RADIO
The RotoBaller Soccer staff gathers around the penalty box for their weekly FPL roundtable discussion. This week, the team discusses 11 questions for Gameweek 14 of the 2021-22 Fantasy Premier League season.
Welcome to Gameweek 14, 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.
In Gameweek 14, the action kicks off at 2:30 pm Eastern on Tuesday, Nov. 30, between Newcastle United and Norwich. Therefore, our lineups will lock at 1 pm Eastern, and then we strap ourselves in for 10 games of FPL magic across three evenings. The highlights of this midweek slate include big games between Aston Villa-Man City, Everton-Liverpool, and Man United-Arsenal.
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 14
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 11 questions each Gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So without further ado, let's kick off Gameweek 14!
How did Gameweek 13 go?
- Euan Leith: 59 points and a small green arrow. However, my decision to transfer out Jamie Vardy for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was a disaster. I am fortunate the Tottenham game was postponed.
- Jamie Steed: Average points; 44. My points; 43. So a below-average week, albeit marginally.
- Brandon Wampler: Worst week thus far. Cancelo and Ederson both let me down as well as Aubameyang and Gallagher and Son not playing did not help.
- Phil Goyette: Another green arrow! 63 points after a -4 hit and up to 62k overall rank.
Is the 'Always Captain Salah' portion of the season over with four straight single-digit returns?
- Euan Leith: Salah should still be the overwhelming favorite to be your Captain each week, but the effect of his Man United battering is wearing off. Plus, with the African Cup Of Nations around the corner, I can see managers beginning to look elsewhere with the armband.
- Jamie Steed: Yes, I personally haven't captained Salah for three weeks. Despite Everton's recent struggles, I'm not convinced Liverpool will win Wednesday's game.
- Brandon Wampler: No, the Reds are about to get a very friendly schedule which Salah will benefit from.
- Phil Goyette: As long as the vast majority of players keep captaining Salah each week, there's really low risk just to keep doing the same. I don't think this pattern breaks until Salah misses games for the AFCON tournament starting in January.
Who is your favorite differential pick at Captain, if not King Mo?
- Euan Leith: It should be one of his teammates, Trent Alexander-Arnold or Diogo-al Jota.
- Jamie Steed: I'm rolling the dice with Romelu Lukaku. Back from injury, and Watford has been dreadful for the most part. Any Chelsea player is worth a punt as Captain this week. I just hope whoever you go with actually starts the game.
- Brandon Wampler: Son will remain my pivot off Mo, but City has a favorable schedule as well. You just need to find out who will play the most frequently.
- Phil Goyette: Harry Kane is at home to Brentford this week. He has to return at some point, right??
Which goalkeeper is keeping a clean sheet?
- Euan Leith: Chelsea has allowed five goals this season, including a random counterattack from Man United on Sunday and a penalty against Liverpool earlier in the season. Mendy has four clean sheets in his last six games and should easily handle Watford, even on the road.
- Jamie Steed: Lukasz Fabianski. This is more an indictment on Brighton's recent attacking (four goals in their last seven games) form, but West Ham will be keen to get back on track after back-to-back defeats.
- Brandon Wampler: Alisson is, by a mile, the favorite to keep a clean sheet out of all of the clubs playing. Everton is struggling without Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.
- Phil Goyette: While Mendy (Chelsea) and Ederson (MCI) have the best CS% odds this week, I feel like Watford and Villa at home both might score. So, give me Jose Sá for Wolves at home to Burnley.
Who's your favorite £5.5-million defender at the moment?
- Euan Leith: I'll go all the way down to the £4.5-million range and nominate Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. He's rostered in 0.8 percent of FPL squads, but he's scored 29 points in the last four gameweeks with two goals, two clean sheets, and four bonus points.
- Jamie Steed: Kyle Walker is as close to a mainstay as Manchester City has defensively and, despite lacking goals and assists, can rack up clean sheets and is an easy 'start and forget about it.'
- Brandon Wampler: I will cheat with Chelsea's Marcus Alonso for another 0.1, but I would be looking at Everton's Lucas Digne if I had to pick. It seems that he may be eating into Townsend's role on set-pieces once more.
- Phil Goyette: I feel Tottenham's Sergio Reguilón is the best sub £5.5m option. He's been playing in a very advanced position in Conte's system.
Which London duo would you prefer to roster: Arsenal's Emil Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka, or Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha and Conor Gallagher?
- Euan Leith: I may have to straddle the fence here and say to be determined because of Saka's injury. However, if everyone is healthy, I'll take the Arsenal duo. Arteta finally seems to be figuring out the youth movement at the Emirates Stadium, and I'm not as inclined to double up on Palace players right now.
