Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for Double Gameweek 19

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Double Gameweek 19 ahead of today’s 11:00 GMT deadline.

The fixture schedule has shifted once again. Like a surreal game of Grandmother’s Footsteps, it’s moved every time you turn to look at it. 

Aston Villa lost and regained their Double Gameweek in a matter of hours, although they now face Newcastle United instead of Everton in addition to Manchester City. But the clever fixture juggling did not extend to Leeds United and Southampton, with their upcoming midweek game postponed to accommodate Southampton’s rescheduled FA Cup tie.

During these testing times, we can expect further changes with little warning.

In a letter sent last week, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters alerted clubs that they should plan for more matches being postponed or rearranged at short notice. And a joint statement from the Premier League, FA and EFL, restated the desire to complete the season in May.

So, who knows what twists and turns await? Could we yet see Leeds vs Southampton rearranged for Gameweek 19?

Shrewsbury, already without their manager Steve Cotterill for Tuesday’s tie, may suffer more ill-effects from coronavirus (COVID-19), or, by some miracle, could the Shrews beat Southampton on Tuesday? However unlikely, Leeds and Southampton would then both have a free weekend slot.

But that might be taking ‘Fantasy’ football a step too far. Sticking with what we know, here’s Legomané’s updated fixture ticker:

‘TBA’ fixtures Possible Gameweek Slots
Aston Villa v Everton24-to-28, 30-to-34, 37
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur 26, 32, 37
Burnley v Fulham24-to-28, 30-to-34, 37
Everton v Manchester City24, 26, 27, 32, 37
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur26, 32, 37
Leeds United v Southampton24-to-28, 30-to-34, 37
Manchester City v Southampton24, 26, 27, 32, 37

Triple Gameweek Scenario

Future Double Gameweeks, and possibly Triple Gameweeks, await Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

The two sides contest the EFL Cup final (coinciding with Gameweek 33), and are both still in the FA Cup and European competitions: should they progress to the latter stages, Spurs will potentially have to squeeze five matches into three available Gameweek slots, and Man City would have to fit five games into five free slots.

So no COVID-19 leeway and additional fixture shenanigans could lie ahead.

To Bench Boost or not to Bench Boost?

After the latest changes, a question facing many managers – and one tackled by our Scoutcast trio of Joe, Seb, and Karam – is now that Leeds and Southampton don’t have two matches in Gameweek 19, is it still worth using the Bench Boost?

The thing is, if you already Wildcarded in Gameweek 16, and you set up your team to Bench Boost, you need something bigger than this to back out from it. Because it’s one of the chips that if you don’t do it now, you will wait for another chance [and] you might have a lot of funds remain on your bench.

– Karam

Leeds-fan Seb added:

Ideally I want to be Bench Boosting all 15 players for double, unless someone crazy has got a great fixture, [but] often they might be more expensive, so typically you’re going to have medium to cheap assets on the bench, that’s the goal … On Leeds, so I think if you’ve been forced into this a little bit and you still want to use that Bench Boost, it’s not terrible. They’re playing Brighton at home … if you’ve got Bamford, Dallas, and Raphina on your bench maybe that is a Bench Boost – Bamford could score three!

However not all managers feel the same. Pro Pundit Az has been reduced to eight Double Gameweek players, scuppering any hopes he had for using the chip.

So, with fixture rescheduling putting any plans I had for a Bench Boost on hold, I am considering which chip I should use if any.

Instead the co-host of FPL BlackBox is contemplating using his Triple Captain. But Manchester United go to Liverpool with Bruno Fernandes (£11.3m) a booking away from a one-match ban, and Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) is out of form. Although both sides have favourable second fixtures against Fulham and Burnley respectively.

Buying Manchester City Players

The other challenge facing Az and those like Pro Pundit Darren Wiles, who used their first Wildcard late to set up a Gameweek 19 Bench Boost, is how to accommodate Manchester City players?

The Citizens didn’t feature in Darren’s original plans, given that they had just a single Gameweek before their fixture with Aston Villa was rearranged.

