Scout Picks – Gameweek 31

This evening we move onto Gameweek 31 of 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, with the budget now sitting at 84.0 apiece for our starting line-ups.

The Community – Managed by Saniul

With Aston Villa visiting, I’ve opted for three Manchester United players, across the goalkeeper, midfield and attacking positions. For me this is the plum fixture of the week. Down in the capital, Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic picks himself as does a number of other form players, including Harry Kane and Eden Hazard. Chelsea and Tottenham are up against two leaky defences in Stoke and Burnley respectively and I anticipate goals in those encounters.

For my budget options I’ve gone for West Brom’s Joleon Lescott and Swansea’s Kyle Naughton, who face two shot-shy teams on the road. My differentials this week are Saido Mane for Southampton and Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, two creative midfielders who have strong potential to score this week.

Jonty

I’ve opted for just two double Gameweek players this week. On paper Aston Villa and QPR’s chances of success are hardly awe-inspiring and I feel that only Christian Benteke and Charlie Austin offer the potential to perform well as Fantasy assets this week.

For my single Gameweek selections I’ve opted for Harry Kane to complete a cheap-as-chips attack. This frees up considerable cash for the rest of my squad, particularly in defence. In steps Branislav Ivanovic, who looks primed for points at both ends of the pitch when Stoke visit. Ashley Williams’ 15 bonus points make his 5.3m price tag worth splashing out on, while Everton’s Seamus Coleman looks to be in goal scoring mood, given his strike against QPR in Gameweek 30. He may be 6.8, but offers strong clean sheet potential this week against Southampton and an intriguing differential for those looking to climb their mini-league rankings.

With money to burn in midfield, I have no problem drafting in Eden Hazard, David Silva and a resurgent Juan Mata. Finally, Gylfi Sigurdsson completes my line up due to his set-piece threat. Only Leicester have a worse record at conceding set pieces away from home than Swansea’s visitors Hull.

Mark

Unable to resist the lure of double Gameweek assets, I’ve opted for a trio in my line-up, pairing Charlie Austin and Christian Benteke in my three-man forward line alongside the ever-dependable Harry Kane.

I just feel that both Villa and QPR have to seek out points and therefore goals and both Austin and Benteke undoubtedly carry that burden for their respective sides. A goal apiece over the two matches looks on the cards and, of the two, I’m favouring Benteke as the most likely to exceed that.

Brad Guzan is my other selection from the Villa ranks – simply because I think he’ll draw saves aplenty at Old Trafford and has the potential to earn a shut-out at home to the R’s in midweek.

Elsewhere, Jeffrey Schlupp’s inclusion will raise a few smiles and eyebrows, no doubt. Schlupp is a minor doubt with fatigue following international exertions and the Foxes have the weakest defence on show in the league but Nigel Pearson’s recent change of formation has looked to addressed that. Schlupp’s role is less forward-thinking as a result but he still carries some menace and opponents West Ham have blanked in three of their last four away trips.

I’ve opted for Marouane Fellaini over Juan Mata for my United midfield cover. For me, the Belgian now looks integral to Louis van Gaal’s attacking ploys and I think he’ll be an effective weapon at home to Villa. Gylfi Sigurdsson earns a recall to my four-man engine room – I just see Swansea seeing off Hull City at the Liberty with Bafetimbi Gomis and Sigurdsson destined to be amongst the points. David Silva’s inclusion compensates for the absence of Sergio Aguero – I’m not totally comfortable with that but will go with it in order to favour my pair of double Gameweek assets.

Paul

I’ve drafted in the double Gameweek spot-kick takers, Christian Benteke and Charlie Austin, along with the in-form Harry Kane to make up my front three.

Eden Hazard and David Silva are obvious options for Chelsea and City. Silva has 12 shots inside the box in the last four and faces a Palace side with a single shut-out under Alan Pardew, whilst Hazard’s three goals in the last six has kept him at the top of the FPL standings ahead of Stoke’s visit. Gylfi Sigurdsson earns a spot as Swansea welcome Hull to the Liberty and Scott Sinclair takes the final spot for Villa’s double Gameweek. Only three midfielders have registered more shots inside the box than Sinclair (seven) over their respective last four matches and with a pair of fixtures on his agenda, he’s worth a gamble at just 5.2.

In defence, Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry both comes in for Chelsea’s home clash with the Potters – I reckon the Blues will rediscover their resilience and keep out Mark Hughes’ side. I’ve turned to the stats to select Swansea’s Federico Fernandez, who has produced four attempts inside the box in as many matches and is owned by less than 1% of FPL managers ahead of a home clash with Hull. Furthermore, the Swans last two clean sheets have earned him five bonus points. Brad Guzan is handed the keeper slot for Villa’s double. Save points look guaranteed at Old Trafford, whilst I reckon Villa will turn over the R’s in midweek and therefore back him over Rob Green.

The Scores so Far

With a tally of 75 in Gameweek 30, Christina now leads the race for the highest community champion Gameweek score, after eclipsing Innsie’s score of 73. Among our Scouts, Jonty notched up 82 points, I scored 73 and Mark took the wooden spoon with 64. In the overall standings Jonty has taken the lead with 1567, Mark has 1549, I have 1537 and the community is on 1461.

Remember that, for this week, only the first match for Villa and QPR counts towards the final score for the Community challenge. This is to ensure all community champions have an equal shot at the top Gameweek score of the season prize of a £100 Amazon voucher. Nonetheless, the three Scouts have focussed our teams on the full 11 matches in order to ensure our overall site Scout Picks are mainly weighted towards the double.