The Scout Squad – Gameweek 8

Lunchtime finds us casting some light on our current Gameweek 8 thinking ahead of Friday’s Scout Picks. This Scout Squad article aims to preview some of the names being discussed and offer you a greater insight into the decision-making process behind Friday’s selection.

Mark, Paul and myself list the latest 18 players we think have the best chance of success across the four positions, placing them in rank order.

We will then highlight some of the likely discussions and disagreements that will take place behind the scenes as each of us look to back our players and secure a place for them in the Scout Picks and Spot the Differential articles.

Finally, we will also reveal the Community Champion who has been selected by our lottery to represent the community and be in with a chance of winning a £100 Amazon voucher.

Goalkeepers

With two clean sheets in three home games it is little wonder Bournemouth’s defence is being backed heavily in our selections this week.

All three of us have 7.1% FPL owned Cherries stopper Artur Boruc (4.5) in our 18-man squads as he welcomes a Hull City side with the third worst shots in the box tally on the road this season.

Burnley’s attacking record is even more impotent – they boast the fewest shots and shots on target in away matches this season. As a result, the Clarets travel to Southampton looking for their first goal on the road.

This has prompted myself and Paul to look to Fraser Forster (5.0) as our top choice keeper, however, a lack of save points against such a stilted attacking unit may dent his prospects of making Friday’s cut.

Stoke’s Lee Grant (4.0), who is backed by Paul and Mark and is in just 0.5% of FPL teams, offers a far cheaper alternative to Forster.

Sunderland visit the bet365 stadium, however, I’m not convinced that Grant is a standout option this week, given Jermain Defoe’s strong scoring record on the road. The diminutive veteran has two goals away from home already this term and last season scored 11 on his travels.

Mark has a battle on his hands to convince us that Crystal Palace stopper Steve Mandanda (4.4) will earn shut out points when West Ham visit. The Eagles have failed to keep any clean sheets so far this season while the Hammers have found the net in all of their away games, with Dimitri Payet in bloom.

Defenders

Without a clean sheet at home this season, I almost spat my coffee having noticed that both Paul and Mark list Middlesbrough’s George Friend (4.5) among their picks.

“Middlesbrough built their success last season on a resilient home defence I think they’ve been finding their feet until now. I feel that the meeting with Watford will be a tight, dare I say it, dire affair. I can see a 1-0, with Friend returning a shut-out and bonus via his frequent left-flank raids.” – Mark

Not only do I think he will struggle to contain Watford, but I also feel that the left-back also offers minimal goal threat, with 26 other defenders all firing off more goal attempts than his meagre three shots this season.

Having said that, I’m sure both Paul and Mark will baulk at the prospect of considering rotation risk Patrick Van Aanholt (5.0).

Dropped from the Sunderland starting line-up in Gameweek 7 against West Brom, amid very real concerns on his defensive capabilities, the Dutchman came on late in the game to notch his second goal of the campaign.

With more shots on target than any other defender this season, I think the 5.1% owned defender is a risk worth taking.

Black Cats’ boss David Moyes’ talk of fielding the Dutchman as a winger further strengthens his case, as does Stoke City’s failure to keep a clean sheet at home.

Another potential area of disagreement may lie in my attempt to convince Mark and Paul to include 0.1% owned Marcos Alonso (5.9) in the Scout Picks.

Installed at left wingback in a new look 3-4-3 Chelsea formation against Hull City in Gameweek 7, he simply excelled, accruing more goal attempts and chances created than any other defender. Meanwhile, Leicester City have conceded a league-worst 10 goals on the road and have scored on just three occasions away from the King Power.

Hector Bellerin (6.5) is a unanimous vote at the top of our defender rankings, as the 25.5% owned Gunners’ full back welcomes Swansea City to the Emirates.

Meanwhile, Tottenham’s 18.9% owned Toby Alderweireld (6.5) and Bournemouth’s Adam Smith (4.6) also get three nods, making the rest of our defensive selection largely argument free.

Mark and Paul also agree on Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk for that plum home clash against the Clarets. Another factor that will likely see Forster miss out in goal come Friday’s selection.

