FPL experts' ULTIMATE squad for the opening Gameweeks
13 Aug 2024
The world's top Fantasy Premier League managers combine to pick a dream line-up for the opening Gameweeks ahead of the Gameweek 1 deadline on Friday 16 August at 18:30 BST.
Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily): With Sam Johnstone (£4.5m) out of favour and linked with a move away from Crystal Palace, Henderson looks set to start in goal. At £4.5m, he's great value and Oliver Glasner had Palace well-drilled defensively at the end of last season. Keep an eye on the transfer market though, with a couple of Palace's key defensive players potentially leaving the club. That might change my opinion somewhat.
Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily): Budget is really tight in this squad and so Henderson will be our "set and forget" goalkeeper. With no plans for a Bench Boost early on in the season, there is less need for a second starting goalkeeper. Turner is in to make the budget work, but it could be any £4.0m goalkeeper. Picking a low-owned £4.0m goalkeeper is probably the safest option to avoid price drops, which could happen if lots of managers sell over the opening Gameweeks, hurting team value.
Defender Josko Gvardiol (£6.0m)Pranil Sheth (@lateriser12): Gvardiol has had a full pre-season, which is why he should see a lot of minutes start of the season. If he continues in the same left-back role that saw him accumulate four goals and two assists in five starts after Gameweek 33 last season, the upside is very high too.
William Saliba (£6.0m)Gianni Buttice (@GianniButtice): Saliba is the highest owned defender, in 39 per cent of squads, for a reason. A 90-minute man who rarely gets injured playing for the best defence in the league by some distance. We should expect a couple of headed goals from set-pieces from the Frenchman this season, too.
Pedro Porro (£5.5m)Pras (@Pras_FPL): With three goals and eight assists last season, Porro has lots of upside. With Leicester City and Everton in the first two Gameweeks, the potential for points is certainly there, especially considering the £0.5m saving over the Arsenal and Man Ciity defenders. That said, Spurs' vulnerability at the back remains a concern.
Utkarsh Dalmia (@ZopharFPL): Robinson has had an excellent pre-season, with two assists already. Last season only Lucas Digne (£4.5m) and Vladimir Coufal (£4.5m) created more chances among £4.5m defenders than Robinson.
Valentin Barco (£4.0m)Az Phillips (@FPLBlackBox_Az): Barco is the pick of the bunch at £4.0m. He's had a fantastic pre-season, is on corners, is very attacking and most importantly - is a secure starter until Pervis Estupinan (£5.0m) returns from injury.
Midfielders Bukayo Saka (£10.0m)Utkarsh Dalmia (@ZopharFPL): Saka has had a limited pre-season, but looked sharp against Lyon in Arsenal's final friendly. He had nine double-digit hauls last season, the same as Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) and was only behind the Egyptian for non-penalty expected goal involvement among midfielders.
Diogo Jota (£7.5m)Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily): Jota has been arguably THE form attacking player for Liverpool during pre-season, with his work-rate, pressing and shot accuracy seemingly perfect for the sort of centre-forward Arne Slot is looking for. FPL managers have a big decision to make if choosing between Salah and Jota + £5.0m in their FPL midfields.
Eberechi Eze (£7.0m)Pranil Sheth (@lateriser12): Among midfielders with more than 1,000 minutes, Eze was fourth for minutes per shot and was involved in 38 per cent of Palace's goals under Glasner. He scored six goals and provided three assists in 11 games and should now have a huge chunk of set-pieces and will be on penalties too, making him an enticing option at that price.
Emile Smith Rowe (£5.5m)Holly Shand (@HollyShand): Smith Rowe is a great budget enabler to afford premiums in attack and defence. He should start the season as Fulham's main man in the No 10 role, with an attractive run of opening fixtures.
Harry Winks (£4.5m)Pras (@Pras_FPL): Winks is one of the few likely £4.5m midfield starters in FPL - for times when you desperately need those two appearance points. He played in all 45 of Leicester's Championship matches he was available for last season. But with a mere two goals and zero assists, don't expect much else - he's there to help in times of need and enable the budget.
Forwards Erling Haaland (£15.0m)Holly Shand (@HollyShand): Haaland has been the best goalscorer in the league since his arrival two years ago. He justifies his big price tag, and with extra bonus points in the Bonus Points System (BPS) for shots on target this season, he's a viable captain pick every single week.
Alexander Isak (£8.5m)Az Phillips (@FPLBlackBox_Az): Isak was the first name on my teamsheet when the game launched and he hasn't gone anywhere. With a home match against a promoted side in Southampton in Gameweek 1, for a player who I think will build on his 21 goals last season and go on and have an even more fruitful season in 2024/25, Isak looks a straightforward pick.
Dominic Solanke (£7.5m)Gianni Buttice (@GianniButtice): Solanke was already a good £7.5m option as AFC Bournemouth's No 9, but as Spurs' main man up top, it's fair to expect even more from him. He will be even better served at Spurs and rack up the big chances, which should lead to a high goal count again this season.
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