After a so-so Double Gameweek for many Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, some may be thinking about breaking their emergency Wildcard glass before Gameweek 27.
So let’s list the pros and cons of a Gameweek 27 chip activation, then provide a couple of draft ideas.
Don’t forget to rate your Wildcard team via our Rate My Team tool or the Plan FPL planner!
REASONS TO USE IT NOW
SHED SOME ARSENAL
Many FPL managers loaded up on Arsenal, Manchester City and – in some cases (yep, guilty as charged) – Wolverhampton Wanderers players, but now have a squad laden with assets who will either definitely blank (Arsenal, Wolves) or possibly blank (City, Palace) in Gameweek 31. If you’re using your Free Hit then, fine. If not, it’s time to start thinking about how to cope with their absences.
The Gunners’ fixtures are also getting trickier, as the burden of leading a title charge starts to take its toll. The north London derby comes just four days after a trip to Wolves, and fatigue (be it mental or physical) is starting to impact their performances, as shown in Gameweek 26.
Facing a well-rested Tottenham Hotspur side that is looking to turn over a new leaf under Igor Tudor, Sunday suddenly doesn’t look straightforward.
Then it’s another London derby versus in-form Chelsea, for whom Joao Pedro (£7.7m) and Cole Palmer (£10.6m) are absolutely flying.
Therefore, now looks like the right time to sell Double Gameweek 26 punts like Viktor Gyokeres (£8.8m), Noni Madueke (£6.8m) and Martin Zubimendi (£5.3m). And maybe even a reduction of their defensive coverage, for those doubled/trebled up?
BUY LIVERPOOL
Additionally, FPL managers can take advantage of nice-looking fixtures for a Liverpool side that seems to have got their groove back. Virgil van Dijk (£5.9m), Florian Wirtz (£8.4m) and Hugo Ekitike (£8.9m) are worthy of consideration.
While many will be waiting until after Gameweek 31 to hit reset, doing so now would enable them to strike while the iron is hot and make mini-league gains, as rivals slowly dead-end their teams.
The Reds’ next four matches are all against teams in the bottom five.
DITCH HAALAND AND SPREAD THE FUNDS?
There is also an argument for selling Erling Haaland (£14.9m), who came off at half-time against Fulham, and has scored only three goals in nine matches.
Admittedly, two came from the last couple of runouts, but it’s still just one open-play goal since Christmas. The Norwegian is looking quite jaded, and Pep Guardiola has Omar Marmoush (£8.3m) to share his workload.
Haaland is back in training, at least, but let’s hear what Guardiola has to say about his niggly knee on Friday.
Fit or otherwise, could this be a good time to redistribute the Haaland funds around your team?
REASONS TO WAIT
WAIT ANOTHER WEEK ON CHELSEA?
A case can be made for holding off slightly longer, because Chelsea have a plum-looking home fixture against Burnley this weekend.
Many of us will own a Blues player or three following their recent favourable run, and won’t want to sell them this week.
The subsequent sequence of Arsenal (a), Aston Villa (a), Newcastle United (h), Everton (a), Man City (h) and Manchester United (h) looks unpleasant, however, so they’re arguably not medium-term holds. A Gameweek 28 Wildcard could solve that.
ONGOING UNCERTAINTY OVER BLANKS/DOUBLES
Taking the plunge now is risky because we still don’t know exactly how future blanks and doubles will land.
Gameweek 34 will be empty for FA Cup semi-finalists and their scheduled league opponents. Those fixtures may move to either Gameweek 33 or 36. But we’ll only know the complete picture by Gameweek 32’s deadline, which is still some way off.
MAN CITY’S EXCELLENT PRE-GAMEWEEK 31 RUN
While some FPL managers might be getting antsy about Haaland, City in general have their tails up.
Buoyed by Arsenal dropping points over the last week, the league is theirs if they win all their remaining games.
Antoine Semenyo (£7.9m) is in great form, while Marc Guehi (£5.2m) has likewise settled in very nicely.
It’s fair enough going low on Arsenal right now, but it’s important not to be blinded by City’s blank with their form and imminent fixtures.
There is a solution, of course: include City players on a Wildcard, and have a contingency plan (bench them or sell them with amassed free transfers) for the possible Blank Gameweek 31.
GAMEWEEK 27 WILDCARD DRAFTS
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