Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice to Double Gameweek 24

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Double Gameweek 24 ahead of today’s 11:00 GMT deadline. A small double in which only four sides – Everton, Manchester City, Burnley and Fulham – are playing twice.

Following the FA Cup results and quarter-final draw in midweek, the Fantasy landscape has shifted once more. 

We now have a better idea of how the upcoming Gameweeks will shape up and, unfortunately, those cup ties have handed us a few injury blows to contend with.

Team News

The Double Gameweek 24 announcement at the start of February thrust Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.7m) high up on our list of targets – he was even spoken about as a potential captaincy candidate by Hall of Fame No 1 Fábio Borges and five-time top 1,000 manager Tom Freeman.

However, such plans have since been shelved with Carlo Ancelotti confirming that his main striker is set to miss Sunday’s encounter against Fulham, along with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (£4.8m):

Both (Calvert-Lewin and Pickford) will not be available for the game on Sunday. We are looking for the next game on Wednesday where we think both of them will be available. I think (Calvert-Lewin) stopped [playing] before the problem [developed]. He only had a sensation, a feeling that something was not good and he stopped. He has a little problem, he can play on Wednesday.

– Carlo Ancelotti

One match against Manchester City is much less appealing than a double that includes Fulham.

And there was worse news for owners of James Justin (£5.2m), the most-popular defender in FPL, with the Leicester City full-back ruled with a long-term injury:

Elsewhere, Callum Wilson (£6.7m) faces at least six weeks on the sidelines, while Michail Antonio (£6.7m) isn’t certain to be available when West Ham United host Sheffield United on Monday. Although David Moyes did say his striker is “doing well” and would “hopefully be close” to being involved against the Blades.

On a more positive note, fears that Nick Pope (£5.5m) and Rúben Dias (£6.1m) were set to miss the Double Gameweek have been allayed. Both were reported to have trained ahead of the weekend after missing out in the FA Cup. 

For a full recap on the latest press conferences, read David’s round-up and check out Neale’s Predicted Line-Ups

Fixture Fun

Neale looked at the possible implications on the fixture schedule resulting from the FA Cup. 

At the moment, just three Premier League matches are confirmed for Gameweek 29, when the quarter-final ties are due to take place:

  • Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United
  • Fulham v Leeds United
  • West Ham United v Arsenal

The other seven matches from that round of fixtures will therefore have to be rescheduled – the option of moving them to midweek isn’t possible as Gameweek 29 is followed by an international break. 

The most likely destination appears to be Gameweek 26, which would make it the biggest Double Gameweek of the season. But with four other matches also needing to be rearranged, a fair amount of juggling is expected. 

Legomané updated his ticker, which includes non-Premier League matches.

(click on image above to enlarge)

As Neale explained in his article, there’s a balancing act for Fantasy managers when it comes to planning for Blank Gameweek 29 as the six teams with a confirmed fixture are unlikely to play twice in Gameweek 26.

Managers with their second Wildcard and Free Hits chips still at their disposal will be at an advantage. But if you are trying to navigate the fixtures without them, all is not lost.

Every FPL boss will receive three free transfers between the Blank and Double Gameweeks and, combined with a judicious use of bench players, this should help us field a respectable side.

And the FPL Gods may spring a surprise with additional fixtures in Gameweek 29, a possibility for teams already knocked out of the FA Cup.

Pro Pundit Plans

Tom, who has a full set of chips to choose from, is considering the following strategy:

  • Gameweek 25 – Wildcard
  • Gameweek 26 – Bench Boost
  • Gameweek 29 – Free Hit

The only downside, he noted, is that because Gameweek 25 is a Double for Leeds and Southampton, his Gameweek 26 Bench Boost would include players who play once. Not ideal.

The alternative he is considering is to use his Bench Boost now, followed by a Wildcard in Gameweek 26. Although with the injury to Calvert-Lewin, he might be reconsidering. 

Az was having similar thoughts before the news of Calvert-Lewin’s injury. Faced with a benching dilemma between West Ham duo Tomas Soucek (£5.4m) and Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m), who enjoy a home game against Sheffield United, playing his Bench Boost now seemed a good solution.

But speaking on the latest episode of FPL Black Box, Az mentioned the possibility of switching Calvert-Lewin to Richarlison (£7.9m) and saving his Bench Boost.

Although fellow Pro Pundit Seb isn’t convinced: “Richarlison doesn’t particularly interest me, I wouldn’t have considered him before DCL was out, the latter’s absence doesn’t change that.

Instead, he’s potentially joining Pro Pundit Lateriser in moving to Danny Ings (£8.4m) as his Calvert-Lewin replacement. 

