Welcome back to Hive FPL for GW34 of the season.
I hope you enjoyed your double gameweek last time out because this round is going to be the polar opposite!
Managers had the luxury of 14 matches taking place in GW33 with most using a variety of chips and transfer strategies to ensure anywhere from 20 - 30 point scoring opportunities.
This week, we're back down to just 7 matches for managers to select players from with all those 6 teams who doubled in GW33 having a blank for GW34.
It means that if you used your wildcard in recent weeks to benefit from that bounty then you're almost certainly going to be using your free hit this time out!
As for the Premier League itself, those additional games have accelerated us towards a conclusion at both ends of the table.
Man City now sit top albeit on goals scored. Arsenal of course have an immediate chance to hit straight back with a home match against Newcastle while City play their FA Cup semi-final.
At the bottom both Wolves and Burnley's fate has now been formally sealed. Wolves however can still have a big impact as to who joins them as they host Spurs this weekend.
The North London club can't buy a win at the moment and sit 2 points behind rivals West Ham. With both Notts Forest and Leeds on 5 match unbeaten runs then it's starting to look like a 2 horse race to avoid the final relegation spot.
However, Leeds, who don't play this weekend, do still have fixtures against both Spurs and West Ham before the end of the season in what could be massive games for the immediate futures of all 3 clubs.
That's the polar extremes of the Premier League but somewhere around the equator things are also hotting up!
Brighton are now up to 6th and a Europa League spot. Chelsea are down to 8th and managerless.
Basically anyone from 6th to 13th could nab a European spot and of course how many places are up for grabs in both the Europa and Conference League and where you need to finish to get one of them will be defined by the success or failure of the English clubs that still remain in the European tournaments.
In short, it's looking like a really good finish to the Premier League season!
Division 1
BlockhainFPL's draw means that the gap to the top is down to just 1 point!
That by the way is the 13th draw of the season in Division 1 which is way higher than the previous 2 seasons put together!
At the bottom, it looks increasingly unlikely that the bottom 4 will be able to escape the relegation spots so it's really down to a fight to avoid 16th place. I think any of the bottom half are still in that battle!
GW33 Results
| Team | Hive Account | Score | Score | Team | Hive Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungry Lions |  @gvkanten | 123 | 103 | Suffragette City |  @talesfrmthecrypt |
| Formidable Milano� |  @damolexy | 115 | 127 | Red Cards of Rohan |  @thoth442 |
| Skander |  @skanderh | 119 | 119 | Cunha Do Sum' 4 Mee |  @deniskj |
| Spero FC |  @sperosamuel15 | 116 | 94 | FC McKane |  @mckane |
| Legion fc |  @b0s | 71 | 115 | Shamzy FC | @Shamzy |
| YAGMAN FC |  @yagman01 | 71 | 44 | Vickoly FC |  @vickoly |
| Likodra FC |  @teofilex11 | 102 | 45 | samostically |  @samostically |
| @blockchainFPL H2H |  @blockchainfpl | 84 | 84 | nonzy fc |  @nonsowrites |
| Hijos del VAR |  @aaalviarez | 87 | 107 | Hiveheadz |  @borran |
| Jungle squad |  @george-dee | 82 | 93 | Steve Herbae |  @herbae |
GW34 Fixtures
| Team | Hive Account | Team | Hive Account | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiveheadz | @borran | v | Hungry Lions | @gvkanten |
| nonzy fc | @nonsowrites | v | Steve Herbae | @herbae |
| samostically | @samostically | v | Jungle squad | @george-dee |
| Vickoly FC | @vickoly | v | Hijos del VAR | @aaalviarez |
| Shamzy FC | @Shamzy | v | @blockchainFPL H2H | @blockchainfpl |
| FC McKane | @mckane | v | Likodra FC | @teofilex11 |
| Cunha Do Sum' 4 Mee | @deniskj | v | YAGMAN FC | @yagman01 |
| Red Cards of Rohan | @thoth442 | v | Legion fc | @b0s |
| Suffragette City | @talesfrmthecrypt | v | Spero FC | @sperosamuel15 |
| Formidable Milano� | @damolexy | v | Skander | @skanderh |
Division 2
It's unbelievably tight in the race for promotion. 3 points separate 3rd and 12th place with every single one of those teams winning their H2H in GW33.
Who, if anyone, is going to blink first?
