Here’s a quick overview of the FPL doubles and blanks after the 5th round of the FA Cup games finished. I also give some initial FFGeek team thoughts
FPL Doubles and Blanks – a quick overview after the FA Cup games
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The basics
There’s my possible blanks and doubles schedule article which is still relevant apart from the fact that the EFL final is now GW33
Starting at the beginning. Apart from the TV Company intervention, blanks are generally the result of EFL Cup fixtures and the FA Cup fixtures clashing with premier league fixtures and forcing postponements of clashing fixtures in the gameweek. Therefore blanks are created if the postponements can’t be moved to midweek of the same gameweek.
Double gameweeks result from when the postponed fixtures are moved into midweek of a future gameweek meaning some teams will play twice in 1 gameweek.
By loading up on those double gameweek players or planning for blank gameweeks in advance to maximise your FPL teams playing numbers and you can potentially gain a significant points advantage.
Covid related fixture chaos has seen flexibility in postponements clashing with European gameweeks. This could continue although obviously teams can’t play in the same gameweek that they are in Europe
Remember the following teams have a DGW24 and a DGW25
Everton v Man City is now in GW24
Burnley v Fulham is now in GW24
Leeds v Southampton is now in GW25
The following games not related to the FA Cup have yet to be rearranged
Villa v Spurs
Villa v Everton
Fulham v Spurs
Man City v Southampton
FA Cup postponements from GW29
The postponed games out of GW29
This is where the FA Cup quarters will be played so teams in the quarters and their GW29 opposition won’t have PL fixtures. After GW29 is the International Break so there’s no midweek option.
The 5th round winners were Man Utd, Everton, Sheff Utd, Leicester, Man City, Chelsea and Southampton.
Therefore the following games will be postponed and moved:
Burnley v Leicester
C Palace v Man Utd
Liverpool v Chelsea
Man City v Wolves
Sheffield v Villa
Spurs v Southampton
WBA V Everton
GW26 is a free midweek so games could go there. However the relaxation of European gameweeks means that there will be other avenues for the fixtures to go into as long as the team isn’t playing in Europe.
This is one of the reasons why 1 of Man City’s 2 games should go into GW27 as the Champions League is staggered and therefore teams don’t play every week.
What is likely to be left in GW29
Brighton v Newcastle
Fulham v Leeds
West Ham v Arsenal
All teams are out of the FA Cup so these fixtures stay
There seems to be a fairly certain feeling that Villa v Spurs will go into GW29. That seems logical as Fulham v Spurs can’t go there as Fulham already have a fixture so it does make sense for Villa v Spurs to go there. If Spurs are knocked out by Wolfsburg in GW25 then that adds flexibility but still GW29 seems obvious..
This is important as it means that Villa and Spurs would have doubles in GW26 and games in GW29 allowing a much easier transition between the 2 of them
When will the fixtures rearrangements be announced?
It seems unlikely we’ll see them before the GW24 deadline but surely before GW25.
What does this mean for the FFGeek team
I have 2 free transfers and £2.3m in the bank. No Free Hit but have the wildcard, bench boost and triple captain.
I did discuss this in my early thoughts on the FFGeek team article. First things first is that there is a DGW24 so with Pope seemingly fit he will be my first transfer.
My second one is complicated by the above. If all the fixtures went into DGW26 then I would have 8 doublers not including Calvert Lewin. If Villa v Spurs goes into GW29 I would have 7 players in GW29. All of this could mean no need for a wildcard potentially although very early to be calling this.
The only immediate issue is whether to use the 2nd transfer or save it hopefully with the fixture rearrangement news coming next week so I can use it more usefully. That does risk wasting it if I wildcard in GW25 but I may just risk that. It would be a shame though as I have thought about Cavani as a transfer with 2 good games. My team lineup is good though so it can stand this week with only the 1 transfer. I’ll probably do a final team article early Saturday morning
Btw I hate to be vague but until I see the fixtures (hopefully next week) I can’t say what I’ll do with my remaining chips.
I’m not an expert so comments welcome!
I’ve just tried to think this logically through so please tell me if I’ve got anything wrong. Constructively though would be appreciated!
Other posts
Early thoughts on the FFGeek team
The FFGeek Captain and Transfer polls
FFGeek Contributors teams Part 1
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