Can I ask what you’d do with my anaemic and underperforming fpl team? I play with the additional informal rule that I can’t have any Arsenal players, and don’t mind paying them the compliment that it’s made fpl success this season really bleeding elusive. I’ve got 0.1m in the bank account, already played my wild card, and a season total to date of just 1074. Interested to hear what you’d prescribe!
Yes! I figured I'd answer this ahead of Friday to give you time to deliberate. These are the kind of footy asks I've been looking for, thanks for your submission, let's get into it!
I completely understand your lack of desire for Arsenal players, my squad lacks United players for the same reason yours lacks Gunners.
While the next right move feels kind of limited, especially without your wildcard chip available, I'm confident you have a few options.
Wait and see- this is the simplest of the choices. Making singular transfers each week and small changes here and there based off of price availabilty, upcoming fixtures, health/longevity, points per match, and form. The FPL gods are often times unpredictable and they're quick to turn the tables, patience does have potential to pay off.
Free hit and experiment- use your free hit chip this upcoming gameweek and fill your squad with players based off of the same small changes you'd make with weekly transfers suggested above. Record the transfers you make and use them to guide your upcoming weekly transfers (utilizing free hit would give you 2 free transfers the following gameweek assuming you've only got 1 free transfer moving into this upcoming gameweek).
The long game- Transfer the 3 on your bench, and make small transfers up until Gameweek 28 (trying to stick to the same clubs you have in your squad now) and bench boost GW28 to maximize points.
Now, don't hold me to this, but I can give suggestions in terms of specific transfers you can make. I'll try to aim to make these transfers the same price or cheaper than the player, so you can make some of these and save up to upgrade others. (If that makes sense) I might end up suggesting more than 3 players per club for your squad, so just pick and choose a few that would work with your squad.
Starting with your bench: Wharton for Morris Luis Frimpong for Reece James Gudmundson would be one you might want to save up to upgrade as he's priced at 3.8m, or you could hang onto him and upgrade others Moving to you goalkeepers: Dubravka is the best bang for your buck here Pickford for Roefs, you'll save 0.6m and only lose 0.2 points per match (if you're going to make this transfer I'd play him GW24, but bench for GW25/26)
Moving to your defense: (barring the players on your bench) Porro for Thiaw, you'll save 0.1m and Thiaw's better in form and points per match. Tarkowski I'd actually keep on Alderete as well (just for his price point, this one might be a good player to upgrade with other savings)
Moving to your midfield: (barring the players on your bench): Bruno Fernandes for Semenyo, I promise this isn't just my City bias. They're at the same form currently, but Semenyo has more points for the season, and you can save a whopping 1.6m through this transfer. Rogers for Enzo, Enzo's not too far behind Rogers for overall points this season, is in better form, they have the same points per match and you can save 1m through this transfer Foden for Wilson, Wilson's in better form, has more points overall for the season, and earns 0.3 more points per match. An added benefits would be saving 2.5m. Szoboszlai I'd hang onto!
And finally, up top: I'd hang onto Haaland, not only do 72.8% of players have him which'll benefit you in league play, while he's up and down, when he's up he's up. His playing time hasn't been the greatest post winter transfers, but I can't imagine he'd end the season poorly. Calvert-Lewin I'd probably dip into some of those savings and upgrade Ekitike for Bowen, Bowen's in better form, has more points for the season overall, earns more points per match, and you'd save 1.2m.
These are just my two cents! I'm wishing you the best of luck this season and thanking you for following me on my journey through this season thus far. Hang in there, I'd love to be kept in the loop on what you end up doing. In the meantime, stay sunny :)