Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice to Double Gameweek 25

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Double Gameweek 25 ahead of today’s 18:30 GMT deadline.

Leeds United and Southampton are the two teams with the extra fixture – the Saints travel to Elland Road on Tuesday evening.

The other main talking point as we plot our moves for the current round of fixtures and beyond, is the potential of more Double Gameweeks in the near future. Pep Guardiola hinted that Gameweeks 26 and 27 will be Doubles for his side but at the time of writing, we await confirmation from the Premier League.

Captain Candidates

Patrick Bamford (£6.9), Raphinha (£5.4m) and Danny Ings (£8.5m) are the leading trio in the captain poll, with the highly-owned Bamford the popular choice.

The best-value forward in FPL, returning over 19.1 points per million spent, Bamford has garnered over 50 per cent of the vote. This in itself poses Fantasy managers an intriguing shield/sword dilemma:

[Bamford]’s currently in just over 53 per cent of teams, the bulk of those will captain him so if you don’t captain Bamford you will probably get pretty much no ranking gain from him, [and] you could possibly get a red arrow if there’s a surge of support in people drafting him in. Whereas Raphinha was in under three per cent of teams [so] if you captain him the gains could be absolutely huge.

– Joe, Captaincy Video

The potential for either Leeds player to do well is there, especially in that Tuesday fixture. As Jan pointed out in his Captain Sensible article, Southampton have given up 11 big chances in the last four matches, the joint-most in the Premier League, while only Liverpool have a worse expected goals conceded (xGC) figure.

Encouraging stuff. But two bits of team news could influence our decisions.

Marcelo Bielsa confirmed that Kalvin Phillips (£4.9m) will miss the first match against Wolves and could possibly sit out the Southampton game too. While Ralph Hasenhüttl revealed that Southampton will be without Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.7m) for a few weeks. 

Without Kalvin Phillips they are really not the same team, he is the guy that holds the whole thing together both defensively and going forward … he’s missed five games this year and … Bamford’s blanked in three of those five games so it makes me a bit worried about him.

– David, Captaincy Video

Speaking on the Scoutcast, “professor of LeedsSeb, as he was dubbed by Joe, conceded that Phillips offers more than Pascal Struijk (£3.9m) in an attacking sense. But, nonetheless, his optimal Leeds trio for the Double would be Bamford, Raphinha and Jack Harrison (£5.5m).

The absence of Walker-Peters is good news for Harrison in particular. The Saints have conceded 17 chances down their right flank over their last four matches and with Walker-Peters missing out, it means we could see one of the centre-backs filling in.

Although, Brazilian Raphinha could also benefit:

Harrison and Raphinha have swapped sides a couple of times in the last few matches … Harrison was obviously subbed off last match … but Raphinha actually moved to the left with Hélder Costa coming on the right, so there is a chance you’ll see Raphinha on the left.

And on Harrison himself, his last two goals I believe, certainly his last goal, came straight down the middle. So if he’s up against the weak full-back that might be more for the assist [but] for the actual goals we might see him making those runs through the middle.

So I think realistically, what’s the crux of this conversation, it’s all quite close. Get the three attackers if you can, if you can’t get Bamford and Raphinha.

– Seb

Raphinha and Harrison touch heatmap last four matches

When it comes to deciding who to captain, it’s worth noting that Raphinha takes corners while Bamford is expected to stay on penalty duties.

No Premier League team has conceded more spot-kicks this season than Wolves (seven). And Southampton are not doing particularly well in that department, either, having given up four penalties  in 2020/21.

But Danny Ings should not be discounted, the Saints talisman has recorded six attempts on goal in his last two Premier League fixtures, including three big chances. And Southampton’s high-press could prove effective against Leeds, as Arsenal discovered in Gameweek 24 scoring four goals. 

Speaking on FPL Black Box, Pro Pundit Mark revealed that he is contemplating buying Ings with one of his two free transfers, factoring in that Southampton may have three Double Gameweeks in the next four. Although, as Greyhead noted in the 100th edition of The Great and The Good, how many of us will trust Danny Ings’ fragile hamstring to manage two games in quick succession?

