Raoul's RMT

[JanosKojak]

I like your team as it is. Would only transfer in Kane for Auba and save the two free transfers for later.

Your wildcard seems punty(-ish). Ceballos overall attacking stats are not great from seasons past, so a wait-and-see for now. McGinn seems like a great player but maybe not fantasywise (I have no stats to support this). Pukki's next three are not that easy.

[raoul]

Either for me. In theory Ederson won't get the Save Points to merit his cost so its Pickford and Cantwell vs Patricio and McGinn, which is a close call with Pat winning as it means more cash in Midfiekd ...

but Ederson will get more CS. So I don't see this as about him being overpriced. I think GK prices are about fair tbh.

My only issue with having Ederson is that it eats up a MC spot.

Am assuming Cantwell will rise and may well become the 4.5m MID of choice sitting on a lot of benches. Maybe he will rise twice. So maybe I should grab him now and hope for some midweek profit.

[blahblah]

He won't get more CS's than a Def, who may get attacking points....

[raoul]

He won't get more CS's than a Def, who may get attacking points....

Ederson got 170ish last season and not many defenders can claim that (and those that can are all more expensive than Ederson).

Any 6m player who is a safe 170 point scorer seems a no brainer to me. Unless of course someone 0.5 cheaper in the same position will get within 15 pts. Which, I grant you, DDG and Pickford might. But unless MU are indeed the real deal I do not envisage them getting any closer than 15 pts, so Ederson seems valid to me.

[raoul]

I like your team as it is. Would only transfer in Kane for Auba and save the two free transfers for later.

Your wildcard seems punty(-ish). Ceballos overall attacking stats are not great from seasons past, so a wait-and-see for now. McGinn seems like a great player but maybe not fantasywise (I have no stats to support this). Pukki's next three are not that easy.

My problem with the premium forwards is it looks like they need switching almost every week. And I feel Sterling is far more essential in any gameweek than Kane or Auba.

[Stemania]

Ederson got 170ish last season and not many defenders can claim that (and those that can are all more expensive than Ederson).

Any 6m player who is a safe 170 point scorer seems a no brainer to me. Unless of course someone 0.5 cheaper in the same position will get within 15 pts. Which, I grant you, DDG and Pickford might. But unless MU are indeed the real deal I do not envisage them getting any closer than 15 pts, so Ederson seems valid to me.

The problem there is the apples/oranges argument of who you would otherwise replace Ederson with. Your best 4.5m GK would traditionally (and reasonably reliably) get you 140 odd points, whereas your best 4.5m defender (or worse, the 2nd/3rd best 4.5m defender depending on your squad structure) usually would not.

I do accept that this argument seems to be weakening by the year (and, with hindsight, the Doherty anomaly arguably rendered it obsolete last season by him hitting 144 vs Fabianski's 143); especially since the loss of 4m playing keepers and the thinning of the 4.5m GK pool. It's definitely the first year in a decade or so where I've seriously considered a premium GK (and that GK is Ederson).

[SirMattBugsby]

Okay, I need to ask. Why not Kane? Not having him this week is giving me heartburn, yet you are actually moving away from a structure to accommodate him?

[blahblah]

Re the GK's I compare the Save Point likelihood to a Def from the same side's Attacking Points potential.

I'm not sure the 140 from a 4.5k is a given btw.

[raoul]

Okay, I need to ask. Why not Kane? Not having him this week is giving me heartburn, yet you are actually moving away from a structure to accommodate him?

Fair question, and one I have been mulling for a couple of days. In fact, whether or not to have a premium forward was my main concern pre season.

I have not ruled it out, but my issue is wanting both Sterling and KdB for a while, so it is all about whether I am brave enough to stick to my preseason plan and drop Salah for those periods where I have Sterling. If I keep Salah, I have to make too many sacrifices elsewhere to have Kane.

If I was doing a free hit then yes Kane joins my party. And I might still WC Kane in for this week and let Salah go. Could in theory swap Salah for a 6m midfielder and have 6.5m itb for a fortnight, then use free transfers in GW5 to bring in Salah and a bench warmer up front. But you'll tell me to have Kane in GW5 so...

[SirMattBugsby]

Both Kane and Salah could have good GWs. (ARS) has been a good fixture recently for 'Pool.

I agree that we can't have them all. Two premiums should cover captaincy. Just thought, with the coming GW and the fixture shift in general, it would be Kane and Sterling on a WC.

(Not personally going with Kane atm unless I WC. I also think he's the 3rd best option for GW 5, behind Salah (NEW) and Sterling (nor)).

