FPL launch 2015/16 – New Rules and Player Pricelist
Finally, after weeks of waiting excitedly like a child on Christmas Eve, FPL has been launched for the 2015/16 season. With GW1 still the best part of a month away, there will be countless hours of tinkering ahead as managers try and ensure they get off to the best possible start in their pursuit of global domination. The price list will be carefully scrutinised to find this season’s Harry Kane, while many a club’s pre-season tours and friendlies will be monitored to see who is showing impressive form and which of the new transfers appears to be settling in the best. All of this is of course normal July and August behaviour for us frustrated FPL managers, especially those who didn’t get involved in Fantasy MLS and the U21’s Euro Championships and certainly for those that despise the cricket!
FPL have however given us some other innovative changes to get our heads around as we contemplate the season ahead – and it’s these changes which we will concentrate on first before we then take a quick glance at the first reaction to the price list.
Rumours were rife days before launch date that FPL were tinkering with the game and they haven’t disappointed. There are four new elements to the game, all of which we need to understand fully to maximise our FPL performance this season.
CHANGES
[clear]Wildcards
Managers will have two Wildcards to use during the season – however, Wildcard 1 can only be used in the first half of the season (before 28 December 14.00hrs). The second Wildcard can only be used in the second half of the season. If you fail to use your Wildcard in the first half of the season, you will lose it. The January Wildcard has been scrapped and does not exist anymore.
Chips
A new feature of the game is the “Chips” that FPL has introduced. There are three different kind of chips:
All Out Attack
Bench Boost
Triple Captain
All Out Attack
Allows you to play a 2-5-3 formation in the next gameweek.
Bench Boost
Points scored by your bench players in the nominated gameweek are included in your total score.
Triple Captain
Your nominated captain’s points are trebled. In the event of your captain not playing, your vice captain’s points will be trebled. If neither your captain or vice-captain feature then you will not benefit from playing your “Triple Captain” chip that week and it will not be reallocated to your team.
[divider_1px]
The All Out Attack, Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips can each be used once a season and are played when saving your team on the “My Team” page. They can be cancelled at any time before the gameweek deadline.
However, please note that only one chip (including your wildcard) can be played in a single gameweek. For example – it would NOT be possible to play your wildcard in a big DGW and also utilise the Triple Captain chip.
What effect will these “chips” have on our selection?
Initially not a lot, unless you are planning to play one of the chips early on. However, we would advise caution and patience – as we know, early season can be very unpredicatable where it is not uncommon for promoted teams to gain surprise results, new transfers are still settling in and players who have represented their countries in summer tournaments will often be eased back into action slowly.
The Triple Captain feature seems the simplest chip to plan for – and the likelihood is that one will use it when one of your star names (Aguero, Hazard, Costa, Alexis etc) are either playing at home to a supposed weakened side or there is a DGW, which will likely only happen in the second half of the season.
Bench Boost will obviously require us to have a fully playing squad – the initial thoughts of this are that managers may avoid choosing two keepers from the same team (Foster, Myhill – West Brom etc) and will want to make sure that their fifth midfielder is likely to have a chance of contributing something more than a 2pt return (Gareth Barry fans be warned!).
The Gareth Barry example from above also applies to All Out Attack – managers will want five attacking midfielders and therefore it is recommended not to rush to use this feature to ensure that your fifth midfielder for that week (who is likely to be a cheapie), is not only a guaranteed starter, but that his attacking stats are good, as indeed are his fixture that week.
So those are the new features and at first glance they seem exciting innovations to keep us on our toes and will require us to concentrate our planning further.
Gone are the days of a simple RMT. It will now be, “Please RMT and I’ve activated my All Out Attack”!!
