Lessons Learnt from the 16/17 FPL Season

Taking risks can be beneficial, but do so sparingly

For FPL managers, there’s no better feeling than taking a big risk that pays off. Doing so can see a steep ascent up the rankings. However, more often than not, big risks fail, resulting in a steep plummet down the rankings. As a result, it worth tossing up the risk vs reward of a decision. In terms of captain choices, there are two options FPL managers can take; ‘sword’ or ‘shield.’ For the most part of the season, the safest thing to do is make ‘shield’ decisions. This means playing it safe, such as captaining Kane or Lukaku, who are expected to score most weeks and will be captained by a high percentage of all FPL managers. Using your ‘shield’ will enable you to set yourself in a solid position (as long as the rest of your team is doing reasonably well) and maintain the rank without too many significant falls. ‘Sword’ choices on the other hand can catapult you up the rankings further than ‘shield’ choices. For example, captaining Shaqiri (13) last season resulted in a rise of 84k, whereas captaining Coutinho (11) only resulted in a 28k rise for me. Although the Shaqiri ‘sword’ move paid off, the downside of such a decision outweighs the positives. For example, in GW28 I chose to captain a ‘sword’ (Lanzini), who blanked, whilst highly owned players Lukaku (1 goals and 1 assist) and King (3 goals) both excelled, seeing my rank drop 156k. Furthermore, in GW24, I made another ‘sword’ captain choice, opting for Barkley (12). Although Barkley returned a large haul, his teammate and popular captain choice Lukaku netted 4 goals, meaning I was 18 points worse off opting for my differential. This saw my rank drop by 20k. Another aspect of FPL where managers need to toss up the risk vs reward of their decision is in relation to transfers. Simply, taking hits should be avoided. For each -4 you take, your rank drops around 20k before a ball has even been kicked for that GW. Taking hits for goalkeepers, defenders or ‘punts’ should also be avoided, as in the likely event that they blank, you will be far worse off. It is only advisable to take a hit when it is a poor performing player out for one in red-hot form or a fixture proof player, whom not owning will affect your rank. Therefore, risks in relation to captain choices or transfers should only be made when you are almost positive the move will get you more points than what you will get from the players who you already have. So, play it safe for the most part of the season, and take risks every now and again to jump up the rankings gradually.

Monitor the suspension tightrope, but don’t let it determine your transfers

Player suspensions can cause major problems in FPL, as managers may be forced to play with one short, to make a transfer, or lose value. From this perspective, try and avoid players who are walking the suspension tightrope. However, another perspective needs to be considered. In some instances, red-hot form players can be close to a suspension. If this occurs, do not let the possible suspension deter you from transferring the player in. By not owning the player, your rank could be significantly affected. Also, once players pick up their 4^thyellow card, they usually become more cautious as they do not want to spend a week on the sideline. This occurred last season with Diego Costa. Costa started the season with a bang, netting 5 goals and providing 1 assist in the first 7 GWs. However, by this stage, he has already picked up 4 yellow cards. Despite this form, FPL managers were deterred from transferring Costa in due to his imminent suspension. Holding off on transferring Costa due to this though would ultimately be the wrong decision. He then avoided a yellow card for the next 10 GWs, picking one up in GW17, by which stage he had already scored 13 goals and picked up 5 assists. Therefore, it is important to avoid players who are walking the suspension tightrope, but if a player is banging in regular goals and not owning them in affecting your rank, don’t let the suspension deter you and transfer them in.

Squad depth is crucial

For the first portion of the season, this lesson isn’t very important, and you can get away with having fodder on your bench. This is because players are still fresh from the off-season and external competitions haven’t taken much of a toll yet. A good time to start offloading your fodder is in your first WC. However, by the time December comes around, all 15 players in your squad should be first team regulars. PL managers want to protect their players from injury, so when fatigue kicks in once the fixtures come thick and fast, rotation will come into play. This rotation will be more common in the ‘big’ teams, as bench players are of higher quality, meaning the managers will be more comfortable resting their stars and playing bench players. For FPL, this rotation causes major headaches, and the worst part about it is that you don’t know who will be rested and when. For example, highly owned defender Antonio Valencia was rotated for the most part of the second half of the season so that he would be fully fit for Europa League matches. Other big names such as Hazard, De Bruyne and Sanchez were also rested at times last season, usually in favourable matches where FPL managers want them to play. To combat this, FPL managers need a squad full of players who will receive minutes regularly. This will mean that your rank will be less affected when a star player is rested, and you have greater flexibility when making transfers and captain decisions.

