Thank you Matthew for this excellent introductory article. SO many thought points to consider and you have shared some insightful and helpful analysis of your thought-processes that inform your decision making. I like your teams. As for mine I’m still drafting. Currently on 5-3-2 with Trent and opted for James over Shaw / Chilwell (budget really) then solid cheap enablers and a template rest of team. Like you I got burned last season by starting off ‘too clever’ and then spending season playing catch up. So, safety first it is this season. Look forward to your next article. Cheers
@Matthew
Aug 3 at 9:9PM
Thanks for the feedback, glad you found the thought processes useful, that’s what I aim to get across, rather than just a quick team reveal. Good luck!
@Paggnr
Aug 4 at 5:49AM
Awesome article Matthew. It’s great to see the thought process top players like you have going into team section. In all my tinkering I’ve landed on 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 giving the best results in the RMT tool as well. One question – You are not tempted in the TAA/Robbo double? Every time I remove Robbo from my drafts the RMT % drops through the floor
@Matthew
Aug 4 at 7:16AM
Thanks for that. I’m not that keen on having such a large chunk of budget in one defence, even though that might not be logical. Where is the RMT tool, by the way?
@Paggnr
Aug 4 at 7:22AM
the beta RMT tool on the Hub
@FPLAnd
Aug 6 at 3:4PM
Definitely my favourite reveal this year. Really like your thought process and particularly like your 343 set up.
Questions:
Is Sanchez still your GK pick?
Who would you replace Fofana with now that fills those rotation weeks well?
If anyone, who would you swap Watkins for after the recent transfers of Ings and Grealish?
Thank you!
@Matthew
Aug 6 at 3:46PM
Thanks – in a way I don’t like the term “Team Reveal” as I like to think it’s more than that but I know people like team reveals! For the other questions, I’d encourage you to watch the Team Reveal video I have recorded with Fergi – should be out soon!
@Knacks Guy
Aug 9 at 10:32AM
Cheers Matthew for the great insight and article. I have a question regarding Benrahma.
I have noticed that for a ‘cheaper’ midfielder, lots of people are tossing up between Raphina and Buendia. However, I am not sure if many people have considered Benrahma.
It seems now that Lingard is gone, along with a good run without injuries, Benrahma has fit into that slot behind Antonio very well – based on West Ham’s preseason games. He just came off a stellar performance against Atalanta, and he is only priced at 6 million (cheaper than Raphinha and Buendia).
I was wondering if you would consider him a viable option for FPL?
Thanks, mate.
@Matthew
Aug 9 at 9:4PM
Yeah he’s a good differential pick. I did like the look of him last season as well, just he was never quite getting enough minutes. This could be his breakout season.
@Hank1022
Aug 9 at 8:47PM
Great to be back reading your insightful articles, Matthew!!
Just a quick question, with Kane prob out why haven’t you considered Son in any of your drafts (most prob playing as a striker), specially when he looked sharp and scored in the friendly vs. Arsenal
@Matthew
Aug 9 at 9:3PM
Hi Hank, looking forward to getting into the season-proper. This GW1 stuff is too much pressure! I do like Son to be honest, just he’s difficult to fit in without losing Bruno, who i am concerned at not owning, or Salah. Also, Kane is now supposedly ready to play GW1 now anyway, so that lessens his appeal a bit.
@Hogmeister
Aug 9 at 10:37PM
Thanks Matthew, really interesting read. You’ve ended up in almost exactly the same place as me with that latest draft (Barnes vs Toney + £0.5 the only difference currently)… which is rather like last year, when we started with virtually the same squad and both had similar nightmarish starts – that doesn’t bode well for this season ;)
@Matthew
Aug 10 at 7:8AM
Don’t say that! 😂
@zmazhar
Aug 10 at 9:22PM
I may be biased with Arsenal but why didn’t you opt for Pepe over Greenwood knowing how destructive he was towards the end of last season and can easily have his best season in PL.
@zmazhar
Aug 10 at 10:23PM
Also a quick follow-up question if you will be posting your team every week with the confirmed changes before each deadline?
@Matthew
Aug 11 at 7:8AM
That’s the plan
@Matthew
Aug 11 at 7:8AM
Maybe I’m also biased but I just fancied Greenwood more
@zmazhar
Aug 11 at 10:14PM
Thanks! New here and loving it thus far, hopefully it pays off this year.
@mndhiman14@gmail.com
Aug 11 at 4:31AM
Hello Mathew. Great read as always. Why did you pick Ayling over Ben White at same price bracket 4.5 ?
thanks
@Matthew
Aug 11 at 7:9AM
I am actually thinking of swapping Veltman to White and have both! Looks like Veltman will start in the back three not wing back
@Charlie Jarvis
Aug 11 at 11:30AM
This was great insight, cheers. I was wondering on your thoughts on swapping Toney to Barnes, as I can facilitate this?
