It was a cracking week with 97 points racked up in in Gameweek 2 and it’s now time to turn attention to FPL Gameweek 3 squad plans following a dramatic transfer deadline day. This time last week, there wasn’t much to talk about, but this one is juicy and I’ve already made a few moves. There are plenty of managers who’s strategy was to play the wildcard at this stage, and while this wasn’t my way of thinking, I have made some reactionary tweaks to my original plans.
Current Global Rank
1,297,132 (UP)
Goalkeeper
Sticking with my original two, but Antonin Kinsky is a concern, he drops to the bench after just a one-point week at home to Newcastle, but I’m well equipped with Bart Verbruggen coming in for the Tottenham stopper. Brighton have a home game with Leeds, who are looking good, but I fancy the Dutchman to at least make a few saves, and fancy their chances of a clean sheet more than Tottenham’s at Nottingham Forest.
Defenders
Ricardo Calafiori has been superb and I’m very thankful I switched from Mosquera to the Italian in the week before Gameweek 1. Calafiori picked up 11 points last week, and while Chelsea will post a major threat to Arsenal’s hopes of a clean sheet, it’s attacking returns I want from the Gunners’ left back. Marc Guehi is the first Manchester City player in the line up for the visit of Coventry. Josko Gvardiol is posing a big attacking threat, but there’s no need to change just yet, with Guehi scoring in Gameweek 1.
Luke Shaw just about holds onto his place as United visit Everton, who have had a positive start, and the Englishman is on thin ice after just three points from two games. Jan Paul van Hecke stays on the bench, and he’s another at risk of a transfer after a poor start. Bobby Thomas becomes the third sub for Coventry against City, but he’s safe in my squad as a starting 4.0m defender.
Midfielders
Here’s where it gets interesting. With news breaking on Sunday that Manchester City had agreed terms with Iliman Ndiaye, I was waiting to see how Christos Tzolis performed for Arsenal at Villa Park. Turns out, not great, hauled off at half time and booked, for a 0 point return. I had already made the decision to bring in Rayan Cherki for Bryan Mbeumo. Mbeumo hit double figures against Ipswich, but Everton is a different test and Cherki looks electric. That’s given me three City players already, and while I know Ndiaye may be a risk, it would come as no surprise if he comes on, at least, against Coventry, having played both the Toffees’ opening games.
That leaves me with Bruno Fernandes who scored a wonderful hattrick to give me 23 points in Gameweek 2, Dominik Szoboszlai picked up the DefCon bonus for Liverpool against Forest, so he keeps his place for the trip to Ipswich, and Diego Gomez comes into the XI for Brighton’s game against Leeds, after he picked up two assists in the opening two games.
Forwards
Erling Haaland and Joao Pedro keep their place in the side for obvious reasons. They’re the two highest scoring forwards in the game, and will probably remain that way for the whole season. Not much more to add here.
Kaye Furo takes the first substitutes spot even though he’s unlikely to play, but he did get a hattrick for Brentford U21s this week and if he does get on, a home fixture with Sunderland could bear fruit.
FPL Captaincy
Erling Haaland gets the armband for a home game against pointless Coventry, and it isn’t just any armband, it’s one with triple points attached to it. Yes, I’m launching the Triple Captain chip this week. After seeing so many managers play Bench Boost and Triple Captain early, I’ve decided to do the same. Haaland got his eye in with two good goals at Palace last week, and Coventry gave up plenty of chances in their opener against Arsenal, so the Norwegian goal machine could have a field day.
Rayan Cherki takes the vice captaincy for similar reasons, an attractive home fixture, in the event that Haaland doesn’t play.
FPL Watch List
The watch list remains similar to last week, and obviously I will have to remove a City player as my next transfer, so here are the names I’m considering to replace them, probably from Gameweek 5 as City play Sunderland at home after visiting Old Trafford.:
- Maxim De Cuyper – The Belgian was on my shopping list for this week, but is a strong candidate to come in for Guehi when the time comes.
- Cole Palmer – Would require some extra transfers, as I’m not taking Fernandes out, but Chelsea’s talisman has started the season in sparking form.
- Anthony Elanga – The Swedish winger has scored two goals in two and Newcastle don’t have an FDR4 game until Gameweek 11 now, so Magpie assets could be a smart play in the coming weeks, and would transfer easily for Cherki or Ndiaye.
- Yoan Wissa – Another who’d take a couple of transfers, but Newcastle’s fixtures get easier for a few weeks now and Wissa has started the campaign with two goals in two.
- Thierno Barry – 0.6m cheaper than Wissa and left as Everton’s only senior forward after Beto left and the Toffees failed to bring in Folarin Balogun on deadline day.
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