FANTASY FORECAST 2018/19: FPL Gameweek 21
Ahead of each Gameweek in the Fantasy Premier League, The Hype Train invites a special guest onto its Fantasy Forecast, where the three members of the Hype Team and its Special Guests will duel for FPL supremacy in predicting Premier League scores, as well as going head to head in picking a Scout Picks squad for the relevant Gameweek. In addition, we give our insight into who are the players to watch and those to drop, both for traditional FPL leagues and the Draft mode, as well as providing insight into captaincy picks, differentials for the week, and more. Welcome to the Forecast. All aboard.
Fantasy Premier League: Gameweek 21 Deadline
For the 2016/17 Premier League season, the FPL deadline will be one hour before the commencement of the week's first game. The Premier League website lists each FPL deadline, you can always ask on social media, and you can also view a real time countdown on our Weekly Hype page.
How does our Forecasting work?
We have taken to our Hype Team, and the FPL Community, to compete in a weekly head to head dual of wits. We ask the questions that dominate each week in the Fantasy Premier League: who to pick, who to avoid, who to captain, and who may surprise. The three members of the Hype Team, and a Guest, will provide weekly insight for the Gameweek ahead.
For the sake of respecting the rules of the Forecast, we have provided an example of what we're sending out to interested parties that will feature throughout the season.
Premier League Fixture Prediction: As pundits, we are testing our football acumen with PL predictions and will be providing regular updated tables and stats in each edition of the FPL Forecast. A perfect score is worth 3 points whilst a correct result is worth 1 point.
FPL Gameweek Forecasting: Answering the regular questions that come up every single week in the Fantasy Premier League community that helps with identifying captaincy picks, transfers, attacking options, clean sheet potential, teams to look our for and avoid, players to consider for the Draft game, the wildcard differential players, as well as general analysis and comments.
Scout Picks: Picking a squad of 15 for a single Gameweek, without any budget, using the rules of the FPL - formations, captains and vice captains, and the player limits of 3 per club (chips will not be feature of these weekly picks)
Each team must pick a Captain, labelled as (c) and a Vice Captain listed as (vc).
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 21
Everton 2-1 Leicester
Arsenal 3-0 Fulham
Cardiff 0-3 Spurs
Bournemouth 2-1 Watford
Chelsea 1-0 Southampton
Huddersfield 0-0 Burnley
West Ham 2-1 Brighton
Wolves 2-1 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 1-3 Man United
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 21
Best GW Attacking Options:
Everton (H) vs. Leicester
Arsenal (H) vs. Fulham
Spurs (A) vs. Cardiff
Bournemouth (H) vs. Watford
Chelsea (H) vs. Southampton
West Ham (H) vs. Brighton
Wolves (H) vs. Crystal Palace
Man United (A) vs. Newcastle
Liverpool (A) vs. Man City
Best GW Defensive / Clean Sheet Potential:
Arsenal (H) vs. Fulham
Spurs (A) vs. Cardiff
Chelsea (H) vs. Southampton
Huddersfield (H) vs. Burnley
Burnley (A) vs. Huddersfield
Who are the teams to look out for?:
Liverpool: It is now or never as far as I am concerned, and I must show my support for the Reds who have been on the best form of their Premier League existence. Having won all their seven games in December any team would fear playing them. Happens to be that they face the team they lead by seven points, and a team who hasn’t kept a clean sheet in ten games.
Who are the teams to avoid?:
Man City: It is time. I have waited a whole month for this part of my Forecast musings. Manchester City host Liverpool in what could be the game that decides the destination of the Premier League come the end of the season. Yes, this is an exciting time to be a Liverpool supporter, and after the Reds won all seven of their Premier League games in December I would be rather concerned if I was Pep Guardiola.
Liverpool dispatched a confident Arsenal time, they absolutely wiped the floor with them to the point where the Arsenal Fan TV cast couldn’t stop shouting ‘What have you won, stay in your lane!’ Liverpool are pouring the salt this season and other team’s fans are getting it all over them. That guy Mark from MUFCTV couldn’t handle it when Liverpool beat United 3-1, Arsenal believed they beat Liverpool in a 1-1 draw, and Chelsea fans spent a month re-posting the slip video after Daniel Sturridge scored that goal of the season contender.
