Fantasy Football

2021/22 was a notable season in Dream Team history because of how influential the top-tier defenders were on mini-leagues up and down the country.With attack-minded full-backs very much in vogue, the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.9m), Joao Cancelo (£7.5m) and Reece James (£5.6m) hoarded points by the shed-load and became must-have assets.
However that trend has largely been bucked so far this season as we’ve seen a return to the Dream Team’s retro years – it’s all about the strikers!
No prizes for guessing who leads the way…Credit: getty
Spearheaded by the relentless Erling Haaland (£9m), who has raced to 174 points in no time at all, Dream Team gaffers are spoiled for choice up front with no fewer than 11 forwards having achieved 50+ points after nine and a half Game Weeks.
For comparison, just two midfielders have brought up their half-century at this stage and defenders are only marginally better represented with three assets having reached the milestone.
We’ll still waiting for our first half-centurion from the goalkeepers – Ederson (£5m) needs just three more points.
DEFENDERS WITH 50+ POINTS

Joao Cancelo (£7.5m) – 80 pts
Thiago Silva (£6m) – 60 pts
Ruben Dias (£6m) – 56 pts

MIDFIELDERS WITH 50+ POINTS

Phil Foden (£6m) – 72 pts
Kevin De Bruyne – 64 pts

Dream Team’s two best midfielders this seasonCredit: getty
FORWARDS WITH 50+ POINTS

Erling Haaland (9m) – 174 pts
Roberto Firmino (£3.4m) – 70 pts
Mohamed Salah (£7.7m) – 69 pts
Gabriel Jesus (£5.9m) – 68 pts
Harry Kane (£7.2m) – 65 pts
Son Heung-min (£5.6m) – 63 pts
Ivan Toney (£4.7m) – 55 pts
Marcus Rashford (£4.3m) – 55 pts
Aleksandar Mitrovic (£4.5m) – 52 pts
Gabriel Martinelli (£3.4m) – 52 pts
Gianluca Scamacca (£3.1m) – 51 pts

Not only does that list convey just how many viable options there are up front right now, but how competitive it is in the bracket below Manchester City’s freakishly prolific No9.
Scamacca would probably jump from 11th in the forward rankings to joint-third if he were to score a brace against Anderlecht in the Europa Conference League this evening.
What’s clear is that Dream Team gaffers can’t afford a dud in the forward line with so many options in form.
And those currently adopting the 4-4-2 formation need to switch to 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 as soon as possible.

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IT’S a good job Gareth Southgate adores Kieran Trippier (£3.8m) because at this rate the Newcastle man will be the only English right-back available for selection at the World Cup.There’s been so much talk about the depth of talent available to the Three Lions on the right side of defence in recent years but that boasting is set to be thoroughly put to the test with Kyle Walker (£3.8m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.9m) and Reece James (£5.6m) having all picked up injuries within the space of a few days.
Naturally this will have caused the England manager much stress but spare a thought too for the sizeable chunk of Dream Team gaffers whose plans have been booted high into the air.
Let’s run through the three crocked defenders one by one and analyse the full extent of the situation.
A favourite of Southgate but now a doubt for QatarCredit: getty
Firstly, Walker has undergone surgery on his groin and is said to be a doubt for Qatar, meaning a return in mid-November at the absolute earliest.
We hate to say it but it’s possible the rapid 32-year-old’s injury may actually be a blessing in disguise for his Dream Team backers.
Manchester City’s No2 mustered just ten points in seven outings before he was sidelined and that’s significant considering four of his team-mates are among the top 15 defenders right now.
There’s plenty of points to be had with Etihad residents but Walker wasn’t the man to to provide them.
Manuel Akanji (£3.9m) and Sergio Gomez (£4m) are in a similar price bracket and they’re ticking over nicely, despite the latter’s red card in Copenhagen on Tuesday night.
Alternatively, the aforementioned Trippier costs exactly the same as Walker (£3.8m) and he’s amassed four and half times as many points (45) at this stage.
Anfield’s homegrown hero took a nasty blow to the ankle against ArsenalCredit: getty
Thankfully, Alexander-Arnold’s ankle injury isn’t as bad as first feared with Jurgen Klopp commenting on the defender’s recovery time: “Shorter than a month. Two weeks I heard but we have to see if that’s right. Because I thought it is longer when I saw him after the game.”
Again, there may be some Dream Team gaffers who will be relieved to transfer Liverpool’s No66 out of their XI.
Alexander-Arnold (26.5% ownership) has produced two special performances this season, against Bournemouth and Rangers, and the 32 points his earned in those fixtures are propping up his overall total.
But it has to be acknowledged that in his other nine fixtures he’s evened out at zero, with some 7+ ratings countered by minus points for goals conceded.
For just another £0.1m investment you could recruit Thiago Silva (£6m) or Ruben Dias (£6m), the second and third best defenders Dream Team has to offer presently.
On the bright side, Alexander-Arnold should regain fitness well before the World Cup gets underway – not that Southgate will select him of course.
James limped off against Milan on Tuesday nightCredit: getty
Most recently, James limped off during Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Milan at San Siro on Tuesday night, favouring his knee.
The 22-year-old initially tried to play on after an awkward collision with Theo Hernandez but he was substituted minutes later and left the pitch shaking his head.
Frustratingly, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out the full extent of the problem with Graham Potter saying he would know more in “24, 48 hours” while James himself posted on social media: “Fingers crossed it’s not a bad one.”
After four consecutive blanks in fixtures from Game Weeks 5 to 8, the Blues’ rampaging wing-back has sprung to life in recent outings, banking 30 points in his last three appearances.
This fruitful spell has catapulted him up to fourth in the Dream Team defensive rankings – he’s also the eighth-most popular asset in his position.
Chelsea have won four games in a row and they suddenly feel like a team that should be heartily backed in Dream Team so James having to endure a stint on the sidelines would be immensely frustrating as he’s a top-tier option when fit and firing.
And truth be told, he’s probably most likely to start England’s opening World Cup game against Iran come November 21st.
In short, don’t delay in replacing Walker and Alexander-Arnold (if you haven’t already) but keep your eyes peeled for further updates on James – he’s one to retain if his injury proves to be nothing serious.

