Alastair McKeever
@tedlassoregen.bsky.social
My core interests are: family, LFC, Tar Heel sports, Golf, Whiskey. But mostly I'll probably post about this silly FPL game I enjoy.
Update: my "path less traveled" BB ended up being BB9 - lucked into my GW1 4.5 fwd having good xmins for a good fix, combined with a ~good fixture for both my GKs. EV on bench was ~13, didn't impact my transfers before or after, scored 14. Overall, happy with taking the opportunistic BB approach.
October 28, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Update: my "path less traveled" BB ended up being BB9 - lucked into my GW1 4.5 fwd having good xmins for a good fix, combined with a ~good fixture for both my GKs. EV on bench was ~13, didn't impact my transfers before or after, scored 14. Overall, happy with taking the opportunistic BB approach.
But Brentford have a track record of developing far worse 23 year old attackers (check out Mbeumo's bars aged 23) and have a guy who made a huge leap last season to look a lot like a slightly lesser version of Dango, who will likely play on the opposite side to him this season (Schade bars below).
August 23, 2025 at 1:42 AM
But Brentford have a track record of developing far worse 23 year old attackers (check out Mbeumo's bars aged 23) and have a guy who made a huge leap last season to look a lot like a slightly lesser version of Dango, who will likely play on the opposite side to him this season (Schade bars below).
But the one I'm most excited by is Dango Ouattara to Brentford:
Fascinating attacker
Special skills: intelligent off the ball running,workrate, taking people on, high pressing, aerial ability, lots of high quality shots
His flaws are: everything about his passing is bad! and (maybe) a -ve finisher
Fascinating attacker
Special skills: intelligent off the ball running,workrate, taking people on, high pressing, aerial ability, lots of high quality shots
His flaws are: everything about his passing is bad! and (maybe) a -ve finisher
August 23, 2025 at 1:42 AM
But the one I'm most excited by is Dango Ouattara to Brentford:
Fascinating attacker
Special skills: intelligent off the ball running,workrate, taking people on, high pressing, aerial ability, lots of high quality shots
His flaws are: everything about his passing is bad! and (maybe) a -ve finisher
Fascinating attacker
Special skills: intelligent off the ball running,workrate, taking people on, high pressing, aerial ability, lots of high quality shots
His flaws are: everything about his passing is bad! and (maybe) a -ve finisher
New season, new disappointments!
August 15, 2025 at 6:42 PM
New season, new disappointments!
Iraola has always liked Tavernier - he is a very good creative passer and the best set piece taker at the club. The below radar is the standard fbref radar for AMs/Wingers, which showcases more of what Tav does really well relative to Dango. He's not as ferocious a presser, but not bad either.
January 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Iraola has always liked Tavernier - he is a very good creative passer and the best set piece taker at the club. The below radar is the standard fbref radar for AMs/Wingers, which showcases more of what Tav does really well relative to Dango. He's not as ferocious a presser, but not bad either.
2 important caveats - 24% of his mins and 44% of xG has come as a sub (which notoriously inflates per 90s), and his xAG flatters him as a creator. His xA is almost 50% lower and passing is a significant weakness of his, probably a key reason he's never nailed down a starting wing role under Iraola.
January 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
2 important caveats - 24% of his mins and 44% of xG has come as a sub (which notoriously inflates per 90s), and his xAG flatters him as a creator. His xA is almost 50% lower and passing is a significant weakness of his, probably a key reason he's never nailed down a starting wing role under Iraola.
Firstly, here's the Iraola attacker scorecard radar i created for kluivert/semenyo, with Dango added. The stats around the bottom aren't perfect stats to fully evaluate how good these players are OOP, but I do think they mirror what I've seen; Dango presses VERY well, which Iraola likes.
January 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Firstly, here's the Iraola attacker scorecard radar i created for kluivert/semenyo, with Dango added. The stats around the bottom aren't perfect stats to fully evaluate how good these players are OOP, but I do think they mirror what I've seen; Dango presses VERY well, which Iraola likes.
