FPL Champion tips: Identify high-value players early

The Scout analyses the strategies of Fantasy Premier League champion Adam Levy for other managers to learn from.

Initial squad selection

Levy's team, #TheyAreUs, was quick to make an impact at the start of the season.

By Gameweek 5 he was already inside the top 3,000, and his momentum took him into 848th position by the end of Gameweek 8.

Crucial to his success was the ability to identify high-value players from the outset.

His choice of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who cost £5.0m at the start of the season, is a fine example.

'One of my favourite players'

"Everyone was worried about whether players would be rested [after the FIFA World Cup] coming into the beginning of the season and I definitely shared it," he says.

"But Alexander-Arnold is one of my favourite players. He was great value last year, he was great value this year."

Alexander-Arnold went on to provide one goal, 13 assists and 185 points.

Finishing the season at a price of £5.8m, his 31.9 points-per-million value was more than any other outfield player.

Cut-price Cherries

Levy's quest for value also led him to recruit Aaron Wan-Bissaka for £4.0m and AFC Bournemouth pair Ryan Fraser and Joshua King for a combined cost of £12.0m.

On the scoresheet in Gameweek 1, Fraser delivered seven goals and 14 assists over the season.

Meanwhile, goalkeepers Lukasz Fabianski and Rui Patricio initially cost £4.5m apiece and were used as a rotation pairing.

Full complement

Having nailed his more budget-friendly picks, Levy was able to load up on the maximum quota of big-hitting Manchester City and Liverpool players for his opening squad.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane joined Alexander-Arnold for Liverpool. Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Benjamin Mendy came in from Man City.

"I knew about both of those teams, that they were creating the most shots, getting the most chances," says Levy.

"They were defensively good and also had attacking full-backs. Liverpool's defensive numbers were very good in the last few seasons without results always quite showing it."

Quick off the mark

Levy's decisions were immediately rewarded.

Mendy and Alexander-Arnold both earned clean sheets in the opening Gameweek. The Frenchman also supplied two assists for a 15-point haul against Arsenal.

And Salah and Mane earned Adam a further 32 points in a 4-0 win over West Ham United in Gameweek 1.

That set the tone for the season ahead as Levy's value picks paid off and laid the foundations for his big-hitters to justify their price tags.

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