Welcome The New Year With A Double Gameweek

Happy New Year everyone! Or at least it might very well be for us eagle-eyed fantasy managers. As recently tweeted by Greek Fan only yesterday, Stoke and Fulham have had their postponed Premier League game rescheduled for either January 5th or 6th.

Looking at the fantasy calendar, I would stake a claim on that fixture being pencilled in for gameweek 20, although given the new year gap, it could yet end up being in gameweek 21.

So while all our rivals are reveling in the trivialities of Christmas, our dedication and attention to detail could possibly bring us the fantasy profit to help us welcome in 2010 in style…

Sadly, a glance at the Season Ticker reveals that it’s not going to be easy to reap the benefits. Stoke’s fixtures certainly weren’t handed out with too much Christmas spirit (avl, mcy, BIR, FUL, bur, LIV). Around the impending double, the Potters will face trips to Villa Park and Eastlands. The double fixture is paired with the home game with Birmingham and then followed by a tough trip to home specialists Burnley and a Britannia meet with Liverpool.

Investment in Stoke’s attacking players is always a risk. Right now Etherington and Beattie are the only real attractive options. I for one have a close eye on Beattie after being just inches away from signing him in the past gameweek. He is undoubtedly streakier than a Christmas rasher, but if he can show any semblance of form building up to double fixture, I quite like the option. It’s also worth pondering that by January, Tuncay could be established in the starting lineup. The Turkish skipper is classed as midfielder in the Fantasy Premier League game.

Defensively Stoke are a better proposition, although looking at those fixtures, investment for the double fixture in either gameweek 20 or 21, looks to be a short-term option. However, home games with Birmingham and Fulham should hold moderate spoils for Shawcross, Faye, Sorensen et al.

Fulham also have a rather tough spate of fixtures around the potential double gameweeks (MUN, TOT, che, stk, POR, bla). Again the preceding fixtures do little for us. Hodgson takes his side to face Messrs. Ferguson, Ancelotti & Redknapp prior to trip to Stoke – that will surely curb any investment enthusiasm when it comes to the defence. The double could come in tow with the trip to Stamford Bridge, so again it looks as though we’d need to consider attacking players.

Bobby Zamora can be excruciating at times but in recent weeks he has also shown his ability to rack up fantasy points, so shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand. The same goes for Clint Dempsey, who many managers will feel poses a significant (if not stronger) goal threat. Current injury doubts Andy Johnson, Danny Murphy and Damien Duff all have potential too. While these are all risks, at least with more calming fixtures to follow gameweek 20, there shouldn’t be the need to ship out our investments with any real urgency.

It must also be noted for those managers who are unaware, the fixture in question was rescheduled from gameweek 17 because Fulham will have a prior engagement in the Europa league against FC Basle (the same goes for Everton who must play host to BATE Borisov). So if you were planning on stocking up early, you may struggle to field a full lineup when these teams sit out gameweek 17.

Another addendum is that Arsenal need to host Bolton at some point in the season, and the aforementioned Evertons trip to Man City needs to be slotted into the diary too. Interestingly, all these teams are currently free to play on January 5th or 6th – though one of Arsenal or Man City will qualify for the Carling Cup semi-finals (as they face each other in the quarter finals) making their fixture unable to be rescheduled here.

It’s just speculation then, but we could quite possibly have a bumper double gameweek on the cards. As soon as we get word on that, we will of course be the first to let you know. If it’s confirmed, then we will really have some plans to make for New Year.