The dust has barely settled on Gameweek 1 of the new Premier League season, yet attention is already shifting towards how we can get ahead in Gameweek 2.
While it is tough to draw long-term conclusions from one set of matches, spotting the trends before the crowd can give you a huge advantage. That said, it’s tempting to simply react to who scored or blanked last time out, potentially making rash and regrettable transfers based on a single performance.
It all makes the first few weeks of FPL some of the trickiest to navigate. So let’s get into the key talking points…
A golden run for Bournemouth
Picking players at teams with appealing fixtures is usually a smart move. Bournemouth face Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) this weekend, before matches against Tottenham Hotspur (A), Brighton & Hove Albion (H), Newcastle United (H), Leeds United (A) and Fulham (H). Together, those games make Andoni Iraola’s side one of the most appealing to invest in.
Antoine Semenyo (£7.1m) looks like the pick of the bunch in attack. His two goals against Liverpool contributed to a statement performance. He is nailed for minutes and could become the best mid-priced midfielder in the game. The London-born Ghana international scored 11 goals and provided seven assists last season, but has already shown he could improve on both those tallies.
Antoine Semenyo started the season in blistering form (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
His team-mate Evanilson (£7.0m) is another excellent option. With Justin Kluivert (£7.0m) sidelined, the Brazilian forward is expected to be on penalties for Bournemouth, dramatically boosting his potential returns. Also, with Enes Unal (£5.5m) still out after an anterior cruciate ligament injury in January, Evanilson’s expected minutes will be high.
Bournemouth’s defenders also deserve a mention.
Wolves, Leeds, Brighton and Fulham are all sides they will fancy keeping a clean sheet against. I wouldn’t be too put off by them conceding four to Liverpool — the best attacking side in the league — away from home. Marcos Senesi (£4.5m) looks great value. He is another certainty to start when available and made 15 defensive contributions at Anfield, which gained him an extra two points.
For those considering an early wildcard or looking to make a transfer, Bournemouth players are who I would be looking at.
The captaincy debate rumbles on…
Gameweek 2 provides us with a wide-open captaincy dilemma.
Erling Haaland (£14.0m) scored twice and Manchester City looked ruthless as they got four goals on the opening weekend at Wolves. With Tottenham at home on Saturday, Haaland is a great choice for captain, and is the favourite to score at any time in that match (59 per cent), according to the bookmakers.
The best fixture of the week, though, falls to Arsenal: promoted Leeds at the Emirates. It means Bukayo Saka (£10.0m), with his combination of goal and assist threat, is a high-ceiling option as captain. Mohamed Salah (£14.5m) is a candidate for your armband most weeks and is again this time — even with Liverpool’s difficult trip to Newcastle on Monday.
Cole Palmer (£10.5m) deserves consideration, too. While his Chelsea side struggled in their opener against Crytal Palace, Palmer’s penalty prowess, set-piece taking and creative spark could help him capitalise on a West Ham defence who conceded three times at promoted Sunderland. Palmer has been disappointing in the league since the start of the calendar year, but his 37 goals and 23 assists over the past two seasons have given him plenty of credit in the FPL bank. He’s a proven player who will come good.
Palmer, left, blanked against Palace — but will look to make amends against West Ham (Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
It all depends on your risk appetite. Salah is the safe pick — most managers will go with him — whereas Saka and Haaland are much lower-owned, so are a better pick for those chasing upside.
My top pick would be Haaland, followed by Saka, then Salah and Palmer.
Be careful with timing your transfers
The urge to act quickly after Gameweek 1 is strong, especially if one or two players in your team disappointed.
Your transfer strategy should always be guided by patience and purpose. If you feel you made a genuine mistake with a selection, then moving players on is justifiable. Suspensions and injuries can also merit immediate action — take Jeremie Frimpong’s (£6.0m) hamstring injury, which has ruled him out until after the September international break.
Think: did you pick a player for their long run of fixtures? One blank shouldn’t change your opinion. The first few weeks of an FPL season often punish managers who panic. Biding your time usually pays off, as fixture runs and underlying numbers tend to even out.
Price rises can force early moves, but even then, you should only act if the transfer aligns with your long-term plan. Team value matters, but stability in the opening weeks is often worth more.
And finally… watch that window
The transfer window doesn’t close until September 1, a day after Gameweek 3 ends, which means a lot of uncertainty still hangs over many popular FPL picks.
Eberechi Eze (£7.5m) now looks set to join Arsenal from Crystal Palace and Alexander Isak (£10.4m) could yet move to Liverpool from Newcastle, who have been linked to Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen (£6.5m).
Eze looks to have played his last Premier League game for Palace (Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)
These potential transfers have implications not just for the players as FPL assets but also for team-mates they would be leaving behind.
For example, if Isak were to go, Newcastle midfielder Anthony Gordon (£7.5m) would suddenly become a much more attractive FPL asset as he would probably become the team’s first-choice penalty taker. Gordon also played as the centre-forward against Aston Villa last weekend, and that may continue until Isak’s future is resolved or a new front man is bought.
Likewise, Palace’s goal threat could decline significantly without Eze, reducing the value of their attackers. Also, will he get as many minutes or take as many set pieces with his new club as he does for the FA Cup holders? If yes, this will then have a knock-on effect for Saka, who takes the majority of Arsenal’s set pieces.
This uncertainty is exactly why saving your free transfers in the opening weeks can be so powerful. The season’s first international break is also after Gameweek 3, which brings its own issues, such as injuries and players returning to England late from long-haul destinations.
Entering Gameweek 4 with multiple free transfers after the real-life window closes puts you in a position of strength, allowing you to react with maximum flexibility.
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(Top photo of Evanilson: Michael Steele/Getty Images)