Here’s another fantasy premier league GW1 drafts article. This time a few different options from FFGeek contributor Alex Ball. Alex has been Mr Consistent in FPL and finished 17k in 17/18, 10k in 16/17, 28k in 15/16 and 3k in 14/15
fantasy premier league GW1 drafts – Alex Ball with some early team options
It’s back. FPL is back. And it has provided us with some intriguing decisions to make. I’ve always favoured an attacking formation (3-4-3 or 3-5-2) but the current fad in FPL circles appears to be a big 4/5 at the back. And I have to say I like the approach as it provides real value. Please do not expect a detailed, stats driven article, this is just my ramblings about my FPL team!
I have completed 3 drafts; 1st is 3-5-2, 2nd is 3-4-3 and 3rd is 4-4-2. First thing to say is the players I have put in could easily be changed for any number of players in the same price bracket. They are the players I favour but aren’t necessarily the best option. For example, some players are still returning from the World Cup and may not start the season. You can see those players in FFG’s article on the subject
The 3-4-3 team
Firstly, we have 3-4-3. At the back, I have favoured 2 heavy hitters and 3 x £4.5m’s with DDG as a ‘set and forget keeper’. There are a number of excellent value 4.5 defenders that have been much higher priced in the past; Daniels, Cedric, Tomkins to name a few. This offers good rotation options and the chance to have decent players on the bench if needed.
Salah will appear in all my drafts, a must have to start the season for me as his ownership as captain will be massive. Sane is also a great option after having the summer off and the likes of Sterling and KDB likely rested after World Cup duties. Deulofeu has now signed for Watford so will hopefully have a consistent season (something he has struggled with in the past). The new Gunners boss has already started the importance of Ramsey who could be great value at £7.5m.
I have gone for Aguero as my premium forward but Aubameyang provides a nice alternative at the same price. Wood has an excellent points per minute record for £6.5m looks a solid option (favoured by FFG!). Tosun also looks good value with excellent fixtures and and a kind price (alternatives would be Arnautovic or Zaha who have been reclassified as strikers this year and in doing so have avoided a price increase).
The 3-5-2 team
Next up is 3-5-2. At the back I have gone ultra budget in goal; £8.5m with keepers from the same team. A sightly cheaper defence with S Ward (£5.0m is a nice price for a Burnley defender but be wary of Europa cup on Thursday nights) supporting Robertson and the raft of £4.5m’s.
The midfield sees the kindly priced Walcott (£6.5m and excellent fixtures) join Silva and Mkhitarian (both cheaper than teammates Sane and Ramsey in the 3-4-3 draft but a higher rotation risk).
Up top, is my preferred two strikers in Aubameyang and Aguero and Quaner who is a cheap £4.5m bench filler. I think these two heavy hitters will start the season well but with both of them and Salah in the team it eats a lot if the budget.
The 4-4-2 team
On to my current favoured formation and team; 4-4-2. I like the rotating £4.5m keepers as they are proven FPL performers. The reason I prefer this formation is the flexibility it offers. Whilst the ‘strongest’ team is 4-4-2, it would also allow for Kenedy and Fraser in midfield and a switch to 3-5-2. The 3 heavy hitters at the back (PVA, Coleman and Robertson) offer a good chance of goals and clean sheets and all have good fixtures to start the season. However that has come with the drawback of no Man Utd or Man City defensive cover. The midfield lacks a mid priced option such as Ramsey but you can’t have them all (I tinkered with Sane to Ramsey with also allows for Coleman to Azplilcueta and Fraser to Walcott). However, the remaining mids offer good value (Kenedy‘s £5.0m could be an outstanding price). This also allows for my favoured striker pairing.
I hope this helps with your FPL tinkering and provides a different perspective to look at your team with. All the best for the season ahead.
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