Here’s our fantasy premier league wildcard tips GW11 article where we pretend we are using our wildcard. It gives player suggestions with more longevity than just for the up coming gameweek.
fantasy premier league wildcard tips GW11 – the FFGeek imaginary wildcard
Also FFGeek contributor Sergio Torija is trying to finalise his Wildcard. Vote in the poll on the article and help him by commenting
This article brings together the various earlier articles in the week.
In this article I’m pretending I’m using my wildcard to give you player picks with more longevity than the next game.
I’ve given links to articles below with all the detailed stats you’ll need if you want to investigate a player in more detail.
In this article there’s some narrative on each selection. There’s stats in the player ranking articles which can be found here using the links below
Player rankings defence and GK
There’s also our fixture ease article which gives player suggestions with good fixtures. You can also see who the popular transfers are in our bandwagons article .
The FFGeek imaginary wildcard team
My value at the moment is a fairly modest £102.8m and the teams fits well within that.
Structure
While I’ve taken some players with rotation risk for the team I’ve tried to mitigate this by having strong depth in the team. In the team there is no one who will only realistically bring 2 points every week. Every player has potential for an attacking return including the defenders.
Therefore the formation will depend on the fixtures each week.
Who is the teams core?
In my 10 top FPL managers article I define an essential player as one who is owned by 7/10 managers or one who is owned by 70% of the top 10k. It’s only my definition for my use so no need for a debate on the merits of players being essential.
These are:
Aguero, Salah, Hazard, Alonso , Doherty and a Liverpool defender. I’ve chosen Alexander Arnold as the Liverpool defender on the basis that everyone will be rotated so I may as well go for the cheap end of the spectrum.
Wan Bissaka also meets this definition but given the fixtures and the fact that he will occupy the bench for a decent proportion of gameweeks then I’ve decided he’s expendable.
Goalkeeper
Fabianski
West Ham are hardly the model defensive team although Fabianski is capable of racking save points and the fixtures are improving for him. Only the hapless Burnley GK Joe Hart has made more saves and Fabianski, after a hard start, is only behind Ryan and Patricio in the £4.5m GKs by 6 and 5 points respectively. The West Ham defence needs to show it can keep clean sheets in situations other than when they just sit deep and try and stifle the other team but I still think Fabianski is worth his place.
Burnley (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Man City (H)
Newcastle (A)
Cardiff (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
Button is the non playing £4.0m reserve GK
Defence
Mendy
Although the Man City defence doesn’t come into the essential definition for me they are the best defence by miles and should be represented. Mendy is the attacking option and not ridiculously priced either at £6.4m compared to the safest non attacking option of £5.8m Laporte. He will be rotated but so will all the City defence. GK Ederson would be the option if you want to minimise rotation risk.
Southampton (H)
Man Utd (H)
West Ham (A)
Bournemouth (H)
Watford (A)
Chelsea (A)
Alonso
Alonso is one player who comes into the essential category although given the £1.5m difference between Alonso and Luiz at £5.5m I think he is an alternative. You just have to suffer the odd 9 pointer going against you by a player owned by every man and his dog. Chelsea are unquestionably the 3rd best defensive team in my view
Crystal Palace (H)
Everton (H)
Spurs (A)
Fulham (H)
Wolves (A)
Man City (H)
Alexander Arnold
A Liverpool defender also falls into my definition of essential. They are also the best defence in my view behind Man City. Last week showed that rotation will occur and for that reason I’m looking at the cheaper end of the spectrum. I do think that Van Dijk will play most games though given his importance to the defence and the fact that CBs seem less rotation prone given the position doesn’t involve playing at both ends of the pitch like FBs. Also if the alternative RB is Gomez, who doesn’t have the attacking qualities of Trent, you would hope that Alexander Arnold starts against the lower placed teams.
