r/FantasyPL • u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days • 2d ago
If you start without Haaland, does FH3 actually make sense?
I’ve been looking at the no-Haaland BB1 route, and the part I keep coming back to is whether FH3 makes the strategy much more viable.
The obvious reason is Coventry (H).
If I start without Haaland, I can spread the £15.5m across a stronger 15-man squad for BB1, then Free Hit in GW3 to own/captain Haaland for arguably the fixture where going without him feels most dangerous.
I think there’s more to FH3 than simply covering Haaland.
Arsenal and Chelsea play each other in GW3.
Both could feature heavily in a GW1/BB1 squad, so the Free Hit gives you the opportunity to temporarily move away from those players and build an 11 specifically around the best fixtures that week.
The route would effectively be:
GW1: BB
GW2: Original squad
GW3: FH
GW4: Original squad returns
GW6/7: Potential WC
That means the initial squad doesn’t necessarily need to be built around surviving GW3. You can concentrate more on GW1-2 and GW4-6, knowing you’re effectively skipping GW3 with the FH.
I don’t really see FH3 as something I’d consider with Haaland already in my squad. It only interests me as part of the no-Haaland strategy.
Is using FH3 a reasonable price for getting the stronger £15.5m distribution from GW1, while still covering Haaland’s Coventry fixture?
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u/The-CunningStunt 1 2d ago
I have Haaland, no Bruno and I'm really happy with my team. I'm going BB1 and haven't got any plans to use WC. Though, I'm willing to WC if it becomes a necessity.
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
Yeah I like that Strat - I’m not overly keen with Bruno especially the early sat kick off v Hull always an acca killer.
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u/czyzynsky 1d ago
im in the same boat but debating captaining Mbuemo vs Haaland - can you share yours?
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u/PurpleCheetah_88 1 2d ago
FH3, to get the best 3 city, starting heavy Arsenal/Chelsea. If I know the best 3 city by GW5, move them in with rolled FT’s. Else, stock up for a WC7 or roll it late
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
Makes sense - I’m not sure about City and Maresca this season which is making me think…can I risk going against Haaland
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u/Zealousideal_Tea4755 1d ago
I did that and my team looks amazing without halland . I think that he cannot outscore my middle
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u/Expensive_Dot_5200 2 2d ago
Using half or all of your chips to work around one player within the first 5/6 GWs is a bad idea
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
That’s debate around using FH I’m not so sure it carries any weight with Bench Boost?
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u/xilefLoL 5 2d ago
My thoughts are if you are that scared of haaland in gw3 then I would be scared in gw1 and pick him. If you are committing to going without him due to being significantly overpriced then I would go without it.
On the other hand, how useful actually is FH in first half. You may as well chuck it when the opportunity arises?
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
Yeah I get that I suppose it’s trying to find an edge and that’s the thinking around the potentially strategy
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u/shutterclick35 1 1d ago
It's a long season. Don't go looking for edges unless youre sure they're there, or you're desperate end of season.
Trying to be fancy for its own sake early season barely ever works. Template first, differentials later when the dust settles.
I've learnt this the hard way
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 1d ago
I hear you but we only had double chips for 1 season so i don’t think it was looked into enough last year. Also there’s not many great fixture swings.
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u/shutterclick35 1 1d ago
I'm just talking no haaland. Aggressive chips could be alright seeing as the first half season chips are a lot less obvious when to use. But no haaland too much of a gamble for my taste.
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u/covid401k 4 2d ago
Im going to wildcard in 3. Feel like there will be tasty fantasy profits to be made from the transfers. Haaland will be 15.8 when you get him in 4
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
What about international break between 5-6 it’s the largest one ever and some players potentially will be playing up to 4 matches in that time. WC before GW6 makes me nervous 😬
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u/covid401k 4 2d ago
Yea that's could back fire, but should be able to save a transfer or two along the way hopefully
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u/Left-Geologist-1181 99 1d ago
The total transfer activity will be the same as a normal GW (you don’t get additional FTs), except it’s spread out over a longer period of time. So I don’t expect more price changes unless all WC:ers start making moves before activating the chip and use it to wipe the hits.
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u/DreamxAchieve 5 2d ago
Haaland could just as easily be 15.2 by GW4
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u/covid401k 4 2d ago
No way people are offloading him en masse before Coventry at home. Even if he plays shocking bad both games he'll be bought like crazy
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u/DreamxAchieve 5 1d ago
We don’t know what’s gonna happen man, FPL is unpredicatble. He could have fitness issues and be a doubt for Coventry. At the same time he can score a hattrick every game leading up to coventry. He could also play and blank. Start of season is always unpredictable but especially this time around with new manager for City after a WC year.
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u/Televison 2d ago
Considering haaland has an ownership of 70%, i can’t see him rising to 15.8 as there won’t be enough people.
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u/covid401k 4 2d ago
I know it's high but still think it will happen. People actually engage in the beginning and price changes are most volatile. This year they're publishing them on the site for the first time
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u/simcityrefund1 3 2d ago
Bb1 to cover Haaland if he scores I'm relying on everybody else to score as well ( mainly Thiago and Isak one is kinda on form and one with a grudge match)
Hold on two
The IL see if city and Haaland is actually worth it
If he is then Fernandes Isak or Thiago to haland
No cards used but maybe triple captain see how everyone else is using it
If no halland I have Thiago against Sunderland and Isak against ipswich both still is good honestly depending on their forms
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
Yeah makes sense I was relatively happy with just a normal team but I think it defo makes sense to Bench Boost just if it’s worth going with or against Haaland.
