Fantasy Premier League: Faith in Haaland diminishing, Salah's stock rising
The discussion related to the captaincy is heating up. FPL players are pinning less and less hope on Erling Haaland (14.0), and there are more and more tempting alternatives emerging.
This is very good for the game and the competition because after all, it is through the choice of captain that the most can be gained or lost - we can all admit that everyone playing with the same one was a bit boring.
So, it's time to ask the key question.
Who to captain?
Why are people turning away from Haaland? Because the Norwegian is not performing miracles so far this season. He is still the top scorer in the league and the main striker of the most dangerous team, but the braces and hat-tricks have dried up.
He scored against Brighton last time out but, for the record, Mohamed Salah (12.8) scored twice on the same day, and people clearly took note. Haaland is not a bad option for the armband, but others are worth considering now.
Chief among them is the aforementioned Salah. The Egyptian didn't play an outstanding game in the previous round, but that didn't prevent him from scoring twice. A penalty kick and a counter-attack in the final minutes ensured that players who entrusted him with the armband could open the champagne. This weekend, Liverpool play at home against Nottingham Forest, a team that look more likely to battle relegation than fight for a top-half finish. The chance of Salah scoring big again is therefore very high.
The same can be said for Bukayo Saka (8.6), but the Englishman is not such a guarantee of points. He only recorded one assist in last week's encounters with Chelsea and Sevilla, but he will play at home against Sheffield United on Sunday, so a better return can be expected. One suspects that a lot of players would have opted to give him the armband had Salah not been in such form and had an easy match himself, but given he does, in this round players looking for a replacement for Haaland are more likely to choose the Egyptian.
Who else could be opted for? If you want to take a risk, you could bet on Heung-Min Son (9.5), James Maddison (8.1) or Ollie Watkins (8.3). The first two play at Crystal Palace, while the Aston Villa striker will face Luton. If such an experiment succeeds, you will certainly see climb up your leagues, as it is unlikely too many players will opt for such options.
Movements on the market
Some weeks don't see too many transfers, while others create real earthquakes in the lineups. Before this round, the changes may not be as noticeable but are nevertheless worth analysing. In FPL, you always have to stay on top of things.
When the season started, Haaland was in more than 90% of the squads. This figure held for a long time and then gently, almost imperceptibly, began to drop. Now, however, the decline is evident; at the time of writing, 85% of players have him in their lineup. This means that Haaland's owners will gain more from his points, but also that the Norwegian's possible small gains will be more painful for them.
At the same time, we can see a significant increase in those fielding Salah. At the start of the season, 2.2 million players had him, but this round, at least 4 million will. One suspects that many players are unable to fit them both into their line-ups and, able to choose only one, opt for the in-form Salah.
It is also worth noting the huge drop in possession of Manchester United players. At the start of the season, Marcus Rashford (8.7) and Bruno Fernandes (8.3) were very popular options, and now they are a burden to those still left with them. Both are now owned by around 15% of players and that will only go down as we have the Manchester derby in the next round. If any of you are left with either of these players in your squad, I would strongly recommend investing in another name at their expense.
Who to buy
A week ago I suggested some rather obvious players to you, so this time you need to look for some more left-field options. Most of you will probably not be persuaded by these picks, but maybe someone will find something for themselves.
Ben White (5.6) - The Englishman has played all 810 minutes in the Premier League this season and his team has kept four clean sheets in nine rounds. He also has a goal and an assist. What may be discouraging in his case is the price, as he is unfortunately a fairly pricey 5.6 million considering the position he plays. On the other hand - he is an absolute certainty to start for one of the best teams in the league. He doesn't look likely to miss a game in the Premier League, and he can add something in attack in the coming weeks when Arsenal play against weaker opponents.
