FPL Gameweek 16 Captaincy: Saka Pivot Versus Haaland - Episode Hero Image

FPL Gameweek 16 Captaincy: Saka Pivot Versus Haaland

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TL;DR

  • Soboslai's strong penalty record (20 scored, 1 missed) and consistent 90-minute play make him a valuable 6.6 million FPL asset, potentially taking over penalty duties from Salah.
  • Saka's captaincy over Haaland is viable for Gameweek 16 due to Wolves' weaker defensive record (1.59 xG conceded) and Arsenal's lack of midweek fixtures, despite potential early substitutions.
  • Haaland has blanked in five of the last seven FPL games, suggesting that while still a strong option, alternatives like Saka against Wolves offer a compelling captaincy pivot.
  • The potential for Soboslai to incur a suspension from yellow cards means owners should monitor his disciplinary record, especially with key fixtures against Brighton and Spurs approaching.
  • Gakpo's injury necessitates selling him, with Ekete and Isaac likely to form a partnership, though Isaac's minutes are not guaranteed as he was substituted before the 90th minute.
  • Declan Rice is a consistent FPL option with steady, albeit not spectacular, recent scores, making him a viable long-term pick but not a priority for a one-week punt.
  • Bruno Fernandes presents a strong medium-to-long-term FPL option, especially with his penalty duties and consistent playtime, making a transfer from Ings a sensible move this week or next.

Deep Dive

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers face a critical captaincy decision for Gameweek 16, with Arsenal's Bukayo Saka presenting a compelling, albeit risky, alternative to the consistent Erling Haaland. While Haaland remains a strong default choice, his recent form shows a concerning trend of blanks, making Saka's home fixture against Wolves a potentially high-reward, lower-risk pivot for those willing to gamble on minutes.

The analysis of potential penalty takers for Liverpool and Spurs reveals opportunities for value. Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai, at 6.6 million, has a strong penalty record and is nailed for minutes, making him an attractive option, especially with Mohamed Salah heading to the Africa Cup of Nations. However, his yellow card accumulation poses a suspension risk. For Spurs, the penalty situation is murkier, with Pape Matar Sarr taking one and Richarlison off the pitch, suggesting Sarr might be ahead, but the overall unpredictability around Spurs' attackers makes them less appealing for immediate transfer targets. Chelsea's Cole Palmer is a player to avoid for now, with his minutes uncertain due to injury management and a difficult upcoming fixture against Newcastle.

For those utilizing a Free Hit chip in Gameweek 16, a triple-arsenal stack against Wolves at home is strongly advised, led by Saka. Defensive options like Iyen-Timber and Lewis Hall are favored for their potential attacking contributions and guaranteed minutes, though alternatives like Tino Livramento and Ben White are also viable. In midfield, focus on players with secure minutes and penalty duties, such as Bruno Fernandes, who is a strong consideration for a sideways transfer from Jean-Philippe Mateta due to Mateta's impending departure for AFCON. Declan Rice is a solid long-term option but not a recommended short-term punt or a priority for a Free Hit due to inconsistent high-scoring potential.

The Triple Captain chip decision for the first half of the season hinges on maximizing potential points within the remaining gameweeks. While Haaland against West Ham at home in Gameweek 17 is the statistically safest option, Saka against Wolves in Gameweek 16 offers a chance to differentiate and capitalize on a favorable fixture before Haaland's likely returns. Bruno Fernandes in Gameweek 19 against Wolves also presents a strong option, particularly given his recent 18-point haul, but Saka's potential for earlier deployment and a more favorable fixture in Gameweek 16 makes him a compelling, albeit riskier, choice.

Action Items

  • Audit potential penalty takers: For Liverpool and Spurs, analyze historical penalty success rates and current on-pitch roles to predict first-choice takers.
  • Track player minutes: Monitor minutes played for key midfielders like Saka and Palmer across 3-5 upcoming matches to inform captaincy and transfer decisions.
  • Evaluate Haaland's form: Analyze Haaland's recent performance data (5 blanks in 7 games) against upcoming fixtures to assess captaincy risk.
  • Assess defensive solidity: Review underlying defensive metrics (xG conceded) for Liverpool over their last 5-10 games to gauge defensive reliability.
  • Identify triple captain opportunities: Compare potential triple captain candidates (Saka, Haaland, Bruno) based on fixture difficulty and guaranteed minutes over the next 3-5 game weeks.

