The Scout Squad – Gameweek 10

We round off Wednesday evening by revealing those players currently being considered for inclusion in Friday’s Gameweek 10 Scout Picks.

The Scout Squad article aims to give a greater insight into the decision-making process behind our final selection, as Mark, Paul and myself reveal the 18 players we think have the best chance of success across the four positions, listed in rank order.

The discussions and disagreements that will take place behind the scenes are then showcased, as each of us looks to back our players for a place in the Scout Picks, as well as our Spot the Differential articles.

This week we have a little extra money as the Scout Picks budget has been raised from 83m to 84m to take into account Fantasy Premier League price rises.

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

Even though we have more money at our disposal, we may still opt for a budget option between the sticks, with a number of “cheaper keepers” offering strong clean sheet and save point potential.

With Swansea City paying visit to the bet365 Stadium, Lee Grant (4.1) features in all three of our squads.

Stoke City have tightened up significantly at the back in recent matches, earning back-to-back clean sheets. Swansea, meanwhile, look to be focusing far more on defence under new manager Bob Bradley, with the Welsh side’s 0-0 draw against Watford last weekend perhaps offering a preview of “coming attractions.”

Paul and Mark favour another budget keeper in a side that has also demonstrated increased resilience.

Victor Valdes (4.5) and the rest of the Middlesbrough rearguard have conceded just a single goal in their last two, and face a Bournemouth side that has the Premier League’s second worst goal tally on their travels.

Tom Heaton (4.6)’s peerless shot-stopping powers have caught the eye of myself and Mark.

In all of Burnley’s away defeats this season, the England international has still earned save points and with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s doubtless firing in the efforts at Old Trafford, the 9.3% owned stopper has the perfect platform for further returns.

Manchester United’s 39.8% owned keeper David De Gea (5.5) and Tottenham Hotspur’s Hugo Lloris (5.5) are also thrown into the mix by Paul and myself respectively, but more as back-up in case their defensive team-mates get overlooked come Friday’s shake-up.

Defenders

Slowly but surely, Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso (5.9) is attracting further attention.

He has featured in my last two Scout Squad selections and rewarded me with two clean sheets and an assist over that time. Now Paul has joined the Alonso party, giving me hope that the wing-back, who has an ownership of just 0.4% and travels to Southampton this weekend, could earn his first appearance in the Scout Picks on Friday.

Meanwhile, there is set to be disagreement when it comes to Manchester United defenders.

Paul and myself favour Daley Blind (5.7) for Burnley’s visit, while Mark is backing Antonio Valencia (5.6).

With the Dutchman boasting superior bonus point, scoring and assist potential over the last four Gameweeks, Mark will have his work cut out convincing us that the Ecuadorian deserves a place in the Scout Picks.

“I’m sticking with Valencia. His numbers at Chelsea were hugely impressive, and while Blind’s set-piece delivery could be a factor, I feel that in Michael Keane and Ben Mee, Burnley have the defenders to deal with it. Valencia’s raids down the right could be a more profitable route against the Clarets, who have shown they can strangle a game in the middle of the park but leave themselves exposed on the flanks.” – Mark

Even though I’ve opted for Laurent Koscielny (6.4) over Mark and Paul’s choice of Hector Bellerin (6.6), I’m happy to concede if we can afford the Spanish full-back.

Koscielny gives us a slightly cheaper option to tap into Arsenal’s strong clean sheet potential should we be in danger of nudging the 84 million budget.

I’ve learned the error of my ways in doubting Paul and Mark’s recent faith in George Friend (4.5).

The Middlesbrough defender, who featured in our Gameweek 8 Scout Picks, has a clean sheet and two bonus points over his last two matches and looks another viable budget option this Gameweek with the Cherries at the Riverside.

There should be further agreement surrounding the inclusion of Jose Holebas (4.7). The Watford defender has been picked by all three of us after earning 27 FPL points over his last three Gameweeks.

Elsewhere, Mark and I will be banging the drum for the Spurs defence with our pick of Kyle Walker (6.1). The 38.1% owned full-back is second in the defenders’ overall FPL points table and welcomes a Leicester City side that has been appalling on the road this season.

Away from the King Power Stadium, the Foxes are winless and have notched just three goals.

Midfielders

Our doubling up on Arsenal assets, Alexis Sanchez (11.3) and Theo Walcott (8.1), in the Gameweek 9 Scout Picks failed miserably, as Middlesbrough held the Gunners to an unlikley goalless draw at the Emirates.

However, there’s every chance we could select the same pair again, with the appalling defence of hosts Sunderland likely to be far more obliging. The Black Cats have conceded 16 times and have yet to register a clean sheet.