And, as Jamie pointed out in his Members-only analysis of Southampton, if Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side are to get the best out of Ings, then they will need to create more chances, with the Saints creation ranking near the bottom in their last six matches.

Nonetheless, Ings is the only Southampton player included in the Scout Picks starting XI alongside a triple up of Bamford, Raphinha and Stuart Dallas (£5.0m) from Marcelo Bielsa’s troops.

Pro Pundit Plans

Along with Jack Harrison, the other players who could exploit the weakness down Southampton’s right side are Timo Werner (£9.2m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.7m).

I get the feeling that [Alonso] could drop a 15-pointer in any game if he continues in the same attacking vein. It looks like Tuchel is going to persist with the 3-4-3 formation and his comments with regards to Alonso seems particularly encouraging.

– Lateriser

As high-flying Pro Pundit Andy mentioned, the Spaniard offers massive potential at both ends of the pitch if you can cope with him missing the odd game.

Chelsea were picked out by both Andy and Lateriser due to their appealing fixtures, despite a difficult-looking Gameweek 26.

West Brom, Leeds and Palace are all in the bottom three for expected goals conceded this season, with Everton the seventh-worst team in the league. The fixtures from Gameweek 27 look prime for goals.

– Andy

Werner, who has started Chelsea’s last four matches under new boss Thomas Tuchel, has accumulated the joint-highest number of big chances (five) over the last four Gameweeks. 

Lateriser also noted that for those who are not Wildcarding in Gameweeks 25/26, there is a decent fixture swing in Gameweek 31, and it could be a good time to Wildcard. Something fellow Pro Pundit Az is planning to do, his thinking no doubt supported by some colourful spreadsheets!

Meanwhile, Werner was not one of the forward options being considered by Hall of Fame No 1 Fábio Borges.

The consistent top 10,000 manager is looking to replace the injured Michail Antonio (£6.6m) in his side and, after running the rule over several candidates, it boiled down to getting Danny Ings now or benching Antonio before buying Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.7m) for Double Gameweek 26.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

This is your last chance to enter the open-to-all Fantasy Football Scout Cup with qualifying for the first round taking place in Gameweek 25. Qualifying for the Members Cup – entry for Premium Members only – gets underway in Gameweek 26.

A total of £300 in prizes is available across the two tournaments.

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

Impressively, the two main FFScout mini-leagues are the top two Leagues in FPL, followed by Andy’s own mini-league. Well done to the top five managers in each of those mini-leagues.

There’s been another small tweak this week by Mat (aka matzi11a) to the fixtures and results displayed on the Head-to-Head Leagues main page.

From now on the scores and tables will update each night, so managers can see how they are getting on as the Gameweek unfolds.

The fixtures for Gameweek 25 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

2,870 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Saka Punch
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start 2:

    A) Barnes

    B) Gundo

    C) Kane

    1. Quan MisTaka
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      currently on A and C

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

      Kane

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

        And Gundo

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

      A and C is correct

  2. Rick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Stones or Struijk ???

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

      I'm risking struijk

    2. Quan MisTaka
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stru

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

      Struijk

    4. Nate(U)dog(ie)
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Will Struijk play with Cooper and Llorente available?

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

    G2G?
    Martinez
    Stones Cancelo Tarkowski
    Salah Son Gundagon Raphina Salah
    Ings Bamford

    Steele Antonio Konsa Holding

    Could do Holding to Dallas - 8 but bench which defender

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

      G2Go!!

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

        Just panicked and took a - 8 holding to dalas and benched Tarkowski gunna regret losing Cavani I can feel it!

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

    Bench Maguire or Stones? Already have cancelo

    1. Quan MisTaka
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stones

      1. Quan MisTaka
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Actually bench Cancelo. Due a rest apparently

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Second-guessing Pep? Owning City players to park them on the bench? Mmmkay...

          1. Third Eye Vision
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            I’ve gone Gundo & Cancelo on WC and I’m benching Cancelo. My other defenders are better picks for this week. Reckon I’ll play Cancelo in the gameweeks after.

            If you’re on WC, it’s all about the balance of form and fixtures.

  5. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bamford or Raphinha captain?

    1. Bees4Lyf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bam

    2. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bam Bam

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

      Bam myself. But raphinha feels like the differential pick

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

      Patty Bam Bam

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

      Bam cos he's magic!

