7 Mistakes You're Making with FPL's New Defensive Scoring (and How to Fix Them)
The 2025/26 FPL season brought the biggest shake-up to defensive scoring in years. While most managers are still picking defenders based on outdated strategies, smart FPL coaches are already exploiting the new defensive contribution system to climb the rankings.
If you're still approaching your defensive picks like it's last season, you're leaving serious points on the table. Here are the seven critical mistakes that are costing you rank – and exactly how to fix them.
⚠️ Mistake #1: Ignoring Defensive Contribution Points Completely
The Problem: You're still selecting defenders based purely on clean sheets and attacking returns, completely overlooking the new 2-point bonus for defensive contributions.
Why It's Costing You: Defenders can now earn an extra 2 points per match just for doing their primary job – defending. Over a 38-game season, that's potentially 76 additional points from a single player.
The Fix: Start tracking CBIT (clearances, blocks, interceptions, tackles) for defenders. Players need just 10 defensive actions to unlock those 2 bonus points. James Tarkowski hit this threshold in 67% of his starts last season – that's 25+ extra points you're missing if you ignore this metric.
Look for defenders who consistently rack up defensive actions, even if they're not the most attacking options. Your mini-league rivals won't see it coming.
🎯 Mistake #2: Still Chasing Attacking Defenders Over Defensive Workhorses
The Problem: You're paying premium prices for attacking fullbacks while budget centre-backs outscore them through consistent defensive contributions.
Why It's Costing You: The new system fundamentally changed defender valuations. A £4.5m centre-back who hits 10 CBIT weekly can outperform a £6.0m attacking fullback who gets occasional assists.
The Fix: Flip your defender selection strategy. Prioritize centre-backs and defensive fullbacks who consistently hit the 10 CBIT threshold. These players offer:
- More predictable point scoring
- Better value for money
- Less rotation risk
- Consistent defensive contributions even without clean sheets
Stop paying extra for attacking potential when defensive reliability delivers better returns.
📊 Mistake #3: Not Understanding the CBIT vs CBIRT Difference
The Problem: You're treating all positions the same when evaluating defensive contributions, not realizing midfielders and forwards need different thresholds.
Why It's Costing You: Defenders need 10 CBIT for 2 points, but midfielders and forwards need 12 CBIRT (which includes ball recoveries). You're either overvaluing non-defenders or missing opportunities with defensive midfielders.
The Fix: Master the scoring differences:
- Defenders: 10 CBIT = 2 points
- Midfielders/Forwards: 12 CBIRT = 2 points
- Key difference: CBIRT includes ball recoveries (winning possession + controlled pass)
Target defensive midfielders who excel at ball recoveries – they can hit the 12 CBIRT threshold more easily than attacking midfielders trying to get defensive contributions through tackles alone.
💰 Mistake #4: Overlooking Budget Defenders with High Defensive Actions
The Problem: You're automatically dismissing cheap defenders, assuming they won't contribute meaningful points.
Why It's Costing You: Some of the best defensive contribution performers are budget options. Last season's top 10 defensive contribution earners included multiple players under £5.0m who consistently delivered those crucial 2-point bonuses.
The Fix: Build your watchlist around defensive actions per game, not price tags:
- Research which budget defenders average 8+ defensive actions per match
- Check their consistency – hitting the threshold 60%+ of the time is excellent
- Consider team defensive style – some clubs rely heavily on their centre-backs
A £4.5m defender earning 2 defensive contribution points weekly delivers better value than a £6.0m defender who rarely hits the threshold.
🔄 Mistake #5: Ignoring Defensive Midfielders as Viable Options
The Problem: You're still thinking of midfield slots as purely for attacking returns, missing the new value in defensive midfielders.
Why It's Costing You: Defensive midfielders who consistently hit 12 CBIRT can deliver regular 2-point bonuses while costing significantly less than premium attacking options. They're also less likely to be rotated.
The Fix: Consider budget defensive midfielders who:
- Play as holding midfielders or defensive anchors
- Excel at interceptions and ball recoveries
- Start consistently for their teams
- Cost under £5.5m but deliver regular defensive contributions
These players can fund premium forwards or defenders while still contributing meaningful points.
📈 Mistake #6: Assuming Price Equals Defensive Points
The Problem: You're paying premium prices for expensive defenders, expecting them to automatically deliver more defensive contribution points.
Why It's Costing You: Price often reflects attacking potential, clean sheet probability, or brand value – not defensive action frequency. A £7.0m attacking fullback might deliver fewer defensive contributions than a £4.5m centre-back.
The Fix: Evaluate defensive contribution potential independently of price:
- Check defensive actions per 90 minutes, not market value
- Look for players whose roles require high defensive activity
- Consider team defensive systems that rely heavily on specific positions
Stop paying for reputation when data shows better value elsewhere.
📊 Mistake #7: Not Tracking Threshold Consistency
The Problem: You're picking players based on their best defensive contribution performances rather than their consistency in hitting the threshold.
Why It's Costing You: A player who hits 15 CBIT once but averages 6 CBIT is less valuable than someone who consistently delivers 10-12 CBIT. The scoring caps at 2 points regardless of how high you go.
The Fix: Track threshold hit rates, not peak performances:
- Target players hitting 10+ CBIT in 60%+ of their appearances
- Avoid players with high variance in defensive actions
- Prioritize consistency over ceiling for defensive contributions
Build your defense around reliable point scorers, not occasional heroes.
🏆 Your Winning Strategy: Putting It All Together
Now you know the mistakes that are costing your rivals points every gameweek. Here's your action plan:
Immediate Changes:
- Audit your current defenders for CBIT consistency
- Identify budget centre-backs hitting defensive thresholds
- Consider one defensive midfielder in your squad
- Stop paying premiums for attacking potential alone
Long-term Advantage:
- Track defensive actions data weekly
- Build your transfers around defensive contribution trends
- Exploit the fact that most managers haven't adapted yet
The new defensive scoring system creates opportunities for those smart enough to exploit it. While your mini-league continues picking defenders the old way, you'll be collecting those extra 2-point bonuses every gameweek.
Ready to gain your unfair advantage? Start tracking defensive contributions today and watch your rank climb as others wonder how you're consistently outperforming their "better" defensive picks.
Your competition won't see it coming – and by the time they figure it out, you'll already be miles ahead.
FPL Coach helps you track these crucial defensive metrics automatically, so you never miss an opportunity to exploit the new scoring system. Stop guessing – start winning with data-driven defender selection.