FPL Insights: Key Player Decisions for Gameweek Nine
Chelsea and Liverpool pose challenging decisions for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers this week, particularly regarding Joao Pedro and Mohamed Salah, two of the most sought-after players in the game.
Joao Pedro has a promising schedule ahead, beginning with a home match against Sunderland on Saturday. However, the Chelsea striker has not found the net since Gameweek 3 and has managed only two shots in his last four appearances.
Meanwhile, Salah is not performing at his usual level. At a hefty price of £14.3 million, he is failing to deliver value, currently ranking 16th among top-scoring midfielders.
I have chosen to omit both players from this week’s team selection. Pras and the BBC Sport FPL Podcast team will discuss Joao Pedro's recent form in Friday's FPL talking point article.
The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100 million budget, as if playing a Free Hit.
Don't miss our FPL special Q&A with expert Pras, live on the BBC Sport website at 15:30 BST on Friday, October 24.
How Did Last Week's FPL Team of the Week Perform?
It wasn't another hundred-pointer, but a solid defense, led by Gabriel's 12 points, along with a significant contribution from captain Erling Haaland, resulted in a total of 66 points.
FPL Team of the Week for Gameweek Nine
Goalkeeper and Defense
Robert Sanchez, Chelsea, £4.9m - Sunderland (H)
Sunderland has only managed one goal away from home and has the fourth-lowest expected goals (xG) on the road. While their defense may challenge Chelsea, I have little faith in Sunderland scoring.
Gabriel (£6.4m) and Jurrien Timber (£6m), both Arsenal - Crystal Palace (H)
I may sound repetitive, but I recommend including Arsenal defenders in your lineup. My only hesitation about a triple-up this week is that Crystal Palace can score against anyone. Gabriel and Timber have accumulated 19 and 18 points, respectively, in the past two weeks, and they face Burnley and Sunderland after this.
Joe Rodon, Leeds United, £4.1m - West Ham (H)
For West Ham fans who endured their performance against Brentford on Monday, I sympathize. They were disappointing, with an xG of just 0.33. Leeds is difficult to play at home this season, especially for a struggling team with minimal goal threat. Rodon has scored seven points in three of four home games and is a solid budget option, given his goal-scoring potential from corners.
Marco Senesi, Bournemouth, £5m - Nottingham Forest (H)
Senesi is a reliable choice, especially since Nottingham Forest has not scored in three games and has only one goal in their last six league matches.
Midfield
Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth, £8.1m - Nottingham Forest (H)
Semenyo is essential right now. He was unjustly denied a second assist against Crystal Palace last week, which could have earned him bonus points. Facing a troubled Nottingham Forest side that has conceded 15 goals in eight games, Semenyo is a must-have.
Justin Kluivert, Bournemouth, £7m - Nottingham Forest (H)
Kluivert is a risk worth taking. After starting his first game of the season last week, he is expected to become a first-choice player. His previous season's form, with 12 goals and six assists, combined with this favorable matchup, makes him a promising option.
Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, £8.9m - Brighton (H)
Fernandes has seen a price drop, likely due to FPL managers losing faith after he missed his second penalty of the season at Brentford. However, he typically converts those chances and would be the second-highest scoring midfielder this season had he scored both. With 22 key passes—five more than any other player—and 18 shots, he remains a viable option.
Cody Gakpo, Liverpool, £7.5m - Brentford (A)
With Salah underperforming, Gakpo offers a more affordable and effective entry into the Liverpool attack. He nearly scored a hat-trick against Manchester United and is among the top Liverpool players for shots, goals, and assists.
Strikers
Erling Haaland (captain), £14.7m, Manchester City - Aston Villa (A)
Will Haaland reach £15 million this season? Although Villa away is not the easiest fixture, Haaland remains a must-captain choice for FPL managers.
Nick Woltemade, £7.4m, Newcastle United - Fulham (H)
Woltemade's goal-scoring form is hard to ignore, especially against a Fulham side that has conceded 75% of their goals away from home this season.
Substitutes
Filip Jorgensen, Chelsea, £4.4m, goalkeeper - Sunderland (H)
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Leeds, £5.5m, striker - West Ham (H)
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Everton, £5m, midfielder - Spurs (H)
Hugo Bueno, Wolves, £4.4m, defender - Burnley (H)
Team total cost: £99.3m