Fantasy Premier League: Gameweek 21 Staff Roundtable

Welcome to Gameweek 21, RotoBallers! Just like the previous campaign, we are continuing our soccer coverage to include the great game of the Fantasy Premier League. So, even if you are a seasoned veteran or a rookie navigating your first 38 gameweeks, we will set you straight. We're here to provide advice to help you snag those weekend-making green arrows and avoid the doom and gloom of a red arrow.

A wild Double Gameweek 20 is in the past, and we look ahead to an incredibly watchable Gameweek 21. Liverpool and Chelsea kick us off as the first Saturday game. Then, we watch Newcastle continue its surge to the Champions League before Sunday's showdown between Arsenal and Manchester United. This could be a week to roll your transfer with plenty of double gameweeks to be announced. However, don't be afraid to follow your gut and pick a flavor of the week as a punt!

The Gameweek 21 deadline is 6 am Eastern on Saturday, January 21. Also, 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 and betting perspective.

RotoBaller FPL Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 21

The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers 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 21!

Manchester United and Arsenal impressed with derby wins in GW20. How would you rank both teams’ midfielders as FPL assets?

• Euan Leith: Bukayo Saka was an FPL option before the World Cup, but Martin Ødegaard and Marcus Rashford have exploded since the restart. Rashford is playing some of his best football in years (Four goals, one assist in his last four), and the Arsenal captain is the engine propelling the Gunners to a possible Premier League title. So those three are the ones I want the most. However, Gabriel Martinelli and Bruno Fernandes are still good options, especially if you've had Martinelli since the start of the year when he was a meager £6 million.
• Jamie Steed: They’re up there as the best. Ødegaard is the highest-scoring midfielder in the game and the cheapest of Arsenal’s attacking trio, so he’s certainly my number one. Then any combination of Saka, Martinelli, and Rashford makes up the dream trio. Fernandes is an acceptable option but considerably more expensive, so I’d lean into Saka and then Rashford, so it’s not all Arsenal. But you can’t go wrong with any combo.

Miguel Almiron isn't shining as bright as before the World Cup. So is it time to bring in a shinier, newer toy for our squads?

• Euan Leith: It pains me to say yes, but that's where I'm going. He was one of the first players I transferred in before the restart, and now it's time to go. I'm afraid I missed Almiron's amazing run before Qatar, and I'll be looking elsewhere in this price bracket.
• Jamie Steed: Yes, as I was skeptical whether he could maintain anything close to that level. While I’m sure he’ll still chip in with some goals and assists, he was never going to continue his torrid pace, so pivoting away now is perfectly understandable.

Last week, Jamie made a brilliant call with Solly March before Brighton destroyed Liverpool. Are you tempted to bring in another Seagull player or stick with Solly??

• Euan Leith: Alexis Mac Allister returned from winning the World Cup and then orchestrated a 3-0 thrashing of Liverpool. With Leandro Trossard seemingly heading for the exits, the Argentinian has more freedom to roam forward. If you can't afford him, however, I still like Kaoru Mitoma. He's had steadier numbers than March throughout the season and will be slightly less popular.
• Jamie Steed: Like Almiron’s hot streak, this won’t last, but I’d stick with March while he’s en fuego. Mitoma is someone I’d be okay with also, but Mac Allister seems to be the forgotten man after his rest following World Cup success, so I’d be looking to sneak him into the team while he’s less than 4% rostered.

The F.A. Cup and League Cup are intertwined with PL games for the next six weeks. So what's the best tip you can give FPL managers?

• Euan Leith: Roll the transfer whenever you can. The cup fixtures will produce blank and double gameweeks over the next two months, and you'll need to be prepared for them. Exercise caution with the transfers, and then you can attack a double gameweek with a mini Wildcard of two free transfers and use another one for a hit (negative four points).
• Jamie Steed: Wait until as late as possible to make transfers and only make them if you see a tangible benefit. Having two free transfers some weeks will be much more beneficial to your options, and the last thing you want to do is make a swap on Monday, only for the player you bring in to get injured in the midweek cup game and be out for the EPL fixture.

