FANTASY FORECAST 2018/19: FPL Gameweek 22
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 22 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 22
West Ham 2-2 Arsenal
Brighton 0-3 Liverpool
Burnley 1-1 Fulham
Cardiff 1-0 Huddersfield
Crystal Palace 1-2 Watford
Leicester 1-1 Southampton
Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle
Everton 2-2 Bournemouth
Spurs 2-1 Man United
Man City 3-1 Wolves
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 22
Best GW Attacking Options:
Arsenal (A) vs. West Ham
Liverpool (A) vs. Brighton
Watford (A) vs. Crystal Palace
Chelsea (H) vs. Newcastle
Everton (H) vs. Bournemouth
Bournemouth (A) vs. Everton
Spurs (H) vs. Man United
Man City (H) vs. Wolves
Best GW Defensive / Clean Sheet Potential:
Liverpool (A) vs. Brighton
Cardiff (H) vs. Huddersfield
Chelsea (H) vs. Newcastle
Who are your essential Gameweek player picks?:
Mohamad Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Harry Kane. Not Sergio Aguero.
Who are the teams to look out for?:
Liverpool: Top of the league, and their front three are all firing. Liverpool dominated this fixture last year with a makeshift defence, and it could be the same story when they weren’t there and pumped the Seagulls 5-1.
Chelsea: The easiest fixture of the season for Chelsea, and Newcastle always find it tough at Stamford Bridge.
Who are the teams to avoid?:
Man United: The Red Devils have had a great start under OGS, but they haven’t come up against one of the top four and I am uncertain how they will cope.
Arsenal: This fixture has a banana skin peel on it. West Ham could show up and put the pressure on Arsenal, and it isn’t like the Gooners have an airtight defence, is it?
GW Differential Picks:
Nathaniel Clyne is now eligible for Bournemouth, and his first game could see him face Everton, the home rivals for his parent club Liverpool.
FPL Captaincy Picks:
(C): Mohamad Salah – The Egyptian has the most favourable game, and everyone apart from Liverpool fans think that the Reds will slip up, but it is City who are at risk of slipping
(VC): Harry Kane – For the, I don’t know how many times, Kane and Salah are combined for my captaincy. I think people are overlooking Spurs because they are hosting Man United. Harry Kane could strike where other peoples would be afraid to bank on him.
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 22
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Neil Etheridge
DEF: Cesar Azpilicueta
DEF: Andrew Robertson
DEF: Marcos Alonso
MID: Christian Eriksen
MID: Eden Hazard
MID: Mohamad Salah (C)
MID: Raheem Sterling
FOR: Roberto Firmino
FOR: Harry Kane
FOR: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Substitutes
GK: Kasper Schmeichel
MID: Hueng-Min Son
DEF: Nathaniel Clyne
DEF: Ben Chilwell
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 22 West Ham 1-3 Arsenal Brighton 0-4 Liverpool Burnley 2-1 Fulham Cardiff 0-1 Huddersfield Crystal Palace 2-0 Watford Leicester 2-1 Southampton Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle Everton 3-2 Bournemouth Spurs 2-1 Man United Man City 3-1 Wolves
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 22 Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Kepa
DEF: Marcos Alonso DEF: Lucas Digne DEF: Andrew Robertson
MID: Raheem Sterling MID: Eden Hazard (VC) MID: Richarlison Andrade MID: Mo Salah (C)
FOR: Sergio Aguero FOR: Harry Kane FOR: Pierre Emerick Aubameyang
Substitutes
GK: Allison MID: James Maddison DEF: Aaron Wan-Bissaka DEF: Sead Kolasinac
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 22
West Ham 1-3 Arsenal
Brighton 0-2 Liverpool
Burnley 1-0 Fulham
Cardiff 0-0 Huddersfield
Crystal Palace 1-0 Watford
Leicester 2-1 Southampton
Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle
Everton 2-1 Bournemouth
Spurs 3-1 Man United
Man City 4-1 Wolves
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 22
Best GW Attacking Options:
Arsenal (A) vs. West Ham
Liverpool (A) vs. Brighton
Watford (A) vs. Crystal Palace
Chelsea (H) vs. Newcastle
Everton (H) vs. Bournemouth
Spurs (H) vs. Man United
Man City (H) vs. Wolves
Best GW Defensive / Clean Sheet Potential:
Liverpool (A) vs. Brighton
Crystal Palace (H) vs. Watford
Cardiff and Huddersfield
Chelsea (H) vs. Newcastle
Who are your essential Gameweek player picks?:
The Egyptian King, The Belgian Troll and The African Bullet all appear to be the solid options this week. There's also claims to be had for The Philippines Pickford in goal and T-Rex Arms as the essential options.
