Pro Pundits - Tom Hadley
8 April 2026 123 comments
Tom Hadley Tom Hadley
Share:

Tom Hadley – a one-time world number one in FPL – joined our ever-growing team of contributors this season.

He usually provides data-driven articles, chiefly around defensive contribution points (DefCon).

But in this piece, he discusses his finalised chip strategy, and what his Gameweek 32 Wildcard looks like.

reliable defenders Tom Hadley

It’s been the topic of debate for about three weeks, and I’ve finally settled on my chip strategy:

  • Gameweek 32: Wildcard
  • Gameweek 33: Bench Boost
  • Gameweek 34: Free Hit

Firstly, I’m not going to say that this chip strategy is strictly better than any other. The best part about the cup results last weekend is that no path is an obvious one. More than ever, the chip strategy decisions are totally team- and situation-dependent.

I have four free transfers and a team that would have been perfectly fine for Gameweek 32. But the double in Gameweek 33 just feels like the perfect opportunity to target the Bench Boost, even more so now that it’s not as ‘template’ as it would have been if Arsenal beat Southampton. I also think that the Gameweek 32 team on the Wildcard isn’t as bad as people make out.

GAMEWEEK 32 WILDCARD TEAM

So, here’s my current Wildcard team, with £2.0m in the bank, and the likely direction I’ll take with transfers:


FPL pre-season: Malen + Watkins again, Xhaka debut, secretive Man City 2
123 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. D_R_S_PORT_S
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    What are the chances of players like Gabriel (BOU), Saliba (BOU), and Ekitike (FUL) being rested this weekend? I’m considering using my Bench Boost this week, as all of my players have decent fixtures and I can also field a full playing XI in Gameweek 34. My plan for Gameweek 33 is to use the Free Hit as I have just 3 doublers as of now.

    1. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Ekitike more likely to be dropped rather than rested. Dreadful tonight

    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Maybe Ekitike, but hard to imagine Arsenal benching their CB’s whilst still pushing for the title.

    3. Cruyff's Eleven
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      As I said yesterday champ. No chance.

      As above, Ekitike is pants regardless.

  2. BR510
    3 months, 7 days ago

    Best midfielder for gw34 and 35?
    1. Rogers/Aston Villa
    2. Arsenal
    3. Cunha/Mbeumo
    4. Sunderland, West Ham, Forest, Spurs budget mids

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Rice

  3. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    One to bench please

    Alderete (TOT) - Home, good for DC
    O’Reilly (che) - away, but good attacking threat, depending on which Chelsea show up.
    Wilson (liv) - away, tough fixture, real attacking threat and Liverpool a bit leaky.

    Ta

    1. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Play O'Reilly - getting too many great chances

    2. BR510
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Bench Wilson

    3. FantasyClub
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Bench Alderete

    4. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Thanks all

  4. D_R_S_PORT_S
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    Will you do Ekitike to Bowen (-4) ?

    1. FantasyClub
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      Id hit out Eki for a GW33 doubler. Welbz if youre chasing

      1. FantasyClub
        • 5 Years
        3 months, 7 days ago

        Burnley this week then a nice double

  5. rainy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    No price changes once again

    1. The Night Trunker.
      • 2 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      I'm only happy when it rains on the non thinking majority of peeps that don't own umbrellas.
      When it rains down missiles on you, you were probably wishing you were somewhere else.

      1. RedLightning
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        3 months, 6 days ago

        The rain it raineth every day,
        Upon the just and unjust fella -
        But mainly on the just because
        The unjust hath the just's umbrella.

  6. FantasyClub
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    Is Mbeumo a hold for 1 more week?
    Ive been regretting giving him one more game every week.
    Hes 70minute player now due to rotation with a slight risk of starting on the bench if Cunha Amad and Sesko start

    1. Ausman
      • 2 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      I'm holding for this week and will then reassess with the blank and double gameweeks to consider.

  7. FantasyClub
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    How and why is Marmoush a mid?

  8. The Night Trunker.
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    Where are you?
    Bloody lightweights on thus site as usual.
    Bloody leeches the lot of 'em.

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Present!

  9. Boomerang V
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    The problem I have with GW32 WC and GW33 BB is that all teams doubling in GW33 (MCI, CHE, BOU, FUL) have terrible fixtures in GW32:
    CHE vs MCI
    ARS vs BOU
    MUN vs FUL
    The only exception is BHA against BUR.
    So, if I want to get all DGW players for BB, I would probably have a crappy GW32.

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Fulham don’t have a double do they?

      1. Boomerang V
        • 9 Years
        3 months, 6 days ago

        Sorry I meant Leeds

  10. GE
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    Have no clue what to do, can you help me please? 🙂

    1) WC32, BB33, FH34
    2) FH33, WC35, BB36
    3) WC33, FH34, BB35/36

    (1FT, 2.1 itb)
    Verbruggen (Dubravka)
    Gabriel/Virgil/O’Reilly (Rodon*, Alderete)
    Bruno/Mbeumo/Rogers/Wilson/Anderson
    Haaland/Pedro/Thiago

  11. PartyTime
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 7 days ago

    Yamal fan boys are asleep

    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 7 days ago

      buhuhuuhu

  12. SpaceCadet
    • 12 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Better option on wc?

    a. van hecke dcl
    b. hill welbeck

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Hill and Van Hecke!

      1. SpaceCadet
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 6 days ago

        5-4-2?

    2. Ausman
      • 2 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      B

      1. SpaceCadet
        • 12 Years
        3 months, 6 days ago

        Cheers

  13. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Been on vacation for 2 weeks.

    Any articles that sum up the main points regarding blanks and doubles after cup results?

    1. The Knights Template
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Where did you go?

      1. Brosstan
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 6 days ago

        South America

    2. BR510
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Double - Chelsea, City, Leeds, Bournemouth and Brighton (and Burnley) - City to target
      They all blank in 34
      Only Brighton have a good fixture this week so FH33 has become a popular strategy allowing you to keep your GW32 team as long as you can field an 11 in 34 with FT

  14. Make United Great Again
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Thoughts…

    A. Szobo vs Fulham
    B. Haaland vs Chelsea -4

    1. Here is Cash, give McGinn
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      A

  15. Here is Cash, give McGinn
    • 6 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Which one to drop for this GW and 34 as plan is to FH 33 WC 35?

    A) Halaand (che)
    B) Ekitike (FUL, CRY)
    C) Thiago (EVE, mun)
    D) Bowen (WOL, EVE)

  16. Treadstone
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    I8

  17. timawflowers
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Play Wilson or Rogers?

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      I just watched the Liverpool highlights from last night
      Liverpool look likely to concede this weekend
      Plus may rest or rotate for the return leg .
      Play Wilson

  18. Joggers Nipple
    • 16 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Are pay wall sites/ articles done for now with AI summaries available?

    1. Holmes
      • 12 Years
      3 months, 6 days ago

      Most of them were already done due to archive

  19. _Gunner
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Morning All,
    On WC, G2G?

    Raya
    Gabriel O'Reilly Richards
    Rice Semenyo Sarr Bruno
    Thiago Haaland Bowen

    subs: Verbruggen King VanHecke Gudmundsson

  20. BR510
    3 months, 6 days ago

    Best midfielder for GW32, 34 and 35?
    1. Rogers
    2. Rice
    3. Cunha/Mbeumo
    4. Sunderland (NFO, WOL)
    5. Other

    1. BR510
      3 months, 6 days ago

      4. Sunderland (TOT, NFO, WOL) (Have Alderete)