Fixtures are important, but let your decisions be made by form

This one seems like a bit of a cliché, but it has been proven time and time again. Undoubtedly, fixtures are very important when making decisions in FPL. Most FPL managers look for players with a favourable fixture run, which defines their appeal. For example, many managers transferred Rondón in last season for a favourable 7 game run. However, despite the fixtures (HUL, SUN, mid, STK, whu, BOU, CRY), Rondón’s form was abysmal during this run, picking up only 1 assist. So, instead of having your decisions determined by fixtures, which may see you transfer in players with poor underlying stats and returns, look for form players instead. Form is one of the strongest things in football, and a form player or team high on confidence is hard to stop. When this is occurring, FPL managers should opt for these players, regardless of fixtures. For example, in the second half of last season, Josh King netted goals for fun. However, despite numerous 10+ hauls and exceptional underlying statistics, many FPL managers decided to bench or avoid King when playing against the ‘big’ clubs. This turned out to be detrimental, as King scored against Chelsea (h), Liverpool (a), Manchester United (a) and Everton (a) in a short period. Therefore, fixtures are important, but nowhere near as important as form, which should be the main factor determining your decisions this FPL season.

Additional lessons

·        Go with your gut. It’s your team, so you make the final decisions.

·        Monitor twitter and football sites for rumours regarding injuries, team news, etc.

·        Study player and team statistics to help you make more informed decisions.

·        Watching matches is the best way to decide who will be a good FPL asset.

·      Have fun! After all, FPL is just a game. Enjoy it and don’t be too disheartened if you do poorly.

  

     

     By @WFC_Seb | @WFC_17

WFC's FPL Super Differentials - Five Less Than 3% Ownership Players To Free Up Funds And Help Separate You From The Crowd

Alli, De Bruyne, Coutinho, Lukaku, Kane, Lacazette. The list goes on and on. This Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season, there are a lot of expensive players, most of whom justify their price tag with regular goals and assists. Due to this vast array of expensive options at our disposal, there are a significant amount of players with high ownership. Although the ‘template squad’ (where everyone owns the same players who score well each week) may not play as great a role this season as previous ones, it is still imperative to mix up your squad with high and low ownership players to stand out from the crowd and separate yourself from the rest. In this article, we at WFC have selected five super differentials (players owned by less than 3% of managers) who have the potential to obtain large hauls this season, whilst simultaneously acting as budget enablers allowing us to select more premium players.

So, here are who we believe to be five of the top super differential picks for the 2017/18 FPL season.

Pablo Zabaleta (£5.0) – TSB 2.9%

We are all aware of the quality of Pablo Zabaleta. Over the years, he has proved himself to be one of the best all round defenders in the world, rewarding FPL managers with a steady stream of both attacking and defensive returns. His balance between surging runs forwards and tough tackling saw his FPL end of season price reach a high of £6.5, after 1 goal, 6 assists and 14 bonus points during the 2013/14 season. During this time, he was a fantasy must.

However, during the past two seasons, he Zabaleta fell down the pecking order at Manchester City, and was subject to rotation. Last season, he only made 11 league starts. Nevertheless, Zabaleta still managed to showcase his quality when given a chance. His potential for FPL points was highlighted when Manchester City played Leicester at the King Power Stadium last season. In this game, Zabaleta fired off 2 shots and also created 4 chances, which is impressive for a defender. Most significantly, however, he made 54 final third passes and 5 crosses (4 of which came from within 18 yards of the goal). On average, he made 25 final third passes per game when starting at right back. This highlights Zabaleta’s potential to get forward and be involved in attacking play, which is what FPL managers look for in their defenders.

Looking into his defensive statistics last season, Zabaleta was also extremely impressive when starting at right back. In his 10 starts from that position, he won 78 duels. If he can replicate such defensive output this season, Zabaleta will put himself in prime position to pick up bonus points should West Ham keep a clean sheet.

Now, Zabaleta arrives at West Ham on the back of a very successful eight seasons at Manchester City. In terms of his role at the Hammers, Zabaleta will almost definitely be the undisputed right back. Sam Byram will offer another option, but Zabaleta will be first choice. Due to his versatility, there is also the possibility of filling in at central midfield should Bilic be running short of players in that position.

At a price of only £5.0 this season, Zabaleta has the potential to significantly out-perform his price tag. Due to his attacking instincts and also his defensive output, FPL managers should keep an eye on Zabaleta and seriously considering his selection.

