EDITOR'S ELEVEN: Gameweeks 1-4

Gameweek 5 looms – and while rank is relatively irrelevant right now, 392K overall still feels a lot like a top 10K trajectory. So that’s cool.

My initial draft performed well, with seven starters spiking in price almost immediately. Currently, I have a team value of ₤100.1M with another ₤1.4M in the bank, 1 free transfer, all my chips, no hits and the captains armband stapled to Haaland’s arm. And the best part? I don’t hate my squad yet. In fact, I kinda like it. Shame I’m Wildcarding in Gameweek 8. Let’s start from the beginning…

GAMEWEEK 1

The unexpected fire sale in midfield gave me the cash to jump on a medium-risk template-ish situation – the no-Salah pro-Pedro version that let you giddily spread funds throughout your squad like Scrooge on Christmas morning (while still leaving a cool ₤3.0M in the bank).

I was locked in a week before deadline. Or so I thought.

It was forty minutes before the cut-off when I heard Andy (@LetsTalk_FPL) break the Gabriel leak, and was in the lucky minority who moved sideways to Saliba. Got on the Maddison train early, too – and by the time United finished walloping Wolves 1-0, I’d finished with 88 points and an overall rank of 100K. It was the strongest start in my fourteen years of FPL.

GAMEWEEK 2

What goes up must come down! I knew I was overperfomlng my xP, and that the prospect of a green arrow was slim. But tinker I did not – and in one of the most boring moves of any game week anywhere ever, I rolled my free transfer and rotated my goalkeepers. Incidentally, neither Johnstone not Turner were capable of a clean sheet. Estupiñan’s big haul helped a bit but it was offset by his high ownership, and it was Foden’s 9 points that proved to be the biggest differential in my meager haul. I finished the game week on a paltry 46 points – only 2 over the average, and not enough for a green arrow. I fell half-a-million spots that weekend to a less-impressive rank of 609K.

GAMEWEEK 3

Undaunted by my setback, I came into the third weekend with high expectations. Pouring ₤2.9M back into the squad, I traded Estupiñan for Rúben (ahead of Brighton’s unfavourable fixture swing) and upgraded Osula to Nicholas Jackson, who I was certain would find his pre-season form (still waiting, Nico). It was a low-scoring game week overall, with Jackson and my Chelsea defensive double-up of Chilwell and Colwill putting up most of the numbers. My 53 points felt underwhelming and my 182K climb up the ladder felt arbitrary. But a green arrow was a green arrow.

GAMEWEEK 4

This felt like an important game week to get right, as I was desperate not to lose momentum over the international break the way I'd lost faith in Martinelli (who had yet to meet his xGI this season). So I swapped the Brazilian out for FOMO Mbeumo, whose recent hauls I’d maddeningly missed. He and the rest of my five-man midfield had an absolutely monster weekend, while my defence, on the other hand, folded like origami. Of course, Haaland did a thing, and I finished on 78 points and right where we are today: An overall rank of 392K, ₤1.4M in the bank and 1 free transfer.

GAMEWEEK 5

Pending an injury-free international break, my plan (as it stands) is to swap out Rashford for Son. No the most popular move, I know – and Rashy doesn't look bad in his natural role, and Højlund will probably help elevate his game, blah-blah-blah. But I simply can't resist the prospect of an in-form, off-leash Sonny at home to Sheffield, in a high-pressing, confident Ange-ball Spurs.

Have a good game week,

~ DP