In this FPL Gameweek 4 review I will go through all the games and point out the fantasy relevant news for you.
I have to tell you up top. I’m on my first red arrow of the season and my decisions this week cost me ten points. So, I’m grumpy. Forgive me.
Alright, let’s get into it.
A Week of Variance
This week was full of high-scoring games. But what is most interesting is that variance reined supreme. The actual number of goals scored was far from what we would expect. xG was 34.42 but the number of goals scored was 41.
Spurs, City and Brighton significantly outperformed their xG. Funnily enough, Brighton underperformed last week so they are about on par. Whereas Chelsea and Brentford were significantly below their xG.
International Break Alert
We don’t have any games for two weeks now. Hold those transfers! Wait until after the international games to make changes as we never know who will be getting injured.
We will still have some content for you over the break so check the website, follow us on Twitter/X or follow us on Reddit.
Match Reports
Burnley 2-5 Tottenham Hotspur
xG: 1.35-2.27
Son finally got a run out at striker instead of Richarlison and he rewarded Ange by delivering a hat-trick. That’s only his fifth hat-trick for Spurs but looking at how attacking they are, we wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t his last.
I’m still very happy with my Maddison pick. He’s a big part of everything they do going forward. Whilst I feel fortunate that he scored a goal from outside the box (because I know that’s low xG), I know he loves to shoot and is selfish so he is a great FPL pick.
Burnley’s attack hasn’t been that good this year so I think it’s fair to say that Spurs will struggle defensively if they concede two goals to this team. Udogie returned again and he remains a great pick. Romero somehow smashed a goal too but don’t expect returns often from him.
As for Burnley, their defence was just dreadful. Who leaves Son alone in the box? They do. Twice. Who leaves Maddison with acres of space on the edge of the box? They do.
Beyer owners, at least, can take solace in the fact he was back from injury.
Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United
xG: 2.27-0.96
As always, Matinelli, Odegaard and Saka looked great. I was really impressed by Martinelli who went up against the defensive stalwart Wan Bissaka and was brilliant. Saka owners can feel aggrieved he didn’t put a relatively easy chance away.
Havertz was not good. He did that thing he always did at Chelsea and just completely fucked up when he had a chance to score. Rice scored but he’s still too deep and not attacking enough to warrant a pick.
It was nice to see Jesus get a run out with 15 minutes to go. Of course, 15 minutes to go is 25 minutes these days and when United went all out attack to try and get back in the game, Jesus punished them.
Arsenal were dominant all game and Man United relied heavily on the counter-attack. This is why Rashford excelled in this game. Back on the wing, he looked bloody brilliant and took five shots for 0.46 xG. He also racked up 0.5 xA.
Fernandes on the other hand was pretty absent. He didn’t get a single shot away and his xA for the game was 0.7. It was actually Eriksen putting in the great passes (though these were still few and far between).
When Hojlund came on he looked great. He was holding up the ball and interlinking brilliantly with the front three. Grab him on draft now if you can. Wait and see in normal FPL but yeah, I like the looks of what I saw in the 40 mins he played.
Chelsea 0-1 Nottingham Forest
xG: 2.30-0.76
Another game, another disappointment from Jackson. I really feel for the guy because I think he is in danger of being this year’s Darwin. He really should have had a goal this weekend. His first touch is frequently bad and when Sterling put it on a plate for him on the edge of the six yard box, Jackson put it over.
Continuing this year’s theme of bad defences, Chelsea’s looked a little lacklustre.
Awoniyi’s good form continued. He megged Thiago Silva and put Elanga through for his goal. Elanga looked tricky and hard to mark. Probably one to watch for in Draft.
Liverpool 3-0 Aston Villa
xG: 2.09-0.69
So, I took Alexander-Arnold out this week and was fully expecting him to finally deliver an attacking return. Even though the assist was a mistake and a 0.03 xG shot by Szoboszlai… Still, Villa just left him by himself on the edge of the box.
But a clean sheet!? Wtf!? Since when can Liverpool keep a clean sheet against a decent attack and without Van Dijk!? Gomez filled in for Van Dijk alongside Matip.
To add insult to injury for me. Watkins did nothing all game.
Interestingly enough, Nunez started up top and Gakpo and Jota were on the bench – we told you this could happen… Nunez returned to his poor goalscoring form, missing the target at least three times, one of them with an open goal staring at him.
Fortunately for Nunez, Cash was there to knock it in for him as it rebounded off the post. Poor guy. If you own him, chalk this one up to bad luck.
Salah looked bloody brilliant. He’s probably going to do this every week. Just keep on returning. He might be this year’s Harry Kane (who was low-owned and constantly returned last year).
Man City 5-1 Fulham
xG: 2.26-1.45
Well. They didn’t miss Pep did they? Grealish was supposedly injured which is why Doku started.
Haaland was indomitable.
It’s getting to be a bit ridiculous how well Alvarez is playing. He will be one to ponder over the international break.
Brighton 3-1 Newcastle
xG: 1.42-1.30
A hilarious hat-trick for Ferguson. One deflection, one gift from Pope and one shot from outside the box when the Newcastle defence collective concentration lapsed.
Mitoma still bloody brilliant. The bastard.
Crystal Palace 3-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
xG: 2.13-1.34
A bizarre result. I would not have predicted five goals from these two. The better team certainly won.
Eze looked brilliant. I hope you held him if you owned him. He’s got to be on our radar going forward. His goal was excellent. Even Edoard was great but that was probably more as a result of poor opposition – I’d only pick him up if I was struggling to find a striker in draft.
Sheffield United 2-2 Everton
xG: 1.24-2.58
Firstly, Jordan Pickford can fuck off. My fellow owners and I held on to him thinking: “how much worse can it get?” Oh. He can score an own goal as well as give up a clean sheet. That’s how.
Secondly, Archer looks bloody good. He’s probably the standout 4.5 starting forward right now.
Brentford 2-2 Bournemouth
xG: 3.29-2.02
Mbeumo returned again. What a man. He probably could have had a second. Brentford also hit the post twice, including once by Wissa.
Schade might be an option in draft.
Luton 1-2 West Ham
xG: 1.47-1.23
God this was a dreadful game.
Bowen might be a good option this year again when they have a good fixture run.
That’s it.
I’m still grumpy. Thank god for the international break.
Don’t forget to hold those transfers and check the website, follow us on Twitter/X or follow us on Reddit for more content during the break.