When Seb shared his thoughts 12 hours before the deadline, the Saints striker had found a place in his XV. Although with his Wildcard active, that is subject to change:

I’m not sold on Ings but the Calvert-Lewin injury has forced a front-line rethink. He is the best suited to my plans due to his upcoming doubles and ability to be converted easily to a number of other strikers in due course. He has missed a lot of big chances recently (four in two matches), which can be read in two ways: he’s been poor or he’s been unlucky. My reading will probably be decided by if I pick him or not!

– Seb

Lateriser was slightly more upbeat:

It might even be a good idea to jump on Danny Ings, who has a decent looking fixture against Wolves in Gameweek 24 before his Double Gameweek in 25 … I particularly mention Ings here because, to me, he looked really sharp against Newcastle and got a lot of shots off which hasn’t been the case with him normally.

Seb’s Wildcard

This week’s Scoutcast used Seb’s Wildcard plans to structure debate around a number of key talking points ahead of Gameweek 24. But, given that it was recorded before Everton’s thrilling 5-4 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup, it included the now stricken Calvert-Lewin.

To bring us up-to-date, Seb has kindly revealed his revamped Wildcard squad as it stood on the eve of the new Gameweek:

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that nothing has changed, aside from the introduction of Ings for Calvert-Lewin.

As Joe was quick to observe last Tuesday, Seb has answered the “Which Man City trio?” question by doubling-up in attack.

The Raheem Sterling pick allows Kevin De Bruyne back in the future with ease. Or a simpler return to Mohamed Salah (whose absence does concern me; we’re all casting him off very easily, especially with Fulham in Gameweek 27). I’ll miss the extra City defender, but there are plenty of other options in that department over the coming weeks.

– Seb

It’s a move that was first mooted on site by Camzy ahead of Gameweek 23 – and which proved to be correct with Ilkay Gündogan (£6.0m) and Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) combining for 21 points against Liverpool. And last week’s Scoutcast also promoted the England international as an option for our midfields.

This week, David and Jan have put their weight behind the switch to double attack.

Part of their reasoning has to do with how poor Man City’s upcoming opponents, Spurs and Everton, have been of late. Especially at the back. Over the last four Premier League matches they feature among the worst defences in terms of expected goals conceded (xGC):

On balance, it looks as if Spurs and Everton are both much more likely to concede, maybe even heavily, against Manchester City – than struggle to ask questions of their own going forward.

– David

Gündogan and Sterling top the expected goal involvement (xGI) for Pep Guardiola’s troops in the last six matches. And Sterling’s position on the left of Man City’s attack could be crucial given a weakness down the right flank for both Everton and Spurs.

Over the last six matches, only Southampton (27) have given up more chances down their right-hand side than Jose Mourinho’s men (25). Everton have conceded 22 chances there, the seven-worst in the Premier League, and more than they have given up through the middle or the left.

– Jan

This vulnerability sees Sterling favoured narrowly ahead of his team-mate in Jan’s Captain Sensible article. 

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

You can now enter the Fantasy Football Scout Cup competitions, qualifying will get underway in Gameweek 25.

A total of £300 in prizes is available across the two tournaments, entry is free for the open-to-all Fantasy Football Scout Cup but only Premium Members may sign up for the Members Cup.

RedLightning rounded-up the latest Community mini-leagues and competitions

For those participating in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. There’s been a small tweak this week by Mat (aka matzi11a) to the fixtures and results displayed on that page.

From now on, the main page automatically shows the current Gameweek rather than requiring a manual intervention each time. The final scores will therefore be available quicker at the end of the Gameweek.

The fixtures for Gameweek 24 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

3,176 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ZakyJ
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start 2:

    Coufal (SHU)
    Grealish (wba)
    Soucek (SHU)
    Bamford (ars)

    1. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Grealish is playing Brighton,
      I think if you have grealish you have to play him, hes that good. I'd then probably go with soucek but this is a proper benching headache.

  2. deshawn7
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play one
    A) Bamford
    B) Son
    C) Cresswell (already playing Soucek)

    1. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Saïss Doesn't Mat…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

      1. deshawn7
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Just a little concerned that Ogbonna is injured and they played 120mins earlier.

        Also have DCL in the mix but guess he's not a good option to play this DGW..

    3. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    4. Taegugk Warrior
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

  3. linkafu
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play 1:

    A Robertson
    B Mitchell
    C Coufal

    1. Atters
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

    2. ZakyJ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

  4. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone/palace fans know if Mitchell is starting today?

  5. Atters
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start Firmino or Targett?

    1. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Firmi

    2. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bobby

  6. yamms_schmitz
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench son or coufal?

    What would you do?

    1. Hiddenpaw
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Son

  7. Maeki2
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Macarty (wol)
    Bamford (ars)
    Coufal (shu)
    Wan bissaka (wba)

    Worth BB?

  8. linkafu
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Robbo to Tarkowski for -4?

    1. Prison Mike
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Just get Mee who is cheaper and same goal threat

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, due to DGW I would.