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"so for liverpool they got a penalty last night obviously salah wasn't in the squad i don't think he's going to feature in game week 16 then he's off to african cup of nations and the penalty was taken by soboslai and scored and i think it was verts that won it so that's quite interesting soboslai is 6 6 million absolutely nailed in that team basically plays 90 minutes every single game he's taking set pieces as well this season and now he may be first choice penalty taker when salah's not on the pitch"

The speaker, Andy, highlights the potential of Dominik Szoboszlai as a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) asset. Andy notes that Szoboszlai is a regular starter, takes set pieces, and may become the primary penalty taker for Liverpool in Mohamed Salah's absence. This information is valuable for FPL managers considering transfers.

"now when i was guessing who the penalty taker might be during african cup of nations my money was on isaac i just thought they'd want that 100 million pound plus signing to be scoring a few more goals but soboslai's record is very good i looked them up right so isaac has scored 19 and missed six so he's 19 from 25 soboslai has scored 20 only missed one so he's 20 from 21 taken so there is a chance he will just keep them"

Andy provides a statistical comparison of penalty-taking records between Darwin Núñez and Dominik Szoboszlai. Andy's analysis shows Szoboszlai has a significantly better conversion rate, suggesting he might retain penalty duties even when other players are available. This data point is crucial for FPL managers assessing player reliability for set-piece opportunities.

"now in that starting 11 they had kudu javi simon and richarlison now my money pre match would have been on richarlison being first choice penalty taker but for the first penalty they got kudu took it instead so maybe we can take from that that kudu is ahead of richarlison but the second penalty richarlison was off the pitch so was kudu and javi simon took it worth noting by the way moani was on the pitch and javi simon took it ahead of him"

Andy discusses the uncertainty surrounding Tottenham Hotspur's penalty takers. Andy points out that both Dejan Kulusevski and Giovani Lo Celso took penalties in a recent match, even with Richarlison and other potential takers on the pitch. This ambiguity makes targeting Spurs' penalty takers a risky proposition for FPL managers.

"now the answer at the moment is i hope so and i'm pretty confident he will but i guess we'll have to come back to this after the champions league game tonight to see how many minutes saka gets but i'll be honest i don't foresee saka playing the full 90 in the champions league i think arsenal are in such a good position this is surely a game to think about resting players so even if saka starts surely he's going to get subbed early"

Andy expresses cautious optimism about Bukayo Saka's captaincy potential for the upcoming Gameweek 16. Andy anticipates Saka will play a significant role but likely not the full 90 minutes due to Arsenal's comfortable position in their Champions League match. This suggests that while Saka is a strong FPL captaincy option, managers should be aware of potential early substitutions.

"now i've just spoken about the fact he's essentially blanked five of the last seven games now i know against liverpool he missed a penalty had he not missed that it would have been another 13 pointer but basically since game week nine he's got two 13 four two two 14 two and we talk about this guys if he'll never blank whereas essentially he's blanked five times in the last seven games"

Andy analyzes Erling Haaland's recent FPL performance, noting a dip in his usual high scoring. Andy points out that Haaland has "blanked" (failed to score or assist) in five of the last seven gameweeks since Gameweek 9. This observation challenges the perception of Haaland as a guaranteed high scorer every week and provides context for considering alternative captaincy options.

"i would much rather pick up these players with home games instead obviously foden is capable of getting one or two returns maybe even more against palace but i think in this kind of game week i'd probably take him on i don't think i would take haaland on though and the reason for that is there's enough money to spend to buy him i wouldn't trust palmer's minutes you can't go for salah therefore there's a lot of money to spend if you wanted to go for cole palmer over haaland or you wanted to try and fit palmer in instead of like fernandez or in bournemouth i get it but i just like imagine if he gets subbed pre 60 with no returns again like last week i just don't think it's worth it"

Andy advises against selecting certain players for a Free Hit team in the current gameweek. Andy suggests avoiding Phil Foden against Crystal Palace away and expresses skepticism about Cole Palmer's minutes, deeming him not worth the risk despite his potential. Andy emphasizes prioritizing players with favorable home fixtures and guaranteed playing time.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "Fantasy Premier League Tips 2025/26" - Mentioned as the subject of the podcast episode.

Articles & Papers

  • "SAKA 🆚 HAALAND (C) 🔥 FPL GAMEWEEK 16 PREVIEW 💪| Fantasy Premier League Tips 2025/26" (Let's Talk FPL) - The title of the podcast episode.

