With four teams absent from Fantasy Premier League this weekend because of the EFL Cup final, Kelly Somers and the FPL Pod team are taking a look at the best sides you can create if using the Free Hit chip to navigate the Blank Gameweek.
They discuss an unusual goalkeeper pick, backing Bruno Fernandes (£8.4m) in midfield, and urge caution with Erling Haaland (£14.7m).
While the focus is on a Free Hit team, these are of course good players to consider for this Gameweek even if you aren’t using the chip and are planning to use free transfers instead.
Listen to the FPL Pod
Running order:
- Super Salah (06m 16s)
- Free Hit goalkeepers (19m 48s)
- Free Hit midfielders (24m 50s)
- Free Hit Forwards (29m 03s)
- Differential of the Week (39m 47s)
- Transfers and captains (43m 58s)
Podcast presenters
Kelly Somers
Kelly is a presenter and reporter who is a regular face across the Premier League and BBC’s output. For the BBC, she presents a range of shows, including live Women's Super League, the Women’s Football Show and Final Score. She is also their main reporter - having reported at their first ever Premier League live game in 2020, going on to become their England reporter at the last three major tournaments, also assuming the role for Channel 4.
She also presents for Premier League rights holders Optus Sport, having travelled to Australia to front the Women’s World Cup in 2023, and also leads coverage for BBC Radio 5 Live and Amazon Prime.
Kelly is, by her own admission, a football and FPL obsessive - and says the only deadline she has ever missed is following the early birth of her daughter last season! She’s just about forgiven her now - especially as, despite the lack of sleep, she still made the top 100k last season. Her highest finish is inside the top 40k and this season she hopes to beat that, or if not - just beat Juls!
Julien Laurens
Julien is a French football journalist based in London. He reports on the Premier League for RMC Sport, TNT Sports, BBC Radio 5 Live and ESPN.
He is a keen FPL manager who likes to get ahead of the curve by spotting high-performing differentials. Arsenal fan Juls always needs his boy William Saliba and all Paris born and bred players!
Juls watches every minute of football possible to make the most informed Fantasy decisions and help the FPL Pod listeners with their weekly dilemmas. The 2023/24 season saw Juls register his highest ever FPL finish, inside the top 5k!
Sam Bonfield
Sam is an experienced FPL pundit and one half of the popular YouTube channel the https://www.youtube.com/c/fplfamily, with husband Lee.
In her 15 FPL seasons, Sam has developed a keen eye for spotting differentials. However, she prefers making sensible decisions supported by underlying stats and the eye test wherever possible to help her find those all-important green arrows.
Sam also regularly appears on the Premier League Fantasy Show, as well as Sky Sports News, talking all things Fantasy.