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The Complete Guide to FPL Blank Gameweek 31 tips and advice

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Blank Gameweek 31. A reduced fixture list this week and no early kick-off means a later than usual FPL deadline of 2pm. Plenty of time to make those last minute transfers and switch the armband back and forth a few more times.

The business end of the season starts here. The first major Blank Gameweek will be immediately followed by the first major Double Gameweek. In preparing for this period FPL managers have opted for a variety of strategies to maximise points returns, the most popular of which involve using the Free Hit chip either this Gameweek or next.

At the time of writing only 38% of the 8,000+ managers who have taken part in our poll will be fielding a full 11 players. 70% of managers polled will be taking at least one hit this week. Amongst the top 10,000 managers, 22% have used their Free Hit chip already and 31% have used their second Wildcard. Before making any transfers, we estimate these elite managers have on average seven players starting this week.

What does all this mean? In a word – opportunity.

With most managers unlikely to field a full complement of players, it means those who do should be at an advantage. Especially if you haven’t had to take a hit, either because you are playing the Free Hit chip or through careful planning.

However, if you are part of the estimated 70% who will be taking a hit, it’s a good week to do it. As the FPL General observes in his opinion piece:

The way the Blanks are falling this season (in 31 and 33) makes it easier to take a -4 to get a player who plays in both Gameweeks, especially for those who plan to use the Free Hit chip in Double Gameweek 32 and the second Wildcard in Gameweek 34.

Legomané remarks in his hot topic that this should reduce the 4 point cost of a hit to zero if you are getting rid of a player without a fixture in either Gameweek.

When weighing up transfers this week, it’s worth noting that the FA Cup tie between Watford and Crystal Palace kicks-off at 12:15pm today – this means that we should know the result of the match before the 2pm deadline.

Why does the FA Cup matter to us FPL managers? Well, as Holly Shand explains in FPL Question Time:

We should have a good idea whether Watford v Fulham or Newcastle v Crystal Palace will go ahead in Blank Gameweek 33 around the Blank Gameweek 31 deadline.

If Newcastle get to play in Blank Gameweek 33 as well as 31, this increases the appeal of their options, meaning a hit for one of their players this weekend carries less risk.

So which players are worth bringing in?

To an extent this will depend on how you are using your chips. Of the three main strategies outlined last month, one includes deploying the Free Hit chip this week. For those on that path Legomané started an FH31 RMT thread and, for members only, David prepared four excellent articles looking in-depth at the best goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards to buy.

However, as Neale mentioned when outlining the three main strategies, you can achieve success by going down a completely different route:

Last season, Yusuf Shiekh Wildcarded in Gameweek 25, Bench Boosted in Gameweek 37 and used his Triple Captain chip in Gameweek 38 – and finished first in the world.

This week, for FPL managers who have strayed from the main path, we’ve had two fascinating contributions from the community: Deulofail champions using the Free Hit chip in Gameweek 38, while Chris Kish has some thoughts for those who have already played their Wildcard and Free Hit chips.

Our Scout Picks which, like a Free Hit chip, feature the best players for the coming Gameweek – include two Liverpool attackers. Salah and Mané both make the cut. The pair also headline David’s Captain Sensible article this week. An enticing fixture away to Fulham is leading many to consider using the Triple Captain chip.

It should be mentioned that Mané did not feature in any of the 54 photos released by Liverpool of their Friday afternoon training session. However nothing about a potential injury was mentioned in their press conference, and Liverpool don’t play until tomorrow. In fact, as Neale reports in his Team News Round-up, Klopp was singing Mané’s praises.

The reason the pendulum has swung from two Liverpool defenders to two Liverpool attackers is Mané’s outstanding form. Is this simply recency bias? As J0E asked on Tuesday’s Scoutcast, certainly Mané is in outstanding form – two goals against Burnley was followed up in midweek with a brace against Bayern Munich.

Bournemouth also provide two attacking players for this week’s Scout Picks in the shape of Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser. With home fixtures in both Gameweeks 31 and 33, Bournemouth players offer appealing value – a hot topic discusses their potential, there was debate on the Scoutcast including a look at budget goalkeeper Artur Boruc, and an article highlighting Callum Wilson’s flat-track bully tag.

