Should we treble-up on Arsenal assets for FPL Blank Gameweek 30?
In-form Arsenal are one of only eight Blank Gameweek 30 participants. The ideal number of Gunners assets is up for debate.
Blank Gameweek 30: Aston Villa v Arsenal
As next weekend’s league matches coincide with the FA Cup quarter finals, only a handful are taking place. Arsenal have won four successive games but travel to Villa Park to face a side who’ve won their last three with a combined 9-0 scoreline.
Whilst many managers have long pinpointed this weekend as a time to Free Hit, some won’t because they feel there isn’t much to choose from. Perhaps having the right seven or eight players is enough to get by.
Free Hit users
Several of the eight participants have very little FPL appeal. Leeds’ defence is breaking records for its ineptitude, West Ham could visit Spurs without Jarrod Bowen and Brentford assets lost trustworthiness long ago.
Therefore, despite tough opposition, at least Arsenal players have fantastic form and a top-four place to compete for. Free Hit users will likely pile in on Bukayo Saka – owned by almost 85% of the top 10k – and could add more attacking coverage via Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard or Alexandre Lacazette.
The latter may be goalless in six matches but he has five assists from four matches. Throughout the season though, Saka is by far the Arsenal player with most shots (59) and penalty area touches (144).
Defensively, Mikel Arteta’s men have kept an impressive 11 clean sheets, five of which came within their seven matches between Gameweeks 16 and 24. But their three matches since is their longest run without one since August.
Of the seven sides to play three times throughout Gameweeks 27 and 28, Villa had the most shots on target. Ollie Watkins is back amongst the goals, with Philippe Coutinho looking rejuvenated. The Gunners look unlikely to clean sheet but, for rank protection and lack of other options, managers may still put faith in Aaron Ramsdale, Kieran Tierney and Ben White.
With at least four defensive assets needed for a Free Hit XI, there doesn’t seem to be much beyond Wolves, Spurs and possibly Leicester coverage. So Arsenal are worth a triple-up.
Non-Free Hit users
Post-Gameweek 30, Arsenal’s fixtures still hold up strong. In fact, their remaining eight are ranked top of Fantasy Football Scout’s Season Ticker. Despite this, FPL managers may avoid tripling-up on the north Londoners because there are so many other options out there.
Forwards are either finding form (Ivan Toney, Harry Kane) or are about to start a run of strong fixtures (Wout Weghorst, Emmanuel Dennis, Armando Broja). As Lacazette costs significantly more than Saka and Martinelli, he’s the easy sacrifice.
Without wanting to waste transfers by doing the hokey-cokey with Arsenal players, having three would be too much.
