Welcome to Insanely Football’s Tips and Dilemmas blog for GW17 of the FPL 2022/23 season. This blog will break down all the popular Dilemmas FPL managers have this week and help you maximize your points for FPL GW17.
Link to all our FPL Gameweek 17 blogs including Confirmed Double Gameweek announcements, Initial GW17 Drafts, Teams and Players to target, Predicted GW17 Lineups, Differentials, players to target, fixture analysis, Captaincy metrics, transfer trends, and more. Completely free to access as well!
The blog is written by Insanely Football. Do subscribe to his Youtube channel Insanely Football for more FPL-related content. You can also follow him on Instagram for daily FPL updates.
Let’s dive right into it. We will start with the first one.
FPL GW17 Tips- Preview and Dilemmas Answered
This is always a question when you are building your team for Gameweek 1 of the new FPL season, and this FPL restart can also be looked at similarly. Depending on your team value, you can go for two or three premiums (threemium) in your FPL team.
The relevant premium players are Kevin De Bruyne and Salah in midfield, and Kane and Haaland among forwards. Assuming everyone is going with Haaland as one of the premiums, it comes down to whether your team value allows for two premiums, and if yes, which ones.
For example, going with Salah and KDB will likely mean letting go of value among midfielders/forwards. You may be unable to afford an £8m midfielder slot or a slightly more expensive forward like Darwin Nunez.
The other direction is going with one of KDB/Salah and going with Kane. Having Kane in your team means you are investing heavily in forwards, and choosing a third expensive forward becomes almost impossible. Here, the advantage you get is in midfield with the ability to go for an £8m MID and a host of options.
There is no right or wrong answer here, depending on which combination you think will score more. I am in the two premium camp, which is the safest way to play as you can get a more balanced team. It also means I can go more balanced in defence with picks like Cancelo and Trippier. I can even punt on James (if fit), have an £8m midfield spot and have the chance to go attacking with Nunez.
Regarding premium options, you can go with Haaland plus KDB if you are unsure about Foden’s minutes. This is the safer combination, as I feel KDB will have higher ownership than Salah. If you don’t want to take chances and want to protect your position and rank, Haaland plus KDB looks like the right play.
The more attacking play, though, is going with Salah, as his point ceiling looks higher than KDB’s. De Bruyne is more creative and is a safe option, but Salah playing centrally, will have more goal threat and has hattrick potential. Doubling Salah with Nunez looks excellent overall.
Harry Kane, if viewed individually, is an excellent FPL option, but like KDB, his ceiling is slightly limited. Plus, there is potential to cover the Tottenham attack with Kulusevski providing you with an £8m MID slot in your team. Don’t get me wrong, Kane is not a bad option; it’s just that I feel Salah and Nunez can be more explosive FPL picks.
Further Read: A Guide To FPL GW17 Team Structure With Drafts | FPL Restart
2) Are Chelsea attackers worth targeting from GW17 onwards?
Chelsea has an incredible fixture run coming up, facing all three promoted teams in the next three gameweeks. Gameweek 20 is also a double gameweek, but one of the games is against Man City, which can prove to be quite challenging. Still, the fixtures look solid for Chelsea’s attack. Chelsea’s attacking numbers have been quite average, and the team ranks only 15th for xG (expected goals) for the 2022/23 season.
Their top scorers are Havertz and Sterling with three goals each, which is Chelsea’s main problem. There are no standout options in attack. Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling are realistic options in midfield, so if you are risking it, you can look at either of them.
Sterling is expected to start in attack but hasn’t returned since Gameweek 5. On the other hand, Mount has only returned in three games, the last being in Gameweek 11. The underlying stats for both these players are poor too, but they give way to other options in this price range. Suppose Mount and Sterling don’t work out. In that case, you can switch to players like Foden, Saka, Maddison or even Kulusevski if you are looking for a differential.
Other players like Aubameyang or Havertz can become options later, but for now, it’s just Mount/Sterling worth considering. And even both of them are risky punts that may not work. Without any form, you will just be going for them based on fixtures and hoping they return.
Further Read: Best FPL GW17 Drafts with Fixture Analysis & Players to Target
3) What to do with Man United players Ahead of FPL GW17?
Man Utd has had a mixed season, starting erratically and slowly picking up the pace. After winning against teams like Liverpool and Arsenal, they lost to Man City after conceding six goals. Then they won against Tottenham before losing to Aston Villa, conceding another three goals.
Erik ten Hag will be hoping to get some consistency in their results if they aim to finish in a Champions League spot. The first three fixtures for Man Utd are all against struggling defences (NFO, WOL & BOU) before two trick games against MCI and ARS.
If you are looking to attack in the short term, getting Man United players can be the way to gain rank.
