Braveheart's Forward Look - GW31 - to wildcard or not to wildcard?
Introduction
This season FPLbet will have a weekly series of forward look articles designed to try and improve your points and profits. Whether you are an avid FPL player or whether you like to dabble in Fanteam, other daily fantasy football or traditional betting, this article should be your first port of call before picking your teams or placing any bets for the week's Premier League fixtures.
All player data in this article is from the last six gameweeks. All data is correct as of 08 April 2021.
The forward look - GW31:
| Fulham | v | Wolves |
| 41% | Win % | 32% |
| 38% | Clean sheet % | 33% |
| 36% | To score 2+ % | 28% |
| Maja (3) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Silva (3) |
| Cavaleiro (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Neto (3) |
| Andersen (38.3) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Neto (31.3) |
| 1.43 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.83 |
| 1.71 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.83 |
| Man City | v | Leeds |
| 78% | Win % | 10% |
| 48% | Clean sheet % | 9% |
| 77% | To score 2+ % | 22% |
| Jesus (5) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Bamford (5) |
| De Bryune (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Raphinha (6) |
| Dias (36.0) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Raphinha (41.9) |
| 3.14 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.86 |
| 1.29 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.43 |
| Liverpool | v | Aston Villa |
| 65% | Win % | 17% |
| 38% | Clean sheet % | 14% |
| 65% | To score 2+ % | 31% |
| Salah (5) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Traore (3) |
| Alexander-Arnold (4) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Watkins (3) |
| Salah (36.3) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Konsa (34.9) |
| 2.67 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.57 |
| 1.67 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.71 |
| Crystal Palace | v | Chelsea |
| 14% | Win % | 67% |
| 18% | Clean sheet % | 50% |
| 18% | To score 2+ % | 58% |
| Benteke (2) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Werner (3) |
| Milivojevic (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Mount (2) |
| Guaita (29.1) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Azpilicueta (33.2) |
| 0.83 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.17 |
| 2.33 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 0.67 |
| Burnley | v | Newcastle |
| 43% | Win % | 30% |
| 38% | Clean sheet % | 31% |
| 38% | To score 2+ % | 31% |
| Wood (5) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Joelinton (3) |
| Lowton (4) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Murphy (3) |
| Wood (29.5) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Joelinton (27.7) |
| 1.67 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.83 |
| 3.17 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.0 |
| West Ham | v | Leicester |
| 34% | Win % | 41% |
| 27% | Clean sheet % | 31% |
| 38% | To score 2+ % | 44% |
| Antonio (6) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Iheanacho (7) |
| Cresswell (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Vardy (4) |
| Lingard (32.6) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Iheanacho (31.8) |
| 2.5 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.33 |
| 1.67 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.83 |
| Tottenham | v | Man United |
| 35% | Win % | 41% |
| 25% | Clean sheet % | 28% |
| 40% | To score 2+ % | 46% |
| Kane (8) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Fernandes (4) |
| Son (6) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Fernandes (2) |
| Kane (45.5) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Fernandes (38.8) |
| 2.14 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.83 |
| 1.86 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.17 |
| Sheffield United | v | Arsenal |
| 16% | Win % | 65% |
| 18% | Clean sheet % | 50% |
| 20% | To score 2+ % | 58% |
| McGoldrick (2) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Lacazette (4) |
| Fleck (1) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Pepe (1) |
| Ramsdale (29.3) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Lacazette (27.1) |
| 1.33 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 1.5 |
| 4.17 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.5 |
| West Brom | v | Southampton |
| 30% | Win % | 47% |
| 25% | Clean sheet % | 35% |
| 35% | To score 2+ % | 46% |
| Diagne (4) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Adams (4) |
| Pereira (4) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Redmond (3) |
| Pereira (37.4) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Ward-Prowse (35.1) |
| 1.67 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.14 |
| 2.17 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.29 |
| Brighton | v | Everton |
| 44% | Win % | 30% |
| 37% | Clean sheet % | 28% |
| 42% | To score 2+ % | 31% |
| Welbeck (4) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Richarlison (7) |
| Maupay (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Digne (3) |
| Veltman (34.3) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Richarlison (35.2) |
| 2.33 | Team big chances pg (last 6 GWs) | 2.83 |
| 1.33 | Big chances conceded pg (last 6 GWs) |
Braveheart's GW30 review:
Back to back green arrows for the first time since February! Last week my team earned 65 points for a big green arrow of 20k, moving my ranking to 85k. I'd still like to be higher going into the end game of the season, but I won't complain about cutting my ranking by 20% in a single week. I hope to keep the momentum going. My defence did nothing this week (and, in the case of Azpi, it was literally nothing). Fernandes and Raphinha bagged an assist each, and Watkins scored a goal that wasn't offside! The big performers this week were Captain Kane (26) and Lingard (12).
Braveheart's GW31 reveal:
This week I have one free transfer and 4.3m in the bank. I can pretty much upgrade to any player in the game. I had always penciled in this week to use my wildcard but I'm not entirely sure to be honest. I'm not sure that my team needs it. The players I'd likely be losing from my team would be: Pope (for Mendy), McCarthy (for Forster), Coufal (for a Liverpool defender), Dallas (for Shaw), Bale (for Son or Salah), Raphinha (for Neto or Jota) and Bamford (for Iheanacho). I also might lose Bamford for GWs 31 to 35 where Leeds face Man City, Liverpool, Man United, Brighton and Tottenham.
If I don't wildcard, my transfer this week would be a simple on - Salah out for Bale. I'd also likely be handing the captaincy to the Egyptian King!
If I wildcard, my team heading into GW31 is likely to be:
Goalkeeper: Mendy v Crystal Palace (a)Defence: Azpilicueta v Crystal Palace (a), Dias v Leeds (h), Phillips v Aston Villa (h),Midfield: Bruno v Tottenham (a), Salah v Aston Villa (h), Jota v Aston Villa (h), Lingard v Leicester (h),Forwards: Kane v Man United (h), Watkins v Liverpool (a), Iheanacho v West Ham (a)
If I don't wildcard, my team would be:
Goalkeeper: Pope v Newcastle (h),Defence: Azpilcueta v Crystal Palace (a), Dias v Leeds (h), Coufal v Leicester (h),Midfield: Bruno v Tottenham (a), Salah v Aston Villa (h), Raphinha v Man City (a), Lingard v Leicester (h)Forward: Kane v Man United (h), Bamford v Man City (a), Watkins v Liverpool (a)
Having set out both options, the only differences between the two teams are Mendy v Pope, Phillips v Coufal, Raphinha v Jota and Bamford v Iheanacho. Is that worth hitting the wildcard? Right now, I'm thinking probably not.
The team is not set in stone until the deadline so please follow me at @FPLBraveheart on Twitter for any updates. All the best and I hope everyone reading gets green arrows in GW31. But, most importantly, stay safe out there (or, more accurately, at home)!
