Strategic Thinking Cavern (18/19)

[Aldershot Rejects]

I’m only going from the famous Ben Crellin spreadsheet. It seems like a GW that will be difficult to prepare for anyway, given that the players you’d get in for GW25 you’ll have to bench/ditch for GW27 (correct me if I’m wrong).

Yes you are correct- difficult to have a strong side for both GW25 and GW27 without using a chip.

[jacksosi]

Son gone
Kane out
Llorente £5.6m with great fixtures, hmm...

[Toucher6]

Son gone
Kane out
Llorente £5.6m with great fixtures, hmm...

SO nad that Lucas is injured also, i would bet on him, maybe he will recover?

[dino1980]

He won’t get enough minutes to make him an option. Alli, Moura and Lamela can all play the central role well enough that I suspect Llorente will still be Plan B.

[Joccki_10]

He won’t get enough minutes to make him an option. Alli, Moura and Lamela can all play the central role well enough that I suspect Llorente will still be Plan B.

But who’s going to play in midfield then? Dembélé, Sissoko and Dier all out injured. Lucas is having issues. Son is gone.

[dino1980]

They could switch to 3-5-2 with Winks, Eriksen, Alli, Moura and Lamela as the five forward players. If they keep the diamond shape then Skipp can get minutes, no one knows for sure how badly injured Sissoko is and Dier is expected to back soon (at least according to the FPL site).

[Stemania]

Sorry for the lack of contribution for the last few months peeps. My extra minutes of motivation still tend to filter elsewhere for obvious adorable reasons.

I'm sure I'll be kicked into life as soon as a smell of blanks/DGWs gets nearer. Keep up the good work around the forum all, I've been enjoying some other threads when I've have time to have a read, albeit passively.

[Ironfist]

Sorry for the lack of contribution for the last few months peeps. My extra minutes of motivation still tend to filter elsewhere for obvious adorable reasons.

I'm sure I'll be kicked into life as soon as a smell of blanks/DGWs gets nearer. Keep up the good work around the forum all, I've been enjoying some other threads when I've have time to have a read, albeit passively.

This is the issue that least of all needs excuses for lack of involvement here. Enjoy it! Although I think you won't be able to 'smell any DGWs' amidst the smell of fresh diaper poop.

[Stu255]

Does anyone have a link for a tool that will chart mini league POSITIONS over all the previous game weeks?

I can find web tools for points, but nothing that charts league positions?

[TheRumourMill]

Does anyone have a link for a tool that will chart mini league POSITIONS over all the previous game weeks?

I can find web tools for points, but nothing that charts league positions?

Best I could find was here:

https://www.livefpl.net/league_hist

You would have to manually do it though, based on the ranks per gameweek.

[snakzz]

So whats the status on bernado silva?

Will he start this gw and whats his prospect for the dgw?

[skip]

So whats the status on bernado silva?

Will he start this gw and whats his prospect for the dgw?

He’s fit but I don’t think anyone knows who will be playing in City’s first team. B Silva has been almost ever present so far this season but now has KDB competing for one if the midfield spots. If I had to guess he will start 1 of the 2 games in the dgw.

[Sutter Kane]

Special congrats to Stem this week: Triple captained Aguero! 103 points already. Back in with a small chance of winning it.

[Pirlo's Beard]

Sensational! Or should I say, STEMsational.

Sorry.

[Ironfist]

It seems that for Stemania, the more he stays away from FISO the better he does on FPL...

[Stemania]

Ha, cheers guys. Had worse weeks, 'tis true. Sounds silly to say it, but still a long way to go even in this gameweek!!

It had been going a little bit downhill since the point I've not had as much time as usual to bore everyone - it feels like I've been treading FPL water post-birth, and have made a few silly transfers on account of having less FISO council. It was certainly very clever of me get back to where I was 20GWs ago by fluking a boss TC score though.

It's quite an honour to temporarily be in a sandwich between the World Chess Champion (4 points in front) and Fabio (2 points behind), the latter of which I consider to be just about the best player around atm. I'll enjoy it while it lasts (which might be Wednesday).

[Stemania]

On which note...a few questions:

Are we all on the Son train (be it again or for the first time) asap?

Has anyone considered Lacazette as an realistic alternative to Auba for GW26/27?

Are Haz/Rich/Alonso going for everyone who has any of them in view of their upcoming fixtures/blank? Those three are my likely transfers out this week.

Mane, question mark?

[Joccki_10]

On which note...a few questions:

Are we all on the Son train (be it again or for the first time) asap?

Has anyone considered Lacazette as an realistic alternative to Auba for GW26/27?

Are Haz/Rich/Alonso going for everyone who has any of them in view of their upcoming fixtures/blank? Those three are my likely transfers out this week.

Mane, question mark?

1. Yes.

2. Considered? Yes. Realistic? No. Less gametime, no penalties and less big chances.

3. Yes.

4. I’m still eyeing up the defensive double up. So ar the moment I’m staying clear.

[pokeface]

I had triple captain selected on Aguero, then as I was going to sleep talked myself out of it, ahh well.