But they’ve since come into form with an eye-catching 3-1 win away to Chelsea, and Pep Guardiola’s side have now kept six clean sheets in their last eight matches, giving them the best defensive record in the league.

Ahead of enticing homes matches against Crystal Palace and West Brom, Jan Sienkiewicz sides with the captain poll in backing De Bruyne with the armband:

De Bruyne is a truly world class player and it should be only a matter of time before he matches his outstanding underlying statistics. With two home games against non-top-six sides, Manchester City should continue their winning run and De Bruyne is expected to be at the heart of the action.

All this leads Darren, in his latest article, to contemplate a minus 12 to bring in Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m), Rúben Dias (£5.8m), John Stones (£5.0m) and Michail Antonio (£6.2m) for Harry Kane (£11.1m), Marcus Rashford (£9.6m), Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.8m) and Fabián Balbuena (£4.4m).

I am not rushing into any decisions but I feel multiple hits could be on the cards in order to get two or three Manchester City players in prior to the Double Gameweek and as part of my long term thinking.

– Darren

But the Live Hall of Fame No 2 remains undecided on whether to use the Bench Boost as it would include players like Che Adams (£6.0m), who is available for selection after recovering from concussion.

Tasty Transfers

In direct contrast to Darren’s multiple hit, Former FPL Champion Simon March used Marshmallows to demonstrate that patience is a virtue.

A graduate in behavioural economics, Simon referred to the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment in which children were given the choice of eating a marshmallow now or instead being given a second marshmallow in 15 minutes.

When they followed up 10 years later, the scientists found that the children who delayed gratification and waited for the second marshmallow, had scored better in their SATs, performed better in school generally and even had healthier BMIs.

Pro Pundit Simon likened this to wise FPL managers who save their chips for later in the season (traditionally the better time to play them), and the benefits of rolling a transfer.

Aside from giving you more flexibility in who you can sign, potentially shifting funds to different areas of your team, it also buys you an extra Gameweek of information and more thinking time.

Fantasy Favourite

A player both Darren and Az are tempted by is Michail Antonio. West Ham enjoy an appealing pair of fixtures in Gameweek 19, at home to Burnley and West Brom, but the question mark, as ever, is over Antonio’s fitness.

Ted Talks FPL offered some encouragement, observing that:

With Haller joining Ajax, West Ham must be confident that 1.9% owned Antonio must be back to full fitness, certainly in the short-term. He looks to be an excellent pick for Double Gameweek 19.

Pro Pundits Tom and Andy agreed, giving the Hammers striker the nod:

Michail Antonio is a bit of a favourite of mine and now he’s fit and got through 90 minutes I can’t leave him out. He’s averaging 0.47xG per 90 minutes so far this season. It’s down on 2019/20, but still excellent given his price. – Andy

I’m also backing Michail Antonio. Though he looks short of match fitness, he needs games, and as West Ham United’s only recognised striker, should see enough minutes across the two fixtures. – Tom

While Big Man Bakar, who was looking dashing in pink on the latest installment of The FPL Wire, reminded us of Antonio’s excellent early season form, despite the tricky start.

But is it too soon to take the plunge?

Team News

Frustratingly, as Colm Hayes noted in his press conference round-up, David Moyes did not provide a specific update on his injury-prone centre-forward, leaving Fantasy bosses wondering what to do.

In other news, Anthony Martial (£8.8m) and Pedro Neto (£6.0m) are doubts after suffering knocks in Gameweek 17. But both may still feature this weekend.

And Joel Matip (£5.4m) could return to Liverpool’s backline depending on how well he does in the next two training sessions.

Finally, new Fantasy Football Scout writer Jamie, ran the rule over Manchester United’s latest signing Amad Diallo and assessed the impact Robert Snodgrass (£5.7m) could make under Sam Allardyce at West Brom.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

RedLightning rounded-up the latest Community mini-leagues and competitions in a hot topic yesterday.

The January to May League, which started scoring in Gameweek 17, remains open for those who want to track their progress until the end of the season. The code to join is h62bh1. The current leader is Denville Tyrell, who has risen from 29,903rd to 5,121st in the last two Gameweeks.

