RADIO
The RotoBaller Soccer staff gathers around the penalty box for their weekly FPL roundtable discussion. This week, the team discusses the main questions surrounding Gameweek 29 of the 2021-22 Fantasy Premier League season.
Welcome to Gameweek 29, Rotoballers! This season, we are expanding our soccer coverage to include the great game of Fantasy Premier League. So, if you are a seasoned veteran, or a rookie navigating your first campaign, we will set you right as we look to acquire those weekend-making green arrows and avoid the doom and gloom of a red arrow.
As Brighton welcomes Liverpool to Falmer Stadium, the action kicks off at 7:30 am Eastern on Saturday, March 12. Therefore, our lineups will lock at 6 am Eastern, and then we strap ourselves in for 13 games of FPL magic across five days. In Gameweek 29, some of the games to watch are the battle for Europe between Man United and Tottenham, Crystal Palace looking to complete the (surprising) season sweep over Man City, and Arsenal looking to solidify their chances of Champions League football with matches against Leicester and Liverpool.
Also, be sure to check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the team gets you all set for every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS perspective.
RotoBaller FPL Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 29
The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers - Euan Leith, Jamie Steed, Brandon Wampler, and Phil Goyette - will answer questions each Gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So without further ado, let's kick off Gameweek 29!
Did Gameweek 28 produce a green or red arrow for your FPL squad?
- Euan Leith: 91 points and a tiny green arrow. No Phillipe Coutinho really stung.
- Jamie Steed: Thanks to a late decision captaining Phillipe Coutinho over James Ward-Prowse, I ended with 92 points and a lovely-looking green arrow.
There are 10 weeks left in the FPL season. How many chips do you have left, and do you have a strategy to deploy them?
- Euan Leith: Heading into Gameweek 29, I have the Bench Boost and second Free Hit in the armory. However, I'm using the Bench Boost this week, having played my Wildcard last weekend. So I'm saving my second Free Hit for Gameweek 33 or 36, depending on how the schedule falls.
- Jamie Steed: I've still got my Bench Boost, Triple Captain, and Free Hit to go. My Triple Captain will just be used when one of my best-attacking players has two 'easy' games, my bench boost will be used when I have a fully healthy squad, and the Free Hit I'm tempted to use in Gameweek 30 when we only have four games.
Another double gameweek is upon us. Who is your favorite defender, midfielder, and forward to ride for two matches?
- Euan Leith: TAA and Robbo will be the clear favorites from a Liverpool defense, but Virgil Van Dijk has looked very threatening from corners and is slightly more nailed in their starting XI with so many games on their schedule. In the middle, it's hard to fade Mo Salah, but there's a case to be made for running with Sadio Mane or Son Heung-Min as a money-saving tactic. And upfront, it's all about Harry Kane at the moment. So after this gameweek, I'm deploying a 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 for the rest of the season, and he's the one.
- Jamie Steed: I'm probably leaning on Liverpool, who faces a struggling Brighton offense, so Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson appeal there. In midfield, Bukayo Saka is in great form again and gets two home games (albeit one is against Liverpool). And up front, I'm leaning Harry Kane, who is in great form, has the aforementioned Brighton team and a Manchester United team in disarray right now.
Chelsea came out strong in Gameweek 28. However, they have a couple of games to reschedule after a blank gameweek in 30. So would you hold them for the rest of the season, no matter what?
- Euan Leith: Reece James reminded the FPL world what an exceptional talent he is on Saturday with an 18-point outburst. Unfortunately, he's already injured again. Rudiger is right there too, but not as attacking, so he relies on Chelsea keeping clean sheets. Meanwhile, I can't invest in any of the midfielders or forwards because of the rotation risk.
- Jamie Steed: Not 'no matter what,' and I'm still not sure anyone outside of Thomas Tuchel is able to name their starting XI week to week. But Kai Havertz is in excellent form and seems the safest and best play week on week.
Who's keeping a clean sheet this week?
- Euan Leith: It took a wonder strike from Inter Milan to get one shot past Allison in 180 minutes of Champions League football. I don't think Brighton has the capability to match that on Saturday in 90 minutes.
- Jamie Steed: Allison is the clear standout option for Liverpool along with Hugo Lloris, both facing Brighton.
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan Leith: Is there a more in-form defender than Matt Doherty from Tottenham right now? The 30-year old has 32 points in the last two gameweeks and has a crack at Manchester United and Brighton in a double gameweek. At $4.7 million and a fixture in blank Gameweek 30, he's worth a two-week punt while he's playing the best football of his life.
- Jamie Steed: Providing Takehiro Tomiyasu is still out, Cedric Soares is a nice play given Leicester City's struggles against set-pieces and his corner kick duties (along with an open play threat). The usual suspects (Alexander-Arnold, James, and Cancelo) are still viable as well.
- Euan Leith: Give me all of the Harry Kane I can afford. He's playing incredibly good football in the second half of the season. With Spurs out of all competitions, he only has the league and a couple of leaky defenses in Manchester United and Brighton to focus on in Gameweek 29.
- Jamie Steed: Mo Salah is the easy option having a double-gameweek. He's faced Brighton and Arsenal a combined 19 times in the EPL and has 13 goals in nine assists. Expect those numbers to be added to.
What are your transfer plans heading into this Gameweek?
- Euan Leith: Thanks to the Reece James injury news, he is replaced by Matt Doherty from Spurs. A double gameweek, a game in 30, and in the form of his life means he goes right into the starting lineup.
- Jamie Steed: I already have seven players with two games (four defenders and a goalkeeper) this week so have ousted Wout Weghorst for Che Adams in the hope Watford put in a repeat of Thursday and take a pasting away from home.
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan Leith: Mo Salah hit the post twice on Tuesday night versus Inter Milan, and it feels like a points avalanche is on the way for the Egyptian King. However, I have an ominous feeling he will sit the Brighton game on Saturday to save some juice in his legs for a pivotal match versus Arsenal on Thursday. This was a long, roundabout way of saying I'm going with a differential and giving the armband to Harry Kane with two tasty fixtures.
- Jamie Steed: Mo Salah is the chalk and makes the most sense. But I'm still playing catch-up, so I might pivot to one of the Liverpool full-backs.
Finally, what's your bold prediction for this week?
- Euan Leith: I think Mo Salah sits on Saturday and FPL Twitter erupts. Results-wise, I'll gamble on Raphinha making amends for his underachieving performance against Leicester with a double-digit haul against Norwich as Leeds get back on track with a win.
- Jamie Steed: I’m backing Aston Villa to get something from their trip to West Ham United and also have a sneaky suspicion that Newcastle United leaves London with at least a point following their game with Chelsea.
Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on Twitter @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
