Seven gameweeks to go: How to make a late surge in Fantasy Football
Mercifully, the international break is slowly fading out of sight in the rear-view mirror. Its time to get back to business: no, not the return of the Premier League, but the return of Fantasy Football.
With just seven gameweeks remaining, theres not long left to make a late surge or try and hold off your competition, though the scheduling of fixtures has thrown up a few curveballs.
There are two double gameweeks to traverse, and another blank one, there are several approaches you can take, while there are decisions to be made over the likes of Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane.
FREE HIT IN GAMEWEEK 35
If you still have your free hit chip remaining, gameweek 35 is the time to use it. Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and Leicester are the big-hitters who play twice in the previous week, but due to the FA Cup they will not be in Premier League action on the weekend of April 21/22.
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The most recent gameweek saw massive points hauls, thanks in large part to Mohamed Salahs four goals, and was also a blank gameweek, with many teams not playing. This time around you will have Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool players to choose from. Plan your team around the double gameweeks and free hit for the blank.
WHEN TO USE YOUR OTHER CHIPS?
If you still have your bench boost remaining, the prime time to use it appears to be double gameweek 34, and then you can save your triple captain for gameweek 37. The latter presents three stand-out options: Romelu Lukaku against Brighton and West Ham, Harry Kane (who should be fit by then) against West Brom and Newcastle or any Manchester City attacker at home to Huddersfield and Brighton.
DONT SNUB SALAH
It is around this time of the season that FPL managers start making rash decisions, and that usually results in captain gambles. But Mohamed Salah (£10.7m) is too good to take a risk over. Hes been on fire all season and has hit double figures in four of the last six gameweeks. If you need to find points, transfer in differentials rather than taking punts on risky captain picks, because if Salah bangs youll be left behind.
THE KANE DILEMMA
Harry Kane (£12.7m) could play a hugely decisive role in the final weeks of the FPL season. This time last season, having picked up a similar injury, he scored 10 goals in his final eight appearances of the season and laid on three assists.
Mauricio Pochettino has intimated that he could be involved against Chelsea after training well this week, but its a big risk. With Stoke away and Manchester City his next two fixtures after the trip to Stamford Bridge, it may be worth holding off until gameweek 36 to transfer him back in when Watford, West Brom, Leicester and Newcastle all await.
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ADD AUBA TO YOUR ARSENAL
They may be having a poor season, but no team has a better run of fixtures than Arsenal right now. The Gunners are at home to Stoke and Southampton, then away to Newcastle, before another home match against West Ham.
This season, only Manchester City have scored more goals at home than Arsenal, with the Gunners losing just twice on their own turf. Given that he is ineligible in the Europa League, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.6m) is nailed on to start and could plunder a lot of goals.
LOAD UP ON LEICESTER
Save for back-to-back matches against north London opposition in their final two matches of the season, Leicester City have an excellent run-in to end the season. They play against a host of leaky defences, with their hardest match away to Burnley.
Jamie Vardy (£8.8m) has already been heavily transferred in and that wont change after his strike for England against Italy, while Riyad Mahrez (£8.9m) will not pass up the opportunity to try and earn a few more admirers before the summer.
AUSTIN GAMBLE
Incredibly, only Mohamed Salah (every 85 minutes) and Sergio Aguero (93 minutes) have scored more regularly than Southampton striker Charlie Austin (99 minutes) this season – who is currently valued at just £5.8m.
The forward has been sidelined since December but manager Mark Hughes has revealed he is in contention to play this weekend and is very keen to be involved against West Ham. He could be the perfect cheap enabler up front for your FPL team.
More: Arsenal FC
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