@Matthew
Aug 12 at 8:41PM
Yes, I also like Barnes.
@Ali AlMakhmary
Aug 12 at 9:7AM
Thank you Matthew, I would like to know if you will be posting your confirmed changes before deadline ? and explain why you’ve made these changes ?
@Matthew
Aug 12 at 8:40PM
Should be final now
@Vissvash Kalaichelvam
Aug 12 at 9:49AM
Lovely read Matthew – truly enjoyed your thought process behind your picks. I have a similar structure to yours except in my current draft I have Jota instead of Greenwood. On this, I’d like to understand your perspective on the tradeoff between Tsimikas and Jota as a valuable 3rd Liv option. I like the idea of having Greenwood instead of Jota which allows me to have Tsimikas in def. However, I’d like to know what made you pick Greenwood over Jota? Looking forward to the next article Matthew! :)
@Matthew
Aug 12 at 8:40PM
Thanks. Re Jota – partly the opportunity to get a Liverpool defender so cheap, albeit short term. But also I think Greenwood is better for minutes early on. Both good picks in their own right though
@samuel ward
Aug 12 at 4:51PM
Is this your locked in team Matthew
@Matthew
Aug 12 at 8:38PM
Barring anything unexpected coming out tomorrow yes
@Karun Channa
Aug 13 at 4:49PM
Saw something on twitter about you making one tweak, cant seem to find anything that suggests a tweak from 9 days ago
@Sting in the Tail
Aug 12 at 9:20PM
Superbly articulated. Thank you
@Matthew
Aug 15 at 8:39AM
Thank you!
@Vasso Vassiliades
Aug 13 at 9:0AM
Out of interest, wouldn’t it make sense to use the sub goal keeper for the same team as your main goal keeper (obviously, if you havent reached 3 per team limit)?
@jacobsquires
Aug 13 at 2:40PM
I would think one problem is that when Scherpen is back Steele won’t be the backup and you’d have to waste a transfer on a backup gk.
@Matthew
Aug 15 at 8:40AM
I just felt that Foster maybe had a bit more chance of breaking into his team whereas Steele is third choice at Brighton
@Hank1022
Aug 13 at 4:19PM
Hi Matthew, will the confirmed news on Raphina being selected for the Brazil squad affect your selection of him in your squad?
@Matthew
Aug 15 at 8:41AM
Hi, I am not sure, will it affect his Premier League availability?
@werdnatrebor11
Aug 14 at 6:12PM
Hi Matthew,
looking forward to the fpl journey this season, just wanted to ask, i n9tice that lot of fpl managers have gone with three premium for example vardy fernandes salah, with a view to upgrading vardy to Kane at some point. Just wanted to know if that’s in your long term thinking and if so how are you going to do that with the current team setup.?
@Matthew
Aug 15 at 8:42AM
Hi, no, to be honest I have just made the strongest team I can at this stage – I will start to worry about Kane and Lukaku when they start to look a threat
Comments
Aug 3 at 5:47PM
Thank you Matthew for this excellent introductory article. SO many thought points to consider and you have shared some insightful and helpful analysis of your thought-processes that inform your decision making. I like your teams. As for mine I’m still drafting. Currently on 5-3-2 with Trent and opted for James over Shaw / Chilwell (budget really) then solid cheap enablers and a template rest of team. Like you I got burned last season by starting off ‘too clever’ and then spending season playing catch up. So, safety first it is this season. Look forward to your next article. Cheers
Aug 3 at 9:9PM
Thanks for the feedback, glad you found the thought processes useful, that’s what I aim to get across, rather than just a quick team reveal. Good luck!
Aug 4 at 5:49AM
Awesome article Matthew. It’s great to see the thought process top players like you have going into team section. In all my tinkering I’ve landed on 3-5-2 and 3-4-3 giving the best results in the RMT tool as well. One question – You are not tempted in the TAA/Robbo double? Every time I remove Robbo from my drafts the RMT % drops through the floor
Aug 4 at 7:16AM
Thanks for that. I’m not that keen on having such a large chunk of budget in one defence, even though that might not be logical. Where is the RMT tool, by the way?
Aug 6 at 3:4PM
Definitely my favourite reveal this year. Really like your thought process and particularly like your 343 set up.
Questions:
Thank you!
Aug 6 at 3:46PM
Thanks – in a way I don’t like the term “Team Reveal” as I like to think it’s more than that but I know people like team reveals! For the other questions, I’d encourage you to watch the Team Reveal video I have recorded with Fergi – should be out soon!
Aug 9 at 10:32AM
Cheers Matthew for the great insight and article. I have a question regarding Benrahma.
I have noticed that for a ‘cheaper’ midfielder, lots of people are tossing up between Raphina and Buendia. However, I am not sure if many people have considered Benrahma.
