Scout Picks Squad – Gameweek 17

We roll out our Tuesday evening regular now, giving you an early heads-up on our Scout Picks thinking for the Gameweek ahead. This list of 22 players will also include some names in contention for a place in our Spot the Differential article, though will, of course, be subject to change, depending on the injury situation as the week unfolds.

For Gameweek 17, here’s the players currently on our radar…

Goalkeepers

Boasting seven clean sheets and nine bonus points since Gameweek 8, Jack Butland (5.0) represents the league’s form keeper and a sure-fire starter for our Scout Picks ahead of Stoke’s home tie against Crystal Palace.

No side has conceded fewer goals (one) at home than Manchester United, pushing David De Gea (5.7) into the forefront of our thinking ahead of the visit of Norwich. With the Red Devils hit hard by injuries at the back, though, our faith in their resilience has taken a turn for the worse – the return of Chris Smalling looks vital to their prospects of clean sheets.

Defenders

For all their travails this term, Chelsea have four clean sheets in the last six in all competitions, piquing our interest in Kurt Zouma (5.4) before Sunderland’s visit to Stamford Bridge. The France international serves as the cheapest and safest route into the Blues rearguard, given that he’s started and finished 13 of their previous 14 league ties.

Newcastle’s resurgence ensures that the marauding Daryl Janmaat (4.9) is back on our Fantasy radar. The Dutch right-back should be afforded the license to initiate his trademark raids down the flank when Aston Villa roll up at St James’ Park this weekend. Moreover, the Magpies defence conceded just once in their last two challenging match-ups against Spurs and Liverpool and notched three clean sheets in six outings.

Aside from placing joint-top among defenders for goals (three) this campaign, Scott Dann (5.4) is the most consistent performer within Crystal’s Palace’s back line, which possesses the joint-best defensive record (six goals conceded) in away matches. The Eagles will fancy their chances of rebuffing a Stoke City attack that drew four blanks in their previous seven match-ups.

With two goals already this term, Craig Dawson (5.1) is fulfilling the attacking promise that saw him notch 19 times in two seasons for Rochdale earlier in his career. The Baggies right-back is the most secure starter in Tony Pulis’ rearguard as Bournemouth – who carded just six goals in their last half-dozen away clashes – journey to The Hawthorns.

Toby Alderweireld (5.8) ranks second among defenders for total score (74) as Spurs make the trip to face a Southampton outfit that tallied just three goals in their last five matches.

Only Aston Villa (five) have chalked up fewer goals than Watford (six) on home turf, rendering Alberto Moreno (5.0) an enticing pick when the Hornets host Liverpool on Sunday.

Midfielders

Georginio Wijnaldum (7.0) has been at the heart of the Toon’s sudden rise to prominence and looks primed to capitalise on their upturn in form. All seven of the Dutchman’s league goals have arrived at home, which bodes well as the Tyneside outfit prepare for Villa’s visit to St James’ Park.

Classified as a midfielder in the Fantasy Premier League, Joshua King (4.6) has delivered on his out-of-position potential since being tasked to spearhead Bournemouth’s attack, bagging two goals in four outings. Assuming he shakes of a hamstring knock, the fleet-footed forward could punish a West Brom defence that conceded in each of their last three home encounters.

Shifted back into his favoured deep-lying role in the double pivot, Aaron Ramsey (8.1) has carded two goals and one assist in a pair of starts, portending a return to the form that yielded 10 goals and nine assists in the 2013/14 season. A home tie against Manchester City looks tough on paper, but the Gunners’ attacking contingent will be aware that the visitors recorded just two clean sheets in the last 11 Gameweeks.

Staying within the Arsenal camp, Mesut Ozil (9.7) hasn’t failed to deliver attacking returns since Gameweek 6 but faces strong internal competition by virtue of Ramsey’s superior goal threat.

By that same token, Ross Barkley (7.4) – ahead of a home match-up against Leicester City – continues to get the nod over assist-merchant Gerard Deulofeu.

In the wake of his rest against Swansea City, Kevin De Bruyne (10.9) will be relishing the chance to exploit the space that Arsenal’s attacking unit will inevitably surrender.

Fitness permitting, Eden Hazard (10.9) is handed a good opportunity to get his season back on track when Sunderland make the trip down south. In the even that Hazard is sidelined, Willian could factor into our thinking.

Pitted against an Everton outfit that mustered just one shut-out in their last 10 fixtures, Riyad Mahrez (6.9) could stretch out his lead at the summit of the midfielder scoring charts (11 goals). The Leicester wide man has five strikes and a pair of assists in his last four road trips.

Forwards

Since racking up seven goals in four matches from Gameweek 10, Harry Kane (9.8) has posted three successive blanks. Nonetheless, Mauricio Pochettino will be demanding a purposeful response to last weekend’s result when Spurs visit Southampton this Saturday, and Kane is doubtless their prime source of attacking coverage.

Having drawn blanks in his previous nine league starts, Anthony Martial (7.7) will be determined to snap his barren spell with a goal at home to Norwich. The former Monaco frontman will certainly be emboldened in the knowledge that the Canaries rank bottom for cleans sheets (one) and have conceded in every road clash this season.

Romelu Lukaku (9.2) is the only forward among our shortlist that’s guaranteed to make the cut, given that he’s established himself as the league’s form striker with goals in six consecutive starts. Olivier Giroud (9.0) has cemented Arsenal’s lone striker berth for the time being with four goals in all competitions last week.

Odion Ighalo (6.0) contributed (nine goals, five assists) to all but two of Watford’s 16 goals since Gameweek 5, furnishing him with a strong case prior to a home match-up against Liverpool. In appreciation of Everton’s above-mentioned frailties at the back, Jamie Vardy (7.6) could continue his seemingly inexorable march to the Golden Boot.

On Standby

Training our focus on a trio of hidden gems that could muscle their way into contention, Marko Arnautovic ranks joint-top for shots inside the box (eight) over the last four Gameweeks and should profit from Xherdan Shaqiri’s likely return from the treatment room.

Valued at just 4.2, Junior Stanislas registered three goals in as many starts and places joint-second among midfielders for attempts (11) since Gameweek 12. Moreover, only three of his counterparts managed more accurate shots (five) over that stretch. Andre Ayew (7.1) looks Swansea’s likeliest source of attacking points as the Welsh outfit prepare for a home tie against West Ham United. The Ghana international has produced four goals and two assists at home compared to just two strikes on his travels.

The Community Champion

Having scrapped the weekly vote idea from last season, we now operate a lottery system to pick our weekly candidates. The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.

Gameweek 16’s community champion Shaktimaan narrowly lost to the Scout Picks by 51 points to 52. Massive stays in the lead to claim the £100 Amazon voucher, then, after beating us by 16 points in Gameweek 6.

Gameweek 17’s Community Champion as selected by our lottery, is The Red Devil. This is his fifth season with 2013/14’s finish of 14,481 his best so far.

In addition to a shot at the £100 Amazon prize, FantasyBet are offering a chance for further prizes to Community Champions that are eligible to play their games. More details can be found here.