Who are the teams to look out for?:
Man City: I've got a feeling that Pep's side will go on a run of form now and will capitalise if Liverpool drop points in the next month.
Everton: Bournemouth have been folding easily against top-half sides and I can't see them getting much at Everton, despite the home side being on a depressing run of form, much to the frustrations of FPL players who have banked on their good run of fixtures.
Spurs: Hopefully the OGS hype begins to settle as United visit a team they've not had much luck against in recent years.
Cardiff & Huddersfield: The last game was 0-0 and this game will probably be 0-0. A good time to entrust in some defensive assets from this game. That said, it's Cardiff and Hudersfield, so this advice comes with a big pinch of salt.
Who are the teams to avoid?:
Newcastle: My beloved Toon are just not up to scratch ahead of an important game in the capital. This is one of them games where we'll get thrashed and it'll lead every commentator across the country to claim that Newcastle's lack of transfer activity is a mess and that surely Rafa Benitez is leaving in the summer (I really wouldn't blame the latter if it were to happen though, he deserves so much better than the hand he has been dealt).
Southampton: Both Leicester and Southampton have been producing some wildly erratic scores in recent weeks, so I'd probably avoid against The Saints until a home fixture, though I would tempt my hand with opposition players like Vardy as goals are there to be had against Southampton.
GW Differential Picks:
Nathaniel Clyne is now eligible for Bournemouth, and his first game could see him face Everton, the home rivals for his parent club Liverpool.
FPL Captaincy Picks:
(C): Mohamad Salah – After winning a big award, the recipient typically scores so there is something to celebrate on Match of the the Day. Salah also scored against Brighton last time out and is more than capable of doing the same again.
(VC): Eden Hazard – Despite my allegiance to Newcastle, I can't help but wince at the sight of Eden Hazard starting. Could be the difference maker at The Bridge... Who are we kidding, he will be the difference maker.
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 22
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Tom Heaton
DEF: Trent Alexander-Arnold
DEF: Andrew Robertson
DEF: Marcos Alonso
MID: Richarlison
MID: Eden Hazard (VC)
MID: Mohamad Salah (C)
MID: Raheem Sterling
FOR: Jamie Vardy
FOR: Harry Kane
FOR: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Substitutes
GK: Neil Etheridge
MID: Dele Alli
DEF: Aaron Wan-Bissaka
DEF: Michael Keane
Fixture Prediction: Gameweek 22
West Ham 2-3 Arsenal
Brighton 1-3 Liverpool
Burnley 3-1 Fulham
Cardiff 1-0 Huddersfield
Crystal Palace 2-0 Watford
Leicester 1-0 Southampton
Chelsea 3-0 Newcastle
Everton 3-1 Bournemouth
Spurs 2-3 Man United
Man City 3-1 Wolves
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 22
Best GW Attacking Options:
West Ham (H) vs. Arsenal (F. Anderson)
Arsenal (A) vs. West Ham (Aubameyang)
Liverpool (A) vs. Brighton (Salah, Mane)
Burnley (H) vs. Fulham (Barnes, Gudmundsson)
Crystal Palace (H) vs. Watford (Ayew)
Chelsea (H) vs. Newcastle (Hazard, Alonso)
Everton (H) vs. Bournemouth (Richarlison)
Spurs (H) vs. Man United (Son, Kane)
Man United (A) vs. Spurs (Martial, Pogba, Rashford)
Man City (H) vs. Wolves (Sane, Sterling)
Best GW Defensive / Clean Sheet Potential:
Cardiff (H) vs. Huddersfield (Etheridge)
Crystal Palace (H) vs. Watford (Guaita)
Leicester (H) vs. Southampton (Pereira)
Chelsea (H) vs. Newcastle (Alonso)
Who are your essential Gameweek player picks?:
Aubameyang
Salah
Hazard
Who are the teams to look out for?:
West Ham – A team playing an Arsenal side that have conceded 11 goals in 5 games. Unai Emery likes to set Arsenal up with a three-man defence with attacking wing backs. Kolasinac will be up against the talent of Felipe Anderson. I think we could see space in behind and Anderson involved within the goals.
