In this article, we delve into the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) insights garnered from the Community Shield showdown.
The Community Shield, often regarded as the curtain-raiser for the highly anticipated Premier League season, provides football fans and FPL managers alike with a tantalizing glimpse of what lies ahead.
It not only sets the stage for an exciting season but also imparts valuable FPL information that could prove to be a game-changer for millions of FPL enthusiasts.
From standout performances to tactical revelations, we explore the player statistics and strategic takeaways that have the potential to shape FPL teams from the onset of the season.
Whether you’re a seasoned FPL veteran or a newcomer to the fantasy football realm, this analysis promises to equip you with the knowledge and foresight needed to make informed decisions and gain a competitive edge in your FPL campaign.
Get ready to navigate the twists and turns of FPL with the exclusive insights from the Community Shield, as we set our sights on yet another exhilarating season of Premier League football.
Join us as we unlock the secrets unveiled in the prestigious encounter, and brace yourselves for a roller-coaster ride of FPL action!
Who is Arsenal’s Starting Forward for Gameweek 1?
Well, based on this game, it is Havertz. Of course he had a chance or two and of course he missed them. After all, he’s just not a good finisher.
After Nketiah came on in the 80th minute, we saw Havertz drop back into a central midfield role. I think it’s entirely plausible that Nketiah will start the season for Arsenal still. Its likely that Arteta looked at this game and thought he needed to play Rice and Partey in the middle to disrupt City so Havertz got pushed up front. But I don’t like the uncertainty.
Joe will probably disagree with me.
Arsenal’s Squad
With Zinchenko injured, Timber might be the starting left-back for Arsenal. That would be interesting because Timber was constantly roaming forward. The problem of course is that we don’t know if he will keep that position. Still, a fun late pick in draft formats.
Martinelli, Saka and Odegaard looked excellent as ever. Trossard’s goal was a complete fluke but he did replace Martinelli at 75 minutes. So, we have to be worried about that going forward. It makes me think Odegaard is probably worth the extra 0.5. Particularly with the extra stoppage time coming this year
The Return of Pep Roulette
Foden isn’t nailed. I think we all knew that. But I have seen a lot of people online trying to justify him in their squad because when he plays he is incredible. That’s true. But if he only plays half the time then you only get half the points.
Some of you will say that City looked much better going forward after the changes but that’s not how Pep likes to play. He likes it slow and boring.
I have to say, it made me nervous when Grealish went off before 60 minutes too. It’s just a reminder that you can’t trust any of these City mids to play 90 mins.
We aren’t reading anything into Ederson not starting. Assume its just to give Ortega some minutes.
Ake was injured which explains why he wasn’t in the squad. And De Bruyne returned from injury just adding to the roulette.
Formations
Arsenal look like they will stick with their favoured 4-3-3. One interesting thing was that Rice was dropping into the back four a lot. I don’t think anyone was seriously considering him as a player to start gameweek 1 anyway, but this is just further confirmation.
With City, its hard to judge. They seemed to be playing something like a 4-2-4 for the majority of the game. Alvarez was basically playing up front a lot, sometimes he dropped into that 10 slot.
Stones was still playing that inverted centre-back or whatever its called.
They finished in a 4-2-3-1. That included moving Silva off the wing and into central midfield.
Rule Changes
With a new rule change coming in, players who kick the ball away after a foul will be getting a yellow card. Two were handed out today, it seems likely that a lot of midfielders who try to slow the game down will get booked more. But as everyone is affected, I don’t think it makes a huge difference.
The other rule change was the extended stoppage time. That, in theory, gave Arsenal time to score. So, we might see more goals. I’m not super convinced we will as its only a few minutes difference to what was being played before. It’s definitely one to watch though.
That’s it.
Key takeaways for me are:
- City midfielders are a no go for me
- Nketiah feels too risky
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