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. TSN
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    capt salah or bruno?

    1. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah

    2. tbos83
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah due to Bruno YC risk

    3. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah

    4. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Mo

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

      Thanks!

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    everyone avoiding chelsea assets. Pulisic, Ziyech, Chilwell are sleeper picks. They have been in bad form lately but perfect for those wanting a differential

    1. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No CHE until Fat Frank gets axed.

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

      Fixtures not good to differentiate.

    3. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I own Chilwell 😉

    4. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Agreed but chelsea are so inconsistent hard to predict anything from them

    5. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Werner too. Can strangely see him doing well this double

  3. Bees4Lyf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Play one:

    A) Adams (lei)
    B) Dallas (bha)

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Dallas mate

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      If I’m doubt I always play the attacker , so Dallas

    3. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A

  4. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Which ??

    A) neto -4 to gundogan/foden/ghazi/traore/soucek
    (Have antonio but no city or villa cover)
    B) do A) + saka out -8 & bench bamford
    C) do A) + sais -8 to coufal

  5. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Play Dallas or Lowton?

    1. Bees4Lyf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Lowton

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Maverick.

    3. mezza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Dallas

  6. LLoris
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Kane or Vardy

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

      this GW vardy

    2. Bees4Lyf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Vardy

  7. Yankee Toffee
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KDB = tired
    Salah = could get rested against BUR in prep for FA cup v Man U
    Bruno = 2 away matches

    Might just TC Cresswell...

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      True true.

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

      Klopp rarely prioritises fa cup.

      Klopp Rarely rests salah.

      Triple captain is so ruddy difficult to decide on....

  8. Maddamotha
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you do this for a -8? No City atm. Son,Robbo > KDB(C), Dias

    1. faux_C
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Too risky for me.

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

        What about Mccarthy > Ederson -4

    2. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No

      But find a way to get 1 City def

    3. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Son and Robbo could do well this week

    4. phrampton534
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      In the same boat and considered the same myself but I'm sticking with Robbo and Son...

    5. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers yall. Think Ill do Mccarthy > Ederson for a hit. Need a City def.

  9. corderz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How am I looking?

    Martinez
    Robbo Chilwell Cancelo Coufal
    KDB(C) Salah Bruno Soucek
    Vardy(vc) Antonio

    Forster Bamford Dallas Burke

    1. cuppatea78
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Nice

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      All set

  10. DeadStarComing
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Who to captain and why?

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Same question

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I’m going with Soucek

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

        Brave, very very brave. Is brave the right word? 😉

        1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Two “easy” fixtures, form of his life and I’ve been massively burned by obvious captain choices. Might as well gamble.

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

            I like it. It's something I could never do but fair play.

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

      I'm leaning towards Salah. Feel he is certain to start both games. KDB (rest) and Fernandes (4 yellow cards) carry a small risk in my opinion. Tough though.

    4. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      KDB - prob highest GW scorer

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

        Any concerns about a rest? Looked exhausted 3 days ago and little rest between their 2 games.

  11. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Son > Foden will be tempting for next GW especially after Sons blank vs Blades

    1. Blue Moon Rising
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Still not certain on game time for foden

    2. phrampton534
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I've got both - no guarantees either way but could only afford Foden without dumping Son or taking a hit. I can see KDB having restricted minutes as he's looking tired. Think Foden will benefit if he does...

  12. Blue Moon Rising
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Stones and Vardy in for Kane and Dallas? (-4)

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

      Do it

  13. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    If the guy 700k OR in my work league offered me advice I’d probably do my own thing but here I am taking word as gospel from largely anonymous accounts with god knows what OR. As I’ve done for years to be fair ha

    1. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not to say I don’t listen or appreciate btw

    2. Blue Moon Rising
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Hahha

    3. Origi-nal
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Power in numbers. Multiple 700k opinions.

    4. phrampton534
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Even consistent top 10K players can't give guaranteed micro advice every time. The reason they do well is long term planning and patience but they can still get plenty of the one off decisions wrong. One thing I have noticed this season is the most popular captain in the poll has been the wrong choice more often than not so following the consensus isn't necessarily going to pay off!