It seems now that Lingard is gone, along with a good run without injuries, Benrahma has fit into that slot behind Antonio very well – based on West Ham’s preseason games. He just came off a stellar performance against Atalanta, and he is only priced at 6 million (cheaper than Raphinha and Buendia).
I was wondering if you would consider him a viable option for FPL?
Thanks, mate.
Aug 9 at 9:4PM
Yeah he’s a good differential pick. I did like the look of him last season as well, just he was never quite getting enough minutes. This could be his breakout season.
Aug 9 at 8:47PM
Great to be back reading your insightful articles, Matthew!!
Just a quick question, with Kane prob out why haven’t you considered Son in any of your drafts (most prob playing as a striker), specially when he looked sharp and scored in the friendly vs. Arsenal
Aug 9 at 9:3PM
Hi Hank, looking forward to getting into the season-proper. This GW1 stuff is too much pressure! I do like Son to be honest, just he’s difficult to fit in without losing Bruno, who i am concerned at not owning, or Salah. Also, Kane is now supposedly ready to play GW1 now anyway, so that lessens his appeal a bit.
Aug 9 at 10:37PM
Thanks Matthew, really interesting read. You’ve ended up in almost exactly the same place as me with that latest draft (Barnes vs Toney + £0.5 the only difference currently)… which is rather like last year, when we started with virtually the same squad and both had similar nightmarish starts – that doesn’t bode well for this season ;)
Aug 10 at 7:8AM
Don’t say that! 😂
Aug 10 at 9:22PM
I may be biased with Arsenal but why didn’t you opt for Pepe over Greenwood knowing how destructive he was towards the end of last season and can easily have his best season in PL.
Aug 10 at 10:23PM
Also a quick follow-up question if you will be posting your team every week with the confirmed changes before each deadline?
Aug 11 at 7:8AM
Maybe I’m also biased but I just fancied Greenwood more
Aug 11 at 4:31AM
Hello Mathew. Great read as always. Why did you pick Ayling over Ben White at same price bracket 4.5 ?
thanks
Aug 11 at 7:9AM
I am actually thinking of swapping Veltman to White and have both! Looks like Veltman will start in the back three not wing back
Aug 11 at 11:30AM
This was great insight, cheers. I was wondering on your thoughts on swapping Toney to Barnes, as I can facilitate this?
Aug 12 at 8:41PM
Yes, I also like Barnes.
Aug 12 at 9:7AM
Thank you Matthew, I would like to know if you will be posting your confirmed changes before deadline ? and explain why you’ve made these changes ?
Aug 12 at 8:40PM
Should be final now
Aug 12 at 9:49AM
Lovely read Matthew – truly enjoyed your thought process behind your picks. I have a similar structure to yours except in my current draft I have Jota instead of Greenwood. On this, I’d like to understand your perspective on the tradeoff between Tsimikas and Jota as a valuable 3rd Liv option. I like the idea of having Greenwood instead of Jota which allows me to have Tsimikas in def. However, I’d like to know what made you pick Greenwood over Jota? Looking forward to the next article Matthew! :)
Aug 12 at 8:40PM
Thanks. Re Jota – partly the opportunity to get a Liverpool defender so cheap, albeit short term. But also I think Greenwood is better for minutes early on. Both good picks in their own right though
Aug 12 at 4:51PM
Is this your locked in team Matthew
Aug 12 at 8:38PM
Barring anything unexpected coming out tomorrow yes
Aug 12 at 9:20PM
Superbly articulated. Thank you
Aug 15 at 8:39AM
Thank you!
Aug 13 at 9:0AM
Out of interest, wouldn’t it make sense to use the sub goal keeper for the same team as your main goal keeper (obviously, if you havent reached 3 per team limit)?
Aug 13 at 2:40PM
I would think one problem is that when Scherpen is back Steele won’t be the backup and you’d have to waste a transfer on a backup gk.
Aug 15 at 8:40AM
I just felt that Foster maybe had a bit more chance of breaking into his team whereas Steele is third choice at Brighton
Aug 13 at 4:19PM
Hi Matthew, will the confirmed news on Raphina being selected for the Brazil squad affect your selection of him in your squad?
Aug 15 at 8:41AM
Hi, I am not sure, will it affect his Premier League availability?
Aug 14 at 6:12PM
Hi Matthew,
looking forward to the fpl journey this season, just wanted to ask, i n9tice that lot of fpl managers have gone with three premium for example vardy fernandes salah, with a view to upgrading vardy to Kane at some point. Just wanted to know if that’s in your long term thinking and if so how are you going to do that with the current team setup.?
Aug 15 at 8:42AM
Hi, no, to be honest I have just made the strongest team I can at this stage – I will start to worry about Kane and Lukaku when they start to look a threat
Please sign in or subscribe to add a comment.