Final Word Gameweek 25 | Supercoach EPL trades, captains, PODs

After a month or so of par scores, gameweek 24 finally delivered the breakthrough score I had been hoping for.

My side managed 156 points, 33rd ranked for the week, with my worst score outside of Saka’s DNP being Rice’s 9-pointer.

I now find myself ranked 151st and quietly confident that a big run home could be on the cards, as I have done my best to preserve trades up to this point.

17 trades, including all 6 boosts, is what I have left myself with, and even still, I don’t know if it will be enough to manage all this carnage that is coming our way.

If you are a regular FPL player, you would be well aware of the significance of blank and double gameweeks.

If you are unsure what I am talking about, well, it is best you learn quickly, as EPL Supercoach is about to be turned on its head…

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Upcoming fixture chaos

With the confirmation of the Carabao Cup final, we have now learnt that Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Manchester City, and Wolves will not play in gameweek 31.

If you are like me and are looking at your team that consists of 7 Arsenal and City players, you’d better hope you have some trades up your sleeve.

Luckily, though, that is still a few weeks away.

However, just next week we have our first double gameweek of the season, with Arsenal and Wolves both playing twice,

The question now stands: how many Arsenal players are too many?

That is just the start of the fixture chaos that is confirmed so far, with many more changes pending on FA Cup results.

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Trade Plans

I am extremely torn on what to do this week with my team.

As always, there is the conservative option of sitting back and making no trades, at the risk of fielding a slightly weaker side of the weak, but at the reward of holding these trades for when I really need them.

Unfortunately, pending injury news, this may not even be an option for me this weekend.

I currently still have the injured Dorgu in my side, and my original plan was to wait until next week to switch him to Daniel Munoz, with some tasty fixtures, and hopefully a heavily discounted price with his current breakeven sitting at 30.

However, I am now leaning towards finally bringing Gabriel into my side this week, which would leave me with Raya, Saliba, Timber, and Gabriel.

I personally think 4 defensive assets from one side is too many, especially as Arsenal have been looking a bit shaky of late, but with their double gameweek next week, I think having these four is a massive upside gamble.

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Whether I make a transfer at the back or not will come down to the fitness and team selection of Bukayo Saka.

I don’t think he plays this weekend, but if he does start, I will most likely hold.

In the event Saka is on the bench or ruled out injured, which I think is more likely to happen, then I have a decision to make.

With so many enticing forward options, you would think it would be more straightforward, but the idea of Arsenal’s double next week and Saka potentially having two games against weaker opposition is scaring me.

However, if I had to guess, I don’t think he starts vs Brentford and Wolves, even if he is healthy.

Arsenal have wing depth this season, as we have seen, and resting Saka vs a weaker side, especially as he is coming back from injury, has to be the move.

I think Saka getting rested also poses a long-term threat, as Arsenal might start to prioritise bigger games in other competitions, and rotate more in the Premier League, espeically if they continue to run away with it.

For that reason, I am leaning towards trading out Saka this week, but who to is the question?

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As a Chelsea fan myself, the in-form Joao Pedro is definitely catching my eye.

With Wolves this week, and a few more easy fixtures to follow before Arsenal in a months time, Pedro could explode as a short-term play.

Antoine Semenyo is another man on my shortlist, as he continues to justify his big price tag at Manchester City.

What doesn’t excite me there is the game at Anfield this weekend, but I don’t know if I am thinking too much about Liverpool of old and forgetting they have conceded their fair share of goals this season.

I am also looking at the in-form Manchester United, as Bryan Mbuemo has to be another option to consider.

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If you are looking for a huge POD play, Florian Wirtz could be an option, as he has quietly found some stellar form for his new side.

Although I don’t love the buy this week heading into the Manchester City fixtures.

In super POD territory are the other Arsenal forwards, mainly the likes of Gyokeres or Trossard.

The problem here is that no Arsenal forward appears to be safe from rotation, so you can’t be confident in any of them playing both games of their double gameweek next week.

In conclusion, as you can probably tell, I am still very much on the fence as to where I am going to go with my trades this week.

If I had to make my trades now, I would be going Dorgu to Gabriel and Saka to Semenyo, but we will see what this turns into come game time.

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Captaincy Plans

A surging United side at home against a struggling Spurs side in the first game Saturday night will be where I go with my vice-captaincy.

Bruno Fernandes has not scored single digits since returning from injury, so I will be looking to lock in a solid captaincy score early in the week with my free goalkeeper loop.

If that doesn’t go to plan, there are a few options for the captaincy armband.

As always, Erling Haaland is in the picture, but with some recent struggles and a relatively hard fixture, that option isn’t exciting me too much.

As always, you then look towards the Arsenal boys, in the form of Declan Rice or Gabriel.

I am sure both can do a solid job for you, but Sunderland has proven themselves to be a deceivingly difficult matchup this season.

If you are looking for a POD captaincy option, I think you have to look at your Chelsea assets, coming up against bottom of the table Wolves.

My pick of the bunch is Joao Pedro if named to start.

As it stands, I will be going VC Bruno into C Haaland.