Double up on Saka and Martinelli - FPL ideas & staff of the week

It is time to load up on Arsenal property to your Fantasy Premier League staff as they face promoted Leicester and Southampton at residence in succcessive video games, then Bournemouth away.

It is a run that brings again reminiscences of the 21 objectives they scored in 4 video games again in February, so you may need a minimum of one attacking Arsenal participant in your line-up for those who can.

This week’s staff of the week has gone for the triple up, with Gunners talisman Bukayo Saka as captain.

The staff of the week is chosen based mostly on present FPL costs to suit inside a £100m finances, as for those who have been taking part in a Free Hit.

* Luis Diaz’s value elevated from £7.9m to £8m in a single day on Thursday

How did the final staff of the week do?

After a flying begin, it has been two down weeks in a row, with a relatively common 57 factors from last week’s team.

The heartbreak of a 96th-minute clear sheet and bonus wipeout for finances Southampton defender Yukinari Sugawara will take some time to recover from!

And one other quiet week for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah – the place he was once more outscored by Erling Haaland – has me, and sure many different FPL managers, questioning whether or not to carry on to him.

Take heed to the newest episode of the Fantasy 606 podcast here.

Goalkeeper and defence

Mark Flekken, Brentford, keeper, £4.5m – residence to West Ham

West Ham have been actually poor at residence to Chelsea in week 5 they usually’ve solely managed 18 photographs on course this season.

Flekken has additionally made extra saves (28) than some other keeper this season.

Gabriel, Arsenal, defender, £6.1m – residence to Leicester Metropolis

I would go so far as to say Gabriel is the important FPL defender – particularly at one million lower than Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Appears an apparent assertion because the Brazilian is the top-scoring defender and has netted in back-to-back video games.

However it has develop into crystal clear that you would be able to play your Arsenal defenders each week – do not get fancy attempting to dodge awkward-looking fixture runs.

And Gabriel is the best choice as his objective risk is big. His anticipated objectives (xG) in 2022-23 was an enormous 5.04, final season is was 4.48.

Might he rating in a third-straight recreation?

Matthijs de Ligt, Manchester United, defender, £5m – residence to Spurs

Talking of xG, massive Dutchman De Ligt has solely began three video games for United, however he has two clear sheets and a objective.

For those who’ve watched United’s previous two video games, the attention take a look at will inform you he is often getting on the tip of corners and his xG final week at Palace was 0.49.

So, regardless of a tricky match-up at residence to Spurs, De Ligt is a superb worth choose.

James Tarkowski, Everton, defender, £4.8m – residence to Crystal Palace

Everton have gotten to enhance in some unspecified time in the future, proper? This can be a staff that managed 10 clear sheets final season – being defensively tight is supervisor Sean Dyche’s trademark – and their defensive gamers are largely unchanged from 23-24.

Accidents have been a difficulty however Jarrad Branthwaite is more likely to be again this week to accomplice Tarkowski they usually face a Palace aspect who’ve but to carry out at their finest.

Midfield

Bukayo Saka (captain), Arsenal, midfielder, £10m – residence to Leicester Metropolis

This man is about as dependable as they arrive in FPL. A return each recreation up to now however nonetheless seems like he has but to hit high kind.

Why captain Saka over Haaland? This can be a tough name and it is positive to play issues safer with Manchester Metropolis’s star man.

Saka, who scored 16 objectives final season, is an upside alternative and it seems like Arsenal will run riot at residence to Leicester.

Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal, midfielder, £6.9m – residence to Leicester Metropolis

Martinelli’s FPL inventory plummeted final season and he solely has one return in 2024-25.

This can be a gut-feel choose although – the whole lot is in place for the Brazilian to have a very good recreation and provides us a glimpse of 22-23 Martinelli.

Luis Diaz, Liverpool, midfielder, £8m – away at Wolves

The Colombian is flying this season and is even forward of team-mate Salah within the FPL factors chart.

Diaz is outperforming all of his underlying numbers however typically you simply must roll with it, particularly in a staff that may’t afford Salah.

So long as you are ready for a random benching, Diaz is great worth at £7.9m and faces a Wolves aspect who’ve let in 14 objectives up to now this season.

Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth, midfielder, £5.6m – residence to Southampton

A favorite of this column, Semenyo nonetheless tops the charts amongst all midfielders for photographs taken, with 24.

Bournemouth have not scored in two video games – defeats v Chelsea and Liverpool – however they’re a staff who, when the whole lot clicks, might run up a hatful.

They’d 19 photographs on objective in each their earlier video games. Exhausting to see Southampton protecting them out right here if they’ll repeat that.

Bryan Mbeumo, Brentford, midfielder, £7.2m – residence to West Ham

The Cameroon ahead is the most effective worth FPL participant up to now this season.

4 objectives in three video games, with blanks solely in two of the hardest away journeys within the league – at Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis.

Get him in your line-up, play him each week and luxuriate in.

Forwards

Erling Haaland, Manchester Metropolis, striker, £15.3m – away at Newcastle

Hopefully Haaland has calmed down a bit for the reason that finish of the Arsenal recreation and does not go charging head first into any of Newcastle’s defenders.

He hasn’t allow us to down this season and Newcastle’s defensive statistics are worring. They’re backside three for photographs on objective conceded (generally, within the field and on course) in addition to massive possibilities conceded.

Chris Wooden, Nottingham Forest, striker, £6.1m – residence to Fulham

Only a tremendous constant FPL choose in the meanwhile, Wooden has had six massive possibilities this season, which places him within the high 4 (Haaland and Ollie Watkins prepared the ground with 10).

And when he scores he picks up bonus, a cut price at £6.1m.

Subs bench

Hakon Valdimarsson, Brentford, goalkeeper, £4m – residence to West Ham

Flekken’s back-up.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton, striker, £6m – residence to Crystal Palace

DCL let me down final week so has been relegated to the bench. However nonetheless an ideal alternative on this value vary for Everton’s welcoming run of video games developing.

Milos Kerkez, Bournemouth, defender, £4.5m – residence to Southampton

An FPL darling throughout double gameweeks final season, he faces a Saints aspect with simply two objectives up to now in 24-25 and is a risk going ahead.

Tyrick Mitchell, Crystal Palace, defender, £4.9m – away at Everton

A stable alternative with an help in him, and a Palace clear sheet is unquestionably not out of the query.

Complete value: £98.8m

Participant to observe

Tyler Dibling, Southampton, midfielder, £4.5m

We’re at all times looking out for finances midfielder choices and 18-year-old Dibling appears like one other star to emerge from Southampton’s famed academy.

He returned 11 factors final trip and, if he carries on beginning video games, Dibling may very well be the best choice on this value bracket.

Crew to focus on

Leicester Metropolis – Arsenal (a), Bournemouth (h), Southampton (a)

Wanting previous this week’s daunting journey to Emirates Stadium, Leicester have residence video games in opposition to Saints and Forest within the subsequent 4 and their finances choices (Jamie Vardy, £6m and Stephy Mavididi, £5.3m stand out) may very well be price a flyer.

View from Fantasy 606…

Gameweek six is proving a very talked-about week for managers to play the wildcard.

The trick is to attempt to discover these two or three differentials in among the many extra apparent picks of the Arsenal trio of David Raya, Gabriel and Bukayo Saka, in addition to Bryan Mbeumo and the inevitable Erling Haaland.

There’s fairly a number of choices among the many strikers, with Dominic Solanke, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Chris Wooden all coming in at below 10% possession.

I’m additionally eager on getting some extra Manchester Metropolis gamers into my squad regardless of the apparent threat of Pep roulette. Savinho is a large differential and a possible cut price too at simply £6.5m, however I additionally need to have a plan to have the ability to herald Phil Foden if he will get common begins once more.

Antoine Semenyo appears like an excellent short-term possibility for Bournemouth’s subsequent two video games in opposition to Southampton and Leicester, whereas Statman Dave has been recommending Everton’s Dwight McNeil to our listeners as a longer-term prospect in the identical value bracket.

Our supervisor for the listeners’ staff has additionally determined to play the wildcard this week and has spent a lot of the money on Cole Palmer and Ollie Watkins, whereas going for 4 low cost defenders, Harry Winks and Ipswich striker Liam Delap to stability the books.

For those who’d like to return on the podcast to handle the listeners’ staff one week then please ship us an e-mail on [email protected]