Here’s our fantasy premier league transfers GW26 article where we analyse the teams of 10 top FPL managers. These 10 managers have not finished outside the overall rank of the top 10k in the last 3 seasons. Considering how variable the last 3 years have been this is remarkable consistency and shows an ability to adapt strategy in different seasons. It also gives you a view other than my own on strategy and player selection.
fantasy premier league transfers GW26 – analysing the teams of 10 top FPL managers
If the article is too long there’s a combined FPL managers team for the top 10 FPL managers analysed towards the end of the article.
Firstly, there are 9 new managers in the 10 this season. The only repeat manager I’ve found again finished in the top 100 last season
The criteria I’ve always been looking for is managers who’ve finished in the top 10k for the last 3 years when FPL has become considerably harder due to the amount of people playing and the information available.
It took me a long time to track down 10 managers who’ve been so consistent and I imagine it will get harder and harder
The 10 managers stats
These managers are incredible and every bit as impressive as last season.
1. The overall average finishing overall rank of the top 10 managers in the last 3 seasons is 3,800
2. The top 10 FPL managers have not been out of the top 10k in the last 3 seasons (ie 30 times playing)
3. 3 of the 10 have finished in the top 1,000 in the last 3 seasons
4. 2 of the 10 have finished in the top 100 in the last 3 seasons
Gameweek 25 review
A good week for the 10 FPL managers with 7 getting a green arrow and 3 getting a red. The average rank of the 10 improved by a small margin as a result
The average score of the managers in GW25 was 61 after taking points deductions for extra transfers into account. That’s 14 points and 30% better than the game average of 47. High score of the 10 was 68. The low score was 53.
The average overall rank of the top 10 FPL managers is 142k. That’s an improvement by 18k over the last gameweek. The best overall rank is 13k (1,506 pts) and the lowest 509k (1,384 pts). I think the median overall rank is more reflective though and that is 92k
The average total points are 1,454
The average team value is £104.7m.
The combined total of individual players
I’ve generally only included where there is a minimum of a player in 3 out of the 10 FPL managers teams
Goalkeeper/Defence by player
Alexander Arnold is 10 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Soyuncu is in 9 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Lundstram is in 8 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Button is in 5 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Pope, Robertson, Martin Kelly, Jack Stephens and Rico are in 3 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Goalkeeper/Defence by team
Liverpool are represented 15 times in the 10 FPL managers teams
Sheffield United are represented 12 times in the 10 FPL managers team
Leicester are represented 9 times in the 10 FPL managers teams
Brighton are represented 7 times in the 10 FPL managers teams
C Palace are represented 4 times in the 10 FPL managers teams
Bournemouth, Burnley, Newcastle and Southampton are represented 3 times in the 10 FPL managers teams
Midfielders
De Bruyne and Salah are in 10 of the FPL managers teams
Grealish is in 8 the 10 FPL managers teams
Mane, Dendoncker and Martial are in 3 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Forwards
Ings is in 9 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Vardy is in 6 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Calvert Lewin is in 5 of the 10 managers teams
Jimenez is in 4 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Maupay and Connolly are in 2 of the 10 FPL managers teams
Gameweek 25 captain
All 10 managers captained Salah
The FFGeek poll for the GW25 captain choice was 72% Salah, 10% Aguero and 4% Aubameyang
Formations
Not done this week sorry
Wildcards and Chips
None have used their 2nd wildcard but all 10 have used their triple captain chip
Transfers
3 of the managers carried over a free transfer. 2 managers took a 4 point deductions for an extra transfer.
Transfers in
Jimenez was transferred in by 3 managers
Traore was transferred in by 2 managers
No one was transferred in more than once
Transfers out
Mane was transferred out 3 times
Vardy and Gazzaniga was transferred out twice
No one was transferred out more than once
The top 10k overall rank vs the 10 FPL managers
Unfortunately the excellent site FPL discovery isn’t going this season. However the livefpl.net does a version which isn’t as extensive but is still very helpful. Live FPL also gives you live FPL ranks and live league ranks during gameweeks.
Here I compare the most popular players in the top 10k and of the 10 top managers and show the difference. A negative means that the top 10k ownership % is higher than the 10 top FPL managers
| Player | Top 10k | 10 top FPL | 10 top FPL – top 10k |
| Button | 35 | 50 | 15 |
| Pope | 29 | 30 | 1 |
| Lundstram | 87 | 80 | -7 |
| Kelly | 51 | 30 | -21 |
| Alexander Arnold | 88 | 100 | 12 |
| Robertson | 22 | 30 | 8 |
| Soyuncu | 39 | 90 | 51 |
| Rico | 30 | 30 | 0 |
| Stephens | 3 | 30 | 27 |
| De Bruyne | 96 | 100 | 4 |
| Mane | 25 | 30 | 5 |
| Salah | 87 | 100 | 13 |
| Grealish | 56 | 80 | 24 |
| Dendoncker | 11 | 30 | 19 |
| Martial | 14 | 30 | 16 |
| Traore | 37 | 20 | -17 |
| Cantwell | 37 | 20 | -17 |
| Vardy | 65 | 60 | -5 |
| Ings | 62 | 90 | 28 |
| Calvert Lewin | 12 | 50 | 38 |
| Jimenez | 35 | 40 | 5 |
The template
I use the 10 managers as a proxy for serious managers teams and have a basic rule of thumb that if 7 of the 10 managers have a player or a team defence then I will seriously consider getting that player in.
Here’s the template on that basis. The difficulty with tracking the template is that you’re 1 game behind it as you obviously can’t see what their transfers are leading up to the gameweek opening.
Liverpool defence – Alexander Arnold
Leicester defence – Soyuncu
De Bruyne
Grealish
Salah
Ings
That’s 6 players.
Vardy is out as only 6 managers have him. I have also taken Lundstram out as he appears to have lost his place and I can forsee transfers out or benchings next gamewwek.
That leaves 9 difference makers/bench warmers for your FPL team.
One managers team
This manager had the top score this week of 68
This is the manager who’s 4th of the 10 with an overall rank of 42k. His last 3 seasons overall ranks are 95th and 671 and 1k.
He has 5 of the 6 template players mentioned above and doesn’t have Ings. His template replacement player could be either of Abraham, Maupay or Calvert Lewin. Lets assume Abraham.
His bench players are McGovern, Reid, Targett and McGovern
That leaves him 5 difference makers in Pope, Robertson, Son, Maupay and Calvert Lewin.
Team value is very low at £101.3m
This week his transfer was Gaazaniga out and Pope in.
The combined 10 top FPL managers teams
Here’s a team which tries to make a combination from the most represented players. Please note that it is meant to be a menu of players to help you choose your transfer rather than a realistic team and it’s value is not necessarily achievable. This week it is completely achievable at £102.4m
More content
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 an accompanying spreadsheet so you can drill down further. Currently 1,480 points 36k overall rank
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Weekly podcasts with the Geek and the other contributors
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