📝 FPL Gameweek 2 Preview: Top Picks, Transfers & Strategy

⚽ GW1 Recap: Winners & Losers

Winners:

• Daniel Ballard (£4.6m): The Stadium of Light was rocking and Ballard had a huge part to play in that. A clean sheet, goal and maximum bonus pts have resulted in his price increasing already.
• Tijjani Reijnders (£5.6m): Marked an impressive debut for Manchester City with a goal and assist, making him the most transferred-in player ahead of GW2.
• Antoine Semenyo (£7.1m): Surprised many with a double against Liverpool, offering excellent value for money. And making sure shut the racists up at the same time.

Losers:

• Frimpong (£6.0m): Despite pre-season hype, he only managed one pt. Coming off at 59 min just to increase the frustration of FPL managers. And now it has been confirmed that he will not play another game until after the international break in September.
• João Pedro (£7.5m): Had a strong Club World Cup but struggled to make an impact in his first league appearance for his new club. The Chelsea team as a whole struggled thought to be fair so there still could be more to come later.   

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🧭 Captaincy Picks: Haaland vs. the Field

Haaland remains the default captain choice, especially with Manchester City’s favorable fixture against Tottenham. However, considering alternatives can be rewarding:

• Mohamed Salah (£12.5m): Facing a home fixture against a newly promoted side, Salah is poised to deliver big points.
• Bukayo Saka (£10.0m): With Arsenal hosting a newly promoted Leeds side, Saka’s involvement in both goals and assists makes him a strong contender.
• Cole Palmer (£10.5m): An away game against a struggling West Ham side could be the perfect time for Palmer to score his first open play goal in the league since January.

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🔥 Fixtures to Target

Teams with favorable fixtures:

• Arsenal: Home against Leeds, with a high probability of clean sheets and attacking returns.
• Bournemouth: Facing Wolves at home, offering potential for goals and assists. This game usually has lots of goals.
• Sunderland: Upcoming matches against Burnley and Brentford present opportunities for points.

Key players to consider:

• William Saliba (£6.0m): Solid defensive option with a chance for a clean sheet.
• Cole Palmer (£10.5m): Involved in Chelsea’s attacking plays, making him a valuable midfield pick.
• Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m): Offers attacking potential against mid-table teams.

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🌟 Differential Gems (<10% Ownership)

• Morgan Rodgers (£7.0m): Had a good pre-season and facing a Brentford side that you would expect to struggle after losing their manager, captain and important goal threats.
• Evanilson (£7.0m): A strong option up front with a good xGI per 90 minutes. Wolves seem as though they are going to struggle this season in defence while the Cherries look really good going forward.  
• Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m): Crystal Palace’s striker could be a differential pick with favorable fixtures ahead.

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💰 Budget Enablers

• Reijnders (£5.6m): Offers excellent value with his attacking returns and Manchester City’s fixtures.
• Declan Rice (£6.5m): Provides a budget-friendly option as a route into an Arsenal team that plays Leeds at home. If you can’t afford any of their premium assets, Rice could be a could pick.
• Robin Roefs (£4.5m): Sunderland’s goalkeeper secured a clean sheet in GW1, presenting budget appeal. Sunderland also have appealing fixtures in the short term.

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🔄 Buy, Sell, Hold

Buy:

• Reijnders (£5.6m): In-form with favorable fixtures.
• Semenyo (£7.1m): Budget enabler with attacking potential.
• Roefs (£4.5m): Budget goalkeeper with clean sheet potential.

Sell:

• Kerkez (£6.0m): struggled in his first game and Liverpool look quite open at the back.
• Bowen (£8.0m): West Ham forever seem to be a team that on paper looks good, but do not always perform. Bowen will for sure get pts this season but most likely not on a consistent basis.

Hold:

• Marmoush (£8.4m): Didn’t start in GW1 and his price has gone down. But getting rid of him now would mean that you lose value in your team for a player that could easily be a regular for Pep as the season goes on.
• Mbuemo (£8.0m): Didn’t get any attacking return but if Utd are to score any goals, you would think him or Cunha are the most likely to get the goal.  

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🧠 Final Thoughts

Gameweek 2 presents opportunities to capitalize on favorable fixtures and emerging form. While early transfers can be tempting, it’s essential to avoid knee-jerk reactions and consider long-term value. Patience pays in FPL.