Here’s our FPL early draft teams article where 4 contributors show their early drafts as well as a few words of explanation. There’s Costas Chari, Mikael Danielsen and new contributors Andrew W and Rick Porter.
FPL early draft teams – Costas, Mikael D, Andrew W and Rick show their early draft teams
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Things will definitely change with all the teams but hopefully this will give you some food for thought
Mikael Danielsen
Mikael’s last 3 seasons overall ranks are 12k, 100k, and 5k
First draft. Pretty happy with it atm. Not settled on my bench fodder yet
Rick Porter
Rick is one of our new FFGeek contributors
Rick’s last 3 seasons overall ranks are 1k, 30k, and 2k
As exciting as the start of a new season is, I have a troubled relationship with GW1. It’s rarely gone well for me. Hence my tendency to burn my first Wildcard within the first few Gameweeks every year. After a solid month of tinkering you inevitably get to watch as your banker forward gets injured, a formation change dooms your premium midfielder to the depths of the pitch, and your secret weapon hunch starts on the bench… where he stays until the 89th minute.
You also get to witness at least one newly promoted, suddenly essential £4.5m defender (who wasn’t even on your radar) grab an assist or two and bag a clean sheet. Leaving you to wonder how to proceed as unfeasibly lucky Auto Pick teams flick you the V as they fly up the ranks. Your bench, at best, is filled with 2 pointers. There are two changes required urgently – three, really, because you need to free up funds. Oh, and that must-have defender is already 0.1 million more expensive.
As I said, GW1 and I have a troubled relationship.
Each year I hope to have a GW1 team that delivers and allows me to keep that early Wildcard in my back pocket for an emergency, but I always up cutting my losses early doors. That said, it’s a tactic that’s worked out well for me the last few years.
So with that in mind, I’m not too concerned about my GW1 team. Not only is the team unlikely to be around in that form for long, but there seems to be plenty of obvious and/or 50/50 choices this year which means any bad luck I suffer will likely be felt by the masses.
A look at the fixtures shows that Everton, Liverpool, Man City and Bournemouth all have pretty favourable starts so I’ve focused on these teams for my core.
Goalkeepers
I seem to change my mind on keeper tactics each year. This year I feel I’d rather stump up for a quality, fixture-proof choice and forget about it for as long as possible. As he’s the most nailed on defensive option for Man City, Ederson is the obvious choice.
Button is on the bench, but that could be any £4.0m keeper at this point.
Defenders
I’ve gone for TAA over Robertson. Not much between them really, but TAA saw me well last season so I’ll stick by him.
I like Bournemouth’s fixtures and Ake is the best choice as far as I’m concerned so he’s in.
I owned Digne last year exclusively during his negative point nightmare period, but he’s a great player with amazing stats and Everton have superb fixtures at the start so he’s a no brainer.
If it looks like Mendy is going to start then he’ll be in my team as his point potential is huge, otherwise he’s an easy swap for another premium pick.
Midfielders
If Mane was a bit cheaper then I would have gone for him but with a difference of only 1m it seemed foolish not to go for Salah.
Fraser was always going to be straight into my squad, though he’s a little more expensive than I’d hoped so he might well go when I start tinkering – there are some strong players at the £7m mark.
I wanted an Everton mid due to the fixtures and the choice between Sigurdsson and Richarlison simply came down to pens, so Siggy takes it.
Watford also have decent fixtures and Pereyra is the best I could afford for the last spot, though that’s certainly not a bad selection to be forced to make.
Forwards
I always try to have Aguero in my team when fit. On any given week he can score a rank-destroying hat trick for non-owners. Mitigating that risk is worth his potential rotation and price tag in my eyes. Though the same could be said of Kane and he’s £1m cheaper with pretty much no rotation risk. He might be a better choice if I really need that £1m elsewhere.
Next to Aguero up front I have King. I’d have preferred Wilson, but the numbers don’t work and King seems to take penalties at the moment, so is a good alternative.
Bench
I’ve simply done my best to pick the cheapest players who may get some minutes. It’s an uninspiring selection, but I’d rather spend the money on the pitch than on the bench at this early stage then turn it into something more useful as the bargains reveal themselves.
Here’s how it looks at the moment…
How it’ll look after a month of tinkering remains to be seen.
Andrew Whitfield
Andrew’s last 3 seasons overall ranks are 6k, 19k, and 1,495k
You may know him as Andrew W and a regular commenter on the site. Another new contributor
Firstly, thank you for the invite as a regular contributor this season. I have always found the website invaluable in guiding me through the season and it’s great to be now joining up with some top FPL players. I have finished in the top 0.3% of teams for the last two years so the pressure is on but I am determined to play my usual game and hopefully help people along the way, particularly those new to FPL.
