Why looking at fixture runs after the expected Double Gameweek 26 is important

Three-time top 200 finisher Lateriser talks us through his Wildcard thoughts.

The Wildcard button is calling me and all I’m waiting for is the confirmed rearranged fixtures before I activate it – although I’m not sure if I’ll go through with it if we don’t get an annoucement before the Gameweek deadline.

This seems like a good time to step back and process information as a lot of us are going to make some key decisions in the next few weeks. With this article, I write about some players and trends that have gained my attention in the last few Gameweeks.

First up, let’s talk about Marcos Alonso (£5.7m). He looked a lot like his old self in the game against Newcastle and mustered five shots, four of which were from inside the box. He is definitely in my Wildcard thinking right now but I very well know that he isn’t exactly nailed. If you do want to roll the dice with Alonso, it is advisable only if you have a deep defensive bench. I get the feeling that he could drop a 15-pointer in any game if he continues in the same attacking vein. It looks like Tuchel is going to persist with the 3-4-3 formation and his comments with regards to Alonso seems particularly encouraging.

There are a couple of other reasons why I like this pick. Outside of a potentially difficult Double Gameweek in 26, Chelsea have a good run of fixtures around it. On top of that, they have posted strong underlying numbers in defence in the last few Gameweeks with only Manchester City conceding fewer shots in the box and big chances in the same period. It is worth mentioning again that if you decide to roll the dice with Alonso, a deep bench in defence is needed. There are safer, more nailed picks like Antonio Rüdiger (£4.6m) in play in case you’re not one to indulge in punts which are not nailed.

One mistake that all of us make is having a Double Gameweek tunnel. More often than not, you will find yourself with a team entirely focused on Gameweek 26 and the players you have picked might not have good fixtures afterwards. Keeping that in mind, I have pasted the Season Ticker below for Gameweek 27 and beyond which might help with some decisions.

There are a few key factors here that should influence your thinking. First up, it is likely that Southampton have a Double Gameweek in this period. Also, it is worth noting that their fixtures after Gameweek 26 are really good as well, which makes me pay closer attention to assets like Danny Ings (£8.4m) and Jannik Vestergaard (£4.7m) despite their poor form. I personally expect a better performance from the Saints in the coming weeks because I rate their manager and a lot of their good players are back fit.

A lot of people are not sure about Ings at the moment. For me personally, based on the eye test, he has looked very sharp in the last three Gameweeks and has been fairly unlucky as well. In addition, I still like the Leeds fixture for an attacker, which is why it is worth going there in my opinion.

I have already spoken about the Chelsea fixtures around the potentially difficult Double Gameweek above. In addition to defence, Timo Werner (£9.2m) has been accumulating points at a good rate playing in his preferred left-forward position.

It is also worth noting that Leicester City, Liverpool, Leeds and Aston Villa have decent fixtures post-Gameweek 26, which allows you to carry their assets after the Double Gameweek. The advantage with Leeds players is that they have a good fixture in Blank Gameweek 29. It is possible that Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa could play in Gameweek 29 as well which is something worth considering while making your transfers.

Personally, I am even looking at cheap defensive assets from Brighton and Hove Albion because of two factors. They have good underlying numbers in defence and have decent fixtures in Gameweek 26, as well as Gameweek 29.

For those that are not Wildcarding in Gameweeks 25/26, there is a decent fixture shift in Gameweek 31 and it is potentially a good time to Wildcard then. The notable fixture shifts are as follows:

• Aston Villa sit bottom of the Season Ticker in the period from Gameweek 31 to Gameweek 38 and a lot of us will be on at least two Aston Villa assets in that period.

• Arsenal and Wolves have a great run of fixtures from Gameweek 31 onwards and not many of them are in our squads at the moment.

• It is also worth noting that Spurs, Manchester City, Fulham and Southampton will have a Blank Gameweek 33.

Before ending this article, I want to bring to your notice a few player stats that have caught my eye in the last four Gameweeks:

I hope you find this article useful and it helps you plan better in this very important stage of the season, as every transfer we make needs to be very carefully thought through.

Good luck this Gameweek!