Free Hit Chip Strategy in Blank Gameweek 29
The Scout dives into the pros and cons of using the Free Hit chip in Blank Gameweek 29 (BGW29) in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
Blank Gameweek 29 Overview
| Team | Reason for No Fixture |
|---|---|
| Liverpool | EFL Cup final on Sunday 16 March |
| Newcastle United | EFL Cup final on Sunday 16 March |
| Crystal Palace | No fixture due to EFL Cup final |
| Aston Villa | No fixture due to EFL Cup final |
As a result, players from these four teams will score zero points in FPL, making BGW29 a critical point for managers to consider their strategies.
Impact on Popular Players
BGW29 will significantly affect a large portion of the most popular players in Fantasy right now. The absence of key players like Mohamed Salah (£13.8m) and Alexander Isak (£9.4m) is particularly impactful, as their ownerships of 70% and 55% place them among the three most-owned players.
Add in Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m), and it means the most-picked asset across each of the three outfield positions will be without a match in Gameweek 29.
Most-Owned Players Without a BGW29 Match
| Player | Position | Ownership (TSB) |
|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | MID | 70.6% |
| Alexander Isak | FWD | 55.0% |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | DEF | 33.4% |
| Virgil van Dijk | DEF | 22.1% |
| Ollie Watkins | FWD | 19.6% |
| James Maddison | MID | 18.8% |
Benefits of Free-Hitting in BGW29
The Free Hit chip allows you to replace your entire squad for a single Gameweek only. This can be a game-changer in BGW29, where many top players will be absent.
Crucially, the Free Hit chip also allows you to bring in Erling Haaland (£14.7m) for his match at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in BGW29. Manchester City’s Norwegian striker is in his most consistent form of the campaign at present, with only two blanks in his last nine league outings.
Haaland’s lowly 27% ownership can make him a hugely effective captaincy option in the reduced round of matches.
Problems Ahead if You Free-Hit in BGW29
There is another Blank Gameweek ahead in Gameweek 34 (BGW34). The schedule for BGW34 will not be finalised until after the FA Cup quarter-finals, but we already know that there will be more clubs without a Premier League fixture than in BGW29.
A minimum of three matches and a maximum of four will need to be rescheduled due to BGW34 clashing with the FA Cup semi-finals.
GW34 Fixtures That Could Be Postponed
| GW34 Fixture | Postponed If… |
|---|---|
| Arsenal v Crystal Palace | Palace win in QF |
| Bournemouth v Man Utd | Bournemouth win in QF |
| Brighton v West Ham | Brighton win in QF |
| Man City v Aston Villa | Man City or Villa win in QF |
| Nott’m Forest v Brentford | Forest win in QF |
| Southampton v Fulham | Fulham win in QF |
FA Cup Quarter-Final Draw
Preston v Aston Villa
AFC Bournemouth v Manchester City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Nottingham Forest
If both Aston Villa and Man City win their FA Cup quarter-finals, there will be only three matches removed from Gameweek 34. In order for there to be four matches removed, both Bournemouth and Villa would need to progress to the semi-finals of the FA Cup, with Bournemouth beating Man City. That would mean the Cherries and Manchester United would also suffer a BGW34.
Such a scenario would leave EIGHT clubs without a fixture in BGW34 compared with only four in BGW29.
How Could Problems in BGW34 Be Navigated Without a Free Hit?
Whereas the absence of Liverpool and Newcastle players from BGW29 has posed the biggest headache for managers for the next two Gameweeks, the pair’s early exits from the FA Cup means they WILL both play in BGW34, so you can now plan ahead for that.
Both have favourable home matches in BGW34 – Liverpool face Spurs, while Newcastle entertain Ipswich.
Salah and Alexander-Arnold are very likely to be viewed as must-haves by millions of managers for the remainder of the season. As Newcastle also play TWICE in Double Gameweek 32 (DGW32) – with two home matches against Man Utd and Palace – it’s worth tripling up on their key picks prior to BGW34.
Isak is the go-to option, while in midfield, Jacob Murphy (£5.0m) is a budget-friendly option alongside or as an alternative to Anthony Gordon (£7.4m), who returns from suspension in Gameweek 31.
Is BGW34 Actually Looking THAT BAD…?
Handily, all four of the matches which will definitely take place in BGW34 offer strong options in attack AND a home fixture.
Along with Liverpool and Newcastle’s assets, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (£11.0m) is at home against Everton, while Wolves’ Cunha will be back from suspension in time for their home meeting with Leicester.
If you only have the Wildcard available then it’s best to hold it until Gameweek 30 or 31, when the FA Cup semi-finals and their impact on BGW34 will become clearer.
Save the Free Hit for a Double Gameweek?
By waiting until the FA Cup quarter-finals have passed and the BGW34 matches have been rescheduled before using the Free Hit chip, we will then know when the rest of the Double Gameweeks for the campaign will take place.
Playing your Free Hit chip in a bumper Double Gameweek gives you the opportunity to select 11 players and profit from 22 matches.
For example, if Villa or Man City get through to the last four of the FA Cup, you could captain Haaland for two matches and pair him with Ollie Watkins (£8.9m), who claimed 15 points in Villa’s recent Double Gameweek 25.
This could also offer a possible strategy for those managers who are planning to use their Wildcard in Gameweek 30 or 31. They can shape their new squads around players who have two matches in Double Gameweek 32 and also have a fixture in Blank Gameweek 34, playing their Bench Boost chip in the earlier of those Gameweeks to profit from Newcastle and Palace’s two matches.
This would allow them to simply deal with Blank Gameweek 34 when it comes around by using the Free Hit chip on players they would only want on a temporary basis.