GW22 Kneejerk Check
Gameweek 22 was a week of vindication for those who held firm on reliable assets and a brutal awakening for those still caught in the rotation traps of the league's top sides. From Gabriel's emergence as a genuine captaincy alternative to the total collapse of patience with Manchester City's defense, the transfer trends of GW21 told a fascinating story of risk and reward.
TL;DR: The GW22 Takeaways
1. The Gabriel Era: Arsenal's Gabriel (+658k) rewarded his massive influx of new owners with an 8-point haul, cementing his status as a "safe perma-captain" in the eyes of the community.
2. City Defense Exodus: The mass sell-off of Gvardiol (-292k) and Ruben Dias (-234k) was 100% vindicated as injuries sidelined the pair for a second consecutive week, rewarding those who escaped early.
3. Goalkeeper Punishment: Established picks like Robert Sánchez (11 pts) and Jordan Pickford (10 pts) punished their sellers with massive double-digit hauls, while new budget bandwagons like Kelleher and Roefs blanked.
4. Foden Frustration: The most-sold player of the week, Phil Foden (-759k), immediately punished the few who held with a 45-minute blank, driving the exodus toward Bruno Fernandes (10 pts).
5. The Dorgu Trap: Patrick Dorgu delivered the ultimate "bench haul" (15 pts) against City, punishing the 47k managers who sold him right before his best performance of the season.
Overall Picture
The GW21 transfer window saw managers pivoting heavily toward Arsenal's defensive stability and Manchester United's emerging assets under new management. The data highlights a clear trend: reliability is currently king, and rotation risks at the top clubs are being ruthlessly discarded.
Midfielders
- Bruno Fernandes (+288k) was the primary beneficiary of the Foden exodus, handsomely rewarding his new owners with a stellar 10-point return.
- Florian Wirtz (+146k) continued his creative engine role for Liverpool, delivering a 10-point haul that justifies his rising ownership.
- Phil Foden (-759k) saw a massive mass exodus. Those who sold were vindicated by his 1-point blank (subbed at HT), as managers lose total patience with Pep's rotation.
- Declan Rice (+532k) was one of the week's most-bought assets but delivered a "disappointing" 3 points, failing to match the explosive returns of his defensive teammates.
- Bruno Guimarães (+508k) also disappointed his massive influx of new owners with just 3 points, as Newcastle looked slightly off the pace.
Forwards
- Igor Thiago (+532k) remains the focal point of the Brentford attack. While he blanked (2 pts) this week, he remains a top target for GW23+.
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin (+304k) saw high interest following his move to Leeds. A 2-point return was modest, but the community remains optimistic about his long-term prospects.
- João Pedro (-132k) punished his sellers with an 8-point return. Despite rotation fears, he continues to be Chelsea's main man up top for now.
- Matheus Cunha (-456k) justified his mass exit, playing only 19 minutes for a 4-point cameo. The lack of starting assurance is driving managers elsewhere.
Defenders
- Gabriel (+658k) is now being viewed as a genuine captaincy alternative. His 8-point return further cemented his "must-have" status.
- Patrick Dorgu (-47k) delivered the haul of the week with 15 points (goal + clean sheet) against City. He remains the definition of a "delightedly enraged" bench haul for his owners.
- Joško Gvardiol (-292k) and Ruben Dias (-234k) were both complete blanks (0 mins) as their respective injury woes continued. Gvardiol remains sidelined with a leg issue, while Dias is recovering from a hamstring problem (expected back Feb 11), making the mass exodus look like a masterstroke.
Goalkeepers
- Robert Sánchez (-26k) and Jordan Pickford (-40k) delivered a masterclass in punishing the sellers. Despite their solid ownership (~13%), managers were bailing ahead of tough fixtures, only to be met with 11 and 10 point hauls respectively.
- Caoimhín Kelleher and Senne Roefs were the week's popular "budget" targets, but both disappointed their new owners with 1 and 2 point blanks.
- Matz Sels (-15k) continues to provide insane value, raking in 10 points including 3 bonus points in a match where he conceded.
Analysis based on GW21 net transfers and GW22 FPL points, with engagement metrics and sentiment analysis from the r/FantasyPL community.