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. Adds04
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I originally planned to bench boost but now I have been left with Decordova-Reid, walker peters, Dallas and mcarthy on the bench. Should I still go for it

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

      No

    2. FPL-Albion
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No

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

      Definitive no

  2. b91jh
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Here we go, BB19

    Martinez
    James Dias Cresswell(vc) Cancelo
    Salah(c) Bruno Grealish Soucek
    Antonio Kane

    Johnstone Bamford Dallas Raphinha

    How would u rate this lineup?

    1. Adds04
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Are you bench boosting?

      1. b91jh
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Yes

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

      I transferred out Raphinha for Gundogan (-4)

  3. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you bench boost the following:

    McCarthy Dallas Raphinha Adams

    Thanks..

    1. Volley127
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not for me

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

      No

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

    Raphinha to Soucek for a -4

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

      No.

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

    Would you do Button > Johnstone for free to cover Martinez in case Martinez drops out due to covid?

    1. b91jh
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not for me

  6. Sean
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Gone for Cancelo over Dias, worst case scenario he gets rested for 1 game in the next 5 and he’ll be much more enjoyable to watch in the other 4.

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

      Dias goal incoming

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

    I have a really bad feeling about KDB (C) fearing he will be benched against CPL. But Im still capping him. Other option was Vardy. I would definitely cap Salah if I owned him.

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

      Cap Vard mate, go with your gut

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        My gut is KDB even though logically I think Vardy is better.

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

      I'm just going for it and sticking the TC on him. I'm confident he starts both, will come off early if comfortable. I don't think they can afford to bench him atm.

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

      I think KDB starts both but high chance he gets pulled if they get to 2-0 in either before half time

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

    Any Man U fans around? Is it putting you off from capping Salah. The only reason I'm capping KDB is because I'm United fan.

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Irrational reason.

      1. b91jh
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Only stats are objective in FPL.

    2. b91jh
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Here but I have no KDB, and have to captain Salah... knowing Bruno too much that he could easily get a yellow.

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

      Fpl is head not heart

    4. Shteve
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      The opposite for me, tc salah so if he runs riot at least your fantasy team does well 🙂

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

      It's more like I believe that we could keep Mo silent

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

      Don't let that cloud your fpl playing

    7. Ashleyajolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Captain Salah to lessen any pain on Sunday.

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

    Anyone else think 3 WH players too much?
    Coufal, Soucek, Antonio

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

      I hope not

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

        Thinking Souceks spot can be covered by a player from different fixtures

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

      No. They are gone on WC gw25 for me

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

      Spread across positions is a good ploy - avoids the last minute goal against of death!

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

        Exactly why I didn’t go double city

    4. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No, possibly not enough 😉

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

    McCarthy to Martinez worth a hit

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

      No.

      He may have Covid-19

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

    play one - Bamford, Lookman, Justin

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

    Neto to whom

    A) foden
    B) gundogan
    C) el ghazi
    D) traore

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

      A

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

    Safer to go Salah captain in case of Pep roulette?

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

      In comparison to KDB?

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

        Yes

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

      Yep

  14. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Final decision
    Would you transfer out either Salah or Bruno to bring in KDB?
    Have the money

    Considerations:
    Will captain KDB (currently on salah)
    Bruno could get booked
    Im a liverpool fan - salah scoring and not owning would be better than Bruno scoring and not owning. Dont really want to support united in any shape or form
    To get either back would cost me 0.2/0.3 with losong tied up value.
    Would be -4

    Thoughts??

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

      Bruno, but would want him back shortly afterwards as has got good run of fixtures.

      Salah has spurs gw20

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

        Liverpool could hammer spurs in 20. They are inviting so much pressure

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

      No way. Load on city defence instead, don't bin Bruno or salah

  15. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Final call. Who to triple captain?

    A Salah
    B KDB

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

      None

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

      Coin toss both have their ups and downs

    3. Bubbles1985
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Save it

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

      Saving it is no fun though.

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

      Salah on basis will play both matches, but I would save it

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

    Anyone without KDB captaining Bruno instead of Salah? Or am I the only one?

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

      Bruno 1 yellow away from suspension, stupid risk IMO

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

      No to risky, Liverpool hard match. But if you don’t gamble and take risks you can’t win!

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

    Lads which one?

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

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

      B

  18. Vpan
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you transfer

    Tierney -> City Def for a hit

    if you had Targett for cover?

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

    BB these guys? Will likely start downgrading my bench in the next few GWs. Feel it's about 50/50 on playing the chip.

    McCarthy - Adams Raphinha Lowton

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

      no for me.

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

      Got 3 of those and holding

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

      Thanks all

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

    I have slept only 5 hours but i can't wait for this dgw.Good morning and good luck fellow addictive managers.

  21. Bubbles1985
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Captain choice not easy this week!

    Currently on KDB but cannot decide between him, Antonio or Salah!!

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

      Antonio?! Really? I’d wait to see him score a goal before considering him for anything, I’m on Kdb

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

    Play Bamford who has a single game or Konsa who has a double game?

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

      I'd play Bamford

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

      Bamford

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

      Bamford, man city away a 2 pointer max anyway or less

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

      Bamford

  23. Paddy Gooner
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Should I bench:

    A: Alioski (BHA) and play 4-4-2 or

    B: Anguissa (CHE, MUN) and play 5-3-2

    Already taken a -4

    ?????

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

      I assume you Get the formation wrong there, is a close call. Can see Anguissa getting 4pts total. Depends on the Leeds game, Alioski more likely to get a return. Either way its a 2 point swing. I would personally go with alioski

  24. frenchfries
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bottomed

    Steer -> Ederson (-4) for the next 5-7 gw?

    My only starting GK is McCarthy with sgw and a hard schedule for the next 7 gw

  25. buttsy9
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    On Bench Boost, GTG?

    Leno, Meslier
    Cancelo, Dier, Dallas, Stones, Coufal
    Soucek, KDB (c), Fernandes, Son, Smith-Rowe
    Antonio, Wilson, Kane

    Already on -4 transfers so anymore would be a further hit!

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

      Dont think anything is worth a hit there, gtg

      1. buttsy9
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I'd rather have Salah than Fernandes and plan to ship Son soon but doesn't seem worth any more hits. Is KDB (C) risky? I'd like to punt on Antonio but he may not start.

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

          KDB is the obvious captain choice in your team imo. Yes, there is a slim chance he can be resten since its Pep, but its unlikely i believe. I got Antonio in my team, but i dont think he is worth captaining considering his recent injury, and risk of his minutes getting managed

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

      Good team but I would not BB. Kane > Vardy for another hit might be good

      1. buttsy9
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Why not bench boost? I've already used my wildcard but still have FH and TC - is there going to be a better week to do BB?

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

    No.

    He may have Covid-19

  27. gauzah
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Not seeing Grealish in many teams. Surely he should be back?

    1. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I have him and worried

  28. KAALI_DAAL
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    BB this lot?

    Mccarthy Raphinha Brewster Webster

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

      God no

      1. KAALI_DAAL
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        🙁

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

      No, last two let it down

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

      Nay

  29. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Hmm Mccarthy to Martinez worth a - 4?

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

    If your outside the top 200k like myself get the triple on KBD and try make a big jump.

    I am 700k very average season let’s get after it

    KDB (TC)

    Let’s go