FISOlympics Decathlon 2025/26

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Members of the FISO Forum run a number of FPL side-games each season. One such side-game is the FISOlympics Decathlon which has been running for over 10 years. Here is a summary:

i) What the Side-Game Is About (for Newcomers)

  • This is a custom FISO-side competition (“FISOlympics Decathlon 2025/26”) for fantasy-premier-league (FPL) managers who want an extra challenge.
  • It’s set up like a decathlon, where FISO members compete across multiple “events,” each tied to different FPL gameweeks.
  • Scoring is factored: their FPL performance (gameweek score, etc.) is converted into “sport-like” results (e.g., times, distances) using formulas.
  • Some of the rules:
    • Factored Points = (points scored) × (50 / average score) — so performance relative to the field matters.
    • Effects from special FPL chips (like Bench Boost or Triple Captain) are ignored when converting gameweek scores.
  • The “events” of the decathlon roughly align like this:
  • 100m: GW2 — gameweek score is converted to a “time.”
  • Long Jump: GWs 3, 4, 5 — based on a team’s highest-scoring player, with some penalty for bonus (“boni”) points.
  • Shot Put: GWs 6, 7, 8 — total points from goalkeepers + defenders are converted to a “distance.”
  • High Jump: GWs 10, 11, 12 — using the gameweek score to set a “target height.”
    5–7. Further events (400 m, 110 m hurdles, Discus) are tied to other GWs later in the season (GW14–15, GW20, GWs 22–24).
  • Entry is done via the forum thread: participants post their FPL team history page, plus optionally which “country / territory / random collection of particles” they represent in the decathlon.
  • The “entry window” closes around GW2’s FPL deadline.
  • The competition disregards “political” debates of real geography: participants can choose any “country / territory” (real or fanciful) to represent.

ii) Story of How the Side-Game Has Progressed over the Opening Gameweeks

  • The side-game was announced by Mystery (a FISO Knight) on 22 July 2025, marking the launch of the 11th FISOlympiad.
  • Mystery laid out the full decathlon schedule (which maps to FPL GWs) and explained how scoring would work, including the formula for “factored points.”
  • By that same day (or shortly after), several FISO users signed up:
    • jimmy ching joined, linking to his FPL history and choosing “France, Île de Batz” as his representation.
    • morganb signed up as well, representing the “Isles of Scilly.”
    • Brightwater also confirmed, using their FPL history link and choosing “Nauru.”
    • Smurphy Paw later joined, representing “Vatican City.”
    • Other entrants include thebillfella, blahblah, zipnolan, Talkie Toaster, Luxmonk, Hogmeister, stripes1973, and wahine, each choosing different “countries” or territories.
  • The first event (100m) was set for Gameweek 2, converting each manager’s GW2 FPL score into a “time” (using the formula time = 12.2 – 0.025 × FactoredPoints).
  • In the next event (Long Jump, covering GWs 3, 4, 5), they track “highest-scoring player” but apply a penalty: if any player in your starting XI gets a red card, own goal or misses a penalty, there’s a “foul jump.”
  • Through GWs 6–8, they will convert defensive-squad (goalkeepers + defenders) points into “shot-put distance.”
  • For GWs 10–12, they have the “High Jump” event: they take a target (based on gameweek score) and convert that into a “height” cleared.
  • The side-game is structured so that all squad members count for these events, not just the starting XI (e.g., in defensive events they include both goalkeepers).
  • Importantly, when calculating decathlon results, they ignore chip effects (like Bench Boost / Triple Captain) to avoid unfair distortions.
  • As of the “sign-up in progress” thread, participants are still joining (or confirming) their entries and territories; the full competitive “decathlon” hasn’t wrapped yet, and further Gameweek events are still to come per the schedule.

Interpretation / Significance

  • The FISOlympics Decathlon is a long-term endurance-style competition, rewarding consistency and squad depth — not just week-to-week luck.
  • Because it converts FPL performance into athletic-style “events,” it attracts users who enjoy meta-challenges beyond standard league play.
  • The variety of “countries / territories” chosen by participants reflects the playful and imaginative side of FISO’s community: some pick real places, others whimsical ones.
  • By ignoring chips in the scoring, the game encourages pure performance, rather than “chip gaming.”
  • The layered structure (10 different events across ~24 GWs) ensures many FPL managers remain engaged throughout the season.

The Algorithm and the Border: How Gambling AI Faces Digital Sovereignty Laws

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Gambling once ran on math; now it runs on machine learning and lawmakers are catching up. Personalization engines, dynamic odds, and fraud controls depend on data moving across regions, clouds, and vendors. Cross-border data laws now set the outer limits, while Gambling AI regulation defines what can be profiled, optimized, or blocked. The clash is simple: global models meet national rules.

Digital platforms work because models learn from pooled behavior millions of sessions, chargebacks, and bonus outcomes. The more diverse the training set, the better the predictions. Digital sovereignty debates ask who owns those flows, where they live, and who audits the logic inside. That tension sits at the heart of Digital sovereignty in gaming today.

How AI Shapes the Modern Gambling Ecosystem

In production iGaming stacks, AI drives odds, player segmentation, AML/fraud signals, and safer-play analytics. Retention teams use predictive churn models; promo engines tune reward size and timing for ROI; fraud pipelines score devices, payments, and behavior in real time. These systems scale because they learn from broad, multi-market data.

  • Core applications you’ll see live: dynamic pricing/odds, next-best-offer ranking, bonus abuse detection, and early-risk flags for responsible play.
  • Typical signals: session length, bet cadence, payment velocity, device/geo mix, chargeback history, and prior bonus outcomes.
  • Model loop: ingest, label, train, A/B test in a holdout market, then promote to mainline when uplift holds.

Most architectures centralize training to keep accuracy high; splitting data reduces variance coverage and hurts lift. That’s why operators abstract storage and training into shared cloud stacks even when brands differ. The trade-off becomes sharper as more countries wall off data.

The Rise of Digital Sovereignty in Gambling Regulation

Digital sovereignty means a state’s control over data location, algorithmic transparency, and oversight within its borders. It’s no longer theory: parliaments legislate where you store, how you explain, and when you hand logs to authorities. Gambling AI regulation borrows from general AI and data-protection laws, then layers gaming rules on top.

  • Europe: GDPR governs transfers (adequacy, SCCs), while the EU AI Act adds risk-based duties transparency for limited-risk tools and stricter rules for high-risk systems. Timelines phase in through 2025–2026, with full effect following thereafter.
  • Asia: a patchwork strict residency in some markets alongside content restrictions; operators often run per-country stacks.
  • LatAm/Africa: early AI ethics and data bills are arriving; regulators look to EU templates while tailoring for local oversight.

For teams planning roadmaps, Digital sovereignty in gaming means architecture choices are regulatory choices: your data map, transfer mechanism, and explainability plan are part of the license conversation.

