Tips

The Complete Guide to our FPL Gameweek 28 tips and advice

A quick turnaround for Gameweek 28 means we have an immediate opportunity to put the disappointments of Gameweek 27 behind us. It was a topsy-turvy weekend with Aubameyang benched following his exertions in the Europa League and Gerard Deulofeu scoring a hat-trick after a run of six successive blanks. However perhaps the most dramatic action took place at Wembley.

At the time of writing 10,631 FPL managers have succeeded in the seemingly impossible feat of transferring Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga out of their squads. How Maurizio Sarri must envy them. The Spaniard refused to leave the leave pitch in a tense EFL cup final on Sunday, although of more concern to the majority of Fantasy managers were the 120 minutes of football played by Agüero, Sterling, and Hazard. How will this affect their prospects ahead of the midweek matches?

That said, Gabriel Jesus’ injury might mean we see Aguero tearing it up in Gameweek 28 anyway and the Argentinian has now earned a place in the Scout Picks.

An injury to Aymeric Laporte brought more unwelcome news. The only players who arguably benefited from the final are Leroy Sané and Gonzalo Higuaín as both played reduced minutes. If anyone still owns Sané they certainly deserve some good fortune.

A lot of debate this week has centered around what to do with Marcus Rashford, who is a doubt for United’s encounter with Crystal Palace. United are without a fixture in Gameweeks 31 and 33, so depending on how you plan to use your Free Hit or Wildcard chips, if you still have them available, now could be a good time to sell. Many veteran managers already have.

A hot topic was started by Reckoner. to discuss Rashford and who to replace him with. The popular choices are Rondón, Barnes, and budget permitting, the £8.8m Vardy. An ankle injury to Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino means owners of the Brazilian could be looking at the same replacements.

Rondón benefited from the debut of new signing Miguel Almiron with a goal, an assist, and all three bonus points as Newcastle beat bottom of the table Huddersfield. An encounter with Burnley will provide a stiffer examination of Almiron’s impact on Newcastle’s attack, however a decent fixture run and a match in Gameweek 31, and possibly Gameweek 33 too (depending on the result of Watford v Crystal Palace in the FA Cup), has induced managers including career Hall of Fame number three Matthew Jones (aka Numb) and Geoff to follow Mark in adding the Venezuelan to their squads.

After scoring in each of his last four matches, Ashley Barnes is attracting a lot of attention. Favourably priced at £5.7m with matches against Leicester and Bournemouth in Gameweeks 31 and 33, Barnes scored the winner against Spurs on Saturday. From ‘The Great and The Good’, Torres Magic has made the move for the former Brighton man.

There’s now a degree of uncertainty surrounding Leicester’s Jamie Vardy following the sacking of manager Claude Puel, although Leicester have traditionally experienced a new manager bounce. Leicester have a favourable fixture run and matches in both Gameweek 31 and 33, and tonight face a Brighton side with a poor away record this season. Research by Ruth_NZ suggests it could be wise to strike while the iron is hot.

Featured recently on J0E’s Meet the Manager series, Aleksander Våge Nilsen has taken the plunge – selling Rashford and buying Vardy last night. Although the Norwegian, currently 484th overall, already owns Rondón.

The third forward slot in Aleksander’s team is filled by Raúl Jiménez, and if you aren’t one of the 34.9% of FPL manager to own the Wolves striker he is one to consider, especially if you are planning to use a Free Hit chip in Gameweek 31. Wolves face Huddersfield and Cardiff in their next two fixtures, and over the last four Gameweeks no player has registered more shots in the penalty box than the Mexican. Positive signs. Although be warned that it could be the turn of Rúben Neves to take the next penalty kick.

Reduced minutes for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should mean he starts for Arsenal against Bournemouth tomorrow evening. He’s one of a number of players to feature prominently in the captaincy debate this week. David provides his usual look at the armband contenders in his Captain Sensible article: Salah and Agüero are currently the top two in our captaincy poll.

G-Whizz delivers his regular DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds, as expected Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal are tipped for good Gameweeks.

Neale (aka Skonto Rigga) rounds up all the latest team news. A video with Neale and J0E discussing this week’s team news is due out at 14:30 GMT.

To view all our discussions please visit our Hot Topics page, and if you’ve got some analysis, scout reports or features brewing, be sure to visit our community section to submit your article.

If you’re a member and are yet to get to grips with the custom statistics tables, you can view this movie for an explanation of how they work. Also, remember to tag them so that people can find the tables with ease.

