Who are the best players to buy for GW2? I've seen some huge scores from GW1, but remember if it was an underwhelming first gameweek don't start making panic transfers. The start of every season is so unpredictable, you can be ranked 5 million at GW8 and still come Top 10K, let alone after one round of games. And I'll caveat this week's article that GW2 is a sensible time to roll if you're in a position to, but last week's FPL Champion wildcarded GW2 so it goes to show anything is possible in this game. ⚽

One of the biggest lessons in FPL is don't go chasing last week's points, they're gone and you can't score them now. Step back and assess whether those scores are actually repeatable or are you chasing the hype from the score. 📊

To give some examples De Cuyper scores 17, he's got Chelsea next, avoid. Hinshelwood probably won't score another brace next week either. Mendy and Ajayi are not going to put up another double digit return in all likelihood for Hull, trust your 4m defenders. ❌

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🧤 Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers first then and for GW2 Raya comes out on top again on 4.2 projected points, GW1's best defence with only .2 xG conceded, 4 shots conceded also best. Early days but it seems we could trend towards double Arsenal defence being an important set up this season. Although Raya is expensive, if you're willing to hold all season he could be worth it. 160+ points like last year would be a very fair score for 6m. 🧤

Roefs is second on the table this week with Sunderland facing Fulham home and looking to bounce straight back from an underwhelming GW1 losing to newly promoted Ipswich away, I'm wondering if Sunderland are going to be a team to largely avoid this season once the Europa League kicks off them, second season syndrome is a term regularly thrown about, of the previous 52 promoted teams that stayed up, only 11 were relegated the following season so 21%. 📉

However, the theory is that smaller sides that have a bubble season and qualify for Europe can struggle with the extreme demands of playing weekend - midweek - weekend on top of also juggling other cups. Ipswich, Reading, Birmingham, Sheffield Utd have all been promoted and finished top half to them get relegated the second season. 🏆

In terms of promoted teams qualifying for Europe however it's a mixed bag, some have coped well, some have been relegated or narrowly avoided it. Also worth noting Sunderland were 14th best for xGC and 18th for xG last season so their data both ends of the pitch wasn't the best. So let's see how things play out but the theory I'm running with is that once Europa kicks off for them in a couple gameweeks I'll be avoiding them as much as possible, and could become a team to target. 🎯

• Alisson

• Lammens

• Rushworth

• Petrovic

• Leno

• Donnarumma

If I were wildcarding GW2 I'd opt for a cheaper keeper like Sanchez or Petrovic and leave the Arsenal spots for Konsa, Gabriel and a mid potentially. 🛡️

🛡️ Defenders

Gabriel leads the GW2 defenders table on 4.9 points, then it's Van Dijk who conceded twice at St James Park on the weekend but home to Forest. Thomas is on the table for that crucial GW2 fixture for bench boosters. Of course Van Ewijk, Amenda are fine as well if you've got them. It's not the right time to Maguire not who features on the table this week, they've got Ipswich home which is one of the stand out fixtures but the Hull game is gone and what a shocker it was, you certainly keep hold despite that result this week though. 🧱

Antonio Silva was the only Bournemouth player to hit defcon in GW1, he's the Senesi replacement and costs 5.5m, which is .5m cheaper than Hill so he's one to consider. Everton home this week, Newcastle away, Brentford home, then a couple of tougher games to bench him in GW5 and 6. 📅

Senesi actually managed 16 defcons on the weekend, third most in the league but he's so expensive for 6m. Thiaw with 15 defcons I really like. It was an impressive performance from Newcastle under the circumstances, he was good for defcons and goal threat last season and their long term fixtures are decent. They're 6th, so after the big 5 on the ticker for the next 8 gameweeks. There's a really good rotation with some teams as well like Bournemouth so maybe Thiaw and Silva is a nice 5m pairing. Looks like Newcastle might get Nico Gonzalez from Man City as well in CDM. 🔄

Muharemovic kept a clean sheet on his debut, 7 defcons, same as Rodon, Justin and Bijol managed 12. Leeds look a good defence to invest in as well, Rodon for 4.5m and Muharemovic for 5m my favourites. 🛡️

O'Reilly played as an attacking mid vs Bournemouth which was surprising, if that continues he'll be a joke for 6.5m playing that role, was almost playing striker at times but he did come off at 63 minutes which isn't great, earlier than you'd like but did just make it past 60 minutes although no clean sheet. ⚠️

Gvardiol and Guehi the goalscorers are my preferred Man City defenders, Gvardiol #1 at the moment given he's 5.5m. ⭐

⚽ Midfielders

Let's talk midfielders, well done if you got a captain return in GW1 because Bruno and Haaland the top most popular both blanked, and Bruno is top of the table this week. So yeah we I was saying don't go chasing last week's points, but also the inverse can be true about players that blanked, that doesn't mean they're suddenly bad picks, FPL is a game of patience and Bruno is arguably the best captain for GW2 and FPL Review projections actually have him down as the best. 👑

Szobo and Saka are joint second. So Liverpool win a penalty, Szobo takes it, here's what Iraola said on the situation after the game. 🎙️

“I think we have not only Dom [Szoboszlai] and Alexander [Isak], we have more very good specialists. Alexis [Mac Allister] also was on the pitch and he’s a very good penalty taker, Cody [Gakpo], we have a lot.”

