Who to target for a Gameweek 30 Wildcard
Many FPL managers who are looking to play their Wildcard soon will try hold out for Gameweek 31. This will give them a couple of weeks over International Break to tinker with their teams. However, with so many injuries in Gameweek 29 some FPL managers might look to move that Wildcard forward. We take a look at the best buys for a Gameweek 30 Wildcard.
Many FPL managers will be waiting for the final three matches of Gameweek 29 to be played before making concrete plans with their FPL teams. If the likes of Lucas Digne, Michail Antonio and Bukayo Saka are available some managers will avoid hitting the Wildcard button. However, if they are unavailable then a lack of players may result in managers playing the chip this week.
Gameweek 30
There are only four fixtures in Gameweek 30.
If FPL managers decide to Wildcard they are likely not going to have a bench for Gameweek 30. Managers will need to attempt to prepare themselves for this week, as well as targeting the teams that have good fixtures coming out of Gameweek 30.
Spurs and Arsenal have the benefit of a game in Gameweek 30 as well as nice fixtures following on. This means that managers could triple up on both sides of North London as part of a Wildcard.
Spurs
The white side of North London has a London derby against West Ham in Gameweek 30. On paper this could be a difficult fixture for Spurs, especially defensively. For managers on a Wildcard buying in to the Spurs attack looks the wise option.
Managers could afford to potentially lose Salah in Gameweek 30 as his Liverpool team does not feature. Doing this would allow managers to own the likes of Kane, Kulusevski and Son. Managers could also manage their Wildcard bank to create a route back to Salah for Gameweek 31. This would allow managers to give themselves more budget to spend as well as helping to ensure that they can get 11 players out.
Arsenal
As long as he is fully fit after his knock in the first game of Gameweek 29 Saka remains the key pick. Topping him up on Wildcard with Ramsdale in goal as well as either Lacazette or Odegaard looks good. Three Arsenal assets is ideal for Gameweek 30 as well as setting managers up nicely for Gameweek 31 and beyond.
Key picks beyond Spurs and Arsenal on a Gameweek 30 Wildcard
Defenders
When you sort the Fantasy Football Scout fixture ticker by defence from Gameweek 31 onwards there are three teams who play in Gameweek 30 in the top five.
Targeting Spurs, Arsenal and Leicester on a Wildcard in Gameweek 30 could allow managers to have the bets of both worlds. They are picks who give FPL managers the opportunity to have enough players for Blank Gameweek 30 as well as being long term options.
The likes of Matt Doherty and Keiran Tierney could also offer FPL managers some attacking threat as well as defensive points. Pairing them with Amartey from Leicester will give managers who Wildcard a playing option as well as, if required, a benchable playing asset moving forwards.
Both Romain Saiss and Conor Coady from Wolves also offer good attacking potential ahead of their Gameweek 30 fixture. The Wolves fixtures beyond Gameweek 30 see them play Aston Villa and Newcastle, before Man City, Burnley and Brighton. The Wolves defenders could be benched in the tougher fixtures whilst looking like good options in a number of those games.
Wildcard defender picks: Matt Doherty, Keiran Tierney, Daniel Amartey, Romain Saiss and bench Trent Alexander-Arnold.
(Managers could also go for a Man City or Chelsea defender and bench them playing three defenders in Gameweek 30)
Midfielders
Leicester, Arsenal, Spurs and Brentford are all in the top seven for attacking fixtures between Gameweek 31 and the end of the season.
With those four teams playing in Gameweek 30 they look like ideal Wildcard options. Arsenal’s stand out midfielder pick, whilst Dejan Kulusevski’s is the standout midfielder option from the other side of North London. However, doubling up with Martin Odegaard or Son Heung-Min could be a good option for managers piaying their Wildcard chip.
Leicester’s Harvey Barnes looks like being an excellent differential pick ahead of Gameweek 30. Barnes is owned by just 2.9% of FPL managers. He has also returned in three of his last four Premier League appearances for Leicester. In that time he has registered 23 FPL points for his owners. Since Gameweek 25 Barnes has had 16 attempts on goal, more than any of his Leicester City team mates and the same as Bruno Fernandes in 90 minutes less game time.
For managers looking to add a cheap enabler to their midfield then Brentford’s Christian Eriksen could be the perfect pick. Eriksen returned his first assist in the Premier League for Brentford in Gameweek 29 and Leicester City have a poor record defending set pieces this season which the Dane could exploit.
Wildcard midfielder picks: Dejan Kulusevski, Bukayo Saka, Harvey Barnes, Cristian Eriksen and Mohamed Salah.
(Salah’s Liverpool do not play in Gameweek 30 and so he would be benched this weekend)
Forwards
Before his injury Jamie Vardy was likely to be a popular pick ahead of Gameweek 30. In the absence of Vardy, Spurs’ Harry Kane will grow in popularity. He will almost certainly be the most popular captaincy pick in Gameweek 30 and is a great option until the end of the season.
Ivan Toney’s five goals in two games will have put him firmly back on the FPL radar. Brentford face Chelsea in the aftermath of Gameweek 30 however after that the attacking potential for Toney continues to look good.
Wolves’ Raul Jimenez and Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette could also be a good choices for managers on a Wildcard. Wolves have Aston Villa and Newcastle in Gameweeks 31 and 32 and so Jimenez could be held for a few weeks on a Wildcard.
With Lacazette managers will need to decide which three Arsenal players they want. Aaron Ramsdale will likely be the most popular goalkeeper in Gameweek 30, many managers will opt for Bukayo Saka and therefore there is only one space available for either an additional Arsenal defender or Lacazette.
Wildcard forward picks: Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Raul Jimenez
Do Wildcard managers need to have 11 players in Gameweek 30?
For many managers not playing a chip in Gameweek 30 they will not be fielding 11 players. However, on a Wildcard is is entirely possible to have a full team. Managers can keep the likes of Alexander-Arnold and Salah and bench them, whilst having space to bring in a Chelsea player ahead of Gameweek 31.
Overall
On paper a Wildcard in Gameweek 30 seems a difficult time to play it. However, with the fixtures that follow the Blank Gameweek it is entirely possible to create a great team for Gameweek 30 which also works for the Gameweeks that follow. Using the Fantasy Football Scout Season Ticker will allow managers to plan for a Wildcard now to be a success to the end of the season.
Want a closer look at the Gameweek 30 fixtures check out our article on what to expect.
