The Premier League have sprung an early Christmas surprise on us today, with confirmation that Fantasy managers are set for our first Double Gameweek of the 2017/18 season.
Spurs’ home clash with West Ham, which was due to be played on December 31, has been rescheduled to January 4 due to transport issues.
This means that both clubs will have a blank Gameweek 21 but play twice in the following round of fixtures.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side will travel to Swansea City on January 2 before hosting the Hammers, who entertain West Brom prior to their trip to Wembley Stadium.
Intriguingly, this also coincides with the availability of the second wildcard of the season, which comes into play after 2pm on December 30 – ie, once the Gameweek 21 deadline has passed.
This could persuade many to load up on Spurs assets, with Harry Kane – up against the current bottom two teams in the Premier League – set to prove a huge armband favourite.
Similarly, the likes of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli could earn extra investment after falling out of favour in recent weeks, with the Free Hit Chip another alternative for those looking to retain their second Wildcard for the double Gameweeks to come.
The Kane strategy will be vital. Those who take the striker into the Christmas period must now decide his fate ahead of a Gameweek 21 blank. There is no question that his ownership will take a significant blow following his Boxing Day match-up with Southampton.
There will, therefore, be an option to reserve the transfers to sell for Gameweek 21 and buy back for his potential two fixtures.
Significantly, the Spurs blank features favourable fixtures for teams boasting viable alternatives to Kane.
Alvaro Morata could possibly start against Stoke City, Roberto Firmino may start against Leicester City at Anfield, Alexandre Lacazette is at West Brom, while the Manchester City duo of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus will go to Crystal Palace.
They could all offer the option to replace Kane for Gameweek 21 as a temporary stop-gap.
However, reserving transfers during this period, which will be heavy for rest, rotation, injuries and suspensions, is perhaps wishful thinking. A points hit is an option, of course, though that will put more pressure on Kane’s starts and returns in Gameweek 22.
An FA Cup Third Round tie, which could possibly follow on Saturday, January 6, throws another variable into the mix. Depending on their opponent, it’s possible that Spurs could put some priority on this and Kane’s minutes in this double Gameweek may ultimately depend on their FA Cup opponents.
Luckily, the draw is 7pm tonight, so if Spurs get a lower-league side, we’d surely bank on Kane getting a full run at both Swansea and West Ham. That would then make the Triple Captain chip an option, though given Kane’s rollercoaster returns so far, that would have to be considered carefully.
The double Gameweek adds another intriguing dilemma into the hectic festive period. While it could be potentially highly profitable for those who commit to Kane, it’s a scenario that clearly needs careful consideration and planning based on the information and trends available nearer the time.
