The giant double!
Hello! This week’s visualization is dedicated to the hero we all need, but not the one that we deserve - @BenCrellin. With double game week fixtures not announced until after the GW25 deadline, everyone on their wildcards relied on Ben’s spreadsheets. And boy, was he spot on with his predictions! All hail King Crellin!
This post brings you FPL advice from this week’s free podcasts:
Topics Covered
🎙️ Team/Players Review
🍨 Double Talk
👑 Captaincy
🎙️ Team/Players Review
Below are some of the brief reviews of a handful of teams.
🦊 Leicester City
We can safely assume that the Barnes vs Maddo debate has finally been put to rest. And it’s not because of Maddo’s injury, but the excellent performances of Barnes that have clearly established him as the Leicester mid to get. With Grealish’s injury, he is an easy replacement if you don’t already have him.
While Vardy may seem enticing, he isn’t the best pick for that forward slot as you would likely be targeting Kane or budget forwards. Further, he was somewhat missing in the last game and didn’t look like his usual self.
🦡 Fulham
Remember the time when every week’s post will talk about Leeds? Well, it will likely be Fulham now. Given their recent surge in form, and the absolute determination to escape relegation, Fulham matches are fun to watch.
Comparing their GW1-12 and 13-25 stats, the Wire folks pointed out that they have greatly improved in shots conceded in the box, xG conceded, minutes per chance conceded, and minutes per big chances conceded. These all point to a vastly improved defense, making Areola and Fulham defenders good options to pick.
Be cautious in picking their fullbacks - Aina, Tete, Robinson - as they are prone to rotation. If you prefer the security of regular starts over the potential of attacking points, and there is no shame in wanting that, you should rather go for the center backs in Andersen and Tosin.
Lookman and Maja are decent attacking options if you are looking for cheap differentials.
🔵 Chelsea
Chelsea seems firmly set in the all-possession-no-goal zone. Their average possession so far has been around 67%, despite not scoring many goals. While this doesn’t bode well for their attack, it’s a good indication for their defense.
Rudiger is the standout pick and provides excellent value.
Alonso may seem like a regular starter and decent pick, the Wire folks felt that his performances have been declining which may lead to Chilwell taking his place soon. So, you better stay away from him for now.
🔴 Liverpool
Liverpool is currently like the San Andreas fault. Everyone expects them to explode and wreak havoc, but they continue to stay quiet and underwhelm.
Their defense has been in shambles and Hendersen out, there is no telling what they will do next.
However, Salah has still been putting up good numbers and getting FPL points. If you have him, you should hold him.
If you are looking for a differential, Mane has been ranking really well on the creativity and goal threat stats.
🏙️ Manchester City
KDB is back in the side and had an amazing game. While his minutes were managed, he looked pretty solid and you would expect his game time to only increase from here.
There have been some concerns over Gundogan’s point potential with KDB back. Based on the last game, KDB seems to be playing more of a playmaker role and Gundogan continued with this typical late runs in the box.
Overall, you should continue to hold Gundo and monitor KDB if you fancy a second City attacker. Foden, while regularly being the best player on the pitch when he plays, is too much of a rotation risk to be picked.
Regarding City’s defense, Pep mentioned that he plans to rotate a lot in the coming weeks due to fixture pileups (shocker!!). So be prepared for one or more of your City defense to be rested during the double game weeks.
🦁 Aston Villa
With Grealish out, Villa’s performances have dipped and raises concern over their assets.
Defensively, Martinez is still a comfortable hold. And if you move him out, he will know and play a cracker of a game to punish you.
While a double up on Villa defense doesn’t seem advisable, Konsa is a budget pick that can be considered if required.
Attack wise, Watkins is still a decent hold given their favorable fixture,
🍨 Double Talk
Who to target for DGW26
While Kane’s two points would have disappointed many, if you saw the match, you would know that he was phenomenal. He should be high on your list. However, if you are taking hits AND dropping the likes of Mo or Bruno to get him in, then it may not be worth it.
DCL is another good forward to target. Everton has really good fixtures, and you would expect DCL to get a few returns.
Richarlison is a sneaky pick too. However, don’t get him instead of DCL but can consider an Everton double up-front.
With Fulham’s improved defensive performances, Areola is a good second keeper to target if you plan to bench boost.
Shaw is another defender you should consider getting in. He posting really good attacking numbers and is creating a lot of good quality chances. He is due for a haul and a double game week might just provide that opportunity. Remember, you are not getting him for his clean sheets, but the attacking potential that he possesses.
Who to avoid for DGW26
The usual suspects in this category are assets from Crystal Palace, Sheffield, Wolves.
While AC folks West Brom is another one on this list, The Wire folks believe the likes of Pereira and Maitland-Niles are worth a consideration, given West Brom’s recent improvement in form.
Villa assets are also the ones to be wary of (not you Martinez, we love you!). However, it’s worth noting that Villa is one of the few teams playing in the blank game week 29. So if don’t have your free hit anymore, hold ‘em Villa assets.
Differentials for DGW26
As mentioned earlier, Mane is playing really well and posting good underlying numbers. If you want a differential and have cash to spare, he is the one to get.
Rashford is a shout. While he has had some bad moments in the season, his 9 goals and 8 assists clearly underline his potential.
Werner is another shout for the brave FPL managers out there. He has seen a bit of a resurgence in form and can potentially explode.
Richarlison is a decent punt to pair up with DCL. Plus, you can easily replace him with Ings, who has a double game week after 26.
Fulham attackers, Lookman and Maja, are also decent picks to bet on.
👑 Captaincy
A lot of options to pick from this week. Don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Great fixtures plus good performance in the last match = Kane being the standout pick this week.
Bruno is the next one in strong contention. He is on fire, well he was never not on fire, but you get the drift. While Chelsea may seem like a tough fixture, the truth is that they have had easy fixtures till now and you cannot discount Burno from getting a return in that match too.
Salah is a legit differential captain pick this week. He is playing a leaky Sheffield and has a history of playing well against Chelsea.
DCL is yet another differential captain for the brave ones out there, mainly due to his fixtures.
Some managers fancy using their triple captain chip this DGW26. That is a perfectly viable strategy, but AC folks feel that none of the captains can be relied upon to provide a big haul and your chip is better saved another time. However, if you do plan to use it, they feel that Bruno is a better TC pick than Kane, given his consistency.
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