Defenders and goalkeepers come under the spotlight as we assess the best players to bring in for Double Gameweek 26.
With some plum fixtures and plenty of in-form players on offer, we’ve picked out the top options for all Fantasy Premier League (FPL) budgets.
Is a Manchester City defensive double-up still viable? Are there better options than Emiliano Martinez (£5.3m) in goal? We assess all the options in the Premium Members article below.
Keane is the 'solid' pick. Reguillon if you're feeling like a more risky punt who has better attacking potential (well certainly on the assists front anyway).
I'd go for the dullard pick (Keane)
Yep. Reguillon if chasing but Keane safer
Looking to WC ahead of the DGW. Dumping Liverpool assets, keeping City ones and investing in Spurs and Villa with fixtures in mind. Miss out on bench boost but get the players I want for the run in, including handling GW 29. Am I missing something? Thanks
Depends how out of shape you are for 26 as it stands. The popular route seems to be dead-end your team in 29 and WC in 30 but it may be too late depending on your squad
That is very helpful thanks. I will explore that choice. I see a few opportunities that I think will pay off every week from now. GW29 is the biggest issue I need to solve for if I WC now.
Definitely a good week to WC if you're not happy with what you already have.
Having not seen your side it's hard to say - but if you do have a strong XI to put out this week that's mostly filled with doublers - then it could be a good week to play TC too (if you still have that chip)
Helpful. Thanks. Bring in Kane and TC is a clear option in my mind.
Check Villa after 30 - fixtures couldn't be worse really.
Also go too heavy on Spurs and you could be a bit stuck in 33 especially if you have Fulham or Southampton fodder.
And a bit of doublethink in dumping Liverpool and loading up on Spurs? They've lost their last 5. No doubles for Pool after this week but their general fixtures match or equal Spurs
By GW 30 I could trim/bench the Villa players. Liverpool vs Spurs is interesting. I see Spurs going on a better run now (second half against WHU for example) and the Liverpool defence is shredded. Relying on Salah pens for goals. Focus on CL for them.
Already playing a Villa defender... does that justify benching Martinez this week to play Aerola?
Don't think so mate
Nope
Don't often say this but I'm backing Palace to score!
With an xG of 0.2 last game I think they’ve scored enough goals for the rest of the season after the 2-1 Villa win
🙂
We mugged Brighton in exactly the same way in the reverse fixture - just a draw that time. Long history of defying attacking XG at Palace.
Interesting point in article about Fulham potentially going all attack. If they do I think they may regret it.
Salah - Fernandes - Son - Grealish - Gundogan
DCL - Bamford - Antonio
With 2 FTs and TC, should I go:
(a) Kane + 5.8m mid (Saka, Raphinha, El Ghazi etc) in for Antonio + Grealish
(b) Vardy + Barnes in for Antonio + Grealish
(c) Other
Bottomed...
Robbo & Soucek > Digne & Barnes (-4)? Would bench Raph.
Johnstone
Dias - Cancelo - Robbo* - Shaw
Salah - Bruno - Gundo - Raphinha
DCL - Kane
[Bamford - Dallas - Soucek*]
GL all!
Dilemma... not having Kane or Son doesnt sit right with me. options
Antonio Cavani and Sterling >DCL Kane and Gunda -4 and then TC kane
Not a huge fan of -8s but tbh I think its the move?
Quite like it.
TC Kane is risky given how crap Spurs look (I am considering it too though)
i feel i have to use a chip this GW tho and its the only one for me.
I guess TC DCL would be a huge differential?
Why do you have to? Difficult to comment too much without seeing your team
Yes DCL would be a massive diffy with TC but doesn't mean you should do it haha
Fair comment, just feel with so many BB or WC i could use my TC and keep up with the points hauls you know?
current team below, already dont antiono to DCL
Martiniez
Maguire Dias Dallas
Salah Bruno Sterling Raphina
Cavani DCL Bamford
coufal mitchell bissouma
Think tour transfers are sound. Only play TC if you're convinced you won't have a better option another time - it doesn't matter where you are in GW 27, only in GW39!
Martinez
Stones Keane Lowton
Sterling Fernandes Gundogan Son(VC)
Richarlison Watkins Kane(C)
Fabri Rapinha Dallas Kilman
Should I go for Richarlison, Gundogan to Barnes, DCL for a -8 hit?
Absolutely not
Burnley and Fulham have had some of the best defensive results in the last few weeks, do folk think Kane is still going to do well? I've been debating getting Kane in or splitting costs to have Vardy and DCL
I'm still ultra confident that Kane will do well and is a very solid pick - for this week and going forward.
Looking at the DF stats of Burnley & Fulham does however make me less confident to give the armband to Kane though however.
