Chaos, congestion, and the illusion of control
Less than 48 hours after the final whistle of GW25, we already have a GW26 deadline staring us in the face. No breathing room. No time for overthinking. Just decisions — fast ones.
And the headline, of course, is the Double Gameweek for Arsenal and Wolves.
But before we get carried away dreaming of 180-minute hauls, let’s talk reality.
Arsenal’s fixture congestion is brutal:
- 12 Feb – Brentford (EPL)
- 15 Feb – Wigan (FA Cup)
- 18 Feb – Wolves (EPL)
- 22 Feb – Spurs (EPL)
Four games in ten days. Rotation is not a risk — it’s a probability.
So the big questions:
- Is this a true DGW bonanza?
- Or a trap disguised as opportunity?
- Do you use a chip… or keep it in your arsenal (pun intended) for the future?
Too many decisions, too little time — so let’s not waste any of it. Straight into BUY–HOLD–SELL, sponsored by …. Well, nobody. We are poor, but you can help here if you want
Link to all our FPL GW26 blogs including scout picks, players to target, buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, best forwards, and more. Completely free to access as well!
FPL GW26 Transfer Tips: Two Players to BUY
William Saliba (£6.1m) – DEF, Arsenal – 13.5% TSB
With Arsenal attackers, there’s a clear problem: uncertainty. Goals are being shared, minutes are being managed, and even Gyökeres — the only Arsenal attacker with more than five league goals — isn’t immune to rotation in this congested spell.
The defence, however, is a different story altogether.
Arsenal are top-ranked across every meaningful defensive metric:
- Shots Conceded
- Shots in the Box Conceded
- Shots on Target Conceded
- Big Chances Conceded
- NPxGC
- xGC
- xCS
- Goals Conceded
- Clean Sheets
So if you’re looking for a third Arsenal asset (assuming most managers already own Gabriel and Timber), logic points firmly towards defence rather than attack.
Among the remaining options, Saliba stands out — not just for output, but for certainty.
Since GW21, among defenders, Saliba ranks:
- 1st for FPL points
- 1st for Clean Sheets
- 2nd for xPts
- 2nd for BPS
- 3rd for Bonus
But the metric that truly seals it is minutes. Since returning from injury in GW16, Saliba has played every single minute of league football. In a Double Gameweek where rotation is the biggest enemy, that reliability is priceless.
Verdict: BUY. Not flashy — just ruthlessly sensible.
Further Read: 2025/26 FPL Chip Strategy Guide for the 2nd Half of the Season
Ismaïla Sarr (£6.3m) – MID, Crystal Palace – 2.5% TSB
This is where we lean fully into differential territory.
At just 2.5% ownership, Sarr is the kind of pick that doesn’t move rank gently — it moves it violently. And for the first time in a long while, the numbers justify the gamble.
- Scored in back-to-back games for the first time since GW4
- 2nd highest xGI across the last two Gameweeks
- Passing the eye test again: direct, aggressive, central to Palace transitions
Up next is Burnley, a defence ranked 20th across virtually every defensive metric — shots conceded, xGC, NPxGC, big chances, clean sheets… you name it.
This isn’t about long-term safety. It’s about exploiting a moment where:
- Form is rising
- Fixtures are collapsing
- Ownership is microscopic
Verdict: BUY if you’re chasing upside. This is a calculated swing, not blind hope.
Further Read: Top FPL GW26 Differential Picks to Target Ahead of Deadline
FPL GW26 Transfer Tips: Two Players to HOLD
Igor Thiago (£7.0m) – FWD, Brentford – 31.8% TSB
Picture the classic cartoon dog sitting in a burning room, sipping coffee.
That’s Igor Thiago owners this week.
Everything around him looks alarming:
- Arsenal next
- Transfer arrows pointing firmly outward
And yet… he’s still sitting there, calm, quietly being the second-highest scoring forward in the entire game.
Yes, Arsenal is the immediate obstacle.
Yes, it sounds ugly.
Yes, you can absolutely park him on the bench this week and let the chaos pass.
Because the real story isn’t this episode — it’s the season arc.
