FPL gameweek 22 tips and team of the week: Go big on Forest with Chris Wood, Ola Aina and Mats Selz
2025-01-17
Category: sports

We're at a funny moment in the Fantasy Premier League season.A major template has emerged with Mohamed Salah, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak must owns at the moment.But we're about to enter blank and double gameweek season, starting in gameweek 24 with Liverpool and Everton, that could really shake things up in your mini-leagues.In the meantime, you can make short-term gains targeting the worst teams in the league defensively - Wolves and Southampton.It worked last week with 58 points from six players and I'm trying it again.The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a Â£100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.
How did last week's team do?
A Kai Havertz punt failed and captain Bruno Fernandes only returned eight points but Amad Diallo (17), Isak (16), Palmer (10) and Anthony Gordon (9) led the charge to an excellent 81 points.Listen to the latest Fantasy 606 podcast on BBC Sounds.
Keeper and defence
Mats Selz, Nottingham Forest, goalkeeper, Â£5m - home to SouthamptonIt was a tricky choice whether to go double defence or attack with Forest but Southampton's recent goal struggles make Selz an easy choice. He might not pick up a ton of save points this week but a clean sheet is a very good chance.Ola Aina, Nottingham Forest, Â£5.3m - home to SouthamptonAina is now the top-scoring defender in the game, with Forest's recent run of four-straight clean sheets propelling him ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold.His two goals this season have come from just seven shots, so an attacking return might not be something to expect. But the potential is there.Reece James, Chelsea, Â£4.8m - home to WolvesBit of a punt this but, after a goal-scoring cameo against Bournemouth on Tuesday, James could start at home to Wolves.Wolves blanked last time at Newcastle and James has so much points potential going forward if he can last for most of the 90 mins.Radu Dragusin, Spurs, Â£4.3m - away at EvertonEverton have failed to score in five of their past six games so this is a bet against them finding the back of the net, rather than any faith in Spurs as a defensive unit.And the Romanian is cheap enough to allow some expensive attacking assets in this week's team.
Midfield
Mohamed Salah (vice captain), Liverpool, Â£13.7m - away at BrentfordA first blank since gameweek seven for the Egyptian last time and well done if you followed the advice of this article and chose a different captain.That choice this week is not as easy - Brentford concede a fair few goals - but he doesn't have the armband again. You'd expect him to get a return but Palmer, probably, has a tiny bit more upside.Cole Palmer (captain), Chelsea, Â£11.4m - home to WolvesThree 10-pointers in four games is some consistency from Palmer. Wolves are back to conceding goals - eight in three games- after two clean sheets.Everything seems aligned for the England man to have a big game and these days if he scores one he is almost a lock for three bonus.Antoine Semenyo got two returns to Palmer's one in Bournemouth's draw with Chelsea on Tuesday but was nowhere near him in the bonus points race.Phil Foden, Manchester City, Â£9.2m - away at IpswichI wouldn't say City are back to their best, but Foden showed signs of his old self against Brentford with two goals. Key to him playing better seems to be Kevin de Bruyne starting for City.Foden has had three big chances in the past two games. De Bruyne has played 10 key passes and created three assists.Both of them in the starting XI is better for City and FPL managers.Ismaila Sarr, Crystal Palace, Â£5.9m - away at West HamThis one is a tough game to call but early signs are that Graham Potter's West Ham won't be super tight at the back.They have conceded twice in both games under him so Palace will fancy getting themselves on the scoresheet.If they do then Sarr is so involved in their play at the moment.In the past five games he has played nine key passes, created four big chances and had six shots on target - all team highs.Diogo Jota, Liverpool, Â£7.2m - away at BrentfordImagine how many goals Jota might score in a season if he could stay fit and start most games.After an instant impact off the bench against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday, I reckon Jota gets a start at Brentford and, as mentioned above with Salah, it's a game that is likely to have a few goals.
Strikers
Alexander Isak, Newcastle, Â£9.3m - home to BournemouthSee Salah and Palmer. A must pick but probably not the best captain this week.Chris Wood, Nottingham Forest, Â£6.9m - home to SouthamptonJust keeps producing and is becoming the kind of striker who can score against anyone, so don't bench him for tough match-ups like many did last week against Liverpool.And speaking of match-ups - this one is about as juicy as it gets. I'd be disappointed if he doesn't score.
Subs bench
Matt Turner, Crystal Palace, keeper, Â£3.9m - away at West HamDaniel Jebbison, Bournemouth, striker, Â£4.4m - away at NewcastleJacob Greaves, Ipswich, defender, Â£4.1m - home to Manchester CityTaylor Harwood-Bellis, Southampton, defender, Â£4.1m - away at Nottingham ForestRelying on the first XI playing this week as the bench is about as budget as it gets.Team total cost: Â£99.4m
Player to watch
Antoine Semenyo, Bournemouth, midfielder, Â£5.6mHardly an under-the-radar pick but if Bournemouth don't manage to bring in a striker in the transfer window and Semenyo continues to play out of position as a forward, he might become must-own.He's a shot monster anyway and that should increase playing down the middle.
Team to target
Brentford - Liverpool (h), Crystal Palace (a), Tottenham (h)The Bees have a nice run of games beyond the next three, with Leicester away and Everton at home in the mix.Brentford games seem to be often productive for both sides and they have options aside from the superb Bryan Mbeumo.Yoane Wissa (Â£6.2m) is a great forward option - he's on course for 20 goals this season - and what about midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard (Â£5m) who has had a sneakily good season, with two goals and six assists.