One of the biggest Blank Gameweeks of the season is now upon us. During the week when a bunch of PL teams switches their attention to FA Cup action, their Premier League fixtures are inevitably postponed. There are only 8 teams playing during GW30, meaning there are just 4 matches to watch. Whilst it will be a tedious few days for fans of the Premier League, it could be even worse for fans of FPL. With such few teams playing, trying to maximize the team could turn out to be a massive headache. Therefore, there is an opportunity for FPL managers to use their chip resources, and hence we brought you the FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Guide to push your rank ahead of common managers.
Luckily, the Free Hit Chip exists! For those that still have one available, this is a great opportunity to use it. Arsenal, Tottenham, Wolves, Leicester, Leeds, Brentford, Aston Villa, and West Ham are the playing teams this week. Whilst there are some big names from these teams, it’s quite a task picking 11 reliable point-scorers across the board. In this article, we have brought to you a complete Free Hit team that could net a decent amount of points for BGW30.
FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Team: Goalkeepers
Jose Sa (5.3 million)
Sa will be the man in goal for this Free Hit draft. He has ranked as one of the top 5 goalkeepers this season, having made 99 saves. His contribution has helped Wolves to a solid 11 clean sheets, which is bettered by just four teams.
Wolves face Leeds at home in BGW30, where the hosts hold a 40% chance at a clean sheet. Leeds scored just 31 goals (15th) and has produced an xG of 38.7 (9th). Perhaps the Wolves’ defense can take advantage of this massive underperformance and hold Leeds back for a clean sheet.
FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Team: Defenders
1. Conor Coady (4.8 million)
For the reasons mentioned in the case of Jose Sa, it could be a good idea to double up on the Wolves’ defense. Coady is a nailed option and has scored thrice this season. His teammates Kilman and Saïss both have their own arguments, but neither is as cemented as Coady. In addition, Coady’s 4.2 points per game average this season trumps both Kilman and Saiss as well.
2. Kieran Tierney (5.1 million)
Arsenal defenders have been performing well this season. They are all less prone to rotation unlike others and have collectively totaled 12 clean sheets this season. As the odds of conceding zero looks a little tougher for Arsenal in GW30, there is one option that stands out a little more.
Tierney offers that bit of attacking threat on the left-hand side. Although his attacking returns have dried up in recent weeks, he is still a player that pushes into the final 3rd a lot. His potential for attacking returns, as well as a hand in the clean sheet points, makes him one of the better defenders picks from Arsenal.
3. Sergio Reguilon (5.2 million)
With Ryan Sessegnon, ruled out with injury, Reguilon’s chances of minutes could be much more reassuring. The Spaniard has been a consistent performer whenever he does start. He ranks 5th for the best-expected goal involvements amongst all defenders in the game.
Whilst his opposite flank, Matt Doherty, has been on impressive form recently, he is a bit of a rotation risk, with Emerson Royal fit and lurking behind. It’s also worth noting that Spurs’ opposition in West Ham could be without a few key players. Jarrod Bowen is ruled out completely, whilst Michail Antonio is labeled as a risk. This could bump up the chances of a Spurs clean sheet.
FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Team: Midfielders
1. Heung-Min Son (10.9 million)
Son is the only premium midfielder to select ahead of BGW30, and has been a consistent performer this season as well. The Spurs man holds the best goal involvement rate amongst all midfielders in the PL (46%) and That should be enough to consider Son a must-have in this Free Hit draft. He’s predicted a 40% chance at netting in GW30, and is rated highly enough to be a potential captain choice.
2. Bukayo Saka (6.6 million)
Saka has enjoyed a great season so far, tallying 8 goals and 6 assists. He boasts the best goal contribution out of all his teammates and looks like a very appealing option ahead of BGW30. Arsenal’s fixture against Aston Villa is a little tricky, but the Gunners have enough about them to gain the upper hand. Villa rank in the bottom half for xGC, whilst Arsenal rank 4th for xG. There could be a few goals in this one, and Saka is the best option to cover the Arsenal side.
3. Harvey Barnes (6.5 million)
Whilst Leicester City has had an underwhelming season so far, Barnes has provided where possible. He has 3 goals and 7 assists under his belt and is massively underperforming his xG of 5.7. Barnes is a constant threat down the left-hand side, which will prove useful in BGW30 where the Fixes face Brentford at home. This is one of the more favorable fixtures of the week. In fact, Leicester is the bookies’ favorite to score 2.5+ goals (34% chance), and so some of their attacking assets are essential.
