For the first time ever, FPL will allow us to use our chips twice in the season once in each half, no more waiting for the double and blank Gameweeks. Given how powerful and rank changing these chips can be, planning your chip strategy is essential to ensure a good rank for the upcoming season.
When to play your chips?
Bench Boost
GW1 and GW2 are the best option as we unlimited transfers right now and it is easier to build a team with good substitutes. Dubarvka is currently every managers dream costing only £4.0m and is set to be a starting goalkeeper. The downside is we have very little information about how teams will lineup and this could cost you valuable points if one of your players is not in the starting 11.
Free Hit
Gameweek 6 and Gameweek 11 are two good options.
In Gameweek 6, City will face Burnley at home, allowing you to captain Erling Haaland. Most teams are lining up this season without Haaland so this could be beneficial for those. Chelsea are at home to Brighton, Spurs will be at home against Wolves, and Nottingham Forest will face Sunderland. Meanwhile, both Arsenal and Liverpool have difficult away games, with Arsenal traveling to Newcastle and Liverpool facing a tough test at Crystal Palace as seen in the Community Shield. This allows you to temporarily bench your Arsenal and Liverpool players without having to transfer them out permanently.
In Gameweek 11, it is the clash of the giants, Manchester City will host the champions Liverpool at the Etihad. Spurs also host Manchester United. Chelsea host wolves so you could target the Chelsea assets, Nottingham Forest host Leeds and Arsenal travel to the Stadium of Light. West ham are home to Burnley and gives you a chance to buy some West ham players which you ideally would not want long term in your FPL teams.
Wildcard
Gameweek 4, 8, 13 are all good options for your teams.
Gameweek 4 arrives just after the international break and allows you to reset your team if you have had a bad start. You can also transfer out players who get injured during the break.
Gameweek 8 happens just after the second international break. Arsenal fixture swing happens as well, a lot of teams are going without Saka and the premium defenders such as Saliba and Gabriel. We will also get a good idea about Gyökeres and if he is worth it.
Gameweek 13, this is one of the more interesting options as Manchester City will have faced Liverpool and fixture swings of Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle take place. With the AFCON tournament kicking off in Gameweek 16, managers have a major opportunity to shake up their squads. The game will provide everyone with five free transfers specifically for the tournament. If you go into that week with zero free transfers, you’ll receive the full five, which essentially gives you a lot of control on future transfers. This allows you to make significant changes to your team to deal with player absences without having to use a valuable chip.
Triple Captain
For this chip, planning is not required as much. Opportunities can present themselves and it is not something you can plan for. Nevertheless here a few options for the big 3:-
Erling Haaland: Burnley at home in Gameweek 6, Leeds at home in Gameweek 13 and Sunderland at home in Gameweek 15.
Cole Palmer: Sunderland at home in Gameweek 9, Burnley away in Gameweek 12 and Leeds away in Gameweek 14.
Mohammed Salah: Burnley away in Gameweek 4, Sunderland at home in Gameweek 14 followed by Leeds away in Gameweek 15.
