As the 2024 Fantasy Premier League season fired into life, reigning champion Jonas Sand Labakk revealed his Gameweek 1 squad, creating a buzz among the fantasy football fraternity. The Norwegian ace, who took his seat at the summit after a campaign which saw almost 11 million managers in the hunt, has hit some impulse calls which have left his followers absolutely gobsmacked.
The Squad
Labakk's team consists of just the expected entries, which are a sure priority in his consideration set, evident of his indulgence in the book. Of course, star striker Erling Haaland makes the list after the goalscoring performance of last season. Of the many considered expected choices are playmaker Bukayo Saka and Liverpool tight defence master Trent Alexander-Arnold, which many would consider playing safely based on performances of the season.
Names That Omit Surprisingly
Despite being the champion, Labakk's choices in the team are what are interesting this time around. It's shocking because surprisingly, the champion has left out the best-scoring midfielder and defender in the team from last season. His top performers last year and generally giving very high fantasy points per million value are missing from his line up.
Goalkeeper Choices
For the goalkeeping position, Labakk has selected Arsenal's David Raya (£5.5m) since the keeper has managed to accumulate 135 points, which was the second-highest during the last season. On the bench is Lukas Fabianski(£4m)in a more soft-headed selection.
Defending line on the team
This is one area where Labakk bucks the trend with his defensive strategy. He opts for the high-priced Alexander-Arnold at £7m and the emerging Pedro Porro at £5.5m, augmented by cheaper picks in Dan Burn and Ezri Konsa at £4.5m, and the popular Valentin Barco at £4m. The overall combination of premium and budget defenders gives a strong impression of balance, but it doesn't sway everyone.
Fans' Reaction **
The elimination of last year's highest-scoring players has created a ripple of rumors and conversations. And although Labakk's history of winning may show he has an understanding of the sport deep down, his unconventional decisions this season are causing supporters to question whether he's faltered or if he is simply experimenting with a bold strategy.
Time will only tell if Labakk's hits for this season and whether his bold moves will land him the champion's crown. After all, who knows? Fantasy football is, in many ways, unpredictable, and the champion's unique approach could well be a validation of the same strategy.
Stay tuned to see how Jonas Sand Labakk's Gameweek 1 selections impact his quest for a second consecutive FPL title!
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