As Fantasy Premier League managers can now select their 15-man squads, The Scout analyses standout budget and premium players in each position.
Kieran Tierney (ARS) £5.0m
A kind early schedule lifts the potential of Arsenal's key players at both ends of the pitch in Fantasy.
Create your 2021/22 FPL squad now
Mikel Arteta's side face promoted duo Brentford and Norwich City in the opening four Gameweeks.
Indeed, according to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), five of Arsenal's opening nine matches score only two.
Arsenal’s opening 10 Gameweeks
| GW | Opponent | FDR | GW | Opponent | FDR |
| 1 | BRE (A) | 2 | 6 | TOT (H) | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | CHE (H) | 4 | 7 | BHA (A) | 3 |
| 3 | MCI (A) | 5 | 8 | CRY (H) | 2 |
| 4 | NOR (H) | 2 | 9 | AVL (H) | 2 |
| 5 | BUR (A) | 2 | 10 | LEI (A) | 3 |
Arsenal’s displays last season suggest early investment in their backline, rather than attack, could prove the best tactic.
They conceded just 39 goals in 2020/21, the third-lowest tally in the competition behind those of champions Manchester City and Chelsea, with 32 and 36 respectively.
Furthermore, Arsenal's total of 12 clean sheets was bettered by only four other sides.
Creative force
In terms of attacking output, Tierney was the Gunners’ top-performing defender.
The Scot combined a goal and four assists with eight clean sheets over his 26 starts.
Tierney's highlights
His 31 chances created ranked third for Arsenal, just seven fewer than the 38 of first-placed Bukayo Saka (£6.5m).
The left-back also supplied 125 crosses, second only to the 148 of midfielder Saka.
Despite his inviting price, Tierney can be found in only 8.7 per cent of squads.
Added to his potential for clean sheets, his creativity can prove a major weapon in Arsenal's early schedule and quickly reward his owners.