GW33 Results
| Team | Hive Account | Score | Score | Team | Hive Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mighty Fc |  @twicejoy | 73 | 58 | Micheal Fc |  @micheal87 |
| PHOENIX FC |  @kelvinpeters | 94 | 44 | Rubilu |  @rubilu |
| Rys FC |  @omrys5 | 115 | 82 | SportsNerd |  @saif-ul-wahab |
| Bennett's Boys |  @olibennett | 124 | 84 | Tangram |  @desro |
| WIKE BOYS |  @gone-hive | 40 | 109 | Hasaaland |  @earplugs |
| The Cellas |  @blanchy | 80 | 36 | Holohive |  @acidyo |
| gentleshaid |  @gentleshaid | 70 | 59 | Stevenson Fc | @Stevenson7 |
| Garuda XI |  @aditya-p | 109 | 68 | Wongi |  @wongi |
| HappyBoys FC |  @happyboy1 | 60 | 76 | Corkscrew |  @deraaa |
| Matz Sels Seashells |  @doombot75 | 99 | 64 | Show Not Tel |  @jmehta |
| ARFANTASY FC |  @arfa | 10 | 92 | Chrisamuda FC |  @hive-world |
| adewalehafis |  @adewaleopeyemi63 | 54 | 102 | Magical McFizzy |  @mcfizzy |
| Funwarriors | @Jmis101 | 64 | 89 | Working 9 to 5 |  @aunt-granny |
| K Empire Balls |  @kenechukwu97 | 51 | 65 | Los Magos del Balón |  @el-maestro |
| Teamkoko |  @myanmarkoko | 43 | 70 | Murima |  @youngvic |
| Eh, No, Ah, Meh. |  @stuartcturnbull | 70 | 64 | Sportin |  @depar |
| Pepzerbi |  @pepzerbi | 71 | 99 | Noobmaster69 |  @workingdad |
| Uwabbs FC |  @uwabbs001 | 106 | 33 | ThtHive |  @tht |
| Deals on Wheels |  @derek-trotter | 84 | 116 | racibo |  @racibo |
| Kingsleyy |  @kingsleyy | 78 | 122 | Newton Heath RFC |  @samirich |
| Jeremie Ping Pong |  @pingpongfrimpong | 114 | 81 | Large in the Rear |  @chineduokafor |
| Könttyrät FC |  @pvmihalache | 118 | 67 | TheVulcAns⚓️ |  @the9thcreator |
| valchiz Fc |  @valchiz | 46 | 111 | Blue Mooners |  @leebennett |
| Hadji |  @hadji | 79 | 66 | Corner |  @artniche |
| Emeka4 |  @emeka4 | 86 | 111 | Tengo Rangers |  @tengolotodo |
| Kelsco FC |  @kilvnrex | 66 | 70 | Six and the City |  @princekwame |
| Queen dynasty |  @princess-dara | 29 | 79 | Bankai |  @belemo |
| Itachi FC |  @justfavour | 77 | 55 | Akatsuki |  @seki1 |
| Dapomola Fc |  @dapomolaaaa | 65 | 56 | Cygnus FC |  @donjaun |
| Blugrana |  @ronnie10 | 90 | 54 | Krake99 |  @kraken99 |
| Top 10k? |  @elvisking | 82 | 112 | Fire Power |  @emekaj |
| Sutter Kane |  @suttercane | 95 | 53 | Amirirans |  @amirtheawesome1 |
| hamzamusic | @Hamza-art | 56 | 104 | The People's XV |  @publioscelta |
GW34 Fixtures
| Team | Hive Account | Team | Hive Account | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rys FC | @omrys5 | v | Micheal Fc | @micheal87 |
| Bennett's Boys | @olibennett | v | Rubilu | @rubilu |
| WIKE BOYS | @gone-hive | v | SportsNerd | @saif-ul-wahab |
| The Cellas | @blanchy | v | Tangram | @desro |
| gentleshaid | @gentleshaid | v | Hasaaland | @earplugs |
| Garuda XI | @aditya-p | v | Holohive | @acidyo |
| HappyBoys FC | @happyboy1 | v | Stevenson Fc | @Stevenson7 |
| Matz Sels Seashells | @doombot75 | v | Wongi | @wongi |
| ARFANTASY FC | @arfa | v | Corkscrew | @deraaa |
| adewalehafis | @adewaleopeyemi63 | v | Show Not Tel | @jmehta |
| Funwarriors | @Jmis101 | v | Chrisamuda FC | @hive-world |
| K Empire Balls | @kenechukwu97 | v | Magical McFizzy | @mcfizzy |
| Teamkoko | @myanmarkoko | v | Working 9 to 5 | @aunt-granny |
| Eh, No, Ah, Meh. | @stuartcturnbull | v | Los Magos del Balón | @el-maestro |
| Pepzerbi | @pepzerbi | v | Murima | @youngvic |
| Uwabbs FC | @uwabbs001 | v | Sportin | @depar |
| Deals on Wheels | @derek-trotter | v | Noobmaster69 | @workingdad |
| Kingsleyy | @kingsleyy | v | ThtHive | @tht |
| Jeremie Ping Pong | @pingpongfrimpong | v | racibo | @racibo |
| Könttyrät FC | @pvmihalache | v | Newton Heath RFC | @samirich |
| valchiz Fc | @valchiz | v | Large in the Rear | @chineduokafor |
| Hadji | @hadji | v | TheVulcAns⚓️ | @the9thcreator |
| Emeka4 | @emeka4 | v | Blue Mooners | @leebennett |
| Kelsco FC | @kilvnrex | v | Corner | @artniche |
