Chip Strategy
15 September 2025 297 comments
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In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of a Gameweek 5 Wildcard.

We’ll also present a few draft ideas that take into account both the form of Erling Haaland (£14.1m) and the increase in clean sheets.

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers have until the Gameweek 19 deadline to use the first Wildcard.

Don’t forget that you can get your Wildcard team rated via our Rate My Team tool or Plan FPL!


GAMEWEEK 5 WILDCARD: THE PROS

FPL notes: Haaland “better than ever” + Foden central 4

Get Haaland

Erling Haaland has already been bought by almost 170,000 managers this week, having climbed to the top of the FPL player standings on Sunday.

The Norwegian is set to face Burnley in Gameweek 6, with a favourable set of fixtures to follow against Brentford, Everton, Aston Villa and Bournemouth.

If you’ve had enough of seeing him haul, a Wildcard is a chance to buy him through the redistribution of Mohamed Salah (£14.5m) funds or otherwise.

It’s also important to remember that you can’t use two chips in the same Gameweek, so if you want to Triple Captain Haaland against Burnley, you might need to Wildcard now.

Switch to a back four/five

With clean sheets becoming more prevalent, this could be an opportune time to start playing a back four or even a back five formation.

Notably, eight of the top 15 points scorers in FPL so far this season are defenders.

The impact of defensive contributions (DefCons) is clear, so allocating more budget to your backline may be a wise decision.

Rejuvenate your squad

If you haven’t got off to a good start, a Gameweek 5 Wildcard can help rejuvenate your squad.

This could be beneficial if you own underperforming players like Florian Wirtz (£8.4m) and Ollie Watkins (£8.9m), or rotation risks such as Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.4m) and Brennan Johnson (£7.1m).

A Wildcard offers a chance to resolve these issues in a free-hit manner.

Increase team value

This week will likely see lots of price rises and falls, so team value can be enhanced by ditching the droppers and jumping on bandwagons like Antoine Semenyo (£7.5m).

You can monitor these changes using Live FPL’s price change predictions tool.


GAMEWEEK 5 WILDCARD: THE CONS

 

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  1. DavvaMC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 months, 22 days ago

    Wirtz needs to go but who for? Maybe a cheaper midfielder in preparation for getting Haaland in.

    A. Caicedo
    B. KDH
    C. Who else

    Current midfield is

    Salah / Wirtz / Semenyo / Rogers / Reijnders

    Thanks

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      2 months, 22 days ago

      Eze

      Get ahead of the curve

      1. DavvaMC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        2 months, 22 days ago

        Yeah Eze, next two fixtures though are tough.

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          2 months, 22 days ago

          Even better

          In some ways for the top players and a differential still

          Of sorts, 12% owned but not on these pages.

  2. BigDan1995
      2 months, 22 days ago

      Sanchez vs ManU or Dubravaka vs Nott?

      1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 9 Years
        2 months, 22 days ago

        Dubravka

      2. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 months, 22 days ago

        Dub

        1. BigDan1995
            2 months, 22 days ago

            Thanks.

        2. Stranger Mings
          • 5 Years
          2 months, 22 days ago

          Dub

      3. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 9 Years
        2 months, 22 days ago

        Bench Sarr, Johnson to Semenyo the best move here?

        Sels (Dubravka)
        VdV Diouf Rodon Esteve (DeCuyper)
        Salah Gakpo Reijnders Johnson (Sarr)
        Haaland Watkins (Gulu)

        1. Miguel Sanchez
          • 9 Years
          2 months, 22 days ago

          Which Sarr?

          1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
            • 9 Years
            2 months, 22 days ago

            Ismaila

            1. Miguel Sanchez
              • 9 Years
              2 months, 22 days ago

              Yeah good moves

        2. Mr Turnip 1
            2 months, 22 days ago

            Like it

        3. Miguel Sanchez
          • 9 Years
          2 months, 22 days ago

          Which one to sell for Palmer?

          A) Kudus
          B) Gakpo

          1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
            • 9 Years
            2 months, 22 days ago

            A

          2. Stranger Mings
            • 5 Years
            2 months, 22 days ago

            A

          3. Pompel
            • 11 Years
            2 months, 22 days ago

            A

          4. ☈☾
            • 8 Years
            2 months, 22 days ago

            A

          5. Mr Turnip 1
              2 months, 22 days ago

              B, Gakpo might get benched later

          6. Meta12345
            • 1 Year
            2 months, 22 days ago

            Any help to what to do here? 1 ft , wc used, fh used, 0.7 itb. Murillo and JSL flagged.

