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How the top 10k FPL managers set up for Blank Gameweek 33

The top 10,000 Fantasy Premier League managers are largely fielding full 11-man squads for Blank Gameweek 33.

Their careful planning over recent weeks means that they have got into that position without having to use chips en masse.

When we consider the most owned players among the game’s top players this season, there is a total of 12 assets with a fixture in Blank Gameweek 33.

That allows us to see some of the most common starting XIs for managers at this level.

In goal, Lukasz Fabianski (£4.7m) looks the favourite, despite West Ham’s woeful form.

It would appear that making changes to other areas of the team were more important in Blank Gameweek 33, while saves are probably a given in a match away at Chelsea.

Matt Doherty (£5.3m) has held onto his place, still commanding the backing of 40% of those inside the top 10,000.

Andrew Robertson (£6.8m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.5m), Ricardo Pereira (£5.4m) and Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.5m) are the other four members of the most popular defence, all of whom have either played already or have a fixture to come in Blank Gameweek 33.

Four midfielders follow the same story with Paul Pogba (£8.8m) the only one owned by more than 40% of the top 10k managers not to have a fixture in Blank Gameweek 33.

Eden Hazard (£11.1m) is the most popular at this end of the world rankings, sat in 79% of teams, while Mohamed Salah (£13.2m) and Sadio Mané (£10.1m) are both in 60%.

Ryan Fraser (£6.2m) set to host Burnley with his Bournemouth colleagues on Saturday, is the most popular budget choice with 40% of the top 10k in possession of him for Blank Gameweek 33.

Again, up front, it’s just one player without a fixture this weekend and, not surprisingly it’s Raúl Jiménez (£6.8m), who has been one of the best budget options this season.

Chances are, the top 10k are holding onto the Mexican ahead of further Double Gameweek action and are unwilling to take him out even for one week as he has risen in price so much since being purchased.

Jamie Vardy (£9.1m) has become the most popular forward option at this end of the world rankings, sat in 60% of teams inside the top 10k.

As you can see from the table above, very few managers in the top 10k played chips in this particular Gameweek.

Just 3.66% of them played their second Wildcard of the season, while even fewer, just 2.17% deployed the Free Hit chip.

That shows that they have been planning for this week for some time considering how many played their Free Hits for Double Gameweek 32.

By way of contrast, overall managers were not quite so well prepared for Blank Gameweek 33.

The most popular players going into this depleted round of action show three forwards without a fixture in Sergio Aguero (£11.8m), Marcus Rashford (£7.6m) and Jiménez.

In total, just nine of the 15 players are ones involved in Blank Gameweek 33.

Chips were largely not used overall either, Wildcards proving the most popular, with activations from 1.42% of managers.

That may be because ones such as the Free Hit and Triple Captain were used en masse in Blank Gameweek 31 and Double Gameweek 32.

We already saw that Hazard was the most commonly selected player among the top 10,000, but his effective ownership is even higher, currently at 126%.

He has a much more comfortable lead in the captaincy statistics at the top level as he did in the Fantasy Football Scout poll.

In that vote, he finished with 24.8% while Salah was just behind him on 23% and Mané on 22.2%.

Among the top 10k, Hazard has been captained by 46.1% for Blank Gameweek 33, Salah has been backed by 22.7% and Mané 13%.

1,806 Comments Post a Comment
  1. PlayPercentage
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Pep will prioritise the Champions League.
    Players like Sane and Jesus could be great picks for the congested FPL fixtures.

    1. Rash
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Citys games are pretty tough so they cant take it for granted imo. Kdb could be a great option.

    2. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Have you looked at their DGW fixtures?

      1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        If at this point you rest players and lose, it’s much worse than a player getting a freak injury and that potentially costing you.

        The mass rotation is over.

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          We’re not talking rotating Aguero for Origi here, the players coming in are world class and Pep trusts them.

          If you think Jesus and Sané’s playing time won’t increase over this period, you’re bonkers.

          1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            Increase?

            Kun and Sterling will start both DGW games, if fit. How does Jesus’ playing time increase?

            1. Twisted Saltergater
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 11 months ago

              I disagree, they won’t.

              1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
                • 9 Years
                4 years, 11 months ago

                Rotation will occur during Palace and Burnley.

        2. Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Big squad trusted players - rotation will still occur

          1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            Of course. 2-3 players per match, not 5+

    3. QuintonFortune25
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      That would be very foolish of Pep to prioritise the champions league. The premier league is massive. He cant afford to drop points with Liverpool right behind them.

