Fixtures

Chips and transfer strategies to navigate the FPL Blank and Double Gameweeks

Fantasy Premier League managers should start formulating a plan in their minds for the upcoming Blank and Double Gameweeks.

These provide an excellent opportunity to make up lost ground or press home a mini-league or overall ranking advantage.

The best way to make the most of these altered Gameweeks is through the use of the FPL chips.

After discussing when the Blank and Double Gameweeks could fall earlier this week, we will discuss the best transfer and chip strategies in this article.

Using Chips to Navigate the Blank and Double Gameweeks

FPL managers may have to rethink an often-used chip tactic from previous seasons this time around.

It has been popular in previous campaigns to Wildcard in a single Gameweek between the Blanks caused by the FA Cup quarter-finals and the first big Double Gameweek. Then after that, use the Bench and Triple Captain chips in two big Double Gameweeks and Free Hit in the Blank Gameweek caused by the FA Cup semi-finals.

However, that strategy will not be possible this season as there won’t be a single Gameweek in which you can Wildcard between the Blanks caused by the FA Cup quarter-finals and the first big Double Gameweek, as these fall in Gameweek 31 and 32 respectively.

Gameweek 31 is likely to be the biggest Blank Gameweek of the season and many FPL managers will use their Free Hit then if they haven’t prepared for it. You’ll have plenty of time to come up with a plan to use your free transfers to prepare for Gameweek 31 and the Free Hit chip may be more useful in the subsequent Gameweeks.

Free Hitting in Double Gameweek 32 would allow you to focus on preparing for the Blanks in Gameweeks 31 and 33. This strategy will work particularly well if you were then to Wildcard in Gameweek 34 to set your team up to play your Bench Boost chip in Double Gameweek 35.

Free Hitting in Blank Gameweek 33 would allow you to focus on preparing your team for the Doubles in Gameweek 32 and 35. This strategy will work better if you can Wildcard in Double Gameweek 32 to get rid of your players who have just played in Gameweek 31 and replace them with players who will have at least one Double Gameweek.

Neither of these Free Hit strategies involves playing your Triple Captain chip in either of the two big Double Gameweeks. You would either Free Hit or Wildcard in Double Gameweek 32 and then Bench Boost in Double Gameweek 35.

That leaves the potential “extra” Double Gameweek as a perfect opportunity to play your Triple Captain chip if one team ends up with three fixture rearrangements this season.

I think an extra Double Gameweek (outside of Gameweek 32 or Gameweek 35) seems likely enough that it’s worth holding on to your Triple Captain chip for.

There have been at least three separate Double Gameweeks in each of the last nine seasons. There will be a third Double Gameweek this season if a team ticks at least three of these boxes:

  • They or their Gameweek 27 opponent reach the Carabao Cup final
  • They or their Gameweek 31 opponent reach the FA Cup quarter-finals
  • They or their Gameweeks 33 opponent reach the FA Cup semi-finals
  • They have a game postponed (and moved to another Gameweek) for another reason such as bad weather or traffic problems etc.

There will also be a third Double Gameweek if a Gameweek 27 Blank is brought forward to Gameweek 25 or 26.

All the Blanks fixtures will be confirmed by March 17th, which is a day after the Gameweek 31 deadline. The Double Gameweek 32 fixtures will be announced between February 19th and March 19th.

It makes sense to prepare for the Blanks in Gameweeks 27 and 31 using free transfers and then decide on a chip strategy during the international break after Gameweek 31. At that point, the Blank and Double Gameweek picture will be a lot clearer.

Trying to navigate this stretch of the season without the use of a Free Hit chip and your Wildcard will be difficult. Transfers that you make to prepare for a Blank Gameweek could directly lead to you having fewer players with two fixtures in a subsequent Double Gameweek and conversely, transfers that you make to prepare for a Double Gameweek could directly lead to you having fewer players with a fixture in a subsequent Blank Gameweek.

Remember, the teams who reach the FA Cup semi-finals won’t have a Premier League fixture in either Gameweek 31 or 33 and are very likely to play twice in both Gameweek 32 and 35. The teams who have a fixture in Gameweek 31 are unlikely to play twice in Gameweek 32 and the teams who have a fixture in Gameweek 33 are unlikely to play twice in Gameweek 35.

If you have already used your Wildcard, it still makes sense to Free Hit in Double Gameweek 32 or in Blank Gameweek 33 but another option might be to focus on bringing in players who Blank in Gameweek 31, then Free Hit in that Gameweek and you’ll be well set up for the Doubles in Gameweeks 32 and 35.

Using Free Transfers to Prepare for the Blank Gameweeks

Bringing in players who won’t Blank in either Gameweek 31 or 33 will give you more flexibility when you come to chose a chip strategy for dealing with Gameweeks 32 to 35.