For those interested in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. The fixtures for Gameweek 19 can be found below:

Use the drop-down menus to show your league and division. To find out which league and division you are in, follow the instructions on the main Head-to-Head page.

Once the Gameweek starts, if you click on your opponent’s name you will be linked to their team on the FPL website.

May your arrows be green!

TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

5,142 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Fernando Torres
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Kane to Vardy (-4) worth it?

    1. zotter
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Hmmm. Close but no cigar.

    2. BenDavies
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      no

    3. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No

    4. Rochdale_Cowboy
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

    5. Puyol Pants Up
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I pulled the trigger. Kane has been scoring well but doesn't pass the Eye test and his meh fixtures. Vardy passes the eye test and has a fairly juicy double.

  2. Sid07
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you BB this lot?

    Meisler taylor Dallas Bamford

    1. zotter
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

    2. D.Glynn
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

  3. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    This comment is just to help the pages fly by faster

    1. Wheyyyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      This comment is to slow people down when they need answers quickly.

  4. as33
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    An1 going for Firmino+Salah?

    1. Rochdale_Cowboy
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Klopp

  5. random53124
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you BB this?

    Sanchez (lee), Saka (NEW), Targett (mci, NEW), Holding (NEW)

    Good fixtures. Tempted to upgrade 1 and BB. 1.9m ITB but no free transfers. Seems a waste to -4 on a keeper, even tho that’s weakest part of bench

    1. zotter
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes bench boost it. Don’t spend any money on it though. Especially on tying up more funds in a keeper

  6. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Cresswell or Justin if you have Coufal?

    1. boroie
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Justin

    2. Party time
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Cresswell

    3. JoeSoap
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Any of the following worth a hit? (on -4)

      A. Mendy>Soucek/Foden (bench Dallas)
      B. Dallas>Cancelo (bench Bamford)
      C. McCarthy>Ederson
      D. Stick

      McCarthy
      Dias, Justin, Dallas, Coufal
      Fernandes, Grealish, KDB, Salah
      Bamford, Antonio
      Steer, Mitchell, Mendy, Adams

    4. JenkoJunko
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Morning all! *Repost x2* Please someone??Anyone??

      Squad: 1FT 0.7ITB
      Mcarthy
      Dallas TAA Cresswell
      KDB Salah Bruno Grealish
      Bam Antonio Wilson

      Forster / KWP / Bissouma / Neco

      A. Grealish & Dallas to Soucek & Cancelo -4
      B. Grealish & Dallas to Soucek & R James -4
      C. Hold and Roll

      1. Hansel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        A

      2. D.Glynn
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        A

      3. random53124
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        A. City defender worth the hit imo

      4. TKC07
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        D) KWP to Stones?

      5. JenkoJunko
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks all. Very helpful, good luck

    5. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      What the hell am I doing going without Salah

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        This actually feels like a Fudgy post

      2. Black Knights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I don’t have him either. Couldn’t lose Son & Kane to accommodate him and don’t overly like the fixtures.

      3. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Couldn't do that myself. So risky. Two home fixtures.

      4. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I am also. Once your alternative matches then it’s ok

      5. Collie01
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I briefly considered it. But I sold Son instead since selling Salah for a hit before 2 home fixtures in a DGW just seemed horrible

      6. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Me neither mate

      7. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I have him but wont be surprised to see him be a fail

      8. random53124
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Lol same position here. Eeeeeek

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Good luck all, may the Lord have mercy on our souls

    6. The_FF_King
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Any suggestions chaps?

      Mendy
      Dias, Stones, Robertson, Creswell
      KDB(c), Salah, Bruno, Soucek
      Antonio, Vardy

      1. The_FF_King
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Forgot to say this is my FH team

        1. random53124
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Nice. Mendy is interesting choice in defence, hadn’t considered before. I’d be tempted to save a few £0.x on a cheaper keeper, or take Fabianski for sale price. Ah wait, you have Cresswell already...hmm probably gtg

          1. The_FF_King
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Cheers mate 🙂

    7. BenDavies
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Anyone else here KDB (TC)?

      1. King Kun Ta
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Not with the risk of a rest

        1. BenDavies
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Without him, City are clueless. Pep knows this. He starts both games imo.

