The 2017/18 Fantasy Premier League competition has launched, and so until August 11 expect managers to be busily compiling squads – but can you make an entirely English one capable of success?
Many have tried before – Roy Hodgson was the most famous manager to try and fail – but here’s a squad that might be capable of beating your mates in a mini-league.
Defence
Total cost: £28.5m
Among the notable absentees are Tottenham’s Kyle Walker and Danny Rose, as well as Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne, but you can’t have everything, especially if you want Spurs players higher up the pitch.
Gary Cahill (178 points last season) anchors the defence, with James Milner (139 points) now classified as a defender, making him an attractive proposition if he is to remain his team’s penalty taker.
Ryan Bertrand (123 points) and Alfie Mawson (94 points) complete the back line in front of Fraser Forster (134 points) – a mix of good teams and goal-scoring defenders makes for a more than capable last line of defence.
Attack
Total cost: £52m
And things get better higher up the pitch – lining up with a classic 4-4-2 formation as per Mike Bassett England Manager, there are goals and assists aplenty in our front six.
Harry Kane (224 points last season) and Jermain Defoe (166 points) lead the line, while Dele Alli (225 points), Adam Lallana (139 points), Raheem Sterling (149 points) and Nathan Redmond (126 points) sit in behind.
These guys scored 84 goals between them in the league last season. But there’s one player missing – has anybody seen Wayne Rooney?
Substitutes
Total cost: £19.5m
No, the Everton forward doesn’t make an appearance on the bench either. At £7.5m the former Manchester United man is a little expensive to make his way into this illustrious XI.
But that’s not to say the men who wear bibs don’t offer points in reserve – Tom Heaton was the highest scoring goalkeeper with 149 points for Burnley last season, while nobody has scored more Premier League headers than Peter Crouch (79 points).
The versatile Eric Dier (93 points) and injury-stricken Tyrone Mings (four points) make up the bench. Not a bad set of options to have.
Could they win?
Overall, this team’s first XI would earn 1,922 points if you had given Dele Alli the captaincy at the start of the season and left the team alone – the bench racks up a further 325 points.
Last season’s winner, Ben Crabtree, won the league with 2,564 points – could an all-England team threaten the top of the table this time around?
