If your Fantasy Premier League (FPL) arrows are repeatedly red, you may be finding it hard to resist activating a Wildcard before the Gameweek 28 deadline.
So let’s list the pros and cons of using this chip now, then provide an appealing draft.
Don’t forget to rate your Wildcard team via our Rate My Team tool or the Plan FPL planner!
REASONS TO WILDCARD
DITCH CHELSEA
Successive matches against West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and Burnley brought a mere two wins, while completely avoiding any kind of clean sheet.
Now, Chelsea rank bottom of our Fixture Ticker over various lengths of time, making it wise to jump off them.
Joao Pedro (£7.7m) has served owners well, delivering five goals and five assists in six matches, as Cole Palmer (£10.6m) hauled a couple of times.
But those staring at Enzo Fernandez (£6.8m), Trevoh Chalobah (£5.7m) and Robert Sanchez (£4.9m) must love the idea of selling.
Of course, the Blues are still a good team, one that’s pushing for Champions League qualification, perhaps making the urgency slightly overrated. But there are shinier toys elsewhere.
APPEALING FIXTURE SWINGS
For example, gifts from the shelves of Liverpool, Brentford, Fulham and Bournemouth.
The Reds had a bad January (winless in five) but have since won three of their last four, claiming consecutive clean sheets at Sunderland and Nottingham Forest. Facing West Ham, Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur in sequence feels dreamy.
As for Brentford, their latest five include shock away wins at Aston Villa and Newcastle United, yet also 2-0 home losses to Forest and Brighton and Hove Albion. Still, these next few occasions encourage investment at both ends.
Andoni Iraola’s Cherries are midway through their nice-looking schedule. An 11-game winless run, followed by being unbeaten in seven. Some may think it’s too late.
Meanwhile, covering Fulham won’t excite many, but Sunday’s win at Sunderland was impressive. Three of their next four are at home to Spurs, West Ham and Burnley.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS LULL
Opting to Wildcard in Gameweek 32 makes a lot of sense (see below), but it does kind of feel like millions are just waiting around, twiddling their thumbs. Make an occasional obvious transfer, but nothing drastic. Playing it safe.
Whereas using the chip now can proactively avoid such stagnation. Solve all lingering squad problems at once, gain immediate ground, and still hopefully collect five free transfers as part of preparation for the busy period.
REASONS TO WAIT
NEED SOME BLANK + DOUBLE NEWS
The reason why waiting longer is sensible is that, quite simply, we’re still missing some crucial information.
Blank and Double Gameweeks are coming, but we won’t discover how they’ll land until right before Gameweek 32’s deadline.
All we know is that 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.
PLENTY OF THINKING TIME FOR GAMEWEEK 32
By activating a Wildcard on the night of Gameweek 31’s deadline, you’ll have two-and-a-half weeks to think, strategise and react to various subsequent events.
An international break, then the FA Cup quarter-finals, before some European action.
Time for information to arrive, and players to possibly get injured.
BEST GAMEWEEK 28 WILDCARD DRAFT
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