The Border Problem: Data Localization vs. Machine Learning

Data-localization rules aim to keep citizens’ information inside national clouds. For gambling, that can fragment training sets: fewer examples per edge case, less robust fraud baselines, and weaker uplift for retention models. Operators licensed in Malta, for instance, often process EU user data on hyperscalers; moving or duplicating those pipelines to in-country regions changes both cost and model quality.

  • What changes under Cross-border data laws: fewer lawful transfer paths (no adequacy? use SCCs + extra safeguards), more audits, and stricter vendor gating.
  • Impact on accuracy: siloed datasets reduce diversity and can slow AI diffusion and adoption especially in smaller markets.

Federated learning softens the hit by training locally and sharing gradients, not raw data. It protects residency while preserving some global learning signal useful where Digital sovereignty in gaming is strict but performance still matters.

Transparency, Bias, and Accountability

As automated offers and risk scores touch players, regulators ask three questions: Why that decision? Was it fair? Who’s accountable? Under the AI Act, providers and deployers must document data sources, explain key factors, and add human oversight when decisions affect rights or finances. In practice, marketing and risk teams need clear audit trails and player-facing summaries.

  • Minimum package: model card (purpose, data, limits), bias checks on vulnerable cohorts, and a “Why this offer?” explainer.
  • Operations: periodic back-tests, drift alerts, and a human-in-the-loop to override automated actions when signals conflict.
  • Records: retention of versions, features, and decision logs aligned to privacy rules.

Publishing simplified logic paths and safer-play triggers can reset trust even a mid-size operator can lead here. It’s also the quickest win for AI compliance for online casinos, because explainability reduces complaints and speeds regulator reviews.

Industry Response and the Path Forward

Forward-leaning teams are restructuring their stacks to comply without losing lift. The pattern is “local where required, global where allowed,” backed by privacy engineering and strong vendor governance. Cloud choices alone won’t fix it; the model lifecycle must change.

  • Federated training: local nodes learn on in-country data; a central server aggregates updates. Accuracy stays competitive without moving raw records.
  • Edge processing & minimization: compute on device/region, log only what’s necessary, rotate identifiers, and compress features before transfer.
  • Compliance by design: map data flows, attach legal basis/transfer tool, tag model risk level, and automate DPIAs.

Expect more interoperability guides from standard-setters and a clearer calendar as the AI Act staggers in. Platforms like Winshark exemplify how treating AI compliance for online casinos as a core product capability not just a checkbox enables faster innovation and smoother adaptation to digital sovereignty laws.

Conclusion

Gambling’s “dealer” is now algorithmic and must play by sovereign rules. Gambling AI regulation will shape not just ethics but win-rates for fraud and retention models. Operators that align early on residency, explainability, and human oversight will move faster when audits arrive, and players will feel the difference.

Building your data-map and model register now saves quarters later. If you’re planning a new market or platform upgrade, run a two-week “residency & transparency sprint” and present the gaps to your compliance lead before you scale.

Perya Game Psychology: GameZone Insights on How Carnival Senses Affect Players

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Every Perya Game, whether on the streets or through digital versions like GameZone’s Peryahan Game, is designed with intent. 

The colors, sounds, scents, and even layout are calculated to grab your senses and keep you playing “just one more round.” 

What appears spontaneous and random is actually a masterclass in sensory design—and once you understand how it works, the perya looks very different.

The Thrill of Almost Winning

Let’s start with the perya’s biggest psychological weapon: the near-miss effect. You toss the coin or spin the wheel, and it lands just a fraction away from your target. You didn’t win—but your brain reacts as if you almost did.

According to behavioral psychologists Habib and Dixon (2010), near-misses stimulate the same dopamine release as real victories. The brain interprets “almost winning” as progress, motivating you to try again. 

That’s why players often double down after a near-miss; it feels like success is right around the corner.

This is the same tactic used in slot machines and digital games. Every roll, spin, or color match keeps you chasing that fleeting rush. The Perya Game thrives not on victory, but on the illusion of being close to it.

Color Psychology: The Bright Illusion of Luck

Color is the perya’s first line of persuasion. Walk through any carnival and you’ll see reds, yellows, and greens dominate every stall. These colors aren’t random; they’re chosen because they evoke alertness, excitement, and optimism.

Take the Color Game, for example. You pick a shade, roll the dice, and wait. The game seems simple, but it plays on deep-rooted color associations. 

Studies show that red increases energy levels, yellow sparks curiosity, and green suggests luck—all emotional cues that push players to take risks.

Casinos and mobile game designers use the same logic. Bright colors not only attract your eyes but also make your brain believe success is more possible. 

In this way, the perya doesn’t just sell you a game—it sells you the emotional high of potential victory.

The Soundtrack of Excitement: How Noise Controls the Mind

If color hooks your eyes, sound hijacks your brain. The perya’s auditory landscape is a symphony of manipulation: coins clinking, barkers yelling “last two!”, and upbeat music looping endlessly in the background.

Each sound serves a purpose. The jingle of coins signals success. The cheers of a small crowd suggest someone just won, reinforcing what psychologist Robert Cialdini called social proof—the idea that if others are winning, you can too.

Even GameZone’s Perya Game uses audio cues to mimic this excitement. Each win or near-miss is accompanied by sound effects that trigger micro-doses of dopamine. 

In short, your ears convince your brain that the game is fun, rewarding, and worth another go.

The Scents of Nostalgia and the Taste of Risk

Step closer to a perya booth, and your senses are bombarded not just by lights and sounds but by smell—the smoke of grilled barbecue, the sweetness of cotton candy, and the buttery aroma of corn. 

These scents aren’t accidental; they’re emotional triggers.

Smell is one of the strongest memory-linked senses. Those nostalgic aromas evoke childhood fiestas and neighborhood fun, lowering your emotional defenses. You’re not thinking about odds anymore—you’re reliving warm memories.

When comfort meets excitement, logic takes a backseat. Every Perya Game becomes less about money and more about belonging, about sharing that familiar moment of Filipino joy.

Choice Architecture: How the Layout Plays You

Ever notice how hard it is to leave a perya once you enter? The booths are usually arranged in tight circles or mazes. 

This design isn’t random—it’s choice architecture, a technique meant to influence behavior through environment.

Every turn reveals a new booth, a new light, a new sound. The more options you see, the longer you stay. The flashing LEDs and spinning wheels use what psychologists call attentional capture, a reflex where your brain prioritizes motion and brightness.

You think you’re exploring freely, but the layout is quietly steering you—stall to stall, game to game—until you’ve spent more time and money than you planned. The perya guides you like a maze of dopamine and curiosity.

Perya Game Goes Digital: The Online Evolution

Today, the same psychology that shaped physical carnivals lives on in digital platforms like GameZone’s Perya Game. 

Developers borrow every sensory trick from traditional peryas—vibrant visuals, celebratory sounds, fast animations, and near-win effects—to recreate the thrill on your phone.

The result? A modern carnival that fits in your pocket. Digital perya games use instant feedback loops—quick spins, rapid rewards, and color-coded signals—to keep you engaged. 

