FPL Tips : With too many changes in FPL Season 2020/21, learn how to use FPL Chips (Wildcard. Bench Boost, Triple Captain and Free hit.
Year 2020 has been tough for humankind and it certainly will continue to be difficult for FPL managers in the season 2020/21. The squads have been updated recently, but fixtures are not finalized yet. But we have done some research to guide you through chips strategy specifically for upcoming season.
First, let’s go through the major changes, which will take place in FPL this season:
FPL 2020/21 Changes
Wildcard Deadline: In previous FPL seasons, the deadline for 1st wildcard was used to be before GW19, but due to postponement of the entire season, the deadline will be before GW16.
GW Deadline: In previous seasons, GW deadline was used to be an hour before the first fixture of the GW. But now it’s 90 minutes before the first fixture. That’s a very smart decision from a fair play perspective, since team news were used to get leaked a few minutes before the deadline and a few FPL managers used to have the advantage in making last minute transfers (I used to be one of them, not going to lie).
Possible blank GWs: Blank GW is a GW where a few fixtures don’t get featured due to conflict on FA cup and EFL cup fixtures. So, teams which would progress in domestic cups, will miss out in this GW. Taking example of 2018/19, it had blank GWs in GW 27, 31 and 33. But in this season, FA cup and EFL cup fixtures will be aligned from GW2 onwards (which is very unusual), hence GW19 and GW29 are currently two blank GWs.
Possible Double GWs: Double GW is a GW where postponed fixtures due to FA/EFL cup, are being played. So, the same teams whose fixtures would be postponed, will play those games. So those teams will have two fixtures within the same GW. During 2018/19 season, double GWs were GW 25, 32, 34, 35. Again, due to abnormalities, double GW will be arriving as early as GW19, which possibly can have 15+ fixtures and be a TRIPLE fixture GW as well! So strange and definitely exciting times ahead!
Possibly No Blank/Double GWs after GW30: Due to the same reasons, we won’t get loads of blank or double GWs after GW30, which has been a norm till now. In fact, we won’t get even a single GW of either of the likes. All of those will feature between GW18-GW29. So, we need to change chips strategy accordingly for this season.
Possible Manchester City/United’s exclusion from GW1 and GW2:
There is a 30-day break rule enforced on all PL teams before the last match of this season and the first match of the next season. Since City has been eliminated from Champions League, there is a 50/50 possibility that they can play their first match in GW1. However, there is a very high chance that United can miss out on both of the starting fixtures. But we don’t need to worry much, since managers have unlimited transfers before the GW1 deadline and fixtures will be released a way earlier than the deadline.
So, let’s revise the chips in FPL and what each of them offers:
Different Types of FPL Chips
Wildcard (2 of them) – You can make any number of transfers for free of cost. You can change the entire team without worrying about them. This is probably the most useful chip in terms of your season planning because you get two of those.
Bench Boost – This chip enables all your 15 players to contribute to add score for a single GW. In other words, your bench players’ points will be added to your normal points.
Free Hit – You can make unlimited transfers for a single GW. It seems like a Wildcard, but the squad changes are applied for only a single GW. From the next GW, the previous squad will be back. Looks like a good chip, but it’s hated the most.
Triple Captain – Your captain will get triple points instead of double for that GW. Simple to understand.
Now, let’s jump straight into the strategy.
Also read : Fantasy Premier League 2020/21, All you need to know before starting FPL 2020/21
FPL Chip Strategy
Wildcard:
There is no pre-defined ‘When to play wildcard’ strategy, since each team situation is completely unique before each GW, so it’s hard to nail down to a specific guaranteed-success plan. In an ideal scenario, you can divide the entire season into 3 groups of GWs, and play wildcard at the end of first two groups of GWs.
However, considering you have to use your first wildcard before GW16 and GW18 being a blank GW and GW19 being a 15+ fixtures (and possibly triple fixtures GW for a couple of teams), I would suggest that you should delay your first wildcard as late as possible, preferably in GW16.
The reason is that by the time closer to GW16, you probably will get the updated fixtures in GW19 with the results of FA cup and EFL cup, and you would be in a better position to utilize your unlimited transfers.
Another blank GW during the season is around GW29. So you can definitely use your 2nd wildcard before GW29. It is not an ideal tactic to use a wildcard before a blank GW, but since we won’t get any blank/double GW after GW29 this season, we should adapt to the unprecedented situation, I suppose!
Having said that, if you even face a situation where 6-7 starting XI players are either injured for a long term or not performing up to their price mark or combination of both of these, you should use your wildcard immediately.
Free Hit:
If we are going ahead with wildcard being used in GW16 objective, then I would suggest that Free Hit should be played in GW18. Since wildcarded team would be setup for double-headed GW19, we would certainly not be having majority of the players from GW 18 fixtures. So that would be the perfect time to get all the players from those limited fixtures and get the maximal potential points from GW16-GW19.
Bench Boost/Triple Captain:
Both these chips usually are and should be used in double GW fixtures. The obvious reason: players will get two matches to return you the favor.
In case of Bench Boost, let’s assume your 4 bench players are part of teams which will play two fixture and your players will play 60 minutes for both matches, you will get at least 16 points from bench. You will rarely see 16 points from a normal GW from bench. So even if a clean sheet or an attacking return would help you cross 20 points from bench, which is a massive success from Bench Boost chip.
The same probability stats are applied for triple captain. I would place my bet on a player with two fixtures against a player with one fixture. Obviously, there is no surety it would turn out to be greatly successful, but I would rather have faith in Math than my gut feelings.
To wrap up, I would strongly recommend at keeping an eye on GW18 and GW19, which surely going to bring chaos in the rankings, since this situation of having blank/double GWs in mid-season has never been faced by FPL managers previously and planning-playing it smartly will give you an immense advantage in your league or overall finish.
Happy Team Picking!
