MyFPL is a series where I will go through my thought process before every FPL Gameweek in the 2017/2018 season.
Current Overall Points: 2050
Current Overall Ranking: 14,925?
Last Gameweek Points: 90
With GW35 around the corner, those of us with a “Free Hit” chip left, will need to use it. Only 12 teams play and there are a lot of points to gain this round. Who should you choose and which player should you captain? Let’s just jump right into it:
Bench: Karnezis, Perez, Long, Mbemba (3.9)
Arsene Wenger has thrown a spanner in the works for me. First he hinted at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not featuring this gameweek to prepare for the EL semi-finals and today it was announced that Wenger is leaving Arsenal after the season. I originally only had Aubameyang from Arsenal. He seemed nailed on and I didn’t have much faith in the rest of Arsenal, after a run of poor results lately with weakened teams.
But now, not only do I think Wenger fields a strong team, I think they will play with pride and passion to give Wenger a proper send-off. I’m backing them to keep the nil against West Ham, with Cech (5.3) and Monreal (5.6) as part of my backline. I can’t get myself to trust any offensive Arsenal players to play except for Lacazette, unlike Liverpool and Man City who have too many good offensive options to buy their defenders.
Karnezis (4.5) is on my bench just in case Cech doesn’t play, as you never know with Europa League right around the corner. Long (4.0) and Mbemba (3.9) are just cheap cover on the bench in case any of my outfield players don’t play, with Long much more likely to feature between the two.
van Aanholt (5.1) should have some offensive and clean sheet potential, with Crystal Palace visiting Watford at Vicarage Road. Clean sheets have been hard to come by lately, so I’m going for mostly offensive talent in defence.
I wish I could have more players from Man City and Liverpool on my team, as they are both likely to get clean sheets in GW35, but I have to prioritize their offensive players. I still make room for van Dijk (5.7) however, who is a sure starter and can even score from a set-piece. I wish I could fit in Otamendi, but I need to have offensive Man City players.
I couldn’t decide between Sterling (8.9) and Sané (8.5), so I went with both. I feel like one of them will explode against Swansea, I’m just not sure who. Similarly FPL God Salah (10.6) and Mané (9.5) should have a decent chance against the worst team in the league. They are both practically confirmed as starters, unlike Firmino, by @AnfieldExpress, who has been spot on with leaked lineups this season.
Karius, Gomez, Van Dijk, Klavan, Moreno, Henderson, Milner, Wijnaldum, Salah, Mane, Ings.
— Anfield Express (@AnfieldExpress) April 20, 2023
Zaha (6.9) plays as a striker for Crystal Palace, but is listed as a midfielder. Their GW35 opponents Watford have conceeded more goals at home than every other PL team this season, and Zaha is most likely to score for Crystal Palace.
At the forward position, as mentioned, I had Aubameyang as a sure starter until Wenger’s press conference. With the news that the game against West Ham will be a warm-up for Europa League, I’m led to believe that Lacazette (10.2) will start up front. Even if Aubameyang plays, it might be alongside Lacazette like last time. West Ham concede a bunch of goals away from home and Joe Hart can’t be trusted either.
Gabriel Jesus (10.2) is my captain at the moment, just ahead of Salah. Man City will likely put 3 or more goals past Swansea and seeing as Jesus should both be up front and nailed on as a starter with Aguero injured, he looks likely to contribute.
Ayoze Perez (5.3) is my main man off the bench should a player in my XI not play. He has been on fire lately and even in an away game at Goodison Park he might provide the goods.