Introduction
This season FPLbet will have a weekly series of forward look articles designed to try and improve your points and profits. Whether you are an avid FPL player or whether you like to dabble in Fanteam, other daily fantasy football or traditional betting, this article should be your first port of call before picking your teams or placing any bets for the week's Premier League fixtures.
All player data in this article is from the last six gameweeks. All data is correct as of 30 April 2021.
The forward look - GW34:
| Southampton | v | Leicester |
| 25% | Win % | 53% |
| 20% | Clean sheet % | 36% |
| 33% | To score 2+ % | 53% |
| Adams (3) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Iheanacho (7) |
| Redmond (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Vardy (5) |
| Armstrong (17.9) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Iheanacho (38.6) |
| Crystal Palace | v | Man City |
| 9% | Win % | 77% |
| 12% | Clean sheet % | 55% |
| 17% | To score 2+ % | 71% |
| Benteke (2) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Torres (3) |
| Schlupp (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | B. Silva (3) |
| Guaita (20.0) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Fernandinho (20.9) |
| Brighton | v | Leeds |
| 48% | Win % | 29% |
| 33% | Clean sheet % | 23% |
| 48% | To score 2+ % | 35% |
| Welbeck (3) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Bamford (5) |
| Welbeck (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Harrison (2) |
| Dunk (33.2) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Meslier (32.3) |
| Chelsea | v | Fulham |
| 69% | Win % | 13% |
| 55% | Clean sheet % | 17% |
| 57% | To score 2+ % | 18% |
| Havertz (4) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Maja (2) |
| Mount (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Lookman (2) |
| Pulisic (28.5) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Andersen (23.8) |
| Everton | v | Aston Villa |
| 50% | Win % | 28% |
| 35% | Clean sheet % | 22% |
| 50% | To score 2+ % | 33% |
| Calvert-Lewin (5) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Watkins (2) |
| Digne (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Targett (2) |
| Richarlison (26.7) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Martinez (28.0) |
| Newcastle | v | Arsenal |
| 28% | Win % | 50% |
| 20% | Clean sheet % | 33% |
| 36% | To score 2+ % | 53% |
| Gayle (4) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Lacazette (5) |
| Murphy (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Martineli (2) |
| Dubravka (29.0) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Lacazette (29.1) |
| Man United | v | Liverpool |
| 36% | Win % | 40% |
| 25% | Clean sheet % | 28% |
| 42% | To score 2+ % | 46% |
| Greenwood (4) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Salah (6) |
| Greenwood (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Alexander-Arnold (4) |
| Greenwood (35.5) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Salah (35.3) |
| Tottenham | v | Sheffield United |
| 77% | Win % | 9% |
| 56% | Clean sheet % | 11% |
| 71% | To score 2+ % | 17% |
| Kane (6) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | McGoldrick (1) |
| Moura (2) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Brewster (1) |
| Kane (31.9) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Ramsdale (23.0) |
| West Brom | v | Wolves |
| 35% | Win % | 40% |
| 31% | Clean sheet % | 33% |
| 35% | To score 2+ % | 40% |
| Pereira (3) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | F. Silva (2) |
| Pereira (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Podence (1) |
| Pereira (35.5) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) | Saiss (26.0) |
| Burnley | v | West Ham |
| 31% | Win % | 46% |
| 23% | Clean sheet % | 33% |
| 37% | To score 2+ % | 48% |
| Wood (5) | Most big chances (last 6 GWs) | Bowen (4) |
| McNeill (3) | Most big chances created (last 6 GWs) | Bowen (2) |
| Wood (34.1) | xFPL (xG, xA and xCS combined) |
Braveheart's GW34 reveal:
This article comes quite late in the week as I was hoping for some confirmed news about the potential double gameweek in 35 before putting pen to paper. As things stand I still have my wildcard and so I'm hoping to make as best use of this last double as I can. But I'm very relucant to commit to players and teams without concrete news (I'm winning my main mini-league at present, but it is close so no room for error).
So with that said, I've not made my transfer yet and I'll be likely leaving it as close to the deadline as possible. It is expected that Aston Villa, Palae, Everton and Southampton will have a double in GW35 and a fixture in GW36. From the double/singlers, I only really like Martinez and Watkins, Zaha, Digne, Siggy and Richarlison. At the time of writing, I already have Targett and Watkins from those teams.
It is expected that Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester and Man United will have a double in GW35 but will blank in GW36. As a result, if I was wildcarding a double-gameweek heavy team next week once the fixtures are announced, I would make sure to have no more than four outfield players from these teams. From the double/blankers, I only like Lacazette, Mendy, Ruidiger, Mount, Castagne, Maddison, Vardy, Iheanacho, Shaw, Fernandes and Greenwood. At the time of writing, I already have Azpilicueta, Fernandes and Iheanacho.
Looking at the single-GW35 players who I'd like to keep for the rest of the season (most likely), I'll be keeping Salah, Kane, Lingard and Dallas most definitely. Of those players Salah, Kane and Lingard would be in my DGW35 starting 11 along with the five players I currently hold. Assuming I don't wildcard to prepare for DGW35, I'd need to use two free transfers and maybe take one hit to bring in three players who double in GW35 (with a wildcard the following week to set up for GW36 to GW38). This is my most likely strategy but it'll depend on the fixtures if/when they are announced.
At the time of writing, my team going into GW34 is as follows:
- Pope v West Ham (h)
- Dias v Crystal Palace (a)
- Azpilicueta v Fulham (h)
- Dallas v Brighton (a)
- Coufal v Burnley (a)
- Salah v Man United (a)
- Fernandes v Liverpool (h)
- Lingard v Burnley (a)
- Kane v Sheffield United (h) - captain
- Watkins v Everton (h)
- Iheanacho v Southampton (a) - vice-captain
- Bench: McCarthy, Soucek, Targett, Raphinha
The team is not set in stone until the deadline so please follow me at @FPLBraveheart on Twitter for any updates. All the best and I hope everyone reading gets green arrows in GW33. But, most importantly, stay safe out there (or, more accurately, at home)!