“Southampton offer options from back to front for the visit of Burnley. Virgil van Dijk’s goal threat and CBI potential comes in handy as they look for another clean sheet. Dusan Tadic’s two goals and four assists over the recent internationals suggests he’ll continue the form that has produced points in three of the last four Gameweeks.” – Paul

Midfielders

With three goals in his last four league outings, 22.2% owned Alexis Sanchez (11.3) sweeps the board as our top choice midfielder for Gameweek 8.

However, the Swans will be no pushovers at the Emirates, having conceded just three times on the road so far and earning a clean sheet away to Burnley in Gameweek 1.

Undaunted, we have all also picked Sanchez’s team-mate Theo Walcott (7.7), who has two goals and an assist in his last four.

“With Swansea likely to sit tight and look to frustrate in Bob Bradley’s first match in charge, I reckon Arsenal look in line for a third straight clean sheet. Hector Bellerin is playing as advanced as a winger against defensive-minded sides at times and with little to split Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez, I opt for them both along with the raiding right-back.” – Paul

A key point of difference is mine and Paul’s backing for West Ham’s Dimitri Payet (9.4) to deliver a points haul when he makes his way to Crystal Palace.

Over the last four league matches, the 13.2% owned Frenchman tops the chance creation table and is fourth in terms of goal attempts.

Instead, Mark has opted for Marko Arnautovic (7.2), despite the Stoke player only mustering a single goal this season.

“I don’t see either the Stoke or Sunderland defence being robust enough to claim a clean sheet. David Moyes knows he has to attack to win matches right now and I see goals in the Potteries with the Black Cats’ rearguard looking so fragile. Arnautovic is by far and away the biggest threat in Mark Hughes’ ranks and, if my prediction is to materialise, then the Austrian will surely be in profit.” – Mark

Currently there are 22 other midfielders who have fired off more attempts in Premier League in 2016/17 than the Austrian.

Forwards

A three-man strike force looks assured in this Friday’s Scout Picks with such an array of attacking talent available.

An Etihad meeting with Everton propels Sergio Aguero (13.1) to the top of all of our selections.

However, with Barcelona up next in the Champions League a few days later, we will be keeping a close ear on Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola’s press conference for any hints that the 43.3% owned forward will have his minutes curtailed.

Diego Costa (10.1) also features in all three of our squads.

Taking into account Leicester City’s dire away record and the Spaniard’s sensational form, scoring a league-high six goals, the 29.5% owned Blues striker may well force himself into Friday’s selection.

Mid price strikers monopolise the remainder of our squad picks.

With a unanimous top three placing, Christian Benteke (7.6) looks to be a shoo-in for Friday’s cut.

It is little wonder we have such high hopes for the 7.1% owned Crystal Palace forward: he hit a hat-trick for Belgium midweek and faces a West Ham outfit that has conceded nine times in their three away games thus far.

Charlie Austin (6.3) is another to gain favour, with Paul the keenest to see the 4.7% owned Southampton forward claim a berth in Friday’s Picks.

Elsewhere, Watford’s Troy Deeney (7.1) earns the backing of Paul and myself, while Mark favours Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson (6.4).

“I just have an inkling about Bournemouth and Wilson. Eddie Howe’s men started the season slowly but showed increased attacking threat at Watford last time out. If they begin to show more ambition going forward, then Wilson will profit and I can see him furthering his stock with another goal against the Tigers.” – Mark

With both averaging 1.7 goal attempts a game, there is little to separate this pair, although the 7.5% owned Hornets striker’s superior shooting accuracy may swing it in his favour when we consider bench and differential options.

Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 8 will be Slamdog Mignolet, who is in his fourth season, with 2015/16’s finish of 67,053 his best yet.

The community champion who has the best lead over the Scouts during 2016/17 will win a £100 Amazon voucher (currently we can only offer Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com vouchers).

Gameweek 7’s champion Lateriser12 defeated the Scouts 54 to 35 but it wasn’t enough to overtake the current champion to beat VS10_, who had a 32 point margin of victory over us in Gameweek 6.