Players from Chelsea, Leicester and West Ham are also fancied this week ahead of favourable fixtures. With many managers needing to transfer in players for Gameweek 31, this could mean selling players who have increased markedly in value. For those who purchased Pogba and Jiménez when they were considerably cheaper this poses a tricky dilemma.

Adam Hopcroft pointed out last December that:

It can put you in a position of weakness when you have a lot of value tied up in a player.

However there’s an added dimension to this way of thinking because many will want to buy players such as Pogba and Jiménez for either their Free Hit chip next Gameweek or Wildcards later on. A riveting debate took place on the Scoutcast about whether it was right to keep or sell such players.

Elsewhere on site, G-Whizz provided his regular DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds, Greyhead reviewed The Great and The GoodMark is now into the top 1,000 overall – and Rotation’s Alter Ego supplied his handy summary of all the team news.

Away from FPL, Johannes (formerly known as Niemi) has kindly contributed two articles on Eliteserien, looking at price changes and providing a team guide. And Geoff asked if anyone will be playing Allsvenskan Fantasy this season? The Fantasy game for the top division in Sweden. Fantasy addicts will not go hungry this summer!

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

The second round of the Fantasy Football Scout Cup saw another former winner depart with Wild Rover losing out to Lal Toofan on overall rank following a drawn match. David brought us all the latest from the competition including the draw for the next round – 128 managers are through to round three. The final is scheduled for Gameweek 37.

In TorresMagic’s Last Man Standing competition the safety score in Gameweek 30 was 46, this saw 64 managers eliminated. 237 teams are through to Gameweek 31, when the threshold for elimination moves up to 25%, a minimum of 60 managers will depart. The final will take place in Gameweek 37.

Still in the Last Man Standing competition, still top spot in both our main FFS League and our FFS Members League, Adam Levy increased his lead at the summit to 31 points.

I mentioned last week that the current record points total for an FPL winner is 2,668 set by Jon Reeson (aka Westfield Irons) way back in the 2009/10 season. Jon was the first ever member of FFS to win FPL, and it’s worth appreciating that he achieved his mammoth points score at a time when multiple chips weren’t around – he only had one Wildcard to use that season. The second Wildcard – at first just available in January – wasn’t introduced until the following year.

Over the remaining eight Gameweeks of the season Adam needs 599 points to beat Jon’s longstanding mark. He still has his Wildcard, Free Hit, and Bench Boost chips available.

Mark extended his lead over Chris Atkinson (aka RMT’s Professor) to 67 points in the FFS Mods & Cons as he moved up to 829th position overall. Mark has had four previous top 1,000 finishes and last week became the number one manager in our Live Hall of Fame, overtaking Sean Tobin.

Jack Baxendale is the new leader in RedLightning’s Top 10k Any Season mini-league. He captained Raheem Sterling on his way to 98 points in Gameweek 30, and has shot up to 58th overall. Jack is in his fifth FPL season, his best previous finish being 5,720 in 2016/17. He has not yet used any of his chips, apart from his First Wildcard which he played in Gameweek 20 –  he has had nine successive green arrows since then.

Elior Carsenti has regained the lead from JOZ V in RedLightning’s January to May League He has had seven green arrows in eight Gameweeks since he played his Second Wildcard in Gameweek 23. He has risen from 49,997 to 3,691 since Gameweek 22. He has not yet used his other three chips.

Karen Goh is the new leader in RedLightning’s The Last Ten Gameweeks mini-league. This is Karen’s third season and by far her best, she is currently in 21,583 overall. Karen played her Second Wildcard in Gameweek 29 and then captained Sterling in Gameweek 30 for a score of 102.

Jay Placey’s mini-league, The Home Stretch, also began scoring in Gameweek 30. Out of the 306 teams in it the top four all scored 100 points or more.

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

Soccer Football – Premier League – Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – May 6, 2018 The Premier League trophy is displayed before the match Action Images via Reuters/Carl Recine EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

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

1,990 Comments Post a Comment
  1. CliveTilds
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Sterling > Salah -4?

    1. NilSatisNisiOptimum78
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I wouldn't

    2. Eric Banternaaa
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      No. You’ll want him back next week.

      1. CliveTilds
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        I’ll be using free hit next week

        1. OptimusBlack
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 14 days ago

          So do it

    3. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Do it

    4. SALVA
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Yes do it.

    5. jomikijiq
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      no brainer

    6. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Pull the trigger

    7. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Do iiiit!!!

