Dream Team’s new scoring system explained: More points for defensive midfielders and other improvements
WHETHER this is your first season playing Dream Team’s fantasy game or you’re a veteran of 20 years, you should familiarise yourself with the scoring system for the 2023/24 campaign.
We’ve revolutionised how players earn points this season in hope of maximising transparency and satisfaction.
Firstly, while Dream Team gaffers should take all elements of the scoring system into consideration when devising their strategies, there’s no need to overcomplicate things if you're not keen on stats.
Primarily, you want your strikers and midfielders to get goals and assists, and you want your goalkeeper and defenders to keep clean sheets - that's the classic formula for a reason.
Here’s the full breakdown of how points are gained and lost:
All Players
- Goal +5 points
- Assist +2 points
- Appearance (0-59 minutes) +1 point
- Appearance (60+ minutes) +1 point
- Shot on target +1 point
- Big chance created +1 point
- Tackles +1 point per two
- Yellow card -1 point
- Red card -3 points
- Penalty miss -3 points
- Own goal -2 points
Goalkeepers & Defenders Only
- Clean sheet (minimum 60 minutes played) +5 points
- Each goal conceded over one goal -1 point
Goalkeepers Only
- Saves +1 point per two
- Penalty save +3 points
Bonus Points
In addition to these core points, players may also earn Bonus Points; one, three or five per fixture depending on their performance.
These Bonus Points are determined by a combination of the following stats that contribute to Player Performance Marks (PPM): completed crosses, successful dribbles, pass completion rate, interceptions, blocks, fouls won and goals scored from outside the area.
Offsides, fouls conceded and errors leading to goals will negatively impact a player's PPM.
- 5-7 Player Performance Marks = 1 Bonus Point
- 8-11 PPM = 3 Bonus Points
- 12+ PPM = 5 Bonus Points
Essentially, the better a player performs outside of the aspects already recognised by core points (goals, assists, etc) the more likely they are to collect bonus points - think of them as added extras.
It's worth expanding on some of these improvements.
As you can see, players earn one point per shot on target, as defined by OPTA - it’s important to realise that a shot on target is different to a goal-bound shot that is blocked by a defender (registered as a blocked shot).
The average number of shots on target in a Premier League game last season was eight and of course these were generally spread out among several players from both sides.
In fact, only two top-flight players averaged 2+ shots on target per 90 minutes in 2022/23, Julio Enciso and Darwin Nunez.
Big chances created are defined by stats boffins OPTA as “a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one on one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter.”
For perspective, Bruno Fernandes created the most big chances in the Premier League last term, 32 in 37 appearances.
Again, please note that a ‘big chance created’ is different to the more common ‘chance created’ - we’re only rewarding genuinely brilliant moments of creativity.
Defensive midfielders are long overdue proper recognition in the realm of Dream Team.
This season, their diligent work will be rewarded as players will receive one point per two successful tackles.
To be clear, if a player registers two/three successful tackles they will receive one point, if they make four/five tackles they will earn two points, and so on.
Combative midfielders will benefit from this addition the most but players from all positions are eligible to score points this way.
Fulham’s Joao Palhinha was in a league of his own in terms of tackles last season with 147 in the league alone at an average of 4.2 per game.
But the Portugal international was a huge outlier.
Moises Caicedo was his closest competitor and he notched 100 tackles.
Similarly, goalkeepers will earn one point per two saves - as with all these stats, we align with OPTA’s definition.
David Raya led the way in terms of Premier League saves last season, he registered 154 in 38 appearances for Brentford at an average of just over four per game.
For comparison, Dream Team’s top two keepers in 2022/23, David de Gea and Nick Pope, averaged 2.7 and 2.4 saves per league game respectively.
Master the scoring system and Mini League glory will be yours!
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