Each sound or flash on the screen acts as a mini dopamine trigger, urging you to continue playing.

But while the digital version captures the same excitement, it also intensifies it. There’s no crowd, no physical fatigue, and no closing hours—just a continuous stream of sensory feedback designed to keep you hooked.

Community and Camaraderie: The Human Element Behind the Chaos

Despite all its manipulative tricks, the perya isn’t just a machine of persuasion—it’s also a celebration of community. In small towns and barangays, the perya transforms vacant lots into gathering spaces.

It’s where kids laugh over plastic prizes, adults banter between games, and everyone shares the same heartbeat of anticipation. The perya, for all its illusions, is a social equalizer. 

It blurs the lines between winners and losers because everyone participates in the same ritual of chance.

Even in its online version, Perya Game carries that same spirit of connection. Players across the country join the same digital carnival, sharing laughs, wins, and losses. It’s not just about gambling—it’s about belonging to something bigger.

Why We Keep Coming Back

The psychology of the perya explains not only how we play but also why we return. It’s not just about the chance of winning—it’s about the feeling.

Every color flash, coin jingle, and nostalgic scent plays into our craving for excitement and social connection. Even when logic tells us the odds are slim, emotion whispers, “Maybe this time.”

That hope, that shared moment of thrill, is why Filipinos keep coming back to both the traditional and digital Perya Game. It’s a brief escape from reality where risk feels like fun, and loss feels like participation.

Conclusion: The Mirror of Filipino Psychology

The Perya Game is more than entertainment—it’s a study of how human senses and emotions interact. It shows how design, sound, and color can shape decision-making and how deeply culture influences behavior.

Behind the flashing lights and upbeat music lies a simple truth: people play not because they expect to win, but because they want to feel alive.

The perya mirrors the Filipino psyche—hopeful, communal, and endlessly optimistic. Every spin, every shout, and every flicker of light is a reminder of what it means to believe in luck, laughter, and shared experience.

The FPL Rounded Keeper Saga: Gameweek XI

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The weekend’s FPL GW11 action on FISO’s Rounded Keeper forum topic retold below as a VI Act mythical Saga along with this visual illustration:

Before we start the VI Act Saga, here is the Character Roster written like the cast list before a grand fantasy epic.

The GW11 Rounded Keeper Realm of FISO: Character Codex

CharacterRole in SagaPersonality & Style
MalromThe Stoic of ChatterhallObserves chaos calmly, accepts Haaland’s goals as inevitable forces of nature.
Dr. GigglesThe Sardonic ProphetPredicts doom but with theatrical flair, laughs at misfortune like it’s a dark stage play. Signature Wisdom:
“A Reindeer is for life, not just for Christmas.”
Pirlo’s BeardThe Herald of GoalsAnnounces goals and assists with monk-like ritual seriousness. Never misses a detail.
itslikebrandnewThe Captaincy GamblerForever trying to outsmart fate, and occasionally succeeding with style.
forestfanThe Realist WandererSees the league table as a vast forest; speaks in grounded, slightly weary truths.
SpinynormanThe Faithful Believer in The ReindeerHis emotional journey is the storyline. Hopes. Waits. Suffers. Loves 1-point cameos.
RuudTheDudeVanTheManAvatar of Chaos & Green ArrowsBreaks the laws of probability. Where logic ends, his rank rises.

The Rounded Keeper Saga: Gameweek XI

Gameweek XI: The FISO Rounded Keeper Chronicles

Dawn rose over the Kingdom of Captaincy, where the sky was split between hope and dread. Whispers drifted like woodsmoke across the tavern tables of Chatterhall. And all spoke of one towering figure:

Haaland the Inevitable.

Some had summoned him early. Others had resisted, hoping to shape destiny itself. But now the moment had come.

Scene I: The City of Chatterhall

At the great round oak table sat:

  • Malrom, calm as a mountain lake, sipping something Swiss and philosophical.
  • Dr. Giggles, muttering doom like a weathered oracle predicting rain.
  • Pirlo’s Beard, quill always at the ready, announcing goals with the solemnity of a town crier.
  • itslikebrandnew, captaincy gambler, shoulders tense but game face steady.
  • forestfan, watching the clouds for omens and league tables.

And Spinynorman — leaning back in chair, hood up, silent but for one lament:

“Will the Reindeer play?”
The room fell to hush.
For all knew the meaning.
A bench cameo for one single, blessed point.

Scene II: The Clash of the Titans

The match began.

Silence.

Then:

Haaland scored.

Malrom only sighed:

“Of course.”

Pirlo’s Beard rose to his feet and proclaimed:

“Haaland, assisted by Nunes!”

It was not jubilation.
It was resignation.
The kind that sits deep in the bones.

Scene III: The Goal That Never Was

Liverpool struck back.
Van Dijk, towering, unstoppable.
Net bulged. Arms raised. Joy sparked.

But then came VAR, the all-seeing, joy-harvesting cloud god.

The goal was erased, wiped from existence like chalk in the rain.

forestfan spoke softly, almost kindly:

“Game’s gone.”

Spinynorman stared at the ceiling, whispering:

“Should’ve watched the NFL.”

Scene IV: The Second Blow

González swept in City’s second, the stadium roaring like storm surf.

Dr. Giggles, bitterly amused:

“Ah yes. And Van Dijk even gets the sneaky assist to the wrong side.”

Some laughed.
Some groaned.
Some checked live rank updates with trembling thumbs.

Scene V: The Count of Doku

The third goal fell like a curtain closing.

Doku, the magician of quicksilver feet.

Pirlo’s Beard declared:

“Doku (O’Reilly)!”

Spinynorman did not move.

“Can the Reindeer still come on for one point?”
He asked the gods.
The gods said nothing.

The substitution board never lifted.
The Reindeer remained un-touched, un-seen, un-played.

And with him, went the dream of the bench point.

Scene VI: The Aftermath

RuudTheDudeVanTheMan burst into the tavern hours later:

“Two missed penalties in my team and I still climb rank!”

The room stared.

Somewhere in the Paradox Wastes, logic had evaporated.

It was whispered that green arrows had bloomed where numbers made no sense.

Epilogue

Spinynorman slumped at the bar.

One hand on his mug.
One eye on the team sheet.

“No Reindeer. Not today.”

Malrom offered a sympathetic nod.
Dr. Giggles toasted eternal suffering. “A Reindeer is for life, not just for Christmas.”
Pirlo’s Beard etched the tale to parchment.

And thus, Gameweek XI passed into legend.

FPL 2025-2026: Gameweek 11 preview

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Thanks to an average of 65 FPL points, Gameweek 10 of the Fantasy Premier League ended up being the highest-scoring Gameweek of the 2025 – 2026 season up to this point. That was in great part thanks to several highly-owned players delivering the goods, including the likes of Joao Pedro, Arsenal’s Gabriel and, of course, Erling Haaland. In fact, scores were so high across the board that Mohamed Salah’s return to goal-scoring form has slightly unnoticed. The Egyptian scored against Aston Villa for 10 FPL points (after scoring once against Brentford in GW9), but that was not enough to make it into the Gameweek 11 “Team of the Week”.

