In a diminished Gameweek 34, with six PL teams missing, it is up to our eight Quarter-Finalists to navigate through these treacherous waters with teams built for the previous week’s double-ups. All eight teams are also still competitive in their leagues with promotions, prizes to fight for and relegations to fend off.
Five Gameweeks left in league competition which encompass the three remaining Cup gameweeks (plus potential replays!) One of the eight sides below will win all three cup games and take the title in GW38.
Quarter-Final #1
| QF 1 | Rank | League | Lge Pos | FPts | Form | W v Opp | D v Opp | L v Opp | FPF – FPA | Cup Best | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beedle’s Boys | # 2 | Lge 2 | 1st | 1937½ | WWWWWW_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | QF* | 2026* |
| Mighty Fine | # 23 | Prem | 4th | 1666 | WLWLWL_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | WON | 2023, 2025 |
Beedle’s Boys made light work of the game against fellow Quarter-Finalists Team Zizou in the double gameweek. Only Marc Guehi remained for Zizou after Monday night’s entertainment, whilst the League Two league leaders had another eight in the bank. The Boys finished the gameweek 50+ points superior and notched up a sixth-straight win (for the second time this season). It was a different story in the Premier League for Mighty Fine who fell behind early in their latest league match, 46-10 down after the first day, and never recovered. However, although they lost and lost ground on second place, they remain neck-and-neck with Hung LAB in third (whom they will meet in GW36). But back to this weekend’s Cup tie…
There are some players in common in this matchup. Both teams drafted Bruno Fernandes in the first round (#4 in PL, #5 in L2) and naturally, both continue to employ him. Neco Williams appeared for Beedle’s Boys three times in December, scoring 1½, 9 and -½. He now plays for Mighty Fine and scored in his first appearance (GW32 vs Villa, 16 FPts). Another overlap is Tyrick Mitchell who was drafted by Beedle’s Boys in the 9th Round (#85), but dropped before GW23 after his -2 vs Sunderland. In the Premier League was signed by Mighty Fine in GW4 and kept on the roster for the BFFA Cup, improving over recent weeks – his last five were 1½, 3, 7½, 8 and 10 FPts.
Mighty Fine will be making three line-up changes to replace Man City’s Donnarumma, Doku and Rodri for FA Cup requirements. Beedle’s Boys will have to overcome a greater hurdle – eight of their players are not involved in GW34. Severe decisions will have to be made to balance all objectives and keep the treble dream alive.
Quarter-Final #2
| QF 2 | Rank | League | Lge Pos | FPts | Form | W v Opp | D v Opp | L v Opp | FPF – FPA | Cup Best | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting Thrillhaus | # 36 | Lge 1 | 8th | 1442½ | WLWLWL_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | QF* | 2026* |
| Sporting Wicker Park | # 12 | Champ | 4th | 1761½ | LLWWLW_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | RU | 2016 |
There was over 80 matchpoints difference between Wicker Park’s 18-man GW33 triumph and Thrillhaus’ 11-man flop. Sporting Thrillhaus continue to be ‘keeper-less with Alisson sidelined yet again. Freddie Woodman looks likely to replace the Brazilian for the home fixture against Palace, while Virgil van Dijk and JP Mateta remain viable options for Thrillhaus. Virgil van Dijk will be the common element in this Quarter-Final – drafted by both teams (#35 for Thrillhaus, #55 for Wicker Park). He has played 32 and 29 games for these two teams respectively.
SWP also drafted Jean-Philippe Mateta (#26), but dropped him in GW25. JP Mateta was later snapped up by Thrillhaus in League One after scoring a brace against Newcastle in GW32. The Championship side now have Alexis Mac Allister – a Thrillhaus draftee (#66) – who will be facing Mitchell & Palace in the BFFA Cup Quarter-Finals.
Unfortunately for Thrillhaus, they will be without DCL, who scored last weekend against relegation-bound Wolves, and Wicker Park will be replacing Sanchez, JP van Hecke, Mitoma, Hinshelwood and the outgoing Bernardo Silva in their starting line-up.
The winners of Q1 & Q2 will meet in the Semi-Finals
Quarter-Final #3
| QF 3 | Rank | League | Lge Pos | FPts | Form | W v Opp | D v Opp | L v Opp | FPF – FPA | Cup Best | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beyer Neverleusen | # 22 | Prem | 7th | 1672 | LLLWWL_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | WON | 2017, 2021 |
| Team Zizou | # 30 | Lge 2 | 7th | 1588 | WLWLLL_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | QF* | 2026* |
Two teams at opposite ends of the ladder, both sitting in 7th, both lost last week to their league’s leaders. One is fighting off a relegation threat, the other is free to focus fully on the Cup. The closest pairing in this round by rank & total matchpoints indicates that this could be a tight match, doubly so as they are both in the lower-scoring half of the Best-ish table and both have players unavailable due to the FA Cup re-arrangements.
This is of course Team Zizou’s first tournament and they are already in the Quarter-Finals. Beyer Neverleusen share their history with Bigger than Brolin and this will be their fifth BFFA Cup QF, but their first in three years. Coming through from the First Round, they are now tied for the most number in BFFA Cup wins in BFFA history – 21 Knockouts and 2 BFFA Cup titles. (Note: Mighty Fine and Smash & Grab – also still in the Cup – also have 21 Cup wins and past Cup titles too.)
These two teams have two players in common (currently) – Rayan Aït-Nouri (playing for both since February) and Ismaila Saar (signed for Beyer GW19, drafted by Zizou #50). Zizou also have two Neverleusen rejects in Jimenez and Kolo Muani up front. Beyer Neverleusen have no less than ten players on the GW33 double, and not appearing in the Quarter-Final, so expect a new-look team to appear before kick-off. Team Zizou only have Marc Guehi missing from their 14-man squad, and have an open slot on the bench to fill too.
Quarter-Final #4
| QF 4 | Rank | League | Lge Pos | FPts | Form | W v Opp | D v Opp | L v Opp | FPF – FPA | Cup Best | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smash & Grab | # 14 | Prem | 8th | 1755 | LWWLWW_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | WON | 2019 |
| Preliminary Version | # 4 | Champ | 2nd | 1894½ | WLWWWW_ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 – 0 | QF | 2024, 2026* |
Both teams won last week in the league and moved up a place – Smash to 8th and within reach of 7th; Prelim up to 2nd and a win shy of 1st. Prelim are building a substantial run of good form as we head into the home straight, with the possibility of a league-cup-bestish treble still on the horizon. But as impressive as that is, as dominant as that sounds, their opponents are getting into the habit of winning as underdogs. Those four W’s you see in S&G’s form above – they were against the teams in 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd. They play the #1 side, Housewives Favourite, in the Premier League this week knowing that a big score in ’34 could completely revolutionize their season.
Smash & Grab and Prelim both have Casemiro and Igor Jesus hunting for goals next weekend. Aina, Thiaw and Pino (ex-Prelim) are now Smash&Grabbers too. Prelim, who are hoping to make it to the Cup SF’s for the first time, don’t have any former S&G players, but they do have #1 pick Mo Salah, who will hopefully be facing S&G’s Dean Henderson on Saturday, and Gabriel who scored against Thiaw & Newcastle last time they played in September.
This week, Smash & Grab will be without Justin and Struijk. Prelim currently have five players who have no GW34 game – Petrovic (to be replaced by Pickford), City defensive duo Khusanov and Guehi and Bournemouth pair Tavernier and Kroupi.
The winners of Q3 & Q4 will meet in the Semi-Finals
(Ranks correct to the post-GW33 Best-ish Table)
* Best Cup perfomance in 2026
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