Agonized on this one for a while, because I initially (pre-Evanilson news) wanted to roll, and then was sorely tempted by one of the Everton FWDs in prep for DGW24, but eventually went Evanilson to Raul (roll second FT). Hopefully this can be my last transfer for a few gameweeks.
January 14, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Agonized on this one for a while, because I initially (pre-Evanilson news) wanted to roll, and then was sorely tempted by one of the Everton FWDs in prep for DGW24, but eventually went Evanilson to Raul (roll second FT). Hopefully this can be my last transfer for a few gameweeks.
GW19: Roll to 3FTs. 4 strong defenders this week, which eventually made me decide against Munoz (very much have fomo there) and decided to stay the course with Bruno. Benched the defender who I had very slight benching concerns about. GL all!
December 29, 2024 at 12:27 PM
GW19: Roll to 3FTs. 4 strong defenders this week, which eventually made me decide against Munoz (very much have fomo there) and decided to stay the course with Bruno. Benched the defender who I had very slight benching concerns about. GL all!
Made my transfer early to enjoy the holiday, FPL free. Verbruggen to Alisson, ignoring the Arsenal opportunities 😬. See you on Boxing Day BlueSky!
December 24, 2024 at 2:39 AM
Made my transfer early to enjoy the holiday, FPL free. Verbruggen to Alisson, ignoring the Arsenal opportunities 😬. See you on Boxing Day BlueSky!
After hemming and hawing about it all week I ended up prioritizing getting TAA now (with cash from mbeumo to semenyo) over saving a transfer for future flexibility. Obviously doesn’t look great after Liverpool game, but tomorrow will determine the outcome of the week really.
December 14, 2024 at 10:31 PM
After hemming and hawing about it all week I ended up prioritizing getting TAA now (with cash from mbeumo to semenyo) over saving a transfer for future flexibility. Obviously doesn’t look great after Liverpool game, but tomorrow will determine the outcome of the week really.
Info value and FT value very high. Rolled
December 7, 2024 at 11:58 AM
Info value and FT value very high. Rolled
I own him in FPL and I think he's ~on the value frontier with current fixtures, but he's not miles clear of other FWDs in that price bracket: 0.44npxg90 is 👍, but he doesn't finish many games, and no pens. Iraola has been gushing about him recently though- think he's ~as nailed for starts as Semenyo
December 2, 2024 at 8:38 PM
I own him in FPL and I think he's ~on the value frontier with current fixtures, but he's not miles clear of other FWDs in that price bracket: 0.44npxg90 is 👍, but he doesn't finish many games, and no pens. Iraola has been gushing about him recently though- think he's ~as nailed for starts as Semenyo
IMO, OOP performance level is the best forward indicator of minutes for BOU attackers. Telling the story that Semenyo is better in the press than Kluivert with stats from fbref is a bit tricky (more pressing data please opta!) but here's my "Iraola attacker scorecard" radar that attempts to do so
December 2, 2024 at 7:28 PM
IMO, OOP performance level is the best forward indicator of minutes for BOU attackers. Telling the story that Semenyo is better in the press than Kluivert with stats from fbref is a bit tricky (more pressing data please opta!) but here's my "Iraola attacker scorecard" radar that attempts to do so
At a simple level: Semenyo takes more open play shots; does more open play npxg; they are similar in terms of creativity; Kluivert has pens. Kluivert would need a pen every 5-6 games to keep pace given the npxg gap, a little punchy perhaps, but not miles off.
December 2, 2024 at 7:28 PM
At a simple level: Semenyo takes more open play shots; does more open play npxg; they are similar in terms of creativity; Kluivert has pens. Kluivert would need a pen every 5-6 games to keep pace given the npxg gap, a little punchy perhaps, but not miles off.
GW13 - Went early on Raul --> JP on Saturday and seem to have gotten away with it. Raul still good. JP better. Hoping this little lot can be rolled for at least two gameweeks now but let's see...
