The AssMan cometh....!

 (Sorry. I just couldn't help myself; I've been waiting to use that line for months...)

Now, while I absolutely detest the gimmicky novelty and incongruousness of this new bonus chip that the FPL Gnomes, in their unwisdom, have foisted on us this year, and advocate strongly for everyone to BOYCOTT using it (or indeed, to quit the game altogether - as I myself have done), I understand that the majority of FPL managers are willing to accept it (at least as a one-off experiment....), can't resist the curious challenges it poses. Hence, since I endeavour to be generally helpful to other players of the game in these posts, I have been willing to set aside my antipathy to the chip and offer some observations on when and how to use it in my weekly rundowns of selection issues, and also in this comprehensive guide to the so-called 'Assistant Manager' (though it's actually got bugger-all to do with managers and is simply a 'Team Results' chip).

And so, I will now proffer some additional thoughts on this new chip - as ITS HOUR appears to be nigh.

As I mentioned at the weekend, traditional 'Chip Strategy' has been thrown into turmoil by removing the usual clash between the FA Cup quarter-finals and the regular Premier League programme this year. However,... most people are still alarmed about the semi-big Blank Gameweek for the FA Semis in GW34 and - wisely - fear that they will need their Free Hit (or their 2nd Wildcard, if they've somehow used their Free Hit already...) to get through that. The likely Double Gameweek following on from that in GW36 or 37 could still be a strong option to punt the Bench Boost chip, if you've still got that; and even if you don't go for that ploy, it's probably the best time to use the 2nd Wildcard, to set yourself up as well as possible for the final few gameweeks of the season (which often get a bit eccentric, with some teams getting overcome by their nerves in struggling to achieve their season goals, while many others.... just have nothing left to play for) and to 'optimise' the first eleven as far as possible for that final double.

Hence, since you can only play one 'chip' at a time, for most people it's simply not going to be possible to play the Assistant Manager chip after Gameweek 33. (And FPL hasn't actually specified if you'd be allowed to choose to play it for less than 3 gameweeks at the end of the season - because you forgot about it, or felt too constrained by your plans for the other chips to play it any earlier; it's quite possible that it will cease to be available in GW37, if you haven't already activated it.)

But, fortuitously enough, it is looking as though the next few gameweeks could be the most appealing window to try to make use of the chip anyway.

Manchester United now have a run of 3 successive table-bonus opportunities - and those are HUGE for this chip: a draw with the table-bonus is worth as much as a win without one; a win with a table-bonus is enormous. Now, with United's form under Amorim, that still looks like a massive - and perhaps unnattractive - gamble; but it is worth considering as an option. If they can't pull off a good performance against Forest this week, you could switch to another manager/team for Gameweek 32. Brentford, always dangerous going forward, even though their defence occasionally falls apart, could have a good chance of getting something from their trip to Newcastle - also a table-bonus. And Everton could well manage another upset against their cross-town rivals Liverpool, at least to the extent of holding them to a draw perhaps - again, a table-bonus. And Marco Silva's already pulled off some table-bonus surprises: the chance of Fulham getting something from their London derby match-up with Arsenal shouldn't be written off. Spurs, even away from home, should be fancied to pick up a few goals against floundering Chelsea; and while they're probably not anywhere near favourites for a win, it's not too remote a prospect. And - although I admit it seems ridiculously unlikely - I would piss myself laughing if Leicester managed to get anything off City!! All in all, this is a very interesting week for the Assistant Manager.

However, things may get even better next week(end); and I think most FPL managers have planned all along that GWs 31-33 would probably be the best slot to try to use for this new chip.

Brighton might still be 5 places above Palace going into that week (though that's a bit touch-and-go); and then the following week, of course, Palace will have a table-bonus double bill against City and Newcastle (both away; quite likely to lose both - a double gameweek isn't always infallible magic, but... it's still somewhat tempting, three table-bonus fixtures in two gameweeks is the kind of mother-lode you look for with this chip). West Ham at home against Bournemouth in GW31 might perhaps be a more tempting option, quite a strong possibility of a table-bonus draw (and if they get some form going, perhaps they could even discomfit Liverpool at Anfield the following week?? Nah....!). Brentford away to Chelsea, or Villa playing Forest and Everton playing Arsenal at home could also be handy table-bonus prospects in GW31. Wolves at home to Spurs (maybe, if the gap widens), or Brentford away at Arsenal, and Everton away at Forest could also be tempting table-bonus punts for GW32.

And then in GW33, of course, there's always the possibility that there could be another Double Gameweek (probably for City and Villa [unless they both lose; I'm writing this on Sunday, so don't know yet]: not very attractive teams at the moment, and not with very good fixtures in that week - but if they can get some scoring form going between now and then, perhaps they could make the AM punt worthwhile with goals alone. There aren't too many obvious table-bonus opportunities that week - Everton hosting City and Spurs hosting Forest, perhaps. However, it's too far away for us to have much idea of how the table gaps might have evolved by then; maybe some of the mid-table battlers will have pulled apart, giving a few more options.

Even more than with most aspects of FPL, this is sheer bloody ROULETTE: because the chip's life is extended over three weeks, there are just too many imponderables to try to assess, it's a complete shot in the dark.

However, it does now seem incontestable that you HAVE to activate the 'Assistant Manager' chip in Gameweek 30 or 31.

The final fuck-you from FATE and the FPL Gnomes (possible band name??) is that the decisive factor in choosing between these two possibilities ought to be the possible double-fixture(s) in Gameweek 33; but we almost certainly won't have those confirmed before the Gameweek 30 deadline on Tuesday evening, so..... just got to flip a coin, and keep your fingers crossed. (I think I'd probably go for the GW30 deployment, just because I like the already-known fixture options over the three gameweeks a little more. Also, if Gameweek 33 turns out to be the bigger - or only - additional Double Gameweek, you might want to use your Bench Boost in that.)

It's ANNOYING, yes. The better path would be to refuse to use the damn chip.

#DownWithTheNewChip