Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 1 2017/18
Welcome to Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 1. “The First Cut is the Deepest”. “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”. First come, first served. Love at first sight. Make a good first impression. The first US President, George Washington. The first Tour de France champion, Maurice Garin. The first winner of ‘The Voice’ in Lithuania, Julija Jegorova.
To truly leave your mark or carve out a legacy you often need to make that first step count. Just like Neil Armstrong did in some 1969 Kubrick movie I saw.
Your first FPL captain of 2017/18 has a lot to live up to. Last season Philippe Coutinho topped the GW1 charts with a 15 point haul, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 9 points proved that FPL new boys can hit the ground running. Those of us swerving players from promoted teams may do well to recall Alvaro Negredo’s goal and max bonus point haul on day 1 against Stoke. Oh come on, you must remember him. He played football. Y’know, for that team.
Onto some of the prime candidates for this weekend then. A new face, some familiar old friends, and a huge Belgian who traded blue for red, but I won’t spoil the tension by revealing his identity just yet. First up…
ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE (ARSENAL vs Leicester City)
£52 million. Do you remember when that used to be a lot of money? Arsene probably still remembers, marking as it did a rare splurge for the Gunner’s record-busting marquee signing. Allegedly, Frenchman Lacazette used to skip English lessons at school to play football, and who can blame him. I used to skip geography class and it never did me any harm. Though there was that one unfortunate episode where I had to flee from Parisian cops across the sand dunes of Machu Picchu.
Just the two pre-season strikes against Sydney FC and Sevilla doesn’t give us too much insight into the impact he’ll have at home to the Foxes, but he showed promising glimpses at Wembley in Sunday’s curtain-raiser and was unlucky not to score. His 28 goals in 30 Ligue 1 matches leaves little doubt about the former Lyon hitman’s pedigree.
HARRY KANE (Newcastle United vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR)
Kane polished off the final two games of 2016/17 with a ridiculous 7 goals to become the first player to win the Golden Boot in consecutive years since Robin van Persie. Another goal in last week’s convincing 2-0 friendly win over Juventus at Spurs’ new Wembley home suggests more of the same to come.
An away trip to a newly promoted team, however, ranks as one of the trickier ways to start a campaign. St. James’ Park will provide its usual pulsating atmosphere, surely amplified even further by a return to the big stage after a brief hiatus; and Rafa’s boys will be keen to prove they’ve learned from the mistakes of yore.
But this is Harry Kane, and if you’ve thrown 12.5m of your FPL budget at him to make him ‘one of your own’, then you’ll probably want to give him the armband.
ROBERTO FIRMINO (Watford vs LIVERPOOL)
21 goals and 19 assists in his two seasons at Anfield thus far make the Brazilian an irresistible FPL option for many, spearheading a Klopp team that’s been set up to go for the jugular. Firmino’s productivity can surely only blossom further with the likes of Mane, Salah and (at the time of writing) Coutinho criss-crossing around him like the Red Arrows on methylphenidate.
Watford’s difficult season reached its nadir with a 6-1 thrashing at Liverpool, signalling the start of the end for former boss Mazzari. The Hornets scraped home in 17th, culminating in a 5-0 humiliation at Man City, and their fans must surely be apprehensive about the coming campaign. If both teams carry on where they left off in May, expect the odd Bobby dazzler.
GABRIEL JESUS/SERGIO AGUERO (Brighton vs MANCHESTER CITY)
The phrase ‘to hedge ones bets’ was first used by George Villiers, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham, in his 1672 satirical play ‘The Rehearsal’. I don’t know why I brought that up, but there you go.
It’s likely that you’ve got one of Jesus or Aguero. It’s unlikely that you’ve got both. If you have? Well then I can only… umm… OH LOOK OVER THERE! *runs away*
A look at their average points per 90 from last season shows that maybe it IS worth having both Jesus (9.26) and Aguero (6.55). Both have had their injury problems though and City’s squad depth exposes even these two to occasionally being ‘Pepped’. Is that a thing? No? Sod it, it is now. We should be able to enjoy the two of them sharing points aplenty at least until the Champions League rolls into town.
