07 Nov, 2024

Game Week 11: Sam FPL’s Key Questions

HAALAND TO SALAH LOCKED?

Last game week, Haaland got into excellent positions but lacked the finishing touch. He missed two big chances, which left his owners feeling unlucky. However, City hasn’t been creating their usual volume of high-quality chances recently, especially against teams using a deep defensive block. With De Bruyne finally back, though, this could improve, which is a positive sign for Haaland.

On the other hand, Salah offers more consistency and plays in the stable, well-organized system of Arne Slot. The “Egyptian King” is expected to be a popular captain pick for GW12 when he faces Southampton, who have a leaky defence. It seems like an obvious choice for that game week. But for GW11, there’s no urgency to switch; with De Bruyne likely starting, Haaland could easily exploit Brighton’s high defensive line.

How to Handle Palmer’s Potential Injury

Palmer was seen limping at the end of the match against Manchester United last weekend and has been ruled out of their Conference League game. His injury status is still unclear, so we may face a few different scenarios. If he’s only out for a week, you could simply bench him against Arsenal.

However, if he’s side-lined for two weeks or more, it might be best to sell him; it’s not ideal to bench an 11.0m asset for multiple game weeks. My preferred replacement would be a Manchester United midfielder, as they have excellent upcoming fixtures. Leicester and Ipswich are two of the best teams to target.

Garnacho scored a goal and provided an assist against Leicester in their recent 5-2 EFL Cup win. Over the last four game weeks, he’s recorded 13 shots in the box, leading the team in this metric. He’s been getting into dangerous positions and looking lively on the ball, though his end product could improve. With more confidence, his shot quality should get better.

Last weekend, Bruno Fernandes was fantastic, creating two big chances and registering two himself. He played advanced, direct, and was heavily involved in the attack. Both Garnacho and Bruno look like the best picks from United’s attack under their new head coach, Ruben Amorim.

Solanke as Captain?

Captaining the Spurs forward after his season-high 16-point haul last weekend might seem reactive, but he finally rewarded patient owners with two goals and three bonus points in Spurs’ 4-1 comeback win against Aston Villa.

Compared to his average of 115 minutes per big chance at Bournemouth last season, Solanke is now averaging a big chance every 70.7 minutes for Tottenham. He’s getting more scoring opportunities, and it seems he performs better at home when Spurs dominate possession, targeting him in the box.

However, when Spurs play a counter-attacking style, Solanke tends to drop deeper, playing a creative role and supplying quick wingers like Son and Johnson—similar to Kane’s role in the past. Last weekend, five shots in the box were enough for him to get a brace, and I expect him to repeat that performance when they host Ipswich. He could be a solid differential captain, especially if you’re looking to gain ground in the rankings.

Keep or Sell?

Maddison

Maddison’s recent benching signals the end of his value as an FPL option. He was substituted at halftime recently and started midweek games while the first team was rested—all red flags. If he plays midweek again, treat him as an easy sell.

Calvert-Lewin

After five weeks of disappointing performances, Calvert-Lewin’s minutes now seem at risk. Beto has emerged as a serious threat to his game time; he had a disallowed goal and hit the post after replacing Calvert-Lewin around the 60-minute mark. Calvert-Lewin only managed one shot in that match, which is a major red flag.

At this price range, there are plenty of alternatives with better form and stats, such as Cunha, Larsen, Wissa, Jimenez, Welbeck, and Wood. I covered these options in my previous article.

Too Late for Wood?

Wood has been one of the most reliable, proven, and clinical forwards since last season, currently sitting as the second-highest scoring forward with eight goals. Scoring five times in the last four game weeks is impressive. However, his upcoming fixtures against Arsenal, City, and United suggest that maintaining this form could be challenging.

Personally, I’ve owned him for five game weeks and consistently enjoyed his returns. Here’s a trick if you want to keep him: Semenyo and Rogers rotate perfectly with him over these tough fixtures. If you have Semenyo and Rogers as your 7th and 8th attackers, you can start them instead of Wood in GW12 and GW14, as shown in the fixture ticker below.

For more Fixture info ahead of GW11 check out our Opta Match Centre to plan your fixtures!

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By: Sam FPL

Last Updated: 07/11