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Welcome to Gameweek 7, Rotoballers! Just like the previous campaign, we are continuing our soccer coverage to include the great game of 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 the advice to help you snag those weekend-making green arrows and avoid the doom and gloom of a red arrow.
Another London derby kicks off the gameweek as Fulham entertains a struggling Chelsea. Then Liverpool looks to rescue their season against Wolves before a tasty late-night game between Man City and Spurs. On Sunday, we've got Arsenal-Everton and West Ham-Newcastle before Wilfried Zaha gets another chance to score against his former club as Crystal Palace welcome Man United.
The Gameweek 7 deadline is 6:00 am Eastern on Saturday, September 10. 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 7
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 7!
Chelsea has sacked Thomas Tuchel. So what FPL ramifications could this have on the Stamford Bridge club?
- Euan Leith: I wouldn't be bringing any of their players into my squad right now. I currently have Reece James, and he's a hold, but I need to see how the new manager wants to play before feeling confident about the Chelsea players again.
- Jamie Steed: The fact they have placed his coaching staff in temporary charge says to me there won't be wholesale changes to the team this weekend. It looks like Graham Potter will be the new boss, and it might take us a while to get an idea of their preferred lineup. So, I'd be more reluctant to start Chelsea players in the coming weeks until things are clearer.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
A lot of Wildcards are being activated in the FPL world. Do you have a plan for when you'll play yours?
- Euan Leith: I'm still leaning towards the international break to chase some price rises and crystalize the fixtures before the World Cup. It would allow me to dead-end my team, get rid of Liverpool assets before the Chelsea game, and still bring them back after that tough fixture.
- Jamie Steed: Not yet. I've actually only made two transfers this season and haven't felt compelled to use more so far, so I'll wait until there's an injury crisis or something befalls half of my team.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Following up, who are some must-have players if you are using the Wildcard chip this week?
- Euan Leith: Going big up top is the way to go. Haaland, plus a combination of Aleksandr Mitrovic, Ivan Toney, and Gabriel Jesus, will soon become the template. I think Keiran Trippier
- Jamie Steed: If I picked one from each position, I see Liverpool keeping a clean sheet making Allison and Alexander-Arnold solid plays. Rashford playing up front yet is listed as a midfielder makes him a good play each week, and Crystal Palace doesn't score a ton, so he has the chance of a goal and clean sheet combo. And up front, Ivan Toney is red hot and pushing for an international call-up, plus he gets a nice matchup against a Southampton team yet to keep a clean sheet.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Brighton finds themselves 2 points off the top. So who's your favorite FPL asset from the Seagulls' squad?
Only 2 midfielders have more FPL points than Mac Allister this season. However, 99 (yes!) other midfielders have a superior non-penalty xGi.
I would either go to a £4.5m midfielder & spread the funds elsewhere or stretch to Groß - Mac Allister is too heavily reliant on penalties
— AbuBakar Siddiq (@BigManBakar) September 7, 2022
- Euan Leith: While Mac Allister is the apple of everyone's eye right now, I'm a bit put off after seeing the above tweet. For me, that narrows it down to Leandro Trossard and Pascal Groß. Trossard can slip into the LWB role too often for my liking, and Groß is still playing in the front three. Plus, the 31-year-old German has five attacking returning in six games this season and played 90 minutes in every contest.
- Jamie Steed: I'm picking two with Trossard and Mac Allister both shining so far, and I don't think it's a fluke. Brighton won't finish in the top-4 but should maintain enough form to finish top-8 if they hire the suitable replacement to Potter, so I don't mind holding on to any Brighton player right now. However, Mac Alister being on free-kicks and penalties makes him a better option between the two.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Update: Brighton versus Crystal Palace in Gameweek 8 has been postponed and will be rescheduled later.
The £7 million striker bracket is becoming more and more popular. So who would be your go-to guy around that price point?
- Euan Leith: I'm only focusing on Mitrovic at the moment. He's cheaper than Toney, and he's been far more consistent in his returns. The Serbian international leads Toney in expected goals, expected goal involvement, and non-penalty expected goals. Give me Mitro.
- Jamie Steed: You can't go wrong with Toney or Mitrovic right now. I started the season with Mitrovic and sticking with him but having both and going big in midfield makes a lot of sense now. Lesser highlighted options I like are Patrick Bamford (if he can stay healthy) and Alexander Isak, but I want to see more from Newcastle in an attacking sense before I look at him.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Who's keeping a clean sheet in Gameweek 7?
- Euan Leith: Arsenal will be able to keep Everton at bay in a home tie. I would expect Brighton to keep Bournemouth off the board as well.
- Jamie Steed: Liverpool is an easy choice despite their midweek humbling. I also like Leeds United on Monday as Nottingham Forest still needs time to gel their new signings and haven't carried much of a goal threat in their away games, scoring once in three road matches.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan Leith: Lucas Digne and Matty Cash have a great chance to reboot their 2022/23 seasons in an away match against leaky Leicester City.
- Jamie Steed: Alexander-Arnold might be the key to unlocking what will be a stubborn Wolves backline. His set-piece and open play delivery might be what wins the game for a struggling Liverpool side, and he's struggling defensively, so he will want to contribute something going forward. Aaron Creswell is someone I have a gut feeling about this weekend too.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
- Euan Leith: It has to be Haaland. Another two goals in the Champions League make him the can't-miss option.
- Jamie Steed: You can't not play Haaland right now, although this weekend should be his toughest test so far. None of the other top-priced players have excelled except maybe de Bruyne, but again, this week should be a challenging game for the champions.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
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'd like to bring in another Arsenal defender. Saliba or Aaron Ramsdale would do the trick.
- Jamie Steed: It's still Toney. Having Haaland, Jesus and Mitrovic leaves me little wiggle room in the striker department, and for the first time in ages, I want more than three strikers in my squad.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan Leith: It's on Mr. Erling Haaland right now, and I doubt it's coming off for a while.
- Jamie Steed: I'm looking at Martinelli or Saka, but I've yet to make my transfers and will bring in one of the aforementioned Brighton duo, so I may go with whichever I get in.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
Finally, what's your bold prediction for this weekend's slate of games?
- Euan Leith: Fulham grab all three points against flailing Chelsea. Brighton finds themselves in second place after a win over Bournemouth coupled with a Man City-Spurs draw.
- Jamie Steed: I had already set myself up for Chelsea to drop points at Fulham. The lack of a manager throws a wrinkle into that, but I'll stick with my call. I think we see some really close games this weekend, too, and I can see one or two of Tottenham, Everton, and Wolves taking a point on the road.
- Mark Kieffer:
- Brandon Wampler:
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!