From a fantasy point of view, but also from a neutral spectator’s point of view (and perhaps from a Scouse point of view), Salah’s apparent return to form could not come at a better time. It is, after all, time for the first clash of the season between Manchester City and Liverpool on Sunday, at the Etihad. In other words, Erling Haaland versus Mo Salah. And it’s a big one, with Man City in second place, 6 points behind Arsenal, and Liverpool in third place, with just a point less, while the Gunners are visiting Sunderland on Saturday. We don’t know the results yet, but you can be sure that the pressure is definitely on in the top of the Prem this weekend.

Don’t forget, the deadline for Gameweek 11 is set at 11h00 (UK time) on Saturday, November 8th, 2025. The free to play FPL or pay to play season/weekend/daily games like FanTeam are ideal ways of following the Premier League action.

Most transferred in/transferred out players (as per November 7th, 2025)

 TRANSFERS OUTTRANSFERS INPOSSIBLE REASONS
GKDonnarumma (MCI), Pope (NEW), Vicario (TOT)Raya (ARS), Sanchez (CHE), Roefs (SUN) 
DEFVirgil (LIV), Porro (TOT), Burn (NEW)Gabriel (ARS), Guehi (CRY), Van de Ven (TOT)Gabriel 55 FPL points in last 5 games
MIDKudus (TOT), Reijnders (MCI), Grealish (EVE)Rice (ARS), Caicedo (CHE), Mbeumo (BRE)Kudus injury doubt, Rice stacking up returns,
FORGyökeres (ARS), Woltemade (NEW), Ekitiké (LIV)Mateta (CRY), Pedro (CHE), Welbeck (BRI)Gyökeres injury doubt, Welbeck form + fixtures

Premium pick

Back at the start of the 2022-2023 season, a young Norwegian footballer with a penchant for scoring goals called Erling Haaland (£14.8m) made his debut for Manchester City, after a £51 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund. What followed was one of the most impressive seasons ever for a newcomer in the Premier League: 33 starts, 36 goals and 9 assists. Haaland has been a force ever since, scoring 27 goals and providing 8 assists (29 starts) in the 2023 – 2024 season, and scoring 22 goals and giving 3 assists (31 starts) last season. The Norway international never reached the scorching form from his debut season again though… until now? As we are writing this FPL Gameweek 11 preview, Haaland has started in 10 league games, which has resulted in 13 goals and 1 assist. His brace against Bournemouth last weekend was the fifth (!) time this season that he managed to find the goal at least twice in a Premier League game and also the fifth time he recorded a double-digit haul for his fantasy owners. That’s once every two games, mind you. Sure, he has got two very difficult fixtures coming up with the visit of Liverpool on Sunday followed by a visit to Newcastle in GW12, but honestly, neither of those sides have been exactly solid in the back so far this season. And after that, the schedule clears up considerably for the Cityzens, so if you are one of the roughly 30% of fantasy managers who do not own City’s goal machine yet, you might want to consider bringing him in, even if it is just to limit the damage of not owning him.

Non-premium pick

With an 9th place in the Prem after 10 games and a 9th place in the Conference League after 3 games, Crystal Palace are having a more than decent start to the 2025 – 2026 season, especially considering it is the club’s first-ever season in Europe. Manager Oliver Glassner has elevated the Eagles to the next level and it will be interesting to see where they will stand by the official midpoint of the season, as they now have a relatively favourable league schedule coming up. That is why we have gone with Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.9m) as our non-premium fantasy pick for Gameweek 11. Well, that, and the fact that the France international is in great form as a starter under Glassner. He has already scored 6 goals in the league this season, including 1 goal against Brentford last weekend. The Eagles are now preparing for a home game against Brighton after dispatching of Dutch side AZ Alkmaar midweek (3-1) at Selhurst Park, with a visit to Wolves, a home game against Manchester United, a visit to Burnley and a visit to Fulham following after that all the way until Gameweek 15. As far as Mateta is concerned, we would not be surprised to see him score 3 goals or more over that period.

The budget enabler

Crystal Palace are not the only side with a good-looking set of fixtures coming up. Bournemouth, the current number five in the league, will be quietly hoping for (even) more points as well over the short and medium term. While this weekend’s visit to Villa Park is by no means an easy outing, it should be noted that the Villans have already conceded 10 goals in 10 league games and currently find themselves in 11th place. And after that, it’s West Ham at home, Sunderland away and Everton at home for Bournemouth, which is why we decided to highlight Marcus Tavernier (£5.5m) as our budget fantasy pick for Gameweek 11. The midfielder has not been hugely productive yet this season in terms of goals and assists (2 goals and 1 assist from 9 league starts), but an important sidenote is that one of those two goals was scored in GW9, while the assist was provided in GW8. In other words, that might just be a glimpse of an uptick in attacking returns for the 26 year old, which would mean he is actually approaching the much-coveted “form-plus-fixture” combination for FPL assets. Now, we don’t want to go that far just yet, but if you’re looking for a budget-friendly starter with a decent ceiling, now could be a shrewd moment to get in on Tavernier.

The differential

Arsenal fans, we are not trying to jinx your side’s excellent start to the season, but what a start it is. After ten games in the Premier League: 8 victories, 25 points, 18 goals scored, 3 goals conceded. After four games in the Champions League: 4 victories, 12 points, 11 goals scored, 0 goals conceded. And all of that while suffering more than a few injury problems along the way, especially in the offensive department. At the moment of writing, Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are all either injured or flagged, leaving manager Mikel Arteta practically without real striker options. Emphasis on “practically” though, because there is always Mikel Merino (£5.9m, 0.7% owned). The versatile Spanish midfielder replaced Gyökeres halfway through the mid-week game against Slavia Prague and promptly scored a brace, which led his manager to say:

“It’s a joy to have him, I always say the same thing. It’s his versatility on the pitch, the things that he can do, it’s his mindset… Today we are missing a lot of attacking players and we have to find different solutions, he comes in the Champions League and scores two goals.”

For us, the logical thing would be for Arteta to start with Merino as a kind of false nine again against Sunderland on Saturday, but remember that this a major differential punt (with an explosive ceiling). Arteta also has the likes of Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri at his disposal, who can both deputise up front if needed. Still, after a brace in just 45 minutes of Champions League football, we see Merino as a top pick for the differential chasers in Gameweek 11.

The (vice-)captaincy

Erling Haaland’s current form in combination with Liverpool’s leaky backline make us put the armband on Manchester City’s goalscoring phenomenon when the Reds visit the Etihad on Sunday.

In terms of alternatives to the Norwegian, Bukayo Saka away at Sunderland looks appealing, as does Chelsea’s Joao Pedro for their home game against Wolves. The more steely-nerved managers among us might even consider Jarrod Bowen as their captain, for West Ham’s home game against Burnley on Saturday.

