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. Alli
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Anything worth a hit?

    Pope
    Rudiger - Cancelo - Stones
    Salah - Bruno - Son - Gundogan - Raphinha
    Bamford - Kane

    McCarthy - Lowton - Dallas - Adams

    1. aleksios
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Nope.Good luck.

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      nope

    3. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Adams to Watkins and start over Bam maybe. Definitely if you won't be FH 29.

    4. PointsonBench
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Considering Rüdiger to Digne for -4, as figures so much better ???

    5. PointsonBench
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      ‘Fixtures’

  2. Blue Moon Rising
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Maddison out?

    1. Blue Moon Rising
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Injured?

    2. aleksios
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Yes.

    3. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Yep

  3. money face bandwagon
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    is coleman nailed on?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      No

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      he plays the big games, don't think he starts every week now

    3. money face bandwagon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      thanks both

  4. aleksios
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Last call.

    1) BB Johnstone--Raphinia--Dallas--Cresswell.

    2) TC Kane.

    Thanks .

    1. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      2. I'm not against SGW players for BB but at least need to have good fixtures, that rules Cress out.

    2. fish&chips
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Any money in the bank? Cresswell -> digne / Pereira for a -4 if you can afford and BB

  5. Kodap
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Bottomed:

    Dier on my bench seems wrong with those fixtures, would you play Dier over any of these?

    1. Raphina
    2. Stones
    3. Dias
    4. Shaw

    1. aleksios
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Nope.Bench.

  6. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Start Martinez or Pope?

    1. aleksios
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Coin toss.

    2. ManUtdFan977
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      martinez

  7. Tango74
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Fpl statistics going nuts

    300%??

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      It will calm down once GW starts.

      Chips in play

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Wildcards etc. Will adjust later.

  8. Tomsk
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Will Sons position change if Bale and Alli start?
    I'm thinking of making Son captain.

    1. djaddy
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Bale will. Alli wont. But no either way

      1. Tomsk
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Thanks. Think I'll take a chance on Son (c).

    2. Rog.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      What position change?

      1. Rog.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Sorry misread

  9. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Follow my gut with Salah & Mitchell ➡ Son & Ricardo for - 8 and bench Leeds player, or stay sensible and ignore myself on this one?

    1. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Salah against Sheff could do some serious damage, don't fancy -8 as part of him out.

      1. seanie3
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        no way with salah playing shef utd.. if you have kane you should be good..

    2. COLLIN QUANER
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Ignore. Salah (c) over here.... haha

    3. DARE TO BISCAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Whichever you could live with easier, if it turned out to be the wrong option.
      (Salah to Son for -8 is a no, for me)

  10. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Raph

    Or

    Digne (-4)??

    1. Dirty Harry
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Raph

    2. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Tight but probably Raph, definitely if you're not FH in 29.

  11. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    D(C)L ?
    Yaaaaaaay
    Nope Kane

    1. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      It's a yay from me, I know the risks and am prepared to accept them.

    2. DARE TO BISCAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      I'm doing it. Either pays off, or I jinxed the Ev

  12. Dirty Harry
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Staying in a hotel and all I can hear is a baby crying across the hall...

    I swear it's a sign of my gameweek to come.

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      sign richarlison c

      1. Dirty Harry
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Feels like I'm in a bloody maternity ward

    2. The Gambler.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Maybe its richarlison not a baby

    3. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Depends on which end is causing the baby a problem. If it needs milk then you'll be OK but if it's the other end, then you're in the sh.....

      😀

  13. corderz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Pick one (have Aina)

    A) Areola

    B) Johnstone

    1. The class of 92
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      A

    2. djaddy
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      B

  14. Sheffield Wednesday
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Bench Bamford or Mee?

  15. SoShy
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Timo / Antonio / Maddison
    out for -4
    DCL / Son / Maja

    Captain Salah

  16. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    DCL or Richarlison?

    1. ManUtdFan977
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      DCL

  17. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    captain
    a) Bruno
    b) DCL
    c) Salah

    1. ManUtdFan977
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      DCL

    2. The Gambler.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      This decision is killing me. Changing it every 5 mins

    3. lindeg
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Gundogan

  18. The class of 92
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    C.Taylor to Konsa/Targett for a -4?

    1. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Only if you're not FH in 29.

