Another game week flies by and what a weekend of fixtures it was! FPL managers and football fans alike had lots to get their teeth into. So what did we learn and how does this impact our thinking for gameweek 3 onwards?
Here’s my take but as well as dealing with what we see are hot topics, we would love for this to be a chance for you to get your questions answered so if you have any FPL questions you want us to address, message @FPLwithStu on X.
Chelsea are interesting but an FPL headache
Maybe an understatement but a 6-2 win including a hat-trick from Madueke and a goal and 3 assists from Palmer meant some very happy managers.
Madueke is the most transferred in player now but I’m not convinced. Chelsea just have too many players and rotation is a big risk.
Nkunku is no longer an option as far as I’m concerned and he’s even dropped in value to £6.4m. He was a potential gem at the start of the season but he’s been played out of position and subbed off and then didn’t make it onto the pitch in gameweek 2. I feel this is the story of so many Chelsea players – a really talented player but who knows how much game time they’ll see.
Image source: theguardian
Best replacements are Rogers of Aston Villa at £5m, Smith-Rowe of Fulham at £5.5m or, my more left-field choice of Mitoma of Brighton however he’s now £6.6m so you need extra funds.
Palmer has continued to show his value as an FPL asset and with Chelsea playing so wide open they will create chances. He’s also played both games which suggests he’s likely to keep his place for now. João Félix’s arrival is a threat to his minutes so one to watch.
Chelsea defenders should be steered clear of. They are wide open and not used to the way they are asked to play in possession which means expect goals to be conceded.
Haaland Triple Captain wasn’t such a bad idea
A lot of FPL players used their Triple Captain chip this week on Haaland. It’s unusual for so many to use it so soon but it paid off. A hat-trick for the big man repaid all those who gambled.
Image source: manchestereveningnews
Rico Lewis played an attacking position and nearly scored, hitting the crossbar. He’s a bargain at £4.5m but his place in the team is not assured given City’s defensive options.
Savinho continues to impress and kept his place despite injury concerns. I worry for his long term minutes with the likes of Doku, Barnardo Silva, Foden, De Bruyne, Grealish and now Gündogan all vying for a place in that City midfield. For now though, he looks like a solid bet.
Liverpool look good but it’s hard to know who to pick
Back to back wins and back to back goals for Salah show why he’s £12.5m. However, with Haaland, Son and Palmer all outscoring him and Saka returning an assist, it’s not easy to say he’s a must have.
Image source: theanalyst.com
As for the rest, Jota was great in gameweek 1 but it was Luis Diaz who took the spoils in the second game. Who will it be in gameweek 3??
No change at Man United
Watching Man United in the transfer window you would think they have got their act together but the first 2 games have shown the all too familiar flaws in the team. They struggled against a good Brighton side and fell to a late goal that was wholly deserved for the Seagulls.
Image source: football365
As a Bruno Fernandes owner I’m also frustrated by his lack of returns but to add to it, his value has dropped by £0.1m due to so many managers selling him. I may cut my losses on him, especially with a visit from Liverpool next week!
Arsenal’s defence gets another cleansheet
If Ollie Watkins had had his shooting boots on, he would have had 2 goals but as it turned out he was subbed just after an hour and Arsenal won the game without conceding. It was one of those games which could have been so different but Arsenal found a way to win in the end.
2 clean sheets in 2 games so far doesn’t tell the full story but it’s the outcome and that’s all that matters in FPL. Arsenal’s defenders should be a target but I’d be cautious around full-backs – White, Timber, Zinchenko and Calafiori could all be rotated.
Brighton could be on for a good season
I know the game could have gone either way and it was a last minute winner but Brighton have made a bright start. Mitoma has been key and scored a cool 14 FPL points so far and a potential target as is João Pedro, if you don’t already have him. At £5.5m Pedro’s minutes look good and is on penalties.
Their next game is against Arsenal so not an ideal entry point to transfer these guys in.
There’s more to come from Villa
Arsenal was a tough fixture and to be honest Villa were unlucky. Their fixtures have turned and the outlook is good, it could be an ideal time to jump on Villa assets.
If I had Watkins I would not be looking to sell this week.
Top transfers so far
Image source: FPL
Madueke in is a knee-jerk and I’m not convinced of his minutes. There’s so much competition for places there is no guarantee he keeps his place for long.
Smith Rowe is a good shout, Fulham have looked good, he’s a nice price at £5.5m and they face Ipswich next.
I see why people are bringing in Welbeck but I’m not convinced longer term. João Pedro is the better FPL pick in my opinion but Welbeck is a player who has bursts of form so I’m not against jumping on it while he’s scoring…just don’t expect it to last for long.
Palmer and Haaland in I totally understand but who are people selling to make room? If you plan to change your premiums then be prepared to stick with these ones for a while. Don’t get upset next week if the premium you got rid of then outscores the one you got in. It only takes one game to change an opinion on a player.
Foden I understand but personally I wouldn’t have started with him. I would consider him in my plans in the coming weeks if he wasn’t so expensive – it’s hard to know who to remove to make room.
Image source: bbc
Nkunku out – 100%
Eze is a hold for me. Owners would feel differently if he’d had the rub of the green so far; he scored a free kick that was wrongly disallowed and then hit the woodwork in game week 2. Had they gone in, which so easily could have been the case, we would be talking very differently about him. His next game is away to Chelsea and as I said, they are wide open. This is a better opportunity for Eze than many are seeing.
Solanke’s injury (50% chance of a return for game week 3) and fixtures against Newcastle away then Arsenal after the international break explain the mass exodus. I’m an owner and thinking he needs to go in the short term however, I fully expect to bring him back later in the season.
I get it, Newcastle haven’t looked great so far but it might be too early to call it quits on Isak. A tough call but I think most managers actually have bigger priorities than swapping out Isak so it’s probably a wasted transfer.
We’ll be back with some more ahead gameweek 3, including our team reveal. If you have any comments or questions you want us to answer message us @FPLwithStu on X.
