Explore every episode of the podcast Ignore the Template FPL Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GW 6 Wildcard Team Building with VAPM, Optimization and More | 25 Sep 2024 | 00:47:06 | |
Today I talk through suggested players for Wild Card Game Week 6 using Value Added per Million (VAPM), use the FPLOptimiseR package in R to examine algorithmically optimized teams, review my team from Game Week 5 and quickly discuss transfers and plans moving forward. | |||
| Variance and a (Weak) Defense of WC4 | 18 Sep 2024 | 00:37:31 | |
Today make a weak defense of the game week 4 wild card, and why it may not have been such a bad idea. I discuss variance and try to make sense of the incredibly weird week in FPL just past. Later I review my team's performance and plan ahead for game week 5, 6 and beyond. | |||
| Algorithmic Optimization for GW4 WC and Captaincy Deep Dive | 12 Sep 2024 | 00:35:51 | |
Today I take wild cards for game week 4 a step further and use algorithmic optimization using the FPLOptimiseR package in R. Looking ahead to this weekend I discuss a captaincy deep dive to compare Salah and Haaland by examining their underlying stats with their upcoming fixtures against Forest and Brentford respectively. | |||
| GW 4 Wildcard Team Building with VAPM | 04 Sep 2024 | 00:34:34 | |
Today I talk through general Wild Card Strategies ahead of Game Week 4 using Value Added per Million (VAPM), review the massive (and unexpected) green arrow from GW 3, and discuss my WC draft for GW 4 and more. | |||
| Player Watchlist for GW3 and beyond | 28 Aug 2024 | 00:40:28 | |
Fantasy Premier League strikes again for Game Week 2. Today I look ahead to Game Week 3 and beyond to discuss high VAPM (Value Added per Million) players, what the data is telling us about them, and target fixtures to boost our ranks. | |||
| xG xA Underperformers and Overperformers from GW1 | 21 Aug 2024 | 00:25:03 | |
Fantasy Premier League is back for Game Week 1. Today I discuss overperformers and underperformers looking at player points, and what the underlying data tells us. | |||
| Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Sleeper Picks for Upcoming Season 2024-2025 | 14 Aug 2024 | 00:43:54 | |
It's a brand new FPL podcast for a brand new FPL season. Today I will be walking though 'sleeper' picks, or lower owned players with relatively high Value Added per Million (VAPM). | |||
| Eye-test vs. Statistics | 03 Oct 2024 | 00:41:48 | |
Today I discuss the concepts of the eye-test, and compare players who pass or fail the 'eye-test' in the context of their underlying and observed statistics. This one is a very subjective topic so feel free to roast my opinions. Later, I rationalize Cole Palmer's 25-pointer, talk briefly about the watch-list, and review my Game Week 6 performance and plans moving forward. | |||
| Top 3 FPL Assests Team by Team and Full Premier League Review Up to GW7 | 10 Oct 2024 | 01:25:23 | |
Buckle in, it is a long one today. I discuss performances from every single team in the Premier League so far this season and give my top 3 FPL assests from each team. All stats provided in this episode are updated through game week 7. | |||
| GW 8 Wildcard Discussion | 17 Oct 2024 | 00:31:48 | |
Over yet another international break I discuss Game Week 8 Wildcard, and how it differs from Game Week 4 WC all within the context of Value Added per Million (VAPM). I turn back to the FPLOptimiseR package in R to examine algorithmically optimized teams. Is threemium in? I also discuss hindsight, and the drawbacks of VAPM, later I review my team and quickly talk through my thought processes. | |||
| Early Transfers are an Awful Idea and WHY I am Doing it Again | 24 Oct 2024 | 00:36:03 | |
Mistakes have been made. It is time to do a deep dive into my mistakes: Why am I making early transfers, and why am I compounding that by taking a (-4) hit? Today's episode is more of a case study in bad decisions and trying to understand the thought process of doubling down on mistakes made early in the season. | |||
| Confirmed: Early Transfers are Bad, Good Luck is Good | 31 Oct 2024 | 00:44:34 | |
This is a part 2 follow-up on the casestudy of stupid mistakes in FPL from last episode (Gameweek 8 to Gameweek 9). I evaluate every iteration of my stupidity and walk through the thought process of each decision. Later I discuss planning for the big Gameweek 12 fixture swing and why I will be moving on from Haaland. | |||
| Top 15 FPL Attackers Ranked! | 07 Nov 2024 | 00:55:58 | |
Today I rank the top 15 attacking FPL assets (Forwards + Midfielders) based on a combination of value added per million (VAPM), VAPM using the underlying data model, explosiveness, captaincy opportunities, predictability, availability, and price gains. Later I discuss my performance from GW10, another good (probably lucky) week, and plans for GW11 and the big GW12. | |||
