Strategic Thinking Cavern (18/19)

[blahblah]

Salah probably does have a more clear advantage over his peers, short world cup too, I'd probably find it hard to avoid picking him.

Pretty much with all the rest, but is is Sanchez vs Salah for me. Also Sane was in the first sweep picked, as no WC and Citeh attacking coverage is needed.....

Arnie and Zaha as 7m Fwds has tossed something of a spanner into many pre-list ideas?

[Spinynorman]

I seem to remember having a similar dilemma last season (possibly every season) but the squad and starting 11 I can pick without Kane or Salah is so superior to the 11 including them that it seems silly to include them both. Then again even including one of them once again my squad looks so much more balanced and infinitely superior.

However I know that in the end I will indeed include one of them and will most probably be Salah and yet it still feels wrong.

I have a feeling I may not be alone.

[gallus]

I seem to remember having a similar dilemma last season (possibly every season) but the squad and starting 11 I can pick without Kane or Salah is so superior to the 11 including them that it seems silly to include them both. Then again even including one of them once again my squad looks so much more balanced and infinitely superior.

However I know that in the end I will indeed include one of them and will most probably be Salah and yet it still feels wrong.

I have a feeling I may not be alone.

My advice is to pick your GW 1 captain first and then build around him. If that's Salah then so be it. If you don't want to captain Salah at home then there's no point in picking him.

[blahblah]

Is October going to be Kane's September if England get through today?

[Finisher1]

Changed your mind on playing yet?

In other news, I've added an STC resource list to the OP with a list of often referred to links and useful stuff/old favourites. Everyone, be encouraged to mention any other sites you use or if you spot any glaring omissions or if you find new ones.

That's a good addition. I'd also recommend adding the twitter feeds by FFS and Ben Dinnery as those have proved to be invaluable basic resources.

[TheBigLewandowski]

Welcome back everyone. Only seems like GW38 was yesterday! Lots of planning and preparing in the weeks ahead no doubt!
I've only had a quick look but I think Zaha and Coleman will definitely be straight in my team, along with Salah.

[Mav3rick]

433 looks pretty strong to me with the options available in defence. I'm not sure if id play a rotation for the last defensive spot (i.e. 2 x 4.5) or if I'd go a full 6.5, 6, 5.5, 5 spread and rotate the last defender with the two base price midfielders.

Chalobah playing would be a big fillip for that formation I think, along with Dann. An example side might look like:

Fabianski/4.0
Alonso, Robertson/Mendy, Coleman, TAA, Dann
Salah, Eriksen, D Silva, 4.5 (Chalobah), 4.5
Aguero, Arnie/Zaha, Austin.

What do we expect with Zaha, in terms of points, with the reclassification? Arnie too for that matter? Obviously fewer points per goal but more BPS to compensate? Zaha was a bit of an anti-BP player last season, so I wonder if the lost possession or lack of goal bonus is the more significant factor.

I think that the 433 compared to the classic 343 boils down to taking perhaps 1.5-2.5 out of the defence, dropping one of Robertson or Alonso and upgrading the 4th mid toward Siggy/Mkhit range. Feels a close choice, but with Chelsea again having no CL, Alonso feels like a great option once again?

[Finisher1]

Changed your mind on playing yet?

I think he will register a team eventually!

[Gambit]

433 looks pretty strong to me with the options available in defence. I'm not sure if id play a rotation for the last defensive spot (i.e. 2 x 4.5) or if I'd go a full 6.5, 6, 5.5, 5 spread and rotate the last defender with the two base price midfielders.

Chalobah playing would be a big fillip for that formation I think, along with Dann. An example side might look like:

Fabianski/4.0
Alonso, Robertson/Mendy, Coleman, TAA, Dann
Salah, Eriksen, D Silva, 4.5 (Chalobah), 4.5
Aguero, Arnie/Zaha, Austin.

What do we expect with Zaha, in terms of points, with the reclassification? Arnie too for that matter? Obviously fewer points per goal but more BPS to compensate? Zaha was a bit of an anti-BP player last season, so I wonder if the lost possession or lack of goal bonus is the more significant factor.

I think that the 433 compared to the classic 343 boils down to taking perhaps 1.5-2.5 out of the defence, dropping one of Robertson or Alonso and upgrading the 4th mid toward Siggy/Mkhit range. Feels a close choice, but with Chelsea again having no CL, Alonso feels like a great option once again?

I had both in my first draft, but I've gone cold on Arnie at the moment. West Ham linked with a raft of strikers and it remains to be seen where exactly Arnie will play. He's always been something of an enigma and there is no doubt that Moyes got him playing his best and most consistent football, will have the see how he looks in pre season and where he is going to play on the pitch. A new striker coming in could force him back deeper.

