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[/three_fourth]Many will be reading this with a wildcard in their pockets, comfortable with not having to hit for DGW players leading up to DGW34 & 37. That’s nice for you, I’m truly happy for you, honest!! Sadly, my wildcard pocket is empty though I do still have my Bench Boost and Triple Captain chips to use over the next few weeks. For a quick summary, I played my Wildcard in GW21 for a couple of reasons – my rank was shocking, the deficit to my mini-league leader was too much, there were 5/6 players I didn’t own who I wanted to own, but let’s face it, the main reason I played my wildcard was because I possess no patience – never have done and likely never will do. Though I will hold my hand up and admit that with the introduction of these new chips I will endeavour (best laid plans and all that!!) to hold my wildcard next season for use around the DGWs. That said, my early wildcard hasn’t been a disaster – I have had 10 green arrows in eleven weeks and sit at my best ranking of the season thus far. How that can be quantified with what would have happened if I had held my wildcard until now, I don’t know. But fact is, I can’t argue with the results – but am now left scrambling around for a decent DGW34 side together with a plan for the weeks after 34, especially the blanks in GW35 and DGW37.
Enough waffling, I bet you thought Kop or Init wrote that intro!
So, what is my plan for the DGW34 and 37 with no wildcard? Firstly, panic, fret, laugh (always have to laugh) then try and construct the best squad I can.
This is my squad right now. (don’t laugh)
The players I currently own that have a DGW in 34 are:
Hennessey
Koscielny
Kompany (injured)
Wijnaldum
Ozil
Aguero
Not great really. Plus Kompany is crocked, so make that five, not six! (this is when the panic sets in.)
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I have 2 free transfers for GW32 and then obviously 1 each in GW33 and GW34. However, I will hit to reach a decent DGW squad – after all, if you can’t hit for a double game-week then when can you hit? And most round here will know I’m not afraid to take a hit or two.
Looking at the fixtures, I favour Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd and I’ll include Man City for their fixtures either side of the DGW. I don’t fancy Everton for DGW34, their fixtures are not great, they appear to be concentrating solely on the Cup and they blank in GW35, unless their match vs Palace is rearranged for GW35. That may change my thinking.
West Ham and Watford also have two DGWs but both blank in 35. Palace look worth ignoring, Toon are Toon – I have Wijnaldum but he’s playing deeper than ever and only Elliot looks value. West Brom, well, let’s just not go there.
3 Arsenal players seems to be a must – home to Palace and West Brom in DGW34 is then followed by Sunderland (a), Norwich (h), Man City (a) and finishing with Villa (h) in GW38. I already own Kos and Ozil and I would dearly love to get Alexis as well – his performances and stats are improving by the game and those fixtures look so appetising. But he’s expensive, so although I would love him as a great differential I’m not yet sure whether I can realistically get him. The other alternatives I would consider are doubling up in defence or taking a punt on Welbeck who seems to have found some form and looks to be ahead of Giroud in the pecking order as we speak.
Liverpool – I’m currently favouring Coutinho over Firmino on the basis of Firmino seems restricted by Sturridge playing. Liverpool’s fixtures either side of DGW34 plus their DGW37 mean that at least two players are required, which is tricky as the defence is so woeful, as we saw when they lost a two-goal lead at Southampton on Sunday. Maybe I’ll get Sakho or Mignolet. Liverpool also have to face Dortmund in the Europa League, the second leg of which is on the Thursday before their first match of DGW34, so rest, rotation, disappointment and injuries could all play havoc with selection. AAAARRRGGGGGHHHH!!! This is doing my head in!
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Man Utd – this is where it gets tough. DGW34 matches at home to Villa and Palace is offset with a blank GW35 but then they have another double in GW37 and finish the season home to Bournemouth. Rashford would be a shoe-in but Rooney will be back by then. Martial maybe? Maybe. Defence seems the better option but they all get injured hence it’s tough to predict who will be fit to play. Which leaves De Gea as probably the best option at the back, which means no Mignolet! You see, it’s bloody tough!!
Man City – Kun I already have, so he stays, obviously. With rotation and injuries at the back, I think I’ll stick to Kun. Midfielders are expensive and underperforming, KDB is due back but their double fixtures are both away and his and City’s away form is poor.
West Ham double twice, but with a blank in 35 and fixtures mixed, it’s tough to bring in Payet at that price when compared to other players available, in my opinion.
Hopefully that gives you an idea of some of the players I am currently looking at. Most are no doubt not a surprise as I assume you’re all looking at a similar group.
I’ll keep Mahrez for now – Leicester’s fixtures remain decent until GW36 and we all know that one good week for him will dwarf most player’s DGW performance.
So with all the above analysis, what sort of team can I construct for DGW34 and how will it leave me for the blanks in GW35 and DGW37?
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Provisional team for DGW34
How will I get there?
GW32 – Sell Kompany and Wijnaldum – Buy Simpson and Antonio (no hit)
GW33 – Sell Dier and Alli – Buy Sakho and Coutinho (4pt hit)
GW34 – Sell Courtois, Azpi, Ritchie and Vardy – Buy Elliot, Rojo, Alexis and Defoe (12pt hit)
Gulp – just writing “12pt hit” makes even me shudder!! Of course, this is no normal week and hopefully it will contribute to a monster week! This is the gamble.
Conclusion:
I will Bench Boost in DGW34.
