Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for Double Gameweek 26

Strap yourselves in for the biggest Double Gameweek 26 of the season, with 17 matches and 14 teams playing twice. The next six days promise to be another rollercoaster ride of unrelenting (Fantasy) Premier League action.

With potentially season-defining decisions to be made ahead of today’s 11:00 GMT deadline, the feeling among the Fantasy Community is that we are spoilt for choice.

The roll call of potential armband candidates ranges from the reassuringly expensive to enticing differentials. And for those with a selection of chips at their disposal the choice is made even trickier.

A Double Gameweek is the perfect time to deploy one of our four power-ups with the points ceiling raised for Bench Boost, Triple Captain, Free Hit and Wildcard thanks to the extra fixtures.

Indecision is final.

– Alan Hansen

Famous words from the king of pundits and decorated centre-half Alan Hansen. Although, strangely, the former Liverpool captain wasn’t referring to his Fantasy football team. Given the furore surrounding Aston Villa and their players this week you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise.

But we’re not about to hesitate at the crucial moment when it comes to FPL decision-making. And you can’t fault the effort, attitude and commitment of our very own pundits and experts. 

Divisive Kane

The captain poll favourite heading into the bumper round of fixtures is Harry Kane (£11.1m). A vote that left David and Joe somewhat perplexed. Never ones to dilly-dally when presented with an opportunity, the pair aren’t convinced of Kane’s credentials, despite the support among Community members.

The fixtures on paper do look nice but both Burnley and Fulham are very capable these days of chucking everyone behind the ball knowing full well that Spurs are having problems breaking people down … Both of these teams will take a point against Spurs, so they’re not going to overstretch themselves to go and win the game.

Over the last four matches, Burnley have the third-best expected goals conceded in the league, 3.18, the only two teams better than that are Chelsea and Man City. Fulham are in the top five, 3.23 goals they should have conceded, and they’ve only actually conceded the one goal. Their defence is doing much better as well and they’ve both got fantastic goalkeepers too … These are teams that can frustrate Spurs.

– David, Captaincy Video

Alan Hansen once said that for Tottenham to be a successful side they will need to get away from the philosophy of ‘pretty football’. Well, with Jose Mourinho in charge they’ve arguably done just that. Except without the success.

But what does Alan Hansen know about Fantasy football? We need a real expert, a man with three top 10,000 finishes and a best-ever rank of 817. Step forward Az

According to the FPL Black Box co-host, Harry Kane is the best captaincy pick. The handsome and dashing Az backs up his opinion with some impressive stats: citing Twitter user FPL_Swede he pointed out that in 10 games against the bottom eight teams, Kane has delivered an attacking return in every one, averaging 9.2 points a match. 

And the trio of wise Pro Pundits appearing on the latest episode of the FPL Wire, Zophar, Lateriser and Tom Freeman, all have the armband placed on the top-points-scoring forward in FPL this season. 

More heavyweight backing for the Spurs striker came from FFScout founder Mark Sutherns. Perhaps not that much of a surprise given that “Mark loves Kane”, to quote AZ, but Mark was worried he was being blinded by his own bias.

The best person to help us understand the flaws in our thinking is Pro Pundit and behavioural economics graduate, Simon March.

Expected Yakult

Stats are probiotics for gut feelings, reasoned the former FPL winner is his latest offering. 

Instinct may help you see opportunities that other managers don’t, or avoid the traps that others will fall into, but it may also create such traps if followed without sufficient interrogation. This is why it is important to sense-check decisions with some form of objective data or a second-opinion.

– Simon March

Jan Sienkiewicz noted in his Captain Sensible article that the form stats don’t favour Kane and co:

Both [Kane’s] and Spurs’ attacking statistics have been somewhat underwhelming in recent weeks. Only Crystal Palace have recorded fewer shots inside the box than Jose Mourinho’s team in their last six matches.

– Jan Sienkiewicz

So was Mark able to find a healthy dollop of Bifidobacterium Statisticalus to support his gut instinct?

The expected data is a problem, but with expected data, you’ve got to bear this in mind – that Kane and Son are just complete outliers … Son and Kane are the top two players in the Premier League [for xG Delta], they have exceeded their expected data by the biggest margins for goal involvement … they don’t need a lot of good quality chances to score goals.

– Mark Sutherns.

So convinced is Mark that he’s using his Triple Captain chip on Harry Kane.

