Planet FPL Chip Guide

Planet FPL Chip Guide

This article is a collation of the show notes from the ever useful PlanetFPL Chip Pod released 5 days ago. 

If you want to watch the video itself you can do so below, and don't forget any signups to their Patreon gets a free subscription to this site.

4 Fixtures confirmed for BGW29

The other 6 fixtures that were scheduled for that week will now move to 34 or 37 with the possible exception of Arsenal v Chelsea.

All of the top 9 have at least 1 game to rearrange with the exception of Villa, which means Villa will now not double for the rest of the season.

The flip-side of this is that Villa are 1 of only 6 teams who will definitely play in every gameweek left (bar unforeseen circumstances). The others are West Ham, Burnley, Brentford, Luton and Forest.

You'll notice, those are 6 of the teams playing in 29, the other 2, Fulham and Tottenham are part of a group of only 4 teams who could blank in 34. There is a very small possibility Arsenal or Brighton could due to ‘the Chelsea backlog’. More on that later.

The current projection is for Chelsea, Liverpool, Man City and Wolves to reach the FA Cup Semi Finals thus moving their fixtures from the weekend to GW34 (but they could just be played in the midweek instead).

Current Roadmap:

GW27: Normal
GW28: Bournemouth-Luton Double
GW29 Blank GW 4 fixtures
GW30 Normal
GW31 Normal
GW32 Normal
GW33 Very small possibility of 11 games (or 9)
GW34 DGW that may have blanks or Normal
GW35 Possible 11 games
GW36 Likely 11 games
GW37 DGW
GW38 Normal

Arsenal v Villa in 33

There is a very, very small possibility this could be postponed. This decreased even further after Wolves victory last night.

What about Chelsea v Tottenham?

GW33 looks like the earliest possibility (4+ weeks from QF weekend)
GW32 is impossible as Tottenham have been selected for TV coverage on Monday in 32 and Saturday lunchtime in 33. But with Chelsea also given a Monday slot in 33 that would be unlikely too if Chelsea and Liverpool reach the FA Cup Semifinals & don’t draw each other as Liverpool SF will have to be on the Sunday if still in Europa on Sunday. I think Sky have picked these MNFs intentionally to block the PL requesting for the game to be played before GW34

With all this in mind GW35 or GW36 are most likely.

Couldn’t it go into 34 or 37?

Yes. If Chelsea lost to Leicester in the FA Cup or if Arsenal or Brighton go out of Europe before that game takes place. Arsenal and Brighton would be Chelsea’s other games that need arranging & due to their European commitments those games would have to go into 34 or 37.

If the 3 teams go through and Man City beat Newcastle the Premier League will have to commit to Chelsea v Tottenham not going into 34 or 37. Man City are relevant to the conversation because if they reach the FA Cup Semifinals they will have games to rearrange with Brighton and Tottenham - and so will Chelsea.

There’s a circle between Brighton, Chelsea, Man City and Tottenham where they could all have 2 games to rearrange with teams from that circle. It makes it incredibly difficult to project what games go where. But Chelsea v Tottenham is the only 1 that doesn't feature a team in Europe so it’s the odd one out.

Could the projections change again before we even get to GW29 then?

Yes, if Arsenal or Brighton go out of Europe. Particularly if Brighton lose to Roma because that would tip the balance into Brighton v Chelsea becoming the standalone fixture rather than Chelsea v Tottenham. This is due to Sky having the rights for the London Derby and unlikely to be bothered about Brighton v Chelsea.

TNT own the rights for Arsenal v Chelsea rather than Sky so it’s not impossible if Arsenal went out of the Champions League before the Semifinals that fixture could become the ‘standalone’ game instead (if Brighton beat Roma). It’s also why I think that fixture is more likely for 37 than 34 & it’s this that starts the daisy chain of predicting what games go where

Arsenal v Chelsea in 37 would mean Brighton v Chelsea stays in 34 which means Brighton v Man City must go in 37, so Tottenham v Man City must stay in 34. It would also mean Wolves v Arsenal stays in 34 and Wolves v Bournemouth goes into 37

It's worth nothing that this is based on the current cup projections of Arsenal, Brighton, Chelsea, Man City and Wolves all progressing in their respective competitions.

It's also worth noting that the whole process can be reversed. So if Arsenal v Chelsea went into 34 instead of 37 the other 5 fixtures would also all move to the opposite stated previously.

But where do the other postponed games go?

I've had a tip off that there are plans for Everton v Liverpool to be played on Wednesday May 15th. That's GW37 and goes against everything we've said previously about the risks attached. Presumably because the Premier League and Sky want the maximum possibility for drama. They’re bonkers. I think it’s bonkers. But I can’t ignore the tip I’ve had.

So Everton v Liverpool to go in 37 would mean Fulham v Liverpool stays in 34.

If you've been following (well done) that would mean the 4 postponed games in 34 would all stay in 34, just moving from the weekend to the midweek.

