Welcome back to the Hive head to head league!

Game week 24 was another high scoring affair with multiple teams pushing beyond the 90 point mark.

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In Division 1, Lazz's 1 point victory over Creekside FC in what was 2nd v 3rd was the highlight of the round. However, the real winners from that result were Shamzy FC who managed to overcome Blockchain FPL and stretch their lead at the top to 9 points.

Elsewhere in Division 1, having all but written off the chances of the bottom 2 of surviving the drop in last week's blog both the Amirians and Content Creators got very valuable wins in GW24. There is still a long way to go for them to escape relegation but for now they're just about hanging on in there.

Meanwhile in Division 2, a rare off week for Skander TN saw them lose just their 3rd match this season with the 6 teams immediately below them taking full advantage by winning. It remains very congested in the race for promotion.

GW25 sees 12 fixtures taking place with double game weeks for City, Liverpool, Luton and Brentford. There are plenty of teams across both divisions who have been preparing accordingly with their transfers over recent weeks while others may look to utilize chips to benefit from players scoring twice.

That being said, finding players who are guaranteed to appear in both matches is going to be tough especially when you factor in that City play in Europe during midweek too. With 2 home games, it's very tempting to go big on players from the reigning champions but don't be surprised to see Pep rest and rotate as he looks to ensure the fitness of his squad going into the business end of the season.

Equally, managers will need to consider how much benefit there is to picking Luton and Brentford players when you consider that their fixtures this week are United/Liverpool and Liverpool/City respectively.

While managers looking at Liverpool assets will also need to factor in the potential return of Mo Salah. The Liverpool midfield who is rated 50/50 to appear this week is still the highest points scorer in the FPL this season despite not featuring at all for the last 4 GWs.

Elsewhere, Arsenal will be keen to double down on their impressive win against West Ham when they visit Burnley. The Clarets have a terrible home record this season and could find themselves bottom of the league if Sheffield United can better their result this weekend when they play Brighton.

Otherwise, managers will also be looking at the Spurs v Wolves match as a fixture likely to throw-up some goals while Newcastle continue their revival and host Eddie Howe's old club Bournemouth who have gone off the boil in recent weeks with no league win in 2024.

GW24 Results

Prizes for winners of last week's head to head matches will be sent soon.

Division 1

Team	Hive Account	Score	Score	Team	Hive Account
Hungry Lions	@GvKanten	83	63	Legion Fc	@b0s
Creekside FC	@pappyelblanco	89	90	Lazz	@Martinlazizi
WhyteFC	@Ipalibo	56	80	Espada Numero Uno	@elmose
FC McKane	@McKane	78	93	I Feel Qatari	@deniskj
Nonz FC	@nonsowrites	75	66	Izanagi FC	@belemo
Hiveheadz	@borran	79	82	Content Creators	@Pvmihalache
Likodra FC	@teofilex11	62	88	Suffragette City	@talesfrmthecrypt
@BlockchainFPL	@blockchainFPL	80	85	Shamzy FC	@shamzy
Augment Fc	@vickoly	62	88	thoth442FC	@thoth442
The Amirians	@amirtheawesome1	77	74	YAGMAN FC	@yagman01

Division 2

Team	Hive Account	Score	Score	Team	Hive Account
Folox fc	@thelonegreywolf	66	82	Rosh FC	@officialrosh1
Stevelight (Herbae)	@Herbae	65	58	Apples and Pears	@stuartcturnbull
Samostically	@samostically	75	82	Satoshi99	@kraken99
SOLAT	@reservedsingle	63	54	EVIAN CF	@nasfyneboy92
Mount Everest	@khaleesii	33	76	HighWay2Anfield	@kenechukwu97
The inferno Squad	@jimah1k	72	72	MUFC	@tiyumtaba
Stevenson FC	@stevenson7	86	35	Michupa Brasil F.C.	@michupa
Lens world fc	@Lensworld	50	81	Simcard fpl	@akomoajong
Tengo Rangers FC	@tengolotodo	74	39	Happy Fc	@Happy411
Twycejoy	@twicejoy	75	65	Tequeños United	@aaalviarez
Uwabbs Fc	@uwabbs001	89	60	Unbothered	@Dapomolaaaa
AVERAGE	n/a	62	68	Formidable Milano	@Damolexy
Stom FC	@stomade	85	64	Roboski	@Gentleshaid
Hivetastic	@acidyo	38	64	The Beast	@iamchuks
Skander TN	@skanderh	52	55	RHYDA1	@rhyda1
rubilu	@rubilu	33	55	valchiz fc	@valchiz
George Of D Jungle	@George-dee	58	59	Diistroyers	@diikaan
Emeka4	@Emeka4	70	76	Beyond Horizon	@beyondhorizonmm
abu78	@abu78	72	68	Praiz Empire	@praizking
BLAngechys Matildas	@blanchy	53	43	adedayoolumide	@adedayoolumide
racibo	@racibo	48	72	Smiley Team	@carita-feliz
HappyBoys FC	@Happyboy1	74	72	Yahuzah	@yahuzah
legaliza	@legalizabrazil	45	55	Testing FC	@sperosamuel15

GW25 Fixtures

Division 1

@b0s v @amirtheawesome1

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If the Amirians are to pull off the great escape then you feel that this is a must win game against the side that currently sits just above the relegation zone and 13 points clear of them.