From GW27 to GW35, Brentford’s fixtures turn green in a hurry. That’s the stretch where Thiago stops being a “problem” and starts being an advantage again.
Selling him now is like turning off a cartoon just before the villain slips on a banana peel:
- You lose team value
- You burn a transfer you’ll regret
- And odds are, you’ll be chasing him again later… at a higher price
This is what happens when managers focus on the next frame instead of the full episode.
Verdict: HOLD. The fire looks scary, but the script is on your side.
Further Read: Upcoming FPL Double/Blank Gameweeks | 25/26 FPL Season
Erling Haaland (£14.9m) – FWD, Man City – 69.0% TSB
Every long-running cartoon has that villain.
The one who disappears for a few episodes.
The one fans start doubting.
The one people assume has finally been “figured out”.
And then — boom — season finale destruction.
That’s Haaland, every single FPL season.
Right now, the murmurs are familiar:
- “He’s blanking.”
- “He’s too expensive.”
- “What if I’m clever and sell?”
And almost every year, that exact moment is when selling him goes spectacularly wrong.
Nothing about Haaland’s role has changed.
Nothing about City’s attack has changed.
When things do click, they still click through him.
He literally just reminded everyone with a casual 11-pointer against Liverpool, in case we’d forgotten who he is.
Up next? Fulham.
In the reverse fixture, Haaland didn’t just score — he collected 14 points like it was routine, because for him, it is.
Selling Haaland is rarely a tactical masterstroke.
It’s usually boredom.
Impatience.
The desire to feel clever in a game that punishes cleverness.
Unless your squad is structurally broken and demands the cash, walking away now is like leaving the cinema right before the villain’s comeback montage.
Verdict: HOLD. Predictable. Unsexy. Almost always right.
Further Read: Top FPL GW26 Differential Picks to Target Ahead of Deadline
FPL GW26 Transfer Tips: Two Players to SELL
Harry Wilson (£6.1m) – MID, Fulham – 23.9% TSB
Wilson’s recent returns tell a story — just not a flattering one.
- 3 blanks in his last 4 games
- Fulham lost all three matches where he blanked
- Their only win in that period? The one game Wilson returned
The problem now isn’t just form — it’s what’s coming next.
Fulham face:
- Man City
- A high-flying Sunderland
- Spurs
That’s a brutal run for a mid-priced midfielder whose value depends on momentum rather than volume.
At the same price point, you have players like Alex Scott and Dango Ouattara, both offering:
- Better fixtures
- More secure attacking roles
- Higher involvement ceilings
Holding Wilson here feels like hoping for a bounce in all the wrong conditions.
Verdict: SELL before fixtures erase the remaining goodwill.
Further Read: 2025/26 FPL Chip Strategy Guide for the 2nd Half of the Season
Cristian Romero (£5.0m) – DEF, Spurs – 4.1% TSB
Romero is a sell on every possible axis: form, fixtures, discipline, and availability.
Since GW10:
- Spurs have just 2 league wins
- Ranked bottom three for:
- Shots in the Box Conceded
- NPxGC
- xGC
- Goals Conceded
- Zero clean sheets in that period
- Sitting 15th in the table
And Romero won’t even be part of the solution.
He is suspended until 15 March after receiving a straight red card against Manchester United. That rules him out of matches against:
- Newcastle
- Arsenal
- Fulham
- Crystal Palace
Even once he returns, Spurs immediately face Liverpool — hardly a soft landing.
This isn’t a form dip. It’s a structural collapse.
Verdict: SELL. No upside, no timeline, no patience required.
Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW26:
Upcoming FPL Double/Blank Gameweeks | 25/26 FPL Season
Top FPL Gameweek 26 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL GW26 Team Reveal- Transfers, Chip Strategy and Triple Captain?
FPL GW26 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis and Matchups
FPL Gameweek 26 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold, & Sell
Top FPL GW26 Differential Picks to Target Ahead of Deadline
FPL GW26 Ultimate Guide: Tips, Differentials, Captaincy & More
2025/26 FPL Chip Strategy Guide for the 2nd Half of the Season
Link to all our FPL GW26 blogs including scout picks, players to target, buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!
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