Robbie Brady (£5.5) – TSB 0.4%

Throughout his career, Robbie Brady has always been a quality player. Since leaving Manchester United, spells at Hull and Norwich granted him valuable first team action, but both resulted in relegation to the Championship. Hoping to take a step forward in his career, Brady signed for Burnley in January 2017. This seemed like a great move, but Brady was only afforded 7 starts in three and a half months. In these starts, Brady showcased his potential, but could not gather enough momentum to turn it into solid form. However, the Burnley record signing will be hoping to make a much greater impact this PL season.

Despite limited chances last season, Brady’s FPL returns were highly impressive. In 7 starts, he netted 1 goal (the equaliser vs Chelsea) and 3 assists. Delving into his underlying statistics, last season Brady was relatively impressive. Shooting wise, he managed a one every 44.69 minutes. This is reasonable considering his role as a midfielder in a defensive minded side, not an out and out winger. Surprisingly, despite his 3 assists, his creative stats were less impressive, creating a chance every 52.82 minutes.

This definitely should not deter FPL managers from acquiring him though.

In his 7 starts, he averaged 13 attacking third actions per game, highlighting his influence in the forward zone of the field. This is further reinforced by his averaged of 7 crosses per game. As the creative hub of the side, this influence should continue in the 2017/18 season. In fact, the acquisition of Jon Walters, as well as the blossoming partnership between Vokes and Gray, will heighten Brady’s appeal, as he will be the provider for smart finishing and aerially dominant attackers.

Last time we saw Brady in the PL, he played mainly as a left back for Norwich, yet still managed 3 goals, 4 assists and 13 bonus points. In terms of his position at Burnley, Brady is a sure starter at left midfield. However, his positional maps from last season at Burnley show that he has been granted a licence to roam, rather than strictly sticking to the wide left channel. In this way, he generally has the greatest influence in the central region of the field. This bodes well for his FPL prospects, as it evidences how he is the central creator in Burnley’s side, and he will also have more room to fire shots at goal. Subsequently, we can ascertain that if Brady could pick up such returns from left back, his attacking role at Burnley should see him excel.

Finally, Brady’s set piece prowess further adds to his appeal. He is Burnley’s corner taker, and a free kick specialist, evidenced by his strike against Chelsea. Out of all clubs, Burnley scored the most free kicks last season (3), and Brady should help to improve this amount this season. Also, although he does not appear to be the first choice penalty taker at the club, he is proven from the spot, and was first choice at Norwich, as well as in the Irish national team.

As a result, due to Brady’s attacking freedom and set piece prowess, FPL managers should consider his inclusion as a 4^th or 5^th midfielder, capable of regular attacking returns.

Bojan Krkić (£5.5) – TSB 0.2%

Throughout his career, Bojan has always possessed bags of talent and potential. This is clear, as he made 104 appearances for Barcelona, and is the second youngest player to ever play for the club. He has also played for Roma, AC Milan and Ajax, and represented Spain at senior level, making for a highly impressive CV.

His Stoke City career started very brightly, but was halted due to a ruptured ACL, which saw him miss the majority of the 2014/15 season. Since then, he has struggled for momentum and regular game time. Nevertheless, he has still netted 14 goals in only 41 starts for Stoke. This goal scoring record highlights how despite not yet reaching the heights that were expected of him at the start of his career, Bojan is still a classy player, capable of excelling in the PL.

Last season, Bojan only made 5 starts, but still managed 3 goals. Despite this record, Mark Hughes decide to loan Bojan out to Bundesliga club Mainz for the second half of the 2016/17 season.

Although his time at Mainz did not yield many goals or assists, Bojan’s performances promise well for the 2017/18 FPL season. During his loan spell, he registered a shot frequency of 1 every 44.67 minutes (2.01 per game). He also created a chance every 59.56 minutes (1.51 per game). These stats are not overly impressive, but still highlight his attacking capabilities.. Most impressively, Bojan managed on average 14 final third passes per game, which demonstrates his influence on team attacking play. An average of just over 4 crosses per game also illustrates his excellent movement, where he does not just stay in the middle channel of the field, but strays out wide into space.

Now, the former Barcelona starlet returns to Stoke with a point to prove.

