Well FPL is back and it certainly didn’t disappoint in the opening weekend of another exciting season. If Mitrovic being benched in the first game of the new season didn’t remind you of the highs and lows of FPL, then I’m sure Salah’s hat-trick on Saturday night did (welcome back, Leeds). As part of my work with @WFC_17 (check the boys out on Twitter), I’ll be providing a weekly review of each gameweek, featuring my ‘Stars’- the top performers of the week, ‘Nightmares’- the biggest flops of the week, and ‘Ones to Watch’- the players who showed a lot of promise; despite not scoring the points in week one.
Stars
Mohammed Salah - 20pts
Who do we reckon for the top performer of the week then? Such a close call.. no, it’s Mohammed Salah, obviously. 3 goals, 9 shots, 88 touches and a MOTM winning 9.88/10 performance (WhoScored). Only one word describes Salah’s mesmerising display against Leeds, magic. Anyone who knows anything about FPL would’ve captained him right?.. eh.. maybe not (cheers Aubameyang). In all seriousness though, anyone without Salah in their side must be questioning their judgement more than ever after Saturday night and I’m thankful I’m not in their shoes, lets put it that way.
Romain Saiss - 15pts
Wolves in general were truly fantastic against Sheffield United on Monday night and showed why they are one of the biggest challengers to the ‘Big 6′ this season. One man, however, had one of the best performances from a defender you’re likely to see in the Premier League this campaign. Not only did Saiss score a fantastic first-half header to all but seal Wolves the three points at Bramall Lane, but he also could’ve easily scored another but for an excellent save by new Sheffield United goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale. On top of Saiss’ goal threat from set-pieces, he also capped off a solid defensive display with a goal-line clearance and the clean sheet to boot- an impressive total of 15 points for the 5.0m defender.
Willian - 14pts
A fantastic performance from the Brazilian against Fulham earns Willian the final spot on this week’s Stars. A player almost always overlooked by football fans and FPL players alike, it was no actual surprise to see him notch THREE assists for The Gunners on Saturday lunchtime, along with one big chance missed and a free kick hitting the woodwork. In doing so, he bagged himself two bonus points and a clean sheet, totalling a 14 point haul - not bad for Chelsea’s ‘leftovers.’ At 8.1m, Willian is still overpriced for me, but this is mainly down to Arsenal’s plethora of wingers with both Saka and Pepe waiting in the wings.
Nightmares
Kai Havertz - 2pts
A pretty horrendous debut from Chelsea’s record signing, if we’re being brutally honest. Losing possession 8 times, having 0 shots and being subbed off with a rating of 6.5 (SofaScore) I’m sure were not in his dreams the night before making his debut. However, I refuse to sit here and judge a player based off of his first 80 minutes of football in the Premier League; playing out of position, away at the Amex, on a Monday Night. If you’re a Havertz owner I’m sure you’re praying Frank starts him in his favoured #10 role behind Werner in the coming weeks.
Sadio Mane - 2pts
There are thousands who made the decision to go with Mane over Salah in their starting squad this season, and to those people, I feel for you. If you tuned in to see Liverpool had scored 4 goals with Mane playing the full 90 minutes, you wouldn’t have quite believed your eyes that Liverpool’s Senegalese star hadn’t contributed with a single goal or assist. To make matters worse, he also lost possession 18 times and didn’t manage a single shot on target.. think you should’ve gone with Salah yet?
Harry Kane - 2pts
To wrap up the Nightmares of week one, we have the Tottenham talisman, Harry Kane. A blank for Kane is certainly not the start the thousands who captained him were hoping for. Despite the blank, owners can be assured slightly by the fact Kane didn’t have a particularly bad game, he did still look threatening. The issue, however, is just how bad Spurs were. For Alli, Son, Kane and any other Spurs attacking assets people have, the future seems bleak unless they show a drastic improvement in the coming weeks- Gareth Bale signing would of course be a huge lift too (unless you own Bergwijn/Moura.. then you’re a little screwed).
Ones to Watch
Richarlison - 2pts
Despite Richarlison’s blank, he earns himself a spot here due to a number of factors. Firstly, despite not registering a goal or an assist, he scored an 8.2 rating (SofaScore), which is very impressive for a blank gameweek. He also managed 7 shots, 11 successful dribbles and missed 2 big chances. Anyone that watched the game owning Richarlison would’ve (after calming down a bit) been comfortable in the knowledge it’s only a matter of time before he hauls- most likely vs West Brom this weekend.
Timo Werner - 5pts
Despite bagging 5 points for his assist by winning the penalty for Chelsea on Monday night, Werner still deserves a spot here as he looked menacing all evening and capable of much more. His runs in behind were a nightmare for the Brighton defence and he managed 5 shots from good areas. As a bonus to Werner’s performance, there’s also the fact he will most likely take over penalty duties if Jorginho drops out of the side to accommodate both Kovacic and Kante. I definitely wouldn’t be transferring him out in a hurry, so don’t panic.
Matheus Pereira - 2pts
Last but not least I’m sticking by a recommendation of mine in the ‘Panning for FPL Gold’ article I wrote a couple of weeks ago. The Brazilian was the shining light for The Baggies on Sunday, managing a 6.7 rating (SofaScore) and looked dangerous throughout. It was obvious if West Brom were to score it would come through him as he managed 3 shots and more touches than any other midfielder or attacker in blue and white. If you own him already, be patient as WBA’s fixtures improve soon, if you don’t, keep an eye on the lad, he’ll come good in a few weeks.
That’s all for this week’s review. As I said earlier, I’ll be writing one of these every week as part of my work with Worldwide Fantasy Club, so be sure to stay tuned for more helpful information and advice every week of this season.