#FPL Gameweek 2: Preview

Written by @CraigHazell

DEFENDER: JOE GOMEZ, LIVERPOOL  (£4.6M)

Last week I dropped more names than a Katie Price autobiography in defence and unsurprisingly at least a couple hit. Matt Targett nailed down a starting spot for a normally defensively sound Southampton, as predicted. Another of my twitter picks, JOE GOMEZ also surprised many by getting the left back berth for Liverpool’s opening game. The young defender might fade into the Mediterranean sounding names on your list of potential transfers, but this Charlton youth product might be a good pick for a few weeks yet.

He is currently the most transferred in player of GW 2 and while it doesn’t take a genius to see he scored highly last week, it is worth getting him before his prices increases again. A lot of players are clinging onto Clyne but International caps and transfer fees don’t get you points at the back. At 4.6m Gomez won’t offend your pocket when he is on the bench (Liverpool play Arsenal in GW3) but with Bournemouth at home there is a strong chance on a clean sheet for big JG (a name absolutely no one is calling him)

MIDFIELDER: Andrew Ayew, Swansea (£7.0m)

I tell you what, the Manchester City catering staff must have put on one hell of a Summer birthday party for Yaya Toure, either that or they got Kolo to jump out of an oversized cake, because my word did he deliver in GW1. Having been a mainstay in everyone’s 2013/2014 team, he had a disappointing 2014/2015, priced at 10.5m and became very tempting at 8.5m for this season’s FPL. Bravo to those who picked him, given that if Paul Pogba had arrived as hope, Yaya might have left Kolo as the best Toure in the league. Frightening.

That said, Toure can often go hiding and with Chelsea coming up, there is no guarantee of another points windfall. Another of my picks last week ANDREW AYEW got on the scoresheet against Chelsea and now he faces Newcastle at home, a much less daunting prospect. He looks an extremely attacking threat and the way that Swansea usually play, means he will get his fair share of chances in front of goal. Had he scored the winner against the champions, then he would’ve been splashed all over the back pages. However, his performance has gone largely unnoticed and bringing him in for 7m might be some shrewd business that your friends haven’t thought of.

FORWARD: Graziano Pelle, Southampton (£8.0m)

If you had said to me “Kone will be top striker in GW1” I would have probably said “Who’s Kone?’ then you would have said “Kone! Ivory Coast!” then I’d have said “the dictator guy who went viral in 2012?” then you’d have said something like “No! that was Kony! The guy at Everton!” Anyway, the point is no one though Kone at Everton would put in such an FPL performance but I think we can safely say it won’t last all season. Last season was a season for under-priced gems like Kane, Berahino and Ings and I am yet to see what the pattern will be for 2015/2016 so it feels like a lot of guesswork right now. However, I guess that’s my job!

Christian Benteke will surely open his account shortly and Bournemouth present an excellent opportunity but with a tough game the following week, he is maybe on the waiting list. Gomis at Swansea is tempting but rather boringly I think GRAZIANO PELLE, one of last season’s FPL stalwarts represents the best option. He had a blinding first half of the season last year and he seems to be emulating that and when Tadic performs, Pelle performs. It could well be a game full of goals and he is likely to grab at least one.

OUTSIDER: Nathan Redmond, Norwich (£5.5m)

My outside pick this week is NATHAN REDMOND at Norwich. I debated at length which Norwich midfielder I would start with, having already decided I think they will be strong at home this season. After opting for Bradley Johnson, I think Redmond may have been the better pick. He unassumingly got on the scoresheet in GW1 but is still surprisingly 1.4% picked. He loves a cross, he loves a goal and I think he could be good value against a Sunderland side I am convinced will be relegated by March.

Captain -Memphis Depay, Manchester United (£8.5m)

the aforementioned Pelle & Benteke will be popular picks and look worth a goal, at a glance as does last year’s hero Harry Kane. Statistically, however, midfielders tend to make better captains when bonus points start coming into play. With that in mind MEMPHIS DEPAY is likely to play a central role if Man United are to overcome Villa and maintain their 100% start.

Although he didn’t set the world alight in GW1, it was an assured debut, he stood over a couple of free kicks and but for the grace of Kyle Walker’s left foot, he would’ve had an assist so he gets the armband for me this week on a trial basis. (ED: Ashley Young passed it to Rooney – YOU’RE SACKED!!) It worked for Beckham and Peter Taylor. You never know.

Written by @CraigHazell

Craig Hazell is a television professional, writer and Heart of Midlothian fan who makes up one third of the popular FPL podcast The Gaffer Tapes. As a student, Craig won the BBC Sports Broadcaster and Comedy Broadcaster of the year, before going onto to be a regular on the London open mic comedy circuit. He now writes about anything from TV & Movies, to food and of course football, providing he can shoehorn a 90s pop culture reference into just about anything.

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