In this article…
Mo, Mo, Mo! After Salah’s performance again this GW, did you really expect anything other than a salah/Xmas pun? Most of us already own him, but the real question is over the festive period while you are opening presents and having your third pudding(like me) how will you ever keep up with it all? Well luckily we’ve got you covered and are here to guide you through all those critical next moves, GW17 fallout and beyond. This is the best place to find all the essential information you need to know, to continue your march towards top spot in that work league!
You can also follow our Fantasy Premier League Football Tips throughout the season for gameweekly insights and opinions.
The 24/25 season is well underway, and our experts are continuing to roll out their Premier League predictions, so now is the perfect time to get involved. We will remain across all the action on the continent, the EFL, and in Scotland in our various Football Betting Tips & Predictions, with fresh tips available here on Andy’s Bet Club every day.
⚔️ Gameweek 17 Review – 68 Points (60 Average)
One man team. I’m sure this is the case for most managers this GW if you own the Egyptian King. I feel like at this stage, we should skip my and many other managers defensive haul (or lack of). Raya (3pts) conceding wasn’t ideal, but the extra save points were welcome and as for the rest…they scored a combined 3 points, not much defence going on evidentially.
Midfield was distinctly average, however when you don’t doubt the King by owning and captaining, then its never a low score in the middle of the park. A whopping 21 points, doubled to 42 which rescued, not only my midfield, but quite frankly my entire team.
Up top the move from Jackson to Isak in the last 4 GW’s has been an actual nightmare, I’ll be glad to see the back of him and a few others in the New Year. Cunha (9pts), scored and received all 3 bonus points again but with an impending ban coming up, do I hold him through it and change him out in the short term?
📋 Gameweek 17 Captain Recap
Each week so you know @FplVeteran is doing the demanding work for you, we revisit key decisions from last weeks review. This GW for the first time, we review my captain choice. The best captaincy decision hands down, I’ve had for the last few seasons & it could have been more! But hey, I will settle for the 42 points.
✅ The Best 3 Transfers IN for Gameweek 18
🇳🇴 Erling Haaland – Man City (£14.8m, 34.5%)
Ok, so why is he still in the Transfer in section if he didn’t score? Well, he’s dropped in ownership by another 5% and has also dropped in another £0.1 value, yes you guessed it team: maximum opportunity! If you think about it, nothing has changed too much. Haaland is still world class, Man city still need to score and win (more now than ever) and they’re next 5 opponents concede a large number of goals. Everton, Leicester, West Ham, Brentford, and Ipswich, none of them keep clean sheets and quite often concede more than one.
I accept the fact that Haaland has now blanked a crazy 6 games in a row – but you can’t tell me he won’t rekindle at least some form by the new year. The one quite large sticking point, is the price right? If you have some spare cash laying around due to the emergence of (even more) value midfielders such as Rogers, Amad, Kluivert and Enzo; then carefully think about bringing him back. If cash is not an option at this time of the year, until the likes of Cunha and Isak stop scoring on a regular basis then probably better to sit and wait. FPL changes on a whim though, and if you told me Haaland would be the No.1 player transferred in over the next three fixtures then I wouldn’t be one bit surprised.
🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (£13.5m, 65.6%)
Last GW I stated he is a must own.,,nothing has changed. If anything, this weekend’s performance has solidified to any doubters that did remain, just how they need to get him at all costs. Last GW I spoke about the fact he will most likely beat his best season ever, that is now almost a foregone conclusion when he’s in this astronomical form. I had his seasons record up in the Captaincy selection part of my article and I feel the need to reinforce it. If you have ever played FPL for longer than a few seasons, you will know that Salah throughout the season’s has been devastating on the pitch and on the points. This IS the best version of him…ever! So whatever grandiose plans you have for the Xmas period, include Salah in them … even if it requires a -12 move!
🇸🇪 Alexander Isak – Newcastle United (£8.9m, 36.6%)
I’m not going to sugarcoat this one, this transfer out for me 4 GW’s ago has and will be the worst transfer for me this season. At the time I took him out, it didn’t look likely he would play, mainly because Eddie Howe’s press conference said he was a doubt. Any FPL manager worth his salt knows at this stage, whatever Howe says, is literally a complete lie; not very helpful for FPL I concur!
I know that when Isak is in the Newcastle team, they score more and more often than not, its him that finishes it, which we certainly seen at the weekend with a hattrick V Ipswich. You’ll see from the comparison that the numbers don’t look too far away from each other, but that’s one of the keys of this game, owning the right player at the right time. After the second double digit haul he got against Leicester, I dug my heels in when I should have fixed the original mistake. Yes, Isak is injury prone, and Newcastle have not looked even close to the CL spots this season but … when he plays he scores he is simply that good. Transfer him in now and inevitably when he does become injured, act accordingly.