November 29, 2024 at 1:39 PM
GW13 - Went early on Raul --> JP on Saturday and seem to have gotten away with it. Raul still good. JP better. Hoping this little lot can be rolled for at least two gameweeks now but let's see...
Radars don't always properly characterize CBs, but here's my best effort at a custom chart comparing 24/25 VVD vs. "might never be the same post-injury" VVD in 22/23 vs. "peak of his powers/GOAT CB?" VVD in 19/20. 22/23 issues fixed and his elite skills are fading so slowly it's barely perceptible
November 26, 2024 at 3:08 PM
Radars don't always properly characterize CBs, but here's my best effort at a custom chart comparing 24/25 VVD vs. "might never be the same post-injury" VVD in 22/23 vs. "peak of his powers/GOAT CB?" VVD in 19/20. 22/23 issues fixed and his elite skills are fading so slowly it's barely perceptible
Trent and Son —> Timber and Palmer. Considered some spicier options but eventually settled here. Little nervous about Timber’s fitness relative to Saliba but the 0.5 savings gives more/earlier paths back to Trent, which I liked. No more IBs for ages now 🥳, GL everyone!
November 23, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Trent and Son —> Timber and Palmer. Considered some spicier options but eventually settled here. Little nervous about Timber’s fitness relative to Saliba but the 0.5 savings gives more/earlier paths back to Trent, which I liked. No more IBs for ages now 🥳, GL everyone!
It's also meant he's made the shockingly unusual (unless forced by injury) transformation from taking 32.8% of available PL minutes in 23/24 to 99.9% so far in 24/25! This has probably been far more interesting to me than any of my followers (he's FPL irrelevant), but I had fun 😊.
November 15, 2024 at 2:51 PM
It's also meant he's made the shockingly unusual (unless forced by injury) transformation from taking 32.8% of available PL minutes in 23/24 to 99.9% so far in 24/25! This has probably been far more interesting to me than any of my followers (he's FPL irrelevant), but I had fun 😊.
But he is still progressing the ball vast distances (91st %ile for progressive distance carried), and having the game "in front" of him more often (rather than receiving the ball on the half turn/in tight spaces) has also helped him improve his pass completion %s (23/24 left, 24/25 right).
November 15, 2024 at 2:51 PM
But he is still progressing the ball vast distances (91st %ile for progressive distance carried), and having the game "in front" of him more often (rather than receiving the ball on the half turn/in tight spaces) has also helped him improve his pass completion %s (23/24 left, 24/25 right).
So how's it looking this season? Has Slot just had coaches drilling passes at him and transformed his first touch? It doesn't look like it to me. He still is ~bad at miscontrols for a midfielder, but it's translating into farrr fewer dispossessions.
November 15, 2024 at 2:51 PM
So how's it looking this season? Has Slot just had coaches drilling passes at him and transformed his first touch? It doesn't look like it to me. He still is ~bad at miscontrols for a midfielder, but it's translating into farrr fewer dispossessions.
Gravenberch has always been highly rated, but imo he has always had one very significant weakness (compared to MIDs at the elite level). First touch. 2022-23 Bundesliga possession stats on the left, 23-24 PL possession stats on the right. The 1% club for miscontrols is not a good thing.
November 15, 2024 at 2:51 PM
Gravenberch has always been highly rated, but imo he has always had one very significant weakness (compared to MIDs at the elite level). First touch. 2022-23 Bundesliga possession stats on the left, 23-24 PL possession stats on the right. The 1% club for miscontrols is not a good thing.
It's no secret that Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation for Liverpool this season, so figured I'd try to understand why/how. Below illustrates he has improved in almost all areas but particularly in his pass completion rate and the amount he is dispossessed (this is the key one I believe). Long🧵
November 15, 2024 at 2:51 PM
It's no secret that Ryan Gravenberch has been a revelation for Liverpool this season, so figured I'd try to understand why/how. Below illustrates he has improved in almost all areas but particularly in his pass completion rate and the amount he is dispossessed (this is the key one I believe). Long🧵