At Stoke this season, Bojan will have opportunities to build on this form. The Stoke City Chief Executive has stated that Bojan could be “absolutely key” to the side this season. Expected to start in the number 10 role, or possibly even the left wing, Bojan should form part of a dynamic attack featuring Shaqiri, Allen, Berahino, Diouf and Sobhi. What may convince FPL managers to include Bojan in their squads is the fact that he is Stoke’s first choice penalty taker. This bodes well considering the Potters won the equal 5^th most penalties in the PL last season (6). He may also take his fair share of corners, boosting his assist potential. Although it is unlikely he will take free-kicks with Shaqiri also at the club, Bojan’s average of over 2 fouls won per game means that he has the potential be rewarded assist points from free-kick goals.

Therefore, it is evident that Bojan has great potential to become a genuine FPL option, not just as a cheap 5^th midfielder. With a price of only £5.5, his significant attacking involvement and penalty taking duties make him one to watch out for this Premier League season.

Tom Ince (£6.0) – TSB 2.5%

Tom Ince is one that has really flown under the radar. From the promoted clubs, everyone is talking about Knockaert, Ritchie and Gayle, yet Tom Ince could be the best FPL option out of them all.

Last season, Ince (playing for Derby) dominated the Championship. In his 41 starts, he netted 14 goals and provided 6 assists. However, it is not only his final product that was highly impressive, but also his underlying statistics. In terms of shooting, he finished the season with a shot frequency of 1 every 27.55 minutes, which is superior to that of Ritchie and Knockaert, as well as Dele Alli, De Bruyne and Mane, just to name a few. In fact, he registered 4+ shots in 14 games last season. Creatively, his statistics were less impressive, only managing to created 1 chance every 51.85 minutes. However, his average of 16 final third passes per game suggests that his creative output could improve.

Looking further back than last season, it is clear that Ince is not a one season wonder. In his past 3 seasons, he has scored 10+ goals in each of them. In fact, he has netted 37 goals and provided 15 assists in his past 97 starts, which is remarkable considering he is not a striker, but a winger.

Now, he moves to Huddersfield Town on the back of his success at Derby. His life at the Terriers has gotten off to a blistering start, netting 3 goals in his first 3 appearances for the club in pre-season. Despite Huddersfield being short for goals in the Championship last season, Ince’s start to life as a Terrier suggests that this could change. Expect Ince to be the main attacking outlet that Huddersfield have.

Last season, Ince played predominantly as a right winger. At Huddersfield, it is expected that he will continue to be stationed in that position for the entirety of the PL season.

Another point worth noting is his set piece taking abilities. The Australian wizard Aaron Mooy will be the first choice set piece taker at the club, but should he be unable to play or take a set piece, Ince should step in, boosting his appeal. It is also possible that Ince may take some penalties as he was the first choice taker at Derby, so this point is definitely worth monitoring.

The major aspect that may deter some managers from purchasing Ince is that he is unproven in the PL. Such a precaution is fair, but due to Ince’s attacking and creative attributes, it is worth including him in your squad. Another point to note is that he can be ill disciplined at times, picking up 7 yellow cards last season, but this shouldn’t act as much of a deterrent.

Overall, Tom Ince is definitely worth serious consideration for a place in your FPL squad. A natural goal scorer, he will be central to Huddersfield’s attack, and has the finishing ability as well as pace and crossing to see him excel in the PL this season.

Jordan Ayew (£5.0) – TSB 2.0%

It’s fair to say that Jordan Ayew has not yet reached the heights of older brother Andre. A move to Aston Villa in 2015 saw him net 7 goals in his debut campaign in England’s top flight. However, this ended in relegation, where he languished in the Championship before earning a move to Swansea in January 2017. Although his career has not taken a large step forward since this move, the 2017/18 season could be the one where he announces himself as a star.

Looking at his performance in the Championship last season for Aston Villa, his returns were less than impressive, registering 2 goals and 4 assists in 17 starts. However, his underlying stats were far more noteworthy. In his 17 starts, he managed a shot frequency of 1 every 31.85 minutes, which is only 2 minutes worse that Sigurdsson, and 16 minutes better than Llorente. His creative stats are less impressive (1 chance created every 52.57 minutes) but still demonstrate his ability to set up teammates as well as shoot himself.

Upon joining Swansea, his shot and shot assist frequency worsened, which was expected. However, his productivity increased drastically. In his 9 starts for Swansea, he managed 1 goal, 4 assists and 2 bonus points, which is an excellent return.

