Team-by-team previews: Talking points from the final 13 Premier League teams
The Premier League season starts TOMORROW...
OK, and breathe. We’re nearly there. We’ve survived the hottest two days on record and we’ve survived watching far more Love Island than anyone wants to admit (and I think we can all agree the right couple won).
No more. Because this Friday at 8pm, the Premier League is BACK - and Fantasy Gameweek will be by your side all the way.
Before then, however, there’s the small matter of our final round of team-by-team guides. We’ve already looked at the three promoted sides (here) and the merits of last season’s top four Premier League sides (here).
There are still 13 (THIRTEEN) teams to get through, and it’s vital to properly consider all the potential assets - including any plying their trade at unfashionable clubs. Picking out a diamond in the rough can go a long way to buffeting your FPL season - not to mention providing valuable savings which can be ploughed into higher-quality players elsewhere.
Thirteen is a lot of teams to get through, so we’ll keep it snappy. First up, let’s head to North London.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has been busy, recruiting Gabriel Jesus (FWD, £8m), Oleksandr Zinchenko (DEF, £5m) and Fabio Vieira (MID, £6m) in a busy transfer window.
All could be FPL-relevant in 2022/23, with Jesus in a staggering 74% of teams, Zinchenko potentially operating further up the pitch and Vieira drawing comparisons with Man City whirlwind Bernardo Silva (MID, £7m).
There’s plenty to get excited about among Arsenal’s existing crop of players too. Gabriel Martinelli (MID, £6m) and Bukayo Saka (MID, £8m) in particular are well positioned to benefit from the upgrade at centre forward Jesus should provide.
Don’t forget about Emile Smith-Rowe (MID, £6m) or Eddie Nketiah (FWD, £7m) either - both may not be in your plans right now but they were productive in patches last season. If they force themselves into Arteta’s starting line-up (either due to injury, suspension or form) they could represent excellent value for money in FPL.
Manchester United
Manchester United has been a car crash of a football club in recent years and were almost impossible to trust from an FPL perspective last season.
However, there is just a whiff of expectation with Erik ten Hag in the hot-seat and a pre-season which has been notable not just for their form (including a 4-0 over Liverpool) but the players involved and looking sharp.
Marcus Rashford (MID, £6.5m) looks to be back in favour, a development which will make a mockery of his FPL price tag if he can rediscover anything like his form from the three previous seasons, during which his stats read as follows:
2018/19: 10 goals, 7 assists, 128 points
2019/20: 17 goals, 8 assists, 177 points
2020/21: 11 goals, 11 assists, 174 points
His performance last season (4 goals, 2 assists, 63 points) really came out of nowhere and there is every chance this is the bottom of the Rashford market. And he’s only in 13% of FPL teams at the time of writing…
West Ham United
David Moyes has had a relatively quiet summer, with the arrival of striker Gianluca Scamacca (FWD, £7m) the main addition. We’ll keep our eye on the Italian’s minutes and performances but at the moment he’s too much of an unknown to jump on.
Not so Jarrod Bowen (MID, £8.5m), however, who delivered a sensational 12 goals, 17 assists and 206 FPL points last season.
His price has understandably been bumped as a result, but not as high as you’d expect given he was last season’s 4th top scoring player - ahead of the likes of Kevin de Bruyne (MID, £12m) and Harry Kane (FWD, £11.5m). Given all that, his 7.9% ownership feels low, even with Manchester City and Erling Haaland (FWD, £11.5m) visiting the London Stadium in Gameweek 1.
Leicester City
Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester look a prime candidate for a bounce-back season after an up-and-down 2021/22 campaign.
However, there is uncertainty in the air as I write this with Kasper Schmeichel (GK, £5m) heading to France and James Maddison (MID, £8m) the subject of an aggressive chase by newly minted Newcastle United.
The value of both attacking and defensive assets will to an extent be shaped by how that saga plays out, although Danny Ward (GK, £4m) and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (MID, £5m) could be the low-cost beneficiaries in the short-term.
Brighton
So often an xG dream but a sticking the ball in the onion bag nightmare (read here for more on the strengths and limitations of xG), is there hope for Brighton assets in 2022/23?
Their possession-based game means all of their starting defensive assets have value, particularly against lesser sides. FPL managers might want to see how the Seagulls cope without midfield enforcer Yves Bissouma (MID, £5m) before investing, however, while flying full-back Marc Cucurella (DEF, £5m) is reportedly set to leave as well.
Going forward, we’ve always liked the cut of Leandro Trossard’s (MID, £6.5m) jib. While he has some stiff competition in and around that price bracket, Trossard ended last season in sparkling form and scored twice for Belgium in an eye-catching cameo against Poland in the Nations League. Definitely one to watch.
Wolves
The FPL universe is struggling to contain its excitement at the value-for-money on offer at Molineux this season combined with a particularly generous-looking opening set of fixtures.
There is reason for this fervour, especially after an injury to Raul Jimenez (FWD, £7m) further opened the door to the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White (MID, £5.5m), Daniel Podence (MID, £5.5m) and Pedro Neto (MID, £5.5m).
However, a note of caution - Wolves were pretty average towards the end of last season and losing your most reliable goal threat doesn’t usually result in more goals being scored.