      1. Sterling Malory
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        *Ahead of them.

    4. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Was thinking along these lines. I think we know Pep’s preferred 4 attacking mids against stronger opposition are:

      Sterling - Dilva - KdB - Bilva

      We need to see if Jesus and Sané will start league games in between. But there’ll be rotation all the way to the end now.

  2. QuintonFortune25
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on B.Silva for the rest of the season?

    I'm deciding between Kane and B.Silva or Aguero and Son (not on a WC)

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Kane and b silva

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        This

        1. QuintonFortune25
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Thanks, captaincy is a huge part of this decision and not sure I can trust Aguero or Son with the armband due to rotation. Cant get more reliable for minutes than Kane and he always finishes the season well.

    2. Azathoth
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      K&B

    3. scubasmithy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Is Kane and son better if I already have sterling?

  3. Amey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Hello guys,

    Who'd you pick from
    A. Mane
    B. Bobby

    Really like Bobby as a player so I'm a bit biased.
    Thank you !!

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Mane only because I think Kane / Jimmy / arsenal is the best front 3

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Thank you mate 🙂

      2. The 12th Man
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        My problem with an Arsenal forward though is rotation plus the fact Deeney is such good vale @5.9m . Too hard to ignore along with Kane and Jimenez.

        Just can’t fit them all in.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Exactly.
          I might go with
          Kane Jimenez Deeney & power pack Midfield + Defense

          1. The 12th Man
            • 10 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            I might go Kane,Jimenez,Murray then do Murray > Deeney in 35.

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 11 months ago

              Cheers mate

            2. the dom 1
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 11 months ago

              along the same lines as me lad

    2. QuintonFortune25
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Mane - hes more selfish!

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        That's 100% true !!

    3. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Mane from those.
      There’s way too many striker options to choose from.
      Id consider Kane,Aguero,Lacazette,Jimenez,Deeney,Aubamayang,Rashford ahead of Bobby.
      Where as we have 5 midfielders to choose and Mane is easily a top choice.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Thank you buddy 🙂
        I'm overthinking i guess

  4. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Ings going under the radar.

    1. QuintonFortune25
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Can you trust him to not get injured though...

      Other good cheap forwards at the moment as well, for example Deeney, Murray, Jimenez.

  5. Rash
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Hoping Josh king rekindles the blank gameweek spirit with another hatty for old times sake

  6. Ronnies
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on this WC team - Will Play BB in GW 35

    Ryan - Gunn
    Kola - Doherty - Duffy - Dunk - Valery
    Sterling - Eriksen - Son - Duelofeu - JWP
    Aguero - Kane - Jimenez

    0.0m ITB

    Appreciate yer thoughts guys.
    Thanks.

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Like, some differentials.

      My front 8 are similar apart from Mane/Erik & Decoure/Duelofeu

    2. dvdguy
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Wouldn’t triple up in Brighton defence.

  7. Jonny Sutt
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    I’m not just conscious of the dgw, but the rest of the season. I think it’s worth tripling up on city purely because they are going to finish the season strong.

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Laporte & Kun/Raz on my Radar atm

    2. QuintonFortune25
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Agreed. Which ones though?

      Sterling a definite for me
      Kun / KDB / B.Silva other attacking options
      Probably Laporte or Ederson in defence.

  8. AFC49
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on my a current WC team?

    Ryan
    Trippier, Laporte, Dunk
    Sterling, Son, Jota, Deulofeu
    Kane, Aguero, Jiménez

    Foster, Kolasinac, Valery, Hojbjerg

    0 ITB

    1. Slitherene
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      No Arsenal attacker, given the kind fixtures? Not a believer?

  9. Fantasydreamer
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Need some convincing to drop salah

    Surely if we think sterling will miss at least one of the next four then salah has the better fixtures?!

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Look@ his scores in last few gw's 😉

      6 points after scoring a goal was enough for me to bin him personally

      1. Fantasydreamer
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Good point - would you suggest swapping to sterling but no triple up on Liverpool so he’s easy to get back in for Huddersfield gw36 if he starts firing?

        1. Fantasydreamer
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          It does also mean I could get in trippier over Duffy I guess...

  10. Gerd Mueller’s thighs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    5 points from, Robbo, VVD, and Mane (c) yesterday....for several weeks now, it seems the heavy hitters have stopped working. Could only get worse.

