Here’s a fantasy premier league 2nd wildcard article where FFGeek contributor Andrew Whitfield plays his 2nd wildcard. Andrew finished with an overall rank of 6k last season and 19k in 17/18
fantasy premier league 2nd wildcard – FFGeek contributor Andrew Whitfield plays his 2nd wildcard
Well I never expected to be playing my second wildcard this early, but the more I have thought about it, the more I am convinced that it’s the right thing to do. It’s also been very therapeutic to take my mind off the trauma of the triple captain Mane double gameweek . You really can’t legislate for things like that happening. So my mind is now full of very positive thoughts instead as I prepare to go on the attack for the home stretch !!
So why wildcard ??
Firstly here’s my current team prior to the West Ham v Liverpool game in GW24
– After three successive green arrows had taken me from 243k to 135k, three red arrows have put me back to square one. Having finished 6k and 19k the last two years, if I have realistic ambitions to aim high again, now is the time to react.
– I have witnessed quite a few people in my various mini leagues getting a good uplift from an early second wildcard . It’s the most powerful of all the chips in the toolbox as it’s a complete free reset of all 15 players. To play it in the last 3-6 weeks of the season gives little time to reap the benefits, compared to taking advantage of some good fixture swings now that will have a longer positive effect.
– The traditional time to play the second wildcard has often been late in the season, just before the biggest double gameweek, to fill your side with multiple players having two fixtures to then play the bench boost in the double gameweek. We have seen that these double weeks can be over rated, with rotation rife, and single gameweek players get overlooked. This season is also different as it appears that the wildcard is not going to be as essential to navigate the blanks and doubles as previously, due to a midweek FA cup round five creating less blanks and doubles compared to usual.
– We have GW28 on the horizon which is the League cup final. By Tuesday and Wednesday this week, we will know which four teams will have a blank weekend from Man City, Arsenal, Man Utd, Everton, Villa, Sheff Utd, Leicester and Norwich.. I can play the wildcard this week and know for sure by Wednesday night which four teams will blank in GW28 and set my squad accordingly. Most people won’t have that luxury and could have as many as 6-8 GW28 blankers to worry about.
– Many people are doubled and tripled on Leicester who are one of the possible GW28 blankers. Leicester now face Chelsea, Wolves and Man City and a possible blank. Leicester have kept one clean sheet in nine games, Maddison has blanked seven weeks out of the last eight. Vardy has returned eight points in the last six gameweeks. This looks like a good time to move away from Leicester assets and a wildcard allows that.
– I am a manager who sticks very close to the template so to move off Vardy scares me a lot when he is so highly owned, especially in the higher reaches of the rankings. He is over 80% owned by the top 10k. That’s high risk for a very risk averse player like me. Selling Vardy could back fire badly of course and it’s taking me right out of my comfort zone. But I think Aguero and Aubamayang have every chance of matching Vardy. The foxes have Chelsea, Wolves and Man City. Aguero is explosive but carries that rotation risk and has Spurs, Leicester, Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool. That’s tough.. Auba by comparison has Burnley, Newcastle, Everton, West ham, Brighton, Southampton and Norwich !! And he plays every week. His ownership is less than 15%. It’s high risk but it’s high gain too. I am convinced that this is the right time to take on the templated Vardy and go on the attack.
– Liverpool and Sheffield Utd have nine and eight clean sheets, the most in the league, and both have incredible fixtures ahead. It’s a great chance to double up on both defences.
– The injury to Mane is looking like keeping him out of GW25. I still want the Liverpool triple up which means I can switch to the double Liverpool defence without a hit. Seven successive clean sheets before GW24 and I can enjoy watching the attacking forays of Trent and Robbo which effectively gives me two extra attackers. A 343 with the two Liverpool full backs and Lundstram effectively gives me ten attacking players.
– Besic of Sheff Utd has been taking minutes off Lundstram. He also scored in the FA cup. If Lord Lundstrams number is in danger of being up, I want another Blades defender as security for those fixtures.
– Jimenez and Traore combined to score against Liverpool and do what seven previous teams couldn’t. Traore ripped Liverpool to shreds and scares the living daylights out of me, let alone the defences he faces. I regret selling Jimenez as I just think he is fixture proof as he showed against Liverpool. A nice easy one at Old Trafford next too.
– I can strengthen my bench. Dendoncker rarely produces, Guilbert is part of a fragile Villa defence and Kelly hasn’t kept a clean sheet for eight games.
So my team line up:
Keepers:
Henderson provides my double up in the Blades defence and is back up in case Lundstram loses his place as I don’t want to miss those fixtures. Henderson is also the highest scoring keeper in FPL this season.
Now is the time for two keepers. Henderson can’t play against his parent club in GW31 and there are blank weeks ahead, as well as the bench boost where I will want two scoring keepers. I won’t rotate. But McCarthy is cheap and has good fixtures as a back up.
