The Free Hit chip removes all squad constraints, so the GW2 build is entirely fixture-led. Two matchups dominate: Arsenal away at Aston Villa, and Chelsea hosting Brighton. The team stacks both aggressively, with 37.6%-owned Raya anchoring the goal, five Villa defenders in front of him, and a Chelsea attacking duo providing the upside.
Starting XI
Raya (£6.0m, 37.6% ownership) starts in goal. He carries an xP of 3.04 heading into the Arsenal away fixture at Villa Park, the highest projected return of any player in this squad.
The defensive line is a full Villa stack. Cash, Mings, Pau, Maatsen and Lindelöf all price in at £4.5m each and share an xP of 2.26. Five Villa defenders gives maximum exposure to what should be a competitive home fixture against Arsenal. The low ownership across all five, ranging from 0.3% to 9.0%, means differentials are plentiful.
In midfield, Bogarde (£5.0m, AVL) adds a sixth Villa asset at minimal cost. Buendía (£6.0m, 1.4%) provides further Villa attacking coverage with an xP of 2.27. Rogers (£7.5m, CHE, 24.4%) comes in for the Chelsea home game against Brighton, also at 2.27 xP. Tielemans (£6.0m, MUN, 2.6%) slots in as the fourth midfielder, facing Ipswich at home.
The forward line covers three separate fixtures. Watkins (£8.0m, AVL, 10.3%) leads the line and is the natural captain candidate. João Pedro (£7.5m, CHE, 64.3%) is the highest-owned player in the squad and partners Rogers in the Chelsea double-up against Brighton. Evanilson (£6.0m, BOU, 2.3%) rounds out the attack with Bournemouth hosting Everton, carrying an xP of 2.56.
Bench Order
- Arrizabalaga (£5.0m, GKP) as the emergency goalkeeper backup
- Guessand (£5.5m, MID, CRY) is benched. Crystal Palace host Manchester City, making him a low-priority option despite an xP of 2.27.
The bench exists purely to satisfy squad rules on a Free Hit. Arrizabalaga shares Arsenal’s xP of 3.04 but sits behind Raya. Guessand draws the toughest fixture of any player in the 15 and stays firmly on the bench.
Captain Pick
Watkins (£8.0m) is the captain. He holds an xP of 2.56, faces Arsenal at Villa Park in a high-profile home fixture, and is the focal point of the attacking stack. João Pedro at £7.5m is the vice-captain, backing up the Chelsea home game with an xP of 2.56 of his own.
Key Fixtures
- AVL vs ARS (home): six assets covered, Cash through to Watkins and Buendía
- CHE vs BHA (home): Rogers and João Pedro double-up
- BOU vs EVE (home): Evanilson as a standalone forward pick
- MUN vs IPS (home): Tielemans as a low-cost midfield addition
Total cost comes in at £85.0m. The Free Hit chip means no carry-forward penalty, and the structure maximises Villa and Chelsea exposure where the fixture data is strongest.
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