



There has been much talk about the efficacy of a 5 at the back formation. "Maximizing team value will guarantee victory" some will say. I recently wrote an article highlighting the potential of this sort of strategy. Theoretically, it would be ideal, if there are no transfers. It's true, defenders pose the best average value, but guess what? We're not interested in averages, we want specific game weeks. Troy Deeney hasn't gotten much love this preseason, and his stats certainly aren't spectacular, but he did manage to go on a nice little run of goals last year. Owning him during this stretch would have seen you cash in on quite a lot of value. It's important to keep in mind that the introduction of transfers allows us to capitalize on well performing players.





It's really no secret, the key to success has always been to have the right players at the right time (plus captaining your highest scoring player, of course).





So why exactly does the 343 excel in this regard. It's quite simple, really! Let's start by creating a prototype team (I'll try to be less controversial with my team selection this time around.)





Step 1: Select four explosive players, as in players you fully trust captaining (keep in mind player price brackets, De Bruyne and Kane are effectively priced out of the game because there are no similar priced player to switch to)





Step 2: Select a goalkeeper combination and a defensive structure; such as two premium defenders and a three way rotation as well as defenders (the idea here is to buy into teams you think will keep clean sheets and players with the potential for attacking returns.)





Step 3: There are three remaining midfield spots to fill; a bench fodder and two starters. Be mindful of price brackets once again. There are many midfield options in the $7 million as well as $6 million category to chose from. This would be a great time to do more detailed research about the players. (OPTA supported fantasy sites and specific team forums are a great place to start)





Step 4: Finally, chose your budget striker. I suggest more detailed research here as well.













Vio la! Our team is set. And the strategy is quite simple. The four heavy hitters are the backbone of the team. These players will be given the most trust (a la captaincy) and will only be transferred out if a significantly better option arises or something significantly reduces there expected returns (and injuries, of course). The premium defenders tend to fall in the former category and the defensive rotation is usually not disrupted (unless you have planned this far in advance.) So what does that leave us with? Not much, really. Two midfielders and one striker. And that ladies in gentleman can be the difference between winning and losing.





The 343 boasts a great selection of captaincy and potential value. I did say potential. The three aforementioned slots, if used wisely, can greatly increase your total value, and greatly out score users of a 4/5 at the back formation (in addition, theoretically speaking a 3-way rotation ‒ in this case a 2-way ‒ of 4.5m priced players can outscore a 5.5m defender plus two 4m priced defenders over a longer period of game weeks while also offering valuable subs)





So that's it! Right? The 343 is obviously king. That is if you somehow manage to guess which bandwagons to hop on. And if you're actually serious about winning, you're going to have to predict the bandwagons before they even happen (as well as boast a very high captaincy success rate.) In theory it sounds all fine and dandy. Yet fast forward to next season and the faith you have placed once more in Matt Ritchie has sorely disappointed you (damn you, Matt Ritchie!) It's important to keep in mind that players who have high PPG like Junior Stanislas rarely have more than half a season played. These players are where the real decisions are made, as they are much tougher to predict. Almost every year a mid priced striker and midfielder catches fire only to come crashing down a few weeks later (ahem, Matt Phillips). But this is no surprise, consistency sets the best players apart from the rest. And that's why we pay top dollar for Kane and the like.





It becomes very clear then. Do you fancy yourself as a top FPL manager? If so, go for gold! Are you still learning the ropes? In that case, don't underestimate the potential of safer returns from a 4/5 at the back formation, especially in the beginning. I, for one, relish the opportunity to attempt predicting this years form players.





Note: I am not inventing the wheel here. This information has been around for years. I have simply explained things in such a way where hopefully everyone understands.





















What exactly is the best formation? What a puzzling question we're tasked here. A simple answer would be it's all relative, and it will depend on what players are playing well at the time. But there must be some fundamental differences between the formations, right? After all, the eventual winner almost always sticks to a 343 formation (occasionally switching to a 352). Why is this? Let's take a closer look.