COMMUNITY TOURNAMENTS

Deadline for entry to the next FFS cup competitions is today at 18:45 GMT. For details on how to enter please follow this link.

In TorresMagic’s Last Man Standing competition the safety score in Gameweek 27 was 33, this saw 78 managers eliminated. 456 teams are through to Gameweek 28, when the threshold for elimination moves up to 16%, a minimum of 73 managers will depart. The final will take place in Gameweek 37.

Adam Levy now leads both our main FFS League and our FFS Members League. He’s up to second in the world, only 8 points behind new world number one Hassam CheLSawy. Adam and Hassam were both very grateful to Deulofeu for his 23 point contribution to their scores in Gameweek 27.

Mark has increased his lead over David to 46 points in the FFS Mods & Cons. He’s edging closer to the top 1,000 and his current rank of 1,322 overall is his highest of the season.

James Wells held onto top spot in RedLightning’s Top 10k Any Season mini-league despite slipping to 40th overall. He has now been in the overall top 100 for ten Gameweeks.

Elior Carsenti is the new leader in RedLightning’s January to May League 3 points ahead of previous leader Jonathan Horrocks. This is Elior’s third FPL season, and six green arrows in the past seven Gameweeks have taken him from 52,995 to 6,257 overall. He played an excellent Second Wildcard in Gameweek 23.

Finally, RedLightning‘s Last Ten Gameweeks mini-league will start scoring in Gameweek 29: 189 teams are already waiting for its first points update.

The last ten Gameweeks of the season include the big Double and Blank Gameweeks when many chips will be played, however the January to May League, which started scoring in Gameweek 21, is fairer to those who have already used their Second Wildcard or Triple Captain chip. RedLightning notes that we should remember that success in the second half of the season does not only depend on having the best chip strategy – good captain choices, having the right players at the right times, and having a reasonably high TV are also very useful.

If you are running a community tournament and would like the latest scores included in future Community Round-Ups, please email us a summary of the current leaders and a link to your league, spreadsheet or head-to-head competition at geoff@fantasyfootballscout.co.uk

TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

1,758 Comments Post a Comment
  1. jason_ni
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Play
    A) Guaita (MAN UTD)
    B) Fabi (man city)

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Guaita

      1. jason_ni
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Thats what I'm currently on.. neither are great choice this week!

    2. Oh Mane Mane
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fab

    3. Fingerspitzengefühl
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Fab for a bucket of save points

  2. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Are Rondon owners not worried about him not having a game 33 ?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Hope Watford can do us a favour

      1. Richd
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I’d like that. I’d have gone for a second defender to pair with Lascelles but can’t risk a second toon

    2. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      They are very worried

    3. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      No

    4. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A little but I prefer his fixtures to Barnes. And it's not a done-deal yet with the Palace v Watford game.

    5. fr3d
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Watford are favorites vs Palace in the cup

      1. Richd
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        It’s very close though. Not like city v Swansea

    6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      plenty transfers to come, easy switch to barnes

    7. maaaaloney
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I mean that's in April. I'm sure I'll have plenty of other problems before then.

    8. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Not too much, Watford can go through and we will have 1 FT

    9. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Thats 5 gameweeks away

  3. Gooner97
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Start

    Pereira(BHA) or FAnderson(mci)?

    1. Emp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      perraira easily

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      P

      1. Oh Mane Mane
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        P

  4. Emp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    how to fund kun?

    A. trippier richarlson and rashford to chilwell babel/ barnes and kun (-4)

    B. Son and Rashford to Antonio/Madison and kun for free

    Both increase gw31 and 33 players by a count of 1

    1. Martial Matas
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. JT11fc
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      B madison

  5. Donblaster
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    boring bench order question as may well come on for Rashford...
    A) Bednarek (FUL)
    B) FAnderson (mci)
    C) Puncheon (WOL)

    thanks!

  6. konrad.sygula95
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Laporte to TAA? (already have Robbo)
    Yes or no?

    1. Oh Mane Mane
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

  7. The_FF_King
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Rashford and Firmino to Aguero and Barnes/Rondón for free?