  2. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Rank 2500
    Leading ML by 93pts.
    Brought in Mane
    Play safe + Salah (c) or go for Mane???

    1. Fantasy Gold
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      What does your rank have to do with anything but apart from bragging?

      Community team doing very well this year anyway

      1. camarozz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Whatever. Thanks for your input.

        1. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 14 days ago

          If gonna brag go Villa 3 on the trot 😆

    2. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Safe

    3. WVA
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Salah

    4. Eric Banternaaa
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Play safe with Salah.

    5. CliveTilds
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I don’t think Mane plays so it won’t matter.

    6. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      go for Salah imo.

    7. SALVA
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Mo Salah!

  3. Eric Banternaaa
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Still holding on to transfer, tempted to hold it and go with 9 players this week. Any suggested transfers?

    Fabianski
    VVD / Trent / Diop / Perrira / Bednarek**
    Salah / Billing / Son** / Hazard
    Rondon

    Hamer / Pogba / Jimenez / Kun

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Bed, Son > Azpi, Fraser

    2. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Jimi to Wilson if it’s free

      1. Eric Banternaaa
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Keeping Jimi, will want him back next week for DGW.

  4. Numb
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Gonna be hard to get a green arrow this week as a lot will be on a FH.

    1. drughi
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      TC is your friend

    2. Fantasy Gold
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Yeah and it’ll be hard for them to get green arrows next week when most on here free hit.

      Swings, roundabouts

    3. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      But next week we shall rise

    4. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      And Salah's EO will be over 200 with all the TC in play.

      1. TopMarx
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        that will make it interesting

    5. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      30% of top 10k on FH I reckon?

      22% already played, and I would imagine a lot will play next week and some will play at another time.

      For those on a hit or two I agree I think a green arrow will be hard.

  5. OneDennisBergkamp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Higauin or Arnie?

    why has Arnie not been playing? Out of favour?

    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Are you considering GW33 as well?

      This week only I might slightly favour Arnie given the latest team news.

      He was out of favour and then ill + out of favour, but the thinking is, based on comments from this manager, that he will start today.

      1. OneDennisBergkamp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        I'm on FH so just want the best option this week

    2. Kiwivillan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I would take a one legged Arnie over Higuain

  6. JuulKrapuul
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Fabianski
    Robertson - TAA - Digne
    Salah(C) - Hayden - Fraser - Hazard
    Vardy - Wilson - X

    Bench: Pogba (X) - Jiminez (X) - WBA (X) - Doherty (X)
    FT: 0 ITB: 4,9

    Okay or take a hit?

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Good enough but 1 hit is fine if you wanted to. Jimi to Rondon/Perez?

  7. CliveTilds
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    (A) Bring in Fraser -4
    (B) Play 10 this week

    1. JuulKrapuul
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      A. Good fixture in GW33 too

  8. SALVA
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Heaton
    Robbo/Yedlin
    Haz/Mane/Salah/FAnderson/Obiang
    Wilson/Vardy

    AWB, Bednarek, Jimenez, Doherty 1.5 ITB

    G2G? or take -4 to bring in defender? Which one?

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Rice maybe

  9. I Have No Idea What I'…
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Assuming Mane is fit to start, which is the best trio option to have starting with my free hit?

    A) Mane, Fabianski and Chilwell

    B) Anderson, Kepa and Robertson

    (I already have Salah, VVD, Arnie, Vardy and Hazard)

    1. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      A by a country mile

    2. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      A

    3. Shteve
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      A, if mane plays..

  10. Gizzachance
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    for a -4
    A pog to haz
    B jimi to wilson
    will fh next week thanks

    1. Luz1978
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Personally I would go A as based on talent Hazard has more potential to score big than Wilson (but Wilson plays a Newcastle back 4 that has injuries and Hazard usually bags or does nothing) , also a lot depends on what the rest of your team is...

      1. Luz1978
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Meant at bangs not bags!!!

  11. Business Cat
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Given the deadline isn't until 14:00 today, and Liverpool don't play 'til Sunday, do Liverpool train today? If so, when? We'll then have more concrete info on Mane's fitness

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I think they do, and I think it's earlier in the day. Someone else is better placed to confirm though, I'm sure.

