No one ever asked to navigate FPL The season was smooth – and this year’s run-in will probably be one of the most chaotic, Fantasy Premier League expert Blake Hurst writes. Between the EFL Cup, FA Cup and European competitions, the Premier League schedule is headed for a minefield of blanks and doubles. But for savvy managers, chaos equals opportunity.

If you plan your chips right, you can turn fixture disruption into your biggest advantage. Here’s how to approach each chip — and how the schedule will influence those all-important decisions.

Roadmap: Blanks, Doubles and Key Fixers

Before diving into chip strategy, let’s set the stage. Much depends on the results of the upcoming Cup – but we can already predict a certain pattern:

Game Week 31: Expectation Four blank spaces Due in the EFL Cup Final. Currently, Arsenal and Manchester City are the favorites to land him, ie Arsenal (vs Wolves) And Man City (vs Crystal Palace) will be empty.

Gameweek 26 Potential Doubles: If Arsenal reach the final, their postponed GW31 fixture could change Next For GW26. That gives us the first Double Gameweek (DGW) of the season:

– Armory: v Brentford and Wolves

– wolf: v Nottingham Forest & Arsenal

Game Week 34: This could be big blank If four Premier League clubs enter the semi-finals of the FA Cup, as a result As many as eight teams are missing that week.

Game Week 33: There is a possibility to host Biggest Double Gameweek (6-8 teams) As a rescheduled fixture from the GW34 slot in .

Game Week 36: Another could bring a double – especially for Manchester City if a deep cup run causes a delay in the fixture. An attractive potential double of Brentford and Burnley is on the cards for them.

So, what do we do with that information? Let’s break it down chip by chip.

Wildcard: Timing is everything

Wildcards can make or break a manager’s endgame. Here are the three best times depending on how you play your chips.

1. Game week 32 – Power Move (recommended)

This is the ideal wildcard for most managers.

– You will have Full clarification on the FA Cup results (and thus the Gameweek 33 and 34 schedules).

– You can create your team Target the larger DGW33 For a potential bench boost.

– Then you can Free hit in GW34 While many of your DGW33 assets will be depleted.

It’s logical, powerful and lets you attack run-ins with maximum information.

2. Game week 24 – Initial swing

For risk takers. For GW24 the fixture enters swing Chelsea, Aston Villa, Manchester United, BournemouthAnd Crystal Palace – Potentially great for differentiation.

If Arsenal’s prediction is anything to go by DGW26 If that happens, this setup puts you in the perfect position for it.

It is also an opportunity to shift funds and back in differentials Mo is wrong For his high upside attacking fixtures

3. Game week 34 – Late reset

Those who love to ride the chaos. Use your free transfer to prepare for DGW33 Bonanza, then clear the mess in wildcard GW34 to target the final four gameweeks (especially the possible DGWs in GW36/37).

Free Hit: The Safety Net

Best used to take advantage of the anomaly of a one-week fixture – or to have a major vacancy without ruining your long-term squad.

Best Weeks for Free Hits:

1. Game Week 34: The biggest vacancy of the season. Perfect if you’re wildcarded in GW32.

2. Gameweek 31: Manchester City and Arsenal are both blanks and a short blank if your team is exposed, but easy.

3. Game Week 36: A big double gameweek, ideal for creating a one-week super team full of players with two fixtures.

Bench Boost: The points explode

A few chips can swing a mini league like this. Magic happens when you have 15 active playersIdeally everyone plays twice.

Top Weeks for Bench Boost:

1. Game Week 33: Super Double Gameweek – More teams, more fixtures, more points. Ideal if you have wildcarded in GW32.

2. Game Week 36: Second largest predicted DGW, possibly with City, Liverpool, or another double.

3. Game Week 26: Smaller, but still viable, if Arsenal and Wolves doubles materialize and Wolves want to back the fixture.

Bonus: If you have Martin Dubravka As your cheap second keeper, his GW33 fixture (Nottingham Forest) offers sneaky clean sheet potential.

Triple Captain: The Kingmaker

Your triple captaincy is all about maximizing fixture quality and player form.

Top Triple Captain Weeks:

1. Game Week 36: dream scenario – Erling Holland potential encounter Brentford and Burnley in double.

2. Game Week 33: Another possible Haaland double if City’s fixtures land here instead.

3. Game Week 26: If Arsenal double, a Bukayo Saka, Jurin Timber Or Gabriel A triple captaincy could pay off handsomely – though you’ll have to brace for Haaland DGW later.

Blueprint: Putting it all together

Based on current information, fixture probabilities and predictions, this is my personal opinion for the best chip profile for the rest of the season:

GW32 Wildcard: Set your team up for a bench boost GW33Then a free hit in Gw34.

GW33 Bench Boost: Perfect timing to maximize the biggest double gameweek of the season.

GW34 Free Hit: Ideal to cover a major blank week.

Triple Captain: Use in GW26 Or GW36 – Either Arsenal return early or go to Holland late.

Final thoughts

Bear in mind – this can all change depending on cup results and fixture moves. But smart FPL managers plan ahead, stay flexible and understand potential as much as form.

As more information drops, we’ll update you weekly. A well-timed chip strategy is what separates a good finish from a great one, and the groundwork starts now.

This is where the season can really be won.