My team is very much subject to change of course at such an early stage. Much will happen with transfers and injuries, with pre season form and lineups being key.
433 has been my most used formation and served me well. However, only 10% of the top 1000 players used it last season, 45% used 343.. My best 4 scores last season came from a 343 and my worst three came from 433.. so I am firmly aiming 343 this time !!
The Liverpool defence dominates thoughts just now. I feel I need double coverage given 20 clean sheets last season, 25 assists from Robbo and Trent and the big three defenders around 200 points each. A 200 point midfielder or striker will cost you £11-£12m so £6.5 – £7m looks great value. Van Dijk at £6.5m is the most secure and I am going Robbo rather than Trent.
Man City defensive cover looks essential. Currently on Walker, which could become Mendy. Or a 0.5% upgrade to Laporte. Ryan is a set and forget keeper with his understudy as a safe £4.0m back up. Digne is a player I would love but you can’t have everything and I am committed to a strong 4 man midfield in a 343. It’s still possible I might include Digne in a strong 343 alongside Robbo and VVD and switch Walker to Ederson but I will need to lose £1.5m off my midfield four.
Salah simply cant be ignored with a price drop and now only £1m more than Mane. Everton have good early fixtures so currently on Richarlison who is usually a fast starter, which could become Sigurdsson who I know is on pens. Zaha and Fraser complete my four and hoping for good attacking returns. Sterling is a player I fear most. But a Liverpool defensive double up, plus Salah means it’s a straight choice between Sterling and Aguero.
I can’t go without a single premium striker. Many are doing this time. I plan to rotate Aguero Kane and Auba, according to fixtures, which I like the flexibility of. Aguero is a reliable FPL performer. He got me two hat tricks last season including triple captain. Currently on King as an attacking cherries double up to take advantage of favourable early fixtures. King out scored Wilson three years in a row before last season, is £1.5m cheaper than Wilson and is potentially on pens. Calvert Lewin’s my 3rd striker for that favourable Everton start.
I will rotate captaincy between Salah and Aguero. Last season they were my most used captains ( 12 each ) and I got attacking returns on 19 games out of 24. I also got 5/7 from Kane so happy I have the foundations for good captain returns.
Hoping a £4m starting defender emerges from pre season, for bench cover as like many people, budget constraints means a very thin bench.
Good luck everybody and happy tinkering !!!!
Costas Chari
Costas’s last 3 seasons overall ranks are 84k, 29k, and 27k
Hello everyone! Fantasy Football is finally up and running! I wont lie, I got a bit scared after seeing some price rises and every year I think“I wont be able to field a good team”. However, after thinking about it I believe it is better for the game to get a bit harder.
Doing a draft team so early before transfers and pre season games is a bold move as I will probably change half of the team by August 9th. But I just couldn’t help myself
The price rises of Mane, Fraser and Wilson are a bit frustrating but expected after last season. There are on the other hand some good priced players such as Pogba, Rashford, Bernardo Silva, and the Everton pair Siggy and Richarlison.
GKs and defence
What will be hard this season is having a good defence as £4.5m defenders are rare and most GK’s are around £5.0m which makes it difficult having 2 rotating cheap GKs. Hence I am
going with a top pick GK in Ederson and a cheapie £4.0m Button. It was either Ederson or Allison but I prefer having Ederson as he is the most secured pick from the City defence and I’d rather have Robertson or Arnold for Liverpool defensive cover.
Digne takes another spot in my first draft team due to set piece responsibility and a great schedule. The other spots are filled by Evans who I think is great value and Dunk as one of the few £4.5m playing defenders. £4.0m Kelly completes the defenders (he might even start during the first games due to injuries).
Midfielders
I am going with Sterling as my city attacking cover. He beats Aguero to it as he has had a full rest this summer and Aguero is just starting his holidays due to international duties.
Liverpool cover is between Mane and Salah and due to budget reasons I am with Mane at the moment. If Salah’s ownership exceeds 40% I will have to get him in.
The debate of Siggy vs Richarlison will go all pre-season. I’ve gone with Siggy due to set piece responsibility and he has had a proper rest so far.
Last 2 spots are Hayden and Dendoncker as two playing £4.5m midfielder
Forwards
As long as United are not buying another striker I will stick to £8.5m Rashford. I believe he has good value. The other two spots are covered by Wilson and King since they have good opening fixtures. As it stands King could be transferred out for Jota as an alternative option
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