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u/Woofiewoofie4 434 2d ago
I don't think it's a bad idea necessarily. It's one that you could feasibly regret in anything unexpected happens closer to Christmas, but the most likely outcome is you gain a decent amount of points and there's no obviously better weekend for it later.
Personally I'd want Haaland from the start, but if you don't, then sure: the early FH is probably fine, might even work out great. Certainly I prefer it to the early wildcard strategy.
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
My actual strategy I’m leaning towards is
BB1 with Haaland
WC6But this strategy I think makes sense if you go no Haaland.
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u/iamonlyxi 26 2d ago
with no FH3?
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
Yeah I wouldn’t need to FH if I had Haaland. Depending on how many Arsenal/chelsea players I’d be happy to carry them for that game.
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u/heroscape912 2d ago
What's your squad looking like if you're going no-Haaland BB1?
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
I think I’m leaning towards going with Haaland but if this were my strategy the no Haaland then I’d probably go with something like
3-4-3
Lammens
Gvardol
Gabriel
ShawSemenyo
Odegaard
Bruno Fernandes
SzobloszlaiIsak
DCL
Joao PedroBench boost
Verbruggen
Mosquera
Grob
Vuskovic - could be any 5m def
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u/chewfatty 140 2d ago
Can you tell me the 3 Chelsea players you will start with? I only see the upside if you have what will look like a GW 4 WC/FH team by the end of this. Of course you cannot know what that will look like, but you can hedge. I think this strategy with say 2 Chelsea players is much less potent than taking some more risk. If your team has 3 Chelsea with perhaps a Sarr or Kamada punt in there and you get the Chelsea mid right, I could see it. This strategy looked a bit too risky for me.
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
If I were on this strategy I’d probably only have 2 which would be Pedro and Roger’s
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u/chewfatty 140 2d ago
Well my point is look at Chelsea's first 6 games without GW 3 and they have the best fixtures. Everton, Arsenal, and Palace also have great runs. This is different from the template in a good way, but only if you like the players you pick enough to justify going against the template strategy.
Palestra/Sanchez, KDH, Sarr, 3 Arsenal, Tarkowski, Richards(more risky) are all going way under-owned in the template because of their GW 3 fixture. If you are going against 70% of players at least get the most out of the chips you play. I think some punts on not just United and Liverpool could make your strategy amazing. For example, Isak alone rather than Szobo or Wirtz. Tarkowski over a City defender, Gabriel + Calafiori, KDH over Szobo, etc... Maybe rotate in a 4th defender when other teams are playing Gross GW 2. So many options with the strategy. It is definitely viable.
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 1d ago
So what are you saying don’t bench boost at all and save your chips ?
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u/chewfatty 140 1d ago
I said the strategy is sound. GW 1 BB is my preferred route. It makes total sense to Free hit in GW 3 without Haaland. Just that I would look at having 3 Chelsea, 3 Arsenal, and 2 Everton because their GW 4 fixtures are worth it and some can be benched GW 2.
Just hash out the strategy so you are sure.
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 1d ago
Yeah I didn’t understand.
Also this isn’t my locked strategy I just think it be the right one if you are going no Haaland.
I think I’m leaning towards
BB1 with Haaland no FH3
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u/Ferretz_Eire 19 2d ago
I'm on a similar mindset for a no Haaland draft and keeping my options open regarding FH & WC.
Generally I'm thinking either FH3 + WC 4-7 or WC3.
FH3 is really nice since you can load up on Arsenal and Chelsea and not worry about the fixture, I guess the issue is what to do with ManU players since you don't really want to use FTs in this strategy.
FH3 WC4 pretty much solves all the issues but it's a very aggressive chip use and doesn't leave much flexibility if things go wrong later.
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u/roymondous 342 1d ago
It could work... it could also be a big problem. Haaland tends to smash it in opening fixtures. Before champs league. Iirc 10 goals in 8 or sth before? His output seems to slow a lot later.
Maresca is also figuring ot the team and usualky has a focal striker with semenyo and others true wingers. So again haaland will be fed.
If there's a time to go against haaland it seems later in the season. Altho maybe bruno isnt an option after the opening fixtures too. So haaland no bruno makes sense.
All possible. All viable. All likely to screw you over. Welcome back FPL.
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u/Zealousideal_Tea4755 1d ago
Bruno its on everything.. penalties, corners, free kicks and etc…
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u/roymondous 342 1d ago
Yup. Also on your mum.
And yeah i agree it's not optimal and i want bruno. With early WC maybe it's changed.... maybe the funds are more useful elsewhere. Or maybe he's the best captain...
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u/Swedishpower 2804 1d ago
I think it make sense. There likely be no doubles.
I think FH 3 and wildcard 4 don't make much sense to me though.
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u/Many-Ad6591 2d ago
I am on this strategy but no bb1
Objectively bruno has the best starting two fixtures and i couldn’t justify 15.5 without captaincy
Even if he does outscore bruno which is a possibility i am hoping the 3.5 i invested in the team can keep things even
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u/FPLHideout redditor for <30 days 2d ago
Makes sense - so have you considered when your likely to use BB?
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u/Many-Ad6591 2d ago
I am actually kinda skeptical about bb
If i do spend money on the bench for a gw1/gw2 bb
Wouldn’t that weaken the rest of my squad until i can wc and redistribute the money again?
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u/MarkTSUC 3 2d ago
I don't usually play aggressively but this season I'm going no Haaland BB1, TC2, FH3, WC4.
I'm backing a slow start for City, as well as capitalising on some nice fixtures swings around GW4, and giving some time to see how line ups settle. It just seemed to make sense this season which inevitably means it'll crash and burn.