ROMELU LUKAKU (MANCHESTER UNITED vs West Ham)
£75 million. Do you remember when that used to be a lot of money? Nope, neither does Mourinho who had already set the precedent for this summer’s monstrous displays of profligacy with his 2016 purchase of serial woodwork abuser Paul Pogba. Our boy Romelu however, doesn’t need to re-calibrate his shooting accuracy as he’s already shown with a few goals in pre-season.
Being pipped at the post for the Golden Boot by Kane may give him even more fire to reach the 30 goal mark this time round. Starting against Joe Hart will help, a man who should perhaps concentrate less on his head & shoulders, and more on his hands & arms.
West Ham, to be fair, have bought well during the summer and look like an exciting prospect. They’ve been leaking goals for fun in pre-season however, and one would expect Lukaku to make a big impact on his debut.
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Gameweek Tracker GW1-11
Gents
Would you go with kolasnic for GW1 or go with kompany or Danilo? I will be WC around GW3!
If I go with Danilo I could upgrade foster to Forster?
Or do I just downgrade kola and get in Kane for Lukaku?
Oops that’s my doubles team!!
I don’t know if JWP starts but I like the rest of it.
Besides those poor bench defenders that looks fine to me as is Mitro.
Lads was looking at midfielders for 7 Mil or less and I’ve narrowed it down to these 3/4 players. Looking at fixtures and goals and assists over preseason.
Willian – 4 goals and 0 assists but 3 of those goals came against Fulham which isn’t a great feat.
First 5 fixtures = Bur (H),Tot (A),Eve (H), Lei (A), Ars (H)
Zaha – 1 goal and 1 assist
First 5 fixtures = Hud (H), Liv (A), Swan (H), Bur (A), Sou (A)
Ince – 4 goals and 0 assists
First 5 fixtures = Cry (A), New (H), Sou (H), Whu (A), Lei (H)
Right now my gut is telling me Ince but I’ve just been reading the Huddersfield match reports and Mounie at 6 mil has been amazing so could be a better option up top over J.Rod which makes Ince not so appealing as I wouldn’t want to double up. After that going on fixtures I’d say Zaha.
So what do you guys think of Zaha and Mounie? Just bouncing ideas of ye instead of bouncing my head off the wall 😉
What’s Mounie stats like in pre season?
Has Mousie scored at all ?
Other than that opening fixture Chelsea’s fixtures are really bad
That’s why I don’t like Willian in the team.
4 goals but going by the match reports he could have doubled that figure and got a few assists too.
Another thing for Zaha Matt is the recent record CP have at Anfield.
He and Mounie are a couple of logical picks no doubt about it.
That’s why I included him GP. I actually think Palace could go undefeated in those first 5.
Matt in a roundabout way that is the conclusion I came to.I basically have Mounie at the moment as there isn’t much to go for in that price bracket and Huddersfields opening fixtures are decent.I’m not sure he has been amazing pre season but he has got a few goals.Ive also gone for Zaha over Willian as I’m not sure about Chelsea at the moment and as soon as Hazard is back his place is under threat.Also by all accounts Zaha will have a new role under the new manager,to drift in and support the striker,a bit like Hazard does at Chelsea.At the end of the day if they do bugger all after 3 or 4 games we can always transfer them out !!
That’s exactly how I’m feeling too mate. Zaha seems to be the key man in this new De Boer system but time will tell if that’s true.
As for Mounie it seems like he’s lively and never gives up on stuff which just reminds me of Vardy so I’m hoping he has some sort of similar qualities and is this season’s gem but that may be a bit too optimistic haha 😉
Zaha + Lukaku
Or
Mkhitaryan + Jesus?
That’s tough. It really depends on what other Manchester cover you have.
Option 1 is more nailed on so probably that one.
Number 1 at first take there KP. May depend on the rest though, KDB in there already etc?
Already have KdB. But looking to double up on mancity’s attack. City’s form + fixtures are really making it hard to resist.
They are indeed. Depends how comfortable you are without Lukaku, given his ownership %, more than anything. He’s probably good for a captain pick in a lot of those opening fixtures too which should be considered if he was to go off on one.
I’d stick with lukaku and zaha there mate.
