Scout Notes – Gameweek 13 – Sunday

Harry Kane scores twice as Tottenham sweep aside West Ham at the Lane. Christian Eriksen serves up a pair of assists, whilst Manuel Lanzini bags his third goal in five outings for the beaten visitors.

Kane at the Double

Courtesy of a resounding 4-1 victory against West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur extended their unbeaten streak to 12 matches yesterday. Impressively, Mauricio Pochettino’s men are now the top scorers at home, with 15 goals, and they have recorded just two losses in their previous 20 ties at White Hart Lane.

Harry Kane’s 140,000 new owners were richly rewarded when he netted either side of the half. The 9.4-priced forward now has seven goals in his last four starts and 10 goals in 14 London derbies – which bodes well for a home clash against Chelsea next Gameweek. Moreover, Kane chalked up five more shots on target (13) than any other forward across the last four Gameweeks, underlining the form of Tottenham’s attack as a whole – incidentally, their 12 shots on target against the Hammers was the best of any team in a single match this term.

Spurs Defence Shows Attacking Edge

Spurs’ defence came up trumps for their other two goals. Toby Alderweireld scored with a near-post header and, along with Eric Dier, has netted twice this term – the Belgian’s ten attempts inside the box is more than any other defender in the top flight this term.

Kyle Walker notched his first goal in two years with a sublime finish and, at 5.0, continues to offer the cheapest route into Pochettino’s backline. In spite of their unbeaten run, though, Spurs are finding clean sheets hard to come by, with just a single shut-out in the last seven Gameweeks. Although Jan Vertonghen has yet to score, Alderweireld and Walker, along with Dier, present a strong claim for investment ahead of a relatively favourable end to the year (CHE, wba, NEW, sou, NOR, wat).

Eriksen in the Points

Christian Eriksen (8.4) put his name into the mid-priced hat with a brace of assists against the Hammers. The Danish playmaker lays claims to two goals and six assists in 10 outings and ranks second behind Mesut Ozil (19) for key passes (16) in the last four Gameweeks. Allied with his knack for crucial goals and free-kick proficiency, Eriksen should enjoy an increase on his modest 6% ownership as Spurs build momentum heading into the winter.

Dele Alli (5.0) highlighted his burgeoning potential as a budget midfielder – grabbing his third assist in six starts – but ended the afternoon on a sour note when he received a fifth yellow for ill-discipline, ruling him out of the Blues clash. Heung-Min Son also claimed an assist and excelled in his fourth Premier League start, casting doubt over Erik Lamela’s security of starts in the long-term. Nonetheless, both are likely to start next Gameweek in the wake of Alli’s suspension.

Lanzini Nets Hammers Consolation

The Irons’ heavy defeat at the hands of Spurs marked the first time they’ve conceded four on the road for two years. It was also their first head-to-head since Dimitri Payet sustained a serious ankle injury, inevitably raising concerns over West Ham’s ability to maintain their hitherto lofty standards in the Frenchman’s absence.

With Payet out of the picture, Manuel Lanzini justified the recent upturn in Fantasy interest by grabbing the visitors’ late consolation. Assisted by substitute Nikica Jelavic, the Argentine boasts three goals and an assist in the last five Gameweeks and is starting to emerge as a prime pick among the sub-5.5 midfielders. Afforded a central role in the number ten berth now that Payet is out of the picture, Lanzini will serve as their creative hub – potentially boosting his potential for attacking returns – though with clashes against West Brom, United and Stoke’s defences in the next three, Slaven Bilic’s side may find goals hard to come by.