The January transfer window is heating up. So who's one player you're looking at with FPL potential?

• Euan Leith: I can't believe this, but Wout Weghorst has returned to the Premier League to torture FPL managers again. The Dutchman started Wednesday's game against Crystal Palace and has a chance to make that his own with only the oft-injured Anthony Martial ahead of him. Manchester United has another double gameweek on the horizon, and FPL managers could be experiencing deja vu in a couple of weeks.
• Jamie Steed: Joao Felix is a talent and looked lively on his debut until his sending-off. So, I’d been looking at him once his suspension is over. However, I will throw out an under-the-radar signing I’m looking at rostering, and that’s Alex Moreno. He had five goals and six assists over the last 18 months with Real Betis, and despite only coming on as a sub to replace Digne after 10 minutes due to an injury last week, Moreno led the team in crosses and had two shots (one on target). He is an attacking threat as a defender, assuming he gets the starting role.

Who's keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 21?

• Euan Leith: Let's get away from the big guns for now and go lower in the table. Nottingham Forest has allowed one goal in 2023 and kept consecutive clean sheets for only the second time this year. Meanwhile, Bournemouth hasn't found the back of the net since the World Cup started. Dean Henderson was an early-season darling in FPL and could be again in this crucial relegation tilt.
• Jamie Steed: As suspect as their form is, Manchester City is my number one choice for a clean sheet, but I also think West Ham United can shut out Everton in a game that likely will be edgy, nervy, and ultimately cost one manager his job.

Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?

• Euan Leith: Ivan Perisic has underperformed his expected stats during his first six months as a Spurs player. Fulham's allowed the most expected goals against (34.5) on the season and hasn't been defensively stout at times. So give me the Croatian wingback to come through on Monday night in a London derby.
• Jamie Steed: I like Moreno, as I’ve already outlined, and Trippier is always the number one option. But I’m going into left field a little this week and plumping with Serge Aurier to conjure up something against Bournemouth.

Who's a midfielder or forward rostered in less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?

• Euan Leith: Jarrod Bowen was an FPL superstar last year, but he's fallen back to Earth during the current campaign. Still, he's one of the highest underperformers on the season when comparing goals to expected goals and can claw back some of that regression with an easy matchup against Everton.
• Jamie Steed: Mac Allister and March are both great options, and away at Leicester City isn’t a bad matchup. But we’ve already mentioned them, so give me some James Ward-Prowse at less than 5% rostered and has scored four goals in his last four games. If you want to delve into the low rostered depths, Morgan Gibbs-White is on less than 0.5% and is certainly an option I like this week and beyond.

If you could bring in any player you don't have on your team for this gameweek, who would it be and why?

• Euan Leith: It's Martin Ødegaard. The FOMO is real with the Arsenal midfielder. I've had Gabriel Martinelli since GW 1, but it's time to switch to his teammate. The Norwegian is a must-have FPL asset in my eyes, and I only have to decide whether to get him now or the following gameweek.
• Jamie Steed: No one player stands out this week, but I have one free transfer and one spot in my midfield, which will be used for Ward-Prowse or Mac Allister. I’m not paying the -4 points for both, so whoever misses out will be the one I’ll yearn for.

Who's getting the Captain's armband?

• Euan Leith: It's nice to live in a world where Erling Haaland isn't an automatic choice. However, the top scorer in the Premier League welcomes Wolves this weekend, and it'll be tough to fade him. Harry Kane is another excellent and consistent choice for the armband against Fulham.
• Jamie Steed: I know it’s not a great matchup, but I’m currently leaning into Saka. He has two goals and two assists against Manchester United in the six games he’s played against them, and he has been arguably the best-attacking player in the league this season.

Finally, what's your bold prediction for this weekend's slate of games?

• Euan Leith: Nottingham Forest finds themselves eight points clear of the drop. And Liverpool kick starts the second half of their season with a massive win over Chelsea.
• Jamie Steed: Again, nothing really stands out, but I can see more away wins than home wins. And I’ll whisper this one very quietly, but Manchester City ends the match week in fourth place.

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!