| Queen dynasty | @princess-dara | v | Tengo Rangers | @tengolotodo |
| Itachi FC | @justfavour | v | Six and the City | @princekwame |
| Dapomola Fc | @dapomolaaaa | v | Bankai | @belemo |
| Blugrana | @ronnie10 | v | Akatsuki | @seki1 |
| Top 10k? | @elvisking | v | Cygnus FC | @donjaun |
| Sutter Kane | @suttercane | v | Krake99 | @kraken99 |
| hamzamusic | @Hamza-art | v | Fire Power | @emekaj |
| The People's XV | @publioscelta | v | Amirirans | @amirtheawesome1 |
| hamzamusic | @Hamza-art | v | The People's XV | @publioscelta |
GW34 Player Picks and Tips
Familiar faces and Salah's last dance
After the chaos of a double game week with chips flying about and transfers of players that you wouldn't normally touch with a barge poll, I think GW34 will see a return of some more established favourites.
Bruno Fernandes and Gabriel are almost certainly vying for your attention when it comes to the captain's armband. The question for managers on that front is do you think United's attack, which has faded a little in recent weeks, will out perform Arsenal's defence which has wilted in the spring sunshine?
The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Thiago and VVD also look like dependable picks for the weekend's games. While the man in real form at the moment is some Egyptian midfielder who goes by the name of Mo.
Salah has 3 goals in his last 3 league starts and looks hungrier now than he has done all season. Perhaps the desire to leave Liverpool on a high with his legacy in tact is driving that?
In normal circumstances, Fantasy Premier League's ridiculously rigid pricing structure would mean that almost no one could afford to bring Salah in. How can a guy who has offered fewer fantasy points than Ethan Ampadu this season, still be valued at £14mil? It's stupid!
However, these aren't normal circumstances! Many managers will be deploying a free hit chip this weekend and that does open up the possibility for Salah to return for one last dance in the world of Fantasy Premier League before he moves to pastures new.
A big points haul against Palace this weekend would be a fitting finale for a player that has been central to most fantasy teams over the last 9 years.
Free hit team of the week
On the point of free hits this for this week. Here's what AI suggests is your best bet
I love that Freddie Woodman is in there! Being a 3rd choice goalkeeper has got to be one of the strangest jobs in the world. You're a footballer who doesn't play football.
Of course, being 3rd choice behind Allison, the most injury prone keeper in the history of the game, does provide a slim chance of playing and that looks to be the case for Woodman this weekend!
The double Arsenal defence would have been a sure thing a couple of months ago, it does present a riskier move this weekend. However, Newcastle have been in terrible form since getting battered by Barca so even Arsenal's slowly sinking ship should be able to dispatch the Toon army back to the North East.
Rice too isn't a particularly inspiring pick on current form. No score of over 5 points in his last 7 GWs and 3 blanks in the same period. More attacking alternatives could include the likes of Harry Wilson and Cody Gakpo.
Cunha's been a more recent goal scoring threat and so probably merits his place in this side alongside Fernandes even though Brentford are likely to prove a tough nut to crack. Former Bees man Mbeumo is an injury doubt.
Upfront, AI is favoring Solanke (3 goals this season) at Wolves, over Bowen (18 goal involvements) at home to Everton. I know which one I'm putting in my team...
AI is suggesting Gabriel for the armband. It's tempting to be negative on Arsenal as a result of their last 2 games but the big Brazilian has been very consistent this season.
Salah though is tempting if for no other reason than for the romance of it all. Is there any left in football?