By the looks of the 2 squads at this stage it will be a very tight match with the only area of real difference being at the back. Legion FC are very much banking on Everton and Newcastle's home advantage seeing them record good points. At the start of the season, having Newcastle defensive assets looked like a very good option but even with their uptick in form, the Magpies have still managed to concede 14 goals in their last 5 league matches.

Further forward and the battle between the 2 City men could be crucial. De Bruyne was left on the bench last week but as we've seen of late that hasn't stopped him from recording points so managers may not be too concerned at the prospect of him being rotated again. Meanwhile Antony Gordon's excellent home form continues, he has only blanked once at St Jame's Park all season.

@yagman v @vickoly

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Both these teams missed the opportunity to push towards the top of the table with defeat in GW24. Yagman FC will be particularly disappointed that their fine run of form was ended by bottom club the Amirians.

There are plenty of differentials in this one with neither side having a common player in defence. Both teams have potential double point scorers at the back in TAA and Walker although the former is carrying yet another niggle and so might be rested at some point over the next week.

Further forward and Augment FC will be hoping that West Ham respond following their thumping by Arsenal on Sunday. Overall, Yagman FC look to have the better options with 3 of their differentials in that area enjoying a double game week compared to just Alvarez for the opposition.

@thoth442 v @blockchainfpl

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Thoth442's win in GW24 pushed them up to 7th while BlockchainFPL's defeat saw them miss the chance to push closer to safety and instead lead to them dropping to 18th .

Both managers appear on the same wave length with plenty of their selections in more forward areas and in as far as their captain picks are concerned - they've selected the same player to score double points in the last 4 game weeks.

BlockchainFPL's risk of bringing Toney straight back in has paid off and he could continue to be an important player in this week's head to head benefiting as he does from a double game week.

At the back, thoth442FC look a bit stretched as far as goalkeeping options go with Strakosha almost certainly on the the bench and Petrovic coming up against Man City. With Chelsea also having a blank in GW26 perhaps the time to switch things up is now?

@shamzy v @teofilex

Screenshot 2024-02-14 at 06.54.44.png

Despite there being a long way to go in the season, the chances of anyone stopping Shamzy FC running away with the title are becoming fewer and fewer. The chasing pack had managed to whittle the gap down to 3 points but in just the blink of an eye that is back to 9.

Likodra FC might however see an opportunity to beat the top ranked side here given Shamzy FC do have a couple of players out with injury. While that might limit their selection options, Shamzy FC are set-up nicely to benefit from Man City's double game week with 3 sky blue players in their squad as well as Luiz Diaz. By contrast, Likodra FC's double game week differential is TAA who is an injury doubt.

Likodra FC will also be concerned about the form and fitness of Zinchenko. The full back has played precisely half of the available minutes in Arsenal's last 5 Premier League matches and might struggle to get back into a side that just won 6-0.

@talesfrmthecrypt v @borran

Screenshot 2024-02-14 at 07.16.19.png

Hiveheadz enjoy a nice 8 point cushion above the relegation and Suffragette City so this is an important match for both sides as they look to secure their future in the top flight.

There is decent symmetry between the sides with both sharing the same keepers and while 4 of their remaining back lines are differentials, it's noticeable that both sides have gone for Arsenal centre backs and Spurs full-backs.

Where Hiveheadz do hold the edge is in having 2 Liverpool forwards who could really benefit from the double game week. Jota is in excellent form having only blanked once in the last 6 GWs and while Darwin Nunez continues to be something of an enigma, the fact that he gets 2 bites at the cherry in GW25 makes him a very handy selection.

@pvmihalache v @nonsowrites

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A significant win for Content Creators who are just about keeping touch with the teams directly above them who are all generally picking up points on a frequent basis in recent weeks. As a result, another victory here is important and given that they've outscored their opponents in the last 2 weeks you'd say they have a chance.

Nonz FC will be banking on Spurs fullbacks continuing to be an attacking threat. The pair have 12 goals involvements between them this season but Spurs haven't kept a clean sheet in their last 7 Premier League matches. Content Creators have the advantage of Ederson and Mengi's double game week, although whether Luton players will pick up many points given their tough fixtures remains to be seen.

Futher forward and Nonz FC's 3 Liverpool and City differentials give him a clear edge. Content Creators do have Mo Salah and he has returned to training this week but it seems unlikely that he'll play a significant part in either of Liverpool's matches.

@belemo v @mckane

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Defeat for both these sides last week but perhaps more significant is that Inzanagi FC have given up 12 and 13 points over the last 2 GWs against their opponents this week. The fact that they are one of the few teams in the Division without Haaland in their squad certainly cost them last week. Is that a tactic they can afford to continue?

