The Hard Tackle looks at the best differential picks to get ahead of the competition in FPL at the end of Gameweek 1.
The moment we have all been waiting for is nearly here. Just a few more hours remain before the deadline before the final countdown ends. In a little over 24 hours, your FPL teams will be set, and we will wait 90 more minutes to kick-start the 2023/24 Premier League season.
Oftentimes, the final 24 hours ahead of the FPL Gameweek 1 deadline begets frantic thinking and last-minute changes galore. And the 2023/24 season should not be any different, especially with the latest transfer news inviting more shuffles. So the managers do not have a moment to rest before Friday.
Players like Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, and Kieran Trippier will find themselves in most teams ahead of Gameweek 1. But getting ahead of the competition requires critical thinking, with differentials proving important in that regard.
With that in mind, The Hard Tackle lists ten players who you should have your sights set on heading into Friday’s deadline. But before we begin, we have a disclaimer: Only players with a less than 5% TSB (Teams Selected By) will make the list.
Mark Flekken (2.1% TSB)
Creating an FPL team often requires tremendous permutation and combination skills. And many managers prefer to keep goalkeepers priced at £4.5m or less to create room for the most consistent point-getters. But this season’s budget goalkeeping options do not inspire much confidence. However, managers should not be sleeping on Mark Flekken.
The Dutch goalkeeper has joined Brentford this summer to replace the Arsenal-bound David Raya. And considering Brentford’s penchant for keeping clean sheets against the toughest opponents, Flekken can be the most valuable £4.5m-priced goalkeeper. In addition, at just 2.1% TSB, he can help you leapfrog the competition quickly.
Neto (0.8% TSB)
Unlike Mark Flekken, our next goalkeeping pick will not give you many clean sheets, at least in the early stages of the season. But considering Bournemouth will likely face a barrage of shots in most games in the upcoming campaign, Neto will have the opportunity to make save after save in every match.
The Bournemouth captain has taken to the Premier League like fish to water. But while the veteran goalkeeper managed only six clean sheets last season, he boasted the third-highest save percentage, behind only David Raya and Bernd Leno. So he will give managers a lot of save points, which will also often bring bonus points.
Andrew Robertson (3.5% TSB)
Our defensive picks start with a full-back whose ownership numbers will baffle many. We are talking about Andrew Robertson, one of the all-time great FPL assets with his ability to provide assists in double figures in a season. But the Liverpool defender features in only 3.5% of the teams at the time of writing.
Battle of the defender premiums!!
Alexander-Arnold
v
Robertson
v
TrippierSPIN THAT WHEEL!!! ⭕️ #FPL pic.twitter.com/5ezTqOLRwC
— FPL Wheel of Chaos (@FPLWheelOfChaos) August 8, 2023
That number seems ridiculous, considering Robertson’s ceiling. And with Liverpool likely to play in Jurgen Klopp’s preferred 4-3-3 formation instead of the 3-2-4-1, he might be nearly as attractive as Trent Alexander-Arnold. Yet, he only features in a fraction of the teams that have Alexander-Arnold in them. So owning Robertson will give you the chance to make big leaps with every sizable haul.
Pau Torres (3.2% TSB)
Our next player is another who has a surprisingly low TSB figure. And with Aston Villa showcasing promising defensive nous thus far under Unai Emery, managers should start owning their defenders in droves, starting with Pau Torres.
The Spanish international also features in our budget picks column. And such is his appeal for us that he makes it on another list. And at just 3.2% TSB, owning Torres might be a stroke of genius from his managers. Considering his price of just £4.5m, he will be a low-risk addition to your squads.
Pedro Porro (2.8% TSB)
The final defender pick is another Spaniard, albeit one who costs slightly more than Pau Torres. We are talking about Tottenham Hotspur right-back Pedro Porro, who might produce an impressive output in the final third under Ange Postecoglou.
The North London giants are showing promising signs in their early days under Postecoglou, playing an eye-catching brand of football. And with full-backs holding a lot of importance in the Tottenham manager’s system, Porro might become an attractive option. But we will urge the managers to be ahead of the curve and get him in their squads while he features in only 2.8% of the teams.
Jarrod Bowen (4.7% TSB)
⚒️ WEST HAM ⚒️
Minutes played:
🥇 Downes
🥈 Emerson
🥉 FornalsGoals ⚽️
Bowen & Mubama (3)
Ings (2)Assists 🅰️
Emerson, Fornals & Bowen (3)Final pre-season match XI 👇 pic.twitter.com/rcCxsyD6R7
— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) August 9, 2023
Our midfield picks start with a European champion (UEFA Europa Conference League counts, doesn’t it?). We are talking about Jarrod Bowen, who has been in red-hot form during West Ham United’s pre-season campaign.
The English winger contributed to six of the 16 goals West Ham scored in the pre-season, finding the back of the net thrice while providing three assists. That is a fantastic output for a player whose price is £7.0m. And at just 4.7% TSB, his owners might be onto something heading into a decent start to the season.
Son Heung-min (4.5% TSB)
In the wake of rumours of Harry Kane’s impending move to Bayern Munich, Son Heung-min is on the verge of becoming Tottenham Hotspur’s main man. He has shown promising form during the North London club’s pre-season campaign.
While the South Korean international will miss his partner in crime, we expect him to revel in the role of being his team’s leader in the final third. And at just 4.5% TSB, Son should see his ownership rise as the weeks pass. But heading into Gameweek 1, he is a fantastic differential pick.
Mykhailo Mudryk (3.1% TSB)
Our final midfield pick for this feature is a player who might be one of the dark horses to win the Premier League Young Player of the Year award. We are talking about Mykhailo Mudryk, who seemingly found a stable footing during Chelsea’s pre-season campaign.
The Ukrainian international was arguably the most impressive performer for the Blues during their pre-season campaign, alongside Nicolas Jackson. And if he continues in that vein of form, Mudryk will make a mockery of his 3.1% TSB figure. Considering he will be one of Chelsea’s leading lights in the final third, we expect the young winger to wreak havoc this season.
"It will be an exciting season for Chelsea under Pochettino!" 🔵
"I've been looking at Mudryk in pre-season games and he looks very sharp." 👏
Andriy Shevchenko insists the best is yet to come from #CFC Mykhailo Mudryk 🔥
Tickets are available at – https://t.co/evSxr8JgST pic.twitter.com/4WBmK9Ogvd
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) August 4, 2023
Danny Ings (1.8% TSB)
The striker market does not offer many opportunities. So you might be surprised by our two picks in this feature. But hear us out, and we might compel you to consider keeping these two players in your squad, starting with Danny Ings.
The Englishman has not been among the goals as much as would have liked since his days at Southampton FC. But heading into the 2023/24 season, he might be the only recognised striker in David Moyes’s squad. And with Jarrod Bowen being in such fine form, Ings might receive many goalkeeping opportunities served on his plate.
Raul Jimenez (1.2% TSB)
Now this one we do not have many compelling arguments to dish out. But Raul Jimenez will likely become Fulham’s main man if Aleksandar Mitrovic gets his desired move to Saudi Arabia this summer. Granted, he has not been the same player since enduring a horrific head injury a few years ago.
But with a better supporting cast behind him, the Mexican striker might be in business this season. So Jimenez’s output will basically depend on how well Andreas Pereira fares. And if the Brazilian international remains in his element, Jimenez might surprise us in the upcoming season.
