How I do ‘slightly better than average’ at FPL

**** My first thread ****

I’ve just completed my 2nd FPL season finishing 8k & 16k. Without achieving amazing ranks, I seem to be doing pretty well and winning work\\friend mini-leagues. I have contributed zero to the FPL twitter community – this is my first (and probably last) effort to contribute.

For a day job, I manage a bunch of technical teams. I’m old and no longer technical but I am expected to make important decisions each week based on what other (more knowledgeable) people tell me. FPL is the exactly the same to me.

This thread is not about me showing off and there is nothing new or ground breaking here – it is just a list of how my boring, common sense approach has worked reasonably well for me. I am never going to win FPL but I expect to finish top 25k each season.

I have a simple FPL planning spreadsheet which gives me a season long view. It allows me to plan my moves weeks in advance and gives me options in case stuff goes wrong. I list out players that could enter or leave my team each game week due to fixture difficultly changes etc.

I have a strong starting 11 and 1 half decent sub. I don’t stress about my backup keeper and 2nd\\3rd subs – I very rarely need them. I prefer to pick players from the top half of the league - generally speaking, they will score more points than the relegation fodder.

In each outfield position, I select players at a range of prices – I want to be able to acquire any player in two transfers or less. I avoid hits wherever possible (only 5 last season) and use my spreadsheet to make sure I am taking hits with the next 4 game weeks in mind.

I don’t mind taking risks on 1 or 2 maverick players but the more boring I am, the better I tend to do. I always go with the most obvious captain pick. The twitter community and the podcasters know exactly what they are talking about – I listen to them and I suggest you do too.

I follow lots of FPL accounts on twitter and have worked out who my favourites are. I know who I can trust and who provides me with the best info. I get notifications for everything @FPL_Salah tweets. He provides bookmaker, scorer and clean sheet odds every week – always useful.

I listen to as many FPL podcasts as I can and always have a pen and paper to hand to make notes, occasionally rewinding to catch something important. I usually listen on x1.5 speed to help me get through them all. Here are my UK based favourites:

@PlanetFPLPod – always makes me chuckle. Great for FPL and general footy chat.
@FFScout – for all round advice, team news and learning FPL community trends.
@WGTA_FPL – FPL data geeks.
@FPLGeneral – short sweet advice.
@FPLSurgery – reliably helpful

I also listen to pods from overseas FPL experts and find them especially useful. They are incredibly knowledgeable about FPL, plus they seem to maintain impartiality and have an uncanny focus on FPL rather the other crap that comes with following the premier league from the UK.

They are:

@DiveFPL – how Marco tolerates Jake I will never know. Very entertaining pod.
@hailcheaters - great for all round advice.
@FPL_takethehit excitable ozzies!
@nicktriggerlips – not enough pods from this guy. Straight forward advice!

Before the season, free hitting and wildcarding is the hardest part of FPL for me. I select the core of a team and then fit other players around it. I screenshot it, try other options and repeat. I go back, delete the crap screenshots and select the best team from what is left.

I try not to rage (or drunk) transfer when I have had a bad game week (or two). Often, not making any changes turns out to be the best course of action. If I am in a rut, I take my time, use my spreadsheet and plan my escape.

FPL is a game, something to banter with your friends and colleagues about. Some people take it very seriously – even do it for a living! Even though I love to win, I try not to let FPL ruin my weekend. Despite some of the community denying it, luck plays a part.

No matter how much I plan or how good my spreadsheet is, some silly bugger is going to get sent off when I’ve captained him. I know it’s not much, but I hope some of this waffle helps someone, somewhere this season. I just hope it’s no one in my work mini-league. Laters.