Gameweek 9 Best Free Hit Team

With a new Gameweek upon us we take a look at the free hit chip. Using the Fantasy Football Scout members area we can utilise the season ticker and underlying stats to determine the Gameweek 9 best free hit team.

The free hit chip in FPL allows managers, within the same budget and formational limits, to select a team for one particular Gameweek. Managers can attack any given Gameweek with the free hit whether that be to utilise a good set of fixtures, in-form teams or players or a mixture of it all.

Fixtures

Who has the best fixtures?

Nottingham Forest, Brentford, Bournemouth, Manchester United and Liverpool all rank amongst the top five teams with the easiest fixtures.

Who has the worst fixtures?

Brighton, Everton, Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Burnley all rank amongst the bottom five teams with the toughest fixtures.

The best Free Hit team

Using the Live FPL website we can use one of its fantastic tools to plan transfers weeks in advance. Not just this, but we can also create team drafts to plan for using a chip. Take a look at the best free hit team for Gameweek 9:

Goalkeepers

Matt Turner (£4.1m) – It could be difficult to pick up a clean sheet this week so investing in as little as possible in goal could be a good move. Nottingham Forest also come up against Luton next who rank joint second worst in the league for goals scored (six). As well as having a solid chance of keeping a clean sheet this week Turner also enables funds elsewhere within the side.

Alphonse Areola (£4.2m) – Areola sits on the bench as the second goalkeeper ready to come in if Turner fails to feature. He also helps to enable the rest of the squad whilst also providing security to Turner.

Defenders

Pedro Porro (£5.1m) – Tottenham have a great fixture against Fulham this week, a team failing to convince offensively. Not only does Porro offer clean sheet potential but when compared to all defenders he sits the third best for attempts on goal (11).

Matty Cash (£5m) – The lack of potential clean sheets this week indicates that investing in defender with attacking threat could be beneficial. The Aston Villa full-back has been playing in a wing role lately but also ranks above every other defender in the game for non-penalty expected goal involvement (3.84), shots in the box (13) and big chances total (four).

Kieran Trippier (£6.9m) – The fact that Newcastle have kept five clean sheets in their last seven matches in all competitions is enough to invest alone. However, Trippier has also bagged four back-to-back returns and ranks first amongst defenders for chances created (27) and big chances created (six).

Konstantinos Tsimikas (£4.4m) – The injury to Andy Robertson means Tsimikas is likely to fill in at left-back. With that and the fact Liverpool face Everton next up he becomes a good first option on the bench.

Serge Aurier (£4.5m) – Aurier is very unlikely to play but if he does then he could have a great chance at picking up a clean sheet against Luton next. He also ranks highly when compared to his defensive teammates for non-penalty expected goal involvement.

Midfielders

Bruno Fernandes (£8.4m) – He may have frustrated owners this season but he still ranks third in the midfielder bracket for non-penalty expected goal involvement so far (5.04). Not just that but Fernandes takes his sides penalties and comes up against Sheffield United who have conceded more goals than any other side in the league.

Bryan Mbeumo (£6.7m) – Brentford could get back to winning ways this week against Burnley. Burnley are conceding more than two goals per game on average and Brentford’ standout attacker and penalty taker is Bryan Mbeumo. Mbeumo also ranks joint best amongst midfielders for big chances total (seven).

Son Heung-min (£9.5m) – Tottenham could maintain their first place position this week against Fulham. Their man man is Son who takes his sides penalties, plays in a forward role and has managed two double-digit hauls in his last five games (14 and 20 points).

James Maddison (£8.1m) – Tottenham aren’t just top of the league but they are also maintaining some of the best offensive stats. Because of that it could be worth doubling up in attack with Maddison who has collected a return in five of his eight matches.

Carney Chukwuemeka (£4.3m) – The Chelsea attacker is one of the cheapest midfielders in the game and played in a number 10 role for the Blues during pre-season. It is unlikely he will be needed off the bench but he also helps to enable the squad.

Forwards

Erling Haaland (£14m) – Manchester City face Brighton next up who are yet to keep a clean sheet in the league. It could be a great chance for Haaland to get back amongst the goals this week and he could also be the standout captaincy option.

Ollie Watkins (£8.1m) – No player in the entire game has got more points than this man so far. Watkins has picked up a return in every game but one so far and could have big potential next against West Ham. The Hammers are amongst the worst teams in the league for shots and shots in the box conceded.

Rasmus Højlund (£7.2m) – The big Dane comes up against the worst defence in the league next in Sheffield United. The Blades aren’t just conceding a lot of goals but they also rank the worst for several key defensive data points. Another way to target the poor Sheffield United backline is with this man who has scored in both of his first two Champions League matches.