{"id":540239,"date":"2025-10-31T17:08:22","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T17:08:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/540239\/"},"modified":"2025-10-31T17:08:22","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T17:08:22","slug":"fpl-gameweek-10-qa-4-4-2-palace-is-pedro-a-priority-sell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/540239\/","title":{"rendered":"FPL Gameweek 10 Q&A:\u00a04-4-2, Palace + is Pedro a priority sell?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eight-time top 10k finisher Zophar\u00a0hosts his weekly Q&A, giving his opinion on playing a 4-4-2, Crystal Palace, the Arsenal defence and selling Chelsea assets.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can find his Gameweek 10 team reveal here.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"FPLQ: With defenders scoring better than midfielders and forwards so far, is going 4-4-2 or even 5-4-1 a better solution than 3-4-3 or 3-5-2?\"Top<\/p>\n

(via Joeltouriste)<\/p>\n

A: The rise of set pieces and direct football in the Premier League this season has been well documented. Naturally, defenders have been the biggest beneficiaries.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Amongst the 25 top-scoring FPL assets, just two \u2013 Erling Haaland<\/strong> (\u00a314.8m) and Igor Thiago<\/strong> (\u00a36.2m) \u2013 are forwards. What is even more surprising is that there are only seven midfielders in that list.<\/p>\n

Of those midfielders, you could make a case that only Antoine Semenyo<\/strong> (\u00a38.1m), Bryan Mbeumo<\/strong> (\u00a38.2m) and Mohammed Kudus<\/strong> (\u00a36.8m) are your \u2018traditional\u2019 FPL options. So there has been a dearth of points from players we consider good FPL picks in general this season, especially in attack.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Defensive contribution (DefCon) points are playing a part but that\u2019s not the reason so many defenders make the top 25. The 12 top-scoring defenders have accumulated 14 goals and 15 assists between them; that\u2019s a staggering number to supplement their combined 46 clean sheets. This does indicate that there are points at the back we are potentially ignoring when we are playing with the traditional 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 that FPL managers favour.<\/p>\n

The big question: will this trend necessarily continue? We have enough of a sample to expect it to, but of course, there are no guarantees.<\/p>\n

So, I think at least in the short\/medium term, a 4-4-2 setup looks ideal. That\u2019s what I have switched to on my Wildcard in Gameweek 9.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit strange, though, because when you look at the underlying data, only three defenders \u2013 Riccardo Calafiori<\/strong> (\u00a35.8m), Daniel Munoz<\/strong> (\u00a35.7m) and Rodrigo Gomes<\/strong> (\u00a34.5m) \u2013 have reached double digits for shots in the box. So you\u2019re talking pretty much an average of one goal attempt a game for the other defenders. Is this sustainable?\u00a0In fact, the five most creative defenders \u2013 Marc Cucurella<\/strong> (\u00a36.1m), Kieran Trippier <\/strong>(\u00a35.0m), Michael Kayode <\/strong>(\u00a34.5m), Pedro Porro<\/strong> (\u00a35.5m) and Hugo Bueno<\/strong> (\u00a34.4m) \u2013 don\u2019t make the 15 top-scoring defenders.<\/p>\n

Are we reading too much into this? DefCon does look like the most repeatable, predictable action in FPL, so yes, going for heavier investment in defence does look like a good option. I do hope that the trend levels out over the remainder of the season, however.<\/p>\n

Q: Is the Arsenal defensive triple-up still on the menu with the uncertainty over William Saliba?\"Arsenal's<\/p>\n

(via FPL Virgin)<\/p>\n

A: Very much so. Arsenal\u2019s defensive numbers are the best we have seen in the modern age of data recording. I think you pick three of Gabriel Magalhaes <\/strong>(\u00a36.5m), Jurrien Timber<\/strong> (\u00a36.1m), Calafiori and David Raya<\/strong> (\u00a35.8m), who I have listed in my order of preference.<\/p>\n

