Arsenal vs Bolton Rescheduled… For This Week
Arsenal have just announced that their recently canceled fixture at home to Bolton (ruining the dreams of many Arshavin double gameweek captains) has been rescheduled.
However, what really puts the cat amongst the pigeons is that the game is due to be played a week from tomorrow. That is slap bang in the middle of the upcoming gameweek 22. Brace yourselves then, as we try to get to grips with what this all means…
Firstly the facts. Arsenal will face Bolton away and home in the same very gameweek – that’s not something we come across all too often – a first maybe? It’s worth noting however that fixtures for the Gunners stiffen after this gameweek (bol, BOL, avl, MUN, che, LIV). The again, with the Arsenal attack the standout aspect of their game, and all expectations on a Fabregas return this weekend, the potential is still there, at least at one end of the pitch.
The buys look fairly obvious then, those of us who held onto Fabregas and even Arshavin now, can count ourselves lucky as being (somewhat fortuitously) fully prepared. If Fabregas is to be believed and he is fully fit and raring to go – then he has to be option number one. As shown in his 27 minute cameo Aston Villa, he is capable of beating anyone – so must be a major consideration.
Andrei Arshavin, despite failing to impress recently and fighting the pain, will remain an option as we know he does have the talent to open up teams. With the aide of the aforementioned Fabregas, that will surely be of assistance too. It’s probably a case of those that have him should keep, and those that don’t dare not try.
Honourable mentions must go out to hatful of players: Eduardo is starting to play with a bit more guile in recent games, Diaby is a lovely cheap option at only £5.8m and Samir Nasri showed he does have it in him against Portsmouth – even if it was the only game this season he has returned any points for us.
Bolton however now make for very interesting budget choices. They have the already announced double coming up in gameweek 26, and now this just around the corner. However, quite obviously, two fixtures against Arsenal isn’t exactly the most rosy of situations – but you never know, with new manager Owen Coyle now in charge they will surely want to start with a bang.
With fixtures not dreadful to follow (ARS, ars, BUR, liv, FUL), especially a plum tie against Coyle’s old boys Burnley so soon after his departure, investment wouldn’t be the worst idea.
The investment card should look at the names mentioned in the article linked. Gary Cahill in defence knows how to keep his wits about him, Matty Taylor has talent even if he hasn’t really shown it so far this season, while Davies and Klasnic up front always have the potential to nick a goal or assist – Arsenal definitely aren’t the tightest club at the back. We just have to run the gauntlet of not knowing who Coyle’s favoured team is, and be willing to accept disappointment if/when he shakes Megson’s old team up a bit.
Add in Manchester United vs Hull on January 23rd, and this coming gameweek looks like it could be a monster. Something is bound to go awry, but we can’t look a gift horse like this in the mouth.
About the Author
Andy has scored fantasy own goals since before the game began.
Is anyone considering doing Arshavin > Fabregas this week for a 4 point hit?
I am considering it but I bet that little man will mug me off and score two Hattricks…..
Nope, to many other transfers to consider
oh the best laid plans of mice and men! everyone who was going to be saving their transfer to srot out the ManU pile up after the doubleweek now using it to bring in other doubleweek players, could be go for broke this week and pray next week that it all sorts itself out!
I cant believe i am contemplating getting rid of tevez after last nights performance and those tasty fixtures after GW23…..
I was just about to say the same. I feel insane for suggesting it but Tevez out for Defoe, only to bring Tevez back in after his missed week, might be my best option!
tott have many more options up front than they do midfield atm. I reckon defoe could be easily rested one game… krancjar and dawson look like good bets
If I had the money and less trouble for next week I might agree! I already have to take point hits to put out a full team next week!
SammyC said Redknapp was on SSN and said Pav & Keane against Hull, with Crouch & Defoe to face Liverpool.
I have defoe, was thinking about tevez out for torres! and lampard in last week not played then out for fabregas this week!! i am definitely holding fire i got burned before with early transfers!
Thought of that myself, but Defoe burnt me 3 times allready. Whenever I buy him, he does nothing.