| FPL Stats Need Context | 28 Nov 2024 | 00:55:44 | |
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We are back to discuss why context in statistics is important, and why content creators should be more transparent about the statistics they produce. I walk through how the best way to use my weekly VAPM spreadsheet, discuss my GW12 performance (awful, ~20k all the way to ~60k), and wrap it up with another round of anything but FPL. | |||
| GW12 Wildcard Optimized! | 21 Nov 2024 | 00:33:15 | |
Another international break, another Wildcard Episode. Today I discuss Game Week 12 Wildcard, walking through several different team structures algorithmically optimized using the FPLOptimiseR package in R. Then I put forth my ideal Wildcard team for GW12, discuss Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), my teamplanner of choice (FaustRPeggi's Team Planner), and another round of anything but FPL. | |||
| GW12 Planning and Discord Server | 14 Nov 2024 | 00:34:12 | |
Today go through an indepth planning of GW 12, GW 13 and beyond. Walking through a few different options. Also I introduce a new Discord Server for the podcast and general FPL chat. Come join the coversation here. We can complain about differentials getting lucky and Haaland blanking for the nth time this season. And a return of 'Anything but FPL.' | |||
| Mistakes You Are About to Make in FPL | 19 Dec 2024 | 00:55:10 | |
Today I discuss about 10 or so moves people are making in the FPL meta that I think are mistakes. Then I discuss my GW16 performance (can't seem to string 2 green arrows together), and plan for GW17. A musical 'Anything But FPL' segment today to wrap the pod! | |||
| Mystery Chip Unlocked! Assistant Manager, Who? | 12 Dec 2024 | 00:40:29 | |
Today I discuss the newly revealed Mystery Chip: The Assistant Manager Chip. I walkthrough my gut reaction, some strategies and potential pitfalls. Then I talk through my GW15 performance and boring plans for GW16. Another quick 'Anything But FPL' Segment to discuss my favorite app to source hidden gem movies. | |||
| FPL Stats Are Kinda Weird - Midweek Madness Recap (GW14) | 06 Dec 2024 | 00:38:43 | |
Today I review my GW14's performance along with a general discussion of all the weird stuff to happen midweek, and discuss my plans for GW15. I bring up a useful tool (livefpl.net) that I use every now and then to check on players who can hurt me the most. Then I wrap up the episode with a quick recommendation in my weekly 'Anything But FPL' segment. | |||
| Midweek Fixtures - GW14 Chat and Players to Target! | 03 Dec 2024 | 00:40:31 | |
Today I discuss my team by reviewing GW13's performance and discuss my plans for GW14 which has a deadline of TODAY. I even discuss my tentative plan for GW15 which is Saturday. After I discuss my team, I present players to target based on the underlying data and Value Added per Million from teams with good Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR) over the next 5 game weeks. | |||
| Top 10 Bukayo Saka Replacements: A Statistical Deep(ish) Dive | 24 Dec 2024 | 00:44:52 | |
Today I discuss the top 10 Bukayo Saka replacements going into GW18, based on the stats with a bit of my own personal bias and opinion thrown in. I review my GW17 performance (why are all my points on the bench?), and quickly discuss plans for GW18. | |||
| Predicting the Top 10 FPL Assets in 2025! | 02 Jan 2025 | 00:47:19 | |
Today I discuss the top 10 FPL point scorers so far this season and predict who will be the top 10 FPL point scorers (based on the underlying data) come the end of the season. Then I review GW18 (meh) and GW19 (yay finally a green arrow), and quickly discuss plans for GW20. New Years special: 'Anything but FPL' with a bit of a New Year's resolution for the podcast. | |||
| What is Value Added Per Million (VAPM) really? | 09 Jan 2025 | 00:47:06 | |
Today I do a deep give into Value Added Per Million (VAPM)- What is it? Where did it come from? And why is it better than Points Per Million (PPM)? I also relaunch the spreadsheet in a much cleaner, and user-friendly format on Airtable (Google Sheets can suck it). I review my second green arrow in a row from GW20 and look forward to GW21 with a bit of planning. Finnally I wrap the pod with anything but FPL. | |||
| Double Game Week 25, Let's Go... Again! | 07 Feb 2025 | 01:03:19 | |
Now that the EFL cup semifinal is settled, and Double Game Week 25 is confirmed, I discuss some of the decisions to be made about the (relatively) newly announced DGW25 honing in Liverpool and Aston Villa assets to consider along with the inevitable Assistant Manager chip conundrum. I also had to talk about Blank Game Week 29 now that we know Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Fulham will not blank. I discussed transfers in the FPL meta and wrapped the pod with 'Anything But FPL' where I had to talk about Kingdom Come: Deliverance. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Double Game Week 24, Let's Go! | 31 Jan 2025 | 00:59:45 | |