But, as ever, other options are available. 

Mohamed Salah (£12.6m), a player who’s perhaps been slightly overlooked by the masses, is Jan’s top pick. The leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 15 goals, Salah boasts impressive underlying stats: second only to team-mate Sadio Mané (£11.8m) for shots in the penalty box over the last six matches.

In the first of their two fixtures Liverpool take on a Sheffield United side down to the bare bones in defence. Their three first-choice centre-backs that helped them reach dizzying heights last season, John Egan (£4.7m), Jack O’Connell (£4.7m) and Chris Basham (£4.6m), are all ruled out for Chris Wilder.

But it’s their second fixture against Chelsea that, along with Liverpool’s poor form, is putting many off the Egyptian. However, Jan did unearth some encouraging news for Salah captainers:

Klopp holds an impressive head-to-head record against Thomas Tuchel. Out of the 14 meetings between the Germans, Klopp came out victorious on nine occasions. Additionally, those matches have produced as many as 43 goals, which makes it over three goals per game on average.

– Jan Sienkiewicz

Meanwhile, city rivals Everton are top of the fixture ticker when looking at Gameweek 26 in isolation: the Toffees host Southampton before a midweek trip to West Brom. Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.7m) therefore comes into contention.

And once again the stats make impressive reading. The forward has been particularly threatening on the road in recent times, accumulating 4.32 xG in his last six away matches – more than any other forward in the Premier League.

But the list of armband contenders goes on. Let’s not forget the Manchester teams with the in-form Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m), İlkay Gündoğan (£6.2m), Raheem Sterling (£11.6m), and the returning Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m).

If only we could fit them all in.

It’s Mo Sacrifice

Karam, Tom, and Zophar are all using their Wildcards and face several tricky selection dilemmas. 

On the Scoutcast Karam was given a hard time by Joe and David over his omission of Mohamed Salah.

Joe argued that it was easier to run from Salah than it was to run to him, explaining that because of Salah’s lofty price tag, downgrading to the likes of Son or De Bruyne is easy, whereas upgrading would be harder without sufficient funds in the reserve.

However, Tom Freeman is also sacrificing the most expensive FPL asset in order to benefit from a more balanced squad. A particular concern for Tom given that he plans to Bench Boost in Gameweek 27. 

One intriguing pick in his side is Jesse Lingard (£5.9m). West Ham take on Leeds United next Gameweek and Tom feels the direct running of the on-loan Manchester United midfielder could trouble Marcelo Biesla’s side. 

Ricardo Pereira (£5.9m) is another differential to catch the eye, featuring in both Tom’s and Karam’s Wildcard XV’s. 

Karam is going all-in on Leicester City – tripling up with Harvey Barnes (£6.9m) and Jamie Vardy (£10.2m) coming in alongside Pereira. He’s even trusting the evergreen Englishman with the armband.

Manchester City-fan Karam has decided to abandon his conservative approach and take a few calculated risks in the hope of surging up the ranks. Encouragingly, the Foxes are on a par with Man City when it comes to shots on target (21) over the last four Gameweeks. 

Another forward to consider is Mbaye Diagne (£6.0m). The Senegalese has been on the end of five big chances in his four and a half games since joining West Brom, and is included in the Scout Picks, Tom’s Wildcard team, and was talked up by Lateriser.

Interestingly, all three Wildcarders still have their Free Hit chip available but none have committed to using it in Blank Gameweek 29.

When planning ahead in his usual meticulous fashion, Zophar identified Gameweek 33 as a better round for the Free Hit. The League Cup Final takes place between Spurs and Man City, meaning they will blank along with their scheduled opponents Southampton and Fulham.

The six-time top 5,000 manager sees greater potential for a big score compared to the four-match Gameweek 29.

Finally, Neale frisked the upcoming fixtures. The Team News compiler included a look at Gameweek 30 and beyond for those considering “dead-ending” their squads in Gameweek 29 and Wildcarding straight after.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

This is the last chance for Premium Members to enter the FFS Members Cup with qualifying for the first round taking place in Gameweek 26. Click here for details on how to enter.

The draw for the first round of the Fantasy Football Scout Cup has thrown up a real ‘David vs Goliath’ clash with the highest-ranked team, The Fighting Cock (273rd overall), taking on the lowest-ranked manager in the competition, Ahmed Eid, who is not far off the five-million mark.

