MyFPL is a series where we will go through our thought process before every FPL Gameweek in the 2018/2019 season.
2017/18 Overall Ranking: 9058
Current Overall Points: 345
Current Overall Ranking: 51,105
Last Gameweek Points: 83
We keep climbing and are having one good gameweek after another, so let’s jump right into it, look at the watchlist and identify some essentials, differentials and hidden gems .. als.
Goalkeepers:
The less said about the goalkeepers, the better I think. None have really stuck out and even though I advocated for a Patricio(£4.5)/Foster(£4.5) partnership last week, you don’t really have to worry about your goalkeeper. Just stick to what you have.
Unless your GK is Pickford. I finally switched him out this week after conceding in every single game so far. I had an extra transfer and since I’m already selling Mendy through injury, I needed some Man City cover and brought in Ederson (£5.6). Speaking of Mendy…
Defenders:
Benjamin Mendy has been essential so far in FPL, but with the news breaking that he has suffered a bruised metatarsal, he will for sure miss GW6 and probably at least GW7 as well. Seeing as they Man City face Liverpool in GW8, the next 3 gameweeks don’t look too good for Mendy and you can comfortably sell him.
But who should you replace him with? Personally I went with Kieran Trippier (£6.0) who has played in every game for Tottenham since returning from a brief GW1 hiatus through World Cup fitness issues. He didn’t play midweek in the Champions League and will be fully rested for an away fixture against Brighton. Playing Huddersfield (A), Cardiff (H) and West Ham (A) the next 3 matches after that, he seemed like the best choice, especially since he’s on set pieces now.
There are plenty of other good options however. Like Spurs, Man Utd’s fixture list is looking a lot better now and Luke Shaw (£5.1) has been their best player. Ricardo Pereira (£5.1) has also looked good so far and even played as a right winger from time to time. If you don’t have any other Leicester cover, he is a very good shout. Patrick van Aanholt (£5.5) and Aaron Wan Bissaka (£4.2) continue their good run of fixtures and you might want to double up on the Crystal Palace defence playing Newcastle, Bournemouth and Wolverhampton their next 3.
Among the cut-price options, Matt Doherty (£4.4) and Diego Rico (£4.5) stand out. I already have Doherty in my team, but otherwise he’d probably be my Mendy replacement this week. One of the more attacking full-backs in the league, playing for a Wolverhampton side coming into their own for only £4.4. great value. Rico with Bournemouth has been unlucky to blank in both his starts so far, but he has looked very promising and been on corners. If you’d like a differential, he’s your guy, as he’s only owned by 0,1%.
You can also swap Mendy straight up with a fellow Man City defender Aymeric Laporte (£5.6). He is Man City’s best and most reliable central defender and has already scored this season. He’d be a lot more popular on FPL if it wasn’t for Mendy taking all the attention. With so many great Mendy replacements, it makes a lot of sense to ship him out if you ask me. You can always get him back for cheaper once he returns.
Midfielders:
Mendy’s absence doesn’t just affect defenders, like we saw last season when Leroy Sané (£9.2) was left to create width for a Mendy-less City. Sané was a beast when Mendy was out last season and I think he takes his chance with Mendy out again. Getting a differential playing for Man City could be great business for you and I wish I had the money to get him myself.
I do have the money to get Ryan Fraser (£5.8) who is the biggest FPL bandwagon this side of the essential Eden Hazard (£10.9). I like Fraser and Bournemouth, but he has two potentially tricky away fixtures and a match against a defensively solid Crystal Palace. I was pretty set on getting him in before the Mendy injury, but I’m gonna have to wait a week to downgrade Bernardo Silva, unless he takes his final chance.
From next week onwards, there are some FPL prospect I might like better than Fraser anyway. Richarlison (£6.6) is back this week, but play a resurgent Arsenal team. I’m leaning heavily towards getting him in before the sweet home match against Fulham before GW7. The other midfield option I am mulling over is Adama Traoré (£5.5) who is set to break out this season once he gets his deserved starting spot at Wolverhampton’s right hand side. His end-product is very much improved and Traoré is an electric talent who is very fun to watch.
You always have to keep tabs on Mo Salah (£13.0) and even though I survived 2 weeks without him doing much damage after I sold him for Hazard in GW4, he might get it all back with a dominant performance against Southampton at home. You should definitely captain him if you have kept him. He’s gonna have a great season and I’m looking to bring him back when I probably use my wildcard in GW9. Paul Pogba (£8.2) is still worth watching, being on penalties and looking dominant midweek. Man Utd are getting a few matches in a row now when they’ll be favored to score.
Forwards:
If Man Utd do score, there’s a good chance it’s a goal from Romelu Lukaku (£11.1). I was awfully tempted to finally get rid of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9) for Lukaku, but two goals and getting subbed off after 57 minutes of Europa League action is exactly what he had to do to keep his place. Hopefully he has finally found his form now and can repay all the faith I have shown him since GW1.
As for Lukaku, he’s a solid 2nd premium forward option next to the essential Sergio Aguero (£11.4), but there are a lot of cut-price forwards worth your consideration as well. Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.9) has been brought in by over a million FPL managers after the start of the season and is the focal point of Fulham’s fun offensive team. His fixtures are starting to get slightly tougher, but Mitro is still a solid option up front.
Right behind Mitrovic in transfers in among forwards this season, we find Callum Wilson (£6.3) and Wilfried Zaha (£7.0). Bournemouth and Crystal Palace continue with their easy run of games and these two are central to what these PL mid-table clubs are trying to do. They score goals, get assists, create penalties.. pretty much anything you can ask for such a cheap price.