For further discussions have a look at FISO’s FPL forum where you can also see the FPL mini-leagues and FPL side-games available.

The Crossover Between Sports Betting and Casino Play

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The modern era provides the average gambler with an unprecedented number of ways to place a bet. Whether you prefer to put money on the outcome of a football match, a dice roll, or an election, there’s likely to be a reputable company out there that will allow you to do so.

In recent times, however, it’s become easier than ever to try new forms of gambling. Many gamblers are keen to take advantage of this by leaping from one game to the next, with the help of their mobile phones. So, what’s behind this trend, and is it likely to persist? Let’s take a look.

Shared motivations

First, we should consider that there’s a great deal of overlap between the target market of a sports betting organisation, and that of a casino. In both cases, the average punter is likely to accept a degree of risk, and to enjoy the strategy that comes alongside a game. The market is optimistic, and on the lookout for quick gratification, of the kind that a bet can often provide. Mr Q mobile slots provides the kind of rapid-fire gameplay that we’re talking about, here.

Mobile technology

Part of what’s driven this trend is the fact that both sports betting and casino gambling can be enjoyed from the same device. No longer do users have to physically travel to a betting shop or a casino. This means more convenience. In some cases, a player’s hometown might not be near a casino, meaning a mobile phone is a great option.

Once it becomes easy to visit any gambling establishment you like, without even getting up out of your chair, you might become more prone to using two, or more, platforms. This goes especially for younger audiences, who might be more likely to move from one app to the next.

Hybrid platforms

Of course, operators are not blind to these trends. We’re seeing the emergence of casino-like features into traditional sports betting, and of sports events into casino games. Other features, like combined wallets and seamless interfaces, might make it easier than ever to switch from one form of gambling to the next.

Promotional synergies

Given the natural overlap between the two markets, it’s easy to find ways to encourage crossover play. Good promotions might involve free spins when a given bet on a sporting event is placed, or free bets when you make a wager on roulette!

Are Algorithms the Future of Team Selection?

Posted on by admin

Image source: Unsplash

Team selection in fantasy games used to be chaotic. You’d pick players because you liked them, avoid rivals out of superstition, and gamble on form based on little more than gut feeling. Some weeks it worked, some weeks it didn’t, but that was part of the fun. The best managers were the ones with sharp instincts and a little bit of luck.

That world hasn’t disappeared, but it is evolving fast. In 2025, algorithms, predictive models, and machine-learning tools are no longer niche add-ons. They’re becoming central to how fantasy teams are built, crunching numbers no human could process, spotting patterns most players would miss, and shaping decisions that win mini-leagues and top global leaderboards.

Data Is Rewriting How Fantasy Teams Are Built

The traditional approach to fantasy team selection relied on experience, observation, and a pinch of blind faith. You would study form tables, check injury news, and follow your instincts. That still matters, but with the sheer amount of data now available, ignoring it puts you at a disadvantage.

Managers can now analyse expected goals and assists, shot maps, usage rates, fixture difficulty, and weather conditions. Algorithms can pull all those variables together and calculate who is most likely to deliver points. It’s not just about who, it’s about how that player performs in certain match-ups, formats, and contexts.

Data-driven thinking is not limited to fantasy sports. Predictive models shape decisions across countless industries. Financial platforms use them to assess risk, retailers rely on them to personalise offers, and online gaming is built on them. Platforms hosting the best non Gamstop casinos online use similar systems to predict what games a user might be interested in and tailor their experiences towards this. It is transforming how fantasy managers choose, trade, and captain their players.

It’s why the best fantasy tools today don’t just show you last week’s scores. They project future returns based on opponent quality, tactical match-ups, and usage trends. They can tell you that a midfielder with low points so far is about to hit form based on underlying stats, or that a rotation-risk striker might be best avoided during a congested schedule.

Where Algorithms Give You an Edge

One of the biggest advantages algorithms offer is the ability to identify breakout players before the rest of the field catches on. A forward with low ownership might have rising expected goal involvement or favourable fixtures ahead. A young bowler might have match-up-specific potential that traditional metrics overlook. Algorithms can flag these patterns weeks before they’re obvious from raw points alone.

They’re equally good at spotting traps. A player who’s hauled big recently might have massively overperformed their underlying stats and could regress. A golfer with top-10 finishes might have been boosted by outlier putting performance that’s unlikely to continue. Data-driven tools cut through the noise and reveal what’s sustainable and what’s not.

Human decision-making is messy. We cling to narratives, overvalue reputation, and make emotional picks. Algorithms do not care about hype. They’re not swayed by sentiment or media chatter. Look at the numbers that correlate with points, whether it’s shot-creating actions, usage rates, or course fit. That doesn’t mean they’re infallible. Bias in the data will still influence outcomes, but they offer a powerful check against human error. They force managers to justify their choices with evidence, not just instinct.

Whether it’s fixture congestion in football or weather interruptions in cricket, unpredictability is part of fantasy sport. Algorithms excel at modelling those variables. They can forecast rotation risk, predict injury probability based on load and travel, and simulate outcomes under different selection scenarios. For fantasy managers, that means fewer bench headaches and fewer wasted captain picks. It means knowing when to take a calculated risk and when to stick with a safer choice. Over the course of a season, those marginal gains add up.

Why Algorithms Can’t Do Everything

For all their strengths, algorithms have blind spots. They can’t account for the intangible: a player desperate to prove a point, a team galvanised by a new manager, or the chaos that follows an early red card.

That is why the smartest fantasy managers do not outsource decisions entirely. They use the data as a guide, but are happy to apply human context. A model might flag a bowler as underperforming, but you might know they’ve just returned from injury and are building match fitness. An algorithm might advise against captaining a certain player, but you might trust your read on a tactical shift that will favour them.

Fantasy sports is still a game of decisions, and those decisions work best when data and instinct work together.

A Broader Shift Beyond Fantasy

The rise of algorithms in fantasy sports reflects a wider trend. Professional teams use predictive models for scouting and tactics. Healthcare systems use them to forecast patient needs. Streaming platforms use them to shape recommendations. Data-driven decision-making is becoming the default, not the exception.

Algorithms personalise offers, shape odds, and tailor the user experience. The common thread: better information leads to better outcomes. From picking a starting XI, selecting a cycling squad, or deciding your next captain, the principle remains the same.

The Future of Fantasy Team Selection

The question is not whether algorithms will shape fantasy sports. They already do. The real question is how far that influence will continue to extend. Will we see fully automated squad builders that outstrip even the best human managers? Will AI-driven models become mainstream tools used by everyone? Or will instinct and risk-taking always have a place?

The most likely future is a balance. Algorithms will keep surfacing patterns humans could never see. Managers will continue to interpret those insights, taking calculated gambles where data alone can’t offer certainty. The most successful players will be those who blend the two by using machine precision to sharpen human decisions.

