At this stage of the FPL season, when everyone has had a few weeks to assess the performance of teams and players––ditched United players and brought in Tottenham ones––each FPL team is beginning to look a bit samey.  Frontlines of Haaland, Alvarez and Watkins abound; Salah or Son, or Salah and Son in midfield; Trippier, alongside a defender from Arsenal and Villa at the back.

As competing teams become increasingly homogenised, it is the differentials between the squads, which become so important in order to gain an advantage of a few vital points.

I enjoy the gamble of picking differentials––those less-selected players, who feature in fewer teams.  I enjoy that sensation of optimistic belief that one of these wildcards will hit the big time.  But then I run up against a problem.  More often than not, when I am making my final team selection, I opt for my tried-and-tested regulars and leave my differentials sitting like spare-parts on the substitutes’ bench.

Frequently to my cost.

My latest poor selection choice was leaving Cole Palmer––owned by only 0.9% of FPL managers––on the bench for Chelsea’s away fixture at Burnley, only for him to go on and record a goal and an assist; 12 points; a higher total than any of my other players that week except Mo Salah.  And I fear this is a pattern that I will repeat, despite many similar instances of benching over-performing differentials in the future.

What drives this team-selection timidity?

FOMO?  It is a very real possibility.  The fear of benching a regular, who goes on to score heavily for all my rivals.  And so we all remain trapped in a cycle of repeated behaviour; more scared to lose, than to take a chance by thinking outside the box and perhaps win.

Perhaps this is a dynamic, which governs most human behaviour?  Perhaps when it comes to making important decisions about climate change, and world peace, and politics as a whole, the human race is forever destined to leave its vital differentials sitting passively on the bench?

© Donnie Blake

Donnie Blake ponders his next team selection.