West Ham United host Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in their Premier League season opener. Last Word on Football brings you three West Ham players to consider for FPL gameweek 1.
Three West Ham Players To Start For FPL Gameweek 1
Alphonse Areola – Goalkeeper (£4.5m)
West Ham may not have kept many clean sheets last season, only keeping five, the sixth worst in the league last season. Moreover, high-flying Aston Villa managed Champions League football for the first time since the 1982–83 season, thanks to scoring the sixth most goals in the league, predominantly down to the brilliance of Ollie Watkins. Albeit, there are many more positives in having West Ham’s shot-stopper in your FPL side.
Unlike many goalkeepers who play for title contenders, such as Arsenal’s David Raya and Manchester City’s Ederson, it will be much more widely expected for West Ham to have more shots against them. Last season, The Hammers goalkeeper on average made the most saves per match, despite being a side who narrowly missed out on a UEFA Conference League place. Moreover, Areola was one of the best shot-stoppers last season in the league.
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In addition to West Ham’s defence being slightly weaker, Villa’s strong attack will test Areola. Last season, the West Ham showstopper earned the sixth most points in the league, with Areola, also earning eleven bonus points. With an extra point after three saves a goalkeeper makes in a match, it means that Areola should have an excellent performance if Lopetegui’s West Ham tenure gets off to a positive start.
Jarrod Bowen – Midfielder (£7.5m)
Despite only being selected by 7.5% of players for the opening match-up, Bowen is still a top option for many FPL players. Last season, the newly announced West Ham captain earned 182 points, making him the 8th best midfielder in the game, only four points away from Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard. Moreover, after he is appointed captain, it is clear that he, much like last season, will be a constant for the Hammers.
One thing that makes Bowen stand out from other players is his price. Despite being marketed at a relatively expensive £7.5 million, he is much less than his counterparts such as Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, with the latter scoring fewer points than Bowen last season. Moreover, Bowen is ranked the 11th highest midfielder in terms of influence.
Last season, the Hammers skipper played 34 Premier League matches, scoring 16 goals and earning six assists. This averages to around Bowen gaining a goal contribution in every 1.54 matches that he plays. Due to this, he can be seen to be a significant player who may prove pivotal against Aston Villa.
Mohammed Kudus – Midfielder (£6.5m)
The final West Ham player to add to your side would be Mohammed Kudus. He was a revelation for West Ham last season, gaining 14 goal contributions in 33 Premier League matches. Moreover, Kudus was also pivotal in the UEFA Europa League, scoring five times in nine appearances for the then-UEFA Conference League holders.
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Once again, a significant reason which contributes to 9.5% of FPL players selecting the West ham midfielder is due to his relatively low price. At £6.5 million, Kudus earned more points than Tottenham’s James Maddison and Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling, who are more expensive. Moreover, now that the defensive David Moyes has left, it should give a greater opportunity for Kudus to flourish for West Ham in an attacking sense.
Kudus is a highly selected player, with more players selecting him than Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Rodri, Liverpool’s Luis Diaz and teammate Jarrod Bowen. The Ghanaian star is a must-get for any FPL participant looking to upgrade their midfield.
