The Premier League is back!
Of course, all the action is scheduled to take place this weekend but the season has truly begun for Fantasy Premier League players as they work to set up their optimum 15-man squads in a quest to own the bragging rights of being a true ‘tactician’, be it against friends or against the rest of the world.
As FPL enthusiasts would know, it is always an easier said than done task to build your very first team, especially with the likes of last season’s must-have players such as Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez getting a price increase. It is a familiar yet frustrating process that we have to go through, but with some smart selections and acute buying, it wouldn’t be a problem to safely navigate past GW1 as we feel our way through the unpredictable opening month. Here are the top five players that should be considered for your team:
Shane Long (Southampton)
Long finished 15/16 in promising form after a slow start at the beginning of the season, with five goals and four assists in his final 11 outings as compared to only five goals in the first 25 Gameweeks. The Irishman looked set to lead the lines this season after the departures of Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane as new manager Claude Puel opted for a 4-4-2 midfield diamond formation, with new signing Nathan Redmond partnering Long upfront. The change of formation proved to be fruitful for the Saints, judging from their five wins and one draw during pre-season. Priced at 6.5m, Long is a decent budget-ish striker choice to gain some points against a shaky Watford side.
Ahmed Musa (Leicester City)
The diminutive forward joined the Premier League with a speedy reputation and on the back of 24 goals and 14 assists in his final two seasons with Russian club, CSKA Moscow. He is a versatile forward that can play centrally and on either flanks, but it’s his pace that Claudio Ranieri will rely upon in Leicester’s counter-attacking approach. The Nigerian has already shown a glimpse of what he can do with his 2-goal masterclass against Barcelona during pre-season, and he’ll be a huge threat to Hull’s injury-plagued defence.
Andre Gray (Burnley)
We have a Harry Kane in 14/15, a Jamie Vardy in 15/16, and Burnley’s prolific forward might just be this season’s answer for a cheap and consistent striker. Gray was the club’s last season top scorer with 23 goals in 42 appearances to help his side to promotion, justifying the £6 million club record deal they spent on him. The Englishman has maintained his impressive form in pre-season by scoring nine goals in six matches, as he continues his remarkable journey to the top in Jamie Vardy-style. Gray downplayed the significance of his pre-season brilliance, but Burnley will rely on him to fire the club ahead in their season opener against Swansea at home.
Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)
Most of us would not even consider letting him anywhere near our squads since his days in a Wigan shirt, but the Ecuadorian looked like a changed player under the tenure of Manchester United’s new boss, Jose Mourinho. Having changed his position from a right winger to a wing-back on the same flank, Valencia offers a solid choice in defence, especially when you are playing under Mourinho. The 31-year-old has also rediscovered his attacking prowess by providing four assists in pre-season, notably the pin-point cross for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to head home the Community Shield winner against Leicester. Valencia will offer some solid points return from the front and back when United travels to Bournemouth this weekend.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
The former PFA Player of the Year endured a torrid time last season after a massive drop of form, despite helping Chelsea to lift the 14/15 Premier League trophy. Hazard’s sudden change of fortunes is still a mystery to many, with some of them attributing it to his fallout with the then manager Jose Mourinho, culminating with the sacking of the Portuguese. It won’t matter now as the Belgian looked like a revived player with the arrival of Antonio Conte, as he seeks to reignite his playmaking and goal scoring capabilities in his preferred central attacking role. Having scored 3 goals in two pre-season games, the 25-year-old will be a threat against West Ham at Stamford Bridge.
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