Zaha I'm still happy with as a striker, he's become the main man at Palace, the big fish in the little pond, he's their spearhead and getting better all the time, think he's excellent value at 7m. The fixtures are outstanding, they don't face a tough run until late October, I think he will start well and rise in price quickly. Just hoping he stays at Palace! linked with lots of clubs, from Spurs to Everton. Spurs move would be a blow as surely would be in a rotation system with the likes of Son.

[Mav3rick]

Changed your mind on playing yet?

I think he will register a team eventually!

I am playing draft so I still need to think about the game and players in it, but I'm not playing classic FPL.

[Finisher1]

Changed your mind on playing yet?

I think he will register a team eventually!

I am playing draft so I still need to think about the game and players in it, but I'm not playing classic FPL.

Surely you don't have to think about price brackets when you play draft though? Thanks for your insights anyway

[Mav3rick]

Surely you don't have to think about price brackets when you play draft though? Thanks for your insights anyway

Maybe not but if I ignore price then what can I add to the thread? Zaha is alright but you should pick Kane because he has better stats?

[TheBigLewandowski]

For the cheaper S3 slot up front, I have to admit I like the look of Wood, Wilson and Tosun. It'll probably be one of them alongside 2 others (Zaha and a premium). They all start the season with a decent set of fixtures.

[Finisher1]

Surely you don't have to think about price brackets when you play draft though? Thanks for your insights anyway

Maybe not but if I ignore price then what can I add to the thread? Zaha is alright but you should pick Kane because he has better stats?

So are you doing all this research just for the sake of the thread, and not even thinking of registering your own team? Well that's very humble, thanks for it

[Oxford NZ]

For the cheaper S3 slot up front, I have to admit I like the look of Wood, Wilson and Tosun. It'll probably be one of them alongside 2 others (Zaha and a premium). They all start the season with a decent set of fixtures.

I was expecting Wood to be 7.0+ so at 6.5 he is great value for the start of the season any way. Firmino, Aguero, Wood and 1.5 itb will start the season well with room to move.

[Mav3rick]

For the cheaper S3 slot up front, I have to admit I like the look of Wood, Wilson and Tosun. It'll probably be one of them alongside 2 others (Zaha and a premium). They all start the season with a decent set of fixtures.

Wilson should be decent value at 6.0, Austin could still be great too, but a 5.5 would be the perfect priced player for the third striker slot. The price cuts on defenders still make it attractive to consider writing off the third striker completely if the asking price is anything over 5.5 IMO.

I was expecting Wood to be 7.0+ so at 6.5 he is great value for the start of the season any way. Firmino, Aguero, Wood and 1.5 itb will start the season well with room to move.

As a third striker, it's just that price that gets tricky. At 6.5 he's priced like an extra premium defender in an alternative formation, so it maybe depends on fixture rotation (via transfers with it's own associated cost) to get the most out of that slot.

I think I'd still prefer a three striker formation, with a 4 man back line though, but I could understand people taking on an additional premium defender slot (an Azpilcueta maybe or Mendy).

[baganboy]

I am in. Just rewrote my spreadsheet from last season (i.e. removed last season's data), and got a autoselect team registered. Will think through the team in a bit.
However - from my autoselect team, I see Cenk Tosun at 7M. That should be a no-brainer?

[TheBigLewandowski]

I am in. Just rewrote my spreadsheet from last season (i.e. removed last season's data), and got a autoselect team registered. Will think through the team in a bit.
However - from my autoselect team, I see Cenk Tosun at 7M. That should be a no-brainer?

That is what I am thinking also, BB.
(Also welcome back, great to see the regulars re-appearing from last season).
I think it will probably come down to Tosun or Wood for me.

[The Username]

Innital thoughts are a 4-4-2 for me, im not thinking of defenders as defenders per say but looks some terrific value in the WB dept, if you can resist the nicely priced 4.5 mill. Bellerin and Coleman both in at 5.5 mill. Should be a good investment for 150 points. I quite fancy taking Robertson and Mendy at 6 as well. Looks like gold in the hills with the four of them playing attacking roles.

Midfield as well im looking for gold, some midfielders look well under priced to me. Ive gone for Salah as the Big hiter in my team, the midfield category just means more point potential then Kane to start with. But gone for potentially under priced players so far namely, D. Silva - City starting midfielder at that price cant be overlooked really, Miki at 7 should justify that outlay, Walcott at 6.5 cant be overlooked with fixtures and Silva likely to play a 4-3-3 as a preference (again this should work in Colemas favour).