At the back, Inzanagi persist with Matty Cash who hasn't scored more than 2 points in since GW10! For FC Mckane they have the advantage of Walker's double game week as well as the fact that Newcastle and Everton both enjoy home fixtures. The Toffees in particular will be confident of shutting out a struggling Palace team at Goodison Park on Monday night.

Further forwards and it's fairly even. The real deciding factor could be how Pep and Klopp rotate their players for the midweek fixtures. Both Jota and Foden look like they are key players for their respective teams at the moment but that's no guarantee that they won't be afforded a rest.

@deniskj v @ipalibo

Screenshot 2024-02-16 at 06.11.46.png

Another side towards the bottom of the league but making moves in recent weeks is I Feel Qatari whose 93 point haul in GW24 was the highest in the division. By contrast Whyte FC have had a patchy period of form that's seen them drop away from the challengers at the top.

I Feel Qatari have 2 Spurs full-backs in their squad. What might be concerning for them is that neither trained on Thursday due to niggles so they'll no doubt be listening intently to the pre-match interview on Friday for any indication about their availability. Otherwise, you'd say that having Ederson in goal should prove an advantage this week.

Further forward and there's not many differentials between the 2 sides but the the variances could prove to be significant. Saka has 5 goals in his last 5 league games, a welcome return to goal scoring form for a player who'd netted just once in the 12 EPL matches prior to that. Whyte FC can call upon 2 City players who have appealing fixtures in a double GW while I Feel Qatari have a similar situation with Darwin Nunez. Again, player availability and selection could well determine this one.

@elmose v @pappyelblanco

Screenshot 2024-02-16 at 06.53.00.png

Is there a better team in the league over the last 8 games or so than Espada Numero Uno? From being 2nd bottom at one point, they've risen to 11th and could go as high as 7th with a win in this fixture, closing the gap on their opponents in 2nd to just 7 points. Creekside's title hopes took a major blow last week with their 3rd straight defeat against 3rd placed Lazz but perhaps they can take heart from the turnaround that this week's opponents have managed.

At the back, both sides have Arsenal centre backs who between them having been popping up with goals in recent weeks. Otherwise, you'd say that Trippier and Estupinan are better chances of big points than Andersen and Gusto.

In midfield, Espada Numero Uno have 2 form players in Foden and Richarlison while we've already alluded to Gordon's excellent record in home fixtures this season. Creekside will be looking to Jota to continue his hot streak in the double game week, for Solanke to outperform Archer and for Hee Chan to return to first team action.

@martinlazizi v @gvkanten

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Last but not least, it's another massive game for Lazz. Having dispatched the side immediately above them last week, they'll be hoping to do the same to the side immediately below them in GW25.

There are not many differentials between the sides at all. Home matches for Botman and Mykolenko look appealing but Hungry Lions could utilise Bell's double game week to cancel out that advantage.

Further forward and there are just 2 differences between the midfield and striker lines. Hungry Lions again hold the advantage of having 2 differentials who place twice in GW25 but Pascal Gross is back on penalty duty for Brighton who travel to bottom placed Sheffield United while Ollie Watkins and Villa will be looking for a reaction to their defeat on Sunday when they travel to an unpredictable Fulham side.

Division 2

Team	Hive Account		Team	Hive Account
Emeka4	@Emeka4	v	Folox fc	@thelonegreywolf
abu78	@abu78	v	George Of D Jungle	@George-dee
BLAngechys Matildas	@blanchy	v	rubilu	@rubilu
racibo	@racibo	v	Skander TN	@skanderh
HappyBoys FC	@Happyboy1	v	Hivetastic	@acidyo
legaliza	@legalizabrazil	v	Stom FC	@stomade
Testing FC	@sperosamuel15	v	Average	n/a
Yahuzah	@yahuzah	v	Uwabbs Fc	@uwabbs001
Smiley Team	@carita-feliz	v	Twycejoy	@twicejoy
adedayoolumide	@adedayoolumide	v	Tengo Rangers FC	@tengolotodo
Praiz Empire	@praizking	v	Lens world fc	@Lensworld
Beyond Horizon	@beyondhorizonmm	v	Stevenson FC	@stevenson7
Diistroyers	@diikaan	v	The inferno Squad	@jimah1k
valchiz fc	@valchiz	v	Mount Everest	@khaleesii
RHYDA1	@rhyda1	v	SOLAT	@reservedsingle
The Beast	@iamchuks	v	Samostically	@samostically
Roboski	@Gentleshaid	v	Stevelight (Herbae)	@Herbae
Formidable Milano	@Damolexy	v	Rosh FC	@officialrosh1
Unbothered	@Dapomolaaaa	v	Apples and Pears	@stuartcturnbull
Tequeños United	@aaalviarez	v	Satoshi99	@kraken99
Happy Fc	@Happy411	v	EVIAN CF	@nasfyneboy92
Simcard fpl	@akomoajong	v	HighWay2Anfield	@kenechukwu97
Michupa Brasil F.C.	@michupa	v	MUFC	@tiyumtaba