Liverpool are currently the only team who we know definitely won’t Blank in either of these Gameweeks, but more teams will be added to this list after each round of the FA Cup.

Liverpool’s fixtures between now and Gameweek 31 are Crystal Palace (home), Leicester (home), West Ham (away), Bournemouth (home), Manchester United (away), Watford (home), Everton (away), Burnley (home) and Fulham (away). They then play Southampton away in Gameweek 33. Meanwhile, the other top six Premier Leagues sides will likely only have somewhere between seven to nine fixtures in those 10 Gameweeks.

Tripling up on Liverpool players by Gameweek 31 is an obvious move and bringing them in well in advance of Gameweek 31 makes sense given their upcoming fixtures.

Mohamed Salah (£13.4m) is the highest scoring player in the game and with five double-digit scores in his last seven Gameweeks, he’s fully justifying his price tag. He will certainly be one of the most popular captains of the season when Liverpool travel to Craven Cottage in Gameweek 31.

The question is whether you opt to double up on Liverpool’s defensive assets with Salah or just pick one of Liverpool’s back five and double up on their attack with Salah. He could be paired with either Sadio Mane (£9.5m), Roberto Firmino (£9.3m) or even Xherdan Shaqiri (£7.1m) who’s scored five goals in his last ten appearances and tends to only be benched against tougher opposition.

Liverpool players are obviously worth bringing in now, but other than that there’s no need to let the upcoming Blanks affect your transfer decisions this week.

We’ll receive more information about all the Blank Gameweeks in the week leading up to the Gameweek 24 deadline. You might want to use your free transfers between Gameweeks 24 and 27 to make sure you can get an active starting XI in Blank Gameweek 27 whilst also keeping an eye on how your team is looking for Gameweek 31.

Gameweek 26 would be a good time to save a free transfer as the Gameweek 31 Blanks will all be confirmed four or five days before the Gameweek 27 deadline. That will give you six free transfers before Gameweek 31 with full knowledge of which teams will Blank.

Spurs’ fixtures between Gameweeks 23 and 26 are very favourable with Fulham (away), Watford (home), Newcastle (home) and Leicester (home) their opponents. But after that, it has the potential to be less appealing. If they beat Chelsea in the EFL Cup semi-final second leg and win their FA Cup fourth-round tie their schedule would be Blank, Chelsea (away), Arsenal (home), Southampton (away), Blank. Accordingly, Gameweek 27 could be a sensible time to sell your Spurs players.

If Burnley lose away to Man City in the FA Cup next Saturday, Leicester will be added to the list of teams who won’t have a Blank fixture this season. The Foxes have tough fixtures in the next four Gameweeks but in Gameweeks 27 to 31 they would face Crystal Palace (home), Brighton (home), Watford (away), Fulham (home) followed by Burnley (away) if the Clarets get knocked out of the cup. They will host Huddersfield in Blank Gameweek 33 so Gameweek 27 seems like it will be a good time to start bringing in Leicester players. Ricardo Pereira (£5.3) looks like their best Fantasy asset and has received plenty of attention on the site in recent weeks.

If you are one of the FPL managers who activated your Wildcard this week after hearing about Harry Kane (£12.5m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£5.2m) injuries, you should be aware that Everton and Man City plus either Spurs and Burnley or Chelsea and Brighton will Blank in Gameweek 27 and you’ll only have four free transfers to prepare for it.

You may be in the unfortunate position of not having your Free Hit chip or your second Wildcard available but it’s still important to come up with a plan for how you’ll approach the Blank and Double Gameweeks, and be prepared to take hits.

Make sure you go back and read Ben Crellin’s article from earlier this week on predicting when the Blank and Double Gameweeks are likely to fall. READ IT HERE.

When we know more about which teams will and won’t be affected by fixture changes, we will publish some more content.

For regular updates on Blank and Double Gameweek information follow Ben Crellin on Twitter, or visit his constantly updated FPL Calendar spreadsheet HERE.

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1,472 Comments Post a Comment
  1. jia you
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Have to laugh at myself as I just made a huge error!
    Switched VVD + Shaw to TAA + Trippier on WC to see how it would look. Then went to switch back and couldn't because I was 0.1 short thanks to the VVD price rise today!
    -rookie-mistake-sheepish-grin

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Done that last season myself

      1. jia you
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Feel like a pleb! Could hurt me badly this GW yet but alas, I was trying to fit Trippier in all week and now I have!

  2. Christina.
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Where is RBJ when you need him? He will sort this TAA kak out.

    1. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah, he was lots of fun.

    2. SPorting
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Back in the day.

  3. #FPLBhuna
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Is hazard > sterling(-4) headloss or just risky?

    Considering it and also whacking the armband on sterling

    With peps comments about potentially playing both jesus and aguero who is most at risk out of the front 3?