This, of course, depends on whether you\u2019re looking for captaincy alternatives to Haaland in Gameweeks 12 and 14 in particular, when he is away to Newcastle United and Fulham. Bukayo Saka<\/strong> (\u00a310.0m) has good home fixtures in either week, but that could also be Mbeumo or Bruno Fernandes<\/strong> (\u00a38.9m), who also have decent home matches.<\/p>\n

Q: Was it an error to bring in Enzo Fernandez or is he a \u2018hold\u2019 for now?\"FPL<\/p>\n

(via Pompel)<\/p>\n

A: Enzo Fernandez<\/strong>\u2018s (\u00a36.7m) underlying numbers against Sunderland were decent but nothing to write home about. The only big chance he was involved in was a flick-on from a corner, which Alejandro Garnacho<\/strong> (\u00a36.4m) failed to convert. He did land three attempts on target but if you watch back a highlights package, none of these efforts will likely feature, as they were tame efforts that never really looked like finding the back of the net.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He did, of course, play a more withdrawn role, with Joao Pedro<\/strong> (\u00a37.4m) playing in the 10 and Marc Guiu<\/strong> (\u00a34.2m) at 9. Against Spurs, I expect Enzo Maresca to revert to a similar setup that he used against PSG, with Reece James<\/strong> (\u00a35.5m) in midfield and Malo Gusto<\/strong> (\u00a34.9m) at right-back (the Frenchman was suspended against Sunderland), especially with Liam Delap<\/strong>\u2019s (\u00a36.2m) suspension. This would mean Enzo gets to play further up the pitch in a no. 10 role, with Pedro at 9.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is worth mentioning that he barely took any set pieces against Sunderland; James was on most of them. I still think he\u2019s a fine hold, but is Ismaila Sarr<\/strong> (\u00a36.6m) a better option? I think yes. If buying today, I would probably opt for the Senegalese and avoid Chelsea\u2019s misfiring attack altogether.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Q: I own Joao Pedro, Jarrod Bowen and Erling Haaland. Should I sell one of them for Jean-Philippe Mateta or roll the transfer with my Wildcard already played?Q. Who would you sell first out of Joao Pedro or Tijjani Reijnders?\"FPL<\/p>\n

(via (@FPLScottCFY and @Mohamed02916093)<\/p>\n

A: Joao Pedro\u2019s well-documented fitness issues, combined with poor underlying numbers and uncertain gametime, mean he is the priority sell for most FPL managers.<\/p>\n

If you own a frontline of Viktor Gyokeres<\/strong> (\u00a39.0m), Joao Pedro and Jarrod Bowen<\/strong> (\u00a37.8m), I\u2019d say the Brazilian has to be the makeweight for Jean-Philippe Mateta<\/strong> (\u00a37.7m). Bowen still could get something over the next two games; he\u2019s much more talismanic for the Hammers than Pedro is for Chelsea.<\/p>\n

With Tijjani Reijnders<\/strong> (\u00a35.6m), it\u2019s a bit trickier as there is some minutes risk attached there too now, along with positional uncertainty. In this case, I would still prioritise selling Pedro as I\u2019m not sure where you can go with Reijnders unless you have sizeable money in the bank. I also still think the Dutchman will start the next two for City.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Q: To what degree should we temper the Crystal Palace hype because of their thin squad + European involvement?\"Why<\/p>\n

(via FPL_Marxist)<\/p>\n

A: Oliver Glasner rotated his side a little bit for the trip to Anfield, and I think we might see that a bit more going forward, though the injury to Eddie Nketiah<\/strong> (\u00a35.4m) certainly hasn\u2019t helped matters.<\/p>\n

The Eagles have the best attacking numbers in the league, and they have great fixtures. I think we might potentially be overthinking it when it comes to fixture congestion fatigue. I still think a double-up is almost essential, and while you could argue that a triple-up might be a bit too much, I am still in favour of it.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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