      2. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I’ve e done Sterling...

    8. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A) Adams -> Watkins
      B) Raphina -> Gundogan
      C) Adams and Raphina -> Antonio and Lookman -4

      1. boroie
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        A

    9. boroie
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A - TC Salah
      B - TC KDB
      C - BB (Soucek Targett Struijk Forster)
      D - Save TC and BB

      1. mrelpea
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        D 100%

        1. mrelpea
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          There are triple City and Spurs games potentially on the horizon, save TC for that

    10. King Kun Ta
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Play BB with this bench?

      Martin Bamford Adams Ayling

      Ta!

      1. drughi
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        take a hit to take martin out for a playing goalkeeper then yes

        1. King Kun Ta
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          No funds and already on -8

      2. random53124
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        If you are BB, -4 to get a playing double game week keeper is worth it, since they should get approx 4 points min for playing 2 games?

        1. King Kun Ta
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          0.3 ITB so no option

    11. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Some pre-deadline wisdom:

      “It's better to regret what you have done than what you haven't.”

      Good luck!

    12. VICTORIOUS SECRET! !
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      RMWCT

      Johnstone

      Cancelo dias coufal zouma
      Bruno son KDB soucek
      Kane Antonio

      (McCarthy Dallas reed Bamford)

      0.4ITB
      SUGGESTIONS PLEASE

    13. Diedhiou See That?
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Who to play this week:

      A - Stuart Dallas (BHA)

      B - Matt Targett (MCI, NEW)

    14. Rider on the Storm
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Taylor+bamford -> coufal+antonio (-8)?
      Y or N?

    15. Agamenmon
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bench 1 of

      A) Wood
      B) Raphinha
      C) Bamford

      1. boroie
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        B

    16. StevenW
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Which would you rather transfer in now... Bamford or Wilson

    17. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      KDB TC LOCKED.

    18. TSN
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      martinez

      AWB - cancelo - saiss - cresswell
      salah - bruno - grealish - son
      kane - bamford

      sub: leno - holding - ESR - brewster

      leno saiss ESR --> johnstone Coufal Soucek and use BB (-8)

      Yay or Nay?
      thanks

      1. Marcin the Pole
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I'd be tempted to only do Saiss to Coufal and BB.

        1. TSN
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          would you rather saiss to coufal or saiss to stones?

          1. Marcin the Pole
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Probably Stones actually.

    19. Marcin the Pole
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Transfers done. BB activated. GTG?

      Johnstone
      Cancelo Coufal Justin
      Salah (C) Mane Fernandes Soucek Gundogan
      Vardy Wood

      McCarthy Bamford Targett Ayling

    20. abaalan
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      How many people are TC'ing this week?
      Salah or KDB?

      Am tempted by a Vardy TC punt!

      1. random53124
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I was tempted by Vardy TC but have ok bench to BB and hoping for triple game week at some point in future

    21. zotter
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      On bench boost

      Would you spend a -4 on upgrading any of

      A. Dallas
      B. Bamford
      C. Wood

      Zero itb btw

      1. Geordie19
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        C for Antonio?

    22. Littlebitwizardoföz
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Play
      (A) Saka OR
      (B) Bamford

      Thanks for any help!

      1. zotter
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        B

    23. Geordie19
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kane to Vardy worth a -4?

      1. Wheyyyy
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Not for me as I'd rather keep Kane. Other will say yes though..

    24. Futureform
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Dias + Stones - nailed for both games?

      Who else likely to play centre back for City who is also fit?!!

      1. Geordie19
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Would say so because everyone else is unfit and because they haven’t conceded mang

      2. Futureform
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks that's what I'm thinking too.

    25. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Dallas -> Chilwell worth a -4

      Yay or Nay ?

    26. Wheyyyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Already on -4 and no BB...

      A) Dallas to Coufal (bench Bamford)
      B) Play Bamford (bench Dallas, no extra hit)

      1. Ibra
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        B