It's between Kane & Bruno (and maybe Gundy) for captaincy for me
Probably will, considering Kane, I feel like Kane vs DCL is not even about this GW now.
Spurs play CRY after and have a GW 29, however, DCL may have DGW 28.
If it allows you to go for Dom and vardy, then go for that combo
In straight comparison between Kane and vardy, i would prefer Kane till GW29
Happy to just have Son
There's been an upturn at both Fulham and Burnley but neither are leaky defences anyway. Spurs for instance only got 2 goals combined in the reverse fixtures when they were flying - comparatively - and both Burnley and Fulham in bottom 4
Harry Kane vs the bottom 8 teams in the PL this season:
GW2: 21 pts
GW3: 5 pts
GW6: 5 pts
GW7: 6 pts
GW8: 9 pts
GW12: 9 pts
GW17: 12 pts
GW18: 8 pts
GW19: 9 pts
GW23: 8 pts
10 games, 0 blanks, averaging 9.2 points per game
Every kind of stats has been thrown this week, in favor as well as against, for every player! 😆
And that's where you come into it! Evaluate all the data out there and make a judgement you are comfortable with.
Hmm, that is madness like.
But just 8 and 5 against Fulham and Burnley.
Still decent for a C return of course but below the average for him. Good prospect of course but not scintillating.
I guess in this instance, BB or TC will make a big difference. I could get Kane and DCL in but would have to take another transfer for -8 somewhere else in comparison to a -4 for Vardy. I feel like -8 is only okay if its a BB or if absolutely compulsory due to injuries.
Thoughts on Triple Captain?
A) Bruno
B) DCL
C) Son
Bruno from those 3 choices - and by a distance too imo
DCL
Is Pope (tot, LEI) to Martinez (lee, shu) a good move?
Got no other issues.
I feel it's a wasted transfer imo.
I would rather use my transfer on a midfielder or attacker but to each their own.
Ings + Burn to Watkins + Digne (-8)
Or is it best to just TC Kane.
My BB would be Mccarthy, Dallas, Digne, Watkins
Crazy how people don't consider Salah for TC. Form? 4 goals in last 5 which were difficult fixtures. Plus it's Salah, the best fantasy asset in the game if you ignore price and is almost certain to play both fixtures, one of them being against already relegated Sheffield United. Seeing DCL as more reliable is laughable.
Whoever has seen him play for last couple of months is avoiding captaincy
agree, likewise Bruno.
Last GW I was shot down for suggesting the captaincy was between those assets leaning to Bruno and he matched Raphinha over the two fixtures bettering Bamford - even worse I fell to the fear of Bamford EO and lost out on points
Think this week it's a tear up between Gundo, Bruno, Salah & Kane - although the latter has become less important for me
Not sure about Gundo with recent uncertainty around him (KDB back + might be rested for a game).
Kane is very close to Salah for me as well. Unfortunately can't get him in without losing Salah or Bruno so I'll only have Son. Good luck with the decision!
I'm likely dropping Son to get Kane, getting Barnes in the process
Son has been awful since GW14 - maybe today's game changes my mind
Gundo misses tonight and you'd be confident of him starting the next two otherwise I agree
Yeah GL, not easy!
I get your point, I've got mixed feelings myself about Salahs prospects for this dgw.
That being said, is it really so crazy that people don't consider him for the TC considering hes blanked in 8 of his last 11 games? (and ive sadly owned him throughout that period)
You can choose the sample size however you like to make a better case for your argument. If we talk about 4 in last 5, or Salah top scorer this season, the "8 blanks in last 11" doesn't look so bad. For me it's enough that it's Salah and he's playing the worst team in the league as part of a DGW.
Is White nailed?
100%
Which keeper would you choose for a bench boost (I have Martinez). 5M budget:
A) Pickford (SOU, wba)
B) Sanchez (wba, LEI)
C) Areola (cry, TOT)
A
Pope?!
I can't afford Pope, plus Spurs and Leicester would be scary! Lots of save points I guess
I've already gone A....decent value at 4.8m and as I see it a potential primary keeper replacement option for Martinez if Villa's form nose dives
Thanks all, A) seemed the better option, but it also feels wrong to go with Pickford. A it is
G2G? This is for a -4 and gives me 10 DGWers.
Martinez
Cancelo, Reguilon, Mee
Salah, Fernandes, Sterling, Gundo, Raphinha
DCL, Watkins
(McCarthy, Bamford, Dallas, White)
yes think Id play dallas over Mee tho
Thoughts on this strategy? Planning on maneuvering from DGW26 to BGW29 with no hits, and then using wildcard in GW30.
