Navigating the Blanks and Doubles for Those Low on Chips

If you still have both your second Wildcard and Free Hit chips well done on your patience – it’s clear you’ve got an advantage over the coming Gameweeks.

This article is about damage limitation if you have already played your Free Hit or Wildcard Chip.

As a quick recap, the likely fixture map Fantasy managers will have to navigate is a blank Gameweek 31, double Gameweek 34, blank Gameweek 35 and double Gameweek 37.

For those with one of these key chips in hand the best time to deploy this could be to prepare for the final two of these tricky fixtures. A Free Hit in Gameweeks 35 or 37 could be advisable, while a Wildcard could be best used in Gameweek 36 to set your side up for the following week’s double fixtures.

This means that Gameweeks 31 and 34 need to be best navigated by careful planning  – which starts right now.

Navigating Gameweeks 31 and 34

Many of those with both chips intact will be looking to Wildcard straight after Gameweek 31 to stock up on Double Gameweek 34 and 37 players. They then have the luxury of using a Free Hit chip in Blank Gameweek 35.

This is what the chipless are up against.

Those without a wildcard will need to start planning now for not only blank Gameweek 31 but also double Gameweek 34.

Of these two key times in the fixture list Gameweek 31 should be the easiest to navigate. Even many of those dead ending a team then and Wildcarding afterwards are unlikely to field a full XI.

The best advice is to match those with both chips by ensuring you have targeted the key players for Gameweek 31. Quality over quantity is key for the chipless.

Gameweek 31 key players

Mohamed Salah, who will be captained by most, is vital. Two other Liverpool players is also advisable, with Roberto Firmino, Virgil Van Dijk and Sadio Mane the key contenders. While they do not enjoy a double Gameweek 34 they do play in Gameweek 35. I’ll talk more about Liverpool’s importance to the chipless later on.

Others to consider are one of Everton’s midfield duo Gylfi Sigurdsson or Theo Walcott. Callum Wilson at Bournemouth and Xheran Shaqiri could also be useful, although not essential.

Gameweek 34 key players

Your four free transfers between now and then also need to take into account double Gameweek 34 players.

So it may be wise now to start stocking up now or keep hold of some of their assets. This will inevitably mean you reduce your  Gameweek 31 cohort.

The best Gameweek 34 teams to target include Arsenal, Manchester City and Burnley, with fodder made up from Swansea and West Ham.

Caveat: If Swansea beat both Sheff Wed and Spurs in the FA Cup both they and Man City will have a blank in Gameweek 35 .

Here are the fixtures of the key teams to target:

Arsenal

Gameweek 34 -new, lei

Gameweek 35  – WHU

Burnley

Gameweek 34 – LEI CHE

Gameweek 35 – stk

Swansea

Gameweek 34 – EVE, SOU

Gameweek 35 – mci

West Ham

Gameweek 34 – STK, MUN

Gameweek 35 – ars

Manchester  City

Gameweek 34 – tot, BRI

Gameweek 35 – SWA

By planning now you should be able to go into Gameweek 31 with key players for that week as well  as preparing for double Gameweek 34. I believe it should be possible to field 10 double Gameweek 34 players through such planning.

Liverpool

A final mention goes to Liverpool players. They are key for Gameweeks 31 and 35 and the season run in with strong fixtures. However, they do not enjoy any double Gameweeks.

The question I’ve asked myself is would those with a second Wildcard really want to remove Reds assets when they play Bournemouth at home in Gameweek 34 and West Brom away in Gameweek 35?

Savvy wild carders will keep hold of Liverpool players, which means that those without this chip should too.

Investment in Liverpool looks to be crucial for the chipless.