FPL: Time for Change?

Fantasy Premier League. It’s the game that we all love, yet simultaneously hate. Each week, we watch intently, cheer and scream over Premier League action, often over players most people wouldn’t know the name of. The fact that it evokes so many emotions and keeps us engrossed in the Premier League is what makes it so great.

However, there are certain aspects of the game that need changing. Just like football tactics and strategies evolve over time, so should FPL. Doing so will keep the game fresh and keep players interested, as well as attract newcomers.

After much deliberation, here are five changes that we think should or could be made to FPL.

Please note that we are not saying that all five changes need to be made, and they appear in no particular order of importance.

Point Scoring

It has been said for a while now that the current FPL scoring system is not properly reflective of all the actions accomplished on the football field. In only awarding points for minutes played, clean sheets, goals and assists, some players, especially non-attacking midfielders, are disadvantaged. As a result, top class footballers such as N’Golo Kanté, Rodri and Rúben Neves are pooled in the same category as players like Douglas Luiz.

So, to reward all kinds of players for their quality, not just attacking players, the FPL point scoring system should be reformed.

Here is how we think FPL points should be allocated:

- For playing less than 60 minutes (1 point)

- For playing more than 60 minutes (2 points)

- For each goal scored by a defender or goalkeeper (8 points)

- For each goal scored by a midfielder (7 points)

- For each goal scored by a forward (6 points)

- For every clean sheet by a goalkeeper or defender (must play at least 60 minutes) (4 points)

- For every clean sheet by a midfielder (must play at least 60 minutes) (1 point)

- For every 3 shots saved by a goalkeeper (1 point)

- For each penalty saved by a goalkeeper (6 points)

- For each goal assist (4 points)

- For each last touch assist (2 points) (see next section of article)

- For each 2 shot assists (1 point)

- For each 2 shots on target (1 point)

- For each 60 successful passes (2 points)

- For each 3 successful tackles (2 points)

- For each 7 clearances, blocks, or interceptions (2 points)

- For each 8 recoveries (1 point)

- For every two goals conceded by a goalkeeper or defender (-1 point)

- For each yellow card (-1 point)

- For each red card (-4 points)

- For each penalty miss (-2 points)

- For each own goal (-2 points)

Assist Allocation

There has been a huge problem with FPL assist allocation for many years.

The current FPL assist rule states that:

Assists are awarded to the player from the goal scoring team, who makes the final pass before a goal is scored. An assist is awarded whether the pass was intentional (that it actually creates the chance) or unintentional (that the player had to dribble the ball or an inadvertent touch or shot created the chance).

If an opposing player touches the ball after the final pass before a goal is scored, significantly altering the intended destination of the ball, then no assist is awarded. Should a touch by an opposing player be followed by a defensive error by another opposing outfield player then no assist will be awarded. If the goal scorer loses and then regains possession, then no assist is awarded.

If a shot on goal is blocked by an opposition player, is saved by a goalkeeper or hits the woodwork, and a goal is scored from the rebound, then an assist is awarded.

This rule is highly problematic though, as it allows for too much room for interpretation and subjectivity. It also allows for outrageous decisions to be reached.

For example, back in the 2015/16 season, Gerard Deulofeu crossed the ball to Romelu Lukaku from inside the right side of the box. On the way to Lukaku, the ball flicked off Gareth Barry’s heel. Lukaku then scored, and Barry was subsequently awarded the assist.

Another example occurred in the 2018/19 season in the Cardiff vs Wolves game. In the 77th minute, Bobby Reid took an optimistic shot from outside the right edge of the box that was blocked by a Wolves defender. The ball then rebounded to Junior Hoilett, who, unbeknownst to Reid, was standing 15 yards behind him. From the rebound, Hoilett curled the ball in, scoring an absolute screamer, and Reid was awarded the assist.

To account for instances such as these, we propose that ‘last touch assist’ points should be introduced to FPL. Last touch assists would be less points that normal assists. In the above examples, last touch assists would be awarded to both Barry and Reid. This is because they did provide the last touch before the goal, but they did not directly create the chance leading to the goal.

