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. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you do Son > Grealish or El Ghazi for a -4 and possibly Struijk > Chilwell for -8

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

      Villa are still too uncertain so I wouldn't. Chilwell for a hit could be worth it though, please answer mine below 🙂

    2. Carlton P
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Absolutely not

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

    Kane to vardy

    And

    Son to kdb

    -8?

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

      Easily, I think. Please answer mine below!

    2. Shatner's Bassoon
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Tempting

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

      Could pay off, could backfire when Kane and Son get 2 goals each and Vardy picks up an injury in the first game and KDB gets rested...

  3. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any news on the Bamford covid rumours?

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

      Last I read it was rubbish

  4. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    McCarthy > Ederson. Yes or no?

    1. Don Rogers FC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      yes.

      As long as it does n't stop you buying Man city outfield players for the good fixtures ahead.

  5. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Adams to Watkins for -4??

    1. Thinkering like a Boss
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      same question...what do you think? did you pull the triggered?

  6. ZLATAN'S PONYTAIL
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Son to Salah for a -4?

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

      Yes

  7. G Banger
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I'll keep it short:

    a) Kane
    b) Vardy (-4)

    No Son either...

    1. ZLATAN'S PONYTAIL
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      B

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

      B

    3. @ocprodigy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I’d prefer B

  8. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Need help guys please... I'm between:
    A) Johnstone James Raphinha Antonio -12
    B) Salah
    I expect my 4 BB players to get 5 + 7 + 6 + 9 = 26 pts but with the hit it's 14 PTS
    I expect Salah to get 16 pts
    So it's Salah TC then?

    1. Carlton P
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah but get Antonio if you can

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

      16 pts for Salah sounds a bit optimistic!

      1. Guru Mediation
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        1 goal in each game is statistically realistic if you look at his xg

  9. Alnair
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Taking hits to sell Lindelof to BB19, what would you do?

    A) Lindelof to Justin (-4)
    B) Rashford and Lindelof to Salah and Chilwell (-8)
    C) Rashford and Lindelof to Mane and Robertson (-8)

    1. Kane Train
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Don’t like any tbh. Can u get Cresswell instead of Justin

  10. Bobby
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    is it madness not to have KDB this week?

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

      nope.

    2. McSauce
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Tc here

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

      No

    4. Skindog
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Only way I can acquire him is to replace him with Salah,. I'm giving it a miss.

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

      I don't think you'll be alone - for a lot it will be a choice of Salah or KDB or taking at least one or 2 hits to swap others around.

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

    KDB or Salah captain is the dilemma......

    Martinez
    Robbo Chilwell Cancelo Coufal
    KDB Salah Bruno Soucek
    Vardy Antonio

    Forster Bamford Dallas Burke

    1. aardvark22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Fancy Salah - more likely 180 minutes

      1. Guru Mediation
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        This

        1. elwardio
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          But lower scoring games

          1. Guru Mediation
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Perhaps, but City have struggled to score many this season

  12. aardvark22
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    BB option

    Mendy GK (-4), Mahrez, Raph, Lowton

    Y/ N?

  13. Shultan
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Son & Kane > salah & Antonio (-4)

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

      Think i might do it but for Mane and Vardy

  14. EgyptianKing
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Can’t decide on KDB (C) or (TC)?

    Think TC is a good play?

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

      Usually yes with the fixtures and City but Kdb has been on and off this season so it’s hard to use it on him

  15. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Morning people.
    Who too bench.
    1, Coufal home to WBA, BUR.
    or
    2, Bamford home to BHA ??

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

      2

  16. seanie3
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    ideally want to keep son in my team to get in KDB and move on grealish, however to do that is going to cost me -4, would you move KDB out for

    a) grealish for a -4
    b) son - FT

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A

      1. seanie3
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        thanks

  17. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Salah or KDB cap and why?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Too late to get a reasonable response

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

      Salah because more chance of KDB being rotated?

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

        This.

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

    Soucek or Creswell for BB?

    1. @ocprodigy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Creswell personally

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

        Thx done!

  19. Halftime
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Are any of the captain candidates this GW strong enough to be considered as a Triple Captain?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

  20. gjanev
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Vardy and Son for KDB(C) and Antonio for -8?

    1. @ocprodigy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No no no no. Not a points hit for Vardy this DGW

    2. aardvark22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No

  21. SM001
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Things that will happen this GW:

    1) Leeds V Southampton back on
    2) Bruno Fernandes booked in the 1st half of Liverpool game
    3) Werner to go mental with the goals
    4) Pep to go full Pep. Meltdowns around the world. Torres outscores all other City assets.
    5) KDB pulls a hami 10 mins into Palace game.
    6) West Ham lose both games and score 0 goals.
    7) Average points by end week is 19.

    1. ZLATAN'S PONYTAIL
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      The only non probably seems to be Werner scoring goals

    2. The Ilfordian
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Haha, Benteke scores a hattrick, Fabianski scores a penalty, Sterling sent off for non-social distanced celebrating...

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

      This haha
      Salah to be rested game 2

    4. Kabayan
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      8) popular tc player get injured in first half first game

  22. @ocprodigy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    A) Cresswell & Justin
    B) Canceló & Coufal

    Have Stones already.

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      City look solid, B

  23. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Madness or genius?

    Kane, Grealish, Dallas to Vardy, Foden, Dias?

    Johnson,
    Zouma, Robbo, Stones,
    Bruno, Son, Grealish, Salah
    Kane, Bamford, Watkins

    Martinez, Soucek, Coufal, Dallas

  24. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Good luck guys - 100 pts week incoming

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

    Which transfers should I make??

    A) Taylor for Dawson since Balbuena has covid
    B) Stones Vardy for Kane Taylor (-4).

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

    Who’s going TC and on whom?

    1. Ritchies Magic Hat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Mo

    2. elwardio
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kdb

  27. MikeS
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bench boost Dallas, bamford, son? No second keeper

    1. SM001
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      That's a 50/50 right there. Go with your gut.

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

    Would you use BB for;

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

  29. MattysFantasyFooty
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    McCarthy to Martinez worth a hit?

    1. Danny Dyers chocolate homun…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I’ve done McCarthy to Ederson for -4

  30. Can’t beat em so&hell…
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    This week only....

    A) Zouma
    B) Wan Bissaka

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

      Zouma