How to Handle Haaland’s Current Struggles? FPL Team of the Week

Assessing Erling Haaland’s Situation

What should Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers do about Erling Haaland?
The former go-to captain has recently collected just 14 points and scored once in his last five matches. Prior to this slump, the Norwegian striker found the back of the net 19 times in 17 games. Further analysis indicates a decline in his performance metrics as well.

Upcoming Matches and Captaincy Decisions

A matchup against Wolves is typically a favorable occasion for selecting Haaland as captain and possibly utilizing a Triple Captain chip.
However, his current form raises concerns, combined with the risk of a rest day—Haaland has played in every league match for Manchester City and featured in the Champions League on Tuesday. Additionally, Egyptian striker Omar Marmoush has returned from the Africa Cup of Nations and could impact Haaland’s playing time.

There’s little advantage to benching Haaland, considering that over 75% of FPL managers have included him in their teams. Nevertheless, this might be the opportune moment to trust another player with the captaincy.
This is precisely what I’ve done in this week’s line-up.

The team of the week has been compiled with current FPL market values, remaining within a £100 million budget, simulating a Free Hit scenario.

Previous Team Performance Review

Last week’s squad underperformed in terms of scoring, but noteworthy contributions from Florian Wirtz (10 points), Gabriel (8), Nordi Mukiele (6), and Enzo Fernandez (6) culminated in a total of 45 points, surpassing the average score by five.

FPL Team of the Week for Gameweek 23

Goalkeepers and Defenders

Jordan Pickford, Everton, £5.6m – Leeds (Home)
Pickford is once again the top-scoring goalkeeper in FPL, currently amassing 100 points. Everton has secured three clean sheets in their last five matches, the highest in the league. Although they’ve had some difficulties at their new stadium, they are up against a Leeds side that struggles to score away from home, with only 11 goals in 11 matches.

James Tarkowski, Everton, £5.6m – Leeds (Home)
Tarkowski is another solid investment from Everton, holding the second-most defensive contribution points this season (32). He is currently fourth among defenders with 108 points, making him a reliable option in home fixtures.

Gabriel, Arsenal, £6.8m – Manchester United (Home)
Despite recent impressive performances from United, which could cast doubt over Arsenal’s chances of a clean sheet, they usually perform well at home, having conceded just five goals. Gabriel stands out as a dependable FPL asset, given his goal-scoring potential and defensive contributions.

Marc Guehi, Manchester City, £5.2m – Wolves (Home)
City’s new acquisition Guehi is likely to attract interest due to his price and his offensive returns thus far. Wolves have been lackluster offensively, presenting a significant opportunity for a clean sheet.

Nathan Collins, Brentford, £5m – Nottingham Forest (Home)
Collins continues to be an excellent value pick, showcasing his defensive capabilities with strong point hauls in recent matches. He is worth considering for another favorable home fixture.

Midfielders

Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, £8.3m – Bournemouth (Away)
The German midfielder has impressed with three matches yielding 10 points in the last five outings, trailing only Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes in accumulated points during that span. Wirtz is leading Liverpool’s players in expected goals and assists.

Antoine Semenyo, Manchester City, £7.6m – Wolves (Home)
Despite City’s recent struggles, Semenyo could be positioned well to capitalize on a hopeful turnaround against the bottom-ranked Wolves.

Harry Wilson, Fulham, £5.9m – Brighton (Home)
Wilson has delivered significant returns over the past several games and stands out as a budget-friendly option. His current form includes five goals and five assists from limited opportunities, making him a quality choice.

Strikers

Erling Haaland, Manchester City, £15.1m – Wolves (Home)
Haaland remains a vital member of the team; however, concerns about his potential for being benched, combined with Wolves’ recent form and his own scoreless streak, makes his captaincy less appealing.

Igor Thiago (captain), Brentford, £7.2m – Nottingham Forest (Home)
Thiago has produced impressive FPL points per start, with five matches yielding double-digit returns, four of which came at home. Given Forest’s defensive inconsistencies, he’s a strong captaincy option.

Thierno Barry, Everton, £5.7m – Leeds (Home)
Barry has found his scoring touch recently, making him a compelling budget striker choice, particularly for those considering a wildcard.

Substitutes

• Martin Dubravka, Burnley, £4m – Tottenham (Home)
• Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, £6.5m – Crystal Palace (Away)
• Joachim Andersen, Fulham, £4.6m – Brighton (Home)
• Granit Xhaka, Sunderland, £5.2m – West Ham (Away)

Team total cost: £98.3m