Here’s our FPL team tips GW31 article where the 3rd group of the FFGeek contributors show their teams for GW31+. In this part there’s Chris Tucker, Rob Reid, Costas Chari, Stephen Troop and Kev in Canada
FPL team tips GW31 – FFGeek contributor’s teams part 3
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Introduction
This is part 3 of the FPL managers who contribute to the FFGeek site with good histories who show their teams each week. This will give people a feel for what other managers are doing. It’s a fairly informal thing with no obligation on anyone and these teams may change at anytime before the deadline without further notice. In the future it also wont cover early transfers. It’s just to give an idea of the trends for the week no more.
See the part 1 contributors and part 2 contributors article.
Chris Tucker
Chris’s last 2 seasons overall rank were 17k and 1k
GW30 points: 111 on Bench Boost (FPL average 66) Total points 1,806 Gameweek rank 121k, Overall Rank: 18k, green arrow 11k, Team Value: £102.9m
Chris has used his triple captain chip and his Bench Boost in GW30+
As I mentioned in the write up for last week, my recent focus has been entirely on my Bench Boost team for GW30+. It has only been in the last day or so that I have begun to think about what comes next.
Just looking at my team ruled out option one – not using a chip in GW31+. The team needs drastic changes. Specifically, an injection of some good players! Thus, I quickly decided to either wildcard or use the Free Hit.
Having played around with both options, I settled on using my wildcard. I actually think that the Free Hit is the better short-term strategy and could yield some great results in GW31+; however, I worry that price rises would significantly reduce the quality of a later wildcard.
Worryingly, I am actually quite content with my current wildcard draft. It theoretically gives me a good starting eleven (and some decent bench options) up to and including GW35+, with the exception of GW32+, which is when I intend to use my Free Hit chip.
I won’t go into detail about the rationale for my picks, except to say that my priority was to centre the team around United, Wolves and Liverpool players. I love their upcoming fixtures.
I’m not yet decided on the captaincy for this week, but am drawn towards Bruno Fernandes.
Best of luck to you all.
Summary: Wildcard activated. Captain to be decided Fernandes maybe
Rob Reid
Rob’s last 5 seasons overall rank were 148k, 94k, 22k, 4k and 7k
GW30 points: 96 on Bench Boost (FPL average 66) Total points 1,784 Gameweek rank 506k, Overall Rank: 37k, red arrow 1k, Team Value: £105.6m
Rob has used his triple captain chip and 2nd Wildcard and his Bench Boost in GW30+
Follow Rob on twitter here
GW30+ review
A bit of a mixed bag this week as I tried to marry a decent Bench Boost line-up and carrying my team forward without a Wildcard. Several negatives to start – 2 injuries and a suspension including my Captain Aguero only playing 50 minutes across the 2 games (albeit getting 2 assists in the process.) Also no gametime for Mo Salah was a huge negative, he was the only player not to get any minutes in my 15.
Next up 2 blanks from Aubameyang was a very Aubameyang thing so do sadly, though he was pretty unlucky not to register a return in the Brighton game. And finally, I’ve already mentioned Aguero but getting my Captain pick wrong with KDB getting a healthy double figure haul also really held me back.
The big positives were first up 2 single game-weekers in Doherty and Trent and then some budget returns from Nyland and Lascelles. A tough week overall though and only a moderately successful Bench Boost adding 17 points to my score. In the end, escaping with a small red arrow feels disappointing but I did say that I’d be happy to tread water this week so I suppose I can’t complain. Bad luck in the red flag department has certainly left me in a bit of pickle for GW31+ though, so lets have a look at my plan.
GW31+ Team
Sadly despite going for a minor rebuild on my restart team, I’ve been unlucky with injuries and suspensions after just 1 gameweek. Leno is likely out for the rest of the campaign, Egan has a 1 match ban and Aguero went off injured at half-time last night so I’ve got a raft of problems with only 1 free transfer available for GW31+.
I did think a bit about playing my Free Hit to get me out of trouble, but I would have to face up to some of the same dilemmas again in GW32+ so instead I’m going to take a minus 4 and focus on players who look in good form already and have favourable fixtures in GW31+, while also trying to give myself a bit of a contingency on the bench.
So first man sold is the doubtful Sergio Aguero. He’s got a couple of tricky fixtures next anyway and the funds it frees up will be handy. I’m replacing him with Jimenez – this covers his high ownership though it does leave me a Wolves triple and a double-up up front with Jota against Bournemouth. This could be considered a good or a bad thing!
I then have choice between replacing Leno or bolstering elsewhere. My goalkeeping issue I think can wait. Nyland isn’t my ideal choice but he should start against Newcastle which isn’t a disastrous fixture so I’ll play him this week. Instead, I’m going to replace some of the cheap midfield bench fodder, so Norwood goes and in comes Fernandes. I like United’s fixture with Sheffield United missing Henderson, Egan and O’Connell so hopefully there will be some goals at Old Trafford for the Portugal star. Looking further forward, I’ll then have a free transfer to play in GW32+ which I’ll either use to replace Leno or will use on changing Jota to DCL. I then still plan to use my Free Hit in GW33+
So my line-up this week will be Nyland; Doherty, Trent & Lascelles; KDB, Salah, Grealish and Fernandes; Aubameyang, Jimenez and Jota. Lundstram and Douglas Luiz are the subs with the suspended Egan in the 3rd spot. Captain this week looks a tough call. Salah at home to Palace will be heavily favoured, but there are doubts about his fitness and Palace are often sticky opponents for Liverpool. KDB has gametime security but a trickier fixture and I’m just not sure I can trust Aubameyang away against a Saints team that looked slick last Friday.
