Summary of The GW31 Preview

Fellow FPL Manager,

Today’s email summarizes The GW31 Preview Thread, answering the key questions going into the gameweek.

The most captained player in the game last week was Haaland who blanked, however the most captained player from our reader community was Son (53% of readers) followed by Salah (30% of readers) - lots of green arrows here!

Don’t forget to vote in this week’s captain poll at the end of the email. There is an overwhelming favourite this week - Salah at home vs. Sheffield.

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Q) How to fund Salah – who to sell and who to buy?

Salah should be prioritized immediately. Wolves and Palace offer the best budget enablers to get Salah. Ideally keep Son if you can.

All my Salah plans involve selling Watkins because of his injury and tough fixtures (playing City and Arsenal in the next 3 GWs).

Keep Son over the rest. Spurs have good fixtures and Son could be a captain pick next GW. Son is preferred to Foden, who is not nailed and could be rotated.

Wolves play Burnley this GW and double in 34 - good entry point for Salah. Sarabia and Cunha are the best Wolves picks to enable Salah. Cunha might not start immediately but should be good for DGW34.

Mateta is the best forward enabler. Seems to be starting for Palace and has a double in GW34. He will likely be benched in your team until GW34 so stands out as a good enabler.

Q) Is it worth selling Son to get Darwin for Watkins?

Darwin has serious upside. However, I think it’s only worth doing Son to Salah, Watkins to Darwin for a free, not a hit.

Only Haaland has had more big chances than Darwin this season. Will be tough to ignore in the coming weeks.

However, it is not worth selling Son for a hit to get Darwin because Son is nailed, on penalties, and is a potential captain pick next GW.

Q) Who are the best 3 Liverpool players to own in double GW34?

Salah and Darwin are the best Liverpool assets. Van Dijk is probably the best defensive pick. Diaz might be a rotation risk with Jota back soon.

VVD is probably the best Liverpool defensive pick because Trent is just coming back from injury and might have his minutes managed.

Bradley likely won’t be an option heading into DGW34.

Q) What to do with Richarlison?

Tricky decision - okay to hold and okay to sell at the same time.

He might be benched this GW with the short turnaround but will likely start this weekend (GW32). Can still be a decent hold if he gets his starting spot - Spurs have good fixtures.

Q) Best defender to buy this Gameweek?

Gvardiol is the best defender to buy this GW.

City have great fixtures leading up to DGW37 and are the 2nd best defence in terms of fewest xG conceded this season.

Gvardiol benefits from Walker and Ake being injured.

Q) What should the strategy be for those who Free Hitted in GW29?

If you Free Hitted in GW29, wait to wildcard after DGW34.

Most people who Free Hitted in GW29 heavily invested in Bournemouth and Arsenal who double in GW34 and have great fixtures until then.

Sell Spurs assets in their blank GW34 and load up on Liverpool for their double GW34.

WC after GW34 to load up on Spurs and Chelsea who will have 2 DGWs after that point.

Q) Should those with no Free Hit left Wildcard now, GW35 or GW36?

If you have no FH left, WC in GW35. Bigger gains to be made by waiting.

Wildcarding in GW35 allows you to target players from Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea and Man United before their doubles. This will also allow you to take advantage of Newcastle and Man United’s fixtures in GW35 (Sheffield and Burnley at home respectively), making it a better option than wildcarding in GW36.

WC35 also gives you the flexibility to Bench Boost with 2 free transfers in DGW37.

Q) What is the best GW31 Wildcard team?

GK: Raya, Petrovic

Def: Gabriel, Porro, Gvardiol, Disasi, Bradley

Mid: Salah, Saka, Richarlison, Palmer, Garnacho

Fwd: Darwin, Isak, Haaland

Q) What is the best time to Bench Boost?

The best time to Bench Boost is GW37 - irrespective of your WC or FH strategy.

Funds for Salah won’t be needed in GW37 and enablers like Palmer and Garnacho can fit the bill perfectly. BB in GW34 is much harder to pull off with Spurs blanking.

Q) Who is the best GW31 captain?

Salah is the best GW31 captain. Easy decision.

Salah at home vs. Sheffield. What more could you want? Easy decision.

If you found this valuable, I would really appreciate you sharing it with friends.

P.S. Looking for other fun football games? Check out OptaMax and Opta5. Free to play with prize money to be won. FPL players will love them.

Best of luck in GW31 and see you in a few days before GW32,

Bakar