Zophar hosts his weekly Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Q&A ahead of Gameweek 30. Here, there is chat about chip usage, Crystal Palace and possible one-week punts.
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Q: If you have no Crystal Palace or Newcastle United players, would you Wildcard now, given the favourable entry point for both teams?
(via FPL VIRGIN)
A: I’m in a position similar to yours. I sold Alexander Isak (£9.3m) before Blank Gameweek 29 to make room for Erling Haaland (£14.8m) and I need to get the Swedish international back sharpish. Possibly for Gameweek 30.
I think most of us are now looking at Wildcarding in Gameweek 31, rather than Gameweek 30, with the primary reasoning that we’ll likely have a clearer picture of the schedule after these FA Cup quarter-finals. Yes, the blank fixtures will be known with these weekend results, but rescheduling might not be announced by Gameweek 30.
Given what we’ve seen previously, it’s perilous to assume that the Double Gameweeks will be scheduled as ‘expected’.
For what it’s worth – and it indeed is very little – Brentford have recently tightened up in away games. They’ve conceded just twice in their last four trips on the road. I see a bigger immediate appeal for Palace, with Daniel Munoz (£5.1m), Ismaila Sarr (£5.6m) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.5m) all looking prime for points against Southampton.
Unless your team is decimated by injuries or we get full fixture confirmation by Tuesday’s deadline, I still like waiting for Gameweek 31. The points potentially gained with a clear picture of the schedule could be greater than when using it now.
Q: I’m going to Wildcard in Gameweek 31, but have cash from selling Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.3m) burning a hole in my pocket. Is there anyone with high upside you would take a one-week hit for?
(via FP ELEPHANT)
A: Looking at the Gameweek 30 fixtures, Manchester City, Bournemouth and Palace play the three promoted sides. These have plenty of upside.
If you can’t stretch to Haaland, I think I most like investing in the Eagles. If the big Norwegian is doable, he could instantly pay off a four-point hit, especially if you captain him. Otherwise, I really like Mateta and his low ownership.
Q: What’s the best strategy for the season with these remaining chips: Wildcard, Assistant Manager, Bench Boost, Free Hit? I have a good Gameweek 30 team, but unsure beyond that.
(via @PiegionF)
A: With the fixture schedule still a bit murky, it’s difficult to answer this question with absolute certainty and clarity. What we do know is that Gameweek 34 will likely be a blank, so the Free Hit looks ideal for then, especially as those absent teams will probably double in Gameweek 33.
As mentioned, a Gameweek 31 Wildcard looks ideal for the run-in, with the fixture schedule expected to be clear by then.
With Bench Boost, you could aim for the big Double Gameweek 33 or potentially Newcastle and Palace’s Double Gameweek 32, though the latter is also a good activation point for Triple Captain.
Assistant Manager chip is perhaps the trickiest one, as it’s active for three consecutive rounds. If Palace beat Fulham and get given consecutive doubles (32 and 33), then using it on Oliver Glasner has appeal.
It can follow a Gameweek 31 Wildcard, but would need switching to another boss for Gameweek 34. That’s when Palace either blank or visit Arsenal. This idea makes Bench Boost and Triple Captain tricky, as we may not have any more doubles.
So I still like using Assistant Manager during the closing three Gameweeks, as it can align with your rank goals. By then, you know what kind of points you need to overtake mini-league rivals and you can chase the table bonus in all three fixtures.
It’s not a chip that needs to be used purely in doubles. If you strike gold, you’d be looking at something like 60 points over the final few rounds. It’s a true ‘Hail Mary’ chip for FPL managers.
This week’s Q&A was short, as most of us are still in FPL hibernation while waiting for the schedule to become clearer.
The next edition will come after these cup fixtures, where there should be more clarity.
