Fixtures: Double gameweeks and blanks.
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[/three_fourth]The key to a strong finish could easily come down to how well you plan ahead. In particular when you look ahead and see a couple of double game-weeks and blanks on the horizon. While everything is not set in stone at the time of writing this article, we feel we can make a very educated guess on what GWs you should be focusing on. This is the time of the season where the FA cup starts to really cause havoc. Coupled with the European tournaments and the inability of the FA to schedule replays at any old date, it certainly makes things very interesting. So let’s see if we can give you a better idea on how things are going to shake out, by breaking down the teams that are likely to be involved in some way or another.
[divider_1px]First let us get the easy ones out of the way. These Double game-weeks are already set and we don’t have to wait on any ruling from the FA or replay yet to be played.
Chelsea have a double in GW34 because of a prior fixture being moved.
[clear]What we know:
Double in game-week 34 which mean fixtures against Arsenal (A) & Leicester (A)
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Leicester have a double in GW34 because of a prior fixture being moved.
[clear]What we know:
Double in game-week 34 which mean fixtures against Burnley (A) & Chelsea (H)
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Now moving on to the more complicated ones that have several different possibilities.
Aston Villa will now have a blank in GW33 because of the FA cup semis. Their fixture with QPR on April 20th will now have to be moved. Therefore giving them a blank that GW.
[clear]Possible scenarios:
Double in game-week 31 which would mean fixtures against Man Utd. (A) & QPR (H)
Double in game-week 34 which would mean fixtures against Man City (A) & QPR (H)
Double in game-week 37 which would mean fixtures against Southampton (A) & QPR (H)
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QPR will now have a blank in GW33 because of the FA cup semi-final which Aston Villa are involved in. Their fixture on April 20th will now have to be moved. Therefore giving them a blank that GW.
[clear]Possible scenarios:
Double in game-week 31 which would mean fixtures against West Brom (A) & Aston Villa (A)
Double in game-week 34 which would mean fixtures against West Ham (H) & Aston Villa (A)
Double in game-week 37 which would mean fixtures against Newcastle (H) & Aston Villa (A)
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Arsenal will now have a blank in GW33 because of the FA cup semis. Their fixture on April 18th will now have to be moved. Therefore giving them a blank that GW.
[clear]Possible scenarios:
Double in game-week 31 which would mean fixtures against Liverpool (H) & Sunderland (H)
Double in game-week 34 which would mean fixtures against Chelsea (H) & Sunderland (H)
Double in game-week 37 which would mean fixtures against Man Utd. (A) & Sunderland (H)
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Sunderland will now have a blank in GW33 because of the FA cup semis that Arsenal are involved in. Their fixture on April 18th will now have to be moved. Therefore giving them a blank that GW.
[clear]Possible scenarios:
Double in game-week 31 which would mean fixtures against Newcastle (H) & Arsenal (A)
Double in game-week 34 which would mean fixtures against Stoke (A) & Arsenal (A)
Double in game-week 37 which would mean fixtures against Leicester (H) & Arsenal (A)
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Now onto the more complicated teams, as these still await a replay result before anything is possible.
Liverpool will partake in their replay on April 8th. If they win said replay, their fixture with Hull City on April 18th will have to be moved. This would mean that they will have a blank in GW33 Because of the date of the replay it rules out GW31 as a possible landing spot for a hypothetical Double.
[clear]Possible scenarios:
Double in game-week 34 which would mean fixtures against West Brom (A) & Hull City (A)
Double in game-week 37 which would mean fixtures against Crystal Palace (H) & Hull City (A)
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Hull City await to see the result of the Liverpool replay on April 8th. If Liverpool win said replay, the fixture with Hull on April 18th will have to be moved. This would mean that they will have a blank in GW33 Because of the date of the replay it rules out GW31 as a possible landing spot for a hypothetical Double.
