RADIO
Welcome to Gameweek 36, RotoBallers! 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.
Gameweek 36 has a more conventional set of fixtures but does include and extra midweek game for two teams. There are two extra fixtures the following week so it's important we look ahead before the final weekend of the season in a fortnight's time. After the results we saw in gameweek 35, it's safe to say we're in for a rollercoaster end to the season.
The Gameweek 36 deadline is 6:00 am Eastern on Saturday, May 13. 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.
And of course, #FPL can translate into #DFS, all of which we have plenty of at @RotoBaller https://t.co/U9pKeHkJYv pic.twitter.com/z2ubf1KeKj
— Jamie Steed (@Baseball_Jimbo) February 4, 2023
RotoBaller FPL Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 36
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 Blank Gameweek 36!
Brighton and Newcastle have two fixtures this week. Who is your favorite Seagull?
- Euan Leith: Brighton was so dismal versus Everton on Monday and my entire world is flipped upside down. I’ve had Kaoru Mitoma since my WildCard, and it feels wrong to go against him with two fixtures now. I would prioritize Alexis Mac Allister over another other Brighton player not from Japan, however.
- Jamie Steed: I've been on Alexis Mac Allister since week one so I'm not abandoning ship after two goals in two games (even if Monday's goal was fortuitous). But I do kind of like Julio Enciso as a contrarian as everyone will be on Mac Allister, Mitoma and Groß. Enciso came on at half-time during their Everton debacle and certainly helped improve them plus he has been scoring and assisting when he does play.
And, who is your favorite Magpie?
- Euan Leith: There are three gameweeks to go and if you want to win your mini-leagues then it’s time to chase. Therefore, Callum Wilson is my favorite Newcastle player. When he’s on the pitch, he’s scoring goals. Yes, Isak is probably the favorite in xMins, but I’ve played safe all season and it’s time to live on the edge.
- Jamie Steed: Alexander Isak partnered Callum Wilson in attack against Arsenal and looked the more likely to score of the two. Isak hit the post while Wilson seemed more interested in winding up Granit Xhaka. As a contrarian, Jacob Ramsey is my favorite alternative, who also happened to hit the post last weekend.
Gameweek 37 is the final double gameweek of the year. Should FPL managers be aggressive with their last chance at a big rank boost?
- Euan Leith: If you have a shot at getting to your season goal, you may as well go for it. I wouldn’t be afraid of a couple of hits with so many teams on a double. If you have a chip left, gameweek 37 is the optimal time to activate it.
- Jamie Steed: YOLO. If you have a chance for glory, go for it. That being said, I don't like taking a minus for extra transfers unless you're picking someone certain to start twice and against weaker opposition. That isn't the case for Brighton this week, but Newcastle facing Leeds on Saturday makes it worthwhile taking a small hit.
Would you prioritize your GW36 transfer on the double this week or set yourself up for GW37 instead?
- Euan Leith: A lot of FPL managers have three Brighton and at least two Newcastle players. So I wouldn’t worry about DGW36 too much. Instead, I would prioritize a GW37 transfer now and try to leave yourself some flexibility for GW38.
- Jamie Steed: If I had to choose, I'd go with week 37 as you have two games so more options and it could be the week Manchester City win the league so they will surely go big for two wins, making them much more appealing.
Erling Haaland broke the single-season scoring record. What price do you expect him to be for the 23/24 campaign?
- Euan Leith: It has to be at least £14 million. That’s the most expensive player in the game’s history, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s higher.
- Jamie Steed: He started at £11.5M, is now £12.4M and given Mo Salah started the year at £13.0 and Haaland is only six points off Salah's 2021/22 total, you have to think £14.0M is about his starting point next season.
Who’s keeping a clean sheet in GW35?
- Euan Leith: While Manchester United is reeling from back-to-back defeats, they should right the ship against Wolves. David De Gea needs a clean performance to earn that much-rumored contract extension if he doesn’t want his manager to shop for shot-stoppers in the summer.
- Jamie Steed: Manchester United has kept five consecutive clean sheets at home and although David De Gea does drop the occasional clanger, I don't think Wolves will offer enough of an attacking threat to trouble him.
David de Gea will not want to see this one again! 🫣
Saïd Benrahma is gifted the opener of the game pic.twitter.com/5YOORsFsQ4
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) May 7, 2023
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan Leith: It’s starting to sound like a broken record, but Trent Alexander-Arnold. Leicester was picked apart by a far less creative Fulham, and TAA is playing his best football in 12 months.
- Jamie Steed: Trent Alexander-Arnold against a shambolic Leicester City defense is the best pick but I also like the Villa and Tottenham matchup. Alex Moreno has been an attacking threat since joining Villa (three assists in 13 starts) and he'll face off against Pedro Porro, who has four goal involvements in 11 starts but is a liability defensively. Both could easily pick up a goal involvement this week.
Who's a midfielder or forward rostered in less than 10 percent of teams that will grab us those FPL points?
- Euan Leith: Bruno Fernandes is near the top of underperformers in expected metrics over the last six gameweeks and is only 7.6 percent rostered. The Portuguese midfielder is looking incredibly dangerous and a haul seems right around the corner.
- Jamie Steed: I've already mentioned Jacob Ramsey (3.5% rostered) and Julio Enciso (1.6% rostered). I already feel the need for a shower typing this, but among the single gameweek players, I kind of like Chelsea's Conor Gallagher (0.5% rostered). He's scored two of Chelsea's last four goals, Frank Lampard likes him more than other Chelsea managers have seemed to and Nottingham Forest has gone 14 games without a clean sheet (conceding 30). Away from home, no team has conceded more than Forest (41) with 18 coming in their last seven away games.
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: I would attack the double gameweek and grab Alexis Mac Allister. He keeps scoring, is on pens, and is a minutes machine.
- Jamie Steed: I've managed to roster six players from Brighton and Newcastle so am comfortable I'm not missing out there, albeit without Ramsey or Enciso. Mo Salah will be licking his chops at facing such a porous Leicester defense but I couldn't bring him in financially nor without having maxed the double gameweek teams.
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan Leith: Callum Wilson is scoring goals all over the map. Even with a minute question, the Englishman has enough talent to snag an attacking return or two.
- Jamie Steed: It's got to be one from Brighton or Newcastle, especially after the pain inflicted by Erling Haaland to me and millions of other FPL managers. Given Brighton's two games are much tougher on paper than Newcastle's and after what happened to them on Monday, I'm going with Isak. I just hope he starts both games.
Haaland blanked having been presented with the joint-most big chances he’s had in a match ❌#FPL #MCILEE pic.twitter.com/NDCRD0Nj24
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 6, 2023
Finally, what's your bold prediction for this weekend's slate of games?
- Euan Leith: Buoyed by their surprise beat down of Brighton, Everton blows the title race wide open and takes points off Man City.
- Jamie Steed: Brighton has only lost consecutive games once this season so dare I say they avoid defeat at Arsenal and end the title race. And for the first time since gameweek 31, the bottom five teams all lose.
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!