I think tbh that is potentially a great call on Lacazette as it allows someone like Richarlison/Anderson to be upgraded to Son. However, Mkhi is coming back very soon, so whether the Auba/Lac partnership will continue, I’m not sure.

Re: Defensive double up, I’ve done that and it’s achieved bigger all so far .

[Smurphy Paw]

A few responses:
Son - yes, just brought him in for Sané. Seems a bit harsh on Sané who might do well on Wednesday, however Son is going up in price and has a good GW27

I’ve been looking at Lacazette. I think it depends what you’d do with the extra cash. For me it’s the difference between Pereyra (current)
Anderson and Aubameyang
Or
Eriksen and Lacazette

I don’t have any of the others & am maxed out on Pool, so comment on those will have to come from elsewhere

[Stemania]

Has anyone considered Lacazette as an realistic alternative to Auba for GW26/27?

2. Considered? Yes. Realistic? No. Less gametime, no penalties and less big chances.

I dunno - I suspect it's closer now than earlier in the season - since the 5-1 Liverpool game Laca's started every game (5) and only played 15 or so mins less than Auba. He usually plays central vs Auba right (apart from today), 2m cheaper, looks a slightly better finisher (?). Sure Auba with pens will be fave in points total, but Laca may be worth the 2m gap.

A straight Aguero to Auba is pretty easy for GW26 or 27 for those of us with Kun, but not sure it's actually a slam dunk for me.

[pokeface]

I’m either going to do Aguero - Auba. Or Hazard - Son.

Feel like Aguero will score against Chelsea, but Auba could potentially get a haul against Huddersfield.

[Joccki_10]

Has anyone considered Lacazette as an realistic alternative to Auba for GW26/27?

2. Considered? Yes. Realistic? No. Less gametime, no penalties and less big chances.

I dunno - I suspect it's closer now than earlier in the season - since the 5-1 Liverpool game Laca's started every game (5) and only played 15 or so mins less than Auba. He usually plays central vs Auba right (apart from today), 2m cheaper, looks a slightly better finisher (?). Sure Auba with pens will be fave in points total, but Laca may be worth the 2m gap.

A straight Aguero to Auba is pretty easy for GW26 or 27 for those of us with Kun, but not sure it's actually a slam dunk for me.

Also depends on if you really need the money. Without City assets and with Hazard leaving, I don’t.

And congrats indeed on a big GW. Took me a couple of GWs to catch up with you and the gap now is 40+ again in a week where I used my FH.

[Joccki_10]

@Stem

Hmm, Liverpool look really shaky at the back and have only one clean sheet in six now. I could do Hazard/Richarlison Mané/Son for a hit, which also saves me a future transfer as I won’t be going for TAA and Jota. Quite tempted to be honest.

[Stemania]

Yeah, same double move was my plan and is tempting me, though I'd be selling Alonso for a hit to afford it - very likely for Doherty (at last), but I'm so very very tempted by Maguire again. After this week vs Spurs, Leicester have a truly ridiculous run of fixtures and no blanks:

Crystal Palace (H)
Brighton (H)
Watford (A)
Fulham (H)
Burnley (A)
Bournemouth (H)
Huddersfield (A)
Newcastle (H)

Though Maguire didn't exactly go well for us last time!

I just sortof feel like I could beat a 2nd Livdef with Doherty/Maguire and a rotation system, whereas there aren't really any midprice mids I'd rather spend the Mane cash on. The barrier is being convinced about Mane, whose stats/performances this year have been...well...fairly unconvincing.

[Joccki_10]

Do you prefer Maguire over Pereira? Rüdiger Pereira would have been my move next week.

[Stemania]

Do you prefer Maguire over Pereira? Rüdiger Pereira would have been my move next week.

I think so now Maguire's down to 5.4m, so only 0.1m difference. They actually both have the same combined xG+xA per 90 of 0.12, though Maguire's has a larger goal weighting (and goals get more points). With the BPS factor too, and the absolute security of starts, he edges it for me.

[Aldershot Rejects]

I'm actually contemplating a Maguire/Pereira double-up although I worry that Leicester have looked far from convincing in the so-called 'easier' fixtures.

[Striker]

..... I worry that Leicester have looked far from convincing in the so-called 'easier' fixtures.

+1

Although Leicester aren't exactly playing the possession-less football relying on the counter for goals that they played under Ranieri, they are still look better against sides who dominate possession and they can look pretty pedestrian against the poorer teams where they are expected to take the initiative themselves.

[Smurphy Paw]

Despite the variable form Leicester’s run is enviable. Rather than the defender double up I am contemplating Schmeichel (for Lloris). His fixtures complement Patricio’s very well and he plays in all the blank weeks.
A Bournemouth keeper is the other option. Will Boruc keep his place?