Arsenal’s defence has become fantasy football’s hottest commodity, a steel curtain transformed into a goal-scoring opportunity.
The Gunners have strung together an extraordinary run of shutouts, matching a 122-year club record with eight consecutive clean sheets across all competitions and conceding only three times in 16 matches under Mikel Arteta.
That run of form has sparked a single stubborn question in Fantasy Premier League circles: do you double down and load your backline with Arsenal players, or is that kind of concentration just asking for trouble?
Arsenal’s rearguard isn’t just preventing goals, it’s creating them.
From the centre-backs to the full-backs, the team’s defenders are collecting returns through multiple routes clean sheets, set-piece threats and attacking involvement.
Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber have all chipped in with goal contributions this term, while Gabriel alone leads defenders for big chances and boasts an impressive average of defensive contribution points that has, shockingly, outscored Erling Haaland over recent gameweeks.
Corners and set plays feed Arsenal’s scoring chances, so defenders here aren’t mere safety plays; they’re upside-down assets.
For FPL managers looking for reliable baseline points and occasional attacking upside, that makes the idea of doubling or even tripling up tempting.
Concentrating your defence on one club sharpens both reward and risk.
If Arsenal concede, managers who have stacked the backline can see their Gameweek returns implode — there’s limited insurance inside the same team if goals leak. The fixture list also bites: after Gameweek 11, Arsenal face tougher tests, including a home clash with Spurs and an away trip to Chelsea, two matches where clean-sheet prospects dim.
Some Arsenal assets carry different risk-reward profiles. Gabriel and Timber offer both defensive floor and attacking potential; William Saliba’s scoring paths look narrower; goalkeeper David Raya has shown a low save-point ceiling, meaning he needs an extended shutout run to justify his price.
Holly Shand argues there’s a strong case for multiple Arsenal defenders given the volume of clean sheets and attacking returns from the backline.
She highlights the diverse scoring routes — set-pieces, goal involvements and the new defensive contribution points — that make centre-backs like Gabriel especially valuable.
But she cautions that stacking is inherently risky and recommends paying attention to the tougher fixtures coming up.
Julien Laurens takes a more conservative route. He would avoid a full triple-up and instead prefers a mixed approach: two Arsenal defenders plus a midfield anchor like Declan Rice, rather than sinking even more funds into Arsenal’s defensive unit.
If you want safety with upside, consider two Arsenal defenders and rotate a cheaper option elsewhere.
If you’re chasing differential points and willing to gamble on an extended shutout streak, a triple-up can pay off — but be ready to pivot when Arsenal’s fixture list hardens.
Balance budget and alternative sources of returns; midfielders with attacking potential can compensate if a stacked defence falters.
Arsenal’s backline is the season’s most seductive asset for FPL managers. The trick is choosing whether to seduce fate and triple up, or to admire the fortress from a shrewd distance.
