Fantasy Premier League managers, brace yourselves! Are you tired of the same old Salah/Haaland dominance? One FPL expert is boldly going against the grain, and his Gameweek 14 team reveal is sure to spark some debate. FPL General, a seasoned veteran with three top 500 finishes, is sticking to his guns and building a team without the two biggest hitters in the game. Buckle up, because his strategy is about to be unveiled.
Gameweek 13: A Glorious Uprising
"I love you, Phil Foden!" FPL General exclaims. "What a Gameweek! The most enjoyable I’ve had for years!" It sounds like a fairytale, right? Well, it was! Forget damage limitation. This was pure, unadulterated FPL joy. While many managers were pinning their hopes (and chips) on a Haaland Triple Captain bonanza, FPL General steered clear, and the FPL gods rewarded his bravery. A green arrow catapulting him up 2.2 million places? Unheard of!
He admits to briefly considering a goalkeeper swap – Nick Pope out, Gianluigi Donnarumma in. But ultimately, the allure of captaining Foden, replacing Antoine Semenyo, proved too strong. He trusted his gut, the classic FPL move, and it paid off handsomely. "Triple Captain was on my mind for a day or two last week, but it felt risky enough just going with the regular captain. I’m not sure yet who’s going to get that chip, possibly Bukayo Saka at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in Gameweek 16."
The Rank Revolution
Over the past three Gameweeks, FPL General has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround, almost halving his overall rank from a daunting 6.9 million to a respectable 3.6 million. And here's the kicker: Haaland's relative lull in form – scoring just once and even missing a penalty – has been a key factor. "Haaland scoring just once and missing a penalty over that period has been lovely. I hope it continues! Joachim Andersen will have the Norwegian in his pocket on Tuesday night."
But here's where it gets controversial... Is relying on other defenders to contain Haaland a sustainable strategy? Or is FPL General simply riding a wave of good fortune?
Other notable performances in Gameweek 13 included a clean sheet for Virgil van Dijk, a brace of assists and bonus points for Bruno Fernandes, and more goals for Igor Thiago, who now boasts an impressive 11 goals in 13 league games. "It was good to see Virgil van Dijk finally register a clean sheet. Bruno Fernandes chipped in with a brace of assists and three bonus points while Igor Thiago continued his rich vein of form with a brace against Burnley. That’s 11 goals in 13 league games for the Brentford frontman. As I’ve got no fit Arsenal defenders or David Raya at the moment, I’m hoping Thiago wipes the clean sheet midweek!"
Gameweek 14: The Bus Team in Crisis
The injury bug has bitten hard, leaving FPL General with a squad full of wounded players. "There are wounded troops all over the place. The Gameweek 16 free transfers top-up can’t come quickly enough! I’ve only got one free transfer this week and £0.2m in the bank. Help!"
His immediate concern is replacing the injured Ismaila Sarr. The frontrunner? Yankuba Minteh of Brighton. "My first instinct when Ismaila Sarr picked up his ankle injury was to replace him with Yankuba Minteh this week. At the time of writing (Monday night), that’s the most likely transfer for midweek. The Brighton and Hove Albion winger has been great this season, and I like the next four fixtures for the Seagulls (AVL/WHU/liv/SUN)."
The allure of Brighton's upcoming fixtures is undeniable, but FPL General is also considering Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest. Anderson would free up cash for future transfers, but Minteh's higher upside is proving hard to resist. "The alternative I’ve been weighing up is Elliot Anderson at Nottingham Forest. He would free up funds for future moves, but I’m leaning towards the more exciting, upside-chasing pick in Minteh. There are loads of good options in this price bracket with the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Dango Ouattara and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. I can’t afford Declan Rice."
And this is the part most people miss... Are managers overlooking the value of budget-friendly midfielders this season? Is focusing on premium attackers a flawed strategy?
Rather than selling Sarr, other options would be to let go of Gabriel Magalhaes or Chris Wood, but he thinks the midfield transfer makes the most sense. He also intends to roll with Pope and Dubravka in goal until Gameweek 16.
The Captaincy Conundrum
Finally, the all-important captaincy decision. The options are plentiful: Saka, Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo, Foden, and even Jean-Philippe Mateta are all in contention. "Then comes the captaincy call. It could end up on any one of Saka, Bruno, Bryan Mbeumo, Foden or Jean-Philippe Mateta. If there’s Manchester City team news before the deadline, I’ll be tempted to stick with Foden after his heroics in Gameweek 13, if it’s confirmed that he’s starting. Otherwise, I’ll go elsewhere. If the deadline were in five minutes, I think I’d switch it to Bruno Fernandes. Great fixture, penalties, minutes monster, DefCon capable and set-pieces. He’s got it all in his locker. That’s where I’ll most likely land. The fact that United don’t play until Thursday night is another factor."
Ultimately, FPL General is leaning towards Bruno Fernandes, citing his favorable fixture, penalty duties, and overall potential. But the key takeaway is the importance of staying flexible and reacting to late team news. Will he stick with Foden or go with the more reliable Bruno? Only time will tell.
What do you think of FPL General's strategy? Is he right to fade Salah and Haaland? And who would you captain in Gameweek 14? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below!