So, could GW34 just be a normal gameweek with the 10 scheduled fixtures just being spread over a whole week? 

Yes!
But I was gonna Bench Boost that week!
But I was gonna Free Hit that week!

You may still be able to. Remember those fixtures could all reverse and if they did Bournemouth would have a double.

Is that it?

Yep.

Oh and Tottenham would have a Blank.

The key to getting doubles in 34 rests with what happens with the two remaining games postponed from GW29.

Crystal Palace v Newcastle
Man Utd v Sheff Utd

There’s no Science to where they go. Sky won’t pick up those games with the 3 teams going for the title likely to now fill the TV spots in the 34 and 37 midweeks. Every side in danger of relegation is out of the Cup. The focus for those midweek will be on the title I imagine.

I've projected the two games to go into 34 purely on the Premier League’s recent preference to get games arranged at the earliest convenience when they can.

Remember we ended up with only 2 additional fixtures in GW37 last season.

It would leave the projections as follows:

34 - Doubles for

Palace (WHU/NEW)
Man Utd (NEW/SHU)
Newcastle (mun/cry)
Sheff Utd (BUR/mun)

and no teams with a blank.

*If the Cup projections are correct only alternatives to this can be doubles for Bournemouth and/or Everton and blanks for Fulham and/or Tottenham

37 - Doubles for

Arsenal (mun/CHE)
Bournemouth (BRE/wol)
Brighton (new/MCI)
Chelsea (nfo/ars)
Everton (SHU/LIV)
Liverpool (avl/eve)
Man City (ful/bha)
Wolves (CRY/BOU)

*The 4 projected 34 doublers, Fulham instead of Everton, and Tottenham having a DGW are the only alternatives to this.

Simple logic to go by

Any team that reaches an FA Cup Semi Final can not double in 34 but will definitely double in 37.
Teams who lose in the FA Cup Quarter Finals are the most likely to create GW34 doubles.
As it stands no team is projected to double in 34 and 37. Chelsea will if they lose to Leicester in the Cup.
6 of the 8 teams playing in GW29 can't double at all. This is why we said on the last Chip Pod you would want 3 different teams for 29/34/37.

It's also worth noting a couple of things. Man Utd and Newcastle would likely be of interest for GW34. They have the bottom 2 at home in GW35. For those dead ending to 34 that may delay a WC til GW36.

If Wildcarding late to Bench Boost in 37 Tottenham’s single (if it’s only a single) off the back of a possible 36 DGW (che/liv) would be Burnley at home.

If Wolves play Bournemouth in 37 they’ll both have very attractive DGWs.

However in 36 they are away to Man City and Arsenal respectively and in 38 they are away to Liverpool and Chelsea respectively. Everton who are also now projected to double in 37 go to Arsenal in 38 as well.

However this lands there are difficulties to manoeuvre!

🍟 Free Hit Options

28 - Avoid LIV v MCI, the BOU v LUT Double, strong home games for ARS, MUN, BHA & CRY. Need to be well set for 29 though.
29 - Cover the Blank. For those in a crisis situation. Probably 5 or less players currently.
34 - Perfectly reasonable if the projections are right. But an alternative needs to be put in place if it ends up with 2 or less doublers.
37 - Fuck planning weeks in Advance. Get the best XI of your choice of doublers at the time.
38 - BHA v MUN but rest of xTop9 all have good fixtures & if Luton (FUL) & Forest (bur) is a decider for 17th that's good too. Gets away from the awful Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton fixtures if Bench Boosting before.

🍟 Bench Boost Options

28 - Not in love with this due to the 1st v 2nd & 4th v 5th clashes but I know a few like it.
29 - Someone's gonna press the wrong button aren't they!
34 - It might work, but you need a plan B in mind. Hate that 4 teams will play after an FA Cup Semi in the same week & based on projections missing too much elsewhere in the build up to it or after if wildcarding for it. Bottom 6 do have good weekend fixtures though.
36 - Chelsea vs Tottenham landing here might make this viable but not as keen on this as an idea as I was earlier in the week.
37 - Almost certain to have the most doubles. Rotation could kill & I sense it may underwhelm if the title is wrapped up but I think it's still the standout.

🍟 Wildcard

27 - Plan through 28/29 either with or without a Free Hit.
30 - Get away from the 29 players.
31 - Get away from the 29 players.
34 - Might be viable if FH37.
35 - Get away from 34, prep for 37.
36 - Get away from 34, prep for 37.
37 - Have 2 Free Hits at the end cos you manipulated the fixtures so well!
38 - If you still have it available by now then you have to use it.

🍟 Triple Captain

28 - Solanke v SHU/LUT.
31 - Salah v SHU.
33 - Haaland v LUT.
34 - Hojlund v NEW/SHU.
37 - Haaland v ful/bha.
38 - Son v shu.

Remember that all of the fixture predictions, and any changes after this article was written, can be added to the planner by hitting the Set Predicted Fixtures button above the FDR section of the plan page at https://fpl.team/plan.

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