[baganboy]

My problem with the premium forwards is it looks like they need switching almost every week. And I feel Sterling is far more essential in any gameweek than Kane or Auba.

~ will it be 30 points more though? That is tricky. And Kane / Auba's points are very predictable.
I have a Kane/Auba HOHO as of now. And assuming KDB would get 30+ more than the best 8M player. i.e. the best 8M player getting not more than 170.

[raoul]

Both Kane and Salah could have good GWs. (ARS) has been a good fixture recently for 'Pool.

I agree that we can't have them all. Two premiums should cover captaincy. Just thought, with the coming GW and the fixture shift in general, it would be Kane and Sterling on a WC.

(Not personally going with Kane atm unless I WC. I also think he's the 3rd best option for GW 5, behind Salah (NEW) and Sterling (nor)).

If I leave Salah out for 2 weeks (as I had originally planned), and bring in Mount, I can have Kane in GW3, then remove Kane for GW4, and bring Salah back for GW5...

Potential.

Ederson
VVD, Digne, Maguire
Sterling, KdB, Martial, McGinn, Mount
Kane (c), Pukki
(Boly, Lundstrom, Greenwood)

The above also leaves me able to lose Kane in GW4 and play Boly instead in a 451, then bring back Salah as captain in GW5.

Better?

[SirMattBugsby]

Yeah, I had something similar in mind, with one difference: getting Mane in place of Salah. That's just personal preference though, and a minor point.

The problem with Liverpool and their upcoming run is, there's no cheap way into attack. Man City have KdB, Spurs have Son.

Maybe we should consider Firmino more seriously? I've always felt he does well in their tough games. He's in good form and definitely likes Arsenal.

[raoul]

Yeah, I had something similar in mind, with one difference: getting Mane in place of Salah. That's just personal preference though, and a minor point.

The problem with Liverpool and their upcoming run is, there's no cheap way into attack. Man City have KdB, Spurs have Son.

Maybe we should consider Firmino more seriously? I've always felt he does well in their tough games. He's in good form and definitely likes Arsenal.

one of the reasons I put KdB in for the start was looking ahead to Son's reappearance. Now that Spurs have bought people, I am wondering how they intend lining up, and even whether Son will walk straight into the team. And of course, KdB is playing so well I cannot take him out.

[mongoose]

I think that KDB is the one to hold, but if he gets injured, then Son is the ready to choose option. If Kane gets injured, then Son becomes a stronger proposition and could nudge out KDB or one of the other premiums.

[raoul]

Well the weekend has begun well. Mount and Pukki goals plus an assist from McGinn.

And this Norwich game promises more goals

[raoul]

Yes that's right. Take out Salah...

If Kane scores tomorrow then Salah decision sort of vindicated but Mo looked very good today...

[SirMattBugsby]

Took Salah out too. That second goal hurt, but it's manageable till now. Important to assess over 4 weeks if Kane + 1.5m can beat Salah. I'll probably keep Kane even after that if he looks captainable.

[fred1266]

Yes that's right. Take out Salah...

If Kane scores tomorrow then Salah decision sort of vindicated but Mo looked very good today...

NO HE DIDN'T LUIZ WAS SHIT

[Ironfist]

Yes that's right. Take out Salah...
If Kane scores tomorrow then Salah decision sort of vindicated but Mo looked very good today...

NO HE DIDN'T LUIZ WAS SHIT

In the same position and still would love fred1266 to be right, regardless of Kane bailing us out later today.

[raoul]

Yes that's right. Take out Salah...
If Kane scores tomorrow then Salah decision sort of vindicated but Mo looked very good today...

NO HE DIDN'T LUIZ WAS SHIT

In the same position and still would love fred1266 to be right, regardless of Kane bailing us out later today.

Well he was right about Luiz.

My Salah replacement was Mount so it could have hurt more.

[raoul]

So far, doing ok I guess. Around the 400k mark, 4th out of 40 in works mini league, and after the GW3 WC am pretty well set.

On flip side, my captain last week was my worst performing front player, and my best defender was on my bench. So well done me.

Captain strategy has not gone well, given I went Salah, Salah, Kane. Week 1 was not a disaster in that respect, but Salah + Sterling is looking the way to go at present and my HOHO has failed dismally, having the lower scorer all 3 weeks. Will it sort itself out? Or are both S+S a haul waiting to happen?

Still think Salah is risky against any top 8 or 9 team (unless they field David Luiz at the back).

