Open Thread: FPL Friday

I genuinely do not care for Friday Football

Every time this happens - the OFPL kicking off on a Friday - my entire controlled little writing and editing world gets up ended. So today we’ll launch this week’s Open Thread and tomorrow will be the second subscriber post. If you haven’t grabbed a subscription, no better time that now, you’ll get everything I write all season long + you’ll get the whole 2021-22 Draft Guide and full coverage of the first two months of next season, including Deadline Day, Rest of Season Ranks, and all that jazz*.

*All That Jazz not included.

It seems like just yesterday I was writing about how Chelsea Is Cursed, and then they went out and lost both Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner to injury. Without timetables for their return, and with the Blues facing Norwich this weekend, the immediate streaming options you need to consider are Ruben Loftus-Cheek (40%) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (35%). I would add CHO right now if you’re reading this and he’s on the free agent pool. You won’t want to be playing “fastest finger” when the lineups are announced. It’s probably also worth tossing a speculative add on Jorginho because he’ll be on spot kick duty and Norwich (1 conceded this season) gifted seven penalties in their last EPL season. Add to that the Canaries are regularly playing with less than 40% possession against mid-table sides, and this could be one-way traffic from jump street.

The other big news maker and squad shaker today was The Athletic’s article on Africa Cup of Nations, the international tournament requirements around player releases and the sheer volume of matches the participating players may miss at the club level. You should check out the article, but also here’s the full list of players they cite as potential call-us. It’s long:

Ok you know the drill - questions asked will get answered, maybe not all of them before the Official FPL deadline, but I’ll do my best. All other questions should have answers before those matches lock in your draft platform of choice!

And while you’re here, feel free to tell me which of this front seven you’d hand the armband? I’m currently on Mo because that is the right answer but Conor, ASM and Raphinha are all tempting differential captain picks!