  14. Q
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bench boost fabianski, zouma, Dallas brewster?

    1. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not for me.

  15. NATSTER
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Which one should get more points ?

    A : Saka (NEW)
    B : Lookman - 4pts (CHE + MUN)

    1. scarlet
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Saka

      1. NATSTER
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A

  16. scarlet
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bench is:

    Areola, Bamford, Klich, Bednarek.

    To BB or not to BB?

    1. Taegugk Warrior
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      BB

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Nah

  17. Taegugk Warrior
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    A. Adams to Antonio for -4, Y/N...?
    Already did -4 btw. So it will be -8 for this week...

    B. Salah or KDB for TC...?

    1. Plagued by indecision
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I’m on KDB at present but genuinely undecided

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A - No

      B - If your unsure on who to even cap, how will you feel if the other hauls after you play TC, I’d save it

  18. Plagued by indecision
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is there any consensus about who the better TC option is between KDB and Salah? I can’t decide

    1. CheesyZoot
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah holds almost no risk of rotation - KDB apparently 'tired' however has the better fixtures.

      Both still on pens.

      I'm leaning towards KDB, just seems the sensible pick, can imagine Liverpool VS. United being close.

      Personally I am probably not going to use the TC - too much fixture congestion recently and too many uncertainties - might be better to be patient and slap the TC on someone else in weeks to come when things are a bit calmer

    2. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I would save TC possibility of triple GW's later

  19. Davidwes
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    A) Son and Taa to kdb and Reece
    B) Nothing

    1. Davidwes
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A) is a -8

      1. dsefton
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        B

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

      I did Son and Kane to DeBruyne and Antonio, on -12 and Bb

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

    cancelo for captain?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bit too risky with other full backs about

  21. Brunsvigeren
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bench boost this, I dont think there will be bether opportunity

    Fabianski
    Justin, Cancelo, Robertson, Coufal
    Mané, Kdb(C), Bruno, Maddison
    Antonio, Bamford

    Mcharthy(gk), Saiss, Raphina, Brewster

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

      I’m BB McCarthy, Bamford, Dallas, Pieters

      1. Brunsvigeren
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Yea, only Brewster a bit, meeeh

        Whats your starting team?

  22. RyanMK
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is DCL > Wilson or Antonio worth a -4? They will be replacing either Saka or Bamford in the starting 11.

  23. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any news last 30 minutes ?

  24. AdamJ91
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you use BB for;

    Ramsdale, Holding, Raphinha & Bamford even though no DGW?

  25. dsefton
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    repost, sorry!
    Bench: Areola, Bamford Lowton Tierney
    A) Save BB
    B) Tierney --> Justin/r.James (-4), play BB
    C) Play BB (no hits)

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

      Play BB, perhaps hit out Tierney. With the BB out of the way you can have a stronger 11 on WC and no need to plan for as good bench

  26. PascalCygan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Right. Trying to do my bit by boosting the replying on here...

    One from me. Bench boost this?

    McCarthy (lei)
    Justin (SOU, CHE)
    Bamford (BHA)
    Holding (NEW)

    Thanks

    1. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I would sway toward yes on this one, DGW plus 2 SGW with good fixtures

      1. PascalCygan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks. Planned for it, not quite the DGW fest I had in mind, but seems as good a time as ever

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

      I’m BB McCarthy, Bamford, Dallas, Pieters. On later WC you then don’t need to plan for a good bench

  27. FantasyClub
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Vardy or Kane?

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

      V

  28. rdamjan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is madness to play Anguissa with DGW over Saka?

  29. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is it crazy going 4-5-1 on a FH??

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

      not crazy. depends on your line up.

  30. timawflowers
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    bamford or antonio?