Here we are. Both of our currents squadrons, as of now Friday, August 12th Noon EST. It’s gonna be tough to not tinker at all for the next ~17 hours (we probably will make changes) but it’s safe to say that we’re getting fucking close. And the general structures will probably remain roughly the same even if a few names change. We’re both hardcore 3-4-3 with heavy forwards, we both have a 4.5 fifth midfielder, and we both have a piece of shit 4.0 defender who might play and might not play but we think we’re ok without him regardless. Anyways… to the squads:

WALSH

GK: Foster / Jakupovic

Succumbed to death and went with a safe 4.5 option. Didn’t want to double on ‘Boro defense in the end and Mandanda potentially being eased in made Foster the only option. Fingers crossed he keeps some cleans with the kind early fixtures although I don’t have much faith in him.

DEF: Valencia / Stones / Friend / Wollscheid / Amat

Gotta have a share in United defense with their ownership. I’ll take Valencia’s ceiling over Shaw. Mou doesn’t rotate his defense and Valencia screams of the veteran type that he loves. Stones is too good value at City to pass up in my view. Looks set to come straight in. Think Pep will keep cleans. Went Wolly over Pieters to appease Producer Nate. Amat is a piece of shit but might start..who knows…hopefully he doesn’t drop in price while he dies on my bench.

MID: Hazard / Tadic / Redmond / Feghouli / Capoue

Don’t mind doubling on Southampton attack think there is great value in both Tadic and Redmond OOP. Fegs is a new addition as I am too scared to go Puncheon with Bolasie still lingering and GW1 just around the corner. If Bolasie moves, it’s an easy swap to Punch who will be nailed in the hole. Hopefully Fegs keeps it up - largely a hat tip here from cohost Alon who is all about him. I’ll follow him into the dark.

FWD: Vardy / Kun / Ibra

Nothing to say here. No 6.5 striker felt good so I went with value in midfield and extremely heavy up top. If it goes pear shaped it’s always an easy double switch to go budget striker and premium mid after the fist couple of games if that proves to be the best route.

ALON

GK: Foster / Jakupovic

Same shit different day. Foster feels nailed and safe. WBA should at worst be a middling defensive outfit and they have good fixtures to start. Set & forget.

DEF: Valencia / Terry / Stones / Mee / Amat

Heavy hitting defense just the way I like it. I had Shaw but Walsh convinced me - Valencia does seem secure even with Darmian lurking and he surely has the mega attacking / bonus upside that Shaw maybe lacks. Terry (after my talk with Ben Dinnery) I felt more comfortable with knowing that Zouma was probably still months away. I want a piece of a Conte + Kante rearguard, I believe in both of them. Stones, see above. Mee is purely rotational and I will only start him GW1 (maybe) home to Swans, GW4 home to Hull, and GW6 home to Watford with the other guys having shit fixtures those weeks. Amat sucks.

MID: Hazard / Gerry D / Redmond / Feghouli / Capoue

I had Townsend in there who I am still interested in and I think he’ll score goals (he got a nice shoutout on Football Weekly which got me a lil al dente I must admit) but in the end with Gerry D potentially playing OOP striker it was just too sexy to pass up. Fegs I don’t know - there are a lot of 5.5s I like and if he flops it’ll be an easy change. All the value in the world in midfield this year.

FWD: Vardy / Kun / Ibra

Same. Stacked. Vardy with three of his first five fixtures Hull / Swansea / Burnley feels like he’s primed to tit.