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

Elsewhere, RedLightning rounded-up the rest of the Community mini-leagues and competitions. And the Head-to-Head fixtures for Gameweek 26 can be found below. 

The scores and tables update each night on the Head-to-Head Leagues main page, so you can keep track of the action as the Gameweek unfolds. 

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

3,547 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Drumandbaines123
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pretty sure I'm now going to play SGW Raphinha and Bamford over DGW Lowton and Targett. Just not confident of CS for Burnley and Villa and lots will be BBing the Leeds players so I don't want to miss out in case they haul. Seem logical? I've already used my BB.

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Logical to me

    2. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Agree on Lowton but I'd be tempted to play Targett

    3. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Great point.

  2. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pick one with gw29 in mind

    A Burn
    B Lascelles

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Weeb Kakashi
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A. Brighton are better. Can you help me below mate?

    3. Art Vandelay
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I prefer Burn but is there any concern over game time when Lampety returns? (Veltman could replace Burn?)

  3. The Darkest Knight
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Do you guys thinks McCarthy will loose his place and Forster will start in Goal for Saints?

  4. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pick one on FH.

    A Vardy M.Pereira Cancelo/Stones
    B Richarlison Barnes Dias

    Rest of the Team..

    Ederson
    Digne Pereira Reguilon ****
    Salah Son ***
    Kane DCL ***

    1. Buck The Trent
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B if on fh

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

      Similar teams and on a Free Hit too. I have gone with Vardy and Stones so A for me

      1. Weeb Kakashi
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Nice to know. Whats your team mate?

  5. The Senate
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Soyuncu or Luke Thomas?

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

      I am on Thomas.... feel like he is fairly nailed on the left as Rodgers seems to like Castagne and Pereira on the same right side

  6. OLLY G
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Final one, considering he gives me a player in single GW29, is Mee to Targett worth a hit?

    Thanks.

  7. Ian Davis
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    McCarthy > Areola worth a -4?

    1. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I would say so

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

    Martinez
    Dias - Stones - Shaw
    Salah - Bruno - Rashford - Gundogan - Raphinha
    Kane (TC) - Bamford

    (Pope) (Dallas - Antonio - Bednarek)

    Am I all set lads? GL to all!

  9. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best move for a hit?

    A. Tarko >> Digne (-4)
    B. Soucek >> Barnes (-4) (Bench Bamford)

    Pope
    Dias, Cancelo, Tarko
    Son, Bruno, Gündo, Raphina
    Kane, DCL, Bamford
    (McCarthy, Dallas, Coufal, Soucek)

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

      B

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Not think Kane, Son and Barnes against double Burnley is a bad move?

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

          Points one way or another

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

      B has a higher ceiling but benching Bamford could be costly. I like A as I did similar but to Shaw

  10. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    On WC. KDB or Dias?

    1. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Depends who would come in for the one you don’t get.

  11. alsybach
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah (Tc) locked !!!!

    1. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I went Gundogan. Best of luck.

  12. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Someone please make me feel better about my decision to captain Kane over DCL...

    1. fusen
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      We have no control over who scores more and either if them could have a season ending injury 2 minutes into the first game.

      Has that helped?

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

        Haha, thanks, I think 🙂

  13. Tshelby
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling or salah captain?

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

      Salah purely for that Blades fixture

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

        Cheers Miguel think I’m on it

  14. cuterandy
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    dcl/son/bruno
    whom shd i captain

    1. Jimbo-Jones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lovely use of whom.
      Most will cap Kane so any of them is a differential. 3-way coin flip imo.

  15. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Kane And Son double up on FH is a good strategy??

    1. Jimbo-Jones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Of course.

  16. Keikari
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    For my wildcard
    De Bruyne and Mount
    or Salah and Gundogan ?

    1. Jimbo-Jones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A if chasing, B is template.

  17. Cookie Kid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A) Play Dallas AVL
    B) Play Mee tot LEI
    C) Buy Dias/Digne/Ricardo with nice doubles (-4)

    1. Jimbo-Jones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm leaning towards C.
      If you don't have 3 City I'd get Dias for sure. 4 home games in 2 weeks and should start at least 3.
      Between Pereira and Digne I'm JUST swaying towards Digne, particularly as they may get a DGW28.

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

        Cheers Jimbo.

        I don’t take hits often and this would complete a -4 but it does seem logical...

