PLANE TRACKING AND DATA DIVING

When the transfer window closed just hours after the Gameweek 4 deadline, FPL managers abruptly swapped chaos with the bliss of having an international break to reflect, discover and say hello to relatives.

Once Pro Pundits Lateriser and Zophar examined the most interesting stats and lessons learnt so far, Scout updated the Live Hall of Fame rankings and analysed some ‘big numbers’ from these opening four rounds. For example, with so few clean sheets being kept, having attack-minded defenders could now be the main way to gain points at the back.

Meanwhile, Neale gathered a collection of international minutes, injuries and potential late returns, before putting together a detailed deep dive into the prospects of Newcastle assets for their excellent fixture run.

In the immediate short-term, it’s no surprise to see Erling Haaland and Spurs duo Son Heung-min and James Maddison dominate Rate My Team (RMT) and Captain Sensible discussions, as well as Scout Squad picks and the Watchlist. Besides all this is a selection of differentials too.

There’s even been talk about using a Wildcard in Gameweek 5. Simon March balances out the proactivity of putting out fires versus making a rash activation based on boredom. A separate article weighs up the pros and cons of using this chip now, together with a theoretical draft from FPL General.

Elsewhere, we’re getting ready for the Champions League’s return. Not only is there a ‘how to play’ guide on UCL Fantasy but the game’s best goalkeeping, midfield and forward options are explored. Questions are also asked on whether Premier League rotation will become a problem and if, historically, European participants from outside the supposed ‘big six’ tend to suffer in terms of league form.

As always, check out our Gameweek 5 page for a quick way to access all recent articles and visit our Members Area for comparison tools and an in-depth collection of Opta data.

Over on our YouTube channel, alongside the usual Scoutcast, Burning Questions and Deadline Dilemmas episodes are General’s Orders and Joe and David’s Q&A. There’s also a ranking of fixtures from worst to best, plus reigning champion Ali joining Gianni for FPL Winners.