The best midfielders for FPL Blank Gameweek 30
Four matches take place in Blank Gameweek 30, leading many FPL managers to use a chip. Here are the leading midfield candidates to seek out.
Blank Gameweek 30
These are the eight participating teams, with four matches spread over three days.
Main midfielders
Son Heung-min (Tottenham, £10.9m)
Let’s start with the game’s third top-scoring midfielder. Although it feels like Son Heung-min has been overshadowed by Spurs team mates Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Matt Doherty in recent weeks, he is still the FPL Son we know and love. Also, he has only ever blanked once at home to West Ham in six meetings.
Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham, £6.2m)
Yet it’s hard to argue against Kulusevski with such great form and a low price. He has two goals and four assists from his last five matches, already gathering an ownership of one million. As most premium options aren’t playing in Blank Gameweek 30, Free Hit users will be without budgetary problems and may therefore opt for Son instead. But in the six matches of Kulusevski’s Tottenham career, he is matching Son regardless of price.
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, £6.6m)
Despite blanking against Leicester on Sunday, Bukayo Saka was the bright spark of most Arsenal attacks. With Arsenal leading the race for fourth place and out of all cup competitions, Saka is backed to continue a run of six goals and three assists from his last 11 outings. Since Gameweek 16, only Kane, Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo have had more goal attempts than Saka.
Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal, £5.3m)
Yet, of those who’ve started at least half of Arsenal’s league games, the cheaper Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe (£5.8m) have a better minutes-per-FPL-point ratio than Saka. Recently, the Brazilian has scored against Watford and took the corner headed home by Thomas Partey on Sunday.
Philippe Coutinho (Aston Villa, £7.4m)
The rejuvenated Philippe Coutinho bagged 23 points during Double Gameweek 28 but was unable to produce at West Ham. However, his form is so good that surely he makes a Free Hit squad when only eight teams are playing. Many FPL owners were left rueing their benching of team mate Jacob Ramsey (£4.8m) when he netted Sunday’s consolation.
Harvey Barnes (Leicester, £6.5m)
Over 900,000 managers put faith in Harvey Barnes heading into Gameweek 1. Yet he didn’t score until Gameweek 11, by which time many had abandoned the winger. That goal against Leeds began a spell where his 887 minutes (around ten matches) have produced three goals and six assists. Unfortunately, it was spread out due to injury.
Luckily, he has started four of Leicester’s last five matches and is emerging as their primary attacking asset. He is a great differential versus Brentford.
Raphinha (Leeds, £6.5m)
The late assist against Norwich partially calmed Raphinha’s owners down, after yet another game where he did everything but score. His expected goal involvement (xGI) of 1.68 included two shots that hit the woodwork. Double Gameweek 28 brought an xGI of 1.15 without any FPL returns. In fact, only four players have taken more shots than Raphinha all season.
Although Leeds are in relegation trouble and face a resolute Wolves defence, the high involvement of Raphinha makes his selection very tempting.
Christian Eriksen (Brentford, £5.5m)
Only a few seasons ago, Christian Eriksen was starting seasons with £9.0m and £9.5m price tags. Now at Brentford, he has played all 90 minutes of their last two matches and provided a wonderful cross for Ivan Toney‘s (£6.6m) opener against Burnley. Eriksen is proven FPL quality with just 0.3% ownership.
Pablo Fornals (West Ham, £6.0m)
West Ham are the league’s fourth-highest scorers and Pablo Fornals has quietly been ticking along in the background behind Jarrod Bowen (£6.8m) and Michail Antonio (£7.5m). With both potentially injured for the trip to Spurs, Fornals put himself on the radar with Sunday’s sixth goal of the season.
More Blank Gameweek 30
It’s a heavily-discussed Gameweek, so we have taken a look at the best defensive options. Furthermore, who are the best Free Hit players and a comparison between Kulusevski, Coutinho and Saka.
