Here’s our fantasy premier league early transfers GW5 article where 3 FFGeek contributors have gone early in their transfers over the International Break. They are Andrew Whitfield, Kev in Canada and Yaniv Salomon
fantasy premier league early transfers GW5 – 3 FFGeek contributors go early
Geek note: If you join our Patreon site you will get access to an FFGeek contributor tracker team which combines the contributors individual FPL teams each week to show their favourite players, transfers and captains. It will always be completed on a Friday/Saturday in a normal gameweek. There will also be a spreadsheet of each managers teams, transfers and captains so you can drill down further.
You also get:
Joe’s interactive transfer planner and points projection tool
Weekly podcasts with myself and the contributors
FFGeek private leagues
Access to the FFGeek Slack channel for discussion with the contributors and members
$2 and $3 tiers per calendar month. No commitment beyond 1 month
Introduction
This is part 1 of the FPL managers who contribute to the FFGeek site with good histories who show their teams each week. This will give people a feel for what other managers are doing. It’s a fairly informal thing with no obligation on anyone and these teams may change at anytime before the deadline without further notice. It won’t cover transfers in real time either. It’s just to give an idea of the trends for the week no more.
Andrew Whitfield
Andrew finished with an overall rank of 6k last season and 19k in 17/18
GW4 points: 46 (average 57) Total points 233 Gameweek rank 5,164k, Overall Rank: 895k, red arrow 563k, Team Value: £100.6m
GW4 review
Well what a gameweek to forget that was – 46 points against an average of 57, a ranking drop from 332k to 895k and a very big red arrow. It seemed like every player I don’t own found their scoring boots !!
Five “returning “ players and a captain blank was never going to cut the mustard in a week when so many goals were flying in.
I was a bit dispirited after gameweek four. It’s especially tough to sit stewing on it for two weeks through an international break when all you want to do is get back out there and bounce straight back. But I have taken stock, and realised that a lot of experienced, successful managers have had similar starts. Just 20 points extra is a rank difference of 700,000 places which is absolutely incredible and shows how close things really are !! So rank means very little at this stage. I am very happy with my team and looking forward positively to gameweek five..
It was very interesting to read Geeks article on the performance of the “top ten” managers who have performed year in year out and not been out of the top 0.2% of teams for the last three years. .Their average in gameweek 4 was only 52 points, so only 6 more than me and significantly 5 below the game average !! So it was one of those weeks that happen when “ the experts” lost out to the masses. Vardy, Richarlison, Firmino and Abraham hardly cause a ripple currently amongst the most consistent and most followed managers. The “ template” tends to succeed more times than it fails, which is why these managers are successful, but last week was definitely one of those weeks when its opponents made striking gains. It’s also reassuring to see that the average overall rank of these top ten managers is 544k. That’s perspective and makes me feel a whole lot better about things, knowing it’s incredibly early. So everyone should stay calm and stick to their game plan. I remain very happy with my team and strategy.
I made a couple of judgement calls that went the wrong way last week, but hey, hindsight is a wonderful thing. This game is about 50-50 calls every single week.
What went well :
My faith in the double Liverpool defence was rewarded. The 83rd minute had been the Achilles heel the previous two weeks but the rearguard survived at last. Two clean sheets, and the third assist of the season from Trent. It’s a big call retaining the double defence when that money can be used effectively in attack, but I love the attacking threat of the fullbacks in full flow and I remain confident of double digit returns from both of them when they combine clean sheets with the frightening number of crosses whizzing into the opposition box with them camping in the final third !! I remain confident that the two full backs can match or come close to their 200 point returns last season, and out score the strikers at the same price point.
My defence contributed a healthy 29 points ( compared to 17 from my attackers ). Another assist from Digne, another clean sheet from Zinchenko, coupled with the double Liverpool shut out. I absolutely love my back four and I am in no rush to replace it !!
What didn’t go well :
I stayed loyal to Perez after three blanks – with a home game v Bournemouth . He was benched, unused and is now an obvious transfer out with Man Utd, Spurs and Liverpool in his next four. In hindsight, he was a sub waiting to happen. With those fixtures, he was probably coming out anyway over the International break.
