FPL GW23 Preview
Another week, another underwhelming Double Gameweek.
This time there is only one rearranged Fixture: Burnley V Watford to be played on Saturday 5th February. Burnley also play away to Arsenal and Watford play home to Norwich.
As for players to stock up on, it is slim pickings for Burnley, who have just sold Chris Wood to Newcastle and have Maxwel Cornet still at AFCON. They have 7 flagged players so I’d only really recommend centre backs Tarkowski (£4.9) and Mee (£4.9).
As for Watford, the Dennis (£6.1) v King (£5.8) debate will continue, with King showing all the better statistics, but Dennis making a mockery of them by becoming the second highest scoring Forward in the game.
As for Captaincy, if you have a Double Gameweek player I’d always Captain one of those.
The current state of Double Gameweek’s looks like this: (Games to play in brackets, not including Burnley v Watford)
Arsenal, Burnley, Leicester - 4
Everton, Spurs - 3
Aston Villa, Brighton, Chelsea, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Watford, Wolves - 2
Crystal Palace, Man Utd, Norwich, Southampton - 1
Brentford, Man City, West Ham - 0
Let’s have a focus on Aston Villa, who have had a mixed start to Steven Gerrard’s managerial reign, but they have improved significantly statistically and have one of the best Fixture runs ahead. They play managerless Everton, Leeds, Newcastle, Watford, Brighton and Southampton with the two games in hand being Leeds and Burnley.
They have good assets across the field, with Martinez (£5.5) in goal, new signing Digne (£5.0) and Cash (£5.1) in defence, fellow new signing Coutinho (£7.0) could be a good punt in midfield, whereas Ramsey (£4.6) is the best Midfield option under £5.0. In attack Watkins (£7.7) is the man most likely.
Watkins is one of a few Forwards under £8.0 who are worth considering, as the Premium priced assets of Ronaldo, Kane and Lukaku continue to under perform. Antonio (£7.9), Watford pair King and Dennis, Calvert-Lewin (£7.9) and Newcastle pair Wood (£6.7) and Saint-Maximin (£6.6) could all be options when the Double Gameweeks are announced.
Having all three Forwards under £8.0 allows you to spread your funds into Midfield and Defence, and gives you an easier route into bringing back Salah when he returns from AFCON.
Speaking of which, I’ve had a question about when Mo Salah will return. We won’t know for certain until Egypt are knocked out of AFCON, but it will be somewhere between Gameweeks 23-25.
As well as Double Gameweeks, we also have some Blank Gameweeks coming up. Brighton and Chelsea in Gameweek 24, Arsenal and Chelsea in Gamweek 25, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester, Liverpool in Gameweek 27.
Deadline this week is Friday 21st January, 18:30pm.
Remember, it isn’t too late to join the Official And He Takes That Chance FPL league, simply click on the link below.
fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/ut6b0t
Denny Ledger
Twitter: denny_ledger