Fantasy Premier League: Player Value and Sustainable Returns Analysis

Key Quotes

"The problem you've got if you own him is the game against arsenal is on thursday and the deadline is on tuesday so there is every chance that slot's press conference is on wednesday after the deadline so i'm not sure if you're going to get another update now liverpool do have burnley at home in game week 22 so it's arsenal away then i think it's barnsley at home in the fa cup then it's burnley at home in 22 so presumably whether he plays against arsenal or not he'll probably get a good rest in the fa cup so if you were thinking about keeping him for that burnley game i still think that's viable"

The speaker, Andy, discusses the uncertainty surrounding player Hugo Ekitike's availability due to a potential late press conference. Andy explains that this timing makes it difficult for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers to get crucial information before the transfer deadline. He suggests that Ekitike could still be a viable option for future games, even if he misses the immediate fixture.

"my one worry with him is the minutes now when he starts he's averaged 81 minutes per start which is pretty good but he just got benched in game week 18 against chelsea we know villa have got champions league matches and stuff like that in january okay it's all well and good looking at the last two games where he played 82 and 90 minutes before that 32 74 74 65 85 36 67 that doesn't read quite so good now maybe because of how well he's playing right now he'll just continue to start every single game but there are slight doubts there"

Andy expresses concern about Ollie Watkins's consistent playing time, despite his good average minutes per start. He points to a recent benching and a history of inconsistent full 90-minute performances. Andy suggests that while Watkins's current form might lead to him starting every game, there are underlying doubts about his guaranteed minutes.

"jared bowen i think i would probably ignore basically i don't think bowen is a bad pick but i think i would choose mitoma over him like bowen's goal threat this season has been quite low 0 22 expected goals per 90 mitoma has double that plus mitoma has penalties as well now bowen plays 90 minutes every single game and that will not change but it's 90 minutes for a west ham team and don't get me wrong i've got paqueta right i'm not against buying west ham players and the fixtures are slightly better next three but he's playing in a much worse team"

Andy advises against selecting Jarrod Bowen, not because he is a bad player, but because he believes Kaoru Mitoma is a superior option. Andy highlights Bowen's low expected goals per 90 compared to Mitoma's significantly higher threat and Mitoma's penalty-taking ability. He also notes that Bowen plays for a less effective team, despite playing full matches.

"bruno guimaraes in newcastle is basically that player right now if you look at his recent points back to back 10 point hauls and he got a 10 pointer against burnley in gameweek 15 he's just done really really well and obviously better than anthony gordon for a slightly cheaper price like gordon got subbed around the 60th minute against palace bruno guimaraes played the full game as he usually does and he's only 7 1 million should we be rushing out to bring him in look i can't sit here and say he's a bad pick"

Andy identifies Bruno Guimarães as a player who is performing exceptionally well, noting his recent consistent double-digit hauls. He contrasts Guimarães with Anthony Gordon, highlighting that Guimarães plays full matches and is a more affordable option. Andy acknowledges that Guimarães is not a bad pick, especially given his recent form and playing time.

"my preference is always going to be to concentrate my transfers elsewhere rather than move arsenal players around because declan rice is good but he's not essential right my other arsenal players will do fine and then i can use my moves to hopefully get more points elsewhere i still think that double arsenal defense is the way forward so if you've got saka unless you're desperate for the money for another move it's never going to be a huge temptation to move him to rice"

Andy explains his strategy regarding Arsenal players, stating that while Declan Rice is a good player, he is not essential for his team structure. Andy prefers to use his limited transfers for other areas of his squad, believing his existing Arsenal players are sufficient. He also suggests that prioritizing a double Arsenal defense might be a more effective FPL strategy than transferring Bukayo Saka to Declan Rice.

"the thing with the thing for me with gabriel why i got him early one i just needed a defender but two i know that when he's fit i want to own him like maybe double and blank game week strategy means at some point i've got to sell gabriel but without the doubles and blanks he's in my team every single week when he's fit no doubts about that whatsoever he's just that good i don't have that same feeling towards like a declan rice again i think rice is a good pick but he's not i have to own him whenever he's fit good with gabriel he kind of is"

Andy emphasizes his strong conviction about owning Gabriel from Arsenal when he is fit, stating he is a must-have defender. He contrasts this with Declan Rice, whom he considers a good pick but not an essential one. Andy believes Gabriel's consistent high performance when available makes him a priority over other midfielders, even those who are performing well.