With 10 games now played in the new season of Fantasy Premier :League we can take a first peek at how the new Bonus Points System will play out this season and how it will affect our fantasy teams. It's early days, but the system is very transparent and we think we'll have it nailed after the first two or three weeks at which point we'll start incorporating it in our points projections.
GK/Defenders
- Luke Shaw and Seamus Coleman both picked up attacking points from goals/assists which added to their BPS score to earn them the maxiumum 3 BP. Mignolet's penalty save was a major factor in his 3 point return too.
- More interestingly, as defender's goals or penalty saves cannot be so easily predicted, maximum points were also awarded to Lovern of Southampton and Fulham's Hangeland. Both had a clean sheet as the core of their points but on pitch performance saw them eclipse team mates. Hangeland boosting his score with13 clearances as Fulham weathered Sunderland's attack.
- Looking through other defenders who scored a high BPS system we see that all had a clean sheet as the base of the points. The extra edge was had either on the back of a battling defensive game (Fulham, Southampton) or a genuine presence in attack (Glen Johnson, Zabaleta)
- Goal-scorers Oscar, Nolan, Cole and Barkley all claimed maximum bonus points. With the addition of an all round game scoring a goal as a midfielder is going to give you good chance of bonus points.
- Lampard's missed penalty lost him chance of maximum points, other than a goal Kasami had an anonymous performance as Fulham were on the defence and Nasri 's lack of minutes coming on as a sub was not enough. Yaya and Silva were both outdone by the BPS score from Aguero's goal and assist.
- Assists alone don't seem to be enough, especially from wider players who aren't involved as much in passing and defensive work.
- It seems you'll need to pick up double attacking points as a forward to get in the Bonus Point mix. Welbeck and Benteke braces and Aguero's goal plus assist was enough for maximum BP. But not always, Van Persie's double strike earned only 2 BP behind Welbeck's maximum.
- The exception was Roberto Soldado who scored just one goal. but achieved maximum BP off the back of his overall game including a number of defensive actions.
- A clean sheet is a great basis for bonus points. Add to this decent attacking potential from key passes/crosses (Johnson, Enrique, Zabaleta) or a strong defensive performance from clearances/tackles/recoveries (e.g. Hangeland. Vertonghen, Williams).
- Goal-scoring midfielders will always be in with a shout of picking up bonus points, especially those involved more centrally in the overall play (e.g. Cazorla, Mata)
- A goal alone is not enough for bonus points from strikers. Adding assists or a second goal looks to be a requirement (e.g. Van Persie)