I am thinking the exact same thing chaps, made .2 on Tevez and a nice 17 last night, would be easy transfer to Defoe and then I have one less player to think about in GW23, I am seriously thinking of wildcarding this week, from this:
Hart/Sorenson
Evra/ACole/Carr/Mears/Scharner
Arshavin/Fabregas/Valencia/Bowyer/O’hara
Klasnic/Rooney/Tevez
to this:
Hart/Jaaskelinen
Evans/Ivanovic/Carr/Tomkins/4.6def
Gerrard/Fabregas/Valencia/Hunt/N’Zogbia
Klasnic/Defoe/Rooney
What are peoples thoughts? 6 DGW players (with transfer saved till Week 23) or 8 DGW players with wildcard? hmmmm, thanks fellas
There is going to be a lot of rotation over the next few weeks….be warned!!
Eduardo was gone for next week, but now i cant justify it. I need Tevez out for Defoe or Torres….bugger!!!
Sorry for the stupid question – what happens with goalkeeper and defender scoring on double gameweeks? If they get a clean sheet and then let in a goal in the second game does it change from 6 to 2 (plus the second game score) or are the points from the original game held?
Treated as seperate games, cleanie then no cleanie would be 6 + 2 = 8
Thanks – that makes my decision MUCH easier.
tyou should be sorry
all points from games are independant of each other, unless u get a minus in one game
No that is a good question I think the points are held…..
Looking at doing Saha to Eduardo this game week, then swap him out for Bent next week. Thoughts?
Then look ahead to figure out how to get Fab/Drogba back in post GW 27.
im really confused can someone have a look at my team and tell me what i should do?
you have 7 players not playing in GW23, that includes both your keepers, Tuncay OUT Krancjar IN, Sorenson OUT Jaaskelinen IN?
im doin tuncay – modric and i was thinkin sorenson – hart
ok guys quick poll,
best players from the following teams for dbl, and any hidden gems?
man u –
liverpool –
arsenal –
spurs -
Anderson
El Zhar
Eastmond
Naughton
McClair, Souness, Limpar and Thorsvedt.
Man U: Rooney, Valencia, Evra
Liverpool: Torres, Gerrard, Kuyt
Arsenal: Fabregas, Diaby, Arshavin
Spurs: Defoe, Modic, Krancjar
I dont do hidden gems
Tough one, I don’t really know any Man U players.
The dryness of MnL, love it!
haha i like the sarcasm
Sorry Jimi…but you’re about 300th in the world, toss some nuggets our way!
I CONTROL THE BONUS POINTS!!!!
MWAHH HAA HAAA
There’s definitely going to be too many d*cks on the dancefloor here, I feel.
Even the bad managers who don’t keep up are going to really luck into some good DGW action – oh well. I’ve got 8 without any trades (double standards, I know) so I might just have to cross fingers and toes Liverpool & Spurs keep themselves quiet against each other.
liverpool have the hardest fixtures on paper imo, stoke away is tough and spurs will be looking to do the double (see what i did there, double! hehe)
after seeing what dempsey did to the stoke defence in just 30 mins i dont see why torres and gerrard cant do at least the same. stoke away was tough until about november, now that bubble seems to have burst and the likes of shawcross, huth and collins are showing their true colours imo. (cue stoke cs)
I’m not touching Liverpool players, away to Stoke and home to Spurs will not be easy, at least Spurs have the security of Hull at home to rack some points up against, Liverpool don’t have that luxury.
I know what you mean Andy. This may well be a point bonanza, but when it was just United and Hull people who had planned for so would be getting the advantage. Not so much now.
If Chelsea join the party then I woud say most teams are going to have 7 or 8 playing twice if not more.
I’m hoping Liverpool and Tott blow out too, even if I did get a couple of them in, there’s too many good fixtures this week to bench my other players
andy you always give me advice that pays off what should i do?
Buy a caravan and move to Plymouth?
will do, really any advice? im clueless
It’s true, my rival doesn’t even have a Man U player, but he’s still got 5 DGW players to my 7.
My rival also has 5, but I would bench Zayatte, Cahill, Cohen either way.