        Only have 2 city after selling Sterling to fund Kane, only thing holding me back from Dias move is keeping a space if KDB looks brilliant! Digne may be an option! I’ll decide at 10.59am

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

          *complete a -8

  18. Jimbo-Jones
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Do we think Ben Davies definitely won't play now Reguilon is back?
    Considering a -4 to Digne, or starting Dallas.

    Pope
    Stones Cancelo Davies
    Salah Bruno Gundo Raph
    DCL Kane Bamford

    Dallas Soucek Cresswell

  19. Zlatan F.C
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench Mee or Dallas?

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

      Dallas

  20. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is Ederson the best keeper on FH? Have Reguilon so not going Lloris!!

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

      yes he is

  21. aapoman
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Too weak at the back? On a WC ofc

    Martinez Fabri
    Cancelo Konsa Rüdiger (two defenders max 9.1m)
    Salah Bruno KDB Gundo Lookman
    Kane DCL Brewster

  22. Number 5
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope
    Dias Shaw Stones
    Son Salah Fernandes Gundogan
    Ings DCL Bamford
    (Johnstone, Raphina, Coufal, Holding)

    A - TC Salah or Fernandes
    B - (-4) to do Coufal + Holding to Dier + Lawton and play BB
    C - Any other suggestion?

    I still have WC/BB/TC/FH

    Cheers guys!

    1. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      just sell Holding and BB - Luke Thomas maybe?

      1. Number 5
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Selling just Holding, I was looking at Konsa as a replacement. But I'm still stuck with Coufal this week.

  23. Muscout
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench boosting this lot,12 DGW, G2G?

    Martinez McCarthy
    Cancelo Shaw Dier Rudiger Dallas
    Salah Bruno Gundo Barnes Raphinha
    Kane DCL Watkins

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

      Yea looks good

  24. tollers74
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Triple Captain dilemma - need your advice please

    A. Kane
    B. Bruno
    C. Sterling
    D. Gundogan
    E. Salah
    F. DCL

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

      All good picks

    2. alsybach
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gundo is logic but will he play twice!?

    3. Saka_me_sideways
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’m in the same boat (without sterling), it’s killing me!
      I want to go DCL but don’t think he’s got the explosiveness of some of the others.

      Bruno and Salah have Chelsea as one of the games and that puts me off, especially Bruno.

      Kane and spurs can’t be trusted and up against two decent defensives.

      Gundo played 90 mins midweek and we can’t be sure he’ll play both.

      1. tollers74
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        What a nightmare! If only one of these had a DGW we’d stick the TC on them straight away, but with all of them available makes it a really tough choice.

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

    Why am I seeing a lot less Kane (TC)'s now than last night? :/

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

      It won’t change his output

  26. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best moves here with BB26 in mind. 0FT and 0.2m itb

    Martinez • Areola
    Stones • Cancelo • Digne • Lowton • Dallas
    Salah • Bruno • Gundog • Barnes • Raphinha
    Dcl • Kane • Bamford

    A: Gtg
    B: Lowton >> Konsa (-4). Sideways move on paper. but villa with a better dgw26 fixture, i get an extra gw29 player (so technically a 2 point hit). Also, a small chance of a dgw28 but i am not really factoring that in my thinking.

  27. Danno - Emre Canada
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Morning all, start one please, Targett, Bamford or Raphina? Ta

    1. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Targett

  28. Kellz86
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Final WC for wk27 BB:

    Ederson
    Stones, R. Periera, Konsa
    Salah, Bruno, Gundogan, M. Pereira
    Kane (c), DCL, Watkins

    BB wk 27: Johnstone, Saka, Dallas, Vestergaard

    Will have 1 FT to alter the BB if needed but it's the best I could come up with

  29. Shack
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Really tough one, would really appreciate some votes
    A: TC DCL and save FT
    B: BB Tete (cry/TOT), Dallas (AVL), Antonio (mci) and Areola (will likely be the only time I play him)

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

      A) slightly edges for me

      What do you think about my question below?

  30. Jack.Armstrong96
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dunk to Aina for -4? Yes or no?
    Cheers guys

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

      No

    2. Shack
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No, there is a chance he could get rotated with Tete and Robinson available

      1. Jack.Armstrong96
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers how about a Burnley defender instead?
        I’m using BB, so trying to bulk my bench.

        Current bench:
        Areola-Dunk-Raphinna-Bamford