“But I think Dom showed the level. It’s an almost impossible penalty to stop. I was happy obviously because at the end we recovered one point.”

Make of that what you will but it sounds like he takes the next one too. Just a no brainer pick for 7m when he's on every dead ball. Corners, free kicks, penalties. 🎯

Saka is one of the biggest upside players in the game at exactly 10% owned and started GW1 plus scored, the Haaland and Bruno set up makes it very hard to also fit him in for 9.5m but if your set up has a way to accommodate him he's worth looking at. And injury free Saka is one of the best picks in the game. Wirtz had a disappointing game, in the pre-season content we talked about the uncertainty over his minutes, keep for another couple weeks but he may not be worth it long term even for 7.5m. 📈

Let's finish by talking about quote unquote game breaker Konsa for 4.5m. Do you buy him? On a GW2 wildcard definitely, with a free transfers I'd give it another week unless we get some kind of confirmation that he comes straight in to the starting 11 this gameweek. I'm expecting he will but just in case Arteta gives Mosquera 1 more game. My prediction is Konsa starts if you want to risk it. 🔮

Let's talk about some mids not here:

• Sangare had a dream debut with 2 assists and defcon as well for a 14 point haul, he's going to be 5.6m by GW2. He won't be getting goal involvements every week, or even every other week but it's showing potential to be a player that will raise your team's floor with consistent defcons and occasional goal involvements. Looks an unreal piece of business.

• Same for Anderson, he was having a good game up until the knock which forced him off, he should be fine for GW2 and was taking corners on the left side as well, expecting him to be good for 6.5m as well with a ton of defcons points still. ⚡

Ndiaye did well with 9 points in GW1 and if the window closes and he remains an Everton player he's top value for 6m, Gibbs-White not on the table but I'm expecting him to have a big season too. Of course Tzolis as well who was so threatening against Coventry, he's on 20.1 points for the next 5 with an average 80 minutes a game. Odegaard similar as well. Arsenal face Aston Villa next who just conceded 4 in the first half vs Brighton and fielded a pretty bare bones side. Emery is a top manager and I'd still back him, it could be a similar story to last year where things started slow and disappointing before he turned it around. ⚽

Hinshelwood was a regular starter for Brighton GW26 onward last season, started every game from then, 3 goals 3 assists in that stretch. and over that run he was the fourth top midfielder in the league for expected goal involvement so he is a really interesting one for 6m. 📊

Lastly all the way down at the cheaper end, Slater is worth a mention as he assisted one of the goals vs Man Utd off a set piece so if you're on a 3-4-3 set up and want the cheapest possible fifth mid for your bench then he's an option just don't expect more than 2 points most weeks and avoid starting him whenever possible, he's an emergency option. 🆘

Janelt for 5m scored, Armstrong and Gomez got assists. Gomez is the best 5m mid if I had to pick one out. 👌

🎯 Forwards

Okay let's look at forwards next, Haaland top this week on 5.8 points, so Bruno way ahead on 6.8 points. If you've got both who are you captaining? 🤔

Palace lost Lacroix this transfer window, Chadi Riad went off injured, could be a good fixture for Man City here. Need to see more from Isak next, you definitely keep hold for Ipswich in GW3 as well, Newcastle was always going to be a difficult one, he was getting abuse as soon as he arrived at the stadium, booed every time he touched the ball during the game. Keep hold. 1.1 xGI from Isak second most of any forward on the weekend and Friday's game, after Nketiah. 📌

Calvert-Lewin with a disappointing GW1 getting booked, another easy hold and worth considering if you've gone for the GW2 wildcard in fact. Thiago owners can count themselves very unlucky, his pen record is elite but he rattled his off the post against Spurs to finish with a 0 pointer. Fine margins in this game. I was backing Barry in the pre-season form players article, expecting a better season from him than last year and great to see him with a goal out the gates, he and McBurnie look the best two 5.5m forwards. In GW5 Barry has Ipswich home followed by Hull away which is a nice pair of fixtures back to back, they have Coventry home in GW10. 🎯

⭐ Team of the Week

Let's finish up with a look at Team of the Week using these projections then. What's the best team you can build for GW2? 🏆

The team is:

• Ruthworth

• Frimpong

• Maguire

• Thomas

• Bruno

• Mbeumo

• Palmer

• Saka

• Szobo

• Isak

• Joao Pedro

On the bench:

• Petrovic

• DCL

• Amenda

• Egan

No Haaland again this week, which worked out fine in GW1, but will that continue and ultimately can the likes of Isak, Saka, Palmer make up the points difference? ❓

That's what is making this season such an interesting one, Haaland could bag a hat trick in GW2 but if you've had to pair him with 2 6m mids who blank, then Isak, Palmer and Saka will outscore that with 4 goal involvements between them which isn't out of the question. ⚡

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