Welcome back for another article. Who are the best players to buy for GW8 and beyond? Let's take a good look at all positions, with FPL Review projections included for added guidance.
Goalkeepers 🧤
There's a few teams that have shown very strong underlying data.
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Arsenal are best for goals conceded with just 3.
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56 shots conceded is also best in the league, as is 4.39 xGC (Expected Goals Conceded).
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That places Raya top of all keepers for the next 5, though it's potentially not as simple as that, many are looking at other combinations like Gyökeres, Saka, Gabriel. Or Saka, Timber, Gabriel etc.
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Another team that have stood out defensively is Newcastle 🏰.
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5 clean sheets is more than any team.
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As far as big chances conceded, shots conceded, xGC they're barely behind Arsenal so honourable mention to them and Pope (5.1m).
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The injuries are a little off-putting with Livramento out for a while, and Hall's picked up an injury too. They could get a little stretched in the upcoming fixture run.
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Bournemouth 🍒 are third best for expected goals conceded with 6.34, which makes Petrović the best cheap keeper for the long term.
- The shorter term fixtures are a bit mixed and this is something to really consider if you were thinking of buying Senesi; it's Palace, Forest, Man City and Villa, then the fixtures are great from GW12.
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Burnley are rock bottom for expected goals conceded, then Forest, West Ham, Man Utd. We can see the fall off from Forest after Nuno's departure. In fact, they're 1 of only 3 yet to keep a clean sheet this season after 7 games.
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Last one to mention - what about Mamardashvili? (4.3m) and on the table given Alisson is injured.
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How long is Alisson out for? Slot said the following: "'It's clear that he's not there on Saturday, and clearly, he is not going to play for Brazil. I would be surprised if he would be there for the first game after the international break, but from there on, things can go faster or a bit slower.."
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If we estimate end of October or let's say first week of November then that's potentially only 3 more games for Mamardashvili.
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Perhaps there's an outside chance he keeps the spot if he literally keeps a clean sheet every game, it's Man Utd, Brentford, Villa, Man City. Not the best and I'd avoid, it's potentially a dead spot in your team in 4 games. If you play draft you could waiver him in for that, or FPL Challenge I suppose.
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Defenders 🛡️
Let's have a look at all the best defenders next.
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For GW8 it's a very interesting looking table, I don't think we have ever had as many as 3× 4m defenders. Alderete and Rodon are 4.1m now but you get the point, and it really underlines the importance of defensive contributions this season.
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It's a perfect storm, last season Bednarek had the second most defensive contributions after Tarkowski, the weaker teams have to defend more, however the promoted teams are also significantly stronger than the three that came up last season, which has given us some truly ridiculous value in the 4m defenders. Though honestly it's had the same knock-on effect with the 4.5m defenders.
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Alderete, Mukiele, Rodon are on the table, facing Wolves home and Burnley away respectively.
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Only Senesi has more defcons (Defensive Contributions) per 90 this season with 12.6. Alderete has 9.98 per 90, Rodon 8.86. We've added defcons/90, defcon success %, and total defcons to the Focal app on the statistics page free. Or if you want to be a member for like 58p per week you get the curated tables built by me plus all the other benefits.
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Gabriel tops the defenders table this week with 4.7 points.
- Last season he averaged 5.68 defcons per match which is poor, this season 9.43 so a big jump, though Arsenal have already faced Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City, Newcastle.
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Man City started the season with 2 losses in 3, then since Gvardiol's return to the team they've won 3 and drawn 1 in 4 undefeated. They're home to Everton next and he's second on the table, though City's next 5 are a little rougher now: Villa, Bournemouth, Liverpool and Newcastle follow the Everton game.
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Muñoz and Timber are one of the few defenders throwing their names in the mix as defcon alternatives, unlikely to get those returns but incredible for potential attacking returns.
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Timber of course quite literally the top scoring defender with 48 points, Muñoz is on 36 points.
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The rest of the top 10 is CBs (Centre Backs), besides Livramento actually who is of course injured now too.
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So yeah going back to Bournemouth, now actually may not be the best time to buy Senesi as great as he's been. The next two are okay, Palace away, Forest home, but then it's City away, Villa away. It's GW12 the fixture swing is unbelievable: West Ham, Sunderland, Everton.
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Is West Ham a good fixture though? That's going to be a bit of a theme in this article, Potter has been sacked and in comes Nuno following his extremely harsh Forest sacking.
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We know what he's all about, he'll shore them up and he really couldn't have come in at a better time. Everything is teed up for him, to get all the praises as they potentially start to get results, while Marinakas could face a lot of criticism for the sacking at the same time.
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West Ham's run is Brentford home, Leeds away, Newcastle home, Burnley home, Bournemouth away.
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Diouf already has 4 assists in 7 games for only 4.4m, or there's the CBs for the same price if you'd rather chance defcons.
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Mavropanos is averaging 11 per 90 which is extremely good, last season he hit the threshold in 8 games.
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It's a shame Chelsea's defender situation is riddled with issues because they've got an amazing run of games: Forest, Sunderland, Spurs, Wolves, Burnley their next 5. None of them have started every game either.