This leaves me with this week’s transfers in as my options. Either Fernandes or Jimenez could do well and are both viable Captain differentials. At the moment I’ve got the armband on Jimenez but this could certainly change! Good luck for GW31+ everyone – hope you enjoy the games.
Transfer summary: No chip used. Fernandes and Jimenez in. Aguero and Norwood out -4.
Costas Chari
Costas’s last 3 seasons overall ranks were 84k, 29k and 27k
GW30 points: 85 on Free Hit (FPL average 66) Total points 1,750 Gameweek rank 1,129k, Overall Rank: 94k, red arrow 18k, Team Value: £102.3m
Costas has used his triple captain chip and 2nd Wildcard and his Free Hit in GW30+
Can’t remember a season playing the FH chip and getting a red arrow but this season is a special one.
Leno and Aguero injuries, Egans red card, Villa boys Grealish and McGinn blanks and off course Aubameyang blanking was the icing on the cake. Plus I did not captain De Bruyne as most FPL owners did so 18k red arrow.
This week I am playing my Bench boost chip which is my last one. Main Reason for this is that with the team. I have at the moment I don’t think I will get a better one with most player’s having a home game. Also there has been a lot of rotation and I think as the season progresses and the relegation and European places clear up rotation will be greater.
At 94k OR 7 games before the end I have to risk it a bit in order to get a top 35k finish which is the top 0.5% that I aim for each year. So De Bruyne out and Son in. Its not about it fixtures as De Bruyne is fixture proof but mostly Pep Roulette.
Captain- I really cant decide between the 2 United midfielders, Son, Jimenez and Salah. I have Salah at the moment as if he plays he will. Aim for the golden boot. But I will see the press conference first.
Good luck
Summary: De Bruyne out and Son in: Bench Boost played
Stephen Troop
Stephen’s last 3 seasons overall rank were 43k, 52k and 64k
GW30+ points: 103 on Bench Boost (FPL average 66) Total points 1,741 Gameweek rank 278k, Overall Rank: 117k, green arrow 39k, Team Value: £101.5m
Stephen has used his triple captain chip and his Bench Boost in GW30+
Follow Stephen on twitter here
I have wildcarded this week, following up setting up my team for an all in Bench Boost. The bench boost has gone ok so far with 92 points (prior to Monday nights City v Burnley game). Captaining Aguero over De Bruyne has so far been costly, especially how popular of a captain pick KDB was.
For the wildcard, I’ve mainly been focussing on good fixtures for the run in, from teams who have something to play for. My team value is only £101.5 which is very low so I’ve had to make some sacrifices.
For me United and Wolves have the best fixtures, and are both competing for the European spots. Fernandes was straight in. Has some penalty duties and is the biggest threat in that United team in my opinion. Maguire is also in as I think we will see some clean sheets and he has set piece threat. Jimenez and Doherty were no brainers for me from the Wolves team.
Alexander Arnold and De Bruyne stay for their large ownership/ceilings and I have Salah at least for now for Liverpool attacking coverage. Expectation is rotation once the title is sealed but until I see that, I want some attacking coverage.
Calvert Lewin just represents a lot of value if he can keep up his pre break form. Everton have some good fixtures too. Ings is there based on his form and Southampton aren’t safe yet. I don’t like their fixtures however so not 100% on this.
Watford also have decent fixtures and so I’ve picked up Sarr as attack coverage and Foster for defensive coverage.
A pretty cheap bench but with some sure starters.
I’ve avoided Spurs despite the good fixtures because I just don’t like their options at the moment. Also Chelsea due to the high amount of rotation though I am tempted by Mount as the most nailed option making a 3-5-2 instead of Ings in a 4-3-3.
Obviously this is prone to change before the deadline but it’s unlikely to change much.
Good luck all
Summary: wildcard activated
Kev in Canada
Kev finished in 6k last season and 195k in 17/18
GW30+ points: 112 on Bench Boost (FPL average 66) Total points 1,730 Gameweek rank 108k, Overall Rank: 150k, green arrow 102k, Team Value: £104.8m
Kev has used his triple captain chip and his Bench Boost in GW30+
Great score overall with a rank rise from 252K to 150k. However, now Salah is injured, Aguero is injured and my third keeper injury of this season in Leno happened. Third?!
As it stands, I want to hold onto my Wild Card and Free Hit chips, as I think this is only the beginning for these injuries. The rest of my lineup has a relatively strong fixture set up and I feel like I would be wild carding just to get popular players like Jimenez, Fernandes and Calvert Lewin in. I could take a -4 to solve the injury situation and save these chips.
All three options are in play:
1. Take the hit and move Leno to De Gea and Aguero to Jimenez or Kane.
2. Free Hit and have more clarity for GW32 on injuries, rotation and form. I would also get Henderson back.
3. Wild Card. In which I would likely bring the ‘GW31+ Wild Card template’ in of POPE, DOHERTY, ALEXANDER ARNOLD, LASCELLES, DE BRUYNE, FERNANDES, SON, SALAH, CALVERT LEWIN, JIMENEZ.
I will wait for news on Salah, Aguero and Leno before deciding. I am leaning on the 4 point hit.
Here’s my team prior to any wildcard:
Summary: to be confirmed
Other posts
FFGeek contributors teams part 2
FFGeek contributors teams part 1
Early thoughts on the FFGeek team
Analysing the teams of 10 top FPL managers
For more FPL team tips GW31 follow FFGeek on twitter and facebook and instagram for article updates and news
