Gameweek 1 is fast approaching after what seems like forever! With mini leagues being created, bragging rights on the line, it is important to get a good start to the Fantasy Premier League season. Getting the captaincy pick right will also help get a good start to the season, in which this Captaincy Analysis will try and highlight those popular captaincy selections!
So without further ado, here’s the gameweek 1 Captaincy Analysis…
1.Harry Kane (NEW)
It’s always difficult on the first gameweek of the season to choose a captain, but Kane seems like the most obvious captain to choose from. He scored a whopping 29 goals last season, winning the Golden Boot for the second successive season and shown some good form in pre-season. It is unsure how Spurs will handle Wembley, but it shouldn’t stop Kane scoring the goals. An away game to Newcastle is the perfect start for Kane, and its highly likely that he will get on the score sheet. The right captain is needed for the perfect start to the campaign, so Kane may just be the safe option, as he’ll be captained by many for this gameweek. Owned by 35%, however this percentage may change slightly with more players expected to sign up in the final week, making him one of the most popular players on FPL.
2.Romelu Lukaku (WHU)
The Belgian striker made the switch from Merseyside to Manchester in the window for £90 million, which unbelievably isn’t even the most expensive transfer; however the £90 million was warranted, as he scored 25 goals last season for The Toffees, which was only beaten by Harry Kane. He seemed to settle quickly, as he scored 3 goals in 4 games in pre-season. Manchester United will have Pogba in a more advanced role too due to the arrival of Matic, meaning that Lukaku may get more chances. Lukaku is the most popular FPL player, owned by a whopping 49% of managers, so he’ll most likely be the most popular captain choice too. United’s opponents are West Ham, who have also strengthened from last season, however had a really poor pre-season, winning just one game.
3.Kevin De Bruyne (BHA)
In my opinion, De Bruyne is the only “must-own” midfielder on FPL. He’s a point’s magnet, scoring 6 times last season and assisting 21 times for Man City. With City strengthening their attack even more, it’ll mean that more of his chances created may be scored. De Bruyne is also arguably the only Manchester City player that is nailed on to start too, making him more reliable. Man City play Brighton away in gameweek 1, which will be a difficult fixture, but City are fully expected to get the win due to how good they were in pre-season, specifically against Spurs and West Ham.
Differential – Christian Benteke (HUD)
I’m surprised by how much Benteke has been overlooked for gameweek 1. He scored 15 goals last season, which was one of the highest for a forward in the league and his fixtures aren’t too bad either! Crystal Palace take on Huddersfield at home in gameweek 1, a team who conceded 11 goals in pre-season, one of the highest for any Premier League side. Benteke is guaranteed to get minutes as Palace have poor options up front and with Zaha playing alongside him, they could be a deadly partnership this season. Owned by just 9% of FPL managers, if you’re willing to take a punt, the Belgian is the right man for you.
Gamble – Alexandre Lacazette (LEI)
Lacazette is a gamble for a few reasons. Firstly, Arsenal have a lot of options up top to choose from, Welbeck, Giroud, Sanchez, Perez and Lacazette. Lacazette will be the one who should start the most, however his minutes may be limited, especially if Sanchez comes back earlier than expected. He disappointed many in the Community Shield, and his pre-season wasn’t great either. It will take him time for him to settle down at Arsenal. The Gunners are also missing key players such as Ozil, Ramsey and Sanchez who can all create chances for Lacazette and will be missed for gameweek 1. In addition to this, a captain choice on a Friday is always risky!
Written by Bonus FPL (@BonusFPL)