What is clear is that the days of picking squads on hunches alone are fading. Algorithms are already shaping how teams are built, how transfers are timed, and how captains are chosen. They’re not killing the joy of fantasy sports. They’re deepening it, rewarding those who put in the work to understand the numbers and use them well. For anyone serious about winning, ignoring them isn’t a risk. It’s a guaranteed way to fall behind.

FPL 2025/2026: Gameweek 10

Posted on by FISO

Were you on of the roughly 3.8 million fantasy managers who had Micky van der Ven 23-point mega haul in Gameweek 9, courtesy of a brace against Everton? If you were, congrats, and if you were not, we hope you at least had one (or more) of the likes of Matty Cash, Bryan Mbeumo and Casemiro, who all got 15 FPL points last weekend. They were followed in joint-third place by Burnley’s Zian Flemming and Leeds United’s Joe Rodon with 13 FPL points each.

It will be interesting to see if Spurs can once again provide so many players for the Team of the Week in Gameweek 10, when they host Chelsea. The same to some extent goes for Manchester United, who are visiting a struggling Nottingham Forest side on Saturday. As far as favourable fixtures from a fantasy point of view, Arsenal’s visit to Turf Moor, Newcastle’s visit to West Ham and Manchester City’s home game against Bournemouth look interesting, though we don’t feel like there are any real stand-out fixtures on the agenda this weekend.

Don’t forget, the deadline for Gameweek 10 is set at 13h30 (UK time) on Saturday, November 1st, 2025. The free to play FPL or pay to play season/weekend/daily games like FanTeam are ideal ways of following the Premier League action.

Most transferred in/transferred out players (as per October 30th, 2025)

 TRANSFERS OUTTRANSFERS INPOSSIBLE REASONS
GKSanchez (CHE), Vicario (TOT), Sels (NFO)Raya (ARS), Roefs (SUN), Pope (NEW) 
DEFVirgil (LIV), Romero (TOT), Cucurella (CHE)Gabriel (ARS), Timber (ARS), Van de Ven (TOT)Romero injured, Gabriel + Timber consecutive returns, Van de Ven brace in GW9
MIDReijnders (MCI), Salah (LIV), Kudus (TOT)Mbeumo (MUN), Rice (ARS), Sarr (CRY)Mbeumo form + fixtures
FORPedro (CHE), Isak (LIV), Gyökeres (ARS)Mateta (CRY), Thiago (BRE), Woltemade (NEW)Isak injury doubt, Thiago form, Woltemade form + fixture

Premium pick

Erling Haaland’s (£14.8m) blank against Aston Villa last weekend was a bit disappointing, but we hope that the roughly 68% of managers who own him did not get discouraged. And why would they, when it was, in reality, just his second blank of the season and we are already ten Gameweeks in. That first blank of the season came all the way back in GW2 at home to Spurs. In the six games between then and last weekend’s Villa game, Haaland scored no less than 9 goals and provided 1 assist for a total of 68 FPL points. That’s just over 11 FPL points per game over that same run, mind you. The Norwegian has a complicated run of fixtures coming up, keep that in mind, with Bournemouth at home this weekend followed by Liverpool at home and Newcastle away. Manchester City are not in the best form and they will need to take points from the coming run, so much the eyes will be on their in-form goal-scoring machine from Norway.

Non-premium pick

It has been a while since we included a Manchester United player in our Gameweek previews, but we are seeing some potential on the Red Devils roster on the short and medium term. After the visit to leaky Nottingham Forest this weekend, they are off to Spurs, then Everton at home in GW12, Palace away in GW13, West Ham at home in GW14, Wolves away in GW15 and Bournemouth at home in GW16. Pretty good as far as fixtures go, which is why we have gone with Bryan Mbeumo (£8.2m) as our non-premium fantasy pick for Gameweek 10. The Cameroon international, who was brought in from Brentford for about £70 million this summer, started kind of slow in Manchester, but seems to have really found his stride of late. As one of the two most advanced midfielders in manager Ruben Amorim’s system, Mbeumo recorded 3 goals and 1 assist in his last three league outings. United went on to win all three of those games, with Mbeumo collecting 30 FPL points over that same run. He now travels to Nottingham Forest, who have not won since Gameweek 1. As a matter of fact, since their victory over Brentford in the season opener, the Tricky Trees added just 2 points to their total. And with Manchester United seemingly building up some steam, we don’t think that will change this weekend despite Forest’s new manager, Sean Dyche.

The budget enabler

For our budget enabling fantasy pick, we kept it pretty simple this time. We actually wanted to include Nordi Mukiele (£4.1m) last week already, but we decided to go with Moisès Caicedo instead, as Chelsea were hosting Sunderland, with Mukiele actually starting for the visitors. A great choice by us, as the Black Cats went on to win 1-2, though both Mukiele and Caicedo finished the game with 2 FPL points. In any case, the reason why the former was on our radar already was that, apart from the fact that he is a bargain starter, he also scored a 17-point haul against Wolves in Gameweek 7. As a result, the French defender is now the highest-scoring budget-enabler in the game with a total of 46 FPL points from the first nine league games of the season. That’s an average of 5.1 FPL points per game; not bad at all for a fantasy asset that started with a price tag of £4.0m. On top of that, Sunderland have got a favourable home game against Everton coming up. Just keep in mind that, while Mukiele is a perfect fifth defender for any squad, Sunderland’s fixtures do take a turn for the worse between roughly Gameweek 11 and Gameweek 17.

The differential

He is a starter for a decent side, he is in great form, he is priced at just £6.4m and he currently sits in just 5.4% of all FPL squads. It seems like, at the moment, Brighton’s Danny Welbeck (£6.4m) is ticking basically all the boxes of what a fantasy manager likes in a differential fantasy pick. The former Man United and Arsenal man scored 5 goals in his last four league games for a total of 31 FPL points, while also being the Brighton player with the highest expected goals ratio and the most shots on target over that same period. In all truth, Welbeck might be overperforming a bit at the moment, but that can be a golden opportunity for those managers with the possibilities and the steely nerves to bring him in. Especially when you see that the Seagulls are facing Leeds United at home on Saturday, a game which they are supposed to win. The Whites have not managed to keep a clean sheet on the road this season as they have conceded an average of 2.25 goals per away game so far.

The (vice-)captaincy

We are not seeing a very clear-cut favourite for the armband this weekend, though an in-form Erling Haaland in a home game is practically always a shoe-in. We are therefore making him our captain for Gameweek 10 as Manchester City prepare to host Bournemouth on Sunday.

More than a few fantasy managers will be exploring the alternatives though, and we did find a few with potential. Danny Welbeck, for example, at home to Leeds in the Gameweek opener on Saturday. Or what about Bryan Mbeumo for Manchester United’s visit to Nottingham Forest, or perhaps Jean-Philippe Mateta for Crystal Palace home game against Wolves?