If we do go for a single Arsenal option, Paul will take the role of championing 23.8% owned Sanchez, while Mark and myself sit firmly in Walcott’s camp.

The 21.9% owned English winger’s superior recent goal threat, with three goals to the Chilean’s one in the last four Gameweeks, will be compelling evidence for his inclusion. While Paul will doubtless focus on Sanchez’s stronger away form, with four goals on the road compared to Walcott’s three.

“Once again I go all-in on Arsenal, with Hector Bellerin, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez all selected for the trip to Sunderland. The Gunners have seven clean sheets in eight across all competitions now, and I’m favouring the Chilean’s superior record on the road as my top pick ahead of Theo” – Paul.

Philippe Coutinho (8.4) looks primed to win this week’s latest Liverpool midfielder beauty parade. The Brazilian features in my and Paul’s selections on the back of his fourth goal of the campaign at home to West Brom in Gameweek 9.

However, Mark’s case for Roberto Firmino (8.5) may gain traction should Jurgen Klopp indicate that Daniel Sturridge will earn a rare league start after his EFPL Cup brace against Tottenham last night.

When the England striker has played the majority of a match, Firmino has excelled, scoring a brace at home to Leicester in Gameweek 4 as well as in Gameweek 7 away to Swansea City.

Once again, Mark and I will be blowing Tottenham’s trumpet, albeit with different midfield options.

Mark is backing Son Heung-min (7.7) to add to his four goals and two assists, while I favour Dele Alli (8.2)’s superior recent form, which has seen the 6.7% owned England international net twice in his last three starts.

Among our differential picks, Mark appears to be won over by my backing of 5% owned Nacir Chadli (6.6) on this week’s Scoutcast.

“Jonty has done a job on me here. I agree that City are likely to concede at the Hawthorns and, while I feel that a goal is more likely to spring from a set-piece, I have to recognise that Chadli carries the Baggies biggest threat from open play. I toyed with Marko Arnautovic in this slot, but, in the end, allowed Jonty to persuade me to back the Belgian.” – Mark

The Belgian’s 75% goal involvement for the Baggies, three double-digit scores this season and fixture, at home to a Manchester City side without a clean sheet on the road, presents a solid case for inclusion.

Gylfi Sigurdssson (7.2) may seem like another unusual selection away to Stoke City, but his strong underlying statistics in a false nine role in Swansea’s new look formation has persuaded Paul to endorse him. The 3.5% owned Icelandic international has had an impressive 12 goal attempts over the last four matches, half of which have been on target.

Forwards

With a single FPL point per game average over his last three matches, faith in Sergio Aguero (13.1) has plummeted – that’s reflected in the rankings in both my squad list and Mark’s.

The City striker has been relegated to just fourth place due to his current poor form. Even Paul’s inclusion of the Argentine at the summit appears reluctant.

“At the time of writing, my picks are something of a compromise with the availability of the injured Kevin De Bruyne still up in the air. The Belgian’s calf concerns persuade me to select Sergio Aguero as my City attacker for the trip to West Brom” – Paul.

Romelu Lukaku (9.7) looks a far better bet for inclusion, gaining top billing in Mark and my picks and a second spot in Paul’s.

The Belgian has scored in both the home games he’s started this season and welcomes a West Ham United outfit that has conceded nine times on the road. It is also worth pointing out that 30.3% owned Toffees striker has scored in each of his six most recent encounters with the Hammers.

Troy Deeney (7.1) and Christian Benteke (7.7), who both have an FPL ownership below 10%, are listed by all three of us despite their contrasting fixtures.

With Hull City living up to their new “whipping boy” status, conceding 15 goals in their last four league matches, they look like easy prey for Deeney when they visit Vicarage Road.

Liverpool have a habit of conceding sloppy goals, with just one clean sheet this season. All three of us feel that Crystal Palace striker Benteke will be eager to take advantage of such errors when his former employers drop in on Selhurst Park.

As previously mentioned Ibrahimovic (11.3)’s goal attempt rate cannot be faulted, firing in more than any other player this season. But with no goals since Gameweek 4, it is little wonder I’ve joined the 1,091,364 FPL Managers to turn their back on the big Swede.

Mark and Paul are clinging on, though, and will be pointing to his kind home fixture against Burnley, and his impressive goal attempt tally, as they bid to persuade me he of his inclusion.

Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 10 will be Mince n Tatties. This is his sixth FPL season, with 2015/16’s finish of 9,785 his best yet.

The community champion who has the highest Gameweek 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 9’s champion Jingles beat the Scout Picks 50 to 44. The current champion to beat is VS10_, who had a 32-point margin of victory over us in Gameweek 6.