4. Philippe Coutinho (7.4 million)
It’s nice to have Coutinho back in the Premier League again. In just nine starts in a Villa shirt, the Brazilian has totaled 4 goals and 3 assists. He has been key to Villa’s performances since joining, and he isn’t showing signs of slowing down. The home fixture against Arsenal will no doubt be a tough one, especially as their defense has been one of the strongest this season. However, Villa has been scoring well, with 10 goals in the last four. If they are to break through the Gunners, Coutinho will likely be involved.
FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Team: Forwards
1. Harry Kane (12.4 million)
There aren’t many premium players available from the teams in BGW30. Harry Kane tops the list though, and he’s one of the first names on this Free Hit draft. With 6 goals in the last five games, Kane is in a serious form right now. The bookies rank him as the most likely scorer (60%) when Spurs face West Ham in GW30. He can both score and create for his teammates, and because of his recent form, he’s a must-have player, and captain-material as well.
2. Ivan Toney (6.6 million)
Toney has sprung to the occasion in the last couple of gameweeks. With 5 goals in just the last two games, the Brentford forward is in scintillating form at the moment. He is by far the most reliable attacking player at his club by goal involvement.
The Bees travel to Leicester City in BGW30, a fixture that looks much more appealing right now than in previous seasons. Defensively, the Foxes have been very poor, ranking 16th for xGC this season. Toney has the firepower to penetrate the weak Leicester defense and holds a 45% chance of doing so.
3. Raul Jimenez (7.6 million)
Wolves are not exactly a goal-scoring team, but when they do score, Raul Jimenez is often involved. He has contributed to almost a third of his side’s goals, helping directly in 10 out of a total of 29. That includes 6 goals and 4 assists – both are team-leading totals. Wolves have one of the more appealing fixtures in GW30, against Leeds at home. The Whites rank 19th for xGC this season and have let in 65 goals this season. That’s the worst out of any other team and averages 2.2 per game. Wolves aren’t a team that scores often, but they’ll be hoping to net a few in this one.
FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Team: Reserve Bench
Goalkeeper – Illan Meslier (4.8 million)
Just any keeper will do. In the unlikely case that Jose Sa does not feature, a backup keeper that actually starts will come in handy, though it isn’t necessary.
1st Option – James Maddison (6.7 million)
Leicester City has an appealing attacking fixture against Brentford at home in GW30. Whilst Barnes is currently looking like the better option, James Maddison on his day has had massive outputs, as seen earlier this season. The Englishman takes
2nd Option – Matty Cash (5.2 million)
Arsenal is a tough defense to crack and so Aston Villa may have to keep the goalscoring to a minimum. Cash is in fantastic form right now, averaging 9.8 points per game, however fixture-wise he may not have as much impact in BGW30 as in previous. He is 2nd choice though and will slot in if any of the starting defenders are missing.
3rd Option – Ethan Pinnock (4.5 million)
It’s unlikely the 3rd sub will be used unless big rotation hits the starting eleven, so it doesn’t really matter who takes this spot. Ethan Pinnock isn’t starter-material, but his ability to score on set-pieces matches up well with one of Leicester City‘s biggest weaknesses. He probably won’t be used, so there’s no need to think too hard.
FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Team: Tips and Strategy
Captain choices
Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son are the ideal captain choices for GW30. Both are premium options and have been effective enough this season to be worthy of the armband. Kane edges it in this Free Hit draft as he has been the more explosive player in recent weeks. Son has been a little bit off his best recently, contributing to just two of Spurs’ last eleven goals. On the other hand, Harry Kane has had five-goal contributions out of the eleven, including 4 goals and 1 assist.
Whilst Harry Kane is the ideal captain for this Free Hit draft, there are arguments for some differential captains. However, it’s best to go for the main players for captain this week. Most of the players that have a fixture could be classed as differentials, and so going for another big differential is unnecessary.
1. Ignore player prices
Since there are only 4 fixtures, it is unlikely that the whole 100 million budget will be used up. It can be tempting to use up as much as possible, but sometimes, cheaper options are better. Pick the players that are expected to net points, regardless of their price.
2. Double/triple up on Arsenal and Spurs
Although their fixtures against Aston Villa and West Ham respectively are not the most exciting, it is still advised to stock up on these players. They are clubs that have quality, and are could enough to pull off a win against such a level of opposition.
3. Don’t be afraid of Differentials
The thing with blank gameweeks is that many FPL managers will be looking to save their chips. There will be teams without a full starting eleven, and this is where those that use the chip can really take advantage. Only 8 sides play in GW30, and so there is a huge pool of differentials. They won’t be found in many FPL teams and owning them now has the potential to provide a huge rank boost.
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Did you find our analysis on the FPL Blank Gameweek 30 Free Hit Guide useful? Are you considering anyone from here? Drop your comments in the comment section below!
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