Gameweek 20 is here and brings with it renewed access to all four chips. Everyone now has a Wildcard, a Free Hit, a Bench Boost and a Triple Captain to use between now and May.
While many will keep the Free Hit, Bench Boost and Triple Captain for the upcoming Blank/Double Gameweeks, the Wildcard may be more of a ‘need must’ chip.
If you have a roster littered with red flags and non-starters, and no free transfers left, the Wildcard can address all of that in one fell swoop.
So we wonder if this is the right time to activate it or if it makes more sense to hold it for later. We’ll also go through some concept ideas.
WHY WILDCARD NOW?
INCREASE TEAM VALUE
Price changes could play a big role in driving Wildcard interest – although there are only two more nights of rises/falls before Gameweek 20.
The additional free transfers being doled out to help managers navigate AFCON have increased activity in the market, leading to sharper rises and falls.
As a result, team value has become even more important than usual.
DOWNGRADE RAYA?
Goalkeeper movements are often low on the priority list of FPL managers. Even experienced bosses rarely change their goalkeepers, preferring to concentrate their transfers elsewhere. You are probably not going to use transfer sales David Raya (£6.0m) – but you might send him with a Wildcard.
Yes, he’s a rotation-proof route to the league’s best defense. But he rarely gets save/bonus points even though he does The wood jury (£6.4 million) and Gabriel (£6.4m) provides attacking returns and/or DefCon points. Raya averages 4.2 points per start; Gabriel gets up at 8.0!
Three goalkeepers indeed have a better points average per game than the Spaniard.
That contrast could encourage some managers to lower the target and redistribute resources across the squad, even if it is for an Arsenal defensive double with Gabriel and Timber.
GABRIELS RETURN
Speaking of whom Gabriel’s The return from injury also puts him firmly on the radar again.
The Brazilian marked his comeback with a goal, a clean sheet and maximum bonus points, further underlining what an attractive option he is ahead of a favorable run of fixtures.
INJURIES
In midfield, Declan Rice (£7.2 million) knee injury adds another complication. Replacing him, if necessary, may not be easy and could force managers to make two or even three transfers to rebalance their sides.
Injuries elsewhere continue to fuel Wildcard discussions. Michael Keane’s (£4.8m) recent setback has frustrated many, especially with Everton about to start a good game. David Moyes gives us little information about his recovery time. Considering his price, Keane would upgrade to James Tarkowski (£5.6m) may require further realignment, increasing the appeal of activating a Wildcard.
DEFENSIVE RECOVERY
Other defensive options continue to frustrate managers, especially around Keane’s price range.
An injury Chris Richards (£4.5m) and an unfavorable run of matches for Joachim Andersen (£4.6 million) and Mark Senesi (£4.9m) means many teams may need multiple substitutions at the back.
FAVORABLE FIXTURE FLUCTUATIONS
Few expected Aston Villa to maintain their recent form, but Unai Emery’s side won ten games in a row before Gameweek 19. With favorable matches on the horizon, this could be the right time to invest. Morgan Rogers (£7.4m) stands out after back-to-back 15-point broadcasts and is likely to attract significant interest.
Chelsea options could also play a more prominent role. After a tough match against Manchester City, the Blues will face Fulham, Brentford and out-of-form sides including Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Burnley. That run would include players like Cole Palmer (£10.4 million) and Enzo Fernandez (£6.4m) back on managers’ radar, although Enzo Maresca’s departure still leaves a few questions open.
Newcastle’s assets could become viable again, with upcoming matches against a tiring Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. With budget defenders facing tougher fixtures and injury problems, there is a push towards players like Malick Thiaw (£5.0 million) seems to be gaining popularity. Increased minutes also point towards Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) is a viable choice, especially when it comes to taking fines.
SEMENYO’S MOVEMENT
Antoine Semenyo A potential move to Manchester City (€7.7m) could also prompt managers to push the button. There’s no telling how the Ghanaian would fit into Pep Guardiola’s squad, and even if he were to stay at Bournemouth, the upcoming games don’t seem good enough for his potential.
WHY SAVE THE WILDCARD?
EMPTY/DOUBLE GAME WEEKS
Unlike the opening months of the season, Blanks and Doubles weeks now seem almost certain to happen between now and May.
Many FPL managers prefer to hold their chips during these periods and use them to squeeze out the maximum number of points available.
We mentioned in the introduction that the Wildcard may be less of a Blank/Double Gameweek chip than the others. However, it can still be deployed in combination with another chip strategy.
For example, a Wildcard can be used for this set up a Bench Boost (i.e. making sure you have 15 starters) or played immediately after one (take the money out of your bank and take it to the starting eleven).
How well can you navigate the blanks/doubles without one?
MANAGERIAL CHANGE CHELSEA
Chelsea parted ways with Enzo Maresca on Thursday, so there is a lot of uncertainty not only about who will come, but also which players the new man will prefer.
After 18 months of studying Maresca there were many ‘acquaintances’. Will this still be the case under the new boss?
For example, Trevo Chalobah (£5.6m) has started every league match he has been available for this season. Will he still be favored by the new boss?
We’ll answer more questions here.
TRANSFER MARKET ACTIVE + AFCON RETURNS
Who knows what the squads will look like in a month? The transfer window opened on New Year’s Day, allowing clubs to negotiate over the coming month.
A player who looks safe for a start now may not be so nailed on February 2, at which point his club may have signed a positional rival.
Is it worth checking this out next month before you commit?
We also have over 30 players returning from the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Gameweek 22/23. Do Mohammed Salah (£14.0m) still has a role to play at Liverpool?
GAME WEEK 20 WILDCARD DESIGN
We took swift action on Gabriel’s return and downgraded Raya in favor of Brighton’s Bart Verbruggen (£4.5 million). The additional resources also make a step possible John Victor (£4.0m), who continues to start for Nottingham Forest.
Keane’s injury pushes Tarkowski firmly under consideration. He joins Thiaw and that of Brentford Sepp van den Berg (£4.5m) as solid defensive options. At the end of the budget Ayden heaven (£3.9m) remains an attractive short-term option due to his price and consistent minutes for Manchester United. Even if he loses his place, he is our cheap fifth defender.
In midfield we keep assets such as Matheus Cunha (£8.2m), which offers flexibility and can be downgraded later if the calendar becomes less favorable. One plan here would be to move him to a cheaper midfielder in Gameweek 22 and upgrade Thiaw to Timber.
Saka and Foden both make the cut, alongside Enzo and Rogers, who benefit from an attractive program. Enzo is of course a risk as we have yet to see how a new manager will use him.
Up front, Bowen works with Haaland to complete the design.
This taps into a lot of team value, so for those with a bigger budget it could be Foden Rayan Cherki (£6.7 million).
ALTERNATIVE DESIGN
This design brings forward the planned change in Gameweek 22, so a double defense from Arsenal.
However, we were also able to keep Cunha for the next two favorable matches by making the aforementioned swap from Foden to Cherki.
In either draft, Saka and Enzo could perhaps be traded for Palmer and Rice, depending on team value – now or later. That of course depends on Rice’s recovery from injury.
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