            Dubravka
            Esteve Lacroix Andersen
            Salah Semenyo Stach Mitoma
            JSL Evanilson Haaland

            Kelleher Reijnders Murillo Tarkowski

            Murillo seems fine but JSL doesnt. JSL to muñiz perhaps?

            1. AC/DC AFC
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              2 months, 22 days ago

              I can understand holding Salah for the Everton match, but that's usually low scoring and fwiw it's the early KO too.

              I'd sell Salah and JSL as it gives you so many more options. A Newcastle or Arsenal striker for example, or Pedro + 1?

              I'd also probably start Tark despite the fixture at Anfield on Saturday.

              1. Meta12345
                • 1 Year
                2 months, 22 days ago

                You have too much faith in that everton defense. Remember they are without brantwhaite and tottenham trashed them 4-0 without him last season. If i sell salah I wont have a genuine captain option.

            2. Mr Turnip 1
                2 months, 22 days ago

                You could start Murillo if he’s fit tbf, and Tark almost certainly gets DefCon if not. Then you could roll this week and actually but a decent striker with 2 FT next week. Don’t like Muniz cos of rotation risk

                1. Meta12345
                  • 1 Year
                  2 months, 21 days ago

                  I think I am bringing muñiz in for the next 3 if JSL is confirmed out of gw5. 3 starts out of 4 is good enough for muñiz. Plus jimenez was the one that started in the carabao cup.

            3. Radulfo28773
              • 4 Years
              2 months, 22 days ago

              Play Raya or Dubravka next GW?

              1. GeminiNeil
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 4 Years
                2 months, 18 days ago

                That is my dilemma... could go either way...

            4. Radulfo28773
              • 4 Years
              2 months, 22 days ago

              Bench two:
              a - Cucurella
              b - Van de Ven
              c - Senesi
              d - Guehi
              Bench one
              1 - Grealish
              2 - Reijnders

              1. Punned It
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Tough. ac2.

                  1. Radulfo28773
                    • 4 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Thanks mate

              2. Pompel
                • 11 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Why no love for Palmer in GW5 wildcard drafts - I think he could be a nice differential , with possible switch to Saka if wanted

                1. Count of Monte Hristo
                  • 12 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Where is the consistency? Not worth 10.4.

                  1. Pompel
                    • 11 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Just seeing he has decent point totals from last two seasons

                2. White Pony
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  The fact he wasn’t fit to start at the weekend and now faces two games a week puts me off.

                  1. Stranger Mings
                    • 5 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Good points

              3. ☈☾
                • 8 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Gakpo with four 90 min games. Think he’s as nailed as Salah.

                Will be moving Salah to Gakpo to get Haaland next GW

                1. Feanor
                  • 16 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  That's what I did on my GW3 WC.

                  Also took out Sels, Milenkovic, Rodon, Esteve, Rogers, Palmer, Fulkrug and Guiu.

                2. The Bandit
                  • 15 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  He’s only been nailed because Isak hasn’t been in the picture.

                3. Mother Farke
                  • 1 Year
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Saying this before Champions League rotation kicks in is a flex haha

                4. ryacoo
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Isak hasn't played a minute yet - and it won't be for Salah when he does

              4. ☈☾
                • 8 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                @Tom, Bogarde to get a run with his performance and all the injuries?

              5. ryacoo
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 9 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Got a few bench dilemma this week. Who would you start?

                1) Sels (bur)
                2) Dubravka (NFO)

                And which THREE (minimum 2 defs) from:
                A) Richards (whu)
                B) Reinildo (AVL)
                C) Esteve (NFO)
                D) N.Williams (bur)
                E) Reijnders (ars)
                F) KDH (liv)

                1. Magic Zico
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Sels Richards Williams

                2. Stranger Mings
                  • 5 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  1 A & E , then C

              6. lilmessipran
                • 13 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Is this bench good enough for a BB this week?

                Dubravka Senesi Stach Gudmundsson

                1. RamaJama
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 13 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Yes

                2. Magic Zico
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Yes

              7. Solly The Seagull
                • 8 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Should I WC this team? 2ft 0.3itb

                Sels
                Porro Milenkovic Andersen Richards
                Salah Bruno Wirtz Rogers
                Watkins Bowen

                Dubravka Reijnders VDV Guiu

                Thanks!

