As always, remember to bookmark and repost this 👆 It only takes a few seconds And it helps spread the news that Jack Grealish has been voted the best player in the Premier League in August Which is worth some discussion today…

🔶 Give me the Christmas madness already We’re finally back after the international break, but the vibes are not quite vibing (no more Gen Z sh*t throughout this one, I promise) Gameweeks 1-3 were a strange limbo, driven by utter madness towards the end of the transfer window

Look, I don’t like to be a bearer of bad news But although there won’t be more arrivals/departures to disrupt our moves, Gameweeks 4-7 will still be a period of some uncertainty Followed by yet another international break After that, things should finally settle down

So, don’t get too carried away with shiny new toys and practice patience—there will be plenty of time to be creative The post below from @JamesPearceLFC sums it up nicely Anyway, the pep talk is over Let’s get to the most pressing topics of this week The trendiest one is...

🔶 The "best" replacements for Ismaïla Sarr I’m writing this before Glasner’s press conference begins, and there are some signs that the injury might not be that serious That means some of us will handle this by simply benching him and utilising someone else

Palace’s fixtures look solid in the long term, and Wharton should return fairly soon, so it’s certainly a move I like If you can afford it If not, the best non-premium MID in the game *right now* is Antoine Semenyo • 10 shots • all within the box • 70% taken centrally

I know it’s a tiny sample size, but also consider: • last season’s performances • decent upcoming fixtures • the current FPL landscape with very few inspiring MIDs A comfy move I truly don’t like too many midfield picks at the moment: • xMins issues • poor final product

• weird fixture runs that are tough to analyse The pool of somewhat viable picks is full of creators who... don’t score too many goals Players like Jack Grealish (£6.7m), Enzo (£6.7m), and Mohammed Kudus (£6.7m) From this group, I rank Jack Grealish the highest, simply...

... because I believe he’s the best player among these and will be the most consistent in providing final passes (more on that later) The tough decision is between him and Iliman Ndiaye, but the latter probably has the edge with penalties and a greater goal threat

Grealish has many more assists in him, but his production will likely slow down moving forward Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall remains a fantastic option for just £5.0m—if your budget is tight, he’s the one Elliot Anderson and Tijjani Reijnders are still decent picks Georginio Rutter...

... and Kaoru Mitoma will soon enter a great fixture run, and their minutes should be pretty good Brighton don’t have many options for that LW spot, and Matt O’Riley being loaned out is music to Rutter’s owners’ ears ❗Right now, it’s more about choosing a placeholder you...

... hate the least—one that can deliver a decent final product and let you pivot easily to someone else Because several good options are expected to emerge in a few weeks’ time I already have some ideas — Data Dribble readers know exactly what I’m talking about

🔶 Newcastle—presser for the ages Yesterday, I discussed FPL with someone who will wildcard into 2 Newcastle assets, and I applauded that decision After today’s presser, I think he’s visionary: • Wissa sustained a knee injury and will miss GW4 • Ramsey is out for a month

• Anthony Gordon still has two games remaining from his suspension. Suddenly: • Utilising their players in the Free Hit teams feels more comfortable • It has opened doors for some short-term punts like Barnes • It has a very positive effect on Woltemade and Elanga

If you’re an aggressive FPL manager, you’ll probably enjoy this chaos and might consider some interesting paths for your team Also, Cody Gakpo looks much better after today's news, doesn’t he? Also #2: With Jørgen Strand Larsen out, Newcastle are keeping a clean sheet, right?

🔶 Jack Grealish: I’m not surprised... ... and I’m just happy for him The level of disrespect he faced at City was unbearable But as I mentioned during the pre-season, unlike many others, I believe that whenever he was on the pitch, he performed well

Although Pep limited his role, he remained one of the most creative players in the league He was a progressive runs monster, a fine dribbler, and a superb creative force He excelled in advanced "goal probability added" models, even playing for a team full of creative talent

His runs and passes SIGNIFICANTLY increased the team’s chances of scoring Over the past four seasons, he’s still ranked in the 95th+ percentile for: • expected assists • passes leading directly to a shot • volume of progressive runs • and GPA from both carries and passes

That’s just a fact He most likely won’t score double-digit goals in the season He has never done so, not even at Villa But he’s a creative genius who improves the team as a whole Although he likely won’t be a super-impactful FPL option during most of the season because...

... of his lacking goal threat, as a manager, you need to have a good awareness of players who positively influence other picks It’s okay to misjudge players’ performances—no one is perfect However, I hate people abusing someone, while being too lazy to look for some context

🔶 Bournemouth defence If I were to list my most discussed topics across social media and newsletter, Andoni Iraola’s boys would be at the top While the early phases of the season are mostly noise, you need to look for clues that will eventually become signals And their...

... defence might be one It’s no secret that I admire their double pivot of Tyler Adams/Alex Scott defensively Truffert and Diakité are exciting additions, Senesi might write a great comeback story, and there could even be a superstar in the making (keep reading to learn more)

They allowed just 0.65 xG combined to Wolves and Spurs, and while it’s hardly a 100% signal, there weren’t any dangerous shots heading towards Petrovic It’s definitely one storyline to follow over the weekend, as Brighton should put them to the test

🔶 What to do with Nottingham Forest defenders? That’s what I’ve already covered in this week’s free Data Dribble newsletter — the extension of my weekly previews on X ➕ Future £4.5m Bournemouth bandwagon ➕ Some more talk about FPL midfielders ➡️ https://www.datadribble.co/p/w... 🆓

@11filipnovak Your thread is going viral! #TopUnroll https://threadreaderapp.com/th... 🙏🏼@ngantukanss for 🥇unroll

@11filipnovak I have Ismaïla Sarr — should I sell him or leave him on the bench and start Chris Wood instead? Should I start Spence alongside Van de Ven, or play Ndoye instead of Spence?

@11filipnovak Concise thread as always 👏🏽

@11filipnovak @threadreaderapp unroll