I am worried about their defence, though. Martinez may not be back in time for GW17, and a possible injury to Varane means Maguire and Lindelof are likely to be the CBs. There are injury concerns with Dalot, and if he is also out, then betting on the Man Utd defence may not be worth it. With all this chaos, you can still look at Luke Shaw. We know he is attacking and can be a great budget option (£4.8m) for a premium team defence.
Coming to midfield, there are a couple of good options to note here. We still don’t know how Fernandes will fare now that Ronaldo has left the club. There are chances he plays closer to the goal. He can even play a more withdrawn role. Right now, this is a bit of an unknown, and I feel risking it with Fernandes feels a bit too much.
Instead, you can look at Rashford (£6.7m) as a budget option in midfield. He had a good World Cup campaign and is likely to play on the left side of United’s attack. He looks back in a good rhythm, and I expect him to play most of the upcoming games. If you are willing to take a punt in midfield, there is Antony (£7.5m). Like Rashford, I expect him to start most of the coming games, and he can provide a great way to gain ground on your mini-league rivals.
If you are looking for a second/third striker in your FPL team, Martial is one to consider. He is owned by 2.5% FPL managers and is an excellent differential among forwards. I don’t think he will start all three games in quick succession, but there are high chances of getting attacking returns even from the bench. He is an excellent option if you want to bet against the Mitrovic owners(Mitrovic also a doubt for GW17) and are not convinced by Darwin Nunez.
Further Read: Best Midfielders To Consider For FPL GW17 | Price Point Wise
4) Is investing heavily in defence and going big at the back a good idea?
Investing heavily in the defence and going ‘big at the back’ was a popular strategy at the start of the 2022/23 season. But, because of players like Trent and Robertson not firing and options like James and Chilwell getting injured, this strategy has not worked out for FPL managers this season.
Should we again invest heavily in defence with most players back and acting as potential FPL options?
The league’s best defences, Newcastle and Arsenal, have only managed to keep seven clean sheets this campaign. Even Man City has managed to get only six from their fourteen games. Most FPL managers will have a player from the abovementioned teams, the most popular combination being Cancelo, Trippier and one of Saliba/Gabriel/White.
The fourth and fifth defender options are two places you can go in different directions. It depends on your risk appetite and how much you are willing to go against the crowd. You can go for options like Trent/Robertson and even Reece James if he is fit. If you decide to go ahead with these picks, you must see the sacrifices you are making in other areas of the pitch, if any.
If your team value is high, it shouldn’t be a problem, but if it is not, you will most likely make sacrifices in midfield with a mid-range/£8m midfielder spot. I feel options like Martinelli, Rashford, Almiron or even the £8m MIDs like Foden, Saka, Maddison etc., represent more value than the premium defenders.
Also, the lack of clean sheets for premium teams doesn’t provide a lot of confidence. We are still unsure about how strong Liverpool’s defence will be posting the break or whether Chelsea will start keeping clean sheets now. These are unknown quantities for all FPL managers. Rather than going for these high-price defenders like Trent/Robertson/James etc., you can look for more value in midfield.
If you want to catch up on rank, then going with one of these premium defenders is the play. Reece James, if fit, can be the pick of these options with good fixtures coming up. If we start seeing Liverpool keep clean sheets and Trent/Robertson’s attacking form improving, they can also become options.
But if you want to play safe at the start, it is more of a wait-and-watch situation. You can go into GW17 with a few popular players having good fixtures until we have more information to act on.
Further Read: Best FPL GW17 Defenders to Target from Each Price Range
5) Which is the best Man City triple-up to get into our FPL GW17 teams?
Man City has been the best attack in the Premier League this season. Their defence is up there, too – ranking 2nd only after Newcastle and Arsenal (joint first). Fixtures in GW17 and 18 are great, plus City also has two double gameweeks in GW20 (MUN & TOT) and GW23 (AVL & ARS).
It only makes sense to triple up on Man City players from the start. The assumption here is that one of the slots is Erling Haaland. More than 80% of managers in the game own him, and rightly so.
Now, talking about the other two slots, there are three realistic options. Among defenders, Cancelo is one to consider. Yes, he costs a lot of money (£7.4m), but he looks like the most nailed option in the City backline. His underlying stats show some regression from last year, but he is owned by more than 50% of FPL managers and is worth keeping if you want to play it safe.
Other potential alternatives in defence are Akanji and Walker, as they are the most budget picks. Minutes could be an issue for both, as some rotation can occur in one of the centre-back & full-back positions. With Ruben Dias out for a month, the pairing of Laporte and Akanji can become the first choice, but the presence of Stones makes this spot a bit tricky. I will still go for Joao Cancelo as my preferred pick if you are looking for a safe and solid defensive Man City player.
Coming to midfield, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden are the standout options.