1) Foster & Lindelof
or
2) De Gea & Hegazi
2
2 there, sick note
Recovered a bit now mate?
Lindelof not nailed right now, I’d play safe with DDG. I assume Hegazi is.
Cheers Init. Making slow progress, but a long way off leaving hospital. I can move my right leg a bit now, and they keep telling me the left one will work again one day! At least with no work I’ve got all the time in the world for tinkering 😉
Hope you’re recovering well banjo.
Always happy to see you on the boards mate.
Cheers GP. Genuinely appreciate the comment. Unfortunately for all of you it was my left hand that got mangled, and I’m right handed, so I can still annoy everyone on here 😉
Doesn’t sound too nice.
Full recovery I hope?
Yep, docs reckon it’ll be a full recovery (minus a bit of thumb and a lot of dignity). They’ve said 6 to 12 months. I’ve got a stag do in 7 so I’m hammering the physio, as much as I can!
Christ Banjo have I missed something whats happened to you hope you will make a fast recovery 😉
Hey Silvers,
Hope you’ve had a nice summer break? I was very much enjoying mine, until I wound up under a transit van a couple of weeks ago! I’ve shattered my pelvis, broken every rib, punctured both lungs in lots of places, broken my nose, lost a few teeth and a bit of thumb/finger, but doc says I’ll make a full recovery
Poor physio! Hope she’s a looker 😉
Banjo I was going to sat what lucky man but that might be wrong thing to say I’m glad your on the way to recovery
I’ve had a great summer not over yet anyway mate you will be up & about soon just keep tinkering 😉
Gees I wish you a speedy and full recovery that’s a lot of fixing there! Hope you’re back making banjos soon
There some seriously hot nurses looking after me, but it’s difficult to get your game on when you’re lying on your side screaming in agony whilst they wipe your arse.
Silvers, apparently I’m very lucky. With the amount of punctures in my lungs it’s a miracle that no major organ was hit. I’m also lucky not to have any nerve damage from the smashed pelvis. Not feeling like the luckiest guy in the world right now tho 😉
I’m no Dr but lungs seem fairly vital…
banjo – just read this and, albeit the late hours, with all those bruises, just wanted to spare a thought for … the van owner!
Just kidding mate, I hope you get a full recovery and , as Raz would say, keep it up!!
You can’t go wrong with a hot nurse I should know I married one although shes a psychiatric practitioner I don’t know if she married me for my mind or lack of it haha 😉
Busman’s Holiday springs to mind
2
Does anyone know what Zlats ownership was like at the beginning of last season?
Dunno, but certainly nowhere near lukaku’s. I seem to remember quite a few zlat doubters pre season.
On 6th August FFScout wrote an article noting ~30%, so I guess around that
Was just wondering if it’s Uniteds popularity to why Lukaku ownership is so high. Zlats was most captained player last year
Smash the thing is United casual players will all put Lukaku in their team and captain him most weeks.If he does get off to a flyer and you don’t have him,unless the player you have instead of him at least matches his scores you will be playing catch up.In my opinion it is best to just play safe at this stage.I remember Zlatan being high in the captain polls towards the end of last season even when he was injured and suspended !!!
Brooky, get in the leagues please.
Elle ‘m in the regulars mate.I’m not sure I will have a spare league spot for the h to h one and to be honest I’m not a great fan of them..Think I’m in that Banterbury one again this time which I considered jumping out of.
Thoughts on Van Aanholt? Is he nailed? Schlupp a risk to him?
Prefer others at £5.5m or less bar Davies/Trippier and Soton boys?
Crystal Palace left backs:
PVA
Jeffrey Schlupp
Pape Souare
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
I think PVA is the best but is it worth the risk??
Certainly could be in de Boer’s 3-4-3 system. Not think so?
If he’s guaranteed to play unchallenged then yeah. Only pointing out that the competition should be fierce.
Just checked their last friendly. I took this friend the club website:
Speroni
Milivojevic, Dann, Reidewald (Tomkins 81)
Townsend (Ward 70), Puncheon, Loftus-Cheek, Van Aanholt, Zaha
Lokilo (Lee 79), Benteke
Might be worth a fly punt.
It’s cool – I’m trying to get Zaha in instead 😉