Double the fixtures, double the fun. As two teams take on a double gameweek, The Scout is here to help you make sense of the noise and pick a winning starting XI.
Goalkeepers & Defence
Hannah Hampton and Niamh Charles
The game's top scoring defender Charles is a no brainer this week - her attacking threat, chance at bonus points and clean sheet prospects all look incredibly attractive at home to a Villa side that Chelsea thrashed 6-0 in the reverse fixture. Niamh Charles netted the sixth goal that day and Villa are nearly three months without a clean sheet in the WSL, so a repeat is definitely not out of the question. But maybe the most impressive thing about Charles is her consistency - she's only blanked once in the past six games. Picks don't get more reliable than this.
As for Hampton, this fixture's not the worst for a Chelsea defensive double up. Besides a slice of the clean sheet points, it's encouraging that Hampton's been picking up the odd point for saves here and there. Her form is good: she'll keep everything out and rack up those saves, giving you just that little bit extra from your goalkeeper.
Le Tissier, Wubben-Moy & Fisk
This trio round out this week's four defensive edges mentioned earlier, and they're together because of their similar upside - clean sheet prospects, and a strong chance at big bonus points.
Arsenal usually function much better at home, and a double of two home games is as good as it gets for Wubben-Moy. Best of all, in a team with otherwise fierce competition for bonus points, she's comfortably top of the pile with 8 points.
Meanwhile, Spurs at home doesn't instantly scream clean sheet for Maya Le Tissier. But Man United did keep a clean sheet against Tottenham in the reverse fixture. Plus, this normally consistent Spurs attack does struggle to get past the WSL's very best - the four games in which they've failed to score this season were against the Manchester clubs and Arsenal. This defensive edge is admittedly the smallest of the four mentioned, but the chance that Spurs will blank again is good enough to throw your weight behind. Should it all go to plan, Le Tisser could haul - she's grabbed bonus in four of the seven gameweeks so far, the joint best 'strike rate' in the league.
And then there's Grace Fisk, the bonus points queen of Fantasy WSL, with a good game away at Bristol City. Liverpool have kept five clean sheets this season, fourth best in the league, and of their remaining games, this is the one they're most likely to keep #6 in. Should that happen, Fisk will almost certainly swell her tally of 10 bonus points, given the scant competition.
Besides having similar (and similarly massive) upside, this trio's strong chances at bonus points are excellent insurance. Should things go awry, you'll probably still get something from them.
Midfield
Victoria Pelova
Vic Pelova is back in form and with her first WSL return since January at Villa. In GW19, Pelova's starting from a floor that looks decent enough to plant your feet on and throw your weight behind to see if she can replicate that form. First, there's the double. Pelova's minutes are secure enough that she should get 4 points just from appearances. She's also currently at 20% owned - the safest pick in the Arsenal midfield & the fifth-most popular midfielder overall.
Importantly, Pelova is second for returns at Arsenal with seven. Those two games - Bristol City & Leicester at home - are the type that could fast devolve into skeet shooting affairs. A largely one-way flow of attacking traffic could really help Pelova: either she sets up her teammates to shoot or buys a ticket to the lottery herself. Regardless, they're the kind of fixtures worth taking a chance on, especially in a double.
Katie Robinson
If you're looking for games worth targeting, Brighton v Everton is a good one to have in your sights. There's some decent midfield value in this one. At Brighton, Robinson netted a couple of WSL goals in March and is pretty secure for minutes. She should have a decent chance at more returns in a comparatively even game - all but one of her five returns have come against sides currently below Brighton in the table, including Everton in the reverse fixture.
Katie Zelem
The fixture was always good - home to a Spurs team that has one clean sheet away from home. And at last, Katie Zelem has the form - three assists in her last four, a run that includes two 8-pointers in Fantasy WSL, with top bonus points in both. The other arguments in favour remain largely the same, given her set piece ability and reliable minutes. If those 8-pointers are anything to go by, it's a very low threshold for a Zelem haul - one return and you're there.
Forwards
Alessia Russo
If you've owned her at any point this season, you've no doubt been frustrated, but play the fixtures on this one - Arsenal's top scorer Alessia Russo has a double of two home games. It's reason enough to trust her with the captaincy: that's at least 8 points in the bag. Four returns in her last six and generally secure for minutes, Russo's playing Leicester City in game two of the double, against whom she bagged a goal and an assist in the reverse fixture. Game one is against a Bristol City side that's leaked 17 goals in their last five. Don't overthink this.
Bunny Shaw
Two more goals and top bonus points at Liverpool last time, returns in her last nine games consecutively, and home to second-bottom West Ham - do not swing against Bunny on current form. Clear captaincy this week were it not for Russo's double - and truthfully, it's absolutely fine to captain her anyway.
Lauren James
At home to the league's third-worst defence in Villa, some Chelsea attacking cover is vital for this game. James has been a little quiet lately - only two returns in her last four WSL games - but short-term form should be your last consideration in a fixture this good. Villa's last few games have been especially rough defensively - they've conceded 10 goals and 72 (!) shots in the last four games. Chelsea's top scorer (and ferocious shooter) is the clear first pick for this one.
