Last updated on September 29th, 2023
Who should be your priority players for the next Gameweek, position by position
Written by Keiran Trotter (@fpl_del)
Week 6 Review
So last week I played my Wildcard and it seems to have gone ok so far. I got a decent green arrow and I got returns from 8 of 11 players. I did have to forgo Tripper in order to fit Salah in my team but I at least got the Botman haul, though I am looking at ways in which I can now facilitate Trippier and it does not look easy.
On the pick of the week front, it was a good solid week. I finally landed a clean sheet from Ederson and only 3 other keepers bettered his 6-pointer. Onana added a save point to his clean sheet, Sam Johnstone added a bonus point to his clean sheet and save point whilst Bernd Leno bagged all 3 bonus points in the Palace vs Fulham stalemate.
Slightly disappointingly I didn’t opt for one of the Newcastle defenders as my defensive choice. Estupinan did log an assist but Brighton continued to not keep clean sheets, so I definitely left points on the table there. As many as 5 defenders landed 10+ point hauls last week with Trippier’s 18 the pick of them all.
I played it safe in Midfield with Salah and he rewarded me with 10 points, however, that was only enough for T8 for points from Midfield. Son and Mitoma were the best of the bunch both landing braces for 14 points. Mitoma’s all the more impressive as he did it from the bench scoring within a minute of coming on.
Alvarez up top was my only real letdown this week with a 56th-minute exit and a 1-pointer, but unlucky in a way as he was sacrificed when Rodri saw red for City. Only 8 forwards scored goals last week with Watkins and Morris both adding 3 bonus points to their goals for 9 pointers.
So 23 points from 4 picks was a good week, but the ceiling was high and it could have been a massive week
So, we now look forward to gameweek 7 and the first double gameweek of sorts with Luton and Burnley playing their postponed game from gameweek 2 in addition to their scheduled fixture.
Goalkeepers
Despite Luton and Burnley both having 2 fixtures they still both only rank T4 and 6th for clean sheet potential this week. Everton (47%), Newcastle (44%) and Man City (42%) all rank above them with West Ham and Luton coming in at 40% (Luton’s combined odds are 15% and 25%). Burnley’s combined odds are 7% plus 29%.
We do however, have to factor in that both Burnley and Luton’s keepers start the week with a 2-point advantage over everyone else. I am expecting both Burnley (away at Newcastle) and Luton (away at Everton) to concede more than one goal in their first fixture, though, especially in Burnley’s case, that brings with it potential for plenty of save points. I think both Man City away at Wolves and Newcastle home to Burnley are really good options for a clean sheet this week. City have found plenty of ways to concede this season but still have 3 clean sheets from 6 to Newcastle’s 2. Burnley are ranked 20th for big chances with only 5 in their 5 games compared to Wolves who’ve created 10 from 6 and have the home advantage over City. So for me this week it comes down to a choice between Nick Pope (£5.5m) and one of the double gameweekers, James Trafford and Thomas Kaminski, both £4.5m.
I think when Luton play Burnley both sides are going to be desperate for the points so will give it a proper go. I don’t think a draw suits either so there is every chance of a double clean sheet wipeout. Based on that, my goalkeeper pick of the week is Nick Pope.
Defenders
For similar reasons as stated above, I am not considering either Luton or Burnley defenders this week. Only Mads Anderson (£4.0m) from Luton has an attacking return this season and Luton’s Issa Kabore (£4.0m) is the highest-ranked from either team in terms of expected goal involvement at 24th. I think there are plenty of much better options this week, not least at Newcastle who face Burnley at home.
Kieran Trippier (£6.6m) returned with a bang last week and his 3 assists highlight his FPL potential. He’s been quiet so far this season and we cannot expect the same again this week but with the Burnley fixture, he still has plenty of potential at both ends. It’s much less likely Botman and Burn will score again this week, so I definitely favour Trippier over them.
Kyle Walker (£5.3m) is quietly having an outstanding season at Man City after flirting with a move to Bayern, but then signing a new deal at City. He’s played all 6 games, has 3 clean sheets and an assist helping him to 4th in the defender rankings so far. Wolves away will again provide potential at both ends for him.
Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) appears to have fallen out of favour at Chelsea. A return to the starting line-up vs Fulham would make him a good option this week but is by no means guaranteed and cannot be relied upon.
Brighton travel to Villa this week so it will be a battle of the marauding wing-backs Pervis Estupinan (£5.3m) and Matty Cash (£4.8m). Cash has the home fixture and Villa have 2 clean sheets to Brighton’s 0 but both teams score plenty of goals and whilst that gives them potential for attacking returns, neither can match the combination that Tripper has this week, so this week my defensive pick of the week is Kieran Trippier.
Midfielders
2 of the top 3 Midfielders so far this season, Mohammed Salah (£12.5m) and Heung-Min Son (£9.2m) face off against each other this week. Salah has been the model of consistency so far this season with 3 goals and 4 assists in 7 games. Son has been explosive since switching to lead the line for Spurs with 5 goals in 3 games. I’m expecting an open game and both will get plenty of opportunity to add to those tallies and I especially like Son who has always seemed to have a knack for using his pace to get in behind Liverpool defences.
Arsenal travel to Bournemouth this week so that gives Bukayo Saka (£8.7m), the top Midfielder so far, another great opportunity to add to his 3 goals and 3 assists. Bournemouth rank 17th for expected goals conceded, T17th for actual goals conceded and 15th for big chances conceded. Saka appears to be back on penalties after his success vs Spurs so he’s a sparkling option this week.
After an 8-0 drubbing at the hands of Newcastle last week it could be another difficult week for Sheffield United away to West Ham. Hammers duo Jarrod Bowen (£7.1m, 4 goals, 1 assist) and James Ward-Prowse (£6.3m, 2 goals, 3 assists) have been in great form. Bowen is the ever present and the larger goal threat so he would be my choice of the 2, however, it’s impossible to think Sheffield United will be as bad this week. Anything like a similar performance would surely see Paul Heckinbotham lose his job.
With Newcastle having a nice home tie vs Burnley (19th for goals conceded in one less game than most) and Harvey Barnes set for a spell on the sidelines, Anthony Gordon (£5.6m) comes into our thoughts. He has 2 goals and 3 assists so far already.
With City away at Wolves, there is also plenty of scope to include a City midfielder. Phil Foden (£7.6m) is the standout option with 4 goal involvements already and KDB out long term.
It’s a really tough call this week with plenty of exciting options but I’m going to go with Bukayo Saka as my midfielder pick of the week.
Forwards (minus Haaland)
Carlton Morris (£5.5m) is the only double gameweek player I am considering this week. He’s got 2 goals (both penalties) and an assist so far this season but with 2 great fixtures against Everton and Burnley, if I’m going to pick him, it would be for this week.
Julian Alvarez (£7.0m) is becoming a permanent fixture in this section as well as in the Man City team. He was unlucky last week as detailed earlier but has plenty of scope to get back amongst the points this week facing Wolves who are ranked 16th for expected goals conceded, 18 for goals conceded and 17th for big chances conceded.
As it was last week, it’s a toss-up again this week as to which Newcastle forward to opt for. Callum Wilson (£7.8m) got the nod from me and Eddie Howe last week and delivered his goal to make that 4 for the season. Alexander Isak (£7.6) was also on target from the bench to make that 3 for the season but I expect Wilson to get the nod again this week. Both are likely to take the penalty, if they are on the pitch if and when one arrives.
I’m going slightly left field with my last option and for an old FPL favourite. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is back in the goals after coming off the bench and netting against Bournemouth last week. He started and scored again in the League Cup against Villa and with a home tie against Luton, it could be time for him to finally regain some of that 2019/20/21 form.
Whilst I was sorely tempted to go for Wilson as my option this week I am going to plump for at least 1 double game and give Carlton Morris the nod as my forward pick of the week.
Picks of the Week
Nick Pope (Newcastle GK £5.5m)
Kieran Trippier (Newcastle DF £6.6m)
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal MF £8.7m)
Carlton Morris (Luton FW £5.5m)
Best of luck for the week ahead and I’ll see you next week for another review and set of Picks of the Week.