    If yes, which out of Barnes or Rondón

    1. Martial Matas
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I just did this, went for Barnes

  8. Oh Mane Mane
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Fabianski
    TAA Doherty Robertson
    Salah Pogba Son Anderson
    Jiménez Aguero Rashford
    Hamer Bednarek AWB Hojbjerg

    1 FT and 2.7 ITB

    A) Bank transfer and Bednarek to come in for Rashford
    B) Rashford to Vardy
    C) Rashford to Rondon
    D) Rashford to Barnes

    1. bryant
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Barnes

  9. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    which one to bench? I know I'm gonna balls this up

    Kola
    Digne
    Pereira

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Digne

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        ta

      2. Les Bleus
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        This

    2. Captain Kakaroto (I blame R…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Perira.

    3. JT11fc
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Digne

  10. Richd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    The (k)un differential army has grown throughout February and come March it will be template.

    ONE MORE TIME SERGIO

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah. He will haul again this GW IMO.

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Selected by 36%

      1. Richd
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Top 10k and active ownership is the only stats I use

        1. Richd
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Else why did our rank increase so much when We TC him ? Cos nobody had him in the top 10k

  11. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Also is Son -> Sane too short term? would probably have to keep for GW32

  12. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Have only 3 for GW31. Also have Sterling.

    A) Kun + 4.6m mid
    B) Vardy + 7m mid

    1. The 5% Team
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Vardy + almiron?

  13. blauriecon
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Laca>Kun(-4)
    Yes or No?

    1. QPR CARIBBEAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      No

    2. Down with this sort of thin…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Think Kun is probably essential at this stage, anyone not have Aguero and have to plans to get him in?

  14. bryant
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Fab hamer
    Robbo vvd digne Doherty Schindler
    Salah Pogba fanderson jota hojbjerg
    Kun Jimenez rondon

    Who to captain and who to bench

  15. JELLYFISH
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Camarasa > Maddison is tempting. Got exact funds to do it

    yes/no?

    1. QPR CARIBBEAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      yes

    2. bryant
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      H. Barnes>Saddison

  16. Scratch
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Which to start

    Hojbjerg or Tripper ?

  17. Miniboss
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Hi!

    Kun in for Auba, or stick with Arsenal man? No other city cover

    1. QPR CARIBBEAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      No

    2. Down with this sort of thin…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Keep Auba for this week at least

  18. Totalfootball
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Captain -
    Aguero or salah

    1. JELLYFISH
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I'm going Salah only because of his previous with Watford....but Kun is tempting me

  19. Legomané
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    No idea what to do with this lot - I'd obviously like Kun/Rahz in - any advice? Cheers.

    Fabianski
    TAA Doherty Pereira
    Salah Mane Son Pogba
    Auba Jimenez Rashford**

    (Steel Camarasa** Chambers AWB**)

    1. Goonsquad245
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      ITB?

  20. marquinhos
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Son to Sane?

    1. Lionel Ronaldo
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      On paper, yes. But again this is Pep we are talking about.

  21. leo_messi
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    is robertson fit??

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      He’s scottish

    2. Les Bleus
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Not bad to look at I suppose

  22. MGD
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Laporte out for who?

    Doherty - TAA - Shaw - AWB*

  23. fc_skrald
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    I have two free transfer so I might as well use the one:

    a. Speroni -> Boruc, to have a goalkeeper for gw31/alternative to Foster
    b. Foster -> Boruc, to save 0.5 million, might bench Foster for Boruc anyway if I go a

  24. Kasper the ghost keeper
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Start Anderson (City away) or Puncheon (Wolves home)?

    1. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Anderson.

    2. Fernando Torres
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Anderson

  25. Fernando Torres
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Pick first sub:
    A) Shaw
    B) Anderson

    In case Rashford doesn't play.

    1. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Shaw.

  26. The Count of Monte Cristo
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Bottomed. Firmino + Kamara --> Aguero + Rondon (-4) and log off?

    Fabianski
    Robertson -- Doherty -- Kolasinac
    Salah (c) -- Pogba -- Son -- Anderson
    Firmino* -- Rashford* -- Kamara*

    Button -- Bednarek -- Camarasa -- AWB* [1FT, 5.8m ITB]

  27. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    2FTs
    A) Rashford, Richarlison, Laporte > Aguero, Hayden, Schar/Lascelles (-4)

    B) Rashford > Barnes/Rondon

    C) Laporte > Periera

    D) Richarlison > Almiron

    Or combination of B/C/D

  28. Sid07
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Captain
    1) aguero
    2) Salah

    1. StellaMan
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I'm switching to 1

  29. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Play
    A) Barnes (new)
    B) JWP (FUL)
    ?

  30. StellaMan
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Rashford to Barnes or Wood?