Is Pedro Porro an overrated FPL asset?

If you're reading this, chances are you've come across my weekly FPL previews.

Don't worry, they aren't going anywhere.

But often, I'm trimming its content so it’s digestible for my readers.

That's why I'm launching Midweek Dribble, a regular newsletter that further enhances your FPL experience.

On 𝕏, I’m taking the entire midfield in one spell of possession, Yves Bissouma-style.

Here, I'll do just one sweet dribble, delivered to your email every Wednesday!

I know.

Double/blank gameweeks are quickly approaching, Manchester City and Liverpool players are utmost priorities, and that sexy potential double* for Dominic Solanke in GW28 is hovering over our heads.

Yes, Solanke in two HOME games against Sheffield United AND Luton.

Naturally, debates about defenders (other than these from doubling teams) have taken a back seat lately.

But I just saw some labelling Pedro Porro (£5.9m) as an overrated FPL asset.

And I took that personally.

_{*now confirmed}

Pedro Porro is tied for 3rd highest-scoring DEF in the game right now (together with Oleksandr Zinchenko, which is somewhat surprising).

He already racked 8 assists in the game.

Amongst the defenders, only Kieran Trippier recorded more (9).

Across all positions, he is tied with Mohamed Salah, Bukayo Saka, Pascal Groß, Julián Álvarez, Anthony Gordon, and James Maddison.

When it comes to clean sheets... well, that's where the concern comes from.

The last time Spurs kept the clean sheet was in GW17.

And they only kept one in the last 14 games.

As a Spurs fan, I'm sorry to say it's no coincidence - in the last ten GWs, they concede 1.79 xG per game.

Only Luton and Newcastle fared worse.

But it's essential to add at least a little context to that.

The squad was far from settled, with Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr departing to AFCON, Micky van de Ven absenting most of the games, Cristian Romero missing some due to a hamstring injury and red card suspension.

Add Rodrigo Bentancur and James Maddison into the mix.

In the next 8 GWs, the Spurs will face BHA, WOL, (blank), CRY, avl, ful, LUT, and whu.

Those are many games with solid CS potential, considering key players available again.

This is important and maybe quite unexpected.

James Maddison played two games since returning from his injury.

But even with him on the pitch, Porro took 86% of the long corners.

This is something to keep an eye on, as from the total of Porro's 6 expected assists, half comes from the set-pieces.

So, if Maddison becomes a designated corner taker again, it would substantially diminish Porro's offensive appeal.

This is something that is not talked about often enough.

Porro is taking advanced positions on the pitch, often resembling more of a number 8 than a fullback.

I delved into this in one of my GW previews in more detail:

The byproduct of this is him getting into quality shooting positions regularly (even with Maddison on the pitch):

He has yet to convert one, but if he continues to arrive at these, he will eventually.

Like he did in the previous season and Sporting.

Many will try to tell you that Porro is less advanced with Maddison on the pitch, painting this catastrophic picture of him being useless now.

I’m sorry, but your “eye test” is wrong if you think that. He is not less advanced, simple as that:

If you can navigate Tottenham's blank GW26, Porro is still a comfortable hold up until gameweek 32/33, considering he will have a fixture (Fulham away) in the blank GW29.

Assuming he will keep at least a part of set-pieces, of course.

And even if not, it is a somewhat tricky decision. There aren't many better defensive picks than him in the current FPL landscape.