Rate My Team: FPL Game-Week 2

The second game-week of the Premier League will be the first time in the new season that all 20 teams will play, as the Manchester clubs are ready to step onto the pitch this weekend. Now, the first week was just a taste of what we’re about to experience with the squad line-up and the manner in which the manager wants their respective teams to approach the game.

However, the transfer window is buzzing, and with a few more quality additions to the league, fantasy managers (including myself) may scratch their heads and take a while to adjust.

I must admit, I have been extremely poor in drafting a proper GW-1 squad this season, so I have already spent my wild-card chip! I might sacrifice a few points this week due to common clashes of a couple of teams against each another, but I’m thinking long-term.

This is a team with 10 different players who are likely to start, deliver points, and hence happiness. Here are my choices; please let me know your feedback to improve my roster even more.

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Goalkeepers

Arsenal’s Bernd Leno and former team-mate, now Aston Villa’s keeper Emiliano Martinez are choices that can rotate depending on what teams they face each week. One can say Leno is a tough choice to make, given the run of difficult teams he’s about to face, but his shot-stopping also provides points. And, Mikel Arteta’s investment on his defensive line-up certainly defines his priority to build from the back till the forward line.

Martinez proved to be a talented keeper with the Gunners last summer. Interestingly, Aston Villa face Liverpool in GW-4 and Leicester in GW 5, and then his side doesn’t face any of the ‘top six’ clubs till GW-15.

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Defenders

In defense, Pascal Struijk of Leeds is likely to be in the starting line-up, and can prosper against visiting Fulham, and fits in the budget category at the same time.

Tariq Lamptey looked like the liveliest player on the pitch for Brighton against Chelsea with his ability to overlap his runs to the opposition box due to his intense pace and the vision to find his attackers for the goal. With such a decent price of £4.5, the youngster is a bargain.

Eric Dier of Spurs can be an influential figure at the back for Jose Mourinho’s side, the manager has put enough faith in him to shift from being a defensive midfielder to an all-rounder center back. Despite not being able to attack upfront, the Portuguese is known to have a stable back-line and must have worked his way through with the England international during the mini pre-season. Plus, other than facing Manchester United in GW 4, Tottenham have decent fixtures till GW 9 when they face the other Manchester club of Citizens.

Conor Coady of Wolves is a leader at the back that keeps his center-backs and goal keeper intact, and he will probably start every single game. With a price of £5.0, a good chance of having a clean sheet may just do the trick.

Leicester’s Caglar Soyuncu comes in the category of mid-priced defender similar attributes as Coady: playing many minutes with the hope of grabbing clean sheet points. Plus, the Turk looks like a threat every time he steps in the opposition box during a corner kick.

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Midfielders

Leeds’ Mateusz Klich played a major role for manager Marcelo Bielsa last season, his qualities perfectly suited to the style of play. Klich has the ability to insert the final-third pass to grab a goal or two along the way as he did against Liverpool last week. With a price-tag of just £5.5, a midfielder who can move the ball well and hit the net at the same time is another bargain.

Despite rumors suggesting a big move for Wilfried Zaha, the Ivory Coast international has been put to play as a striker alongside Jordan Ayew, as Michy Batshuayi is still not ready to feature for the Eagles. The team is built around Zaha, which creates better chances for him to grab an assist or put the ball back in the net as he did against Southampton last week, though it will be a tough challenge when he faces Manchester United.

Bruno Fernandes was most FPL managers’ favorite during the second half of last season. The Portuguese playmaker can play that risky pass to his attackers or simply hit one from outside the box himself. An overall player who does the job extremely well, his price is worth going for.

What more can be said about Kevin de Bruyne? He’s arguably the best midfielder in the Premier League or even for Europe. He can create chances, score, and add the X-factor that every team desperately searches for, and he seems to do it just for fun. Having him is essential in FPL. He could also be in the race for another Player of the Year award.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has decided to stay at Arsenal and continue his ‘legacy’ as he said, and in order to do that, all he needs to do is continue scoring. The Gunners’ captain makes it look easy, so he is a favorite to lift another Golden Boot this term, hence, more points being delivered by the Gabon international.

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Forwards

When it comes to strikers, I prefer to rely on the middle of the park to do most of the work and have one or occasionally two forwards upfront to finish. Rhian Brewster has been hinting a move away from Anfield, and Sheffield looks like a team interested in the youngster. If his move does happen to another club that can provide game-time to him, Brewster can come handy in such a cheap price.

Patrick Bamford looks like the one leading Leeds upfront for now since it will take a while for club record-signing Rodrigo to adjust to the Premier League, especially after his silly penalty that cost the team its match against Liverpool last week. That suggests the Spaniard needs time to understand the pace and atmosphere that comes with the English top-flight league. Bamford looks stable enough to get service with the team aiming to have most of the ball against its opponents, so the England international should have many chances to score. With such a price of just £5.6, one can invest somewhere else and be satisfied.

Timo Werner’s performance in Germany proved how lethal of a striker he can be. The German forward was the only Chelsea player to show positive glimpses against Brighton last week, and many have predicted him to win the Golden Boot this season. With the signings Frank Lampard has made, Werner should expect enough service provided to him to consistently put the ball where it belongs. The Blues manager did mention that the 24-year-old should be fit enough to face league leaders Liverpool. After watching Leeds put three past Alisson last week, I think the German might just begin his scoring streak against the champions.

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What players are in your squad? Any players that I have missed? What are your teams and strategies? Is it only me who has used his wild card even before the transfer window closes? What do you think of your players? Please rate my team and share your thoughts in the comment section below!

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