For further discussions have a look at FISO’s FPL forum where you can also see the FPL mini-leagues and FPL side-games available.

FPL 2025/2026: Gameweek 9

Posted on by FISO

It’s Gameweek 9 in the middle of October, which means that the European competitions are well underway by now and, as a result, us fantasy managers have a major extra factor to take into account again this week. Below are the results of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League games this week for the Premier League sides active in Europe.

Champions League

HOME SIDEAWAY SIDEDATESCORE
VillarealManchester CityTUE October 210-2
Newcastle UnitedBenficaTUE October 213-0
Arsenal Atletico MadridTUE October 214-0
Eintracht FrankfurtLiverpoolWED October 221-5
ChelseaAjaxWED October 225-1
AS MonacoTottenham HotspurWED October 220-0

Europa League

HOME SIDEAWAY SIDEDATE & SCORE
Go Ahead EaglesAston VillaTHU October 23 – 2-1
Nottingham ForestPortoTHU October 23 – 2-0

Conference League

HOME SIDEAWAY SIDEDATE & SCORE
Crystal PalaceAEK LarnacaTHU October 23 – 0-1

Don’t forget, the deadline for Gameweek 9 is set at 18h30 (UK time) today Friday, October 24th, 2025. The free to play FPL or pay to play season/weekend/daily games like FanTeam are ideal ways of following the Premier League action

Most transferred in/transferred out players (as per October 23rd, 2025)

 TRANSFERS OUTTRANSFERS INPOSSIBLE REASONS
GKVicario (TOT), Alisson (LIV), Sels (NFO)Raya (ARS), Pope (NEW), Donnarumma (MCI)Alisson injured
DEFVan de Ven (TOT), Van Dijk (LIV), Romero (TOT)Gabriel (ARS), James (CHE), Timber (ARS)Most transferred-in defenders are all in good form with good fixtures coming up, Romero injury doubt
MIDSalah (LIV), Reijnders (MCI), Enzo (CHE)Saka (ARS), Caicedo (CHE), Rice (ARS)Caicedo keeps scoring in PL and Europe, Arsenal fixtures, Salah drop in form
FORPedro (CHE), Gyökeres (ARS), Richarlison (TOT)Woltemade (NEW), Mateta (CRY), Haaland (MCI)Woltemade form + fixtures, Haaland red-hot form, Mateta hattrick in GW8, Richarlison benched

Premium pick

With Salah seemingly off the boil a bit and with Liverpool facing their first real downturn in form and results since the arrival of Arne Slot, and with Haaland playing away at Villa on Sunday, we are selecting Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) as our premium fantasy pick for Gameweek 9. Arsenal are coming off a resounding 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, a game in which Saka did not get a single attacking return. That also immediately brings us to the main downside of this premium pick, namely his lack of returns so far this season. The England international is obviously nailed-on as manager Mikel Arteta’s left winger, but that he so far resulted in just 2 goals in five league starts. Of course, the fact that Saka was out for 2.5 gameweeks at the start of the season has to do with that as well, which is why we are not too worried. He got 179 FPL points in 2022, 202 FPL points in 2023, 226 FPL points in 2024 and 127 FPL points last season, despite having played just twenty league games. In other words, we are confident that Saka will get back to his scoring and assisting ways rather sooner than later, and he might just get started this weekend when Crystal Palace visit the Emirates Stadium following their defeat at home last night in the Conference League.

Non-premium pick

More often than not, players who are new to the Premier League need some time to adjust, especially if they come from outside of England. Not Nick Woltemade (£7.4m), whose arrival from Stuttgart for around £65 million this summer was hailed by some as a major waste of money, but who already sits on 4 goals after his first five league starts including a fabulous backheel last weekend. That means that the German striker is running a current average of just over 6 FPL points per game. On top of that he has also scored a goal in the Champions League already, as part of the 0-4 away victory at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise back at the start of October. Woltemade played 85 minutes this week in Newcastle’s impressive home victory over Portuguese giants Benfica on Wednesday in which he did not score or assist, so do keep that mind. Having said that, with the German’s current form in mind and the fact that the Magpies have more than two days of full rest before the home game against Fulham on Saturday afternoon, we believe that he will be heading the Newcastle attack over the weekend as well.

The budget enabler

To say that there is “crazy value” to be found among the midfield players this season is an understatement. Of the midfielders with the highest points average per match, no player in at least the top 8 costs more than £8.1m and that’s Semenyo, who is actually by far the most expensive one in that list. The most expensive midfielder in the list after the Bournemouth man is Jack Grealish, who currently comes in at £6.9m. Neither of them is our budget fantasy pick for Gameweek 9 though, because that “honour” goes to Moisés Caicedo (£5.9m). The Chelsea midfielder has been somewhat of a revelation this season, in part thanks to the new DefCon system in FPL and in part thanks to his sudden hunger for goals. The Ecuadorian plays as a defensive midfielder for the Blues, at least in theory, but under manager Enzo Maresca, he can often be found way higher up the pitch. The result, in FPL terms? Nailed on as a starter, 3 goals in seven league games, a total of 46 FPL points so far, and all that for just £5.9m. Add to that the fact that Chelsea have one of the best fixture runs of all teams and we are honestly wondering why Caicedo is currently still sitting in just 17% of all squads in the official fantasy game.

(Extra: Caicedo also scored a shot from distance against Ajax in the Champions League this week)

The differential

Our differential fantasy pick for Gameweek 9 comes with a major disclaimer: he is very injury-prone, or at least, he has been in the past few seasons. Having said that, a fit Reece James (£5.4m) is a player whose (potential) attacking output can barely be matched by any other defender in the Premier League. Case in point: fit since GW4, 1 goal and 3 assists since that game, good for 29 FPL points over that same run. In Wednesday’s Champions League game in Amsterdam, the England international remained on the bench, which makes us confident in saying that he will be starting against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. We mentioned Chelsea’s favourable run of fixtures at this current moment, which also applies to James. On top of that, he is currently sitting in just 6% of all teams and at a slightly reduced price of £5.4m. In other words, with the home game versus Sunderland followed by Spurs away, Wolves home and Burnley away, now seems like a good moment to invest in the relatively expensive but also differential right back (who has been playing as a midfielder under Maresca as well).

The (vice-)captaincy

Once again, we have got a few very good options for the armband this week. We have ended up going with Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka for the home game against Crystal Palace on Saturday, but honestly… the alternatives are still looking at us seductively as well.

These alternatives include Joao Pedro for Chelsea’s home game against Sunderland (or even his teammate, the previously mentioned Reece James), Nick Woltemade at home to Fulham and Viktor Gyökeres at home against Crystal Palace. Of course, there is also Erling Haaland, who is in scorching form and who is visiting Aston Villa (who just lost against Go Ahead Eagles last night in the Europa League) on Sunday.

For further discussions have a look at FISO’s FPL forum where you can also see the FPL mini-leagues and FPL side-games available.

