Fantasy Premier League

GW35 Lessons learned: Lacazette lifts Free Hitters

By The Scout 23 Apr 2018

Striker leaves Aubameyang trailing to give managers who used chip an average 18-point advantage on those who didn't

Alexandre Lacazette (£10.2m) matched his biggest Fantasy Premier League score of the season to make it a Gameweek to remember for managers who played the Free Hit chip.

Lacazette scored a brace in Arsenal’s 4-1 victory over West Ham United, returning 13 points.

There were more than 154,000 Free Hit chips played for the weekend. And over 44,000, or 28.6 per cent, of those managers brought in Lacazette as part of their one-week squad.

He played a part in helping the Free Hit average score reach 50.5 points over the Gameweek ahead of the final Monday match.

In comparison, managers without the chip in play, and who have made a transfer in the last two Gameweeks, have scored an average of 32.6 points.

Aubameyang blow

Lacazette’s contribution came as a blow to those managers who had instead invested in his team-mate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m).

Signed by more than 201,000, he was the third-most bought player ahead of Saturday’s deadline.

But with Arsene Wenger preparing his line-up for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League semi-final with Atletico Madrid, the Gunners manager opted to start him on the bench on Sunday.

He came on but only provided his 930,000+ Gameweek 35 owners with a single assist for Lacazette’s first goal.

Further uncertainty

Aubameyang is ineligible for Thursday’s European tie, with Lacazette again expected to lead the attack.

That could mean further uncertainty for FPL managers ahead of a Gameweek 36 visit to Manchester United on Sunday.

Aubameyang could earn a recall to the starting line-up, with Lacazette perhaps saved for the second leg with Atletico Madrid four days later.

But it remains a mystery.

Double Gameweek concerns

The squad rotation makes it difficult to invest in Arsenal ahead of their two fixtures in Gameweek 37.

The Gunners host Burnley and go to Leicester City over that Double Gameweek.

So while Aaron Ramsey (£6.8m) also excelled in Sunday’s victory with a goal and an assist to score 12 points, he and Arsenal’s strike pairing may remain differentials.

This is being reflected in the transfer market.

Despite producing a goal or an assist in each of his last six Gameweeks, Aubameyang is currently the most-sold player ahead of next weekend's matches.