    3. Hiddenpaw
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes I would

  9. Prison Mike
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to bench?

    A) AWB (wba)

    B) Son (mci)

    C) Grealish (bha)

    1. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      probably B but its imporssible to decide

    2. Boly Would
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Probably C

    3. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

    4. deshawn7
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    5. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Son

    6. Gudge
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’ve got the same 3 players to choose between! I’m currently benching Son but it’s between him and Grealish at the moment

    7. super zlatan
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

  10. nothingbutgreen
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    best pick for a FH

    a) siggy
    b) richarlison
    c) j rod

    1. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      b

    2. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    3. nothingbutgreen
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      siggy on pens though?

  11. lugacun
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    start with Maddison or Antonio?

    1. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A-bsolutely

    2. SHOWSTOPPERRR
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio

  12. janlu0
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2FT and 0.2ITB.

    Do I need to bring in Burnley defence and DCL replacement (Cavani)?

    Martinez
    Stones | Dallas | Maguire
    Bruno | Salah | Gundo | Sterling | Grealish
    Antonio | Bamford

    McCarthy | Coufal | DCL | Kilman

  13. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    please help me bench one:

    A Bamford (ars)
    B Soucek (SHU)
    C McGuire (wba)
    D coufal (SHU)

    1. Taegugk Warrior
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      D

    2. Shark Team
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

  14. Taegugk Warrior
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play creeswell or soucek...

    1. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cress

    2. deshawn7
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Soucek. Sheffield seems to be scoring of late

  15. tim
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you BB?

    Pope
    Cancelo Dias Targett
    Bruno Gundo Salah Son
    Cavani Watkins

    McCarthy Bam, Soucek, KWP

    Cheers!

    1. puhd
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nope

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

      No. Save it for gw26

    3. Paddy Gooner
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      no, not quite good enough for me

    4. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      nope

  16. ball c
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start:
    A) Coufal or
    B) Antonio

    1. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Anto

  17. Kip
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    For that 3rd defender spot

    A) play Coufal
    B) play TAA
    C) TAA=>Mee, play Mee

    Already have Pope

    1. ball c
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B for sure

    2. nolard
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      @B

    3. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

  18. puhd
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dias and Digne fit?

    1. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Seems so

    2. SHOWSTOPPERRR
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Most probably..

    3. puhd
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks guys

  19. WE GO FOR IT
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    For a one week punt

    A. Hamez
    B. Siggy

    1. nolard
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      a

      1. WE GO FOR IT
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers!

    2. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Siggy and hope for a pen

      1. WE GO FOR IT
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        More likely to start both games?

    3. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

      1. WE GO FOR IT
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers!

    4. puhd
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B for me

      1. WE GO FOR IT
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers!

  20. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Very few captaining Bruno here

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Double gameweek. Otherwise he’d be most people’s

    2. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Still hesitating but think I m going with Bruno

    3. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Tough call with United's tasty fixture!

  21. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Help:
    A) Barnes to Rashford
    B) stones+Barnes to tarkowski and sterling -4
    C) Barnes or DCL to someone else?

    1. ball c
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    3. puhd
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

  22. linkafu
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Coufal to Tarkowski for -4?

    1. ZakyJ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

  23. akhilrajau
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to captain
    A. Sterling
    B. Gundogan

    1. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling

    3. Ross Geller
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling

    4. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

  24. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Quite tempted to do some benching fun by starting Wilson & benching soucek

  25. ZakyJ
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start 2:

    Coufal (SHU)
    Grealish (wba)
    Soucek (SHU)
    Bamford (ars)

    Thanks

    1. MartyT
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Grealish and Soucek

  26. TAT
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Digne or Shaw for this GW and the BB26 in mind?

  27. Maddamotha
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    2 FTs, 0.5ITB and clueless!

    Any ideas!?

    Ederson
    Cancelo, Mee, Coufal
    Salah, Bruno, Son, Rash, Gundo
    Bam, Antonio

    Steer, Chilwell, Struijk, Brewster

  28. Not again Shirley
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who starts today? Chilwell or Alonso?

  29. Oggle22
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    G2G?
    Martinez
    Konsa Stones Cancelo
    Salah Son Bruno(c) Soucek
    Bamford Cavani Antonio

    Steele Mahrez Mitchell Holding

    Cheers

  30. Smudger’s Dirty Dozen
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope (Martinez)
    Cancelo Stones Shaw (Dallas Kilman)
    Son Bruno (VC) Salah Gundogan (c) (Barnes)
    Antonio Bamford DCL

    1 Play one from Dallas, DCL or Barnes

    A Stick
    B Kilman to Lowton (bench DCL)
    C Barnes to James (bench DCL)
    D DCL to Ings
    E Kilman to Digne (bench DCL)

    1. Ross Geller
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C if you wc next week