FPL 2025 – 2026: Gameweek 8 preview

Posted on by FISO

The second international break of the 2025 – 2026 season is behind us, which means that preparations for FPL Gameweek 8 should be in full swing by now. More than twelve million fantasy squads are currently building up to the 11am deadline on Saturday, so we figured it could be useful to take a look at some of the stand-out FPL performances from Gameweek 7, right before the international break.

Player of the Week was Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo with 18 FPL points, thanks to a brace plus an assist at home to Fulham. That was his third double-digit haul in the first seven Gameweeks of this season. Donyell Malen followed Semenyo last Gameweek with 15 FPL points after guiding Aston Villa to a much-needed 2-1 victory over Burnley with two goals. Behind the Dutchman, there were two players with 12 FPL points each in GW7: Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol with a clean sheet and an assist against Brentford, and Tottenham’s Mohammed Kudus with a goal and an assist against Leeds United.

Don’t forget, the deadline for Gameweek 8 is set at 11h00 (UK time) on Saturday, October 18th, 2025. The free to play FPL or pay to play season/weekend/daily games like FanTeam are ideal ways of following the Premier League action.

Most transferred in/transferred out players (as per October 16th, 2025)

 TRANSFERS OUTTRANSFERS INPOSSIBLE REASONS
GKAlisson (LIV), Sels (NFO), Sanchez (CHE)Pope (NEW), Raya (ARS), Donnarumma (MCI)Alisson injury
DEFLivramento (NEW), Van Dijk (LIV), Van de Ven (TOT)Timber (ARS), Gabriel (ARS), Senesi (BOU)Livramento injury, ARS fixtures
MIDSalah (LIV), Grealish (EVE), Fernandes (MUN)Semenyo (BOU), Caicedo (CHE), Kudus (TOT)Grealish ineligible to face parent club Man City, Semenyo form, Caicedo more attacking
FORPedro (CHE), Gyökeres (ARS), Richarlison (TOT)Woltemade (NEW), Haaland (MCI), Bowen (WHU)Haaland form, Woltemade and Bowen form + fixtures

Premium pick

We were initially leaning towards Cole Palmer for Chelsea’s visit to Nottingham Forest as our premium fantasy pick for Gameweek 8, but the midfielder is currently flagged in the official fantasy game. That put us off him and onto, surprise surprise, Mohamed Salah for Liverpool’s home game against Manchester United and Erling Haaland (£14.5m) for Man City’s home game against Everton. And while it is entirely possible to see Liverpool beat their rivals, say, 3-0 on Sunday, we have ended up going with what could be considered the more “traditionally favourable fixture” of the two, Manchester City at home versus Everton. The Cityzens are heavy favourites here and it looks like the perfect opportunity for Haaland to make it six consecutive league games with at least one attacking return. The Norwegian already has 9 goals and 1 assist to his name in the Premier League, and he is coming off a very successful international break with his country as well. He was selected for only of Norway’s two games, the World Cup qualifier against Israel at home, and made the most of that occasion with a hattrick. He was then allowed to return to Manchester early, where he has been preparing to face Everton this Saturday. If you are betting on anyone this weekend, it looks like Haaland is the one to bet on.

Non-premium pick

Joao Pedro (£7.7m) has been a bit quiet of late, but the Chelsea forward, who was brought in from Brighton for around £60 million, is still the main man up front for the Blues. He started the season in quickfire fashion, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists in his first four league games, but attacking returns have dried up since then. That may also have something to do with the fact that Chelsea faced Man United at Old Trafford, and Brighton and Liverpool at home in their last three league games. In any case, FPL is about looking forward and when we look forward on Chelsea’s schedule, we see something of a proverbial “sea of green”. That means, an extended run of fixtures that look favourable on paper. As a result, Pedro could very soon become a set-and-forget starter until around Gameweek 16, when the schedule shifts a bit contrary to Chelsea’s favour. This weekend it’s Forest away, followed by Sunderland at home, Spurs away, Wolves at home and Burnley away. The Blues then face Arsenal at home, followed by Leeds away, Bournemouth away and Everton at home. Are you telling us that Joao Pedro, the starting number nine for a side that is fighting for a top-four finish, could not ending up scoring 5+ goals over that run?

The budget enabler

Our budget fantasy pick for Gameweek 7 is a bit of a mix between a budget pick and a differential, but that can happen when hunting for budget gems. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.5m) joined Leeds United on a free from Everton this summer and while he has not made a huge impact yet in terms of goals and assists, he did manage to make the number-nine spot his under manager Daniel Farke. The only attacking returns DCL recorded so far came in Gameweek 5 away at Wolves, when he scored a goal and gave an assist as part of a 1-3 Leeds victory. Of course, it should be noted that in GW6 and GW7, the Whites played Bournemouth and Spurs at home, respectively, two sides in more than decent form. The reason we have decided to put some faith in Calvert-Lewin is his upcoming schedule though, as Leeds are facing Burnley at Turf Moor this weekend, followed by West Ham at home in Gameweek 9. And after that, even though they are both away games, encounters with Brighton and Nottingham Forest don’t look too bad, either. At this moment, we see DCL as a good third option in attack for our squad, thanks to a combination of his status as a starter, his affordable price tag and his upcoming fixtures on the short (and medium) term.

The differential

Is Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m, 7.5% owned) the ideal Fantasy Premier League asset? We are asking this question, because it seems like it does not matter who he plays with or against, he delivers. Last season, for example, when West Ham were terrible and finished 14th in the league with just 43 points and a goal difference of -17, Bowen got 13 goals and 11 assists for 193 FPL points. The season prior, when West Ham finished 9th with 52 points and a goal difference of -14, their star man recorded a cool 16 goals and 6 assists. And this season, in which the Hammers have gotten off to another bad start? It’s already 3 goals in seven league starts for Bowen, for a total of 35 FPL points. The Hammers forward simply delivers, especially when you leave him in your squad for a longer period of time, which is exactly why we are considering bringing him in as a major differential fantasy pick. West Ham have got a nice little stretch of fixtures coming up, including Brentford at home in GW8, Leeds away in GW9, and Burnley at home in GW11. Those are games from which the Hammers need to take points if they want to keep hopes of turning their season around somewhat and for that, they will need Jarrod Bowen. Plain and simple.

The (vice-)captaincy

As Manchester City are hosting Everton on Saturday afternoon, we are putting the armband on the in-form Erling Haaland in Gameweek 8.

As usual, Mohamed Salah is an excellent alternative for the Norwegian when Liverpool host arch-rivals Manchester United on Sunday. Other, more affordable options for the captaincy include Joao Pedro for Chelsea’s visit to Nottingham Forest and Antoine Semenyo for Bournemouth’s visit to Crystal Palace, while the higher-risk-higher-reward armband picks this weekend include Jaidon Anthony for Burnley’s home game against Leeds and Jarrod Bowen for West Ham’s home game against Brentford.

For further discussions have a look at FISO’s FPL forum where you can also see the FPL mini-leagues and FPL side-games available.