Anthony Gordon (5.7) - Harvey Barnes (6.2), Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy all have injury problems, while Gordon is enjoying one of the best periods of his career. He has three goals and four assists to his name and a fairly secure place in the squad. Unfortunately, he's also picking up a lot of yellow cards, but he's already been suspended once, so he's a long way from another ban. Newcastle's schedule may discourage you, but at this price, it's hard to find someone more interesting.
Evan Ferguson (6.0) - After a hat-trick against Newcastle, the Irishman has gone five appearances without a goal or an assist. He has looked uncomfortable in recent games, as if he doesn't fit in with his team. Brighton still have high hopes for him, however, and the injury to Danny Welbeck (5.8) means Ferguson should play a lot now. His next opponents are Fulham, Everton, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest, so he could find some form again.
Filip Novak (11Hacks chief analyst)
Gabriel Martinelli (7.7) - Arsenal players are the most discussed transfer targets this week, whether it's Saka, Gabriel or Gabriel Martinelli - it's no surprise as Arsenal play against Sheffield United, Newcastle and Burnley in the next three rounds, with home games against the relegation battlers. Their schedule also looks great going further forward, even for the next 10 rounds. Saka is still the safest option, but buying Martinelli makes sense if you want to double Arsenal's offensive output, can't afford Saka but want an Arsenal attacker in the squad, or don't want to lose Son, through whom the way to get Saka often leads.
Kostas Tsimikas (4.5) - Andy Robertson's (6.5) injury has unexpectedly opened up an opportunity for FPL managers to get the Greek defender cheaply. While the Liverpool defence is not yet perfect, the chances of it keeping a clean sheet have increased dramatically recently. On top of that, Tsimikas also offers a lot going forward - In his Liverpool career, he has accumulated around 1,900 minutes of Premier League play, during which he has generated a 5.36 xA rate, which he has converted into six assists. He often creates good chances in the penalty area with his crosses and, although he has yet to score himself, this may soon change.
Simon Adingra (5.0) - For anyone looking to put both Haaland and Salah in their lineups, or for some other reason are needing a very cheap and regular midfielder, there are two very good options. One is Cole Palmer, and the other is Simon Adingra from Brighton. While Chelsea's schedule is not ideal in the short term, Brighton will be playing against a large number of opponents whose defences are not the strongest. Due to the high number of injured players at The Amex, Adingra has been a prime candidate to play on the right for some time and could become a great option in FPL.
Radim Horák (one of the best Czechs playing in the FPL)
Gabriel Magalhaes (4.7) - Arsenal play a home game at home this term against Sheffield, who are last in the table. The visitors have long struggled to defend situations from fixed passages of play and allow their rivals to make the most of headers on their own goal. After a disappointing start to the season, the Brazilian has returned to the Canaries' first-team squad and his price tag has dropped to 4.7 million. I believe he will not lose his place in the first team again, and given Arsenal's schedule and Sheffield's weakness at defending fixed passages, he is an interesting option for this weekend and the rest of the season.
Kaoru Mitoma (6.5) - Roberto De Zerbi's charges have had their first really difficult season with a very tough schedule, plus Europa League matches. They have not won their last three games in the Premier League, but will now play against Fulham before travelling to Goodison Park to play at home against Sheffield Wednesday. Despite the fact that the Italian manager likes to change his line-up, the Japanese has only once failed to feature in the Seagulls' starting eleven, and he has scored two goals while coming in from the substitutes' bench. He is the most reliable and scoring option among Brighton's offensive players. At a price of 6.5m, you have to take advantage of a schedule like this.
Callum Wilson (7.8) - It seems almost pointless to recommend Haaland or Watkins, so I will focus on a striker that less than 5% of players have. Newcastle not only lost three points in their Champions League encounter with Borussia Dortmund, but also Alexander Isak (7.5) and Jacob Murphy (4.8). Therefore, it looks like it is Wilson who is now likely to become the first choice in attack. Eddie Howe's men will play away against Wolves next and will try to build on their good form. Most players will struggle to find a place for him in their squad, but if you are looking for a more niche option, Wilson is certainly one.