Today I hone in on the upcoming Double GW 24, discuss good players to bring in from GW24-GW29 (when a lot of people myself included plan on deadending their team). Bringing in a new segment to discuss transfers in the FPL community meta, and wrap the pod with 'Anything But FPL' where I didn't even know what I was going to recommend until I got to the section myself. | |||
| More Planning for DGW 24, BGW 29 and Chips! | 23 Jan 2025 | 00:55:57 | |
Today is part 2 on my discussion about planning through blank Game Week 29 (and even peeking ahead to Double GW 33, Blank 34, and Double GW 36). Advice on how to optimize points over these gameweeks using the right chips (Wild Card, Triple Captain, Bench Boost, Freehit, and Assistant Manager) in the right game weeks. Then I use my team as an example to walk through my rough plan through GW 29, discuss my performance in GW22, and wrap the pod with 'Anything But FPL' where I welcome you to my book club. | |||
| Hold on to your Transfers, We're PLANNING (Blank and Double GW Guide + Chip Strategy) | 17 Jan 2025 | 00:43:47 | |
Today I discuss an overview and general guide to navigate all of the upcoming blank and double gameweeks, while also keeping in mind all of the chips you may have stored up (Wild Card, Triple Captain, Bench Boost, Freehit, and the beloved Ass. Manager). From GW 24-38 there are 15 Game Weeks to play all of those chips, and since the assistant manager chip is a 3 week chip, if you have all your chips that is almost half of the remaining GWs will be chip utilization. Needless to say, lots of planning there. Then I talk about my performance in GW21 (surprising rank gain), quickly discuss plans for GW22, and then in my 'Anything But FPL' segment I drop my most anticipated recomendation that I have been saving up for this week. | |||
| Final AssMan Pod Ever ;) | 20 Feb 2025 | 01:05:30 | |
Today I discuss what to do with (most people's) final week of the Assistant Manager Chip, a new Q&A segment talking about popular things in the meta, transfers, my gameweek 25 performance, and finally look ahead to GW26. Unforunately I ran out of time to discuss 'Anything But FPL' this week, but it will be a priority next week, I promise. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Which Chip Was Actually Optimal? | 13 Feb 2025 | 01:04:03 | |
Today I do a bit of a review and analysis of the different chip strategies for Double Game Week 24 and beyond to compare AssMan Slot v. AssMan Moyes v. TC Salah. Then I discuss DGW25 and different options for AM, Aston Villa players to bring in or avoid, and go over what one might do with Trent Alexander-Arnold. Finally, I do a team review, plan for GW25-29 and jump into an 'Anything But FPL' segment that I have been keeping in my back pocket- and it is kind of a bummer of a reason for why I am talking about it now. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Rebuilding Newcastle and Aston Villa! | 09 Jul 2025 | 01:10:25 | |
It's another transfer window/offseason special. Today I will be talking through a thought experiment on how to rebuild Newcastle United and Aston Villa. I'll identify problems and propose solutions/ transfers for each club to give my alternate reality of the summer 2025 transfer window ahead of the upcoming season. FPL Content will be back when we get closer to the new season. Subscribe and/or tune in for more offseason FPL content. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Rebuilding Man City and Chelsea! | 04 Jul 2025 | 01:03:46 | |
It's another transfer window/offseason special. Today I will be talking through a thought experiment on how to rebuild Man City and Chelsea. I'll identify problems and propose solutions/ transfers for each club to give my alternate reality of the summer 2025 transfer window ahead of the upcoming season. FPL Content will be back when we get closer to the new season. Subscribe and/or tune in for more offseason FPL content. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Finally Not A Chip Week - GW35 | 01 May 2025 | 00:44:23 | |
Now that most of us are back to our old teams, who should we target for the final 4 game weeks? Today I discuss GW35 updates, questions from the Discord server, I review my FH34 performance and look ahead to GW35 and the transfers I have planned. Finally I close with a sneaky, unexpected Anything But FPL segment. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Free Hit Game Week 34! | 25 Apr 2025 | 00:58:15 | |
