes and quality are good and if you can hold your nerve you have to think things will come good although no goal or assist in 72 minutes of a 6-3 win in the UCL is disturbing.
Grealish
Has had 3 90 minute games in the first 4 which is something of a feat for anyone in Pep’s team. Has performed ok although only the 1 goal and 1 assist is a bit disappointing. The underlying stats are very similar to last season with Villa though and you have to think there’s more to come as he adjusts to his teammates. Played 81 minutes in the UCL for an impressive goal and assist
Raphinha
Leeds now have an excellent run of 5 matches starting with the defensive shambles that is Newcastle. Raphinha is the value and go 2 asset for Leeds and an excellent choice for this gameweek
Only the 1 goal this season but they have had a tricky start with Man Utd, Liverpool and Everton in the first 4.
Greenwood
Returns in all 4 games for 3 goals and an assist. Volume shooting wise he’s an FPL managers dream but in terms of quality he relies on over performance to be a really productive asset. He’s started in that vein this season which is a positive. His 19/20 season he was deadly. 20/21 he matched his xG pretty exact. Which version of Greenwood are we going to see. However the main problem is that he’s a far better CF in FPL than an RAM and that is probably all we will see with Ronaldo and Cavani at the club now. That’s before you factor in rotation when Rashford comes back which could even be worse if it’s decided Pogba should be one of the 3 AMs. There’s alot of unknowns about Greenwood at the moment.
Was rested for the UCL match which is a positive for GW5
Benrahma
After an excellent start with 2 goals and 2 assists in his first 2 games it’s been 2 blanks and 2 poor performances culminating in a 64 minute subbing v Southampton.
Good exit point v Man Utd although Leeds and Brentford after that.
You have to ask yourself which is the real Benrahama. The first 2 games and the end of last season or the rest.
Gray
Has looked very good with 3 goals in his last 3 games. The underlying stats don’t particularly back that up with 3 goals from 8 shots and a big overperformance of his xG. Also his history is hard to fathom in that he has had 2 good 500 minute sets of stats with Leicester and Leverkusen but his last full season with Leicester where he made 34 appearances was a bit of a disaster and saw only 4 goals and 1 assist in 2000 minutes. So a tough one to figure out that you just have to go with your eyes or stats. The other side is that at least he’s a cheap risk.
With Norwich in GW6 though for holders of him
Fornals
An impressive 2 goals and an assist returning in 3 of the 4 games backed up by good underlying stats. Did fall victim to the GW4 West Ham Southampton curse when the whole side (and especially him) were terrible.
Even with the good output and 3 sets of good underlying stats he’s still a leap of faith based on previous seasons stats
Adama Traore
Wolves have some great fixtures and that can be the only reason why someone who’s blanked in all 4 of their first fixtures can even be on the horizon.
He has produced good underlying stats, even if they are better than historically he’s produced, but he has been unable to put the ball in the net. That unfortunately is a fairly typical pattern and it’s a question as to whether the fixtures and the promise can overcome your doubts over his finishing ability and history.
Trincao
Another Wolves player who’s yet to return with an attraction of good fixtures ahead.
He put up some stellar stats for Barcelona in 20/21 even if they were only over 600 minutes and mainly as a sub against the likes of Eibar.
Started very poorly but the last 2 games have shown alot more promise even if not really in a volume perspective.
It’s whether the fixtures are enough of an attraction to overcome the unknown quantity he still is
Sarr
After a good start with a goal v Villa it’s all gone downhill rapidly and his stats aren’t even that of his respectable season in 19/20.
There’s only the fact that Norwich and Newcastle are next which is even making people think about keeping him
Saka
Finally a decent performance even if it was still a blank v Norwich after 3 games of dross from him. The fixtures now are a bit mixed but if he can replicate last season he can be a viable pick. In theory he should be improving.
Gallagher
He has truly been amazing eye test and stats wise in Palace’s last 2 fixtures with his ability to get into the box. That has seen 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 2 games with some eye watering underlying stats as a result.
It’s just hard to reconcile that player with the 1 at WBA who had no attacking output at all. I can only think that he had a purely defensive remit at WBA. Unfortunately now the fixtures are brutal and away to Liverpool is the possibly worst entry point you can have.
Who’s not in there
I haven’t included Jota because I want to see more information on the return of Firmino and how that affects his gametime
I haven’t included Fernandes as he’s now likely without pens he just doesn’t look value for money.
I haven’t included Mbeumo due to fixtures
The fixture ease schedule
Other Posts
Analysing the teams of 12 top FPL managers
The FFGeek Fixture Ease article
The Bandwagons and Sinking Ships
The FFGeek Contributors Teams for GW5 Part 1
The FFGeek Contributors Teams for GW5 Part 2
Early thoughts on the FFGeek Team
Joseph Crilley’s transfer planner and points projection tool
Defender and GK Player Rankings
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