Why is Pace Important?
Pace in football is as important as in TwinSpires horse races. Pacey players are typically found in the wide attacking areas, as the trait will give the player the ability to run away from opposing defenders in order to get crosses into the box or have shots on goal.
It could also be a vitally important trait worth considering when assessing full-backs, with many players typically opting to fill out their defensive options with wing-backs as they traditionally have a better opportunity to score more points than central defenders.
This has been reflected once again in 2024-25, as Ola Aina and Trent Alexander-Arnold were both prominent selections in fantasy teams throughout the campaign.
Pace An Important Attribute to Consider
Quick players are certainly worth considering when putting together your fantasy Premier League teams. These players will have the natural ability to break defensive lines and run in behind, which will given them the best opportunity of registering goals and assists, which directly impact the number of points that a player can stand to earn per matchday.
Quick players are also vitally important for counter-attacking teams, as their ability to transition at a rapid speed will give them the upper-hand over the opposing defenders.
But, as is the case in football in general, pace is worthless unless that the trait can be combined with a final product. Therefore, not all quick players are destined to score high point returns every weekend.
Who Are The Quickest Players in the EPL?
Evidence to show that pace isn’t everything when making FPL selections can be supported based on the points that the quickest recorded players in the competition have registered this season.
Micky van de Ven of Tottenham Hotspur clocked the quickest speed in a Premier League match, but the Spurs defender scored just 32 points in FPL. Although, it could be worth noting that his point’s tally in 2024-25 was down from the 81 that he registered in the previous season, due largely to injury issues.
Interestingly, Manchester City’s Matheus Nunes also clocked one of the fastest running speeds in the Premier League in 2024-25. The former Wolves player wasn’t a prominent choice for managers last season, as Pep Guardiola’s reverted the midfielder into a full-back.
That played its role in the Brazilian being just the 13th highest scoring player for City in FPL this season, as he averaged just 3.1 points per game, and scored an overall total of 81. His unpopularity was reflected by the fact that just 0.2% players selected him.
Pacey Players With High FPL Returns
FPL players must use their common sense when assessing the trait, as it could have an important role in the number of points that a star is able to attain. For example, a counter-attacking team with proven results will almost certainly mean that quick players will have a better chance of scoring points regularly throughout the season.
A big example of this is Bryan Mbeumo. Brentford enjoyed an excellent campaign, and their counter-attacking style of play put Mbeumo at the forefront of their plan. The forward recorded the third-fastest speed in the Premier League in 2024-25, and he was one of the most clinical in the forward areas of the field.
Mbeumo scored a club-high tally of 236 points in FPL in 2024-25, and he registered an impressive 6.2 points per match, which ranked the second best in the Premier League. However, he was a popular selection throughout the campaign, with just under half of the players in FPL selecting the Bees star.
Pace Not The Most Important Factor to Consider
As you can see from the examples above, pace is an important trait to consider when assembling an FPL team, but only if the system impacts the player that you have included.
Therefore, there are more important factors that should be taken into account when making your selections. Among those include naming players that have a consistent record of scoring points, whether that be defensive-minded teams that have a proven record of keeping clean sheets, or opting for a corner tacker based on the number of assists that they are likely to register.
Furthermore, players should always examine the fixture list before making their transfers, as an easier run of matches could give players the perfect opportunity to accumulate a higher number of points.