FPL Captain Picks GW5
Welcome to FPL Captain Picks GW5
We don’t get many opportunities to go against Haaland, especially given the form he’s in this season. However, with Arsenal the visiting team to the Etihad, it could be the opportunity to look for your gains elsewhere this week.
Our writers are on hand to offer up alternatives and of course, fear not, we’re not going to totally overlook the big man regardless of the opposition. Let’s see what they have to say!
Rosco — Palmer v West Ham (A)
Haaland and Salah have been the go-to captains this season and for good reason. With Haaland up against the best defence in the league, most managers will turn to the Egyptian king, because a home game for Liverpool is a sure thing, right? Well, we all know how that turned out last game week.
In all seriousness, Salah is a fine choice for your armband this week, hell, I’ll be captaining him myself, but if you don’t have him, can’t reach him or simply don’t want to follow the crowd then Cole Palmer could be a fine alternative.
Palmer is playing away, but don’t let that put you off, his biggest points tally (17pts) came in GW2 away to Wolves, and last season he showed time and time again that home or away mattered little.
The Hammers have conceded 6 goals which is by no means the worst in the league, however they have conceded 73 shots – that is the worst in the league, they have also conceded 54 of those in their box, also the worst in the league. You know who has scored the most goals from inside the box this season (7)? Yup, Chelsea.
Only Salah (6) has more goal contributions than Palmer (5) this season, and as we have seen in GW2 he can pick a pass with the best of them, the fact that his xA is just 0.96 despite 4 assists actual, is a testament to how good he is as opposed to how lucky.
Starting to wish I owned him myself now!
Kop – Watkins v Wolves (H)
If any one individual was responsible for Villa’s top 4 finish last season, it was undoubtedly Ollie Watkins. He finished the season with 19 goals & 18 assists, with only three players scoring more and nobody picking up more assists.
He has endured a tough start to the season, due in no large part to having no preseason as a result of his involvement at the Euro’s. As a result, Unai Emery has eased him back into things. Yes, he’s started every game, but in the first three games he was hooked around the hour mark and as a result, he’s been upstaged by John Duran.
His stats have been more promising than his returns. If we remove a certain Norwegian from the mix, the only forward to have had more shots on target over the opening four game-weeks is Chris Wood.
He got his first goals of the season last time out against Everton. I appreciate that “it’s only Everton”, but this weekend’s opponents, Wolves, are not a whole lot better than The Toffees. They have the 2nd worst defence in the league, conceding 11 goals in their opening four games and have given up 25 shots on target.
For those of you reluctant to give Haaland the armband and don’t own Salah, Watkins could be the way to go.
Gear – Erling Haaland v Mo Salah
For those who own both Haaland and Salah, this week presents a conundrum. Haaland is undoubtedly in form, with Pep Guardiola stating that he feels it’s the best form he has been in since joining Manchester City. Just to put it down in black and white, he’s hit 9 goals in 4 games and currently has an expected goals ratio of 1.22 per 90 minutes. He’s averaging 13.5 points per game!
Against these quite frankly amazing stats, stands the fact he is up against Arsenal. Now, the Gunners had the best defence in the league last season, conceding only 29 times in the entire campaign. This season they have only conceded once.
Haaland’s Premier League record against Arsenal stands at 2 goals and 2 assists in four games.
It really is the case of the unstoppable force meets an immovable object.
Now let’s talk about Salah. He has started the season in good form, 3 goals, 3 assists and 3 clean sheets. This has given him a xG 0.47 and xA 0.3.
Clearly the Nottingham Forest game did not go to plan, however, Liverpool got back on track at the San Siro in midweek. We should also remind ourselves that he had bagged 3 double-digit hauls prior to the Forest game.
This week he is at Anfield against Bournemouth. In 10 games against the Cherries, Salah has scored 9 goals and grabbed 1 assist.
It’s a tough decision, however if viewed from a form v fixture perspective, Salah has the form and the fixture, whilst Haaland only has one.
The confessional…
This is where we ask our entire writing team to tell us who they think they will pick this week… There are more caveats and get out clauses than a meeting with Daniel Levy but this is their initial gut feeling based upon who they actually own. And they promise that their picks will be allowed to leave for free if a better offer comes along…
Jamesimmo — Salah
Ivan — Haaland (big comeback after blanking in the UCL
Swirly — Salah
Matt — Salah
Loud Atlas — Haaland
Smash — Salah
Kop — Haaland 9I don’t own anyone else worth captaining)
Rosco — Salah
Ellefcee — Mo
Init — Palmer
Gear — Salah
Stone Frog — Salah
OddDane — A last minute coin toss of Palmer v Haaland
Jamie Mc — Haaland
Peter Pan — 
Thanks for reading FPL Captain Picks GW5.
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***GW5 Captain Picks***
Time(ly) to go against Haaland? Lets find out…
Many thanks to Gear, Kop and Rosco
Nice work guys. Salah…. Palmer… Haaland… The choices. I think on paper this would be the week to buck the Haaland norm but damn it’s hard to bet against form. Whatever shall I do?
Thank you one and all. Some noteworthy information here guys, and thanks for bringing it to the fore!
Gonna go out on a limb this week, I think, and captain good old Ollie W. Reckon he’ll score at least one, and that’s probs enough to benchmark a decent ‘differential’ cappo tally (I don’t have Salah, merely the sidekicks, Jota, Diaz & TAA, so I’m having to look elsewhere).
Speak to you soon good folk.
Cheerio and enjoy your weekends. AJW 😉
The Sharkies were too hot in the first half mate
We’ll see if Manly can do something against Easts (around mid-day our time! Great stuff hey?) Speak to you soon matie.
Brilliant article lads! Definitely think Arsenal don’t look like conceding even against the strongest of opponent so I’m hoping that’s true this weekend as I’ll be going with Salah. Just need Slot and Salah to want to avenge the result last week and get back on track
Morning all lovely article
Need to get Trent and Watkins in here
Got 2 transfers
0.3 itb
Might have to take a hit
Team
Click on image to enlarge:
Jota to Mbeumo + Gvardiol to TAA + Isak to Watkins – Does that work?
Mbeumo has good fixtures after Spurs away (Spurs may also concede to Brentford), City defense not keeping that many CS, so Gvardiol to TAA
Hey guys, thanks for that, how’s everyone? This is my WC team, any suggestions please? I’m not sure about Timber, would prefer Gabriel, but not sure how….
Click on image to enlarge:
Comment 7… sorry