Having only just done the WC, I have a dilemma.

The plan was Mount + Kane for 2 weeks, allowing Salah + 4.5 forward from GW5. Now I find myself wanting to keep Mount.

OPTIONS

- stay with the plan, bank transfer this week, then Kane and Mount become Salah + 4.5 from GW5
- ditch Kane before price falls (although having bought at 11.0 presumably that fall does not affect me) and put in Abraham, upgrade Martial to Salah and move McGinn to Cantwell, all of this being a -8
- just do Kane to Abraham and then reassess when GW5 comes along (or if/when Martial or Mount are rules out injured)

A double hit at this early stage seems greedy, and Burnley away does not look like haul city for Mo.

But then I said that about Arsenal at home.

[SirMattBugsby]

In the same situation as you, and felt pretty crap. I would have captained Salah had I not transferred him out on the WC.

It's important in these situations to.. log off and do nothing Today, I remembered why I got Kane in. However, now he's on borrowed time: I want returns from him against Arsenal else he's out. No need to get Salah in for a hit against (bur).

Regarding HOHO, it's only the Salah part that's possibly keeping this strategy viable. I went for Kane because he was potentially captaincy choice in some of the next 5-6 GWs. Right now, it looks like either we might have got him in too early (Spurs starting slow) or just did the wrong thing choosing him (Spurs being crap). Depends on Salah too: if he gets in 17/18 mode, then captainable or not, he has to be brought in. (bur) should give us more info regarding his form.

The fixtures are there for Kane, but I'll give form higher priority, especially since there's probably no fixture difficult enough for Liverpool except GW 12.

[raoul]

Abraham in and Kane out.

Will decide later in the week whether hits make any sense.

[raoul]

Ederson
VVD, Digne, AWB
Sterling (c), KdB, Martial, McGinn, Mount
Abraham, Pukki
(Boly, Lundstrom, Greenwood)

4m itb, and will have just 1 FT next week.

With Greenwood not starting, maybe my decision not to replace Martial is going wrong.

Hmm.

[FranckKessie]

With Boly as first sub I think keeping Martial is a good decision. The Kane to Abraham I dont like though. The benifits of 2 transfers next gw I feel is way superior to what I would feel is a at best side ways move for this gameweek. I understand the frustrations of owning Kane given last gameweek but it doesnt make him a bad player over one gameweek. And here the equation is purely KaneGW4+Increase flexibility GW5 vs AbrahamGW4

This is meant in the best way.

[raoul]

With Boly as first sub I think keeping Martial is a good decision. The Kane to Abraham I dont like though. The benifits of 2 transfers next gw I feel is way superior to what I would feel is a at best side ways move for this gameweek. I understand the frustrations of owning Kane given last gameweek but it doesnt make him a bad player over one gameweek. And here the equation is purely KaneGW4+Increase flexibility GW5 vs AbrahamGW4

This is meant in the best way.

Tbh I didn't really want Kane and regret being talked into it and losing Salah. But I agree the Abraham pick is a risk and he had better score because you are right - it makes things trickier for a week or two in flexibility terms.

[raoul]

4 weeks of far from stellar captain choices ...

Still, KdB plus Abraham worked out. And at least I don't have a Laporte headache to resolve. And leaving out Salah was correct.

I knew Aguero from GW4 and said so but hey ho. Abraham and 4m are his replacement so ...

[raoul]

GW5 Preview

Ederson
Digne, VVD, AWB
Sterling (c), KdB, Mount, McGinn, Martial
Pukki, Abraham
(Button, Boly, Lundstram, Greenwood)

I have 1FT, and 4m itb.

Am sitting at 448k, which is ok for now, but needs to improve over the next 6 GW.

Options:

Hold for 2FT next week. If AWB and Martial both don't play, I may only be fielding 10 players (although I guess Greenwood might replace Martial perhaps).

Or take a -4 and do Martial + AWB Salah + Soyuncu (or another suitable 4.5 ish defender).

Or just AWB to a 4.5 for now, no hit, and save the Salah reappearance for another week?

I picked Martial from the start and he has done his bit, but he does not look the part doing it. Not convinced he works as a 9, and actually prefer him on the wing.

And AWB is an error of judgment. Man U are not a safe defence yet and I suspect will not be for a while.

I feel ok about my squad, and Salah has a dodgy run coming up, so he is by no means essential. Probably?

[noelix]

If it was my team I think I'd take the hit, but I'm pretty rubbish at FPL so I'm not sure I should be handing out advice!