James Cooper is no stranger to FPL success. With seven top 10k finishes to his name, he’s a seasoned strategist and one of the key managers in the Elite XI: Team Reveal lineup.
While he didn’t add to his tally in 2024/25, finishing a respectable 40,733, his campaign was packed with twists, chip chaos, and tactical insight. From a disastrous early Wildcard to a 100-point Free Hit late in the season, James reflects on the highs, lows, and everything in between — including his most frustrating troll and why he couldn’t stand the new Assistant Manager chip.
Looking for expert tips and team reveals? Head over to our Latest Content section.
While much of our insight is free, our top tools — including the Elite Team Reveal and AI-recommended transfers — are exclusive to fantasy football fix Premium members.
Get fantasy football fix Premium – check out the latest offers now!
James didn’t hesitate when asked about his biggest letdown.
“Cole Palmer absolutely refused to deliver points after December,” he said.“The stats were still strong, but the returns just disappeared — especially after such a ridiculous first half of the season.”
Palmer’s fall from must-own to week-to-week frustration was felt across the FPL community.
While his underlying numbers remained solid, the FPL points column told a very different story. His second-half drop-off was so notable that it featured prominently in our recent piece on the most surprising FPL stats of 2024/25 — highlighting just how dramatic the shift in returns really was.
While many FPL managers pointed the finger at Phil Foden or even Erling Haaland, James had another name in mind.
“I’d say Son. He dropped off badly in terms of returns but still carried a premium price tag,” he explained. “I thought about Haaland — but he still managed 22 goals, so that felt a little harsh.”
Son ended the season on just 129 points — a sharp decline from previous years and far below what you'd expect at his price point. With more affordable midfielders like Bowen, Mbeumo and Luis Díaz outperforming him, Son simply didn’t offer value for money.
As for Haaland, he may have fallen short of his usual explosive standards, but 22 goals still made him the second-highest scoring forward, behind only Isak (23), according to the Opta Stats Sandbox.
The Norwegian’s dip must be seen in context — he managed 27 goals and 8 assists in 2023/24, and a huge 36 goals with 10 assists in 2022/23.
His £15.0m price tag in 2024/25 felt steep, but with such pedigree, all eyes will be on how he's priced for the upcoming season.
“Recency bias points me to Semenyo delivering a final-day brace,” James joked. “But overall, Solanke chipped in with better returns than people gave him credit for. He reminded me of Jiménez in his Wolves days.”
Solanke quietly put together a solid season, delivering 14 attacking returns (9 goals and 5 assists) — joint-14th among all forwards. He also offered reliable minutes, which proved valuable during the chaotic middle of the campaign.
When factoring in Solanke’s price point, he may not have been the best value in terms of FPL involvements per million as highlighted in the Custom Stats Builder chart, but the "troll" label feels a little harsh.
“Wildcarding into 38 points in Gameweek 6 was spectacular,” James said — with a hint of sarcasm.
Sometimes, no amount of planning can save a Gameweek. Early-season wildcards are meant to be rank-boosters, but this one only delayed his climb up the standings.
While it wasn’t technically his highest total, Gameweek 34 stood out as a major turning point.
“I think the most impactful was 100 points from my free hit,” James said.
With blanks, benchings, and chaos elsewhere, nailing the Free Hit in a key BGW proved to be one of the best moves of his season.
There was no love lost for the new chip.
“I couldn’t stand it. Way, way too swingy. A single goal could result in a 20-point haul. There’s plenty of luck in FPL as it is — the new chip dialled that up to 11.”
James, like many seasoned managers, found the Assistant Manager chip too unpredictable and potentially unfair. It’s a debate that’s sure to continue into 2025/26.
James will be watching FPL pricing closely, especially with the return of Salah after extending his contract at Liverpool and potential re-pricing of underwhelming midfielders.
“Haaland and Salah are obvious question marks. None of Palmer, Saka, or Foden had comprehensively good seasons, so how Fantasy Premier League approach that will be interesting.”
The Elite XI: Team Reveal managers share over 80 Top 10k finishes between them.
Follow their every move and learn the strategies behind their success. Click here to get started!
Join 89% of our members who won their main mini-league last season.
TRY IT NOWAlready a Premium user? Login here
© fantasyfootballfix 2024 | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