Defence:
Trent and Robbo, it’s good to have you back in tandem. Amazingly good fixtures and the prospect of plenty clean sheets. If I need more funds, I can be comfortable with VVD too.
Lundstram will play in a 343 and has attacking threat if he keeps his place. Plenty of like for like Blades defenders available if he doesn’t. That gives me double Pool and double Blades.
Lascelles and Stephens look secure in the team and provide good back up from the bench as Newcastle and Southampton both have great fixtures too.
Midfield:
Having both Mane and Salah in GW24 and laying awake wondering which to triple captain did my nut in. I really don’t want that decision every week. Mane being potentially injured and going back to double defence instead, takes that problem away. Mo Salah the stage is all yours.
De Bruyne is just going nowhere. He is an assist machine. I am not looking to move him on. The best player in the league at his best.
Grealish and Traore can both start and both are semi differentials. Both are capable of explosive performances.
Fleck could become Cantwell. That depends on whether it’s Norwich or Sheffield Utd who will miss GW28. But Fleck has the best fixtures.
Forwards
I broke Danny Ings by signing him, as expected. After Liverpool away this week, his fixtures then look fantastic if he can regain his scoring run after a two game “drought”. When I had Maupay as a budget striker, Ings was more of a risk, but I can definitely live with Ings as my “third striker”
Jimenez is Mr Consistent, yet I have somehow managed to own him twice and miss most of his points and then sell him just before he scores. Case in point at Southampton recently. His immediate fixtures are tricky but he thrives in the big games, seems to play every game, and he does have Norwich, Brighton and Bournemouth all at home soon.
I am hanging my hat on Aubameyang to move me up the table with his great fixtures and low ownership. My season could depend on it. Having Aubameynag instead of Vardy does mean I can get to Aguero later in the season with a few adjustments if required. The fixtures for Aubamayang really could not be better , he rarely misses a game and he is on pens.
If you take out the injured or potentially injured Rashford, Abraham and Vardy, then the highest scoring strikers are – Jimenez, Aubamayang and Ings !!
Effective transfer summary:
Here’s a summary of the effective transfers made:
Button out – Henderson in
Soyuncu out – Robertson in
Martin Kelly out – Jack Stephens in
Guilbert out – Lascelles in
Mane out – Traore in
Dendoncker out – Fleck in
Vardy out – Aubameyang in
Maupay out – Jimenez in
Staying in the team: McCarthy, Alexander Arnold, Lundstram, De Bruyne, Salah, Grealish, Ings
Beware the league cup semi:
The above team is very much subject to the outcome of the midweek league cup semi. The League cup final clashes with GW28 and the finalists will have their GW28 games postponed to a later date. If Leicester progress, then that’s all good, especially as it takes out Vardy v Norwich !! But if Villa go through, it rules out Villa v Sheffield Utd and leaves me with six players missing from GW28. My second keeper would cover one place. But I would need to go Fleck to Cantwell, and I would have a one week punt from Aubameyang to Vardy v Norwich as Arsenal v Man City is likely ruled out. I would probably take Robertson down to VanDijk and have funds to take out Grealish before GW28 too. It would make life a lot easier if Leicester go through on Tuesday !!!! Just off to buy my Foxes scarf.. it’s a non FPL game and it will be almost as tense than the Liverpool double gameweek – but not quite !!
Time will tell:
So it’s a much earlier second wildcard than normal , but I am convinced that it’s absolutely the right time for me personally to get on the front foot and give it a go and try put my season back on track.
I’ll update my team with a few words towards the end of the week in this article
Good luck in GW25 !!!
More content
Geek note: If you join our Patreon site you will get access to an FPL contributor tracker team which combines the contributors individual teams each week to show their favourite players, transfers and captains. It will always be completed on a Friday/Saturday in a normal gameweek. There will also be an accompanying spreadsheet so you can drill down further. Currently 1,380 points 58k overall rank
You also get:
Weekly podcasts with the Geek and the other contributors
Joe’s interactive transfer planner and points projection tool plus PlannerTeam. Currently 1,351 points 160k overall rank
FFGeek private leagues
Access to the FFGeek Slack channel for discussion with the contributors and members
NEW Weekly FFGeek contributor imaginary wildcard articles
$2 and $3 tiers per calendar month. No commitment beyond 1 month
Other posts
Following the teams of 10 top FPL managers
FFGeek league codes:
fantasy premier league: fnqq66
Sky Sports fantasy football: fantasyfootball.skysports.com/leagues/join with PIN 8426114
Telegraph fantasy football European Super League: League PIN: 8186902 League Passcode: 2113
Sun Dream Team:
Classic League PIN: SGDKX9Y3
Social Media
Follow FFGeek on twitter and facebook and instagram for article updates and news