                1. ryacoo
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Nah not imo, maybe start Dubravka to split the risk this week and focus on getting Haaland for GW6

                  I have a similar team and looking to save FT one more, then Salah, Wirtz and Bowen out for Palmer, Haaland +1

                2. AC/DC AFC
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 10 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Yes

                  6 of the first 11 could easily go

                3. Magic Zico
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Next week

                4. NZREDS
                  • 12 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Definitely, more or less than same team I had before I pulled the trigger

              8. Acer
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 16 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Another great captain choice from the ‘experts’ this week. He has looked poor for weeks and was very jammy to get a pen in the 95th minute. I would trust Haaland more at the moment for sure.

                1. ryacoo
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  You trusting Haaland at the Emirates?

                2. Magic Zico
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  ARS ain't MUN

                3. White Pony
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  I thought about capping Salah but when I listened to United on the radio the previous week v Burnley I felt they sounded pretty vulnerable, so went Haaland.

              9. RamaJama
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                A) Watkins to Gyokeres or Pedro
                B) Get a defcon defender
                C) WC
                D) Roll

                Dubravka
                Williams VdV Cucurella
                Salah Semenyo Dango Kudos Rejinders
                Haaland Watkins

                Subs Verbruggen Guiu Diof Esteve

                1. Magic Zico
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Roll

              10. goneill79
                • 14 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Any Wolves fans around care to share views on H Bueno & R Gomes?

              11. dshv
                • 8 Years
                2 months, 22 days ago

                Senesi or Guehi on wildcard

                1. Magic Zico
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Both if possible

                2. Stranger Mings
                  • 5 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Guehi

                3. Punned It
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Senesi.

                4. Count of Monte Hristo
                  • 12 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Leave Timber and Johnson on the bench this week?

                  Raya

                  Porro Muñoz VDV

                  Mbeumo Paqueta Gakpo Semenyo(c)

                  Pedro Wood Haaland

                  1. Stranger Mings
                    • 5 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Yes

                    1. Count of Monte Hristo
                      • 12 Years
                      2 months, 22 days ago

                      Thanks

                      1. Count of Monte Hristo
                        • 12 Years
                        2 months, 22 days ago

                        Start Raya or Dubravka?

                        1. Stranger Mings
                          • 5 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Raya

                          1. Count of Monte Hristo
                            • 12 Years
                            2 months, 22 days ago

                            Cheers bud

                5. Vasshin
                  • 6 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  If you’re using your wildcard, will you transfer your 5.5 attacking defenders( Munoz, Porro) to 4.5 or 5.0 CB’s with more defcon like Lacroix, Senesi, vdb to ugrade your mid/forwards?

                  1. White Pony
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 7 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Yeah I think I am going mainly 4.5s with perhaps one 6.1 (Gabriel).

                  2. Stranger Mings
                    • 5 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Yes

                6. White Pony
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  I know a GW5 WC is early by most people’s standards but I’ve played mine in either 2 or 3 for years, holding out this long is quite an achievement for me!

                  1. Stranger Mings
                    • 5 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    I am waiting

                7. El_meak
                  • 2 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Is this wildcard team good to go?
                  Sanchez
                  Van de ven, senesi, guehi, konsa
                  Semenyo, Palmer, Salah, Reijnders
                  J Pedro, Haaland

                  1. Stranger Mings
                    • 5 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Yeh

                  2. aleksios
                    • 10 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Try with 3 strikers imo.

                8. ball c
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Bench boost gw 5.. yes or no:

                  Dubravka - Senesi - Elliott - Stach

                  1. FPL Blow-In
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 13 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Yeah, that’s more than decent to be fair. Newcastle could be tired and Senesi good for attacking returns and defcons. The rest are all good fixtures

                  2. Count of Monte Hristo
                    • 12 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Not sure, will Elliott get enough minutes?

                  3. aleksios
                    • 10 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    No.
                    Better options.later.

                    1. FPL Blow-In
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 13 Years
                      2 months, 22 days ago

                      When?

                9. Count of Monte Hristo
                  • 12 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Will likely sell Johnson in GW6.

                  Which is more appealing?

                  Xavi (h) to Wolves

                  Doku (h) to Burnley

                  Grealish (h) to West Ha

                  1. aleksios
                    • 10 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Grealish

                  2. Stranger Mings
                    • 5 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Grealish

                10. aleksios
                  • 10 Years
                  2 months, 22 days ago

                  Comfused on what to do here .
                  1 fr 4.5itb.

