Scout Scribbles – International Round Up

Eden Hazard scores one spot kick but misses another for Belgium. Kevin de Bruyne is also in the goals for Marc Wilmots’ side. Georginio Wijnaldum nets for Holland but Tim Krul is forced off with a knee injury, whilst Gylfi Sigurdsson scores as Iceland draw with Latvia.

De Bruyne Form Continues

Kevin De Bruyne scored an inch-perfect free-kick for Belgium in their Euro 2016 qualifying encounter against Andorra to continue his rich run of goalscoring form.

The Scout Says: Given that Sergio Aguero and David Silva may well be set for spells on the sidelines, while Yaya Toure is in a race to be fit for Manchester City’s home tie against Bournemouth next weekend, De Bruyne stands out as the prime source of Sky Blues coverage. The former Wolfsburg star has flourished since his switch to England’s top tier, racking up three goals and two assists in his last three starts. Looking at the past three Gameweeks, only Alexis Sanchez carded more shots on target (six) than De Bruyne (five), who also placed in the top 10 for key passes (eight). With match-ups against the Cherries, Norwich (home) and Aston Villa (away) over the next month, the stage is set for De Bruyne to sustain his laudable productivity.

Hazard’s Spot of Bother

Eden Hazard scored one penalty and missed another as Belgium romped to a 4-1 victory over Andorra. As well as the afore-mentioned De Bruyne the likes of Simon Mignolet, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld all started for Wilmots’ side, whilst Nacer Chadli appeared off the bench as a late sub.

The Scout Says: Hazard has now missed two of his three penalties for club and country this campaign, following an abysmal second effort for the Red Devils last night. Although the reigning PFA Player of the Year notched one goal and two assists in his previous three league outings, Hazard’s performances – bar the Arsenal encounter – have fallen well short of his lofty standards. From a statistical viewpoint, the 11.3-priced midfielder ranks joint-third among midfielders for key passes (28), but is ranked 32nd for attempts (12), underlining his limited goal threat. That being said, his 27% ownership will be hopeful of a revival as the Blues prepare to host an Aston Villa outfit that shipped eight goals in their last three road clashes.

Mixed News for Newcastle

Georginio Wijnaldum fired a low strike into the bottom corner to open the scoring for Netherlands in a 2-1 win over Kazakhstan last night. On the injury front, Tim Krul fell awkwardly in the closing stages and, according to Holland boss Danny Blind, may well have sustained a “bad injury”.
The Magpies stopper left the stadium on crutches and is set for scans to ascertain the full damage.

The Scout Says: Wijnaldum has been relatively impressive during the Magpies’ eight-match winless streak, offering the most quality of their struggling midfield contingent. The Dutchman has racked up two goals and an assist so far, earning 30 points in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game – double the tally of any Newcastle midfielder. Valued at 6.8, Wijnaldum is likely to be at the nucleus of his attacking play if they can discover their groove during an excellent run of fixtures (NOR, sun, STO, bou, LEI, cry). Krul’s potential absence, meanwhile, would promote Rob Elliot as a budget option between the posts. With Karl Darlow also injured, Elliot – at just 4.0 in FPL – would offer Fantasy managers a cut-price route into Steve McClaren’s backline as the Magpies look to climb the table.

Darmian Amongst the Azzurri Goals

United’s Matteo Darmian netted a long-range effort during Italy’s 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan. Southampton’s Graziano Pelle featured from start to finish for Antonio Conte’s side but failed to play a part in any of the goals.

The Scout Says: Darmian turned out a host of assured performances for United through the first five Gameweeks but has since been substituted at half time in each of their last two road matches. The Italian’s propensity for picking up yellow cards saw him clamber onto the Suspension Tightrope last time out after he earned a fourth caution of the campaign in the 3-0 loss to Arsenal. With Luke Shaw injured and Daley Blind classified as a midfielder, the 6.3-priced Chris Smalling looks the safest route into the Red Devils’ rearguard for those eyeing up their kind schedule from Gameweek 11 onwards.

Sigurdsson Notches in Iceland Stalemate

Gylfi Sigurdsson scored an excellent solo effort in Iceland’s 2-2 draw against Latvia. The Swansea playmaker dribbled from inside his own half before slotting into the bottom corner from just outside the box.

The Scout Says: Priced 0.1 below Sigurdsson, at a cost of 7.2 to 7.3, Andre Ayew – who’s notched four goals in eight starts – has emerged as the choice route into Swansea’s midfield this season. Although the Iceland international lays claim to more shots (18) than the Ghanaian winger (17), only five of these (compared to Ayew’s 13) were from inside the box, illustrating his penchant for a long-range effort. The Icelandic international has struggled to rediscover the form that racked up seven goals and ten assists last term and has just one goal and a single assist to his name. With a largely favourable quintet of fixtures (STO, avl, ARS, nor, BOU) to follow, Ayew –providing he recovers from a knock that forced him to withdraw from Ghana duties – looks the likelier source of points for Garry Monk’s men.