    1. A19
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Too risky for a -4. Sterling could even be benched

    2. puhd
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Keep Haz

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      dumb

  4. puhd
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Play Bennet (Leicester Home) or Bednarek (Everton home)

    1. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Bennett

    2. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      benno

  5. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Interesting news on TAA that.

  6. A19
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    With TAA news, would you still take a -4 for Lovren -> Robbo? Or just play TAA and if he's out it's WanB that comes in which means I'd not have any Liverpool defender

    1. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      I'd take the -4 for Robbo and keep him for rest of season.

      1. A19
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Yeah that's what I'm thinking. TAA Robbo double up until the end of the season could be highly rewarding

      2. A19
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks!

    2. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      not worth -4 if u have 11 starters and trent

  7. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Bench / defence set up OK in this team?

    Button

    Digne / Laporte / VVD

    Salah / Haz / Rich / Pogba

    Auba / Rash / Jimmy

    // Bennett / Bednarek / Diangana

    Play Bennett over Digne?

    1. A19
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      No I'd play Digne. Much more attacking potential and I'd say the clean sheet chances are equal between the 2

      1. denial
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I agree, just loads in mini-leagues have Wolves defence and I want to block them!

  8. boc610
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    use your aggressive feelings Trent sellers ! let the hate flow through you!

  9. Runaway
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Did I understand correctly that Klopp knew the TAA injury before the Brighton game but still risked him?

    1. Weilong7
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      He hurt himself abit during warm up but played the full game nevertheless.. funny why klopp don’t want to sub him when the player is nursing an injury

  10. Weilong7
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Surprised news by taa.. was going to trf him out for shaw digne vvd or Doherty and now there is news he might start which really make me hesitant.. I guess is he might not make it for the game though..

    So who of the 4 mentioned shld I get if I decide to switch taa out? Other suggestions welcomed too. Thanks

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Keep him now. If he's close for this one, he'll be fit for the next one and if you have a decent bench you can afford to cover one game.

    2. palace ash
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Who is in your defence of you don't have Shaw, Digne, VVD or Doherty?

      1. palace ash
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        *if

        1. Weilong7
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Robbo luiz awb and fodder peltier

  11. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Now i wait news Kane is fit to start vs Fulham. Lol.

  12. palace ash
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    GW22:
    Shaw out (8) TAA in (6)

    GW23:
    TAA out (?) Shaw in (?) -4

    Raging

  13. Liberate HK - antichinazi
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Who cap Pogba over Salah?

    1. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Pogbas family and Lindgaard

      1. subhojit123
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Lol

  14. RUUD!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Give me some tips if you were on a WC this week. I’m thinking KDB safest route into City attacking or should I risk sterling. Should I gamble on TAA or stay safe with Robbo? Or both?! What about Spurs attack? Alli or gamble on Llorente/Lucas

    1. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      If I was on WC I would have Sterling, Alli and Robbo

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Agree

      2. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        would you take a -4 for Sterling(sell Alonso) or get Sane for free?

        1. THFC4LIFE
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Tough, I’m debating whether to bring in Sane/Sterling myself for Son.

          In your case probably go for Sane because of the hit but Mendy could be back soon and Sane might not play as much so it really is a tough call mate

        2. GoonerSteve
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Same for free

    2. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      KDB has only started one game in the PL all season since the opening game. I wouldn’t say safest by any stretch. The situation is a lot different to last year, Bilva has stepped up in a big way and is integral to the team. He also doesn’t ever need to be pushed out wide as Mahrez now covers that spot.

  15. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    Really struggling with this dilemma. Was all for B but listening to the Scoutcast has me back on the fence about shipping Hazard...

    A) Kane + Rich --> Ings + Salah
    B) Kane + Rich + Hazard --> Rashford + Salah + Alli (-4)
    C) Kane + Kamara --> Rashford + Firmino

    Thanks for the help lads, much appreciated!

  16. Kuzser
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    With the news on Lovren(could be available for Leicester) and Taa what option is better:

    1) lovren-> Robbo, get Taa when he's 100%fit
    2) Schindler->Robbo, hope lovren plays next week
    3) lovren-> shaw, play shaw this week, get Taa for Pereira next week, forget about robbo
    4) schindler-> shaw, play shaw this week, get Taa for lovren next week

    Defence is: digne Pereira lovren schindler awb

  17. Bathman315
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    G2g for this week?

    0ft, 0.3ITB.

    Fabianski

    Trippier / Bennett / Stones

    Martial / F.Anderson / Sane (c) / Salah

    Rashford / Firmino / Jimenez

    Subs: Kepa, Brooks, Kola, AWB

  18. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 2 months ago

    So FPL have switched TAA flag from red to orange.

    What happened to their confirmation policy of last year?

