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The 2022-23 Premier League season is almost upon us. It's about time one creates their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) team or at least prepares a draft. The FPL craze is real, and each year this number keeps increasing. Once you are into it, FPL can be very addictive.
If you are new to FPL and not sure how to form a team or confused about when to use the chips; worry not, for you have come to the right place.
Here are some tips, tricks, do's/don'ts and a few guidelines to follow when it comes to making your team.
How to select players for my FPL team?
First things first. If you are new to this, your very first question will be, "Right, I have signed up, read the rules, ready to play, but wait, who should I select for my team?"
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At the beginning of the season, we have the least amount of information available. On top of that, the transfer window is also still open.
It is safe to say that this is the worst time to take risks. You don't want to do anything out of the ordinary. It’s time to stick to the basics. This means selecting the players that are 100% sure to start, looking at the FPL history of those players and also keeping an eye on the fixture list; at least for the first few game weeks.
You don't want to have a setback so early in the season that you start playing catch up with your mates right from the beginning.
Another piece of advice is to choose players who can earn multiple points. For example - while selecting your defense, you want to have players playing for teams that concede less, meaning more clean sheet points, but also players that score goals/provide assists - like full-backs.
Select players that are penalty takers, set-piece takers, score and provide assists at the same time. This is the easiest way to earn maximum returns from a single player.
When should we use our chips?
This is the most important weapon in your arsenal. Using it too soon or leaving it too late is a waste of a chip. Wait for the perfect time. Patience is key.
The game gives us two wildcards, a bench-boost, a free hit and a triple-captain as chips.
As this is a special season due to the World Cup happening in the midst of the season. We have to use our first wildcard by Gameweek 16, that is, just a week before the Premier League breaks for the Qatar World Cup.
Remember, we get unlimited transfers during the World Cup.
As for the other three chips, they should always be used in the second half of the season - when there's a double gameweek/ blank gameweek. Having chips saved for such occasions comes in handy.
Alright, I know how to select my players and also understood when to use the chips, any other pointers I should be aware of?
Right, once you have picked your team, keep the following pointers in mind:
1) Wait until the very end to make transfers each week. Why? Because this means you have all the necessary information available. All the pre-match conferences have taken place, and you know which player might have picked up a knock / is sick, resulting in being sidelined for that gameweek. Again, patience is key.
2) Continuing from the last point, avoid "kneejerk" transfers. For example - a player might have just scored a brace and you think you need to have him in your team. Stop! Take a step back and look at the player you are going to remove for him. Compare the two players - their upcoming fixtures and their record up until that gameweek.
There are surprises in FPL, no doubt, but that doesn't mean you transfer players based on the last few gameweek points. No. The FPL is about chasing next week's game points.
3) Again, continuing from the last point, always look at the fixtures. Transfer in players who have a good set of gameweeks ahead of them. This is bound to reap rewards.
4) Avoid taking risks just for the sake of it. You need to play the game in the simplest manner possible. Sounds boring, right? But this is what will give you maximum points. For example, when selecting a captain, select the most obvious choice. The time to take risks will come towards the end - based on your mini-league/overall rank.
5) Avoid choosing players from "your" club. Club loyalties and FPL do not go hand-in-hand. You will have to choose players from your rival clubs to get the maximum returns. When it comes to FPL, there can be no room for any sort of sentiment towards "your" club. Period.
6) Not all great footballers are great FPL assets. N'Golo Kante is a world-class player, but when it comes to FPL, the harsh truth is that he will not make it to my team. He is not going to be on the scorecard often, and winning duels, keeping the ball, passing, etc. do not win you points.
7) We are allowed one free transfer every week. Doing more than one transfer will attract a penalty of four points. Is it worth doing that extra transfer? Will it pay off? This is for you to decide. Avoid making unnecessary transfers as much as possible.
8) Set reminders before each gameweek. You may want to wait as long as possible to make transfers, but not long enough before the deadline has passed. An alarm on your phone seems like the best way to avoid this.
9) Stats are important when it comes to FPL, especially the xG stats. The expected goal stats are not perfect, but they are the closest we have at the moment.
10) Do not be influenced by teams that you see online - their players, their choice of captain, their strategy. They are mostly one-week wonders and quickly fade away. Stick to the basics.
At the end of the day, FPL is nothing more than a game you can play with your friends. Yes, people spend hours and hours devising their perfect team, their formation, looking at the fixtures list and it can be very addictive.
It certainly makes watching the matches more interesting/stressful, as you may see it.
If you are a beginner, play the game with your mates, have a laugh or two over it when you meet, and discuss how a certain player saved your gameweek, but never disclose your strategy. It may be a game, but you play to win (well, at least your mini-league). Give it a go and you'll be hooked to it in no time.