Newcastle
A genuine new dawn on the pitch for Newcastle saw them end last season in sensational form. Expectations from the Saudi ownership, fans and FPL managers have risen as a result, as have the prices of a number of their key assets.
Bruno Guimaraes (MID, £6m) has looked the part from the get-go and was given a relatively free role by Eddie Howe during the last campaign. If that continues in 2022/23, his output could be appealing.
Much of that could depend on the club’s pursuit of Leicester’s Maddison. If successful, the uber-efficient Callum Wilson (FWD, £7.5m) should be one of the main beneficiaries.
At the back, Kieran Trippier (DEF, £5m) looked excellent before getting injured and offers both defensive and attacking potential.
Crystal Palace
A bucket-load of talented players and a progressive playing style under Patrick Vieira mean Palace players are right on FPL managers’ radars as the season begins.
Talisman Wilfried Zaha (MID, £7m) remains the obvious choice and is the top-picked Palace player in FPL.
If you’re looking for a low-cost alternative, Eberechi Eze (MID, £5.5m) is outrageously talented and appears to be fully fit after an achilles injury put paid to most of his 2021/22 campaign.
Keep an eye on the three £4.5m goalkeepers too - whichever wins the battle for the gloves will be a solid option for those looking to shop in that price bracket.
Brentford
Potentially a tough campaign in store for Brentford, who looked in serious danger of slipping towards relegation until Christian Eriksen (MID, £6.5m) joined mid-season.
Eriksen is now a Manchester United player and his departure has to be weighed when considering the merits of Ivan Toney (FWD, £7m).
Bryan Mbeumo (FWD, £6m) flashed at points last season but only had 4 goals and 7 assists to show for it. However, reports from pre-season are encouraging and he certainly has the potential to kick-on in 2022/23.
Defensively, the addition of Ben Mee (DEF, £4.5m) should help shore things up, as will the return of David Raya (GK, £4.5m).
Aston Villa
Villa are another intriguing side with a fairly wide set of possible outcomes in 2022/23. At times they looked like a borderline top-six contender last season, but at others lacking in the consistent quality needed to compete at that level.
Matty Cash (DEF, £5m) and Lucas Digne (DEF, £5m) both offer plenty going forward and will be in FPL managers’ thoughts if Villa can rediscover a knack for keeping clean sheets. The signing of centre-half Diego Carlos (DEF, £5m) from Sevilla is expected to help in that regard, as should defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara (MID, £5m).
Ollie Watkins (FWD, £7.5m) has delivered 14 and 11 goals in the last two seasons and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him push beyond 15 goals this season.
Another FPL twitter darling is Leon Bailey (MID, £5m), a big-money signing last season who has taken a while to settle in but has impressed during pre-season.
Southampton
Which Southampton will turn up in 2022/23? At times last season they were an FPL dream, with Tino Livramento (DEF, £4.5m) and Kyle Walker-Peters (DEF, £4.5m) offering low-cost returns at both ends of the pitch at various points.
However, frustrating inconsistency makes the Saints’ key assets difficult to trust.
Che Adams (FWD, £6.5m) showed signs of fulfilling his obvious promise and has the potential to push towards 15 goals if he gets enough pitch time.
A productive season for Adams would further burnish the already impressive credentials of James Ward-Prowse (MID, £6.5m), the set piece king coming off the back of a campaign where he delivered an impressive 10 goals and 5 assists.
Everton
I know far too many Everton fans - and they’re all worried. Perhaps that’s just the Evertonian disposition, but I get it.
Flare-wielding Richarlison (MID,£8.5m) has gone to Spurs and hasn’t been replaced, Dominic Calvert-Lewin (FWD, £8m) is already injured and even Salomon Rondon (FWD, £5m) is suspended for Gameweek 1.
That could open the door to a former FPL legend, with Dele Alli (MID, £5.5m) expected to start the campaign in a ‘false 9’ role. It’s worth remembering Alli has an 18-goal Premier League season on his CV - albeit way back in 2016/17. Probably one to watch at this point.
Meanwhile, Nathan Patterson (DEF, £4m) is expected to start at wing-back and is far more talented than his price tag suggests. It’s hard to make a case for any other Everton defensive assets given their record under Frank Lampard, however.
Leeds United
This is when we finally find out who Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United really are. It’s hard to imagine they will attack with anywhere near the abandon of Marcelo Bielsa’s side, with a negative knock-on impact on their expected attacking returns in FPL.
Much will rest on whether big-money summer acquisition Luis Sinisterra (MID, £6.5m) can fill the gaping hole left by Raphinha, who departed for Barcelona over the summer after bagging 11 goals and 4 assists last season.
The return of Patrick Bamford (FWD, £7.5m) shouldn’t be overlooked, although his FPL price tag feels a tad rich for a man who recorded 2 goals and 2 assists in 557 minutes of Premier League football last season.
When he returns, keep tabs on Stuart Dallas (DEF,£5m), who has been reclassified as a defender and could once again operate in a roving midfield role.
Thanks for reading. Soon you’ll receive an email with all our pre-season content direct to your inbox, just in time for those vital last-minute line-up tweaks. Don’t forget, the window for making changes to your FPL team closes at 18:30 on Friday.
Let’s go!