THE introduction of Boosters is arguably the most significant improvement in the world of Dream Team this season.
You get three Boosters to use throughout the 2023/24 campaign which, if played correctly, will provide power spikes in the form plentiful points.
Here's a quick reminder of each Boosters' special impact:
- Park the Bus – Every defender in your team earns double points
- 12th Man – Select an additional player on top of your regular XI
- Maximum Captain – Player who scores most points automatically selected as captain
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Each Booster can only be played once and the effects last for the duration of one Gameweek.
It's therefore imperative that you activate each Booster at the opportune time.
With that in mind, here are five questions you should ask yourself before playing either Park the Bus, 12th Man or Maximum Captain.
Is this an impulsive reaction to a bad week?
If you slip down a couple of places in your Mini League then the temptation to activate a Booster in hope of regaining your ranking as soon as possible will be strong but it's best to remove emotion from the situation.
Generally, your performance in the most recent Gameweek should not be a factor in your Booster strategy – what's done is done.
Making up for a dud week may feel good in the short term but playing a Booster rashly is likely to rob you of points in the long run.
If you activate a Booster in a heated moment, you can deactivate it at any point before the Gameweek gets underway.
Is my team set up correctly?
This is most relevant when activating Park the Bus, the most powerful of the three Boosters.
If you opt to double the points of all your defenders then it makes sense to ensure your XI contains as many defenders as possible that Gameweek.
Activating Park the Bus when you've only got three defenders would be a tragic waste and even four defenders is sub-optimal.
Use your weekly transfers to switch to either the 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 formation to maximise the effect of Park the Bus.
Are the fixtures appealing?
As a general rule, it's best to wait for a double Gameweek for all three Boosters.
Or at the very least, the player(s) impacted by the Booster in question should have two fixtures at their disposal.
And it's not just the quantity of the fixtures that matters but the quality too.
If your 12th Man is set to face Manchester City at the Etihad and Arsenal at the Emirates then that's an unnecessarily difficult task for the player in question.
Patience is a virtue, wait for two favourable match-ups to give your chosen player the best possible chance of cashing in – the same goes for your Park the Bus defenders.
How many Boosters have I already played?
Timing these power spikes over the course of the campaign is crucial.
You could use all three in quick succession in hope of establishing an intimidating lead in your Mini League which may force your rivals to make foolish decisions.
But don't be surprised if your lead erodes away later on in the season as your rivals play their Boosters one by one.
Equally, if you plan to save your Boosters for the run-in you will ensure a strong finish but you may find you have left yourself too much work to do.
The state of your team and the fixtures are the main factors to consider but it's always worth keeping an eye on how many Boosters your Mini League rivals have used at any given stage of the season.
Will I regret this?
Lastly, before committing to a Booster, make sure you're not overlooking a better opportunity.
Check the schedule and imagine how each Booster would work for each Gameweek and if at any point you realise there's a superior opportunity elsewhere, then listen to your gut and wait for that moment.
If you activate a Booster when everything seems just right then you can have no regrets, even if it doesn't lead to the volume of points you expected.
But if you play one through impatience and it backfires, that will be a bitter pill to swallow.
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