Burnley – A team that seems to be turning around their form. Burnley are playing the worst defence in the league (Lowest clean sheets and most goals conceded). We will likely see Ranieri line up with wing backs. Burnley like to play long balls up to the strikers. Barnes has taken 6 shots on target in his last 2 games. I think we could see Burnley dominating on the counter against Fulham.
Crystal Palace – A team that has kept 8 clean-sheets this season (The best outside the top four). The young Palace full back Aaron Wan-Bissaka will be against Deeney, Pereyra and Holebas. The three left sided players are the top three goal scorers in the Watford team. If Wan-Bissaka can maintain his form, then this could cancel out the Watford attack.
Everton – A team that has scored the most goals outside the top six (alongside their opponents Bournemouth). With Bournemouth having injuries to many defenders (Cook, Francis, Smith). We may see Bournemouth line up with a three-man defence or with Stanislas playing right back. This will be advantageous to the likes of Digne getting forward to cross into the box. We may see Richarlison have a masterclass against the right side of the Bournemouth defence.
Who are the teams to avoid?:
Fulham – A poor defensive team. Knocked out of the FA cup. I think we could see Mitrovic score after his 8 shots on target in the last 3 gameweeks. Mitrovic and Kamara are the only FPL options I would consider at Fulham.
Huddersfield – Bottom of the league. 5 losses in 5 games. Relegation is looming for Wagner’s men unless they can sign a goal scorer (Lowest goals in the league).
Newcastle – A team that play five at the back. A defensive team that can’t score (15 goals in 21 weeks). Hazard will be against Yedlin and Schar in which we could see him come inside with Alonso overlapping. I believe we could see an Alonso goal after his 4 shots in GW21.
GW Differential Picks:
Pereira
Richarlison
Felipe Anderson
Martial
Barnes
FPL Captaincy Picks:
(C): Aubameyang
(VC): Salah
Other Gameweek Comments:
I have smashed FPL in the busy December period. I am now within the top 0.2% of all FPL teams. I have jumped from being around the top 100k overall mark to the top 10k mark. I am hoping to have another good week. As a United fan I currently own the maximum three Manchester United attackers. I’m hoping United can beat Spurs in Solskjaer’s first real test as a manager not only for the benefit of being a United fan but for my FPL team also.
I am still in the cup and hoping to get through to another round. I think we could see a high scoring week in GW22.
Hoping to maintain the progress.
FPL Hype Picks: Gameweek 22
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Etheridge
DEF: Pereira
DEF: Alonso
DEF: Alexander Arnold
MID: Salah (VC)
MID: Richarlison
MID: Hazard
MID: Martial
MID: Sane
FOR: Aubameyang (C)
FOR: Kane
Substitutes
GK: Guaita
FOR: Barnes
DEF: Wan-Bissaka
DEF: Bamba
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All aboard.