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. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I over slept! Forgot the deadline. First time ever!!!
    Think it feels pretty good anyways..

    Martinez
    Zouma Cresswell Stones Justin
    Salah(TC) Mane Bruno Son Maddison
    Watkins

    (McCarthy Bamford Ayling Brewster)

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

      Like that TC punt.
      I think there are goals in that game tomorrow.

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

      Yes you are good. GL!

    3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Thanks fellas

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

    Hope West Brom get spanked now

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

      Wtf happened to Johnstone???

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        The rona

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

    Rule 1: Never BB after a winter break

    1. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Think it's more covid that is the issue here.

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

    Johnstone finally caught something this season

  5. Penang Sandman
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Twitter comments said he got covid, dont worry here come Fraser Forster for my team

  6. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Literally don't understand the concern, how many points did everyone thing Johnstone was going to get?!

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

      6-10

      1. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Wow, really!

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

        Easily 🙂
        l

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

      6+?

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

      8, I’ll just go without them shall I.

      1. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Well WBA likely to concede by more than 2 in both fixtures so I'd have said 4 would be the max but more likely 2-3.

    4. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Enough to justify the BB, like 4,5 max 6. Now they get 0.

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

        All greedy Johnstone owners in above posts 🙂

    5. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      All those save points you mother.

    6. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah, its not the end of the world, but still frustrating. You want to squeeze every last point out the BB/DGW combo.

      Maybe he'll be back for the 2nd game.

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

      4 minimum, probably 6 or more.

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

      7 - 12

    9. Vlekz
        3 years, 2 months ago

        More than 0 for sure. If you bench boost for a player you atleast want them to play (I don't have him)

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

        It’s the lack of hope that kills

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

        1-2 Per GW

      • Chill, we'll call you
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I still don't get how anyone (Scout Picks included) thought Johnstone was a good idea in the first place.

    10. kime67
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      lets pray forster starts

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

        +1

      2. akashan99
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        +2

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

      I was so close to bringing in Furlong for my BB haha. Thank heavens I didn't!

    12. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      The Curious Case of Benchable Button.

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

        Haha

      2. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nice

      3. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nice

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

      Fantastic start bringing Johnstone in!

    14. kime67
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      southampton fans, will forster start?

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

      Anyone else hoping their KDB (C) gets 1 point? The amount of TCers out there means his EO will be much higher than 200% for sure..

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

        it won't be more than 200% for sure

      2. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        No you nutter

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

        Around 150-180% I'd say

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

        Guessing not. He wasn't that well owned before this GW so should be a few 0% to bring the average down. Plus other TC options.

      5. aleksaa2
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Rochdale cowboy for sure.

    16. adstomko
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Feeling lonely with Mané (C) but I think he's a worthy differential

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

        You could be laughing. GL mate

    17. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Didn't expect a lot of points from Johnstone anyhow, just boring I have no players in the first game...

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

        Cost me a fookin -4 ffs, bad bad omen 🙁

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

      Anyone did Button to Johnstone for a hit like me...

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

        No, did Walton to him 🙄

      2. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Oh dear Lord in pyjamas.

    19. BrockLanders
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      NO JOHNSTONE!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    20. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      That's such a pain in the backside.

    21. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      At least I don't have to watch the WBA match now. Silver linings.

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

        Aye, every cloud...

    22. umerlfc
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Now imagine Martinez turns out to be the one effected from covid and teams might have no playing GK in a DGW

    23. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Sam Johnstone and Matt Phillips both absent for #WBAFC with Covid-19, confirmed by Sam Allardyce

      https://twitter.com/garytaphouse/status/1350406259472785408

      Should miss the other game as well. Covid innit

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Great start 🙂 funny game indeed

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

        Assumed so

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

        innit just .. pain in the tailpipe. Cheers for the update.

    24. Free Hat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      And this is just the first line up.

      Wait until you see the Villa one...

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

      Do we think Johnstone will be back for the West Ham game?

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

        Highly unlikely

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

        Depends when he caught covid.

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

        covid so no

      4. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Impossible

    26. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Took a hit to replace my non playing sub keeper with Johnstone

      Classic 2020/1

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

        Absolutely.

        No doubt more epic fails to come too.

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

        We need a bench for our bench these days

      3. HonestBlatter
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        EPIC

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

      I can't accept that.BB without the second keeper.

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Owell we’ve done it now 🙂 we knew the risks... Probably 6 points anyways. There’s plenty more to come

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

        Would only got 2-4 points in total anyway

    28. Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bench boost already ruined.

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

        You won't be the only one

      2. Chill, we'll call you
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        All this fuss over losing out on max of 2 points.

    29. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Some thought the panic on here was before the deadline lol

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

      Sam Allardyce has confirmed Johnstone has COVID. Well then...

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

        All Johnstone owners very unlucky

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

        Thank the stars they have a single gw

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

          Double

      3. HonestBlatter
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        so both games lost then...Good start for BB

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

      Expect a West Brom mauling today without Johnstone

      1. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Button is a very good keeper

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

      Anyone have Snodgrass in their starting line up?

    33. The Mighty Hippo
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Johnsone was rtoo attack minded for an Allardyce team. He came off his line at one point in their last game and big Sam nearly had a heart attack.