I trusted Greenwood to be selected to cover for the injured Martial and he got 10 minutes !! I really thought he might start. That casts doubt about the minutes he might get this season.
So I put my faith in Perez and Greenwood to bring me home the bacon last week and they didn’t !! That cost me valuable points.
A blank from captain Sterling and 12 points combined from Salah and Sterling who underpin my “ two premium” strategy. When those two have a quiet week, it’s never going to be pretty. They had contributed 64 points in the first three weeks and both sit in the top three midfielders so I am sure they will have many more great weeks than quiet ones.
Not getting on De Bruyne !! I considered this strongly on Friday. I considered De Bruyne for Martial, funding it with Cantwell for Perez ( with a hit ) This certainly backfired when De Bruyne opened the scoring almost immediately on his way to 13 points that would have more than covered the hit. Ultimately , holding fire cost me only 8 net points after the hit so not a season defining decision. Rest assured, De Bruyne is now in my team and Mr Perez is out !!
I should have heeded the Geek’s transfers who thought long and hard – and brought in De Bruyne and Cantwell for a hit !!! ..
It seemed like I was hiding behind the sofa with goals flying in from all directions – Aguero, Vardy, Abraham, De Bruyne, Aubameyang, Kane , Haller.. the list goes on.. ouch !! I still have the bullet marks..
What next? and GW5
Well Perez had to go and De Bruyne had to come in !! .. and I decided I wasn’t waiting around nearly two weeks with the prices of Perez and Martial falling and De Bruyne rising. I wasn’t waiting two weeks to find out if Martial is fit. And the lure of De Bruyne was calling !! I hate early transfers but the volatile market is forcing my hand. At the time of writing, that particular double deal with my two free transfers has resulted in me saving a whopping 0.8M compared to waiting, with multiple price movements both ways.
Of course that leaves me uncomfortably vulnerable to injuries during the rest of the International break which I absolutely hate.. but that’s the choice now with such huge price swings.. I have it in the back of my mind that if anything significant happens in the rest of the International break, I still have my wildcard safely tucked in my back pocket. That thought has allowed me to go a bit earlier and chase some team value, knowing I can wildcard anytime.
I still have 0.6M in the bank to possibly upgrade King. I wont take a hit as King has a decent fixture at home. I will look at options to upgrade him the following week to Barnes who has Norwich at home in week six and some very tasty fixtures. That’s a 0.3M upgrade and 0.6M provides a buffer for price changes..
I love my team after the changes. My defence of Trent, Robbo, Zinchenko and Digne. My midfield of Salah, Sterling and De Bruyne . If I can combine the Pukki train with Barnes, that’s a team I like a lot. Sticking with the Liverpool defensive double up prices me out of Haller and Abraham but that’s my choice.. Lundstram and Cantwell can rotate for my “11th starting spot”.. Dendoncker and Greenwood will both get minutes as “ back up”.
If two free changes can fix my team, I am happy to delay my wildcard for when I have more than two fires to put out. I don’t need to wildcard unless I have multiple issues to fix. Of course, if I suddenly get two major unwelcome injuries during the break, that could yet trigger the wildcard.
The goals of Aubameyang, Kane and in particular Aguero, have prompted changes and switches in funds allocation,but the way I see it, you can’t realistically own more than three from Salah, Sterling, Mane, Aguero, Aubameyang or Kane. Even owning three means unwelcome compromises. I think the emergence of De Bruyne as a “ premium” player at a “ non premium” price ( the other six are all 11M or above ) creates great opportunities. There is every likelihood that De Bruyne can keep pace and match scores with the other premium priced players, meaning De Bruyne plus two allows a great balance across your team. There is very little in the scores – Aguero 40, Sterling 37, De Bruyne 36, Salah 36 all within 4 points.( Auba 26, Mane 25, Kane 23 ) . You can’t own them all !!! I feel that Salah and Sterling and KDB can keep pace with the rest.. So as long as they do, you can’t worry about weeks when Aguero or Auba or Kane have their purple patches.