Man City supporters have been singing about Liverpool all season (let’s face it…even their own fans don’t have anything to chant about City, so I understand the obsession) and now this gladiator fight will shape the second half of the season, and inside the head of Pep Guardiola is the nightmare of the Liverpool frontline.
The ‘All or Nothing’ documentary highlighted how obsessed Pep was over Salah, Firmino, and Mane; flash forward a few months after Liverpool dumped City out of the Champions League, the Spaniard now sees Liverpool sitting seven points ahead of them with the potential for that to hit double digits, and for Spurs to once again leapfrog them in putting on the pressure. City have shown their weak underbelly over the Christmas break, but I don’t care what anyone tells me…Liverpool are going to go there with absolutely everything to play for, and in the Bundesliga the nightmare for Pep was Klopp, and that same shadow is now cast over the chequebook manager in the Premier League.
The league could be a formality if Liverpool get a result over City on Thursday, and I think they will get it based on the recent performances of the respective teams.
GW Differential Picks:
Salah, Firmino, and Mane. They are the great wildcards inside Pep Guardiola’s head right now, the equation he cannot solve. They will be at the Etihad this Thursday.
FPL Captaincy Picks:
(C) Harry Kane – The English forward who is a serial diver, and innocent in the eyes of white journalists, has an easy fixture against Cardiff and should be your main captaincy option ahead of this gameweek.
(VC) Mohamad Salah – The Egyptian forward who is accused of diving, according to white journalists, is a serial diver, has Man City and I think that the King of Egypt will let it rain frogs at the Etihad.
Other Gameweek Comments:
Rotation season continues into the new year and I know that Sarri, Poch and Pep are planning to ruin the festivities.
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 21
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Alisson
DEF: Matt Doherty
DEF: Marcos Alonso
DEF: Toby Alderweireld
MID: Richarlison
MID: Ryan Fraser
MID: Eden Hazard
MID: Mohamad Salah (VC)
FOR: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
FOR: Harry Kane (C)
FOR: Raul Jimenez
Substitutes
GK: Bernd Leno
MID: Felipe Anderson
DEF: Virgil van Dijk
DEF: David Luiz
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 21 Everton 3-2 Leicester Arsenal 4-0 Fulham Cardiff 1-5 Spurs Bournemouth 2-1 Watford Chelsea 2-0 Southampton Huddersfield 1-0 Burnley West Ham 2-1 Brighton Wolves 1-1 Crystal Palace Newcastle 1-4 Man United Man City 2-4 Liverpool
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 21 Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Kepa
DEF: Marcos Alonso DEF: Matt Doherty DEF: Kieran Trippier
MID: Paul Pogba MID: Heung-Min Son MID: Mo Salah MID: Eden Hazard (VC)
FOR: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) FOR: Harry Kane FOR: Marcus Rashford
Substitutes
GK: Bernd Leno MID: Raheem Sterling DEF: Andrew Robertson DEF: Patrick Van Aanholt
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 21
Everton 2-1 Leicester
Arsenal 3-1 Fulham
Cardiff 0-2 Spurs
Bournemouth 2-2 Watford
Chelsea 2-0 Southampton
Huddersfield 1-1 Burnley
West Ham 2-1 Brighton
Wolves 0-1 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 1-2 Man United
Man City 1-3 Liverpool
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 21
Best GW Attacking Options:
Everton (H) vs. Leicester
Arsenal (H) vs. Fulham
Spurs (A) vs. Cardiff
Bournemouth (H) vs. Watford
Watford (A) vs. Bournemouth
Chelsea (H) vs. Southampton
West Ham (H) vs. Brighton
Man United (A) vs. Newcastle
Liverpool (A) vs. Man City
Best GW Defensive / Clean Sheet Potential:
Spurs (A) vs. Cardiff
Chelsea (H) vs. Southampton
Huddersfield (H) vs. Burnley
Who are the teams to look out for?:
Liverpool: The title race could be over just as 2019 begins.