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HOW nice of you to turn up, Mason, what kept you?Mason Mount (£4.3m) didn’t look quite right in the opening weeks of the season and his Dream Team points reflected his ineffective form.
After seven games he had mustered just five points, a bitterly disappointing return for a midfielder who started at £5m.
However, something has changed in the last week or so and suddenly the 23-year-old looks reinvigorated.
In fact, at the time of writing, no asset in his position has scored more points (18) this Game Week.
Back in the groove
Mount was thoroughly deserving of the Star Man award at the end of Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Wolves on Saturday.
He provided two assists and was central to pretty much everything the Blues did well in attack.
And it was a similar story on Tuesday night in Milan where the England international sparkled for 45 minutes before Graham Potter decided to save his legs for upcoming fixtures.
It was Mount who got the wrong side of his Three Lions team-mate, Fikayo Tomori, for the incident that led to the latter’s dismissal and Jorginho’s (£2.6m) converted penalty to open the scoring at San Siro.
And the Cobham graduate provided the assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s (£4.6m) opportunistic strike to double the visitors’ lead.
A yellow card meant he incurred a minus point but in one half he added six points to the 12 he earned at the weekend to well and truly kick-start his campaign.
Mount was named Player of the Match in Milan despite only playing 45 minutes
Mount’s overall total of 28 still puts him nine points outside the top ten midfielders but the signs suggest he could be among the top points scorers in the coming weeks.
Certainly history is on his side, his tally of 194 points in 2021/22 was only bettered by five other players in his position.
In fact, he was one of only three players alongside Mohamed Salah (£7.7m) and Jarrod Bowen (£4.4m) to reach double figures for goals and assists in the Premier League last term.
It’s often the case that Mount’s form mirrors that of Chelsea as a whole, such is his importance to the team.
It’s no coincidence that the underwhelming final weeks of Thomas Tuchel’s reign aligned with a period of frustration for Mount individually.
18 points in four days shouldn’t be ignoredCredit: getty
Conversely, his surge in form has contributed to his side’s uplift in recent weeks – it’s now four consecutive wins in all competitions.
Plus, Potter’s had some time to imprint his tactical approach on the squad and results have improved as a consequence.
The Blues face Aston Villa and Brentford in Game Week 10, a double header that represents a decent chance of extending their winning streak.
Mount’s ownership has dropped to 3.9% but Dream Team gaffers should expect that to rise now that he has seemingly rediscovered his better form.