These returns become even more impressive considering the lack of stability he has  faced upon joining the Swans. In his 9 starts, he shifted from right midfield, to striker, to the wing and to attacking midfield. As a result, he could not pick up much momentum. This season, it is expected that Ayew will nail down a spot on the right wing. This consistency, and the fact that he will be playing with higher class attackers, boosts his appeal.

Another area that bodes well for Ayew’s FPL prospects is his foul drawing ability. Before his move to Swansea, he was one of the most fouled players in the Championship. Should Sigurdsson remain at the Swans, Ayew therefore has the potential to pick up many assist points from free kicks. If Sigurdsson departs, Ayew, who is a capable free kick taker, will battle Tom Carroll for free kick duty, and possibly even corner duty.

Furthermore, so far in pre-season, Ayew has made one start, and netted one goal. This demonstrates his increased productivity since joining Swansea, which suggests he could be bound for a big season.

In conclusion, in the 2017/18 PL season, Jordan Ayew has the potential to improve on his 7 goals in the 15/16 season, and his impressive start to life as a Swan last season. Due to the substantial amount of premium players this FPL season, Jordan Ayew is one to monitor as a budget enabler who still offer the potential for point hauls.

By @WFC_Seb | @WFC_17  

EPL Title Contenders, Relegation Battlers, Key Players and Ladder Prediction

Arsenal

Lacazette! Lacazette! Lacazette! The word that inspires Arsenal fans to believe for another season, but unfortunately the Gunners will need three Lacazette’s to push for the title. Although the Frenchman brings a quantity of goals with him (37 in 45 games for Lyon in 2016/17) and fits nicely into the Wenger system of pace and creativity down the wings and through the middle, the team as a whole still only has a big 3 of Sánchez, Özil and now Lacazette. For a team that scores goals, but concedes its fair share the addition of another striker won’t assist in a title run.

Key Player: Mesut Özil

Top Goal scorer: Alexis Sánchez

Predicted Finish: 4^th

Bournemouth

2016/17 had every fan chanting, All hail the KING! If Josh King cannot rediscover and perform at the superhuman level he did last season. Bournemouth will struggle this term. However, the classy Norwegian possess the ability to jump even higher into the stratosphere with his creative skills and goal scoring prowess. With the signing of Jermain Defoe from Sunderland over the off-season, the two could form quite a lethal partnership up front giving Bournemouth’s attack diversity. In addition to this, Asmir Begović in goals could prove to be a vital shot-stopper once again, aiding Bournemouth in improving on their 67 goals conceded in the league in 2016/17 (5^thworst by any club).

Key Player: Josh King

Top Goal Scorer: Jermain Defoe

Predicted Finish: 9^th

Brighton

Having lost the least amount of games (9) in the championship in 2016/17, Brighton possess some promise for top flight survival. Names like Anthony Knockaert, Glenn Murray, Steve Sidwell and Sèbastien Pocognoli give hope to ecstatic fans eager for the Premier League to begin. However, for Brighton to stay up they must make their home turf a fortress, where most of their points will be won. The reliance on older players is also of concern, with 33 year old Englishman Glenn Murray producing 23 goals last season in his 45 appearances from a total 46 league games. Although a fight will be put up, Brighton will narrowly miss safety.

Key Player: Anthony Knockaert

Top Goal Scorer: Glenn Murray

Predicted Finish: 18^th

Burnley

Solid enough to survive the 2016/17 campaign, 2017/18 won’t be as kind to The Clarets. Having had scoring troubles for most of the season, only returning 39 goals as a collective unit, ranking them 4^thworst in the league, ahead of the three relegated sides (Sunderland – 29, Middlesbrough – 27 and Hull – 37). Although Burnley struggle to score, opponents also find it had to hit the back of the net against the outfit from Turf Moor, having only conceded 55 goals in 38 league games. For Burnley to see out the Premier League season and gear up for another, and not be in the Championship come the same time next year, the likes of Sam Vokes, Andre Gray, Robbie Brady and Steven Defour have to increase their goal tallies. Unfortunately this may not happen!

Key Player: Robbie Brady

Top Goal Scorer: Sam Vokes

Predicted Finish: 19^th

Chelsea

The boys from Stamford Bridge look set to march on in 2017/18. A consistent first XI in seasons past seemed to propel them to the league title with the best winning record (30). With the Champions league factor coming into play, this shouldn’t deter Chelsea in the league as the squad has fantastic depth and diversity to combat many fixture situations. The acquisition of Antonio Rüdiger from AS Roma has made an already rock solid defence even better, while also possibly allowing the ever reliable Azpilicueta more freedom to bomb forwards and be another attacking option, possibly on the same threat level as left sided Spanish teammate Marcos Alonso. With all the usual weapons of Hazard, Costa, Willian and co at their disposal, they will be hard to beat yet again.