[clear]Possible scenarios:
Double in game-week 34 which would mean fixtures against Crystal Palace (A) & Liverpool (H)
Double in game-week 37 which would mean fixtures against Spurs (A) & Liverpool (H)
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Game-week 28, 29, 32, 33, 35 and 36 are highly unlikely if not impossible to be used for Double game-weeks because of UEFA regulations preventing domestic games from clashing with Champions League and Europa League.
Game-week 30 can’t be used for a double because it will be International Break week.
This only leaves game-week 31, 34 and 37 for rescheduling any postponed games.
If you want to check out all the fixtures that include all EPL, FA, Champions League and Europa in one place, just check out this link –
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qjbVKMx4IhOcMb0isT1USnxvc5ldh1w5uOGwK2wjWro/edit?usp=sharing
We will do our best to keep it updated as the fixtures are announced.
This article was written by Mito21
Mito lad, thanks so much for the time I am so confused about who is playing who and when I may just guess to be honest and then randomly select who I will pick! 😉 Hows life fellas?
Alex
All well thank you mate. How’s things over the road? 😉
You living well?
My team any good? Only 0.3 in the bank..
Simms, nicely team that mate, my only question mark would be Jones. Hopefully Zouma gets enough game time to justify his inclusion over a premium Chelsea defender.
Very nice team Simms.
Agree with Cookie though – I’d ditch Jones. Alderweireld of Southampton?
Thanks guys, looking to bring in a Southampton defender next week
Hi all
what should I do with my formation and captain?
thanks in advance
stewy
Good formation and captain mate.
Maybe Ki in for Phillips I think.
Stewy, starting XI and Capo is fine. Only thing to do there is make Ki your first sub.
Morning everyone,
Great little round-up Mito, thank you very much for it mate.
Every transfer could be vital even from this far out. I’d better start to pay attention now 😉
Good morning. I play in a draft league and was going to go 3-5-2 this week with the formation below. My question is, should I bring in Dzeko for Pelle and if so, which player do I drop to the bench? Thanks.
Ospina
Bellerin Jagielka Kompany
Puncheon Fabregas Sigurdsson Cazorla Nasri
N’Doye Rooney
Bench: Pelle, Jones, Hutton
bob
I think I’d play 3-5-2 and forget the Dzeko transfer.
Anything else you can do transfer-wise?
Naughton, Zouma, Mason are available. Anybody you would suggest?
bob
Zouma for Jones might prove fruitful. Well Chelsea are certainly a lot stronger than Man U.
Jones seems to have lost his place. If I pick up Zouma, should I start him? If so, who should go to the bench?
bob
You could start him ahead of Jagielka as Everton are in Europe on Thursday and its difficult to gauge how they will play after that.
Hey lads.
Pretty confused with my transfer this week. Wanted to do something about Monreal but don’t know what to do.
Monreal hadn’t played a few league games but just played 90min against Man U and scored! This could mean he wont be playing the league games but I can’t be certain.
I was thinking about transferring Downing for Punchion this GW and sorting out the arsenal defender next GW. This would mean I could also chose Gibbs next GW if Monreal continues to sit on the bench during league games.
makeya
I think you have more than enough there to leave a transfer this week and monitor the Monreal situation. I think long-term, Bellerin is the safer bet so a switch to him could help.
I’d keep Puncheon this week.
Cheers mate. Yeah I’m going to do the downing to punch trade. Im pretty confident with it being a solid move.
i would save my transfer, Not worth that much doing trading Downing for Puncheon imo
Ah I wouldn’t have if I didn’t need the extra .5mil. Downing hasn’t turned up against any big teams. He has an ok run of fixtures ahead of him but I believe puncheon will equal/out score Downings points for the last games of the season. Hope this doesn’t bite me in the ass!
But I do see what you mean. Probably should have left it, haha.
Personally, i’d be a lot more concerned with Jagielka. Everton are pants. There’s at least 1m to be saved by downgrading him to a cheaper option, who will likely get more points than him anyway.