THE new Dream Team season is almost upon us.
If you haven’t yet selected your XI, now’s the time as the deadline for Gameweek 1 is 8pm this Friday (15th August).
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In hope of getting you off to a strong start, we’ve compiled a cheat sheet that should help you avoid the classic traps and schoolboy errors that threaten to derail a campaign early doors.
1. No time-wasters!
Starting the season with an injured or suspended player in your ranks is the quickest way to hit the first hurdle.
Our new Substitute feature allows you to react to such irritations after the deadline but you’re limited to just five per season so you probably don’t want to use one on the opening weekend.
Do your best to ensure that all your players are fighting fit by seeking out the latest updates.
High-profile midfielders Morgan Rogers (£5.5m) and Phil Foden (£5m) are among the doubts at this stage while Alexander Isak (£6.5m) is unlikely to feature for Newcastle for *ahem* other reasons.
Emi Martinez (£4m), Nicolas Jackson (£3.5m) and Ryan Gravenberch (£4m) are all suspended for Gameweek 1.
2. Safety first
Once you’ve established all your players are available, the next thing to do is assess whether they are likely starters.
The Premier League is stacked with talent and that means some seriously talented players are forced to spend time on the bench, which is no good in the world of Dream Team.
The start of the season is the most difficult time to predict line-ups as it’s hard to know where new signings will fit in.
Counter this by selecting players who are guaranteed bulk minutes; the teachers’ pets and familiar favourites.
Use your transfers to bring in key targets once the pecking orders have been established in a few weeks’ time.
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3. Tried and tested
You can’t win your Mini League in the first two months but you can lose it.
We recently spoke to Tony Minehan, winner of last season’s £50,000 top prize, and he advises caution throughout August and September.
“I’m a pretty conservative player early on in the season because I think you have to be. I find if you get off to a bad start it’s very hard to claw it back.”
With this in mind, limit the number of risks in your initial XI.
All new arrivals to the league come with a certain degree of risk as it’s difficult to predict how players will adapt to new surroundings.
This doesn’t mean you should stay clear of all the shiny new toys – Florian Wirtz (£6m) is surely a strong option – but you don’t want too many unknown elements in your team.
Look to the proven performers to ensure steady start: Bukayo Saka (£6.5m), Erling Haaland (£7.5m), Mohamed Salah (£7.5m), Bruno Fernandes (£6m), Ollie Watkins (£5.5m), Jarrod Bowen (£5m), etc
4. Attack, attack, attack
This is a big generalisation but it’s simply a fact that midfielders and forwards earn more points than goalkeepers and defenders.
Last season, one keeper and five defenders finished on 250+ points compared to 15 midfielders and 10 strikers.
The lesson to take from this is that you need to prioritise firepower above defensive resilience.
This doesn’t mean that defence should be a total afterthought but the 3-4-3 and 3-5-2 formations are more likely to yield substantial points than 5-3-2 or 5-4-1.
One or two premium defenders can work wonders but do your best to seek out smart value-for-money options at the back so that you can afford the Golden Boot candidates.
5. Plan ahead
It’s easy to make the mistake of focusing solely on the Gameweek 1 fixtures when selecting your initial XI.
It’s always wise to tailor your team to the schedule but be aware that shortsightedness can get you into trouble.
For example, consider the fact all 11 Premier League clubs not involved in Europe will enter the Carabao Cup in the second round, giving them double headers in Gameweek 2 — Manchester United’s trip to Grimsby is a potentially fruitful mismatch.
You don’t have to map out your transfers months advance but it’s always a good idea to look two or three Gameweeks ahead when deciding on your strategy.
Keen foresight will be particularly important when the European competitions ramp up.
6. Build your budget
Once the season is underway, player prices will fluctuate depending on their performance.
Smart gaffers will play the stock market to their advantage, buying low and selling high, to increase their overall team value.
Make enough wise moves and you’ll soon be able to afford a formidable team capable of racking up plentiful points.
7. Have fun!
This is the most important thing to remember.
Dream Team is supposed to be fun and we encourage you to play your way.
If you like reading tips and hearing other opinions then dive headfirst into the content available but don’t follow a strategy you find boring just because somebody else says so.
Dream Team is an entertaining companion, something to enhance your experience of the beautiful game throughout the season.
Yes, there’s plenty of cash in the prize pot but this is a game first and foremost — enjoy yourself!
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