Key Player: Cesar Azpilicueta

Top Goal Scorer: Eden Hazard

Predicted Finish: 1^st

Crystal Palace

Palace need to find more consistency in 2017/18. The last campaign was underwhelming for a side that looked decent on paper. Finishing 14^th with only Hull (22) and Sunderland (26) losing more games than their 21 loses, Palace will look to secure more draws this term by locking up defence and continuing to have a consistent backline. Winning 12 games that put them equal with a host of sides for wins, all the way up with Southampton who finished 8^th, the Eagles could secure more wins should Benteke and Zaha both be high goal scorers, with Benteke possibly breaking the 20 goal barrier and Van Aanholt chipping in his fair share of valuable goals. However, if injury strikes to any big name player in the squad, Palace could be in trouble.

Key Player: Patrick Van Aanholt

Top Goal Scorer: Christian Benteke

Predicted Finish: 13^th

Everton

The big issue of Romelu Lukaku! The Belgian juggernaut up front was instrumental in Everton’s set-up during his tenure at the club. Now at Man Utd, what can Everton do to replace him and his goals? 25 goals in 2016/17 is hard to find, seeing as the next best was Ross Barkley with 5 goals to his name. Transfer activity has been decent from Ronald Koeman, with the acquisition of Wayne Rooney and Sandro Ramirez up front, Michael Keane in defence and outstanding young keeper Jordan Pickford. Should Everton not find a 20+ goal a season striker their league position will come down to solid defence, clean sheets and ball possession. With Coleman and Bolasie to return from injury after the beginning of the season, Everton will virtually have 2 capable players in every position on the field but without a world class scorer they will have to settle outside the top 4.

Key Player: Ashley Williams

Top Goal Scorer: Wayne Rooney

Predicted Finish: 7^th

Huddersfield

Finishing 5^th in the Championship and just scraping into the Premier League through the play-offs, Huddersfield look destined for a one and done season in the top tier. Not conceding goals is the best chance of avoiding relegation. This is something that Huddersfield are capable of however, it the lack of goals that will be their downfall. The reliance on Elias Kachunga with 12 goals last season and both Aaron Mooy and Tommy Smith contributing 4 goals each from midfield and defence won’t be enough, as the Huddersfield supporting cast players are of a lower standard than required to make a push up the table in the top flight. Although there will be fighting spirit, it will be back to the championship next season.

Key Player: Aaron Mooy

Top Goal Scorer: Laurent Depoitre

Predicted Finish: 20^th   

  

Leicester

Anything could happen with Leicester in the 2017/18 season, as no one expects them to perform well – which seems to be when the foxes perform their best. There is potential for the former Premier League Champions to return some sort of glory to the club. Smart signings so far in Vincente Iborra (7 goals and 2 assists) from Sevilla and Harry Maguire (2 goals and 2 assists) from Hull to sure up midfield and an ageing defence respectably could give Leicester some new life. However, with Mahrez out of form and Vardy containable, the “pump the ball forward” for the paceman up front tactic needs to change for the new life and possible potential to be capitalised on.

Key Player: Jamie Vardy

Top Goal Scorer: Jamie Vardy

Predicted Finish: 14^th

Liverpool

Champions League inclusion could be the downfall of a very good Liverpool side in the 2017/18 season. Boasting a strong starting XI with fantastic chemistry, Jürgen Klopp’s squad depth will be tested. Mohamed Salah will be an interesting signing having scored 19 goals and registering 12 assists in all competitions while in Italy with AS Roma in 2016/17. For the Reds, it seems like they are on a yo-yo in recent times, they have a top four season where a title could be on the cards then they slip back into the pack the following season. Yet again this could happen! The utilisation of Daniel Sturridge could be vital, with the Englishman only starting 7 games last season, collecting 3 goals and 1 assist with 2 shots on target per game. Versatile across the front line, Sturridge could allow perennial starters Sadio Manè, Phillipe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, who all hit double figure goals returns last season to have rest games and freshen up.