My rival has 3 and I have 2 of his 3 so I can really close him down some more this week as I will have 7.
Captain Tevez helped me close him down by 37 points last night and his lead has chopped from 128 to 76 in 3 weeks so I need to go big on this to put him under pressure.
Well this is a bit bonkers to say the least. Took Arshavin out earlier in the week for Valencia (to avoid the multiple price rises). Bit gutted, but I still assume Valencia to get more points. Was also planning to get Bale and Modric/Kranjcar anyways (4 point hit in total), and have Klasnic as first sub. But now I suppose I’ll not do the Shawcross -> Bale transfer.
I’m not touching a thing until the last moments of the week, but without knowing when Everton’s game is gonna be redone, do you all think it’s worth an 8 point hit this week so I can have Modric playing in stead of Pienaar from GW22 right through till GW28. Conveniantly, in GW29 their fixtures basically reverse and it’ll be easy to swap back.
good news that as I have three man u and arsenal players and 2 bolton players setting me up beautifully for the upcoming gameweek.
i could also play dawson of hull giving me 9 DGW players. but don’t like his fixtures away to tot and MU.
fingers crossed for fulham v portsmouth on jan 20th. that would be a sweet double too fulham home to pompy and away to blackburn
I am clueless…..
only problem i can see for this is portsmouth may go all out to stop this game being re-arranged before february as they will want their acon players back.
so i now have Arshavin and Rooney to decide between for captain… Rooney wins!!
happy enough this double GW has come now, i can then get rid of Arshavin and not have to worry when his Double GW will be.
if all things go well, with the amount of double GW players i have this week (7) i may get a very high score indeed, although i did have 7 double GW players last time and it didn’t work out but its better to be optimistic!
That is a total no brainer, Rock. I am more concerned that Arshavin will get rested for one of the games now.
Without Berb, Rooney simply has to start both games.
Delighted I took out Fab out for Arshavin at 11.25am the other week. Really reaped the rewards there and am now left with a total waste of space and cannot afford Fab. Surely Wenger will stop playing Arsh in this central role? Eduardo must be better suited there? Hopefully, Fab’s return will spring some life back into the useless little meerkat.
Makes the captains poll a little more interesting i suppose but i expect Rooney will still romp it.
Talking of which, when are you gonna get the new poll up??
also anyway else noticed fabregas’ reb status has been removed on the same day an arsenal double is announced. his protection could do the opposite to a few weeks ago and prevent a double price rise.
For those, like me, who ended up with an awesome bench and a terrible main team the last dgw…take a deep breath, have a look at your team and remember that dgw does not necessarily mean mega pts for each player. Will I be benching Bent again, to take a four pt hit and bring in someone like Defoe? No way.
You should bring in Defoe man
I seriously think Keane and Crouch will play at Analfield. Obviously you would rather Defoe played at home to Hull but I would be wary of getting him in on the premise of 2 games.
Maybe, can’t see it myself, Keane and Crouch can wait a few more days for the FA Cup game for a run out.
Back on their old stomping ground though. Exactly the sort of nugget old ‘arry will use when digging deep in the tactical fountain of knowledge.
Completely agree, too often a DGW masks problems in your team. You see someone who before you thought would never get 3 points in a game and now its a DGW they are suddenly going to get 20. Such is the situation with Shava. i have him in my team, as they have a double im expecting at least 6 points but no way on earth will i captain him again. Need to sit back and pick a proper line-up and captain not just jump in on DGW’ers.
glad at least two agree. I had defoe for a while including the wolves game, when he was supposed to score big time. He didn’t. He may well do well against Hull, but in my case, is it worth a pts hit and offloading either Tevez or Bent?
I’ve got seven playing in the dgw…inc rooney and fab…that’s plenty for me. Torres and Gerrard would be good….but it would need a mega restructure.
Have 6 DGW so far(3xMU, ARS). Don’t know what to do. Hae a pretty strong team allready. A.Cole, Chimbonda, Dunn, Milijas, Tevez -who to bench? Maybe only one transfer and bench only Chimbonda?