- Jamie Steed: Nothing to do with being an Arsenal fan, but I'd take Saka and Smith-Rowe over the full season, but Gallagher and Zaha this week. Saka's injury at the weekend is a slight concern, but they have both been instrumental in Arsenal's recent form, and one or both always seems to come up with some goal involvement. Unfortunately, Zaha is a bit too hot or cold (although he is also on my team with the Arsenal duo).
- Brandon Wampler: I will continue to ride my belief in the Palace duo. More often than not, Zaha and Gallagher generate value without the role of set-pieces or anything else. They also tend to move into the play more so where Smith Rowe and Saka stay on the outsides.
- Phil Goyette: Give me ESR and Saka. I think Palace has been punching above their weight a bit, and Zaha is prone to some hot moments on the pitch that are bound to get him a red card sooner than later. On the flip side, ESR and Saka are Arsenal's key creators. Saka, in particular, is just an exciting and talented player.
Which highly-rostered player will blank?
- Euan Leith: With Arsenal and Manchester United going in opposite directions, I will continue to fade Cristiano Ronaldo. He didn't start the last game and earned a yellow card in 26 minutes. Plus, United hasn't beaten Arsenal in their previous six Premier League meetings, so I don't think this team will provide many attacking returns at all.
- Jamie Steed: Said Benrahma. The fourth highest-rostered midfielder has one assist and no goals in his last eight games. Of his 60 points this season, 24 came in the first two games of the season. So there's a decent chance he doesn't even start on Wednesday.
- Brandon Wampler: Bruno Fernandes will blank. Over his last two appearances, he has been averaging just 2.0 points per match. He played Manchester City and Watford in that time.
- Phil Goyette: Saïd Benrahma is still 25 percent rostered despite blanking in his last three matches. And he has stingy Brighton in GW14.
Are you making one, two, or rolling your free transfer?
- Euan Leith: I'm holding my transfer this week with the hopes of performing some quick surgery on the team before Gameweek 15 rolls around.
- Jamie Steed: Just one, Danny Ings has been ousted for Lukaku. With the midweek fixtures, I don't like making too many changes as squad rotation is more common, and it's easy to bring in a player that ultimately doesn't play.
- Brandon Wampler: I will be making an addition to my roster with Jota. He has a great run of fixtures ahead, and he is too cheap.
- Phil Goyette: I'm going to roll the free transfer if I have no injury concerns.
Who will FPL managers be transferring IN the next gameweek?
- Euan Leith: Is Jamie Vardy going to do this to us again? Just as managers drop him, he starts scoring goals. I can see FPL players bringing him back in with the fear of missing out on another Vardy hot streak.
- Jamie Steed: Romelu Lukaku. Back from injury after missing four games, I expect him to score this week and see his roster rate skyrocket in the next week or two.
- Brandon Wampler: Managers will be running to make Liverpool and City stacks for the next few weeks.
- Phil Goyette: Watford's Emmanuel Dennis is only £5.3m and has recorded two straight double-digit hauls. If he manages to score this week, he will be a very popular addition as a budget forward.
Who will FPL managers be transferring OUT next gameweek?
- Euan Leith: It has to be the West Ham assets. Michail Antonio and Said Benrahma have combined for two attacking returns in the last seven gameweeks. I can see bringing them back in Gameweek 18 on an excellent fixture run, but it's time to abandon ship for the Hammers.
- Jamie Steed: Mason Mount. His 24 points in gameweek nine account for more than 50% of his total points, and he's only played 78 minutes since then. He might start against Watford and should get a decent haul if he does, but I think fantasy manager's patience is wearing thin.
- Brandon Wampler: Manchester United and Arsenal will be the highest transferred out until a process is placed in both clubs, especially the Red Devils with their new interim manager appointment.
- Phil Goyette: Look for Antonio's TSB% (teams selected by percentage) to crater, given his recent poor form and his upcoming fixture against Chelsea on the weekend.
Who's scoring the most points?
- Euan Leith: Man City average 3.4 goals per game in their last five against Aston Villa. It feels like a good time for Riyad Mahrez to ramp up his attacking returns.
- Jamie Steed: If I knew Chelsea's starting lineup now, I'd take one of their attacking midfielders. I'll plump for Lukaku for now, though.
- Brandon Wampler: Depending on if Lukaku is back or not, it may once again be Salah leading the attack.
- Phil Goyette: Mo Salah puts Everton to the sword with a triple return.
What's your bold prediction for this week?
- Euan Leith: One of the top-three clubs (Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool) suffers a surprising defeat on the road. My money's on Liverpool because they've only got one win in their last nine trips to Goodison Park.
- Jamie Steed: Chelsea will be the only top-3 team to win. I'm not convinced Liverpool or Manchester City lose their games, but I can see them both drawing.
- Brandon Wampler: Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-0 in new bench boss Rangnick's first match.
- Phil Goyette: Watford scores twice at home against Chelsea! But they lose the match, 4-2.
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!