[divider_1px]
Players Price List – initial reaction
Unsurprisingly, last season’s budget FPL gold, Harry Kane has shed his “cheap as chips” price tag and opens the season with a price of 9.5mln. So who is this season’s bargain basement striker? If you fancy a punt on newly promoted Watford or Bournemouth, then Troy Deeney and Callum Wilson start the bidding at 5.5mln. Among those priced at 6mln are Leicester’s Loenardo Ulloa & Jamie Vardy as is Liverpool’s new striker Divock Origi. If they don’t excite you then among the crowd at 6.5mln are Saido Berahino (WBA) and Daifra Sakho under the tutorship of Bilic at West Ham, who started the Europa League campaign with a brace. Bafetimbi Gomis of Swansea is priced at 7mln as is the fit again Jay Rodriguez at Southampton. If you’re still not enthused and if you can stretch to 7.5mln you have such names as Danny Ings at Liverpool and Falcao at Chelsea (what a bargain if Jose gets him firing).
New player prices – some of the new players to the Premiership or those who have changed teams that may interest you:
Petr Cech (Arsenal) – 5.5mln
Micah Richards (Villa) – 4.5mln
Gerard Deulofeu (Everton) – 6.5mln
Nathaniel Clyne (Liverpool) – 5.5mln
Firmino (Liverpool) – 8.5mln
James Milner (Liverpool) – 7.0mln
Memphis Depay (Man Utd) – 8.5mln
Maarten Stekelenburg (Southampton) – 5.0mln
Andre Ayew (Swansea) – 7.0mln
Dimitri Payet (West Ham) – 7.5mln
And some selected old favourites:
Sergio Aguero – 13mln
Diego Costa – 11mln
Olivier Giroud – 9mln
Eden Hazard – 11.5mln
Cesc Fabregas – 9mln
Alexis Sanchez – 11mln
Theo Walcott – 9mln
David Silva – 10mln
Yaya Toure – 8.5mln
Angel Di Maria – 8.5mln
Wayne Rooney – 10.5mln
You will all have your own views and may spot the glaring bargain that I have missed. So please share your thoughts below on both the new changes to the game (the chips) and also your thoughts on the prices and maybe you’ve even begun to draft your initial squad.
[divider_1px]
Guys which team is better A or B? I’m thinking 3-4-3 formation with Ki on the bench.
B
B, but I’d get rid of Cook for Mings or Francis and go Koscielney to Mert to upgrade Hoban as he won’t play.
Ye I was thinking of Mings just haven’t changed it yet.
Will do that once I have seen more preseason but I’m still hoping Hoban keeps his place really think hes a good player. I know he didn’t play yesterday but it was only the first game.
Really can’t see Hoban playing with Prodl and Angella likely to be the first choice.
Maybe even go Vardy to Deeney and upgrade Mane to Ramsey/ 8.5 mid?
I thought Prodl was a left back?
I could do that but I think Mane is a good buy and Ramsey I just don’t think is worth it but it could all change yet. Haha
Prodl is a CB, Holebas is a LB. Up to you, Mane was a bit frustrating with game time last year, though.
Ah right. I’ll have to keep a close eye on it.
True but he did have a bad injury last season
Hey MattX B for me I have my eye on J Rod but will keep an eye on pre season games also not sure I would have J Rod & Mane you could put Erik in for Mane after Tot first game they have a good run of fixtures Rudd & Ruddy combo still not sure about this one 😉
Same here ill have to keep my eye on him. Wouldn’t have them both? Mane has really good stats though. Do you mean Eriksen or Erik Lamela? Ye I wasn’t at first but it’s growing on me otherwise I’d probably bring in Ruddy and Krul.
Sorry MAttX meant Eriksen but I see he is 8.5m
Ah right ye so that would mean downgrading Vardy to Deeney and upgrading Mane.
Yes MattX that’s the way to go but keep an eye on J Rod game time if he isn’t playing then I would stick with Mane
Will do cheers Silver. Did he play yesterday I couldn’t find the lineups for their two games only that they lost both of them.
Any changes, plz.
It’s still early for me to look at specific players but treble offensive coverage from one team isn’t a good idea and rarely plays out well in a DGW never mind normal GW’s, I’d limit it to possibly two per team.
Andy
This is for first or two game weeks . As soon as Firmino proves his EPL worth and Aguero gets fitness, I will swap this formation to the below one.