  12. Donhush
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Any Westham team leaks?

    1. Guru Mediation
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      2 against Cardiff last week

  13. Sponge-worthy
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    I now have 30 minutes to take a shower, get dressed, bag my bags, have lunch, and what am I doing? Reading your scribblings..

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Step away from the screen

    2. Perthite
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Advice... stop reading

    3. Tigers Time
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      With Football Fantasy life just takes a back seat.

  14. Fantasy Challenged
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Hi all 🙂 Some last minute scrambling being done.

    For a -4 to field XI would you go With Harvey Barnes, Brooks or someone else. 6.3 available

    Boruc
    Robertson Luiz Digne
    Salah Mane Fraser ( )
    Vardy Higuain Rondon

    Appreciate your help and thoughts

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Tielemans i think is around the 6 and things seem to be going through him at the moment, if I had a FT then I would be going for him

      1. Fantasy Challenged
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Mmm. Interesting choice.

        Basically comparing him vs Burnley and Huddersfield away to Brooks vs Newcastle and Burnley at home.

      2. Fantasy Challenged
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Forgot to say thanks. Thanks 🙂

  15. bring_on _the_fantasy
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Am I missing something.....Salah TC this GW??

    No form, hasn't scored in the prem in weeks, fatigued after Champions league. People are going to say 'he's due a haul'. - Not for me though.

    1. drughi
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      but Fulham

    2. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I’m even thinking making Hazard my (C) tbh.

    3. Shteve
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Not TC for me but he has been playing well without scoring and looks in excellent condition recently so fatigue isn't an issue

    4. Big Ping
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      The form must return at some point though, a game away to awful Fulham seems the perfect catalyst

  16. Krisson
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    Should i bench Lanzini, Fraser or Barnes this gw?

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Barnes

  17. 404_FC
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 14 days ago

    chance mane to start?

    Captain Mane or Salah ?

    thanks

    1. Party time
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Salah

      • The Pesci challenge
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Good I think everyone’s over playing the no photos.

        I’m going salah

    2. jackx13
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Alonso or Azpi?

      1. Shteve
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Azpi

    3. UnitednationsXI
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      1) any update on the mane injury rumour? Would you still bring him in now?

      2A) Robbo + Wilson
      2B) Fraser + Wilson
      2C) Vardy + Wilson...means loosing 0.2m on Jimenez who I would want on FH32

    4. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Alonso and Ogbonna
      Or
      Luiz and Rice

      Thanks

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        On FH

      2. The Pesci challenge
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        B

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 14 days ago

          Thanks

    5. Fernando Torres
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Auba TC GW 37 vs BHA for me

    6. Cruz88
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      So if Mane starts does he become a pretty good differential captain option?

      1. The Pesci challenge
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Yep

      2. azz007
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Why wouldn't he start. He's on form unlike salah. Been captaining mane last 5 weeks.

        Rank from 170k
        To 12k

        1. Cruz88
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 14 days ago

          Two of those 5 games were away from home and he only got 3 in those though

          1. azz007
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 14 days ago

            It's Fulham

    7. ElliotJHP
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      AWB to WHU defender (have Rice) for a 4 point hit?

      Have 9 players atm

      1. Fernando Torres
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        I'd prefer a player who definitely plays GW 33

    8. Danstoke82
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I’m left with this team and currently at -8. Gtg?

      Alisson
      Robertson Clyne Chilwell
      Salah Brooks Hazard Puncheon Anderson
      Vardy Wilson

      Subs; Speroni Lascelles Bednarek Aguero

    9. Mr_Barbs
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      It's better to get rid of Aguero (11.7m) than Jiminez (6.3m) this week considering I'll FH next week right?

      1. YEAH PITCH!
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Yes

    10. Nightf0x
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Which 1?
      Higuain - vardy - barnes - rondon

      1. Riggs
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 14 days ago

        Vardy. If you don't own Wilson - good option too 😉

    11. Patch
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      I'm surprised FFS haven't implemented a HT on Mane.

      At least 17 pages worth of the same comments.

      Most importantly, the HT should focus on the Liverpool training later today(?) But possibly before FF deadline.

    12. jam
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      Snod or Ogbonna for my 1 West Ham player?

    13. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      A goal and an assist against Huddersfield and over 380,000 transfers and counting

    14. LosBlancos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 14 days ago

      TC Salah?