FPL pre-season lessons: Porro justifies popularity with another goal

The Scout highlights the main takeaways for managers in Fantasy Premier League from the latest pre-season friendlies.

Pedro Porro (£5.5m) showed just why he is one of the most popular defenders in Fantasy by scoring his second goal of the summer in Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 defeat to Bayern Munich.

The Spaniard can be found in nearly 26 per cent of squads, making him the third most-owned player in his position.

Porro’s tally of two goals – both scored in the last three matches – makes him the top-scoring defender in pre-season and attests to his huge attacking potential.

Porro's stunner v Bayern Munich

The Spurs full-back placed second in Fantasy last season for attacking returns, scoring three goals and assisting a further eight.

That all-round ability is further backed up by the underlying numbers – Porro’s 53 shots were more than any other defender in 2023/24, while his 51 key passes ranked fifth.

Certainly, Spurs' immediate schedule looks encouraging for returns at both ends of the pitch - Ange Postecoglou's side visit promoted Leicester City in Gameweek 1 before entertaining Everton the following weekend.

Potential budget gems?

Southampton’s Adam Armstrong (£5.5m) took his pre-season tally to three goals by scoring the winner in a 1-0 victory at Millwall.

Despite his impressive form, the forward is owned by a mere three per cent of managers, compared with the 17 per cent of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Joao Pedro (£5.5m).

Armstrong’s summer showings have continued his talismanic displays for Saints – he combined 24 goals with 13 assists for the Championship playoff winners last season.  

And Southampton’s early schedule offers him every opportunity to make an impact in the budget bracket. According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), four of their five matches from Gameweek 2 onwards score only two.

Fulham midfielder Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) also impressed again, scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over Benfica.

The Nigerian has now netted in both the Cottagers’ summer encounters, as well as providing an assist.

Although the recent focus has been on the club's new signing from Arsenal, Emile Smith Rowe (£5.5m), Iwobi’s displays – combined with a kind early run of opponents – indicate he could be a budget gem in Fantasy for managers’ opening squads.

Iwobi's goal v Benfica

Similarly to Southampton, four of Fulham’s five matches from Gameweek 2 onwards score only two in the FDR.

In defence, Antonee Robinson (£4.5m) reminded managers of his all-round potential by assisting Iwobi’s effort. 

The left-back – who combined six assists with nine clean sheets last season - could prove a handy rotation option for that opening schedule, which includes meetings with promoted Leicester and Ipswich Town in Gameweeks 2-3.