Gameweek 2 was eventful to say the least. I’m hoping the season carries on this way – early on there’s little to lose as teams get back into fitness and form and the jeopardy of relegation or title run-ins isn’t there yet. We’ve seen some pretty open football with lots of goals, ideal for FPL fun.
So far my team has fared on the average side, scoring decent points both weeks so far but definitely nothing special. FPL is a marathon not a sprint so we all need to keep calm despite the madness of the football.
I wish I had taken that advice last week instead of using a transfer on a useless change, but it’s so hard to resist tinkering.
Don’t forget, if you have any questions about the team selection, FPL in general or topics you want us to cover in future posts, you can contact me on @FPLwithStu on X.
Gameweek 2 review
69 points in total, bang on the average score but it’s clear I’m being let down in a couple of places in my team.
Another blank from Henderson in goal is frustrating given what we know Crystal Palace are capable of. Eze has also failed to return points but I’m not panicking yet on these – firstly, I never place much emphasis or budget on my goalie and secondly, Eze has been very unlucky so I’m optimistic this will turn around.
Gvardiol, my only premium defender, scored just 2. In a game where City won emphatically with 4 goals, it’s very disappointing not to have got a clean sheet here but fair play to Ipswich for taking the lead and having a go. Longer term I plan to switch him to an Arsenal defender, probably Gabriel. Gvardiol has yet to offer the attacking threat from last year due to the emphasis on Rico Lewis playing as the most advanced defender in Pep’s latest system. Lewis is a bargain at £4.5m and I’ve got half an eye on bringing him in but I’m less sure about his long term minutes given Kyle Walker will likely come back in soon.
Image source: skysports
Hall losing his starting place was a surprise and if Newcastle land Marc Guehi as many expect, then competition at the back is even more fierce so one to keep tabs on. Newcastle have generally disappointed and with Isak, the most selected player at the start, also failing to score yet, many FPL managers will be hoping for an uptick in form from them. It doesn’t get much easier with Spurs visiting however this is likely to be a very open game so Isak may benefit.
Fulham have bought well this year and both Smith-Rowe and Robinson came good this week. Fixtures look great going forward so they are going nowhere.
Bruno Fernandes is quickly becoming my biggest problem. I knew going into the season that this one could go either way so it was a calculated gamble. But let’s face it, it hasn’t paid off. Next up is Liverpool and given how the 2 teams have played so far, I’m not holding out too much hope…but you never know!
Upfront Isak blanked and Solanke sits injured on my bench. Solanke is the early headache given I think he’ll be a good asset over the course of the season but right now he’s wasted funds. How soon he’ll be back and then how long after that will he start firing are the big questions.
Image source: newcastleunited.com
Haaland. What a machine. I’m happy I captained him but when momentum picked up before the deadline that many were using their Triple Captain chip, it would have been easy to dismiss as inexperienced managers just throwing away chips early on. But the more you think about it, the more it was a great option (not just in hindsight); fully fit, in form and guaranteed to start against a newly promoted side. I usually save my TC for a double gameweek but they often look better than they are because by the time they come around there’s so much fixture congestion that rotation comes into play. Well done anyone who smartly used it in week 2.
Gameweek 3 team and transfers
I’m unchanged from last week, and Haaland keeps the captaincy. It’s unlikely that will change – Isak hasn’t been firing yet and has a tough fixture and Saka also has a tough one against a Brighton side that has started well.
Hall keeps his place in defence but I honestly don’t know if he’ll actually start in real life. My other 2 defenders on the bench are unlikely to get clean sheets so at least if Hall starts he has attacking threat which is why I’m choosing him.
It’s a difficult fixture for Fernandes but it’ll be his last in my team if he doesn’t do anything. I plan to roll a transfer this week and then with the 2 I have next week bring in Ollie Watkins for Solanke which should leave me £6.9m for a midfielder. In that price bracket my favourite right now is Mitoma but there’s Gibbs-White, Rodgers of Aston Villa and also a bit more left field is Szmodics of Ipswich.
I would love to get Cole Palmer in there but I would have to give up Saka and that’s just too tight of a call at the moment. That will change if Palmer keeps returning at the rate he did this week though.
You might be surprised given a lot of people are moving away from Watkins but Villa’s fixtures are now better and he’s been close to returning in the harder ones so I would expect Villa to hit some form along with Ollie.
I’ve gone off Mbeumo a little bit, on reflection I’m not sure about Brentford this year and it feels too much of a hopeful transfer to bring him in than a logical one. The players I had in based on hope rather than logic are Fernandes and, to some extent, Szobaszlai and so far they’ve not really returned. Logical decisions only going forward!
Conclusion
I’m frustrated that I wasted my free transfer last week on taking Barco out – I was concerned about a price drop but once he was confirmed as loaned, his price was locked so I could have held out. Having 2 transfers this week would have allowed me to make my proposed change to Bruno and Solanke to Watkins and Mitoma. Saying that, Mitoma has Arsenal so not the ideal time to jump on him.
All in all, I’m trying to stay patient and remember it’s a long game and isn’t won or lost this early. I’ve got some changes I want to make in the coming weeks but that’s always the case and I’m happy my team isn’t in need of all out surgery or even a wildcard.
Get your thoughts over to us, tell us what you plan to do and any questions you want answering to @FPLwithStu on X.