I managed to keep Alexis and I am hoping this is my differential play to those around me. Yes it is costing me to get him, but from DGW34 until the end of the season, Arsenal’s fixtures are about as good as they get and although he has underperformed to his own high standards this season, I am gambling on him continuing to improve those performances and stats and turning them into the FPL beast we know he can be. Is it worth all those hits? We shall see, but what have I to lose? Don’t die wondering and all that.
You may ask, “Why buy a Leicester defender now?” Great question. Every week not having a Leicester defender is hurting me and with decent fixtures up to, including, and after DGW34, Simpson can still contribute to my team and enables me to afford the likes of Alexis and Coutinho and keep Kane, Kun and Ozil.
I’m selling Wijnaldum as despite his 8pt return in GW31, Benitez is playing him too deep for him to be as effective as before. It’s like owning a more creative Flamini without the yellow cards.
The hits are a shame, but inevitable.
This squad leaves me with a full playing XI for GW35 – I will bench Hennessey, Rojo, Rangel and Antonio.
I am left with 5 DGWers for 37 with free transfers in GWs 35, 36 and 37 to build up that number.
Please note – this is just a provisional squad. We have a whole host of internationals to play before GW32 and then GWs 32 and 33 before the big one. Much may change, injuries could occur, plans could change etc.
For example, if Rooney is not back and/or Rashford remains a starter, he will come in for Defoe. And Everton coverage could come into play if their Palace fixture is announced for GW35.
This is just really me thinking aloud – don’t take the above as gospel as what will occur, as I have pointed out, much can change and no doubt will. I will also listen carefully and appreciate your comments / thoughts / suggestions.
Bottom line – this is just one great big RMT for me – thanks in advance!!
Love you all.
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THE FIXTURE TRACKER
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Righty-Hoot the 4 semi-finalists are :-
Cookies Monsters.
FF247 Community Team.
Red Snappers Gone.
Wafflez FC.
The draw is :-
Cookies Monsters v Wafflez FC.
Red Snappers Gone v FF247 Community Team.
Ties to be played in gameweek 34.
Oh no Cookie
Home tie at Cookie Park, Wafflez but with my DGW plans right in front of you, you have to fancy your chances here mate?!
Is there a benefit in taking those hits over a number of weeks instead of just all in GW33? It’s a lot of hits to be taking but if someone were to get injured that you took a hit to bring in that would be annoying.
Butcher, I would think it depends on who you want in for the weeks leading up to it. I would think that triple Arsenal coverage for GW 32 would be very welcome against Watford and the hits may actually pay you back. WHU also have a nice fixture this week, so a hit you may need there could pay you back. If you have Chelsea players that you’d be shipping out I’d hold them until after Villa for sure. Hold off on United as they play Spurs away in 33. Maybe take a hit or a double hit in 34 a it will be offset by double scores for a couple of united players.
This, of course, is just my rambling without seeing your squad
Cheers pancho. I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do in regard to my WC. Just reading everyone’s posts and will decide by GW33
Just a general question for DGW preparation, two weeks doing a -4 or one week doing an -8?
Really just depends on the incoming and outgoing players in any given week. I’d time it around preference of getting them rather than any set thing of -4 or -8 in a given week.
So close to hitting the WC button for this team before GW 32. Just gotta watch price rises and drops for the next week and a half. Anyone else considering hitting it early to take advantage of a few of the fixtures over these next few weeks?
Guess I’ll have to 😉
Evening lads. I really hate international weeks, leaves me with too much time to think and worry about my bloody plans!!
Basically I have some moves planned that would bring in 4 players over the next 2 weeks for a -8 hit and leave me with 1 ft and 1.0 Mil in GW34. I would have 8 DGWers at that point and I could bring in one more. I would probably play TC that week aswell.
What I’m asking is it worth that or should I just WC in GW 33 and play BB in 34 because the fixtures in 37 aren’t the greatest?? My ML leader seems to be setting up to play his WC in 33 but I obviously can’t read his mind haha
Matt, I think that the potential returns in GW34 w/BB are way higher than 37. You can get 3 Arsenal, which is usually good even in their single GWs. You can also get 2 Pool, 2 United, 2 WHU and keep them for their double in 37 as well. You can actually set yourself up nicely for 2 great DGWs IMO. That’s what has tipped it for me to WC before GW34 and play BB then.
Pancho,
A unique Spurs problem. I can’t use Arsenal players in my league (surprise). My problem, as I see it, is that I’d have to substitute Newcash players, and this doesn’t look like a real option-perhaps Janmaat.
The Arsenal advantage, as you well state, is the ability to carry the players through. So far, I can only see using 3 hits to get me 10 dgw34 players-good-and a fine set of gw35 players from Spurs, Liverpool and Leicester. This leave me with a gw36WC-not bad-and maybe a Payet or Costa TC in gw37, plus my choice of gw37/gw38 suspects.
Wuddya think?
Ki, sorry for the really late response. Here’s close to what my WC team would look like without Arsenal. Pretty decent I think. Hopefully it helps. Cheers!
Cheers Pancho that is what I was thinking as well I just don’t like the fixtures for 37.
Pancho,
This is very helpful indeed. There is a way forward.
Great, great read!!! I’m happy to be on the other side of the fence but regardless I’ll be looking forward to seeing how your planning and DGG goes.