Week 34 Togga Player Picks: Single/Double Game Confusion

There are 12 teams playing once and eight teams playing twice in GW34 in Official Fantasy Premier League. But there are the usual 20 teams playing once in the Togga schedule. So, where does that leave us? Very, very confused!

It would be ideal for fantasy managers playing multiple platforms if all fantasy realms utilized the same schedule. Simplicity is good. Why make things needlessly complicated, right?

Well, at the start of the season, it was simple. Then cup competitions created fixture congestion, so some teams had matches rescheduled, and then the schedule was no longer simple, leaving our various fantasy formats to adjust on the fly... or not.

It would seem to make sense that the various Premier League fantasy platforms would follow the official Premier League schedule. The official Premier League schedule is utilized by Official Fantasy Premier League, yes? By that logic, it follows that all Premier League fantasy portals should be in sync with the Official Fantasy Premier League schedule.

However, minimizing teams with double game weeks, maximizing teams with single game weeks, and thereby having as close to 10 games and 20 teams playing in a given game week really seems to make even better sense, doesn’t it? So, Togga’s handling of the coming irregular schedule actually smooths out the bumps better than the Official FPL, which doesn’t make much sense at all. Everything is crazy, nothing makes sense!

There is some overlap in the FPL and Togga schedules, but there’s a huge difference right smack in the middle of the next two game weeks.

MEA CULPA TO TOGGA DRAFT LEAGUE MANAGERS

A few weeks ago, I advised Togga draft league managers to drop non-essential players from teams that did not have double game weeks coming in Week 34 and pick up players from teams that did. The double game week 34 schedule had just been set for Official Fantasy Premier League, and obviously I assumed that Togga would follow the same schedule. I was wrong. Terribly, terribly wrong.

I humbly apologize and ask forgiveness from those of you who followed my advice and blew up their teams. Hopefully it hasn't caused too much harm, since you were only dropping non-essential players. Also, you may take some solace in the fact that I followed my own advice, so am lying in the very bed that I made.

The updated advice: In the Togga schedule for GW35, Burnley is the only team with two games, and Huddersfield is the only team without a game. So add in any Burnley starters who are available in your leagues, dropping non-essential players from other teams. Drop non-essential players from Huddersfield for anybody else who looks good, Burnley or otherwise.

[Editor’s note: The Fantrax +Bench League used the same reasoning as Togga to arrive at the same GW-34 and 35 match slates. However, the Fantrax NMA League has elected to adhere to the FPL schedule in all remaining weeks. As a general rule, look closely at each of your leagues’ deadline dates for the coming weeks, especially those with mid-week rescheduled games! (Yes, we get another dose in early May, so be prepared)]

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TOGGA PERFECT XI PLAYER PICKS

So, having all 20 teams playing 10 games makes things pretty simple with respect to Pefect XI this week. Who looks attractive?

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Keeper

Well, glory be, Manchester United’s David De Gea pops to the forefront once again, thanks to a home match-up against last place West Brom,tied for scoring the fewest goals in the league. I wouldn’t call you crazy for going with Burnley’s double-gamed Nick Pope who is also in friendly confines, but that comes against Leicester, whose Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez are no slouches.

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Defenders

Shkrodan Mustafi has scored 15+ points in four of his nine away games this season, and you have to like his chances of doing so at Newcastle.

Chris Smalling has scored no less than 7.25 points in any of his past 10 games, averaging 13.75 ppg in that spell, so don’t get fancy, just keep putting him in your XI.

James Tarkowski has returned double digits in seven of his past 10 games, and he’ll be plenty busy with the fleet Foxes coming to Turf Moor.

Antonio Valencia averages 11.4 ppg at home, and like Smalling, you can’t ask for a softer opponent or better locale.

Otherwise, I wouldn’t blame you for going with Leicester’s Harry Maguire (Leicester at Burnley), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea at Southampton), or Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool v. Bournemouth).

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Midfielders

Kevin de Bruyne has scored double digits in eight of his past 10 games, with 30+ thrice in that spell. It would seem a tough match-up at Tottenham, but then again, the Belgian superstar returned 35 points in the reverse fixture.

Christian Eriksen has been on fire lately, hitting 15+ points in eight of his past 10 tries. Manchester City is not easy competition, but if you’re looking to ease your mind, the Danish stud returned a score of 15 at the Etihad earlier this season.

Eden Hazard has failed to crack double digits only once in the past 15 games, and he should have no trouble keeping up the momentum at relegation-challenged Southampton.

Sadio Mane has five goals and five assists in his past 13 games, which is absolutely scorching for a midfielder. He’s at Anfield, and only four teams have allowed more scores than Bournemouth.

Midfield has no shortage of fine options, so you could certainly consider players such as Riyad Mahrez (Leicester at Burnley), Luka Milivojevic (Crystal Palace v. Brighton), Paul Pogba (Manchester United v. West Brom), Leroy Sane (Manchester City at Tottenham), David Silva (Man City at Spurs), Willian (Chelsea at Southampton) and Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace v. Brighton).

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Forwards

Mo Salah signaled a quick return to health with a cool-as-a-cucumber finish on Tuesday to help the Reds seal a trip to the Champions League semis. The Egyptian superstar should be well-rested for the weekend fixture against Bournemouth.

Alexis Sanchez finally seems to be clicking with his Manchester United teammates, delivering 25.5 and 24 points in the past two games thanks to a goal and three helpers. He should keep running rampant with West Brom coming to town.

If you’re looking to shake things up, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal at Newcastle), Marko Arnautovic (West Ham v. Stoke), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool v. Bournemouth), Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United v. West Brom), Alvaro Morata (Chelsea at Southampton), and Raheem Sterling (Manchester City at Tottenham) are all fine choices up top as well.

Are you bummed that it’s not a double game week, or happy that things are simple? What choices are locked in for your teams and which ones have you second- (and third-, and fourth-) guessing things? Let us know in the comments!