Here’s Archie with his article on 5 cheap attacking players who have shown potential in the early FPL season
FPL: Five Cheap Attacking Players Who Have Shown Potential In The Early FPL Season
On the one hand, it seems to be business as usual for the Premier League’s attacking talent. Mo Salah and Jamie Vardy are off to a flier. That duo will undoubtedly feature heavily in FPL teams, as will other goal-scoring heavyweights like Harry Kane and Sadio Mane.
However, from the scant few games that we have witnessed so far in the league this season, we do have some evidence of less high profile players that have started well, and who could be worth taking a chance on with your team. Below we pick out five who have shown potential in the Premier League’s opening few games. As a rule to help us stay away from the obvious, we are going to pick players who cost £6 million or less
Patrick Bamford (£5.8 million) Leeds United
In the past, Patrick Bamford has tried and, subsequently, failed his auditions to be regarded as a striker of Premier League quality. Loan spells with Norwich, Burnley and Crystal Palace were all disasters, yielding a grand total of zero goals. So, is there anything different this time around? In short, yes. Sometimes it’s the attacking intent of the team behind the striker, and we know that Leeds have that in abundance. He’s 100/1 to be top scorer according to Mbet’s Premier League odds, and while that’s might seem like an extreme longshot, even allowing for 3 goals in his first 3 games, Bamford can get a bagful for attack-minded Leeds United.
Andy Carroll (£5.5 Million) Newcastle United
Yes, backing Carroll for success is more likely than not to leave you looking foolish than clever, but the big man looked back to somewhere near his best as he tortured the West Ham United defence in the season opener for Newcastle. According to the official FPL stats, he was selected by just 0.5% of players for Gameweek 1, which really goes to show what low regard Carroll is held in. However, he seems the perfect foil for new boy Callum Wilson up front for Newcastle despite being a sub in GW3, and if he stays injury-free – an issue for Carroll over the years – he could surprise us all.
Jordan Ayew (£5.9 million) Crystal Palace
Only abject Norwich City scored fewer goals than Crystal Palace last season, and few would back Roy Hodgson’s Eagles to be free-scoring again this term. And yet, the reason we like Ayew as a possible wildcard selection is due to his importance to Palace. He only missed one game for the Eagles last season. And, while his tally of nine goals might not seem massive, it’s only a couple off more celebrated players like Heung-Min Son. Partnered up-front with Wilfred Zaha against Southampton in Gameweek 1, Ayew looks set to continue as Hodgson’s main man. He has the knack of delivering crucial goals for his club, and he could do the same for your FPL team.
Che Adams (£5.9 million) Southampton
Part of a losing side to in the season opener versus Palace, Che Adams nevertheless showed signs that the good form shown in the summer for Saints was not a flash in the pan. Adams is, of course, a bit of a punt here. He managed just four goals in 30 appearances for Southampton last season. But they all came in July as Saints finished the season with a flourish. More pertinently, he seems to have the backing of manager Ralph Hassenhutl, and the Southampton boss is nobody’s fool. Hassenhutl must believe the striker that scored 22 for Birmingham in the 2018/19 season can break out in the Premier League.
Alexander Mitrovic (£6 million) Fulham
Fulham are the betting favourites to be relegated at the end of the season. That’s understandable, but it is mainly down to a Championship-level defence rather than limitations in attack. In Mitrovic, they have a player who is undoubtedly of Premier League quality. It’s worth remembering that Mitrovic is just 25, and it is time at Fulham, where he has scored 49 in 94 appearances, that has given him the time to settle into a rhythm. He showed glimpses of what he can do with 2 goals at Leeds, and he can be the only reason for Fulham fans believing the Cottagers can escape relegation.