People

  • Saka - Discussed as a captaincy option for Gameweek 16.
  • Haaland - Discussed as a captaincy option for Gameweek 16 and beyond.
  • Soboslai - Mentioned as a potential penalty taker for Liverpool and a fantasy football pick.
  • Isaac - Mentioned in relation to Liverpool's penalty takers and potential starting lineup.
  • Gomez - Mentioned as having played right-back for Liverpool.
  • Gakpo - Mentioned as being injured and a potential sell for fantasy football.
  • Ekete - Mentioned as a potential starter for Liverpool.
  • Van Dijk - Discussed as a fantasy football player to hold or sell.
  • Kudu - Mentioned as a potential penalty taker for Spurs and a fantasy football option.
  • Javi Simon - Mentioned as having taken a penalty for Spurs.
  • Richarlison - Discussed as a potential penalty taker for Spurs.
  • Romero - Mentioned speculatively as wanting to take a penalty for Spurs.
  • Cole Palmer - Discussed in relation to Chelsea's squad and fantasy football transfers.
  • Moresca - Mentioned as Chelsea's manager.
  • Joao Pedro - Mentioned as having played a full game for Brighton.
  • Marc Guehi - Discussed as a fantasy football player with uncertain minutes for Crystal Palace.
  • Raul Jimenez - Mentioned as a potential fantasy football transfer target.
  • Thiago - Mentioned as a potential fantasy football transfer target.
  • Matty Cash - Mentioned as a potential substitute for Saka.
  • Bruno Fernandes - Discussed as a captaincy option and fantasy football transfer target.
  • Gabriel - Mentioned as a potential captaincy option if fit.
  • Timber - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Lewis Hall - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Calafiori - Mentioned as being suspended for a game.
  • Ince - Mentioned as an alternative defensive pick for a free hit draft.
  • Ben White - Mentioned as an alternative to Timber if Saliba is ruled out.
  • Moreno - Mentioned as a potential attacking pick.
  • Koreesh - Mentioned as a potential attacking pick.
  • Declan Rice - Discussed as a genuine fantasy football option.
  • Saliba - Mentioned as a potential defender to be ruled out.
  • Dango Outtara - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Chalobah - Mentioned as being suspended.
  • Keith Andrews - Mentioned in relation to team news.
  • Kouyate - Mentioned as a potential fantasy football pick.
  • Foden - Discussed in relation to his price and fantasy football transfers.
  • Raheem Sterling - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Sa - Mentioned as a potential penalty taker and fantasy football pick.
  • Enzo Fernandez - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Sanchez - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Cucurella - Mentioned as a fantasy football pick for a free hit draft.
  • Leno - Mentioned as an alternative defensive pick.
  • Andersen - Mentioned as an alternative defensive pick.
  • Semenyo - Mentioned as a potential transfer target.

Organizations & Institutions

  • Liverpool - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Spurs - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Chelsea - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Arsenal - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Brighton - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • Wolves - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Leeds - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • Crystal Palace - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Bournemouth - Discussed in relation to player performance.
  • West Ham - Discussed in relation to player performance.
  • Burnley - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • Everton - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • Fulham - Discussed in relation to team news and player performance.
  • Newcastle - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • Real Madrid - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • Manchester United - Discussed in relation to player performance.
  • Tottenham Hotspur - Mentioned in relation to player performance.
  • New England Patriots - Not mentioned in the text.
  • Pro Football Focus (PFF) - Not mentioned in the text.
  • NFL (National Football League) - Not mentioned in the text.
  • Sports Social Podcast Network - Mentioned as the network the podcast is part of.

Websites & Online Resources

  • podcastchoices.com/adchoices - Mentioned for learning more about ad choices.
  • rubrik.com - Mentioned for information on Rubrik Agent Cloud.
  • fcma.com - Mentioned for information on patronage and eligibility.
  • blinds.com - Mentioned for a promotional offer.
  • linktr.ee/letstalkfpl - Provided as a link to follow the podcast host.
  • bit.ly/3QDvJb7 - Provided as a link for suggested transfers.
  • bit.ly/SubLTFPL - Provided as a YouTube subscription link.

Other Resources

  • Fantasy Premier League (FPL) - The primary subject of discussion throughout the text.
  • African Cup of Nations - Mentioned in relation to player availability.
  • Champions League - Mentioned in relation to team performance and player availability.
  • Carabao Cup - Mentioned in relation to player availability.
  • Gameweek 16 - The specific game week being previewed.
  • Gameweek 17 - Mentioned in relation to future player availability and transfers.
  • Gameweek 18 - Mentioned in relation to future player availability and transfers.
  • Gameweek 19 - Mentioned in relation to future player availability and transfers.
  • Free Hit chip - Discussed as a fantasy football chip to be used.
  • Triple Captain chip - Discussed as a fantasy football chip to be used.
  • Bench Boost chip - Discussed as a fantasy football chip to be used.
  • AI agents - Mentioned in relation to automation and potential risks.
  • Rubrik Agent Cloud - Mentioned as a platform for monitoring AI agents.

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