Down to my final decision
Kulu and Haaland
Or
Mahrez and Kane
I'm wrecking my head now, looking at a 4-3-3 with Jesus, Kane and Haaland up top, lose Cancelo and Ederson but I'm not completely opposed to this lol:
Raya
Trippier TAA Zinc Dalot
Salah Rashford Neto
Kane Haaland Jesus
Ward Pereira N.Williams Bailley
Wouldn’t worry too much about EO personally. It’d be more the 3 premium thing that would give me fear.
See my 4-3-3 above, do you think it's too unbalanced?
Too much Arsenal?
Getting closer to the end product.
If Iversen is introduced at 4m and looks to be a starter he could be in and Riccardo back to Trippier
I do. We’ve been given an absolute bounty of premium potential 200 pointer options in defence between 5.5 and 7.0. I think you’ve sacrificed it to fit in both 3 strikers and 3 premiums.
Im not going to tell you how to do your team, but at least experiment by changing Kane to a 4.5 mill and see what you can get from that 7 mill.
I don't see the point in gambling on differentials early doors myself, so I'll play it (relatively) safe for the first few GWs I think. Meet Templatey McTemplateface.
Ederson | 4.0
TAA | Cancelo | James | Gabriel | Neco W
Salah | Mount | Martinelli | Neto | Andreas
Kane | Jesus | Archer
I have some concerns over James and the Chelsea defence in general, but he can be easily swapped out for A.N. Other.
Thats about as template and safe as you will come across, but its still hard to knock any of it.
First draft. I always like to make a draft 3 or 4 days in advance and then tweak it closer to the time. I have 0.5 left in the bank so can upgrade to a 5.0 GK or maybe upgrade a defender so all suggestions welcome. I will be using the WC in GW9 at the latest so fixture swings aren't an issue. This is what I'm on at the moment:
GKs - Meslier & Klassen. An 8.5m combo that doesn't have bad fixtures in the first 8 GWs. Probably relying on save points to a degree but want to put money into my outfield 10.
Def 1: TAA. No comment necessary!
Def 2: Ruben Dias. Yes, he is not Cancelo but he is 1m cheaper. He missed games last year but still got 18 CS, 2 goals and 5 assists.
Def 3: Zinchenko. Will start for Arsenal and could end up in Midfield.
Def 4: Cash. Not 100% on this and might use the 0.5 to upgrade. He has good fixtures however and an attacking threat.
Def 5. Neco. 4.0m starter who will only be used in an emergency by me.
Mid 1: Salah.
Mid 2: Luis Diaz. At 8m can see him being a steal.
Mid 3: Mount. 11 goals and 11 assists last season, I think he is being overlooked.
Mid 4: Martinelli. A bit of a risk but very attacking and Arsenal have been flying in pre season.
Mid 5: Andreas. Similar to Neco, cheap as chips and will only be used in an emergency.
For 1: Kane. It's him or Haaland. Kane wins out due to being the 'known' commodity.
For 2: Jesus. Guaranteed starter with an eye for goal. Can see him being a hit.
For 3: Archer. I don't like picking non playing players, but for an 8 week stretch i can live with one.
Formation is obviously 4-4-2. I'm not a fan of 5 at the back, I think the structure looks very inflexible, but I accept that is a personal viewpoint not shared by everyone.
One thing I'm looking at is maybe Bailey in for Martinelli and upgrade Meslier, maybe to Ederson, but I'll think about that a bit more.
Tear it apart!
Looks good. If you do downgrade Martinelli to Bailey, I’d use the million to go Cancelo over Dias. His attacking returns probably have a bigger upside than Ederson over Meslier.
This is my team atm. Going without Haaland is a risk and he may well end up in my team yet out of fear.
I get what you are saying about Cancelo, but Dias missed a lot of time injured last season, which hopefully won’t happen this season. Based on points per minute played Dias would come out at 189 points last season (v Cancelo 201 points) if they had played the same amount of minutes. It’s a very rough metric I know, but it gives me pause as to whether Cancelo is worth the extra 1m. Dias had 2 goals and 5 assists last season which isn’t shabby.
I don’t think we can ignore the fact that Cancelo only scored one goal last season from an xG of 4.54. If you think it’s because Cancelo is a cr*p finished and will continue in that vein then you’re on the right track, but an extra 3 or 4 defender goals and the bonus points that come with that would change things hugely.
any feedback on my team:
edit: I was wrong! You've got Salah so I wouldn't worry to much about not having Haaland.
It was looking incredible until I seen no Salah.
Not telling you what to do but going without Salah is too risky for me.
Martinelli + £2million would be my choice over Saka. Would allow you to go Dalot to James or Dias.
Steffen Iverson? Sure he must be 50 at this stage, limited minutes off the bench at best I'd say.
I'm going with Dias over Cancelo too I think. The extra million allows me to get Ederson as well. Cancelo will probably outscore Dias over the course of the season but I'm happy enough to start with that pair.
Pretty settled on the following, 0.5m in the bank:
The main thing I'm considering is:
1. Digne + Mount
vs
2. Dias + Grealish (or anyone for 7.5m)
Thoughts?
Iversen and Ward will be nice to double on if they bring Iversen in at 4.0.
Man, I had Solanke in a draft at one point and then came to my senses!
Latest draft & not too far off I think.
Only switch could be Sancho out. For that spot I’ve tried to not rely on teams already with 2/3. I could replace with Rashford maybe if he remains I’ll this week.
No, this is a young Danish keeper, Daniel, spent last season on loan at Preston
Pretty much the same but with Walker/Rashford in for Sancho /Williams
The 5 at the back temptation is strong
Second Draft. Any feedback appreciated...
Sa (Gazzinaga)
Cancelo, Zinc, Robertson (Cash, N. Williams)
Frazer, Bailey, Salah, Mount (Milivojevic)
Jesus, Kane, Watkins
I'm not too gone on James or Chilwell now. Chelsea are being linked with both a RWB & LWB. Too much rotation risks there, and pre season has not been great for them.
I have Grealish in midfield, and my only City attack. But kinda not feeling that pick right now. A move up to Foden would mean that I'd have to go Cancelo -> Dias. Or Saka -> Martinelli / Sancho, which I'm less inclined to do.
Yep , can't bring myself to go no Salah .
its the big gamble i'm taking. I've gone with Kane & Haaland instead.
Very happy with my team
Ederson (Ward)
James, TAA, Cancelo, Zinchenko (N.Williams)
Neto, Diaz, Salah, Bailey (A.Pereira)
Jesus, Kane (Greenwood)
1 million in the bank, ok subs and will move to Haaland from Kane if needs be, but not for first game.
Current draft, not sure on double Chelsea defence so think I might sell James and upgrade my 4.5 forward. Happy enough with the rest I think
Mendy
TAA, Cancelo, Trippier, James
Salah, Saka, Rashford, Bailey
Haaland, Jesus
Ward, Andreas, N Williams, 4.5 fwd.