Free Hit for Game Week 34 is all that matters. Just like the FH chip, I am not focusing on last week or next week. It is all about this week and this week we are focusing on the best players who do not blank. I walk through my ideal FH34 team, talk about the optimized algorithm FH34 team, alternative players one might sub in, general FH ideas and strategies, and then I jump into questions from the Discord. Finally I quickly review my GW33 performance because it was a BB to forget, and then edit my FH34 team because in the time it took to record the podcast, I already changed my mind. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Final Double Game Week? | 18 Apr 2025 | 00:45:22 | |
Today is more of a departure from the normal checking on player stats to talk about ideas as a whole and brainstorming how to make this whole ecosystem better. Because let's be real, we have talked these double game weeks to death, all the potential chip strategies, and should already know the players to go for. I discuss my teams awful performance yet again, and look ahead to what I plan on doing for the potential final DGW (spoiler: going to play BB). Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Double Game Week 32, Stop the bleeding | 11 Apr 2025 | 01:02:56 | |
Today let's talk about DGW32. We have to talk about general chip strategy and some player updates so lets get that out of the way before jumping into questions from the discord. I quickly cover my teams performance, another red arrow, follow by a quick update of my plans for DGW32. I thought today would be a short episode, but I just rambled for an hour. Hopefully it was informative. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Wildcard Game Week 31. Get Wilder. | 04 Apr 2025 | 01:09:34 | |
Today let's talk about Wildcard for GW31. A lot of people may be using their WC, or will be transferring in players ahead of the doubles, so I discuss the top 3 players from each team that double in either GW32 or GW33. Before that I chat general chip strategy around this time, then I quickly talk about my teams performance in GW30 (meh), and my WC team for GW31. This is a long episode so I also get to some questions posted on the discord and bring back 'Anything but FPL' for a White Lotus themed segment. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Wildcard Game Week 30. Get Wild. | 31 Mar 2025 | 00:42:56 | |
Today let's talk about Wildcard for GW30. A lot of people may be using their WC, or will be transferring in players ahead of the doubles, so what does the algorithm say when trying to optimize a team? Then I discuss the WC team I would play if I were using my WC Chip. The I talk through my even worse performance in GW 29 and plan for my own GW 30 assuming I don't use my WC. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Free Hit Blank Game Week 29 | 13 Mar 2025 | 00:53:21 | |
Today we have to talk about Blank Game Week 29. A lot of people may be using their Free Hit Chip, or will be transferring in players who don't blank, so what does the algorithm say when trying to optimize a team? I run through 4 optimized teams with different parameters, and then discuss the FH team I would play if I were using my FH Chip. The I talk through my abysmal performance in GW 28 and plan for my own GW 29. Anything but FPL is back this week, and it is a STINKER, so if you like a rant and a moan, tune in, otherwise use chapter markers to skip ahead! Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Injuries, Suspensions, and Blanks Oh My! FA Cup Madness | 07 Mar 2025 | 00:44:02 | |
With all of the chaos to come out of the FA Cup weekend, now we have to plan for all of the fallout. This week's episode I discuss popular transfers out, and who I would bring in based on the stats. I review my GW27 performance again and plan for GW28 with all the new news to come from the FA Cup. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| A Normal Gameweek of FPL? | 28 Feb 2025 | 00:46:20 | |
Today I run through some community questions provided by the Discord Server- feel free to jump into the group chats and ask questions at the link below. Then I covered some nonsense transfers happening in the meta of FPL, review my team's GW27 performance and plan for GW28, and talk about anything but FPL in the 'Anything but FPL' segment. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Gameweek 27 through Blank Gameweek 29 Planning | 24 Feb 2025 | 00:29:27 | |
Today is a short episode becuase I completely did not realize we have midweek fixtures in the premier league this week and I wanted to get something out to you guys and update the data in the spreadsheet. So I quickly highlight a handful of players who have the best fixtures between GW27 and GW29 on paper. Then I review my team's performance and plan for GW27-29 myself. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Rebuilding Arsenal and Tottenham! | 24 Jun 2025 | 01:08:52 | |
