Many FPL managers have taken the international break as an opportunity to play their wildcard chip.
This allows them to make unlimited transfers till the next gameweek deadline, which is on 1st October.
We have previously covered defenders, midfielders and strikers and it is now time for goalkeepers to go under the scanner.
FPL players do not usually focus on the goalkeeping department too much.
There are only 20-odd possible options to choose from, and the list is further narrowed when you take out shot-stoppers from the bottom teams, which are unlikely to keep clean sheets.
Furthermore, all keepers are usually in the price bracket of 5-6M, with only clean sheets as a possible point-scoring arena.
They instead focus on spreading funds higher up the pitch, where more points can be scored, and rightly so.
The go-to strategy for FPL-ers is to take one guaranteed starter from a big six club and then take a low-price option, who may or may not start, to save funds.
Due to obvious restrictions, teams only need one guaranteed starter here, unlike other positions across the pitch.
While most managers decide on a goalkeeper and then rarely make changes to it, this season is different.
The top teams haven’t been able to keep a lot of clean sheets and #1’s from other clubs are starting to come into the spotlight.
Let’s evaluate some keepers that you can include in your team post the international break.
Nick Pope (£5.2m)
The Newcastle goalie has the most points in FPL amongst his competitors, and have returned a double-digit haul in two of the seven games played so far.
Looking forward, the Toons have fixtures with a difficulty rating of two for 5 of their next 8 games.
Pope has made more saves than any other player and has averaged a strong 5.4 points per match.
Jose Sa (£5.0m)
The Wolves man sits only one point behind Pope, with 37 points. He provides real differential value, with only 5.6% of teams owning him.
Sa and his team face the current bottom three sides over the next 5
Three of the five upcoming matches for Sa and his team are against the current bottom three of the league.
All indications are that Sa will continue to challenge, and maybe even overtake Pope in total points.
The player is also using unconventional tactics to increase his points haul.
Jordan Pickford (£4.5m)
Everton have the joint-second best defence in the league, and Pickford has been instrumental in helping them do so.
His heroics against rivals Liverpool earned him 2 bonus points and a total haul of 9 for that week.
The keeper has even provided an assist this season, a feat very goalkeepers have achieved.
20.8 minutes per save ranks the Englishman number 1 in the league. An attribute that has led the team to concede only six goals in seven matches.
Lampard would be hoping that the player is back from his injury very soon, following which he is sure to find his way into many teams.
Ederson (£5.5m)
The Manchester City goalkeeper has kept the most number of clean sheets at 4.
Ederson, though, is still only the 4th highest points-getter in FPL.
This is because others have managed to get more bonus points than the Brazilian, meaning his impact on games has been lesser.
Including him also means you can only have two other Man City assets in your team, one of which should be Erling Haaland.
That results in a tough choice between Cancelo, Foden, KDB, and Bernardo for the last spot, should you choose to triple-up on the champions.
Keeper to avoid: Edouard Mendy
While Mendy could be a name many are considering given the upcoming fixture for the Blues, he hasn’t fared well up until now.
The keeper is yet to keep a clean sheet since gameweek 1 and with a new manager, the Senegalese could even lose his place to Kepa.
While the outfield for any FPL manager is almost the same with some must-haves and have-nots, the goalkeeper position can provide real differential value this season.
With almost 9 days left till the deadline, managers have a lot of time to think, and even overthink. Good luck!