      1. The class of 92
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Thanks. I'm not on FH

  19. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Which is a better move?
    A) Dallas to Targett and get Dallas in for Shaw before 29
    B) Shaw to Targett and have Dallas Targett already for 29
    C) Keep Dallas and Shaw
    I'm BB this week

  20. winchester
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Captain:
    a)salah
    b)runo
    c)DCL

  21. as33
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Why should i captain DCL, not Salah? 🙂

    1. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      This is my decision also, leaning toward DCL because 2 great fixtures not just 1 like Salah but Salah having pens is what is putting me in 2 minds

    2. DARE TO BISCAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      I've gone DCL (juicy fixtures).
      On WC & still considering KDB over Salah. What you reckon?

      1. Toe-Knee Yeboah
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Going KDB over salah 4 home matches in 2 gws

        1. DARE TO BISCAN
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 29 days ago

          Will he play them all?

  22. Brimble82
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    GTG?

    Pope
    Stones - Cancelo - Dallas
    Salah - Son - Bruno - Gundo - Raph
    (K)ane - DCL

    Forster - Bamf - Mitchell - Holding
    0ft - £0m itb

    Tempted by Pope>Martinez but think waiting until next week and avoiding the hit might be better.
    Thoughts?

  23. Shaw must go on
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    every time Aurier played 90m this season, kane only blanked twice!! coincidence??

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Will Aurier play 90 X2 though?

  24. citizenkane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Rumours about Watkins enough to not bring him in this week?

    1. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Fake news I believe

  25. DuckDuckKroos
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    A) Ings, Bamf, Bavies > Kane, DCL, Aina (-8)
    B) Kane + Digne (-4)
    C) DCL + Digne (-4)

  26. Thomas Magnum
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Any reason to captain Salah over DCL, DCL has the better fixtures but Salah has the pens

  27. Notional DGW Captaincy matrix
    Legomané
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Any last minute captaincy or triple captaincy doubts? This matrix might help you 🙂

    IMAGINE if every consecutive pair of gameweeks had formed a Double Gameweek so far this season — how would each of the popular CAPTAIN assets have performed?

    https://twitter.com/Legomane_FPL/status/1364202030114500608?s=20

    1. MoSalad
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Still confused ha!

    2. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Pretty colours

      1. Legomané
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Pretty numbers for some!

        1. The 12th Man
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 29 days ago

          All points to Bruno.
          On Kane though.

    3. Legomané
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      For me, the ‘Average excl. matches with 0-20 mins played’ row is the most intriguing and Gundo (15.5) Bruno (15.3) and Kane (14.9) are the outstanding candidates.

      With Gundo playing 90 midweek, I will be backing either Bruno or Kane for the armband

    4. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Feels weird using FFS to promote your own Twitter handle.

      I appreciate it was a lot of work but the conclusion is the surely the same as if you just used PPM(?), and any differences in relations are adding noise because the question your asking isn't meaningful imo. Surely you at least need to at least compare the averages to their PPM average and at least attempt to explain the difference to justify the method (even though I think it would be fruitless)?.

      Anyway, this doesn't sit well with me tbh. You should do it on-site, or if that's inadequate, it should come from FFS Twitter or be hulked based on upvotes, multiple flaggings, or organic discussion being sparked. Mods shouldn't hulk their own stuff unless they are simply asking a question to spark discussion imo. Ew

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        100% agree

      2. Benster
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Wow, take a chill pill. Does it really matter that much?

        ....and, breathe

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 29 days ago

          Yes it does. I was actually doing yoga while voice texting this in headstand position.

          I would like to be able to present and discuss this kind of thing on-site. That's why I'm here. This post highlights that the site is inadequate. And to make things worse, this work-around is more of a shameless plug. None of us get to hulk our own posts to draw extra attention to it, so there's rarely any point in trying to write anything interesting or ask interesting questions. It all gets lost. On the other hand, this FFS post isn't really much about a discussion; it's designed to attract followers.

          Moderate the mods!

          1. Benster
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 29 days ago

            ROLFLMAO

  28. Johnny too hotty
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    WC with no FH.
    Barnes and fodder GK
    Or
    Gundagon and McCarthy and BB 27.

    1. ManUtdFan977
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      gundogan and mcCarthy with BB in 27

    2. DARE TO BISCAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Find a way for Gundo & Barnes

  29. ManUtdFan977
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    TC Kane or DCL

  30. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Starting 11 and bench order correct?

    Martinez
    Dias Stones AWB Targett
    Salah Bruno (tc) Barnes Gundogan
    Kane DCL
    (Pope Watkins Raphinha Dallas)

    1. djaddy
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Watkins got Targett?