It's another transfer window/offseason special. Today I will be talking through a thought experiment on how to rebuild Arsenal and Tottenham. I'll identify problems and propose solutions/ transfers for each club to give my alternate reality of the summer 2025 transfer window ahead of the upcoming season. FPL Content will be back when we get closer to the new season. Subscribe and/or tune in for more offseason FPL content. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Rebuilding Manchester United and Liverpool FC | 20 Jun 2025 | 01:36:09 | |
This one is going to be different- It's a transfer window/offseason special. Today I will be talking through a thought experiment on how to rebuild Manchester United and Liverpool FC. I'll identify problems and propose solutions/ transfers for each club to give my alternate reality of the summer 2025 transfer window ahead of the upcoming season. FPL Content will be back when we get closer to the new season. Subscribe and/or tune in for more offseason FPL content. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Calculating Target Prices For Every FPL Player 2025/26 | 16 Jun 2025 | 00:55:28 | |
Using a set Value Added Per Million (VAPM) we can calculate the target price of every player who played in the premier league last season. Stay tuned to the reddit/discord post where I will have some bonus players who will be arriving to the EPL such as Wirtz, Frimpong, and Cherki. Subscribe and/or tune in for more offseason FPL content. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| How to Fix FPL! | 09 Jun 2025 | 01:20:16 | |
Buckle up buttercup, we're going to fix FPL in the next hour and twenty minutes. Jokes aside, there are issues the game of FPL faces in regards to gameplay and engagement. On this episode, I will be proposing several ideas that can be used to improved FPL. They are not all pie in the sky, or whacky ideas (though some of them certainly are), on the whole, these are practical, easy to implement changes FPL Towers can do to avoid staying stagnant in the fantasy premier league space. Subscribe and/or tune in for more offseason FPL content. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Full FPL Season Review 2024-2025 | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:57:03 | |
For the final podcast of the season I will do a full review of my teams performance documenting the highlights and lowlights, chip usage, and big red/green arrow swings. Then in the second half of the podcast I review all of the best value added per million (VAPM) players for the 2024-25 season by position and pick my surprise and disappointment of each batch. Finally I wrap the podcast by discussing my plans for offseason content. Subscribe and/or tune in for episodes to be coming after the dust has settled on the FPL season Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Final Game Week of the 2024-25 FPL Season! | 23 May 2025 | 01:14:37 | |
The main topic of discussion today is whether to maintain rank, or chase rank for the final gameweek of the season. I cover strategies to use depending on your situation, and discuss my top 5 fixtures to target on the final day along with the top 10 "safety" picks. Tune in to hear how I did in GW37, and my final transfer plans for GW38. I discuss my plans for the pod on the off-season, and my pitch to hopefully have you all coming back. I really did enjoy my first season podcasting with you all, hope you have a great offseason. Subscribe and/or tune in for episodes to be coming after the dust has settled on the FPL season Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Game Week 37 - Just 2 More Weeks! Final Push | 15 May 2025 | 00:50:28 | |
Covering a variety of in-the-meta topics today of FPL for GW37 and final GW38. Tune in to hear how I did in GW36, and my transfer plans for GW37. Today is a big long ramble because let's be real, so much uncertainty in GW37. Let's roll the dice. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| Game Week 36 - Differential, or Play it Safe? | 08 May 2025 | 01:01:49 | |
The main topic of discussion today is whether to play it safely, or to go for more differential picks. I cover strategies to use depending on your situation, and discuss my top 8 safe picks and their alter ego differential picks for Gameweek 36 and beyond. Tune in to hear how I did in GW35, and my transfer plans for GW36. Finally I wrap the pod with a Champions League Special of an 'Anything but FPL' segment. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||
| RIP FPL? Updates That May Break The Game! | 19 Jul 2025 | 00:43:02 | |
Buckle up buttercup, we're covering all of the updates that have come out over the past 24-48 hours that will greatly impact FPL's next season in 2025/26. Hopefully this is the last of the updates FPL provide before the game launches, because there are some serious red flags. There are also some positive changes I like, but tune in to get an overview of the changes, and stick around for my analysis diving into why some of the changes are good, bad, or ugly, and how they can impact the game moving forward. Link to the Discord Server: Link | |||