The Scout explains why Fantasy Premier League managers might want to consider using their Wildcard chip in Gameweek 6, if they haven't already used it.
Over 1.8million Fantasy managers have already used their first Wildcard - a valuable chip that allows UNLIMITED free transfers to overhaul your squad without incurring any points hits.
Gameweek 6 is now expected to be another hugely popular time for the chip.
If you’re one of those managers looking to activate the Wildcard, it is a good idea to do so TODAY, on Saturday, so that you can benefit from as many price changes as possible.
By transferring in your top targets before they RISE in price, and selling your unwanted players before they DROP, you can make a big difference to your squad value.
Remember, once played, the Wildcard chip can’t be cancelled.
Should you use a Wildcard in Gameweek 6?
When to play this chip very much depends on each team’s current situation. If several fires need immediately putting out, the Wildcard is there to improve squad depth.
Furthermore, if you fear being without a high-profile star like Erling Haaland (£15.2m), Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) or Bukayo Saka (£10.0m), there is some upside in using the chip now to fix such a problem.
Armed with five Gameweeks of knowledge, managers are able to start thinking of their ideal long-term team structure.
Fixture swings
Assessing the upcoming schedules for each club can also help determine when is the best time to Wildcard.
In Gameweek 6 a number of clubs begin an appealing run of fixtures, while other popular players are about to finish theirs and have trickier matches ahead.
For example, if you don’t own any Arsenal players, this could be the right moment to bring in Saka, Kai Havertz (£8.1m), David Raya (£5.5m) or Gabriel (£6.0m).
As we have highlighted in our Long View article, the Gunners have consecutive home matches against promoted pair Leicester City and Southampton next up, followed by a trip to AFC Bournemouth.
Brentford have an encouraging eight-match spell versus the likes of Leicester, Ipswich Town, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bournemouth and Everton. Bryan Mbeumo (£7.1m) and goalkeeper Mark Flekken (£4.5m) will surely be in demand.
On the flip side, it’s about to get tougher for Newcastle United, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion.
Not only do this trio soon face each other, the Magpies cross paths with Manchester City and Arsenal before Gameweek 10. The other two teams must travel to face Liverpool at Anfield.
Those meetings won’t be easy for Liverpool, either. Throw in the Reds’ Gameweek 9 trip to Arsenal and managers may believe that sacrificing their expensive assets is necessary for a successful Wildcard.
How a Wildcard squad could look in Gameweek 6
The squad listed below is able to squeeze Salah in, alongside Haaland, Saka, Gabriel and Ollie Watkins (£9.0m).
It costs £100.6m so managers who have been able to build their squad value above their initial budget of £100m could pick this very squad. Those with a bit less to spend will need to make a sacrifice somewhere.
Goalkeepers: Muric (£4.4m), Valdimarsson (£4.0m)
Defenders: Gabriel (£6.0m), Konate (£5.1m), Aina (£4.5m), Harwood-Bellis (£4.0m), Greaves (£4.0m)
Midfielders: Salah (£12.7m), Saka (£10.0m), Semenyo (£5.6m), Schade (£5.4m), Winks (£4.5m)
Forwards: Haaland (£15.3m), Watkins (£9.0m), Wood (£6.1m)
The squad stays away from mid-priced midfielders and forwards, with Kevin Schade (£5.4m) selected as a cheaper alternative to Mbeumo.
Schade is expected to play as the Bees’ centre-forward with Yoane Wissa (£6.1m) now injured.
Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo (£5.6m) is also a midfield bargain. He already has two goals and an assist, and nobody else in the league has exceeded his 20 attempts on goal.
Semenyo will now gain a lot of attention in FPL as he faces Southampton and Leicester next up.
Also worthy of a mention are Nottingham Forest pair Chris Wood (£6.1m) and Ola Aina (£4.5m).
Wood's seven shots on target are bettered only by Haaland and Salah, and at the other end of the pitch Nuno Espirito Santo has transformed Forest's defence into one of the league’s best since arriving last December.
Forest also have appealing fixtures ahead.