DGW26
Martinez
Stones Cancelo Digne Targett
Bruno Son Salah Gundo Raphinha
DCL
(Sanchez Bamford Antonio Coufal)
BGW29
Martinez
Targett Dunk Coufal Bellerin
Son Raphinha Grealish
Kane Bamford Antonio
(Sanchez Bruno Gundo Cancelo)
I lost 5 points taking out DLC for Ings, now DCL has a great DGW. Guess I'll just get him back in.
I could not wait to get rid of Ings.
I did the exact same thing (DCL out for Ings on WC last week - brought him back last night before DCL rise)
Bite the bullet and do it. No point compounding the decision to take him out by not getting him back.
What's your opinion?
Pope, McCarthy
Mee, Rudiger, Cancelo, Stones, Dallas
Salah, Bruno, Grealish , Barnes, Raphinha
Watkins, Bamford, Adams
A) use TC on Bruno/Salah
Grealish to Barnes and save 1FT
B) Use BB
Grealish, McCarthy, Adams --- Barnes, Areola, Maja/Maupay
Everyones different but remember mate, this is the best opportunity to use the BB. There will be other TC opportunities.
B but with Diagne.
Diagne doesn't play in 29, that's the rationale behind maja/maupay
Start Johnstone or Pope?
johns
I think I would start Johnstone because of that Brighton game. Pope can always do a Pope but see Burnley conceding in both.
If you have Son already, would you rather have DCL or Kane?
I'd get DCL.
DCL, but Kane's ownership will be insanely high - particularly as lots will Cap/TC.
Gundogan or Barnes?
Gundogan. Double home games this week and next. Shame you can't get Barnes somehow though because his form is really good.
so much chat about transferring out the likes of sterling to kane for a -4 or more hit!!
I own Sterling (not kane), am i missing somehing? Sterling has 2 home games and is a valid captain or even TC?
People scared of not having Kane for those fixtures - but I agree if I had Sterling I wouldn't be taking him out.
4 games in 2 weeks (he'll start at least 3 you'd think, and in great form).
beautiful
Martinez
Stones, Cancelo/Dias, Big Naitland Miles
Son, Gundog, Salah, Penandes, Lookman
Kane (c), DCL
Subs - Forster, Bamford, Strujik, Lewis
> yours
Planning Pieters to Cancelo. Benching Dallas.
Would you do Davies to Shaw for -4?
Pope
Davies Stones Dallas
Raph Salah Gundo Bruno
Kane Bamford DCL
Soucek Cresswell Pieters
See what happens in the Europa League game later. I think Davies will start that and can see Reguilon starting both league games so would get Shaw.
Which pair is the better option until week GW30? (GW31 WC)
A) Kane and Raphina
B) Son and Watkins
* All Play in 29 however Watkins potential dgw 28
* Raphina on fire though
* Kane on pens
* Watkins without grealish?
I own Watkins and Raphina and will bring Kane in, but from your 2 options, i think i’d prefer A) Kane and Raph. Raphina is a man in form.
A
A by miles.
Raphina looks incredible.
A by miles.
Pope (McCarthy)
Cancelo Dias Rudiger (Coufal (Strujik))
Salah Bruno Son Gundo Raphinia
DCL (TC) Watkins (Bamford)
What moves should I make? Thinking of going Bamford > Kane and Pope > Forster for a -4
Best move here? No FH
A) mee to targett
B) Mee to shaw
C) ings to maja
D) save ft
Martinez
Cancelo stones mee
Salah Bruno son gundo raphinha
DCL bamford
(areola ings dallas coufal)
Ben Dinnery:
"James Maddison (hip) is unavailable for tomorrow's #UEL tie because of injury. “He won’t be available for the game, he’s in contact with doctors and specialists."
Might have planned on not playing him anyway but hard to know, had a strong squad out in EL last week. Should still have a presser Friday I imagine
Do they have Friday pressers after playing on a Thursday?
Some do, some do right after the Thursday game (not sure if some comments are embargoed until Friday, maybe that's what happens, just an assumption on my part but I'd be surprised if he only comments on his team on a Wednesday afternoon for the weekend with nothing further)
Would you BB these lot?
Pope (tot, LEI),
Mitchell (FUL, MUN),
Raph (AVL)
Dallas (AVL)
WC GTG?
Martinez - Forster
Dias - Digne - Pereira - Shaw - Burn
KDB - Fernandes - Barnes - Gundogan - Pereira
Kane - DCL - Brewster
FH in GW29.
Who would you bench this week with that squad?
Brewster, Burn and probably Shaw
I'm WC this week & FH 29 also, but just cant find a set up I'm entirely happy with. Ideally would like Kane, DCL, Vardy as my front 3. Maitland Niles as he's playing midfield & with a double seems a decent punt. Midfield is an area where all teams look almost identical unfortunately.
3 years, 1 month agoKeane or reguillon for the double?