The Scout Squad – Gameweek 17

It only seems like yesterday that Gameweek 16 was still ongoing, mainly because it was indeed only yesterday.

But time and Fantasy Premier League Gameweeks wait for no manager, so the midweek musings of our ‘expert’ panel of Fantasy Football Scout regulars and Career Hall of Fame luminary Peter Kouwenberg are now spread out for you to snack on below.

The quick turnaround has tempted our Scouts to go big on premium midfielders and forwards – and particularly those who played little or no part in Sunday’s Merseyside and Manchester derbies.

Money must be saved somewhere, however, so there’s also a number of budget-balancing boys from Crystal Palace, Burnley and Everton in among the wallet-busters.

We’ll be back tomorrow to reveal those that make the cut for Gameweek 17’s Scout Picks.

Paul Says…

Navigating the fixtures at this time of the season always comes with an added degree of risk as managers ramp up their rotation.

Along with a host of the usual squad candidates, I’ve gone for Spurs’ Danny Rose for the visit of Brighton. With a weekend trip to Man City on the cards, I reckon that Mauricio Pochettino will freshen up his midweek full-backs against the Seagulls and Rose has the attacking edge over Serge Aurier on the opposite flank.

His team-mate Son Heung-min keeps his place in my picks after delivering 16 points against Stoke on Saturday – he seems likely to keep a spot on the teamsheet for the Brighton clash and then perhaps drop to the bench at the Etihad Stadium.

Having started all four league fixtures that Alberto Moreno has missed, Andrew Robertson looks set to continue in Liverpool’s first XI for the visit of West Brom. The Reds have conceded just three times at Anfield and face a Baggies side that’s yet to score under Alan Pardew. Going forward, Robertson has averaged a shot and key pass every 72 minutes this season.

I’d also advocate a double-up on the Liverpool midfield as they look to bounce back from that draw with Everton – the form of Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho makes both very viable options.

Up top, Sergio Aguero and Roberto Firmino earn recalls after failing to make their respective sides’ starting XIs at the weekend. The former netted twice away to Swansea last season and has played just 20 minutes of Man City’s last two in all competitions.

Dwight Gayle also comes in alongside Charlie Austin as a budget option.

While the latter’s four goals in three starts has earned him over 57,000 new owners, the Magpies’ frontman has also shown strong form of later, with three strikes and an assist in four – including goals away to both Man United and Chelsea.

Peter Says…

Dividing my eggs mainly between the Chelsea and Arsenal baskets last weekend proved somewhat unsuccessful.

And it would appear that I cursed Mamadou Sakho and Marvin Zeegelaar by backing the former in the Scout Picks and transferring the latter into my own team (returning goal-scorer Scott Dann inevitably the one who made way, to make a mockery of both those selections).

Can you all hear those tiny violins?

This week, five of the top six in the Premier League have enticing fixtures (Arsenal’s trip to the London Stadium possibly the exception given the Hammers’ recent good start under David Moyes), so if we can second guess the usual rotational risks it could be a profitable week.

Harry Kane seems to have recovered his mojo as he yo-yos between “must have” and “overpriced comfort blanket” for FPL managers.

He is joined in attack by the well-rested duo of Firmino and Aguero. Salah could conceivably get the night off against the Baggies, but I’ll get lynched if I leave him out. Unless we get credible team news before the deadline, I admit to hedging my bets by bringing in Coutinho too in a risky Liverpool treble.

I don’t think Chelsea can afford to leave Eden Hazard out as they also seek to bounce back away at Huddersfield.

It would also be no great shock to see the ‘big guns’ shutting their less illustrious opposition out, so a David de Gea and Chris Smalling double-up against the Cherries, together with the irritatingly prolific Nicolas Otamendi and rotation risk Ben Davies, ensures that I’ve very little left in the piggy-bank for Christmas.

I feel defensive value can be found at Burnley and Crystal Palace, so I’ll lick my wounds and restore Dann to the mix, together with Julian Speroni, Nick Pope and Stephen Ward.

That leaves four more attacking places to be filled by some of our more inexpensive options, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Demarai Gray, Wilfried Zaha and Dwight Gayle complete my picks.

Jonty Says…

Rotation fears are set to dominate our second Scout Picks selection in a week.

But luckily, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave us some hints via their weekend teamsheets regarding likely starters.

The benching of Coutinho for the Merseyside derby makes a start very probable for the Brazilian when West Brom pay visit. With two goals and four assists in his last three league starts, plus a Champions League hat-trick against Spartak Moscow last week, he is not only a shoo-in for selection, but also a key captaincy shout for Gameweek 17.

Aguero’s omission from the Manchester derby surely means he will make the City starting XI against Swansea.

Harry Kane against a Brighton side that has shipped 10 since their last win, way back in Gameweek 11, is another must for me. And so are Chelsea’s Hazard, away to Huddersfield, and Otamendi, who has scored in his last two league run-outs.

I’m also expecting little argument for my pick of Watford winger Richarlison ahead of his trip to Crystal Palace, given only Harry Kane has had more shots on the road than the Brazilian.

Elsewhere, I’ve nominated a selection of budget picks that I hope will deliver strong returns. Calvert-Lewin is the best example of this, with his assist for Wayne Rooney’s penalty against Liverpool making him the best value forward in FPL.

I’ve also nominated Toffees’ right back Jonjoe Kenny, who has also impressed of late, picking up two clean sheets and an assist in his last three starts. I’m banking on Big Sam organising his team with a shut-out in mind when he travels to his former club.

Adrian also gets my backing. having wrestled the West Ham number one jersey from Joe Hart. His clean sheet against Chelsea was particularly impressive, as were his six saves against Pep Guardiola’s troops.

Mark Says…

I’ve included the so-called “magic bean” Trent Alexander-Arnold, partly to wind Jonty up, but also because I genuinely believe he’s a strong one-week punt for the visit of West Brom to Anfield.

Alan Pardew has promised goals and he’s delivered none in two matches so far. Set-pieces aside, it’s difficult to see the Baggies troubling Liverpool when they will surely be on the back foot dealing with Coutinho and company.

Alexander-Arnold is a winger in full-back’s clothing and his delivery from the flank could be a key weapon on Wednesday.

His chances of getting past Jonty and into the Picks? Probably zero, but it gives me the opportunity to re-ignite the argument.

I’d have liked to have gone with Coutinho and Salah in midfield but, in the end, settled solely on the Egyptian. I’m anticipating a debate on doubling up, though I’d rather see Spurs’ Son get the nod.

I didn’t push hard for his inclusion in Gameweek 17, settling instead on his selection in the Differentials. I will be fighting his corner this time.

Up front, I’m promoting Austin and fancy my chances of sealing his selection alongside Kane. His opponents Leicester have started well under Claude Puel, though just two clean sheets since the Frenchman took charge is not enough to convince me that Austin will be silenced on his reunion with his former manager.

The Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 17 will be Hodar, who is in his eighth campaign and has finished inside the top 100,000 in each of his last four seasons.

The Community Champion who has the best lead over the Scouts during 2017/18 will win a £100 Amazon voucher (currently we can only offer Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com vouchers).

Gameweek 16’s champion Sliver was narrowly beaten by the Scouts 41-40. The champion to beat remains Gregor, who achieved victory over the Scouts by a 33-point margin in Gameweek 5.