FPL Updates XI – Gameweek 4 Tips – Fantasy Premier League Tips

Who doesn’t love the International break! Well, everyone actually. Just as you get going in the Fantasy Premier League you get hit with that and left with no option but to watch games like Gibraltar v Greece just to get your footy fix. Ok, maybe that’s just me. The one positive is that we have been able to re-assess the FPL Updates XI after a fairly disappointing gameweek 3. 40 points just doesn’t cut it so big decisions have been made.

Before we get to that, let’s have a little peak at how the FPL Updates XI scored those points:

FPL Updates XI

There have been more disappointing picks in our team over the first 3 weeks than positive, but our backline has been fairly pleasing all in all. Unfortunately we got in wrong with our keeper as Fraser Forster started over Eldin Jakupovic and was outscored 4pts to 2. I’ll whisper it but the Hull stopper is starting become a little favourite of mine. He’s no Jack Butland, but I’m enjoying having him in the team.

The back 3 was made up of John Stones, Luke Shaw and Leighton Baines. John Stones has yet to score higher than 2pts, but I’m confident points will follow once the Manchester derby is out of the way. Luke Shaw on the other hand looks to be a must own defender this season. 19pts so far shows exactly the quality he has and the positive impact Mourinho has on defenders in FPL. Leighton Baines the 3rd defender and I don’t recall ever being so annoyed at a 7pt return from a defender. His missed penalty ‘assist’ meant he actually only scored 7 instead of the 11 if it had gone straight in. Not including the inevitable bonus. We all know the FPL is a business built on ‘ifs and buts’, BUT that was a bloody pain in the arse. The small positive is that at least he is in the mix for penalties.

Our midfield was woeful aside from Eden Hazard. Poor returns from Anthony Martial, Andros Townsend and Dusan Tadic cost us and have done the last couple of weeks, but once again it was the Chelsea man to save us. His goal and maximum bonus returned 11pts and ensured that he is 1 of only 4 players to score or assist in each of the first 3 games. With that said, his ownership of 32.5% actually looks quite low.

Our front 3 was an absolute disaster. Shane Long had come in for Andy Carroll and once again blanked. His pre season hype losing momentum every week. Andre Gray followed up his impressive performance against Liverpool with a blank against Chelsea, but it was captain Sergio Aguero that left us most disappointed. Before last week I’d have thought you’d have more chance of seeing Andre Gray at an Elton John concert than seeing Sergio Aguero blank when City score 3 in a game, but it happened.

So following a poor week, the transfer window closing and Sergio Aguero doing his best Marouane Fellaini impression we have pulled the trigger. In comes the Wildcard!

To be honest, this has always been the base plan, but an accumulation of factors have cemented the decision. Below are all the transfers made

Fraser Forster (OUT) – Ben Foster (IN)
George Friend (OUT) – Gareth McAuley (IN)
Erik Pieters (OUT) – Ben Davies (IN)
Gerard Deulofeu (OUT) – Yannick Bolasie (IN)
Anthony Martial (OUT) – Alexis Sanchez (IN)
Andros Townsend (OUT) – Etienne Capoue (IN)
Dusan Tadic (OUT) – Sofiane Feghouli (IN)
Andre Gray (OUT) – Romelu Lukaku (IN)
Sergio Aguero (OUT) – Zlatan Ibrahimovic (IN)
Shane Long (OUT) – Christian Benteke (IN)

With enough transfer activity to keep even Jim White excited, we are ready to go for gameweek 4. There were high hopes for our mid range midfielders, but they have been very poor. I still feel they will perform this season but given the upcoming fixtures and some question marks over starting places the moves have made.

FPL Updates XI

Remember when we wrongly benched Eldin Jakupovic last week, well we are possibly doing the same again. We start Ben Foster over him.

Our back 3 sees Gareth McAuley start for his first game in FPL Updates XI colours, meaning we have a defensive double up with West Brom. Something I thought I would never say. We prefer him to John Stones and Ben Davies this week though. Luke Shaw is at 75%, but with no Sergio Aguero and Mourinho renowned for tightening up big games we go with him. Leighton Baines obviously starts too. Sunderland offer goal threat but will allow Baines plenty opportunity to bomb forward whenever he wants.

Our midfield now has a new big hitter. Missing out on Alexis Sanchez‘s 16pts last gameweek hurt but we all know he is one of only a handful of players capable of huge returns any given week, so he just has to be owned. Apart from Chelsea in gameweek 6 the run of games up to gameweek 10 for Arsenal are as pleasing to the eye as Emily Ratajkowski’s Instagram feed. The only concern this week is how late he is back from South America. Alongside the Chilean are fellow new boys Yannick Bolasie and Sofiane Feghouli. The Everton winger showed glimpses of what he can bring to Everton last match and given that he is cheaper than the other Everton midfielders he is in. Feghouli has been passed fit for this week and we haven’t forgotten that pre-season hype. An injury didn’t help but there aren’t many better at 5.4m, especially given West Ham’s upcoming matches. Last up is captain Eden Hazard. He will be looking to improve on his 25pts so far and faces a Swansea team that have conceded 4 in their last 2.

Up top it is all change. 3 in 3 out. With the suspension to Sergio Aguero we have a little extra cash to spend. We want plenty of that invested up top in preparation for his inevitable return. So in comes Zlatan Ibrahimovic. We haven’t owned the big Swede this season but he will relish the Manchester derby and then follows that with Watford. So if he does well then great, if not we have a fairly easier transition to bring Aguero back. Christian Benteke is in too. His move to Crystal Palace makes all kinds of sense and with a very favourable next 3 and an ownership of just 4% he is in. Let’s not also forget that Yohan Cabaye missed his penalty last match so Christian Benteke may be left in charge of spot kick duty. Last up is a must have in my eyes. No team has a more appealing next 4 games than Everton so Romelu Lukaku is in. We have tripled up on Everton but it is the big striker we feel is the one to have. Sunderland, Middlesborough, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace next should ensure he gets us some points. Given the amount of wildcards called in this week I’m stunned that his ownership is only 7.9%.

So that’s the wildcard team. It seems that there are more viable options this year than ever before. When I was scrolling through the midfielders I felt like I was on Tinder working out who to give a ‘Super-like’ to. So much appeal and so many decisions to make but you can only pick a few.

We are looking for some serious bouncebackability because 40pts just isn’t good enough and I feel this line up gives us this. Both myself and FPL Updates are about for any last minute help or advice so feel free to let us now and good luck to all. Fingers crossed for a return of those beautiful little green arrows!

Written by FPL Guru (@FPL_Guru_)

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