  11. The-Red-1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Got a bit of spare cash for my WC team...

    Which would you do?

    Son to Erikssen
    Valery to Doherty
    Ryan to Loris/Leno (in time for gw35)

  12. Karan14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Deleted all my previous drafts, cleared my head and came up with this:

    Ryan - Gunn
    Robbo - TAA - Kola - Duffy - Valery
    Salah - Sterling - Son - Jota - Hojbjerg
    Kane - Jimenez - Deeney

    0.5m

    Thoughts?
    Dont think we can escape rotation with the Top 6 teams so just got to deal with it.
    No point overthinking who will miss games.

    Cheers! 🙂

  13. Fantasydreamer
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Eriksen or son on a WC (have Kane)

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I went Son

    2. scubasmithy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      If you can afford Eriksen, I'd pick him

  14. Caleb's Kitties
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Think I am all set...looking good?

    Gw36: sterling doucoure to salah(C) fodder

    Leno ryan
    Robbo laporte trippier dunk valery
    Sterling son doucoure jota redmond
    Kane aguero jiminez

  15. ludaslol
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Pretty low TV... BB in 35.. WC ACtive

    Ryan
    Duffy Trippier Laporte
    Jota Camarasa Mane Sterling Eriksen
    Kane Jimenez

    Foster, Deeney, Kola, Valery

    Looking decent giving my TV?

    1. ludaslol
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      14 out of 15 have 2 games in 35.. Camarasa to Hojbjerg in 35 probably

  16. alifzuhdi
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    City and Spurs might focus more on Champions League fixtures.

    Spurs vs City (UCL) - 9th Apr
    CP vs City (PL) - 14th Apr
    City vs Spurs (UCL) - 17th Apr
    City vs Spurs (PL) - 20th Apr
    MU vs City (PL) - 24th Apr

    I think Aguero & Sterling won't start the PL game on 14th Apr and 20th Apr.

    Spurs vs Hudd (PL) - 13th Apr - first eleven such as Kane, Son etc might get rested as well.

    1. Slitherene
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      They won't start against Spurs?
      Well, I hope you know you've written this just for the sake of writing something!

      1. alifzuhdi
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Do you think Sterling & Aguero will start 3 big matches in 7 days between 17-24th Apr? They are also humans and need some rest.

    2. Karan14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      City cold be risking their league title hopes and Spurs Top 4 if they do that.
      I personally think rotation cant be escaped.

    3. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      My guess is that they’ll try and blow Spurs away in the first leg and rotate for the second.

      Am keeping an eye on how Pep uses Sané.

      1. alifzuhdi
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Yes, I think that will be the best plan for them. However, they are playing away the first leg and also the first game for Spurs on the new stadium for UCL.

  17. Alexis Nonsense
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Deulofeu a decent shout for dgw ?

    1. Rash
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I'd be put by him after being hooked at half time and deeney saying he wants to play with gray.

      1. Alexis Nonsense
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Alright thanks

  18. 11SPECIALONE11
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    I think I am settled with this WCT and to BB in 35.

    Ryan/Leno

    Laporte/Kol/Dunk/Duffy/Valery

    Sterling/Eriksen/Martial/Son/Camarasa

    Lacazette/Jiminez/Kane

    Ready to go? Does it need Glen Murray?

  19. ludaslol
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts on Kane TC in 34 against Hudders?

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Man City in the CL either side

  20. Fantasydreamer
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    My WC

    Ryan/foster
    Kola/Robertson/trippier/dunk/valery
    Sterling/mane/son/JWP/hojberg
    Kane/laca/jimi

    Few questions
    1. Son too much rotation risk?
    2. Add camarasa over JWP for one week or keep the transfer available going in to bench boost week?
    3. Is trippier nailed now?
    4. How’s my WC looking?!

    1. ThisTimeNxtYrRodney
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I've got the same goalies and the same front 3 plus sterling, mane, robbo and dunk. Think that makes 9 same, so I have to like your team. You get a strong team for 34, a strong BB (if you still have it) in 35 and plenty of choice from 36-38.
      A slight risk with 3 Southampton but they are fighting for survival and have good fixtures.
      With your 4 FT between now and the end of the season you should be able to play a strong 11 each week.
      1. I think son is worth the risk.
      2. No opinion
      3. Think so
      4. A strong WC line up
      Good luck for the rest of the season.

      1. Fantasydreamer
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Appreciate the reply - on paper I feel it looks good but as we all know fantasy never works like that! Good luck to you as well