Key Player: Sadio Manè

Top Goal Scorer: Roberto Firmino

Predicted Finish: 6^th

Manchester City

Finished 2016/17 in three’s. Third position on the ladder, third most amount of goals scored (80) and third least goals conceded (39). In the coming season, Man City have a high potential to improve and push Chelsea in a title chase. With a healthy Agüero and Jesus up front, goals are going to flow for the blue side of Manchester with the two scoring a combined 27 goals in 41 appearances, at 6.9 shots per game in seasons past. However, if either have extended injuries, the workload will be shifted to midfielders Kevin De Bruyne, Yaya Toure, Leroy Sanè and new arrival Bernardo Silva. If this occurs, City will have to be solid at the back with experienced captain Vincent Kompany needing play every EPL fixture. Unfortunately for City fans this has been an extremely rare occurrence, meaning that the club will fall just short of recapturing the title.

Key Player: Vincent Kompany

Top Goal Scorer: Sergio Agüero

Predicted Finish: 2^nd

Manchester United

Draws, draws and more draws! That was the case in the last EPL season. The loss of King Zlatan briefly frightened United fans as the big Swede contributed 17 league goals. However, the signing of Romelu Lukaku has left followers with the thought of winning the title again. Champion’s league shouldn’t trouble the Red Devils to much as superior squad depth gives players freedom to have rest games and freshen up. However, with all this considered, the nucleus of the team remains similar to season 2016/17 that played a slow possession game with very few goals scored (54), quickly becoming a boring snooze-fest of a team to watch. Big name players need to step-up in the coming campaign– Pogba (5 goals, 4 assists), Martial (4 goals, 6 assists), and Mkhitaryan (4 goals, 1 assist). The Lukaku factor cannot change the course of the whole team.

Key Player: Paul Pogba

Top Goal Scorer: Romelu Lukaku

Predicted Finish: 5^th

Newcastle

The best team in the Championship last season, Newcastle are back where they belong with something to prove. Boasting a phenomenal amount of Premier League experience and high level talent, the magpies will slot straight back into life in the top flight. Dwight Gayle has improved exponentially since his last EPL matches, having scored 23 goals in last year’s season, with the ever reliable Matt Richie contributing a further 12. Multiple options in all positons allows Newcastle to be versatile with their game plans and frustrate almost all oppositions in the league. Whether it be pacey wing play or direct attacks through the corridor of the field, expect Newcastle to win a fair share of games and easily stay up.

Key Player: Matt Ritchie

Top Goal Scorer: Dwight Gayle

Predicted Finish: 10^th

Southampton

Though matter who Southampton buy or sell they always perform with a high level of consistency. Holding onto central defender Virgil Van Dijk who won 4.7 aerial duels per game, will be essential for the saints to keep their defensive stats solid, having only conceded 48 goals in 2016/17. Surprise package of 2016/17, Nathan Redmond  produced 2.2 shots per game in becoming Saints top goal scorer (7), ahead of forwards Charlie Austin, Manolo Gabbiadini, Shane Long and Jay Rodriguez. With Southampton’s style of play down the flanks looking for crosses to a target man, Gabbiadini could flourish in his first full season in the Premier League, however there is a big jump in standard for Southampton to improve on last year’s finishing league position of 8^th – 15 points less points than 7^th and a 25 +/- goal difference.

Key Player: Dušan Tadić

Top Goal Scorer: Manolo Gabbiadini

Predicted Finish: 8^th

  

Stoke

After building an impressive squad of players and moving up the table in recent years, Stoke have hit a bit of a wall. Generally miserly in defence, Stoke conceded a relatively large amount of goals (56) in 2016/17, which eventually became the team’s downfall. With only an average of 47.2% possession in seasons past, Stoke will have to improve on their defensive prowess in 2017/18 in order to turn some of their 11 draws (second most) last season into wins. The return of Jack Butland in goals will aid in this becoming a reality. However, creative attacking players Xherdan Shaqiri, Marko Arnautovic and Joe Allen need to see more ball in attacking areas rather than being relied on to create scoring opportunities against the run of play or out of impossible situations. Both Shaqiri and Arnautovic can become double figure goal scorers should this occur, but without a style of play philosophy change, The Potters only seem to be headed down the table.

Key Player: Xherdan Shaqiri

Top Goal Scorer: Marko Arnautovic

Predicted Finish: 15^th

Swansea

Everything about the Swans revolves around a certain crafty Icelandic attacking midfielder, and without him pulling the strings, the Welsh based club will struggle in 2017/18. With the exception of Fernando LLorente’s 15 goals last season, Gylfi Sigurdsson led Swansea in all attacking stats in the 2016/17 campaign – 9 goals, 13 assists and 3.1 shots per game. The 70 goals conceded last campaign was second worst in the league, only to Hull’s 80 and without some strong and composed central defender signings, Swansea look set to have another tough season in defence. Despite poor defence and a heavy reliance on two players in attack, the Swans will see another season in the Premier League.

