The deadline for Round 8 is approaching fast, so no time for Answers this week! Just a few quick thoughts before the second consecutive double round kicks off in Houston Wednesday evening.
- I’d recommend a short-term focus this week and maximize players on a double round, and then reset with a more season-long perspective next week. In other words, let’s wait on decisions about players like Banda, Emslie, Kanu, etc. who are playing only one match in Round 8.
- Remember that extra transfers cost only five points, and a consistent starter on a team with two games virtually guarantees a minimum return of five points anyway.
- Kansas City was held to a single goal this week with what may be the longest halftime in NWSL history thanks to weather delays, but I think you still want at least two Currents on your team in Round 8. The combination of DiBernardo and Chawinga probably has the highest floor, but mixing in Zaneratto may provide the highest ceiling, and Lavogez may be the best differential option. No word at the moment on if Zaneratto is expected to play this week after missing Sunday’s game with a foot injury, but we’ll share any news we get as soon as we can!
- If you’ve been waiting for an opportunity to get in on Gotham, this may be it. They secured their second win of the season against a tough North Carolina side last week, and I like their fixtures this week (at Houston, at San Diego). Yazmeen Ryan ($175k) is definitely worth a look if you need midfield help, as she’s tied with players like Ally Watt and Paige Monaghan in my favorite FBref stat, npxG+xAG (Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Expected Assisted Goals).
- We’ll talk about this over the next few weeks, but I’m starting to change my opinion on the best formation for FNWSL. With the comparative rarity (and corresponding unpredictability) of clean sheets this season, and the spike in high-scoring midfielders, a 3-4-3 may be replacing 4-3-3 as the preferred formation. Of course, teams playing two games in a round have double the chances to keep a clean sheet, so this may be more of a Round 9 decision, but keep it in mind!
Do you have any other questions you’d like Answered before Round 8? Comment or tweet @MansersAnswers!