06 Nov, 2024

Game Week 11: FPL Bois’ Captaincy Thread

Game Week 11 CAPTAINCY THREAD

It’s almost time for another international break, so let’s make the most of it and cruise into the break with some big green arrows. In this article we highlight three candidates for captain who could help you do just that.

Salah – AVL (H)

Another game week, another return for the FPL King! Mo Salah has now delivered 31 points in the last three game weeks and looks set for another haul with Liverpool taking on Aston Villa at Anfield! Liverpool are flying at the moment, after regaining the top spot on the PL table and steam rolling Bayer Leverkusen in the UCL.

Their attack ranks 3rd for xG and 1st for Big Chances Created in the PL, with Salah being a key component of this well-oiled machine. He ranks 4th for goals scored, 2nd for assists, 3rd for xG, 8th for nPxG, 16th for xA, 1st for Penalty Area Touches and boasts a very strong record against Villa with 7 goals and 3 assists in 11 games!

On the other hand, while Villa have looked defensively solid, ranking 6th for xGC, their record in away games takes a dive, and sees them at the 13th spot for xGC in away games. They’ve also conceded 79 chances and kept 1 clean sheet in 10 games while facing only one team in the top 5 for xG. The stats back Salah up to deliver a trademark performance once again, and make him a very strong candidate for the captain ’s armband.

Solanke – IPS (H)

The star of the previous game week Dominic Solanke, makes his way to the shortlist after a long hiatus. After a stellar performance, he now will be leading Ange’s attack against a very very shaky Ipswich Town defence who have conceded a staggering 108 chances in 10 games (of which 34 have been through the middle) and rank 20th for xGC!

Solanke is picking up form which is also reflected by his stats as he now ranks 4th for xG and 3rd for nPxG, while leading the line for an attack that ranks 2nd for both, xG and Big Chances Created. On the creative side, Spurs have been the most effective through the middle, as they’ve created 53 chances through this zone from a total of 125 chances (42.4% !!), which raises his ceiling even higher, in what was already a favourable fixture.

With Heung-min Son’s minutes still being managed, there’s also potential for Solanke to take penalties as we’ve seen him do previously at Bournemouth. An in-form player against a weak opposition is what FPL managers dream of while selecting their captain, and Solanke presents the perfect opportunity to do so.

Palmer – ARS (H)

A surprise or a given? Cole Palmer is here to stay on the shortlist for yet another week as he takes on top 4 rivals Arsenal. With just 1 point from their last 3 games, Arsenal are struggling to find any momentum in the league and Chelsea’s attack could be here to extend this run for another week.

Chelsea rank 3rd for xG and 4th for Big Chances Created, and have created 110 chances so far. While Arsenal, contrary to popular belief, have conceded 98 chances and have no clean sheets in their last 6 PL games! We won’t see Chelsea play such fluid football without Cole which is proven by the fact that he ranks 4th for goals scored, 2nd for assists, 5th for xG, 8th for nPxG, 8th for xA, and 2nd for Big Chances Created!

Palmer also has a 100% record against Arsenal, netting a goal each in both his previous appearances. The fixture on-paper may drive many managers away from making Palmer their captain, but this also provides a strong differential opportunity to climb up the ranks swiftly.

Palmer did pick up a knock in the fixture against United however, so make sure you stay up to date with the injury report before locking in any selections.

Thank you for reading our article! Who are you picking to fly you into the land of green arrows this international break?

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By: FPL Bois

Last Updated: 06/11