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WHEN it rains, it pours.Liverpool have endured a rocky start to the season at best and the news that Luis Diaz (£5.3m), one of their few bright sparks in recent weeks, will be sidelined with injury until after the World Cup comes at a terrible time.
The Colombian winger provided an assist for the Reds against Arsenal on Sunday before withdrawing with a knee injury that will keep him out until December.
A huge chunk of Dream Team gaffers will be empathising with Jurgen Klopp as the 25-year-old is the second-most popular midfielder in the game at the time of writing.
Some 33 per cent of managers will now have to find a replacement for Diaz, an unenviable task considering his tally of 41 points makes him the joint-fifth best asset in his position right now.
Diaz isn’t expected to return until December
We’ve identified the five most-suitable replacements for your perusal.
Bukayo Saka (£3.9m)
Not only would this transfer free up an additional £1.4m to invest elsewhere, it would allow you to redistribute some of your faith from Liverpool to Arsenal, a sensible move given the contrasting fortunes of both clubs.
The Gunners’ No7 scored a brace in his side’s 3-2 win over Diaz’s Liverpool this weekend, swooping the Star Man award to bank 18 points, comfortably his biggest haul of the campaign so far.
Saka now has four assists and three goals in 2022/23, not to mention 47 Dream Team points, a tally only bettered by two other midfielders (more on them in a moment).
Mikel Arteta’s side are flying and with the likes of Leeds, PSV (twice), Southampton and Nottingham Forest to come from Game Week 10 onwards, the England international should continue to plunder points at a healthy rate.
It’s a good time to back Arsenal assetsCredit: getty
Phil Foden (£6m)
This swap would require an extra £0.7m from somewhere to facilitate but since transfers were only just replenished you should be able to shuffle the pack accordingly if this is the route you wish to pursue.
Manchester City’s resident wonderkid is the outright best midfielder Dream Team has to offer currently – a ten-point haul at home to Southampton on Saturday took his overall total to 72.
It’s early days but Foden is on course for his best-ever season in terms of goal involvements having scored seven and assisted three in 766 minutes of playing time so far.
It’s incredibly rare that Pep Guardiola’s side fail to dominate any given fixture and while Erling Haaland (£9m) is unquestionably the focal point, Foden is proving that there are plenty of goals to go around.
We should note here that Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m) – the other midfielder with more points than Saka – is obviously a brilliant replacement for Diaz as well but since he’s £2.2m more expensive it would likely take a serious upheaval to make such a transfer work.
Alternatively, if you’re limited financially but still want to back City then Bernardo Silva (£4.6m) is your man.
James Maddison (£5.2m)
Don’t look at Leicester’s position in the table…Credit: getty
Leicester don’t have European fixtures to bolster their schedule this season but that hasn’t held their No10 back so far.
The 25-year-old has amassed 42 points, one more than Diaz, despite the Foxes’ bitterly disappointing results.
Maddison has achieved five goals and two assists in eight Premier League outings and passes the eye test on a weekly basis – only five players have registered more shots in the top flight this term.
The England one-cap wonder faces Crystal Palace, Leeds and Wolves in his next three games, three teams currently residing in the bottom seven (although all above Leicester of course).
Jarrod Bowen (£4.4m)
It was a slow start to the campaign for Dream Team’s darling of a year ago.
West Ham’s No20 mustered just eight points from his first seven appearances this season but in recent weeks he’s recaptured the form that made him such a popular figure last term.
Bowen has pocketed 26 points across Game Weeks 8 and 9 and he may be given the chance to add further returns if selected against Anderlecht in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night.
This recent uplift in form has boosted the 25-year-old up to joint-eighth in the midfield rankings and the fact he has additional European fixtures make him a viable option for sure.
Raheem Sterling (£4.9m)
Chelsea look to be back on track after three straight winsCredit: getty
Historically a successful Dream Team asset, Chelsea’s top scorer this season sat out his side’s 3-0 win over Wolves on Saturday but that’s because Graham Potter made wholesale changes to combat fatigue.
Sterling will surely play a significant role in Milan this evening.
The former Etihad resident has scored four goals and provided two assists since his move down to the capital and with the Blues having won three games in a row it feels as if the tide may have turned.
Sterling has earned 40 points so far and with years of Dream Team success in his back catalogue, he could be viewed as something of a safe option for those in need of a Diaz replacement.