    1. MTPockets
        5 years, 2 months ago

        FPL have gone batshit on flags - may as well just ignore

        1. Jafooli
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Yup, useless....

      • Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I think it's confirmed by the club that he isn't definitely out, so red is no longer appropriate. Whether or not it should have been red is another matter. I think the protocol was official vlub source or 2 original trustworthy sources (e.g. big newspapers), but I only know that from FFS comments of the past.

    2. JohnnyMarrsGuitar
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Breaking news regarding Arnautovic

      https://twitter.com/LeeClayton_/status/1086254491014516736

      (apologies if already posted / haven't seen it mentioned)

      1. Yoshimiwinz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        He's off to China

      2. HAMMERTIME107
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Chicharito worth a punt then !

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      TAA news now means I have a benching headache, ffs nothing ever goes to plan 😀

      1. TLF
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Me too, great TAA may play but now one of Digne or Doherty need to miss out !

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          starting him could be risky, not looking forward to a 1-point cameo blocking points from the bench with all the former TAA owners chuckling away

          1. TLF
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 2 months ago

            Can't see it personally, i reckon he starts or doesn't play at all.

      2. Danno - Emre Canada
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Yeah same here. We have to start him though eh?

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          I guess, a cameo would be real bad - have to think about it

    4. The Red Devil
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Currently on a -4
      Fab button
      digne TAA Bennett kolasinac AWB
      Hazard Salah Pogba richarlison hojberg
      Jimenez Kane rashford
      0.3 itb
      After the Trent news
      Kane to aubameyang (-4)?
      Already on a (-4)

    5. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Who said TAA is out for a month? And FPL obliged and red flagged him.

      1. Yoshimiwinz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Liverpool initially said 1 month, and Klopp back tracked today.

      2. Hy liverpool
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Bbc and SS

    6. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Sterling or Hazard? I have Sane.

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Sterling

    7. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Going to try this again, this time with more of an explanation.

      On a WC. Something tells me that Sterling is a better option than Sane, long-term (from having owned Sane before with mixed results). I don't watch a lot of City football, but what I do see has Sterling in a bit more of an attacking role with less of a rotation risk, to boot. Downgrading Sterling to Sane, KdB or even BSilva would free up so much funding, though. What are your thoughts?

      1. Yoshimiwinz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I'd roll with Sane' the next couple game weeks, or at least until Mendy comes back. When that happens it will force a formation shift and Sane' is the odd man out. KdB is a bit risky right now, but Bilva is a solid option as he's Pep's General on the Pitch. If your goal is set it and forget it, then go Sterling.

      2. Bathman315
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I think Sane has been on fire in recent weeks and saved my appalling week last GW, I like sterling but can't justify the extra 2 mil when Sane has been so prolific. In terms of rotation of forwards, I think they're all just as big a risk as each other as Pep has shown recently. I really like B.Silva too for his price, although with KDB coming back he may be prone to rotation too.

    8. jaywills
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Hello Chaps,

      In light of the TAA news,
      is it worth doing a -4. Taking out Kane for either Firmino/Auba?

      If i make either transfer I will need to bench TAA. Unless I bench Wilson.

    9. wanaj84
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      sterling or aguero?

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Sterling. Jesus will eat out Kuns minutes as of now.

        1. wanaj84
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          tq
          moura will start?

    10. Dacra
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      How does this look?

      Pat (Speroni)
      Robertson - Lindelof - Digne (Bennett, Bednarek)
      Salah - Hazard - Pogba - Alli - Sterling
      Rashford - Ings (Niasse)

      Exact cash.

      1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Niasse?

        1. Dacra
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Yep, should play at Cardiff?

      2. EMBOLOFAN
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        decent

      3. Robson-Canoe
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        I prefer Sané and Jimenez over Sterling and Ings

    11. Srv210
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      What is this TAA news everybody is mentioning here??

      If any of you kind gentlemen could guide me on this

      1. Hy liverpool
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        Write alexander arnold on google then sort by then hours then last hour
        Google is amazing

        1. jaywills
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Teach a man to fish

      2. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        The news is there is no news about him, close to play this week and the out for a month thing was only speculations

    12. #FPLBhuna
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Gtg?

      fab
      robbo - pereira - doherty
      salah - sane(c) - haz - siggy - pogba
      rashford - ings

      hamer - jiminez - bednarek - awb

    13. We Will Klopp you
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 2 months ago

      Got Fabianski and Guaita atm, plus 1.1m itb and happy with the rest of my team bar the keepers. Debating whether to go premium for a hit. Got no other spurs/United defensive cover.

      Best option from these!

      A) Fab to DDG - 4
      B) Fab to Lloris - 4
      C) Gauita to Etheridge - 4
      D Play Fabianski and avoid the hit

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        D for now

      2. EMBOLOFAN
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 2 months ago

        d

        1. We Will Klopp you
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 2 months ago

          Cheers guys