7 but one is Myhill so really 6 that I am going to play……
Unusually for me I had trigger finger earlier in the week. There was reasoning though, Evra and Valencia in, Gallas and Arshavin out.
I’d always planned to cost myself 4 this week and 4 next week to capitalise on United’s attractive double and then re-group next week. I wouldn’t of had to if these fixtures had come out, so in effect the snow has cost me a further 8 points even after the postponements.
C’est la vie.
I had a clear transfer plan in mind for the next 3-4 weeks.
It’s just gone out of the window!
Back to the drawing board… should be a tasty GW!!!
ditto. Was gonna be a simple Lampard in for Arshavin but now who knows…
Done that too often lately!
Do you think it is a good idea to do Hunt > Diaby?
Yes.
So far I’ve got 7 double gameweek players: Arshavin, Diaby, Taylor, Valencia, Evra, Rooney and Defoe.
Plus 3 Chelsea: A Cole, Ivanovic, Anelka.
Plus Hart in goal.
Is it worth points hit to try and bring in more DGW players? e.g. Liverpool, Spurs? And who?
maybe swap Arsh with Fab if you can, but other than that, you have an amazing team for weeks to come, why change it?
If the Chelsea game is added to the DGW’s, is it possible to have a worse TGW for Hull? Tottenham, Man U and Chelsea? Normally i’d love a little punt on a TGW player but surely stear clear?
I’d stay clear with you lawman. Maybe Myhill would be the only one worth considering.. He’d be earning his money anyway!
Stephen Hunt always likely to get amongst the points though. And cheap. I don’t think I would be able to pass that up as my downgrade of Arsh.
Heavy snow forecast next Wednesday no doubt?
This cold snap is likely to continue for a while yet so a wise manager will certainly bear this in mind. I will be making some plans for the double gwk-fest-a-thon but will likely only take a 4 pointer which will give me 6/7 players.
is it worth a 4 point hit to do shawcross and tuncay – m.dawson and modric?
Considering a very similar move myself. Alexander & Tuncay for Dawson & Modric/kranjcar undecided on which.
yes… stokw don’t play in GW23 so even more reason to do so..imo
I think it’s a good move, thinking of doing M. Richards > Dawson myself which is similar in principal (Shipping out a player with no fixture in GW23 for a player with a DGW this week!)
The whole thing would be a lot easier putting in some DGW players if it wasn’t for villa having a nice fixture ….. Seems wrong to be thinking of benching or dropping MIlner at home to WHU but that will be necessary to pull off more DGW players
So if im not mistaken Liverpool-Tottenham-Arsenal-Bolton-Hull-Man utd have double games next week?
yes
Just noticed i got 7 double gw players this week without making a transfer. Already done arshavin to valencia, not bothered by the russians double cause he is too fustrating to watch
If a couple more of last weekends games get re-arranged for the 20th then I could quite easilty have a starting 11 this week full of DGW players after a point hit or two (which I am not afraid of).
So far by double gameweekers are:
Traore, Diaby, Arshavin, Evra, Valencia, Rooney, Defoe
I think that the form that Tevez is on makes him a starter despite him only having 1 game.
I am really hoping that Chelsea vs. Hull is scheduled for the 20th so that I can play Cech and Ivanovic and I will be laughing.
If so, 100+ Points could be on the cards quite easily as long as captain Rooney plays both performs!
A couple of seasons ago I took a 16 pt hit for a Chelsea and ManU double GW and scored 120. With the fixtures available, the century is a minimum this week as far as I’m concerned.
I wanted to swap giggs for gerrard but he’s too expensive. so i have to find another MF.Pls which of the follwoing is the best player to get?
dempsey/valencia/modric/kranjcar
Also need to swap one of my strikers – Diamanti or Agbonlahor: Which striker should i bring in?
Anelka/Eduardo/Torres/Rooney
I have 6.3 in the bank
I have 6.3 in the bank
Hold fire until all the games for the next gameweek are confirmed.
At the moment I’d say Valencia and Rooney.
id go with giggs and agbon to valencia and anelka. giggs could get a good total this double gw though so maybe there is some more urgent transfer you could do?