❌ The Best 3 Transfers OUT for Gameweek 17
🇸🇳 Nicolas Jackson – Chelsea (£8.3m, 29.5%)
From the graphic above you will see its close, from the graphic below you will see it’s not. Not only does Jackson trail Isak in literally every single metric but even the ‘eye test’ is significant. Isak is more clinical, takes more shots, scores more in the minutes played, more passes forward and created, through balls, the list goes on and on.
In a team such as Chelsea’s, it has to be the right kind of game in order for Jackson to flourish, and I don’t like owning a player that can’t do it against the minnows as well as the big boys. It’s a greater advantage to own a player that contributes much more to the team than just scoring goals and the fact Jackson doesn’t result in him being at risk of benching’s, especially over this busy period. Let’s not forget Chelsea have almost 2 players in every single position, vying for a starting spot. My opinion is to remove for Isak..just find the extra £0.6m.
🏴 Bukayo Saka – Arsenal (£10.5m, 34%)
The injury did not look good at all. With Arteta’s adverse ways in the press conference, in not just bending the truth but in straight up lying I did not expect to give you an update before I published this, but luckily we have one. Saka has a hamstring injury and looks set to be out until at least February, not good…not good at all. Arsenal’s title hopes will take a serious dent with this blow but in the short term transfer him out to avoid the same fate happening to your FPL team.
I don’t usually advocate an early transfer in or our but when you have early information ensure you act on it. Transfer him out sooner rather than later but decide carefully who to bring in. If you don’t have Salah already obviously get him but if you’re stuck in who else to transfer in remember, fixtures are king (especially those against Southampton).
🇪🇸 Pedro Porro – Tottenham (£5.5m, 28%)
Conceding 6, conceding 4, conceding 3, you would think this is the form of a relegation threatened team. Perhaps if Tottenham didn’t have the calibre of strike force they currently own, then maybe. So entertaining to watch but I’m not sure the fans share the same sentiment for the gung-ho at all costs attacking play, even if they are 3 -0 up.
For a defender in FPL they need a clean sheet to have any chance whatsoever of attaining bonus, for Porro currently bonus points are a pipe dream. Considering players complete a game with 2 points, if you owned him this GW you only scored a measly -1. I know Ange Postecoglou from his time at Celtic and as stated below he just will not change his match approaches. It frustrates me because if he tapered off when up by a few goals then Spurs could be a force this season, but he won’t. That only means one thing if you own Porro … many low and quite possibly negative scores and at £5.5m its not even a decision, transfer out immediately.
Top Tip – Bit of a self-plug here but with the busy festive period its easy to get lost in all the tinsel and wrapping, and not keep up to date with FPL matters. Keep your work to effort ratio to a minimum by following my article every GW (and X page) to get all the vital information fast with many different transfer/captaincy options, depending on your style of play. Leaving you to sit back, relax and enjoy the eggnog, instead of having egg on your face when you start that freshly injured player.
🦸 Gameweek 18 Captaincy Selections
🇪🇬 Mohamed Salah – Liverpool (£13.5m, 66.5%)
It doesn’t matter who he plays, in this form you shouldn’t take the risk and move your captain armband to an alternative for GW18. Salah demolished Spurs with 21 points away from home so imagine the possibilities playing at Anfield to a Leicester side who have just conceded 3 to a sorry looking Wolves side. No point in continuing to list the points in why he is the best captain…he IS the best captain.
Alternative Captain Options
No chance I change my Salah choice but there are a few other outsiders to consider. Jesus V Ipswich, considering his from last GW, Bruno V Wolves though pretty risky, Bowen(or any West Ham player to be honest) V Southampton or a Man City player to return to form V Everton(Home).
Top three for me this GW: Salah – Bruno – Bowen
👁️ FPL Veteran’s Vision and Verdict
A good looking GW18 team, with many players at Home. 2 FT’s and £0.3m in the bank leaves me not too much room to pivot but pivot I must. Robertson has outstayed his welcome too long and I need to transfer him out in order to release the funds tied up in him (£5.9m).
You would think I would fix my initial error with Isak in, but I’m looking further afield. Gabriel Jesus V Ipswich is entertaining me, though quite possibly it’s just the rum Christmas pudding taking affect. The key points to hit over the Xmas period is ensure you have 11 playing players and a strong bench and that’s what I will most likely do.
Robertson to Timber and bank a transfer is the most likely outcome, but stay tuned, it could easily change.
Conclusion
For my final GW18 team and football insights/analysis throughout the 2024-2025 season. Look out for my special articles and follow me on X @FplVeteran_ for daily fantasy football content.
Written by an Andy verified content writer
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