This GW4 wildcard build leans on Arsenal’s defensive depth and a stacked front line, priced at £119.6m against the standard £100m budget. It is a template for the ideal XV by expected points, with cheaper alternatives flagged below for anyone building within normal constraints.
Formation: 3-4-3
With Haaland, Isak and João Pedro all offering strong xP figures, a 3-4-3 gets the best forward line on the pitch while still fielding four of the five defenders. Tarkowski, Gabriel and Calafiori start at the back, with De Cuyper and White as the rotation options depending on fixture swings.
Goalkeepers
Raya (£6.0m) edges Pickford (£5.5m) on raw numbers, xP of 4.73 against 4.00 form compared to Pickford’s 4.80 xP and 3.3 form, but Pickford’s home data reads well for a side traveling to Tottenham. Raya’s 38.5% selection versus Pickford’s 8.7% suggests the template crowd is backing Arsenal’s goal threat this week away at Sunderland.
Defence
Tarkowski leads the group at 5.18 xP with form of 6.0, traveling to Tottenham. Gabriel (5.16 xP, 25.7% selected) and Calafiori (4.77 xP, form 6.7, 45.7% selected) both start for Arsenal away at Sunderland, and Calafiori’s ownership tells its own story about where the template money is going. De Cuyper at £4.7m offers the cheapest route in with 4.72 xP and form of 5.7 against Coventry, while White rounds out the group at 4.59 xP away at Sunderland. For budget squads, De Cuyper is the standout value pick in this backline.
Midfield
Bruno Fernandes tops the group at 5.60 xP with form of 8.3 at home to Manchester City, and his 48.6% selection makes him close to essential. Palmer (5.35 xP, form 6.7) hosts Hull, Cherki (5.08 xP, form 7.3, 30.6% selected) travels to Manchester United, Saka (5.05 xP) is away at Sunderland, and Gakpo rounds it out with the best form figure of the lot at 9.3, hosting Fulham. Gakpo at £7.1m is the pick for anyone needing to trim the budget without sacrificing much xP.
Forwards
Haaland is the standout at 8.26 xP despite a modest 5.0 form reading, and 71.2% ownership confirms he is nearly universal. Isak (7.50 xP, form 7.7) hosts Fulham and offers a cheaper Liverpool route at £9.0m, while João Pedro (6.58 xP, form 6.7, 71.3% selected) hosts Hull and is arguably the most popular differential-that-isn’t in the entire squad given his ownership.
Captain pick
Haaland is the clear captain choice at 8.26 xP, comfortably the highest in the squad, even with Bruno Fernandes’ superior form of 8.3 offering a case as vice-captain against Manchester City.
Bench order
1. Pickford (GKP), 2. White (DEF), 3. De Cuyper (DEF), 4. Gakpo or lowest-minutes forward depending on final XI selection. Pickford makes sense as backup keeper given Raya starts, and De Cuyper’s 4.72 xP is strong enough to be first defensive sub off the bench.
Budget reality
At £119.6m, this XV sits £19.6m above the standard £100m budget. Realistic trims include swapping Haaland’s expensive premium for Isak as the focal forward, dropping Bruno Fernandes for Gakpo in midfield, or using De Cuyper and White as full-price defensive starters rather than rotation pieces. Any combination gets closer to £100m while retaining most of the underlying xP.
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