The Premier League action is coming at us thick and fast at the moment so Big Man Bakar is back again with his Fantasy Football tips ahead of Gameweek 22.
Fantasy Football Tips For GW22: Big Man Bakar Ponders The Main Questions
Leading Fantasy Football tips pundit Big Man Bakar returns on Gameweek 22 as he looks at some of the main questions managers will be rattling around their heads – including best captain, keep or sell Mbeumo and best three Liverpool players with their double week on the horizon.
All in time for the FPL Gameweek 22 deadline at 11am on Saturday 18th January 2025.
Q) Why is this a good week to be saving your transfers?
I aim to accumulate as many free transfers as possible before finalizing my chip strategy.
With uncertainty surrounding future blanks and doubles, preserving transfers is crucial so we have flexibility when more information emerges.
Most FPL managers will need transfers to attack double Gameweek 24 for Everton and Liverpool, as well as a possible double for Spurs and Fulham in Gameweek 25, even though the possibility of the latter seems remote.
Further, any FPL managers will need transfers to capitalize on Everton and Liverpool’s double in Gameweek 24, while also considering a potential—though unlikely—double for Spurs and Fulham in Gameweek 25.
We’ll need multiple transfers to manoeuvre through these changes, particularly for manager swaps linked to the Assistant Manager chip. And this does not even include the transfers we might require to use on our squad during the three week period where the Assistant Manager chip is activated.
At this stage, focusing on long-term benefits over short-term rewards is the wiser move.
Q) Who is the best captain this week?
This week feels like another one where captaincy is really close. Again, I resort to the usual bookmaker odds that I refer to at the time of need. Probability to score or assist:
- Palmer 73%
- Salah 71%
- Isak 68%
I was set on going with Palmer before Enzo Maresca’s press conference where he suggested that Palmer has missed training so could be a potential double for the Wolves fixture.
I’m sure he will start, but the risk of getting subbed might be higher than usual so I will likely resort to the safer option in Salah.
Q) Should Newcastle players be a priority for FPL managers who don’t own?
Should we buy Amad Diallo as a priority transfer this week? Is Chris Wood a must have this week?
Apart from Isak, if you don’t own any Newcastle players at this point, I’d be happy to avoid all. Same with Amad and Wood, both are great picks in their own right but are they essential?
No.
Reason being the same as above, transfers are precious at the moment and it sounds counterintuitive to sell good assets for other good ones.
Also, the likes of Eze, Mbeumo and Fernandes are good assets in their own right so should score similarly to Amad – if not better. I feel similar with Joao Pedro, Solanke and Raul in comparison to Wood – all good assets to hold.
Q) Who are the optimal three Liverpool players to buy for their double Gameweek 24?
Salah obviously picks himself while Trent is also a nice set and forget option to have in place from now on in. He leads all defenders in expected goal involvement (xGI) and plays in a defence that tops the league for fewest expected goals conceded (xGC) per 90.
Liverpool’s excellent defensive metrics and the allure of a potential double in Gameweek 24 is making me lean towards getting one of their defenders or Alisson over one of their attackers.
Security of starts is the key thing to target here, as you’d want your third Liverpool player to ideally start both games in the double.
Liverpool have two cup fixtures between their first double Gameweek 24 fixture v Bournemouth and their second double Gameweek 24 fixture v Everton, so predicting starts for any attacker besides Salah seems tricky. With the defence, it’s much easier.
Q) Odegaard – keep or sell?
I think Odegaard is a good asset to hold. Arsenal should score at least a couple of goals against Villa and I’d expect Odegaard to still be on penalties.
Q) Mbeumo – keep or sell?
It does seem too much of a luxury to offload a valuable player during a time of potential fixture turmoil, especially when the fixtures are about to turn soon. If you’ve kept him till this point, he’s an easy hold!
Q) Start Semenyo or Joao Pedro?
This is a really, really close call but I think I’d go with the penalty taker in Joao Pedro. He played close to 75 minutes in midweek, so hopefully should be good for more at the weekend.
