Fantasy Premier League

FPL experts on how to navigate Blank Gameweek 12

11 Oct 2022

The Scout's panel discuss their approaches to Man City and Arsenal not having a fixture in GW12

With Manchester City and Arsenal both blanking in Gameweek 12 before embarking on kind schedules from Gameweek 13-16, The Scout's panel of Fantasy Premier League experts discuss their strategies.

What the experts say

Sam Bonfield (@FPLFamily)

As someone who is planning to Wildcard ahead of Gameweek 13, my strategy with Man City and Arsenal players needs to be right. They have been so consistent, so I don't want to sell them until Blank Gameweek 12.

Gabriel Jesus (£8.0m) is now back at his starting price. This makes him an easy sell after Gameweek 11 as I will be able to bring him back on a Wildcard for the same price I am selling him. I will probably take a chance on someone like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.1m) in GW12 as he has a nice fixture at Brentford.

With Erling Haaland (£12.2m), Joao Cancelo (£7.3m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£6.6m), I have money invested in them and will likely move them to my bench for the Blank, so I don't have to pay more to bring them back in again on my Wildcard the week after.

Wildcarding into GW13 should allow me to benefit from owning three Man City and three Arsenal players for their lovely run of fixtures up to the FIFA World Cup at a time when other managers will have had to sell their City and Arsenal players and likely have to take points hits to bring them back in, or go without.

Kelly Somers (@KellySomers)

As someone playing a Wildcard in GW13, I will be holding Haaland and Martinelli and benching them for the Blank. This is partly due to the number of transfers I have left to make ahead of Gameweek 12. However, it is also because managers should be conscious of how much money they have tied up in a player.

I have been toying with the idea of removing Martinelli, but because I have owned him since GW1 he will cost more for me to buy back on Wildcard. Instead I will sell Jesus, but not because I want to, but because I haven't got as much money tied up in him and therefore can bring him back in more easily after GW12 on Wildcard.

Utkarsh Dalmia (@zophar666)

Holding at least three of your City and Arsenal players is a good idea, particularly the ones that you would lose value on if you sold and will want back soon. Haaland, Cancelo and Martinelli will remain in my squad. However, I will likely look to sell Kevin De Bruyne (£12.4m) with a plan to replace him with Phil Foden (£8.2m) after Blank Gameweek 12.

Lee Bonfield (@FPLFamily)

Holding three or four players from City and Arsenal combined is perfectly fine, even if it means going into Blank Gameweek 12 with only 10 players.

After the Blank, City and Arsenal's excellent fixtures to the FIFA World Cup mean holding these players through GW12 will allow managers to take advantage without needing to take points hits and precious transfers to bring them straight back in.

Ben Crabtree (@FC_CrabDogg)

I will be holding a total of three City and Arsenal players through Blank Gameweek 12.

I'm happy as long as I have 11 players, as cheaper players like Andreas Pereira (£4.6m) can come off my bench and have the potential to deliver, as shown in a third of his appearances this season. None of the fixtures in GW12 make me want to sell any City players, especially as I will want them back after the Blank.

Holly Shand (@HollyShand)

Keep Man City and Arsenal players this week ahead of the Blank. They are just too good right now!

When it comes to Blank GW12, hold those who you have most valued tied up in, which are likely to be Haaland and Martinelli. It's fine to keep three or four players you know you'll want back come GW13.

Nick (@WGTA_Nick)

I see no issue with benching three of Arsenal and City's players and giving the likes of Pereira a run-out against Aston Villa.

If you sell your Arsenal and City players you will likely just be transferring them straight back in after their Blanks for matches against Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion respectively.

Geoff Dance (@GeoffreyDance)

For managers who have played their Wildcard and want to capitalise on the fixtures for these two clubs in GW11 and GW13-16, they could consider playing the Free Hit chip in Blank Gameweek 12. Managers could hold their Arsenal and City players and add more to their team now, knowing they could then build a Free-Hit team to target the best fixtures in GW12 and have the Arsenal and Man City stars back for GW13.