Looking ahead to Fantasy Football Gameweek 35, @FantasyYIRMA has frisked the fixtures to try and make sense of where the points are going to come from in this week's games.
And so Double Gameweek 34 has come and gone. If you followed my tips last week you would have benefitted from an Alvaro Negredo masterclass where he had an estimated 4 touches of the ball outside of the centre circle and did F all point wise.
Anyways onwards and upwards. On occasion I'll drop the phrase "Strategic Planning" into this column. Two main reasons for this.
- Makes me sound like I have an inkling of an idea about what I'm talking about.
- It's better for the auld word count than just saying "Strategy."
So the strategic planning I'm referring to is not so much for the upcoming Gameweek 35 but more for Gameweeks 36 and 37 which will both be Double Gameweeks.
- Gameweek 35: 10 Games
- Gameweek 36: Arsenal, Southampton PLAY TWICE
- Gameweek 37: Arsenal, Southampton, Man United, Man City, Chelsea, Spurs, Leicester, Sunderland, Watford, West Brom ALL PLAY TWICE
I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. I say secret because I watched (And laughed) last season as people tweeted me (@FantasyYIRMA) in a desperate rage because their "Triple Captain Chip wasn't working!" The problem wasn't the chip not working it was trying to play their FPL chip alongside their wildcard. This is the mistake people make and it's an easy one in fairness.
So if you remember nothing else from this week's nonsensical ramble, remember this...
YOU CAN NOT USE YOUR WILDCARD AND ANOTHER FPL CHIP IN THE SAME GAMEWEEK
So, if you still have your wildcard, Triple Captain, All Out Attack or Bench Boost you are running out of time to use them.
For me the All Out Attack chip is a useless endeavour - I've just never seen the point of it and it was pissed up against a wall in my GW4 team I think.
The others take a bit of planning. My Wildcard is active NOW for GW35. The rationale here is that I'll bring in the players now with 35-36-37 in mind.
I'll look to play my Triple Captain in GW36 and Bench Boost in the big Double GW37 where I'll be praying to Flamini that there will be 15 active players playing twice
And Negredo will not be in the Squad!! So there's that!!
Interestingly both Arsenal and Southampton have doubles in both GW36/37 and intriguing fixtures in GW35. Now it will come as little surprise to most that I like a gamble and GW35 throws up an interesting punt. Arsenal travel to Spurs in what will be the last North London Derby at White Hart Lane. This fixture typically produces goals and both will be desperate to get the 3 points given the current league positions.
With 4 Gameweeks remaining and with Arsenal still having 6 games to play I'm gonna back the Gunners at White Hart Lane for pure shits and giggles. They won't manage to finish above Spurs this season but if they can put a dent in their title aspirations, keep their own faltering top 4 aspirations on track and manage to piss off Spurs fans in their own back garden it should secure a new 9 year contract for Arsene Wenger.
A switch to a new 3-4-3 system appears to have given them a kick up the arse and you have to say that despite almost being put through a wall by Robert Huth earlier in the week Alexis Sanchez represents somewhat of a safer option with 5 matches in 3 fantasy gameweeks should he manage to not agitate his cut lip.
It's worth keeping an eye on the lineup for this game. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks good in this new formation hitting in 8 crosses and a MOTM performance against City in the FA Cup semi-final. After missing out in midweek against Leicester it looks like he's back in contention to start this week. If he shines in this fixture he could be the budget option for the next few weeks.
And Hector Bellerin's game time could be limited until he gets his bloody hair cut... So there's that!!
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Upfront and I'm leaning towards Southampton's Manolo Gabbiadini. You know that guy that you've hand on heart, honestly knew shitloads about for years and always said would be a smash if he got a chance in the Premier League.
Yep that's right you hadn't much of a Scooby who he was pre-Christmas either unless you are part of the Grimsby - Atalanta supporters club or scored an accidental overhead kick with him on FIFA.
Manolo, if that is his real name, returned back to the Saints lineup earlier this week and although they ended up getting spanked by the Diego Costa inspired Champions in waiting he did chip in with an assist and I reckon that it could be a productive afternoon against Hull this weekend.
And he's got TWO DGWs coming ! So there's that!!
Final thought for the week... I spoke at length about the importance of strategic planning to the point where I didn't plan adding a defender into this column. For future reference - if I ever leave out a defender pick - It's Gareth McAuley. It's ALWAYS Gareth McAuley.
Written by Ryan @FantasyYIRMA
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