Scout Picks – Gameweek 21

We return to the previous format for this season’s Scout Picks, where Mark, Jonty, a different member of the community and I pick an XI for the upcoming round of fixtures. Each week, our line-ups go head-to-head and over the course of the season we’ll be keeping a tally of the points as we go along. Similar to last week, the budget is now 84.0 apiece for our starting line-ups.

The Community – Managed by Tony Hibbert

West Brom’s appointment of the Godfather of rearguard organisation, Tony Pulis, leads me to the double up of Ben Foster and Andre Wisdom against a Hull side who have blanked in eight of their last 12 league outings. John Terry, with three goals in his last four, offers attacking threat and defensive returns in equal measure. Finally, Mathieu Debuchy completes the defence with a favourable home tie and sprinkling of attacking endeavour.

In midfield, the outstanding captain choice this week, Eden Hazard, gets the nod having scored a hat-trick in this fixture last season. Alexis Sanchez suggested a return to form in his recent home FA Cup match, whilst a trip to Palace could see Nacer Chadli add to his latest conquests. Finally, I’m gambling on the fitness of Angel Di Maria and hope the United wide man rediscovers his knack of double figure hauls as Southampton roll up to Old Trafford.

Up top, I’m backing Olivier Giroud – with a Premier League goal every 91.6mins – as Stoke visit the Emirates and a plum home tie versus travel-sick QPR secures Danny Ings a start. Finally, Diego Costa – the epitome of human marmite on Fantasy Football Scout – could easily add to his 14 league goals at home to a ramshackle Magpies defence.

Jonty

The Tony Pulis effect has driven my goalkeeper selection, with Ben Foster’s stock set to rise with the former Stoke and Crystal Palace man in charge at West Brom. In fact I’m so convinced by Pulis that I’m doubling up on West Brom, with centre-back Joleon Lescott joining my backline. I fancy a clean sheet for Burnley, too, when QPR visit. The London side have just four goals on the road and have also conceded 22 times, which propels attack minded defender Kieran Trippier into my thoughts.

With 43 points in his last four appearances, John Terry is on a sensational run and I can’t see that stopping when managerless Newcastle visit Stamford Bridge.

My lack of confidence in Newcastle’s ability has spread into midfield. Eden Hazard looks the main captaincy option this week and Cesc Fabregas is odds on to add to his 14 assists. With three double-digit points hauls at home already this season, Gylfi Sigurdsson is another obvious selection, as is Alexis Sanchez, who has 28 points in his last three home appearances – Stoke look unlikely to keep him at bay at the Emirates this weekend.

Despite playing from a deep midfield position, Wayne Rooney is remarkably consistent at home – the last time he failed to deliver points at Old Trafford was back in November 8, when Crystal Palace paid visit. Harry Kane’s incredible 18-point haul in Gameweek 20 will live long in the memory and keeps him in my thoughts. Olivier Giroud’s recent red card against QPR will put many off the Arsenal man but I think his 13 points against Newcastle at home in Gameweek 16 gives a better indication of his likely performance this weekend.

Mark

The way I see it, we have one more week before Sergio Aguero dominates our thinking in our forward lines. With this in mind, I decided to give run-outs to both Danny Ings and Saido Berahino up top, with Olivier Giroud providing some cover of Arsenal’s Emirates meeting with Stoke. For me, Ings looks a strong shout for goals against travel-sick QPR and, while Berahino is more of a gamble, I fancy Tony Pulis to steer the Baggies to a first win when Hull pay visit.

I decided against Diego Costa, then, with Eden Hazard inevitably finding his way into my midfield. David Silva offers me some coverage of City as they face an Everton defence that seems to find a way to concede to even the most impotent of attacks – Silva and City should be good for points from that one.

I did originally opt for Raheem Sterling for Liverpool at Sunderland but, amidst Twitter talk of him being potentially omitted from the squad, I’ve gone instead for Philippe Coutinho. That may well work out: the Brazilian has returned in his last four outings and remains a decent differential at 7.6.

Wilfried Zaha claims the final midfield shirt – I’m always looking for an excuse to select him and, with Yannick Bolasie away at the African Cup of Nations, now looks a good time to depend on him that little more. Certainly Palace and Alan Pardew will be trusting Zaha to provide a spark against Spurs.

At the back, Ben Foster was a shoo-in given all the expectation surrounding Pulis’ installment at the Hawthorns. I’m struggling to see Newcastle breach the Chelsea backline at the Bridge so Branislav Ivanovic is in, whilst I’m tentatively backing Arsenal for a shut-out against Stoke with Mathieu Debuchy my selection. Burnley’s Kieran Trippier earns my final place in defence – QPR have just four goals all season on their travels and we know the Clarets right-back has some attacking returns in his locker.

Paul

I’m doubling up on West Brom under Tony Pulis for the visit of Hull – Ben Foster and Joleon Lescott take up just 9.5 of my budget against a side that have blanked in four of their last six.

Chelsea and Arsenal supply my team with three players apiece for plum home clashes against Newcastle and Stoke. Budgetary restraints bring Cesar Azpilicueta into the back-three, as the Blues seek a fifth straight clean sheet at the Bridge, whilst Eden Hazard and Diego Costa both find a place after scoring in five of their last six home appearances.

For the Gunners, I’m drafting in Mathieu Debuchy as a cheap defensive option for the visit of Stoke. Having racked up the points at the Emirates, Alexis Sanchez is an obvious pick and suspension-free Olivier Giroud is sure to lead the line as Arsene Wenger calls for more power up front against Ryan Shawcross and co.

Elsewhere, I feel David Silva’s dancing feet will take advantage of Everton at Goodison, with Sergio Aguero perhaps more likely to play a part off the bench. Nacer Chadli’s return to form has cast a shadow over Christian Eriksen’s points potential – I reckon Palace’s intentions to go on the offensive will play into Tottenham’s hands.

Finally, I’m keeping faith in the stats and opting for Charlie Austin up front. Nine big chances, 25 attempts on goal and 16 shots inside the box in his last four appearances is more than enough to convince me his recent blanks were nothing more than a temporary blip. Austin has already scored on the road at Chelsea, Southampton and Arsenal and a trip to Burnley will hold little fear.

The Scores So Far

Mark clinched victory back in Gameweek 18 with a score of 57 points, leaving myself (40 points) and Jonty and The Community (Managed by Triggerlips) some way behind. That result saw Mark re-claim the overall lead with a total of 1,027 points. I sit second on 1017, just nine points ahead of Jonty (1008), with The Community scoring 912 points so far.