It’s going to very difficult predicting transfer activity at this stage mate, anything can happen that could way lay the best made plans, I’d probably still not take the treble offence even for the one or two games as the probability of having three decent scoring returns are still slim.
Hi all, thoughts on team
Other than Wanyama, i like it. Maybe use that 0.5m to get someone who may get some attacking points? I’m not to sure about the 5m mid price range so not really sure who’s in there. I’m sure there’s someone anyway.
Thanks mate, helps heaps
Turner first choice? I remember he wasn’t 2 season ago, iirc.
On that note, Leicester looked much better when Albrighton was on the pitch (which he was towards the end of the season). If he’s a regular at 5m he’s the perfect 5th midfielder, imho.
Yeah albrighton and sinclair seem the better options for 5m Mid.
Seems Clasie is going to Soton which means Schneiderlin will move to United. Clasie a good buy for Soton, very good buy. A few Dutchies already transferred in this summer or will likely come:
United: Depay and probably Cilessen (if DDG goes, which is likely since Real already sold Iker).
Newcastle: bought Wijnaldum (great buy, bit expensive but was player of the year in Holland, not Depay). Veltman on the radar (mediocre defender, not good enough for EPL imo).
Soton: Stekelenburg and Clasie (Clasie top buy, Stekelenburg has been out for form since WC2010).
Looks like a few more might still come, we’ll see. WIll be interesting for me to see how they do.
U putting any straight into your team Raz?
Just Depay, but I will look at their pre-season first. Wijnaldum could be interesting depending on his price and his role. If he’s 7m and playing as AM, he’s def. an option.
I’d get cilesen easily assuming he’d be under DDG’a 5.5
Best 4.5 mid out there lads? Currently have Tettey but not sure if he’s a starter.
You have to spend an extra 0.5m on a mid if you want 1 that can deliver some points.
I’m really just looking for a starter, Raz.
Wanayama Soton. 😉
Hmmmm not really keen on Soton, simply because there’s a chance that I’ll want 3 players from them at some point and that won’t be possible as one of those spots will be taken up by Wanyama. Barry might be the best option.
Not great options at this range, Gareth Barry would be the best bet for that nailed on 2 pointer, Surman of Bournemouth tended to play high up the pitch but I’m not sure if they’ll be as expansive offensively in the EPL as they were in the championship.
Thanks.
which players will you get? I don’t see me getting anyone else but a Soton def and Mane.
Double Soton def was popular last season and might be an option again, and there’s always J-Rod and Pelle who might hit it off.
Wana did score 3 goals and got 1 assist in 2300 minutes last season. For a fifth mid that you never play. With the new rules you play your bench at a certain point though.
That chip can only be used once though Raz, might be better leaving that one for a potential DGW, I doubt I’ll consider using any of my chips (other than a WC) for the first month of the season.
Thoughts on Mata? Tossing up between him and Yaya Toure for my 3rd midfield spot.
Dangerous. First have a look how LvG sets up his team. How important will Mata’s role be this season now they’ve attracted a bunch of midfielders and Depay. Will he keep out Di Maria? Or will he start over Depay?
I do Tom and they involve the bench. I can see him already right behind Giggs sadly looking at the infinite while wondering what went wrong In life. Yaya all the way between those two anyway imo.
At 8.5m I would go with Depay but I would look closely at preseason. They might bring him slowly. If he does take all the free kicks and he’s a starter he’s a must. LvG even said he can use Depay as a striker, like he did at the WC. How awesome would that be?
Thanks guys. I’ll try and have a look at some pre-season games before i pick Depay or any United player for that matter. Also, anyone know how much schweinsteiger might cost?
Don’t care what Schweini costs, he’s more of a DM or central mid. Won’t be scoring loads of goals or getting many assists. Don’t know his excact stats but that’s what I remember from his first season under LvG.LvG made the man a central mid I think, just like he gave Mullers career a boost, reason why Muller might also come to United.
Wow, I see he has 5 goals and 4 assists. If United also get Schneiderlin I think it will be Herrera running away with most goals/assists.
among those two i would go with Yaya every time
yeh i’ll go with Yaya