Sterling at Norwich could be a popular captain in GW5 but Salah at home to Newcastle is an obvious captain for me. Whats the point of owning Salah if you can’t captain him at home to Newcastle. I remember saying that about Kane v Newcastle when he blanked !! Unless the polls are heavily in favour of Sterling, I will have the armband on Salah. Worth bearing in mind, I have captained Sterling or Salah every week so far, going with the most popular and chosen the lowest scoring one each time !!
Lundstram at home to Southampton sees him in ahead of Cantwell who has Man City. I don’t particularly like 5 at the back. I prefer 442, but Lundstram over Cantwell this week looks the right call.
Happy tinkering for GW5 !!!!
Kev in Canada
Kev finished in 6k last season and 195k in 18/19
GW4 points: 46 (average 57) Total points 238 Gameweek rank 5,242k, Overall Rank: 671k, red arrow 459k, Team Value: £101.1m
I am writing in early because Holebas has to go no matter what happens until GW5 and his price should plummet. So I have already made my move. If there is injury pandemonium over the IB and I WC or something, I will let you all know.
By the way: ‘Barf city’ of a week. I had a tree stump in the yard I had been meaning to get rid of so I went at it with an Axe for 20 minutes to prevent a rage ‘get AGUERO in at all costs’ wildcard activation. Maybe I should just hit it anyway.. who knows. As for now I am staying with one planned transfer.
GW4 Recap
☆ Keeper
Ederson with another solid return. Get what you pay for.
☆ Defenders
Holebas…🤢 see. you. later. Byeeee.
Digne and VVD each with another return and Dunk was subbed in for Holebas not playing and delivered a predictable -1 against the juggernauts.
☆ Midfielders
Salah/Sterling are no longer my favourite premiums in a two premium side (if I was on a wildcard, Sterling would become Aguero). I captained Sterling as did most of us, and for 3 weeks in a row have picked the wrong human being to be my leader. Dilva looked amazing again. Besides Aguero going berserk, I thought he was the best looking player on the pitch. They are all magnificent though. I jumped on the Mount trend. It looks like Lampard is in love with this kid, even though the rotation scares me. Cantwell..you gotta finish that buddy.. oh well. I just finished a required ‘respectful parent course’ as my son is about to start minor Ice Hockey here in Canada, so I will just give him words of encouragement, “maybe next time.. good try.” 🙄
☆ Forwards
Pukki needs to be owned right now. He is human and will blank once in a while, though. Ings, honestly looks great. I wish he would play consistent 90s but he seems to be good for at least 60+ and is a decent budget forward option while we all stack our midfield and/or back line. Greenwood not starting was not a suprise. They are a typical top 6 team with a secondary squad for Europe stuff and hence ‘too many mounths’. I still thought the gamble was worth it to play him over Ings and it cost me 1 point.
Upcoming GW5
☆ Musical Chairs
Holebas was feeling like a bad tattoo you might get when you are 17. I lasered him out and in comes TAA. Trent looks amazing so this is his entry point regardless of fixtures. I am back on the nail-biting double LFC clean sheet ride.
☆ Captain
Salah at home to Newcastle is the choice.. expect a Sterling brace.
☆ Substitute decisions
Greenwood, Rico, Cantwell
Good luck.
Yaniv Salomon
Yaniv finished with an overall rank of 4k last season and 8k in 17/18
GW4 points: 63 -4 (average 57) Total points 218 Gameweek rank 2,097k, Overall Rank: 1,914k, green arrow 39k, Team Value: £100.5m
Hi early transfer to catch the price changes Mount for disappointing Perez , if injuries will accrue WC is one step away after disastrous start of the season
Other posts
The early FFGeek team thoughts
Analysing 10 top FPL managers teams
The bandwagons and sinking ships
Geek note: If you join our Patreon site you will get access to an FPL contributor tracker team which combines the contributors individual teams each week to show their favourite players, transfers and captains. It will always be completed on a Friday/Saturday in a normal gameweek. There will also be a spreadsheet of each managers teams, transfers and captains so you can drill down further.
You also get:
Joe’s interactive transfer planner and points projection tool
Weekly podcasts with myself and the contributors
FFGeek private leagues
Access to the FFGeek Slack channel for discussion with the contributors and members
$2 and $3 tiers per calendar month. No commitment beyond 1 month
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