Before You Lock Your Team… Read This. 27 Crucial GW1 Answers You Can't Afford to Miss
Gameweek 1 is almost here, and I've answered 27 of the biggest questions that managers are asking before locking in their squads.
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Going Without Salah — Risk vs Reward
Skipping Mohamed Salah is viable but risky. His rostership is sky-high, he's a fixture-proof captain, and Gameweeks 4 and 5 (Burnley, Everton) could punish you badly. If you go without him, you must either accept the risk, plan transfers weeks ahead, or use an early Wildcard. None are ideal.
Salah & Haaland — Too Much?
Two record-breaking captains in one squad sounds appealing, but £28.5m kills balance. Depth matters more with the extra Bench Boost chip this year. Would you rather have Cole Palmer (£10.5m) and Florian Wirtz (£8.5m) or a £5.0m mid and Erling Haaland?
Palmer & Bruno — Core Picks
Palmer is locked for me with first-choice penalties and prime fixtures. Bruno thrives under the new points system, is on spot-kicks, plays 90 minutes regularly and is a captaincy option in GW3 when Salah faces Arsenal. My team is built around Salah, Palmer and Bruno.
Bruno vs. Wirtz vs. Saka
Bruno wins for reliability and penalties. Wirtz is second as part of an elite attack and the safest Liverpool attacker for minutes behind Salah. Saka is a pass for now with uncertain penalties and tougher fixtures.
Watkins or Wirtz?
Wirtz saves £0.5m and allows a midfield-heavy build with Marc Guiu (£4.5m) as viable bench fodder. But Ollie Watkins is proven and nailed, so he's been in and out of my drafts constantly.
Joao Pedro — Not a Must
At more than 50-percent team selection, Pedro comes with huge risks. He's not nailed for 90, lost penalties, has a £2.0m price hike and is no longer the main man. He's one to monitor but not a must-have.
Pedro vs. Wood vs. Mateta
Jean-Philippe Mateta's stock is rising. Eddie Nketiah's injury boosts minutes and Eberechi Eze's exit could hand him penalties. Chris Wood is pricier than last season and Nottingham Forest have been poor in preseason. Mateta edges it.
Thiago — Avoid for Now
I would've loved to pick Thiago, but Brentford's uncertainty around Yoane Wissa and new signings make it too risky. There are no strong replacements at £6.0m or under if it fails.
Fullkrug, Bowen, Evanilson
Niclas Fullkrug has looked sharp but minutes still feel shaky after last season's debacle. Jarrod Bowen's fixtures are poor for his price and his forward classification lowers his ceiling. Evanilson is a 2.4-percent gem. Bench him in Gameweek 1 (Liverpool) and enjoy the great run after.
Best Forward £6.5m or Under
It's far from a strong pool of players. Danny Welbeck's injury history is a worry, he's 34 years old and Georginio Rutter is another threat to his minutes. Jorgen Strand Larsen stands out since he's nailed, has possible pens and will get consistent minutes.
Beto — Pass
At £5.5m, Beto plays in a poor attack and will share minutes with Thierno Barry. I'd much rather pick Guiu for £1.0m less.
Gyokeres — Wait and See
Fitness, minutes and penalties are all uncertain for Viktor Gyokeres. Arsenal's early fixtures aren't ideal, making Gameweek 7 feel like the natural entry point.
Watkins vs. Gyokeres
Watkins wins for now. He's a proven scorer, nailed and has great early fixtures.
Ndiaye & Kudus
Iliman Ndiaye's minutes could be hit by Jack Grealish's arrival. Mohamed Kudus has Savinho transfer rumours hanging over him in addition to a deep bench of attacking players.
Frimpong — Patience Needed
Jeremie Frimpong could smash his price, but I hate to say it, Virgil van Dijk feels safer early on with minutes and defensive contribution points.
Ekitike — Monitor
Hugo Ekitike is a fantastic pick if Alexander Isak doesn't sign. If he does sign, I would avoid.
Reijnders, Andersen, Rice
Elliot Andersen's value jumps with the new rules after adding 36 points last season under them. He has safe minutes, is a set-piece threat and strong fixtures make him worth it. Tijjani Reijnders has a higher ceiling but rotation risk once Rodri returns from injury. Declan Rice feels like Andersen for £1m more.
City & Arsenal Defense
City defenders are a pass early with poor fixtures for clean sheets and rotation headaches. Arsenal's numbers are elite but fixtures aren't great to start.
Must-Have Defenders
Pedro Porro's attacking threat and set pieces make him the standout from Spurs' great run. Murillo is also up there with elite defensive contribution numbers and good fixtures.
Murillo vs. Milenkovic
Murillo got 12 more defensive contribution points and 16 more bonus points last season in similar minutes. Nikola Milenkovic's numbers are far worse despite over performing in attack.
Wan-Bissaka — Avoid
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has poor underlying stats, plays in a bad defense with low bonus potential and fixtures turn after Gameweek 1.
Chip Strategy
I'm keeping it flexible. I'll let form, fitness and fixtures dictate chip usage. For now, I'm just picking a strong core of 15.
BB in GW1?
A Bench Boost in Gameweek 1 can work, but I prefer saving it.
Best Formation
3-5-2 is my pick. There's too much value in midfield, and a viable £4.5m forward exists.
Two £4.0m Defenders?
One value defender is fine, but two is overkill. Maxime Esteve is my pick.
Best GK Pairing
Robert Sanchez and Martin Dubravka are great value. David Raya and Guglielmo Vicario are good if you can spend more.
Best Captain GW1
Salah — best odds to score or assist.
