Community Team Reveal Gameweek 20 - Marc Jobling

Hi Marc and thanks for the team reveal. So how is Gameweek 19 going?

Such is the quick Christmas turnaround, this is being written with only the Boxing Day matches played so far. Five matches through, I’m on another green arrow – potentially the tenth from the last 12 rounds, as I’ve risen from 1.93m to 116k between Gameweeks 7 to 18.

29 points have arrived so far, thanks to Dominic Solanke, Cameron Archer and new signing Trent Alexander-Arnold. I was very reluctant to buy him – someone I have a natural dislike of, maybe it’s the Liverpool thing! But his excessive price is something I’m strongly against.

In fairness, he immediately grabbed a clean sheet and three bonus points, which is hard to argue against.

What does your defence look like?

I usually like a long-term defence so that transfers can focus on further upfield. However, it’s been the other way around recently. I mostly like the forward eight but needed to remove the likes of Matty Cash, Kostas Tsimikas and – imminently – Jamaal Lascelles.

By purchasing Porro and Alexander-Arnold, the back line now feels strong. Albeit perhaps not in goal, where Alphonse Areola is joined by Martin Dubravka at a time when Newcastle are in freefall and simply cannot be trusted. Defeats will keep coming for the Magpies.

Meanwhile, what about your midfield and attack?

Once Erling Haaland gets back in, I’d feel settled with my highly-owned eight. But, as Mohamed Salah and Son Heung-min prepare to depart for international tournaments, things are about to change.

It’s a great chance for FPL managers to stray from the template with a short-term burst, replacing the pair with differentials in a tactical bid to burst up the rankings.

So what are your transfer plans for Gameweek 20 and beyond?

Thankfully I have two free transfers and a couple of Haaland-related paths to take during such upheavel. Ideally, he’d not be fit by Sheffield United (h) in Gameweek 20, in which case I’d remove Lascelles this week for an Aston Villa defender, before using Gameweek 21 to buy Haaland for Archer and downgrade Salah to Richarlison.

The alternative would bring in Haaland for the Blades but with the sacrifices of both Solanke and losing Son a week early.

Finally, what about captaincy?

Well, the above graphic has Ollie Watkins as captain but he blanked at home to both Sheffield United and Luton. Therefore the illusion has been shattered ahead of the third promoted side, Burnley.

Son could get my armband versus Bournemouth but, in all honesty, Newcastle have been so terrible that Salah may end up being the best way forward.