The Scout on the best way for managers in Fantasy Premier League to navigate Blank Gameweek 34 (BGW34).
BGW34 is set to be the biggest Blank Gameweek of 2024/25 Fantasy, with four clubs – Arsenal, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Manchester City – without a match, which means their players will score ZERO points.
As always in Fantasy, the best solution depends on both the players you currently own and the number of chips you still have left to play.
Free Hit
Crucially, Arsenal, Villa, Palace and Man City are also the same four clubs who have two matches in the current Double Gameweek 33 (DGW33).
Many managers had chosen to load up on players from those clubs with the intention of then playing their Free Hit chip in BGW34.
This allows you to temporarily replace all of your 15-man squad for one Gameweek and target the key players for the reduced round of matches.
Focusing on clubs who face this season’s promoted sides is likely to be a popular strategy, with Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham taking on Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton respectively in BGW34.
Newcastle’s Fabian Schar (£5.5m), Jacob Murphy (£5.2m) and Alexander Isak (£9.5m) are in fine form ahead of their home meeting with Ipswich.
Isak’s home output and huge 60 per cent ownership makes him one of the standout captain options for BGW34. He has four goals, an assist and NO blanks across his last four outings at St James’ Park.
Centre-back Schar has two goals, an assist and two clean sheets over the Magpies’ last four matches, while Murphy has three goals, three assists and 42 points in his previous five appearances.
Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.9m) and Matheus Cunha (£6.9m) offer great options at either end of the pitch at home to Leicester.
Wing-back Ait-Nouri has amassed 29 points over the last four Gameweeks, combining a goal and an assist with two clean sheets and five bonus points.
Forward Cunha has delivered a goal, assist and 15 points in Wolves’ last two matches since returning from suspension.
Ryan Sessegnon (£4.1m) and Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) are Fulham’s form players for their trip to Southampton.
Sessegnon could provide outstanding value in defence. He has produced all of his attacking returns this season – three goals and two assists – across the Cottagers’ last seven encounters.
Iwobi has two goals, an assist and 23 points over the last three Gameweeks, scoring against both Liverpool and Chelsea.
Wildcard
If you still have your Wildcard available to use and have a squad containing several players who are without a match in BGW34, now is the time to play it.
Despite his recent lack of attacking returns, Mohamed Salah (£13.8m), the top-scoring player in Fantasy, remains a must-have.
Using the Wildcard also allows you to have a starting XI filled with players who have a match in BGW34, while benching key picks who are without one, such as Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (£10.5m) and Man City forward Omar Marmoush (£7.7m).
Transfers
If you have no Free Hit chip or Wildcard and are struggling to field a full starting XI, taking one or two points hits could provide a solution.
Remember, if a player is on the pitch for at least 60 minutes, he will earn two appearance points, which essentially reduces a four-point hit to a two-point hit.
Focus on the schedules for all clubs when deciding your transfers.
Nottingham Forest players such as Nikola Milenkovic (£5.1m), Anthony Elanga (£5.4m) and Chris Wood (£6.9m) can reward investment over the run-in.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), three of their next four matches score just two. Crucially, that includes their home encounter with Brentford in BGW34.
Brentford also have a favourable end to the campaign, which can help Bryan Mbeumo (£7.9m) and Yoane Wissa (£6.5m) continue their impressive form.
The Bees face three of the current bottom-seven clubs over the final four Gameweeks, hosting Manchester United and visiting both Ipswich and Wolves.