Gameweek 24 looks set to be a popular window to play the Wildcard – but in this article, three-time top 200 finisher Lateriser explains why he’ll ultimately hold it until later.
We are in a grey area right now, which makes it difficult to commit. We have no option but to keep prodding on, as is.
No, I’m not talking about a complicated romantic relationship, but the decision about how to currently use the transfers and chips of our FPL teams.
It’s that time of the year when we grab a pen and paper to begin thinking outside of just what the next six-to-seven Gameweeks look like.
Predicting the Blanks and Doubles
Firstly, I’d advise watching this video from my pod partner, and fellow Pro Pundit, Pras. It’s where he discusses what the end of this season will look like for Blank and Double Gameweeks. Based on usual trends, the assumption is this:
- A possible Double Gameweek 26 or 27 for Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers
- Four teams will get a Blank Gameweek 31, due to the EFL Cup final
- Double Gameweek 33
- Blank Gameweek 34, for FA Cup semi-finalists and their scheduled league opponents
- Double Gameweek 36
Ideally, those happy with their current squad could dead-end their team into Blank Gameweek 31, selling some Manchester City and Arsenal players (should they make the EFL Cup final). Then, a Gameweek 32 Wildcard that knows the full picture, helping maximise the later Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips.
Wildcard sooner?
That said, there is a sharp Gameweek 24 fixture swing for some teams, fitting well with a possible Wildcard activation.
The Fixture Ticker says Chelsea, Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Bournemouth have a positive run from Gameweek 24, making it a good time to stock up on their players.
You could jump onto some of those teams even now, but this is where the grey area comes in. At Chelsea, for example, new head coach Liam Rosenior is only just getting equipped with his “man” and “age” philosophies.
Additionally, the Blues have had a fair share of injuries and illnesses. So we simply haven’t seen clues about his favourite XI, or attitudes towards rotation. After all, one reason for Enzo Maresca’s dismissal was his refusal to listen to medical staff and the subsequent overplaying of certain individuals.
Everyone and their grandmother has their eyes on Chelsea’s run from Gameweeks 24 to 27, versus West Ham United, Wolves, Leeds United and Burnley. Yet these are surrounded by important matches in other competitions, making things complicated.
Thinking positively, they have four runouts between now and then. Hopefully, we can get an idea about which first-choice names to target.
Current thoughts
I’m currently sitting outside FPL’s top one million after a brutal bunch of Gameweeks, and I wonder if an early, aggressive Wildcard will help my season. However, after thinking about it, I realised that given how I like to play FPL, it might actually make me not enjoy the end of this season.
- READ MORE: Why FPL Family’s Sam has hit the Wildcard button
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 22 Wildcard – Best drafts + pros/cons of using now
Wildcarding soon means playing later weeks like a chess puzzle. Future moves would be dictated by Player X having a Double here and a Blank there, needing the right amount of players for Blank Gameweek 31, hence owning two players from Team Y. You get the picture.
I’d have to be very disciplined at such a chaotic time, which isn’t enjoyable. I like to jump on a player when I see something and sometimes make slightly risky moves. Or, at the very least, have the option to do so.
A couple of seasons ago, my biggest gripe was that 75 per cent of teams and players targeted in that final third were being decided by the sheer nature of Blanks and Doubles, so I just felt very chained and restricted.
Knowing how I derive fun from this game – backing some picks and making moves now based on what I see – I can play a little more freely, knowing there’ll be a Wildcard in my back pocket. It’d be a ‘get out of jail’ card, in case my team becomes rubbish.
Otherwise, I will try to activate it in Gamweek 32, a time when having more information makes it very powerful.
Gameweek 22 Thoughts
As for now, my current midfield features Matheus Cunha (£8.1m), Anthony Gordon (£7.5m), Bukayo Saka (£10.2m) and Phil Foden (£8.7m). I’m worried about the latter two’s minutes in the near future, given the squad competition at Arsenal and Man City.
When it comes to Man United, there’s uncertainty over how Michael Carrick will set the team up. Perhaps Cunha turns out to be a good pick, but his next two fixtures aren’t great, giving me a slight temptation to move for Morgan Rogers (£7.7m). The in-form Aston Villa attacker is taking more shots than before, has good fixtures until Gameweek 31, and has some ‘big dog energy’ right now.
Rogers, Bruno Fernandes (£9.1m) and Harry Wilson (£5.9m) are good, safe bets to make at the moment, but there’s also Chelsea midfielders and possibly Antoine Semenyo (£7.6m) on the radar.
Do we roll our precious transfers over and keep the powder dry? Or jump on picks with a good entry point, like Rogers? That’s the question I’m facing at the moment, and the answer is…. well, a bit of a grey area.
One thing is certain, though. If you’re planning to Wildcard in Gamweek 24, it might be worth accumulating transfers before then, knowing they get carried beyond such activation. Because approaching a Wildcard with saved-up transfers is a lot more potent.
On that note, at least get to chalking your path. But the upcoming midfield reshuffle is going to be rather interesting once we get some valuable insight.
Good luck!