Key Player: Gylfi Sigurdsson

Top Goal Scorer: Fernando LLorente

Predicted Finish: 17^th

Tottenham

A lot of jokes were made about Spurs after the 2016/17 season “applying pressure”, however Tottenham fans can stay positive in the fact that they will eventually capture the EPL title as overall they possibly have the best, most diverse squad in the league. Last season they were the highest goal scorers (86) and had the best defence (26). With goals and assists coming from multiple areas of the field, Spurs always had a player step-up when others form dipped. The cohesion between the attacking front four aided them in scoring so many goals, Kane (29), Alli (18), Son (14) and Eriksen (8). Along with this, the four also combined for 35 assists throughout the season. Defensively Spurs have recently lost Kyle Walker to Manchester City. His marauding runs into the box down the right touchline always provided another outlet with him teeing up another 5 goals through his 5 assists. A simple change to Kieran Trippier, who also provided 5 assists in his 12 appearances at right back shouldn’t disrupt the solid backline. The utilisation of Moussa Dembèlè in centre midfield will be interesting as when he plays that position, Spurs have won over 90% of their matches as his strength, dribbling and 90+% passing accuracy is hard for oppositions to handle.

Key Player: Moussa Dembèlè

Top Goal Scorer: Harry Kane

Predicted Finish: 3^rd

Watford

Although Watford have a decent enough defence, that can frustrate opposition attackers from scoring while scoring a handful of goals themselves, it is the going forward options that has frustrated supporters. Last season’s acquisition of Frenchman Étienne Capoue sparked life into The Hornets, thrusting them up the ladder for the opening portion of the season. However, Capoue’s form dropped off and so did Watford’s wins. With only Troy Deeney getting into double figures for goals, Marco Silva will need to bring in another striker or goal threat for Watford to perform any better in 2017/18. League survival will be a tough battle however, the lack of quality in other squads along with Watford’s fighting spirit and ability to protect leads when they do get them will keep them up.

Key Player: Heurelho Gomes

Top Goal Scorer: Troy Deeney

Predicted Finish: 16^th

West Brom

The big surprises of 2016/17, West Brom supplied some entertaining football despite only having on average 40.7% possession per game. With not one squad player providing double figure goals or assists returns (best Rondón 8 goals and Phillips 9 assists), The Baggies finished the season amazingly in 10^th position on the back of solid defence. Player durability also allowed West Brom to build extremely high team chemistry, with a very consistent starting XI. If Matt Phillips can provide the energy and attacking threat he showed in the past season, along with Nacer Chadli lifting even further, to levels that were seen during his stint at Tottenham, West Brom can sustain last year’s league position as a mid-table team.

Key Player: Matt Phillips

Top Goal Scorer: Salomón Rondón

Predicted Finish: 11^th

West Ham

After an annoying start to the 2016/17 campaign with the Dimitri Payet saga, West Ham finished respectably. With acquisitions of Robert Snodgrass and José Fonte, Sofiane Feghouli and André Ayew in the past season, the Hammers will look to build in the coming year. The unearthing of Michail Antonio’s attacking abilities has finally given West Ham a pacey option up front, giving them diversity. Argentine playmaker Manuel Lanzini is tipped to be a top player in the coming season having scored 8 goals from midfield last campaign. His partnership with Snodgrass could be instrumental, with the wand of a left for from Snodgrass providing plenty of service for Antonio and Andy Carroll to attack. If Sofiane Feghouli stays fit, his pace and dribbling ability can cause chaos to any teams defensive lines. Unfortunately, West Ham players seem to not be able to be consistently available to play through injury or suspension, having the second worst discipline record in the league last season– 78 yellow and 5 red cards. This could again be the cause of the team’s table demise.

Key Player: Manuel Lanzini

Top Goal Scorer: Michail Antonio

Predicted Finish: 12^th

So here is the Predicted final standings of the Premier League table for the 2017/18 season 

Now it is your turn to predict how you think the final EPL table will look!. 

Show your knowledge and predict your outcome by commenting on the article or via Twitter - @WFC_LS_Potzi @WFC_17 @WFC_Seb

By Luke Scali - (Twitter - @WFC_LS_Potzi)