Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 1 Team
Our Gameweek 1 Team for the 2018/19 Fantasy Premier League season can be revealed.
As the transfer window closes and the final team news rolls in, our Gameweek 1 team is locked in.
Our team has seen minimal changes since posting our Second Draft last week. Make sure that you join the community in our Mini League. My Greatest 11 have sponsored the mini league, with a £225 cash prize pool: 1st place – £100, 2nd place – £50, 3rd place – £25, Christmas Number 1 – £50. The 4 winners will also receive a framed My Greatest 11 print, from their website. To be a part of The FF Community Shield, manually enter our league code 1739-786, or click the graphic below.
The Attack
We’ve gone big budget in our forward line for the Gameweek 1 team. We are now setting up in a 3-4-3 formation, with two premium forwards and two premium midfielders. It was ultimately too close a call for our premium striker, so we’ve selected both Sergio Aguero and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. They match up in Gameweek 1, in a game where goals are on the agenda. Manchester City were electric in the Community Shield, we just simply couldn’t leave out their star striker. Aubameyang has opening matches against Manchester City and Chelsea, but he’s deemed to be fixture proof. Josh King provides some value in our forward line following a strong pre season. He’s the focus of an attacking Bournemouth lineup with three favourable fixtures in their opening four games.
Mo Salah is a must own for the start of the season and the go-to captain pick. His ownership has hit phenomenal levels, so we’ve played Sadio Mane alongside him, to boost our rank when Liverpool fire early on in the season.
Richarlison gets the nod in our 6.5 million midfielder bracket. Everton are another side with a strong opening schedule, and the Brazilian will be favoured by Marco Silva within this very attacking side.
Tom Cairney is our budget saving 4th midfielder. Fulham have reasonable opening fixtures and their club captain could gain an advanced position this season. Cairney is potentially underpriced, he’s on most set pieces and penalties.
To complete the attack, Dale Stephens has been chosen as a bench filler: the options at 4.5 million were slim, but Stephens felt like the best bet for regular starts and the odd attacking return.
We toyed with the idea of having a Manchester City midfielder included, but ultimately were too tempted by Aubameyang and a double up on the Liverpool attack. We have the flexibility to change Mane in a couple of weeks.
The Defence
Spending in defence has been kept to a minimum, with two premium defenders, a low budget goakeeping combination and some gambles on 4.0 million priced defenders. It’s enabled us to spend big in the attack. Matt Ryan has been selected for his save potential. He had a strong opening Premier League season with Brighton and we expect him to finish the season with the highest points total of all goalkeepers in the 4.5 million bracket. To save 0.5 million, we’ve opted for understudy David Button as our backup keeper. If injury hits Ryan, then the 2nd choice Brighton keeper will step in. We could have selected rotating keepers, but historically we tend to miss the points.
Andrew Robertson and Benjamin Mendy were selected as our premium defenders. The top teams keep plenty of clean sheets, with Liverpool and Manchester City among the most solid of these defences and promising fixtures too.
Robertson finished last season strongly with plenty of attacking returns: we hope he can be a consistent starter. The full back position at Manchester City seems more settled than the centrebacks. Mendy should provide good value for us.
James Tomkins is likely to start as our 3rd defender most weeks in this 3-4-3 formation. He chipped in with plenty of goals at the end of last season, as Crystal Palace finally tightened things up at the back. A strong 4.5 defender.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Lee Peltier could emerge as rare 4.0 million starters. Both have seen their fair share of minutes in pre season, with encouraging value. It’s a risky strategy, but one ultimately worth taking.
Gameweek 1 Team
With our squad settled, this is how we plan on lining up for Gameweek 1. It’s a 3-4-3 formation, with star man Mo Salah trusted with the captains armband. We are very happy with the squad and excited for the season ahead.
Many of the community have been revealing their Gameweek 1 team this week. Here’s a selection of approaches from well-respected accounts within the community.
Pundits
It’s a 3-5-2 for the site team, with Manchester City and Liverpool assets maxed out. There’s also a differential in the front 2.? NEW #FPL ARTICLE ?
— Fantasy Football Pundits (@FFPundits) August 8, 2018
It’s TRIPLE Man City and TRIPLE Liverpool in draft 2.0 of our FPL team for Gameweek 1.
? | "I think we’re almost locked in” says @FFPundits_Drew…https://t.co/1fwzG5AiVt
Updates
FPL Updates have also opted for a 3-5-2 in their first draft. Manchester City are rewarded with another triple up, plus rotating cheap keepers and a 4.o defender.FPL UPDATES – FIRST DRAFT
— FPL Updates (@Fpl_Updates) August 8, 2018
Want to see how we are potentially lining up for gameweek 1? Here's our first #FPL draft:
->https://t.co/1N5lDoXBTX
By @FPL_Junior
Chief
In the latest FPL Hints draft, there’s big spending up front, plus investment in a Manchester United attacker who may get a strong Gameweek 1 start.I'm fairly content with this draft. It's not a million miles away from what I believe will be my final Gameweek 1 team. It factors in pedigree and fixture-proof ability
— FPL Hints (@FPLHints) August 5, 2018
While I may not have a traditional Power 7, I believe that my attacking players are key to their clubs#FPL pic.twitter.com/hpcasb3cuR
Tips
Three premium defenders are selected by FPL Tips, in a 3-4-3 formation. Salah gets the early armband and a Spurs midfielder could be a differential for Gameweek 1.? NEW #FPL VIDEO ?#GW1 | Salah the safe captain?
— FPLtips (@_FPLtips) August 7, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/YscaBH8HlH pic.twitter.com/wOMsNRcCTx
General
The FPL General’s side is taking shape, with a very similar bench to our site team. Eriksen hasn’t seen much investment in the community, but could do well at the start of the season.Here it is.
— FPL General (@FPLGeneral) August 6, 2018
No idea what I'm doing with GKs yet.
Gut feeling VVD over Robertson but will mull it over for the next few days.
Davies/PVA/Mane/Sanchez/Jota/Zaha in my thoughts.
Early wildcard likely. pic.twitter.com/dSeUVuMQA6
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