Arsenal (A)
Fulham (H)
Watford (A)
Everton (H)
Burnley (A)
Bournemouth (A)
Doherty
Wolves are the best of the £4.5mish defensive teams and Doherty’s attacking stats are up there with the best. Wolves defence also meet the essential definition
Spurs (H)
Arsenal (A)
Huddersfield (H)
Cardiff (A)
Chelsea (H)
Newcastle (A)
Femenia
I’ve rated the Watford defence as the best £4.5m defence after Wolves so I’ve gone for the Ming Lu suggested RB Femenia. He does have some gametime risk attached to him although it looks like it could be a couple weeks before Janmaat is back to challenge for his place. A risky one but 2 good fixtures next and Gracia kept the incumbents in after a good performance when Holebas and Kabasele returned.
Newcastle (A)
Southampton (A)
Liverpool (H)
Leicester (A)
Man City (H)
Everton (A)
Midfield
Salah
Has been producing outstanding underlying stats even during his dry spell so 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 2 games is no surprise. Also comes within my essential definition
Arsenal (A)
Fulham (H)
Watford (A)
Everton (H)
Burnley (A)
Bournemouth (A)
Murphy (Cardiff)
Murphy at £4.8m represents a big step up from the usual CDM yellow card risk £4.5m midfielder. Actually producing good underlying stats and has started the last 4 scoring 2 goals
Leicester (H)
Brighton (H)
Everton (A)
Wolves (H)
West Ham (A)
Southampton (H)
Fraser
Both Fraser and Wilson have been in great form for Bournemouth with the underlying stats to back it up. Despite a fixture turn I still think 1 of them is justified in your FPL team. I toyed with either but eventually settled with Fraser. My concerns with him are lack of goal threat and the fact that some of the analysis involves his ability to over perform these stats and the sustainability of his current returns. However I still thought that given the price and returns he was worth his place.
Man Utd (H)
Newcastle (A)
Arsenal (H)
Man City (A)
Huddersfield (H)
Liverpool (H)
Hazard
As I write this I’ve not had an update on his injury. Subject to that at the moment he’s ticking every box. Great returns, consistent, good underlying stats, a bonus bloodhound, takes pens and doesn’t start in the waste of time Europa League. Also defined as essential by me (but not by FFGeek contributor league leader Jordan Sadler interestingly)
Crystal Palace (H)
Everton (H)
Spurs (A)
Fulham (H)
Wolves (A)
Man City (H)
Barkley
There are lots of negatives about Barkley which I could and have said in articles this week. The Kovacic competition and minutes lost through being subbed or rotated, his CM position and how sustainable his performances are. I also didn’t rank him that high in my player rankings article although he was the highest for his price.
However he is very cheap for a guy playing in a title challenging team that scores goals. He also does have the ability to return rather than just pass or break up play which is the emphasis of the other 2 in the midfield 3.
He’s a punt but not exactly an expensive one given the context. However the risk associated with that may depend on how your team could handle the punt going wrong
Crystal Palace (H)
Everton (H)
Spurs (A)
Fulham (H)
Wolves (A)
Man City (H)
Forwards
Aguero
The underlying stats have been incredible even if the returns have been hampered by the constant substitutions around 65 minutes. However Aguero is a hat trick that could happen at anytime and that is the risk in not owning him when everyone else does.
Southampton (H)
Man Utd (H)
West Ham (A)
Bournemouth (H)
Watford (A)
Chelsea (A)
Murray
The longevity of Murray may depend on whether he can take pens of Gross who is currently injured. His returns are good for the price but his underlying stats start looking pretty shaky once you remove pens and Brighton are hardly a front foot attacking team as well.
Fixtures are great though
Everton (A)
Cardiff (A)
Leicester (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Crystal Palace (H)
Burnley (A)
Arnautovic
The talisman of the West Ham team and has been producing good returns for the price but the main attraction is fixtures. Could do with taking pens off Noble although Noble is suspended for the next 2 which is something. Arnautovic has as been ill although played 30 mins in the EFL Cup. Also managing ongoing knee problems but played 82, 90 and 90 minutes between gameweeks 7 and 9.
Burnley (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Man City (H)
Newcastle (A)
Cardiff (H)
Crystal Palace (H)
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