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LIGHT the beacons and ring the town bell, Manchester City won 4-0 and Erling Haaland (£9m) didn’t hog the spotlight!The Norwegian only mustered one measly goal against Southampton on Saturday, a pathetic performance by his standards.
That left the door open for another Etihad favourite to grab the headlines – enter Joao Cancelo (£7.5m).
Cancelo produced a world-class performance against SaintsCredit: getty
The technically-gifted full-back put in a magnificent performance, scoring the opening goal against Saints before brilliantly setting up the fourth after a one-two with Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m) that was typical of Pep Guardiola’s football.
When all was said and done, Cancelo earned a match rating of 9.2 from WhoScored, making him Star Man by a comfortable margin.
Because of how much time he spends in midfield and the final third, it’s easy to forget he’s technically a defender – meaning he qualified for his share of the clean sheet points as well this weekend.
Add it all up and the Portugal international banked 20 points for his efforts, his biggest haul of the season so far.
He was already Dream Team’s outright best defender prior to Game Week 9 but now he’s opened up a substantial lead.
With 80 points to his name, Cancelo is 28 points ahead of his nearest rival, team-mate and compatriot Ruben Dias (£6m).
A class above
Last season, the only defender who racked up more points than Cancelo’s 275 was Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.9m) who fell one assist short of a triple century.
However, with Liverpool’s No66 struggling for form and the Reds conceding plenty of goals, the Man City full-back is in a league of his own this term.
The main problem for Dream Team managers relating to this matter is a financial one.
Cancelo costs £7.5m currently, making him the joint-third most expensive player in the game.
But again, when you narrow it down to assets in his position, he’s in a bracket of his own, £1.5m more expensive than the next-most pricey defender.
The 28-year-old’s points tally suggest he’s fully worthy of the investment but the price difference between him and the other defenders means it might take two or three additional transfers to recruit him.
Alexander-Arnold was Dream Team’s best defender last season but he’s fallen behind Cancelo this campaignCredit: getty
Hypothetically, those with a spare £0.2m in the bank could swap Luis Diaz (£5.3m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.9m) for Bukayo Saka (£3.9m) and Cancelo.
Alternatively, those with Son Heung-min (£5.6m) could trade him for Gabriel Martinelli (£3.4m).
That switch would free up £2.2m which could be used to upgrade Alexander-Arnold to Cancelo.
But you’ll have to act this week because the latter’s price is bound to increase again after his 20-point haul – he may even add to that against Copenhagen on Tuesday night.

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REMEMBER when a tanked-up Jack Grealish (£4.2m) took a swipe at Miguel Almiron (£1.8m) during Manchester City’s league title celebrations?The England international used the Newcastle winger as a point of reference for a poor performance when gently ribbing Riyad Mahrez (£4.8m) during his slurred commentary of the open-top bus parade.
Well, life comes at you fast.
At this stage of the 2022/23 season, Grealish has one goal to his name compared to the hard-working Paraguayan’s tally of four.
Talk now, Jack!Credit: getty
Almiron has been a key figure in two comprehensive victories for the Magpies this month – he scored a brace in a 4-1 win against Fulham in Game Week 8 and bagged on Saturday as Eddie Howe’s side thrashed Brentford 5-1.
This prosperous spell has made the 28-year-old the best value-for-money midfielder Dream Team has to offer.
Currently available for just £1.8m, Almiron is the 14th-best asset in his position having earned 34 points.
That may may sound underwhelming to some so let’s frame it another way – he’s just eight points behind James Maddison (£5.2m) who is the fourth-best midfielder right now.
When it comes to healthy returns for little investment, Almiron is the standout asset in his position.
It’s fair to say his points have come as a surprise considering he registered one goal and no assists in 30 Premier League appearances last season.
In fact, 2022/23 is already Almiron’s joint-best ever campaign in terms of league goals on English soil.
Almiron is enjoying a rare spell of fruitful form
Just 2.1% of Dream Team bosses are currently backing Newcastle’s No24 but should more people hop aboard the bandwagon?
Truthfully, it’s hard to say as history suggests Almiron is not a viable long-term Dream Team asset but it would be remiss to ignore the fact Newcastle are on the rise – they’re up to sixth after two big wins.
Howe’s men face Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham and Aston Villa before the end of the month and given two of those teams are currently above them in the table it’s hardly a favourable run.
Still, any gaffer in need of a bargain midfielder simply has to consider Almiron because of what he’s achieved so far this campaign.

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