FPL Blank Gameweek 30 – Captain Picks
Whilst this article is being written before the conclusion of Double Gameweek 29, the vast majority of FPL managers will be happy with the performance of their respective captain picks. Despite being substituted after 65 minutes with a knock, Mo Salah (£13.3m) had already made his mark on the gameweek, scoring a penalty against Brighton which led to him gaining 9 fantasy points. Liverpool teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m) recorded his 15th Premier League clean sheet of the season in the same fixture, enough to earn him 6 FPL points, which he then doubled up on in midweek as the Reds’ defeated Arsenal 0-2 at Emirates Stadium.
Meanwhile, Harry Kane (£12.4m) was on the scoresheet, ultimately picking up 6 points as Spurs fell victim to a Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.2m) hat-trick as Man Utd triumphed 3-2 over Antonio Conte’s side last weekend. Heung-Min Son (£10.9m) however, failed to record an attacking return although fellow midfielder Dejan Kulusevki (£6.2m) managed an assist. Both Kane and Kulusevski repeated their respective attacking returns against Brighton the following Thursday, ending the gameweek with scores of 14 and 11 points respectively
FA Cup quarter-final weekend always fills FPL managers with dread as it normally leads to the biggest blank gameweek of the season and 2021-22 will be no different. From the limited options available, we source out the most attractive captaincy options, alongside a differential pick for Blank Gameweek 30.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Harry Kane (£12.4m) vs WHU (H)
Despite Spurs’ inconsistent results, Harry Kane has returned to his consistent goalscoring best having netted five goals across the last three gameweeks. Add an assist into the mix and Kane’s overall FPL score for those three gameweeks currently stands at 38 points. Antonio Conte has continually stressed the importance of Kane in his side and the England striker stands out by far as the most appealing captain pick for Blank Gameweek 30.
Spurs host West Ham in what should prove a feisty local derby which Kane will no doubt be well up for. Since Gameweek 26, he has racked up seven goals and it would be no surprise to see him increase on this tally here against a side who have kept just one clean sheet across their last five league fixtures. Especially with Spurs having won their most recent home game 5-0 against Everton.
Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) vs AVL (a)
Arsenal midfielder Bukayo Saka (£6.6m) has recently been making a mockery out of his modest £6.6m price-tag which is why his ownership currently stands at over 30%, with the likelihood that this grows even further ahead of Blank Gameweek 30. Saka’s last five Premier League matches have seen him gain two goals, an assist and 28 FPL points.
Arsenal’s offensive prowess away from home has seen them scored 13 goals across their most recent four Premier League fixtures on the road, which bodes well for FPL managers who choose Saka as their skipper for Blank Gameweek 30, as the Gunners travel to Aston Villa. Whilst Steven Gerrard’s side are in good form, they have proven inconsistent which may be to Saka and Arsenal’s benefit.
Dejan Kulusevski (£6.2m) vs WHU (H)
Although most FPL managers will have their eye on Heung-Min Son for Blank Gameweek 30, fellow Spurs attacking midfielder Dejan Kulusevski’s may well represent the smarter option. Form always plays a crucial role when it comes to FPL selection and Kulusevski’s consistent attacking returns makes him impossible to ignore. In the six Premier League fixtures in which he has started since joining the club, Kulusevski has racked up two goals, five assists and 44 FPL points.
FPL managers looking to deviate from Kane in regards to choosing a skipper may well settle on the Swedish international when taking into account his highly promising initial numbers, despite West Ham not being the easiest of opponents. The Hammers play a gruelling Europa League tie against Sevilla three days before this match, which could work in Spurs favour and with motivation as high as you’d expect for a local derby, FPL bosses could reap the benefits of plumping for Kulusevski.
DIFFERENTIAL OPTION
Ruben Neves (£5.3m) vs LEE (H)
An assist for Ruben Neves (£5.3) against Everton this past weekend backed up his sumptuous goal vs Watford in Double Gameweek 28, giving FPL managers a timely reminder of his credentials ahead of Blank Gameweek 30. The 25-year-old midfielder has picked up 17 FPL points over the course of these last two gameweeks and will be confident of more attacking returns against Leeds on Friday night at Molineux.
Whilst the Whites have tightened up defensively under new head coach Jesse Marsch, they remain without a clean sheet since all the way back in Gameweek 14. Their relegation fight may force Leeds to push bodies forward in search of three points, which in turn could benefit Neves as he is afforded extra space to either set up his teammates or even add to his collection of memorable long-range strikes. On a blank gameweek where options are hard to come by, Neves certainly appeals as a differential skipper.
