Free Hit in Gameweek 27 and wider chip strategy: What FPL managers are thinking

No sooner has the dust settled on the ‘Wildcard v Triple Captain’ discussion of Gameweek 26 than another chip strategy debate comes along.

Whether or not to Free Hit in Gameweek 27 has been dominating the talk in our comments section over the last week, not to mention the constantly evolving longer-term thoughts on the other FPL chips left in our lockers.

With that in mind, we’ll bring you a cherry-picked selection of the week’s contributions from our site visitors in this article.

“Free Hit in 27 is an easy move with triple Liverpool and Arsenal, no back-up keeper, Antonio/Watkins out of form and no Spurs.

“I’m flexible with the Wildcard, can probably get away with -4 and save in Gameweek 28 then will assess team for Gameweek 29. Maybe Wildcard in Gameweek 31.

“Will wait for fixture updates before deciding on Free Hit 2 and the Bench Boost” – HMC

“I’ve run through the rest of the season over and over again, and I think I’m gonna Free Hit. Gameweek 33 isn’t likely to be as big an issue as it seems from afar (unknown doesn’t always mean horrible), and I’ll have most of the players I’d want on a Free Hit anyway by then. There’s something too strong about the Free Hit in Gameweek 27 template. Scarily high chance of losing rank by going in with Jarrod Bowen, triple Wolves and triple Villa for me, even though I have 11 players. Bench Boost in Gameweeks 28 or 36 are still possible, but I like the latter more” – Ze Austin

“Anyone with one Free Hit left and considering using it in Gameweek 27, have a look at the current four games in Gameweek 30 and ask yourself how many outfield players you would likely have, and out of the players you would transfer in for Gameweek 30, would you keep them moving forwards.” – tommo-uk-

“If there are only three or four games going ahead [in Gameweek 30] without any of the top teams playing, I think fielding a team of seven or eight is ok then. It is quite easy to get to that number with a few Arsenal, Wolves and Villa assets and a couple of others.” XABI 15

“Team value and captaincy will be my differentials in Gameweek 27. So while everyone else has Sterling + Broja, I can afford Sancho + Foden so I’ll go there and hope it works out.

“United at home against Watford by all accounts should mean lots of points. Captaincy as well I think should be on a single Gameweek player. It’s like people haven’t learned the Joshua King/Emmanuel Dennis lesson. Wout Weghorst plays for Burnley and had one shot against Brighton. I don’t think he should be given the captaincy even with the extra game. But he has a high floor because of his two games so I’ll still include him.

“Son Heung-min, Riyad Mahrez, Bruno Fernandes all in my thinking for captain. Will mull it over. But currently on Mahrez with Son vice-captain.” – Camzy

“I have a niggling doubt in my mind that this Harry Kane performance [v Man City] was like Fernando Torres in the 2010/11 season after trying to get a move to Chelsea and having Liverpool block it. He was poor all season until he played Chelsea and was suddenly back to his old self and scored a bracem before going back to poor performances until he left that January. Then his move showed it was his injury more so that caused the drastic downturn in his form.

“Still, it’s giving me pause to at least not captain him, will still pick him on Free Hit and it would be unwise to not go for him looking at Leeds; form, injuries and them having played United and Liverpool in the week before they play Spurs.

“As for differentials, the only spots are the fourth midfielder – a second city attacker or Jadon Sancho/James Ward-Prowse – or third defender, where someone could come in. The rest of the Free Hit seems to pick itself imo.” – ZimZalabim

“I personally feel Free Hits are best used in blanks. You can carry all the best players through without damaging your team long-term. So Gameweek 27 & Gameweek 30 were my targets.

“As long as you have all the key players, surprise Double Gameweeks shouldn’t require a Free Hit. A good player with a single Gameweek can still outscore a poor player with a double Gameweek, so using a Free Hit to load up on crap doublers seems damp. I just don’t see the value of a Free hit in a Double Gameweek compared to a blank.” – G B

“I honestly find it a bit baffling that so many are using their Free Hit this Gameweek, even when they have perfectly viable teams. Liverpool and Arsenal are not playing, Spurs have been inconsistent at best, City are away to Jekyll-and-Hyde Everton, and the only Double Gameweek team is Burnley, who may not even warrant a triple-up. Sure, there’s the United fixture, but even that could turn out to be a letdown.” – Reinhold

“The Free Hit in Gameweek 27 template looks strong on paper but it doesn’t mean it would easily go big. Palace and Leicester can always bust Burnley clean sheets, Watford can easily frustrate United, Pep roulette can easily disappoint, and Norwich are no longer the whipping boys, so it’s no guarantee that Southampton will get it easy. I’m probably talking bulls**t but I am not going into Gameweek 27 with fear by not using my Free Hit” – NABIL – FPL otai