    6. Ninja Škrtel
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Chasing? Raph

      1. Third Eye Vision
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Good guidance if you’re chasing is to bring differentials in to your team, but keep on playing safe with captaincy.

        There are still 14 gameweeks left.

      2. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Chasing after a terrible red arrow.

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

    KDB or Bruno on WC? If Bruno will most likely sell on WC next week

    1. Sharkytect
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      KDB

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

      I've gone Bruno and gonna keep even with the tough games

  7. Vev
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    What are the chances of Antonio starting?

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

      50/50

  8. Ibralicious
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Final dilemma: Who do you see scoring more points this GW:

    A) Bednarek (CHE, LEE) or
    B) Mee (WBA)

  9. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Still no news?

    1. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      no news are good news

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

    A. Soucek > Raphinha
    B. Antonio > Ings

    1. TRE2
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. G Banger
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I've done A and about to do B (I think)

  11. Snapes on a Plane
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pick 1 to play
    a) Stones
    b) Mee

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

      Stones if no other city.
      Mee if you have cancelo or Dias

  12. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Mee or Cancelo?

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

    Captain and vice captain two leeds players, or brun for vice?

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

      bruno

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

      Bruno

    3. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bielsa doesn't rotate so don't sweat it

  14. GGMU11
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anybody rolling the dice on Dallas (C)?

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

      Good differential (C) pick

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

      Shades of Duffy

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

      JR Ewing

    4. Third Eye Vision
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Surely the captaining a defender in a double gameweek strategy is reserved for players from teams that keep clean sheets.

  15. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope or Martinez?

    Stones or Digne? (playing Cancelo)

    Thanks n good luck

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

    start gundo or neto?
    &
    Start Cancelo ahead of rudiger & Lowton?

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gundo. Close between Cancelo and Lowton, I would start Cancelo.

  17. Bonus magnet
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captain

    1. Bruno
    2. Bamford
    3. Ings

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      2

  18. Catastrophe
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Got over-excited and plunged into the early WC with planned 26 BB (Ings & Raphinha -> Watkins & Barnes). Fingers crossed!

    Sanchez
    Shaw, Dias, Dallas
    Salah, Fernandes, Gundogan, Raphinha
    Kane, Ings, Bamford

    (Martinez, Son, Stones, Konsa)

    Good luck all!

  19. PaulParker
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Kepa or Fabianski long term?

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

      Kepa might not stay no1

    2. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Neither ideally!

    3. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fab

      Keeps isnt #1

  20. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Barnes or Gundogan?? Thanks alot.

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gund

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

      Asked the same a few pages back and made up my mind:
      Play Gündo!
      If he's not going to start he will be rested completely.

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

    First sub
    A) Stones
    B) Watkins

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

  22. YEAH PITCH!
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play

    A) DCL

    B) Stones

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      a

  23. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench order?

    A) Gundogan
    B) Cancelo
    C) Rudiger

  24. The Tinkerman
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start one;

    Cancelo
    Dias

    1. Scooby75
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Im struggling with that too, leaning cancelo.

  25. DB_00
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Quick one for my WC?

    A) Rudiger + Elmo
    B) Konsa + C.Taylor

  26. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Now this week decisions are made.
    Out of interest, how many players have you had ever since gw1?

    2) Just Salah and McCarthy for me

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah and that's it I think!

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Nvm, I sold him in the blank. So no-one!

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Zero

    3. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      None, but I had Reece James GW1 and I've got him now. Mistake twice over!

      1. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ha ha
        I did bring grealish and martinez in wc gw5 and theyve stayed put

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

      2 salah and martinez ,just sold justin

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

      Meslier, Justin (until last week), Holding

      1. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Holding. Not.many can claim that

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

          He's my fav bench player!

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

    Play one

    A Grealish
    B DCL

    thanks and good luck this week.

    1. joey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. Konstaapeli
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

  28. GoonerGirl
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Do you think it's the right decision to bench Watkins and Rudiger for Gundogan, Stones and Cancelo? Just can't decide, keep swapping around.

    Thanks

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

    A) Kane
    B) Ings

  30. McPollolocco
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Targett or Digne for Starting XI?