The Premier league is back and that means FPL is also! At this point, I’m not sure if I’m more excited to watch the matches or to finally finish tinkering with my team and inevitably watch it implode. The great thing about FPL is that we will all be doing both simultaneously. This season has had it all. From the highs of a Sergio Aguero hattrick against Aston Villa to the lows of a 3-point Sadio Mané triple captaincy. Something that we didn’t expect, however, was a 3-month respite and an extra wildcard thrown in. For those of us with injury-hit teams it was a blessing, for others that were on a roll or had saved their wildcard it could prove costly. In this article I will attempt to help you navigate the murky waters of FPL, and hopefully, get us all to the top of our mini leagues. Below are my thoughts on chips, who is a must-have, who to stay away from, and my ideal team for Gameweek 30.
Speaking of mini leagues, thanks to a Harvey Barnes masterclass in the final match before lockdown, I now sit two points above Max at the top of the table. Phil is behind but remains in touching distance, sitting 76 points below. To join us (please do, unless your overall rank is extremely high), enter league code os0byc.
Chips:
The way in which we all use our wildcards before tomorrow will go a great distance in deciding the final standings. If you are lucky enough to still have your wildcard, then I would suggest playing it after Gameweek 30, and catering your team this week to the teams on a double gameweek, which are Manchester City, Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Sheffield United. Then by playing your wildcard before Gameweek 31, you can set your team up for the rest of the season. The same can be said if you still have your freehit chip, but it would be done in the reverse order. The lucky ones that still have their triple captain or bench boost should also consider using them this week as this will most likely be the only double-gameweek remaining.
Must-Haves:
Trent Alexander Arnold –
With 14 assists and 11 clean sheets to his name, TAA is an essential piece of your team. I sold him for a few weeks due to his hefty price-tag and immediately regretted it when he accumulated 24 points in gameweek 19.
Kevin De Bruyne –
These might seem obvious, but if you try to go the FPL hipster route (which I sometimes do) you will get left behind in the dust. I expect City to hit the ground running and KDB might be the City asset that is least susceptible to Pep’s rotation antics. With 5 substitutions at his disposal, we might see even more rotation. KDB is a shoe-in and a must-have because of his high ownership percentage and goal involvement.
Raúl Jiménez –
Wolves’ first three fixtures are all teams in the bottom 5 and Jiménez will certainly be involved in a healthy portion of the goals that they score. They are pushing for a top 4 spot and will be hungry. He won’t be rotated often and for 8.1 he’s a steal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin –
With both DCL and Jiménez in your team, you’ll have enough funds available for a star-studded midfield or a third high-profile forward to accompany the two. DCL really found his form under Ancelotti and he looked unstoppable before the break. Everton open the restart with a Merseyside derby, so if you can afford to get him before gameweek 31 then that might be the move.
Anthony Martial –
Listed as a midfielder, Martial will be playing centrally up front when he returns to action. With Pogba and Bruno behind him and an easy run of fixtures, Martial’s prospects look mouthwatering.
Stay Away From:
Every West Ham player –
West Ham have had a shockingly poor season and ‘giving it to Moyesy until the end of the season’ might not be so effective. Their first three are Wolves, Spurs, and Chelsea. You can look, but don’t touch…
Sterling/Mahrez/Sané/Jesus –
Having one of these players might pay off, but definitely don’t select more than one. Pep’s rotation is notorious and with 5 subs we’ll most likely see even more rotation than normal from him.
Alexandre Lacazette –
Most probably won’t be picking him anyways, but Arteta is going to be experimenting with different systems and formations so I would steer clear of Laca. At a 9.4 price tag you just can’t trust him to deliver the goods.
Ideal Team for Gameweek 30:
This team was constructed to really take advantage of what will most likely be the last double-gameweek of the season, with every player playing twice with the exception of TAA and Ings. Expect captaincy choice Kevin De Bruyne to be involved early and often and for the Sheffield United trio to deliver at least one clean sheet. This setup could be ideal for those that still have their wildcard or freehit chips, but may not be the best option if you’ve already used both. Best of luck to everyone and may the FPL gods look down favorably upon your team! (unless you’re in our mini league, then I hope you captain Joelinton).
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