Last updated on July 19th, 2021
To better understand “The Most Selected Template” let us use a cycling analogy, to win a cycling race, you have to be in the peloton. The peloton is the main group or pack of riders, our most selected template players are considered to be the peloton, our core, or backbone.
In the most selected template Salah, Fernandes, Sanchez, Alexander-Arnold, Shaw, and Watkins for example are our peloton. What will make us break the peloton are our captain selections and differentials, this is how we win the race or boost our rank.
The strategy of having a high template team may be viewed as the “safe choice,” your rank will be steady with a highly template team, however without differentials, you are highly unlikely to make surges in FPL, on the flip side if you don’t own a most selected template player such as Salah who is currently in 49.7% of FPL squads and he hauls, your rank will significantly drop. It is hence advisable to build a team with template and differential players.
PROS:
1. One is unlikely to get a terrible start because of safety in numbers that could derail your entire season.
2. Wisdom of groupthink means that your picks have been vetted and approved by many.
3. Starting with a highly template team gives you a low-risk strategy that allows you time to fully assess who are the best assets in the game.
CONS:
1. You won’t be able to get an early jump on the masses that is useful for excellent final ranks.
2. If players don’t perform one will be faced with early price drops as the template moves on.
3. Your team is not actually yours but more so the community’s own.
Below shows the most selected players in FPL by allocated positions, this team comes over budget by £7.5m.
Using our cycling analogy once more, cycling is a team sport and team members can favourably contribute to a team’s outcome, in FPL terms, we often saw last season a team with Salah, Fernandes, and Kane ranks seldom surged because of their high ownership. However, when we pair one of the template players in a double up the result is green arrows if there is an assist or goal in link-up. Two examples from last season of successful pairing were Kane/Son and Salah/Jota. This strategy also creates a buffer against a popular pick or captain fail.
Similarly, the draft below seeks to balance the most selected template and differentials using the pairing strategy and ensure it falls within budget. 8/15 players in my draft are from the most selected template.
The pairing strategy, partners:
Watkins/Buendia
Buendia in this case being the differential, is only found in 10.5% of FPL squads. Fixtures and last season form equate to their selection is a no-brainer.
Antonio/Benrahma.
Both Antonio (11.3%) and Benrahma (0.5%) are differentials, West Ham United had an exceptional 2020/2021 season, Benrahma took a while to get going in the Premier League but has the potential to do well.
Pre-season and transfers will influence the final draft; however, one can appreciate the balance of most selected template players and differentials.
Be sure to follow Javed Khan @FPLDaggaFC and @PremierFPLTools for more content.
Regards,