Crystal Palace: Wolves beat Spurs away but face a well drilled defensive unit this week in Crystal Palace. It'll be a low-scoring affair and
Leicester: Beat Chelsea and Man City before losing at home to Cardiff. You never know who which team is turning up.
Teams to avoid:
Leicester: See above.
Man City: See above.
Newcastle: The worst time to play Man United, it would seem. As a loyal Newcastle fan, I've had to sit through some frustrating home losses and I can't see this weekend being any different.
GW Differential Picks:
Salomon Rondon, Sead Kolasinac and Ashley Barnes are the ones that come to my immediate attention. I think that PVA and Townsend might also be in for a good haul at Wolves.
FPL Captaincy Picks:
(C) Mohamed Salah – I quote fancy Mo Salah's chances against City's defence this week. Pep's side have been caught high up the pitch far too often in recent weeks, so can see The Egyptian having a game to remember as Liverpool hunt the title.
(VC) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – As a non-owner, I'm terrified of Auba's potential this week against Fulham if he starts. That fear is enough for me to bank on the Gabon international, especially as I've had no luck in December.
Other Gameweek Comments:
I've absolutely hated FPL for the past month and a bit. The 'FPL Community' get in an uproar over every little thing, everyone is turning to a snowflake, simple tweets with no substance are getting over. Just not too enthused too dip my toe into the deep end right now, despite our efforts on our site here.
In my actual team, there's been little to cheer about other than a streak of Red Arrows and Head to Head losses... One thing to cheer about is that my FPL Cup run continues due to how bad the lucky of my opponents has been. Not come up against one team that's got above 35 points.
Really hoping for an overall improvement in 2019 on all fronts.
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 21
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Jordan Pickford
DEF: Andrew Robertson
DEF: Marcos Alonso
DEF: Sead Kolasinac
MID: Richarlison
MID: Paul Pogba
MID: Eden Hazard
MID: Mohamad Salah (C)
FOR: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (VC)
FOR: Harry Kane
FOR: Callum Wilson
Substitutes
GK: Bernd Leno
MID: Roberto Pereyra
DEF: Kieran Trippier
DEF: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 21
Everton 2-1 Leicester
Arsenal 3-1 Fulham
Cardiff 0-1 Spurs
Bournemouth 2-2 Watford
Chelsea 3-0 Southampton
Huddersfield 1-1 Burnley
West Ham 2-1 Brighton
Wolves 1-0 Crystal Palace
Newcastle 0-2 Man United
Man City 1-2 Liverpool
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 21
Best GW Attacking Options:
Chelsea (Haz/Alonso) and Arsenal (Auba/Ramsey)
Best GW Defensive / Clean Sheet Potential:
Man united (DDG/Shaw) and Spurs (Toby/Trippier)
Who are your essential Gameweek player picks?:
Aubameyang, Hazard and Pogba
Who are the teams to look out for?:
Bournemouth v Watford to be a goal fest
Who are the teams to avoid?:
Cardiff Southampton Newcastle
GW Differential Picks:
Richarlison Salah Son Brooks Lukaku Arnautovic Anderson
FPL Captaincy Picks:
(C): Aubameyang
(VC): Hazard
Other Gameweek Comments:
Liverpool are going to win the league, accept it.
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 21
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Kepa
DEF: Trippier
DEF: Alonso
DEF: Shaw
MID: Hazard
MID: Richarlison
MID: Pogba
MID: Salah
FOR: Aubameyang
FOR: Kane
FOR: Arnautovic
Substitutes
GK: DDG
MID: Mane
DEF: Doherty
DEF: Digne
Want to know more about The Hype Train?
The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in the Fantasy Premier League (#FPL), providing beautiful graphics and weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb ranking tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review movies, live sport, and professional wrestling.
As well as providing FPL articles on our website, we are a founding Contributor to the new Fantasy Football Hub, where you can find more unique articles, including weekly Power Rankings, from The Hype Team. You can support us and read exclusive members only content for just £2 per-month by clicking here.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog 2016' by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), with the final presentation held at Old Trafford in Manchester.
You can follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive content, or visit our website here at www.thehypetrain.co.uk
All aboard.
