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Utilizing the Wildcard strategy after an international break has proven effective for FPL managers in recent times. As GW9 approaches immediately after the break, many are gearing up to activate their wildcards once again.
Although I’ve already utilized my wildcard, I will be sharing some of my top GW9 wildcard teams in this article. These teams are theoretical creations, representing how I would structure my squad if my wildcard was still available.
I’ll be employing three distinct strategies in these imaginary wildcard teams. The first draft will focus on bolstering the defense, the second on midfield investments, and the third will revolve around a forward-heavy approach. We hope this article is helpful and that you enjoy it as well.
FPL Gameweek 9 Wildcard Tips – Key Considerations for Your Wildcard Selections
When building your Gameweek 9 wildcard team, here are a few crucial factors to bear in mind:
- Ensure Starting XI Players: Prioritize players guaranteed a spot in their team’s starting eleven.
- Long-Term Strategy: Think ahead when selecting players for your GW9 team, considering their potential value over the long term.
- Strong Bench Composition: Maintain a robust bench to account for potential rotations and injuries.
- Favorable Team Fixtures: Opt for players from teams with promising upcoming fixtures.
- Formidable Players: Select players currently in good form to maximize point-scoring potential.
Top Teams for Your GW9 FPL Wildcard Team
When considering your wildcard options, pay close attention to the upcoming fixtures of various teams. Personally, I tend to favor players with favorable upcoming fixtures. To aid in your decision-making, here’s an insightful fixture tracker provided by fpltips__:
Based on the fixture tracker, the following teams have advantageous fixtures from gameweek 9-14. Targeting players from these teams could significantly enhance your wildcard strategy. Consider the following teams and players for your wildcard selection process:
- Aston Villa – Watkins, Diaby, Cash
- West Ham – Bowen, Emerson/Coufal, Areola
- Liverpool – Mo Salah
- Crystal Palace – Anderson, Guehi
- Newcastle – Trippier, Isak and Almiron
1. GW9 wildcard team: Going big at the back
This theoretical wildcard team represents my initial strategy, focusing on a robust defensive line. ‘Going big at the back’ translates to investing a substantial portion of my budget in the most expensive and in-form defenders, a concept vividly demonstrated here.
In this wildcard team, I’ve secured Cash, Trent, Trippier, and Porro. These defenders are integral to some of the Premier League’s most in-form teams, offering not only a strong potential for clean sheets but also an impressive attacking threat. Their ability to contribute points through clean sheets, goals, and assists adds significant value to the team.
Furthermore, the favorable fixtures of these main defenders extend from GW9 to GW14, enhancing the team’s overall appeal. Despite its advantages, this wildcard strategy does have some limitations. The substantial investment in defenders has constrained our ability to acquire key players like Salah, Son, Watkins, and Isak. Additionally, the relative weakness of our bench highlights the heavy reliance on our starting eleven.
With 0.8 million in reserve, we have room for potential upgrades, although any changes may still not elevate the benched players to the level of our starting lineup.
Although this team boasts considerable strength and a departure from the standard template, its heavy reliance on defenders may pose challenges in the long run. While this initial draft might not be optimal, stay tuned for my subsequent GW9 wildcard drafts, which will incorporate refined strategies and diverse player selections.
2. GW9 wildcard team: Investing in midfielders
If you aim to assemble a powerhouse midfield featuring top-tier players like Salah, Maddison, Son, Saka, and Bruno Fernandes, you must be prepared to make some notable trade-offs. Achieving this star-studded midfield comes at the expense of compromising both your defensive and attacking options.
In our ‘Investing in Midfielders’ GW9 wildcard team draft, we’ve opted for budget defenders and forwards to accommodate this formidable midfield selection. Our defensive lineup includes Dan Burn, Pau Torres, Van de Ven, and Guehi. While these defenders represent solid choices, playing for teams with robust defensive records and promising upcoming fixtures, a potential drawback lies in their roles as center backs.
Relying heavily on their respective teams to secure clean sheets might not be the most effective strategy. In FPL, maintaining diverse potential sources of points is crucial, which is why I prefer selecting full-backs when crafting my wildcard team’s defensive lineup.
While this wildcard team exhibits some strengths, the lack of balance could lead to long-term struggles. Achieving a well-rounded team is paramount when utilizing the wildcard, ensuring a sustainable and competitive performance throughout the season.
3. GW9 wildcard team: Going all in on forwards
Here’s my final tinker, and I must admit, this one holds a special place among my creations. The team boasts a well-rounded composition, drawing from Aston Villa, West Ham, Liverpool, and Newcastle assets. While it isn’t flawless, a few compromises have been necessary. For instance, as much as I’d love to include Isak, Watkins, Haaland, and Salah simultaneously, maintaining the team’s balance necessitates certain trade-offs.
Regrettably, we’ve had to part ways with Trippier for this GW9 wildcard, a decision met with some reluctance. Our rationale stems from relying on a Schar and Isak double-up to compensate for the absence of Trippier’s explosiveness. A similar approach applies to Diaby and Cash.
Additionally, the absence of Son marks another compromise we’ve encountered. One lesson I’ve gleaned from crafting multiple wildcard teams is that it’s impossible to accommodate all top players. Every FPL manager must navigate a series of compromises given the plethora of excellent choices available, making decisions challenging.
However, I’m genuinely content with this GW9 wildcard draft, although it’s important to note that my wildcard teams primarily serve as sources of inspiration. Rest assured, you can certainly devise an even more formidable draft than mine.
More GW9 FPL Wildcard Drafts
Here are a couple of other gameweek 9 wildcard teams you can draw inspiration from:
More FPL Tips
Explore our latest FPL coverage for Gameweek 9, featuring a range of valuable insights. This week, we’ve delved into transfer tips and strategies, clean sheet odds, FPL point predictions, and wildcard teams and strategies. Below are the links to each article for easy access:
- FPL GW9 Clean Sheet Odds, Goalscorer Odds and Win Percentages – This article features calculated clean sheet and anytime scorer odds derived from bookmakers’ data, adjusted for betting margins.
- Looking to maximize your options for Gameweek 9? Check out the strategies in my latest transfer tips article for some key insights. Redeyedrae’s GW9 Transfer Tips and Strategy
- Find out what FPL assets are expected to return the most FPL points in our article: Drafthound’s AI Predicts FPL GW9 Top Performers
- Find out this gameweek’s top captain pick in our captain picks article: The Best FPL GW9 Captain – Based on Underlying Data – In the article we analyze the stats of this week’s top captain picks and share our ideal gameweek 9 captain.
- Don’t want to miss out on all we’ve covered so far this gameweek, then check out our article: Your Comprehensive FPL GW9 Guide: Expert Tips and Strategies
Redeyedrae, is an FPL content writer with years of experience in playing and writing about FPL. He has written for major FPL blogs like ALLABOUTFPL, Fantasytipsters, FF Titans, and nevermanagealone. With his deep knowledge of the game, he has become a trusted source for FPL fans worldwide. His content is well-researched and always up-to-date. He’s passionate about helping FPL managers gain an edge in their leagues by sharing insights and analysis about everything fantasy football on raensports.