Upfront ive gone for stability with Aguero and Firmino and Quanar as a rotter.

So current play im sitting on.

Fabianski/4.0

Robrtson, Mendy, Colmman, Bellerin, 4.0

Miki, Silva, Salah, Walcott, 4.5

Firmino, Aguero, 4.5.

Really the only decision is backing a wing back, to score more then a 6.0 mill forward - for me that would be Austin or Wilson, im fairly comfortable with that with both's injury record. Also backing against another 6.0 million midfielder, again im comfortable with that as Walcotts position is flexible when the value pick emerges i.e a Grob or Milo.

[Aldershot Rejects]

I am in. Just rewrote my spreadsheet from last season (i.e. removed last season's data), and got a autoselect team registered. Will think through the team in a bit.
However - from my autoselect team, I see Cenk Tosun at 7M. That should be a no-brainer?

That is what I am thinking also, BB.
(Also welcome back, great to see the regulars re-appearing from last season).
I think it will probably come down to Tosun or Wood for me.

Yes, welcome back BB was wondering how you were doing.
I think I prefer Wood to Tosun (just).

[baganboy]

Cheers, AR, TBL. And good luck for the season.

[Spinynorman]

Zaha is also 7.0m. Is he not an option?

[blahblah]

Zaha is also 7.0m. Is he not an option?

I'm mine atm with Murray, who got similar goals from similar minutes

[Zimmerman]

Was he trying to get fit in those minutes (like zaha)?

[Jay P]

So current play im sitting on.

Fabianski/4.0

Robrtson, Mendy, Colmman, Bellerin, 4.0

Miki, Silva, Salah, Walcott, 4.5

Firmino, Aguero, 4.5.

This looks very nice, I’m also interested in Everton - so much potential value there with Marco Silva coming in.

[Sutter Kane]

Not sure it's been mentioned anywhere, probably as it's irrelevant, but Man Utd Leicester is now on the Friday, 10th August!

Even earlier for the World Cup lot to not make it back!

[samyadav]

Regarding Alonso.. If Chelsea appoint a new manager who switches the formation to 4-at-the-back, will Alonso be a part of it? Is he good enough for the LB position?

[Stemania]

Zaha and Arnie's position changes are interesting - it's probably a good thing for the game to help the dwindling number of strikers over the last half decade. I recall reading a calculation suggesting the reclassification from MID to ATT roughly translated to a 10-15 point deficit for both Arnie and Zaha (inc bonus implications) - which is bad - but the reclassification has roughly frozen their prices - which is good.

My impression is that Zaha is about as close as you can be to not being a striker, whilst at the same time being classed in FPL as a striker - in the 442 he has still seemed to still play quite wide to me. To me he's a tad overpriced at 7m, especially if Townsend is playing the same role as a 6m mid on the right side - if there is inconsistency in reclassification this year then it's there!

I suspect Arnie will turn out reverse OOP, as the reason he ended up as striker last season was arguable a lack of strikers at the clubs rather than his suitability. By the end of the season he adapted really well and started to look like a proper striker, but I rekon he'll end up on the left with Pellegrini bringing in a new frontman. If not, 7m looks good to me still.


On Alonso, if Conte stays I'm struggling to see a 6.5m mid who would have a favourable comparison (with the rotation implications taken into account) so the "Alonso 343 in a 433" looks an initially strong candidate again to me again this year, like Mav's effort above - or an "Alonso 352 in a 442". If Conte goes, it's up in the air for me - I doubt I'd pick him at LB.

[Zimmerman]

Zaha and Arnie's position changes are interesting - it's probably a good thing for the game to help the dwindling number of strikers over the last half decade. I recall reading a calculation suggesting the reclassification from MID to ATT roughly translated to a 10-15 point deficit for both Arnie and Zaha (inc bonus implications) - which is bad - but the reclassification has roughly frozen their prices - which is good.

When you mention bonus implications... has someone worked out how many BPS he would have accrued had he been listed as a striker last year?

[Zimmerman]

What’s the thinking with Chelsea?
Are they lining up a World Cup manager?

If they are going to change it/him - aren’t they leaving it a bit late?

Either way, it doesn’t bode well for the team being overly prepared for the season ahead (new man coming in late v existing man who didn’t seem to have his heart in it).

Throw in the fact that four key players are still in Russia, it doesn’t bode well for them hitting the ground running.

Courtois
Kanté
Hazard
Giroud

To a lesser extent Cahill, Loftus Cheek and Batshuayi.