                  --Dubravka
                  --Saliba--Ballard--Cash
                  -Rejnders--Semenyo--Cunha-Ndoye
                  --Haaland--Ekitike--Gyokeres

                  --Petrovic--Dorgu--Lewis--King.

                  1. Cunha to Gakpo
                  2. Lewis to Romero-Munoz
                  3. Both for a hit.
                  4. Cunha to Palmer.

                  1. A Trout
                      2 months, 22 days ago

                      Probably 8 players need to go now or soon. Total mess. Save a transfer and pray. Wildcard if possible.

                  2. MrMartini
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 3 Years
                    2 months, 22 days ago

                    Hi all, advice on the below WC dilemmas would be much appreciated.
                    A- 2 of VDV, Senesi, anderson (Ful), other 4.5/4.6 def?
                    B- petrovic+ reijnders/Paqueta
                    Or
                    C- Sanchez+ Andersen (Nfo), other 5.5 mid

                    Many thanks.

                    1. aleksios
                      • 10 Years
                      2 months, 22 days ago

                      Vdv-Senesi.

                      C with Caicedo.

                      1. MrMartini
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 3 Years
                        2 months, 22 days ago

                        Thanks for the reply, caicedo is a good shout.seems to be more attacking than i thought.

                  3. Iwobi-wan kenobi
                      2 months, 22 days ago

                      What would you do with my team? Bench boost or who to sub?
                      Gk: Vicario, Duvravka
                      Def: Munoz, Virgirl, Senesi, Gudmunssom, cucurella
                      Mid: Semenyo, Kudus, Gakpo, Grealish, Paqueta
                      Fwd: Haaland, JP, Mateta

                      1. Salarrivederci
                        • 9 Years
                        2 months, 22 days ago

                        BB

                    • Count of Monte Hristo
                      • 12 Years
                      2 months, 22 days ago

                      Actually, is Ndiaye a better pick than Grealish?

                      1. Iwobi-wan kenobi
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Hes on a knock

                          1. Count of Monte Hristo
                            • 12 Years
                            2 months, 22 days ago

                            Will be buying Johnson replacement for GW6 so guessing Ndiaye will be fine by then.

                        • AC/DC AFC
                          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                          • 10 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          For goals and Gw8

                          Grealish for assist and possible goals too

                          It's close

                      2. AC/DC AFC
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 10 Years
                        2 months, 22 days ago

                        If you had to choose, would you keep:

                        Bruno (CHE, bre, SUN)
                        Or
                        Wirtz (EVE, pal, che)?

                        Cheers

                        1. Bobby Digital
                          • 8 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Keep Bruno

                        2. Pompel
                          • 11 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Bruno

                        3. The Mighty Hippo
                          • 9 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Bruno

                        4. Stranger Mings
                          • 5 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Bruno

                        5. NoOneCares
                            2 months, 22 days ago

                            Both crap but Bruno.

                        6. Pompel
                          • 11 Years
                          2 months, 22 days ago

                          Want to ship Ait-Nouri before price drop tonight. Best defender for next three, before WC'ing (have Arsenal and Chelsea covered):

                          A) Virgil
                          B) VVD
                          C) Romero
                          D) Senesi
                          E) Guehi

                          1. The Mighty Hippo
                            • 9 Years
                            2 months, 22 days ago

                            A

                          2. NoOneCares
                              2 months, 22 days ago

                              Chelsea covered? Their defence is garbage.

                              1. Pompel
                                • 11 Years
                                2 months, 22 days ago

                                yeah, but getting rid of Ait-Nouri is priority - and nice upcoming fixtures from GW8

                          3. DavvaMC
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 4 Years
                            2 months, 22 days ago

                            Who do you think is the better replacement for Wirtz?

                            A. Caciedo
                            B. Xavi
                            C. KDH
                            D. Foden

                            Thanks

                            1. Pompel
                              • 11 Years
                              2 months, 22 days ago

                              B

                              1. DavvaMC
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 4 Years
                                2 months, 22 days ago

                                Thanks.

                            2. The Mighty Hippo
                              • 9 Years
                              2 months, 22 days ago

                              B

                            3. Stranger Mings
                              • 5 Years
                              2 months, 22 days ago

                              B then d

                              1. DavvaMC
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 4 Years
                                2 months, 22 days ago

                                Thanks

                            4. Ball Ake
                              • 1 Year
                              2 months, 22 days ago

                              D particularly if Marmoush is out for a while