If you are looking for the more nailed option, KDB is the one to consider. He has played the most minutes among all outfield players this season, and that looks to continue. One thing to note is that after Haaland’s introduction to the team, De Bruyne’s role has become more of a creator than a goal scorer. His chance creation and overall creativity numbers are elite, but his goal-scoring potential has come down. That means he is now less explosive and chances of getting hattricks and double-digit hauls are far less than before.
If Foden can get regular starts, he can become a more valuable option than KDB. We have seen that Foden is a goal-scorer, but minutes can be his biggest problem. He was benched for three of the last four games when he had no injury concerns, which is a bit worrying.
The safer play is to go KDB from the off and try to get Darwin Nunez to cover off the Liverpool attack if you can’t get Salah. The slightly more aggressive option is to go for Foden to cover off the Man City attack and hope he starts the upcoming fixtures.
Suppose we see other options like Mahrez, Palmer or even Grealish starting and doing well. In that case, they can also be potential picks in midfield, but for now, it’s just De Bruyne and Foden.
Further Read: Man City GW1-16 Review & Best Man City FPL assets from GW17
6) Is having an £8m Midfielder spot necessary?
Since the start of FPL this season, there has been a considerable debate around the £8m midfield spot. But I would take a step back and ask myself, is it required?
The presence of many good options, like Saka, Mount, Foden, Maddison, Kulsevski etc., is an excellent strategy to keep a spot open and play the best player according to fixtures. The other argument is with cheap enablers like Almiron, Martinelli, and Rashford in play; you can overlook the £8m price point and go for value instead.
With how most FPL teams are valued right now, you can easily afford two of these three to four budget picks. I feel an £8m midfielder can also be accommodated. Not having one at the start will most likely lead to additional transfers in the future, which can be avoided.
Another crucial point to consider is what you do with the additional money you save when you go for more budget options in midfield. For example, upgrading a £4-4.5m defender or upgrading a cheap striker. Or just getting more attacking and slightly premium picks in your team, it logically makes sense to let go of the £8m midfield spot.
There are high chances that most of the £8m mids do well and outscore the cheaper midfield options. Considering we are looking a bit long-term here, going for one at the start and switching based on performance looks like the optimal play.
It is always easier to downgrade this spot to a slightly budget one if we see an option emerging rather than the other way around. It may be tough to upgrade to an £8m midfielder as you will have to make a few extra transfers by taking some money out from your defence or attack.
Having one spot in your team helps you retain the structure in midfield and rotate players accordingly. It allows you to play safely in the beginning by going for options like Saka or Maddison. You can even go aggressive from the start and take a gamble by going for Foden, Mount or even Kulusevski to gain rank. Check out- “Detailed Comparison of 8.0 Million Midfielders based on Stats, Fixtures“
That will be all from my side for this week! All the best for Gameweek 17, and I will see you next week.
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Check out my ‘No Salah’ and ‘Three Premium’ Drafts for Gameweek 17.
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Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW17
Drafts and Fixture Analysis/Players to Target
Best FPL GW17 Drafts with Fixture Analysis & Players to Target
FPL Players and Teams to Target from FPL Gameweek 17
A Guide To FPL GW17 Team Structure With Drafts | FPL Restart
Five Must-Own Players to Have in your FPL GW17 Team
Best FPL GW17 Upside Picks from Teams Outside the ‘Top 7’
Dissecting The Twitter FPL GW17 Wildcard Template Team
Hot topics & Must-Read Content for FPL GW17
Latest Injury news and Press Conference Updates for all 20 teams at one place
FPL GW17 Scout Picks based on Stats and Matchups
FPL GW17 Differential Picks To Consider(<10% TSB)
Fantasy Premier League- Expected Goals Allowed(xGA) Table GW17-23
Top FPL Gameweek 17 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
Fantasy Premier League- Expected Goals(XG) Table GW17-GW23
FPL GW17 Tips- Preview And Dilemmas Answered
Position Wise Analysis
Best FPL Goalkeepers to Consider From FPL GW17 | GK Analysis
Best 8 Million FPL Midfielders Comparison ahead of FPL GW17
Best Forwards To Consider For FPL GW17 | Price Point Wise
Best Midfielders To Consider For FPL GW17 | Price Point Wise
Best FPL GW17 Defenders to Target from Each Price Range
Team Previews
Man City GW1-16 Review & Best Man City FPL assets from GW17
Best Newcastle Players to Consider from FPL GW17
FPL Gameweek 17/FPL Restart Stream
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General FPL GW17 News and Updates
FPL GW17 Restart- Confirmed Double GWs, Injuries & Suspensions
FPL GW17 Ultimate Guide: Tips, Differentials, Captaincy & More
Link to all our FPL GW17 blogs including Fixtures to target, Predicted GW17 Lineups, Differentials, Captaincy metrics, transfer trends, and more. Completely free to access as well!
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What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 17 of the 2022/23 FPL Season?
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