So, here is when both assists and last touch assists would apply:

Assists:

- When a player passes or crosses the ball to the goal scorer and the ball is not touched by any other player

- When a players shoots, passes or crosses the ball and a teammate or opposition player touches the ball, without altering the original intended destination of the ball

Last touch assists

- When a player shoots, crosses or passes the ball and it significantly rebounds off a teammate, opposition player, or the woodwork, to another player who scores off the rebound

- When a player inadvertently touches a ball that is shot, crossed or passed by a teammates, without altering the direction of his teammate’s original shot, cross or pass

- When a player’s shot is saved by a goalkeeper and a teammate scores off the rebound

- When a player wins a penalty or free kick that is scored from

Bonus Points

Pretty much every weekend, there is some controversy around the allocation of bonus points. Bonus points are meant to go to the players who perform best and have the most influence in any given match. However, with the current scoring criteria, absurd results have been reached far too many times.

Therefore, to fix the BPS issue, we have two suggestions:

1. Scrap bonus points entirely

2. Award bonus points based on man of the match ratings. A committee of five FPL employees/experts could be formed. After each match, the committee would votes on a 3, 2, 1 basis for who they think the three best players of the match are (3 being the best). Once all votes are cast, the three players with the highest accumulative votes will be awarded bonus points in a 3, 2, 1 order.

Chips

The introduction of Chips into FPL has been quite divisive, with some players loving them, and others hating them. However, it appears that the Chips are here to stay. An argument against the Chips is that a manager’s entire season can come down to the correct use of their Chips, which sometimes rewards terrific one week decisions instead of consistent performances.

The answer to this issue could lie not in removing the Chips, but in adding more!

So, instead of having three Chips, Triple Captain, Bench Boost and Free Hit (not including Wildcard), FPL managers should be provided with more Chips. There’s a catch though, throughout the season, only three of the Chips can be used. In doing so, more strategy is involved in Chip use, and there will be greater diversity amongst FPL managerial decisions.

For example, FPL mangers could be able to choose three Chips from the following list:

- Triple Captain – your captain gets triple points

- Bench Boost – your bench players score points for your team

- Free Hit – you can make unlimited free transfers for one round, and at the end of the round, your team reverts to the pre-free hit state

- All-Out Attack – you can play 2-5-3 formation

- Maximum Captain – the highest scoring player in your starting side is automatically selected as your captain

- One Week Only Rolling Deadline – instead of having a round deadline one hour before the start of the first game, you will be able to make changes to your team up until five minutes before each game of the round

Player Position Classification

This is the most ‘out there’ suggestion, and thus the least likely to occur. Indeed, it would significantly change the entire game of FPL. However, we will bring it up anyway.

Anyone remember Ultimate FPL? Well, this suggestion is similar to that, but with some twists.

Instead of players being classified as goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and forwards, player classification could become more specific.

For example, players could be classified as:

- Goalkeepers

- Fullbacks

- Centre Backs

- Centre Midfielders

- Wingers

- Strikers

Then, a quota for each position could be introduced. Here, each FPL team would need two goalkeepers, three fullbacks, three centre backs, three centre midfielders, four wingers and three strikers.

That would create new 18 man FPL squads, corresponding with real EPL match day squads. For each gameweek, FPL managers would still have to select a starting 11 in one of the following formations: 3-4-3, 3-5-2, 4-4-2, 4-5-1, 5-3-2 or 5-4-1.

Furthermore, ‘dual position’ players could be created. These players would be those who play in more than one position in real life, so could be swapped between positions in FPL. For example, Marcus Rashford would be classified as a WNG/ST dual, as he plays both as a winger and striker. Moreover, someone like Matt Ritchie would be a WNG/FLB.

Again, this change would be controversial and unlikely to occur, but it has the potential to make the game more interesting.

Thanks for reading. If you have any other suggestions for changes to FPL, comment below or reply to us on Twitter – we’d love to hear them!