The Scout Squad – Gameweek 15

Our preview of Gameweek 15 continues as we glance at the players in the running for a place in tomorrow’s Scout Picks.

This article aims to give a greater insight into the decision-making process behind our selection, as Mark, Paul and myself list the 18 players we think have the best chance of success across the four positions, listing them 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 Scout Picks berth or consideration in our Spot the Differential article.

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

We’re immediately backing a Gameweek 15 shut-out for Watford, with their 2.1% owned stopper Heurelho Gomes (4.9) earning support from all three of us, including top billing in my selection.

The woeful form in front of goal of visitors Everton, who have scored just twice in four, is the key factor at play. Ronald Koeman’s men will also be without the energy and flair of Yannick Bolasie at Vicarage Road.

Hull City’s similarly poor recent scoring record, with just three goals in their last six league matches, has prompted Mark to hand Wayne Hennessey (4.3) star status when Crystal Palace drop by the KC Stadium on Saturday.

However, Paul’s top pick of Southampton’s Fraser Forster (4.7) is set to face a sterner test when Middlesbrough visit. Aitor Karanka’s troops have scored in five of their seven away encounters, while the Saints have conceded 10 goals on home turf.

Elsewhere among our keeper picks, budget priced Jordan Pickford (4.2) gets the nod from Mark and myself ahead of Sunderland’s visit to Swansea City. But the 15.1% owned starlet may have to rely on save points to prevail; the Welsh outfit have scored on 10 occasions at the Liberty Stadium, making a clean sheet for the Black Cats appear unlikely.

A shut-out for Burnley, when Bournemouth drop in on Turf Moor, is also tipped by the pair of us, although for me, I’m only confident if regular keeper Tom Heaton (4.8) returns from an injury lay-off.

Paul believes that, even if the Clarets’ veteran keeper Paul Robinson (4.0) deputises once again, a clean sheet is still on the cards, as the Cherries have scored just five goals in seven away outings.

Defenders

Once again Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso (6.2) earns top billing, with the marauding left wing-back earning a unanimous nomination ahead of West Brom’s visit to Stamford Bridge.

Given that the 6.7% owned Spaniard has delivered either a clean sheet or attacking returns in all but one of his last eight Gameweek appearances, he seems a shoo-in for Friday’s final shake-down.

Cedric Soares (5.0) and Michael Keane (4.9) are the only other two defenders to gain support from all three of us.

If Southampton are to gain a clean sheet against Middlesbrough, the 2.2% owned Portuguese right-back has every chance of earning supplementary points, having picked up FPL bonus returns in three of his five shut-outs.

Meanwhile, Burnley’s Keane offers the real prospect of points at both ends of the pitch having registered 10 close range efforts this season. This is a tally bettered only by Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross and, another of Mark’s picks this week, Scott Dann (5.3).

“There’s no doubt that Michael Keane’s stock would be increased by Tom Heaton’s return against Bournemouth but, for me, the defender still warrants consideration. He’s been the big goal threat among defenders in recent weeks and Sean Dyche will surely be targeting set-pieces as a route to goal against the Cherries.” – Mark

The 3.6% owned Palace centre-back certainly presents a case for inclusion in Friday’s Picks, having scored twice already this season. He visits a Hull City side that has conceded more shots in the box at home than any other Premier League outfit so far.

Paul and I carry our faith in a Watford clean sheet over to our defender choices, with the 7.3% owned Jose Holebas (4.8) awarded a tentative fifth spot from both of us.

Price may be the final arbiter should we opt for an Arsenal defender for Stoke City’s visit to the Emirates.

With the bulk of our 84 million budget likely to be earmarked for heavy-hitters in midfield, we may be forced to overlook both Laurent Koscielny (6.6) and Shkodran Mustafi (6.1).

Midfielders

A hat-trick in the 5-1 blitz of West Ham United saw Alexis Sanchez fetch his sixth double-digit FPL points haul of the season, surely ensuring that the Chilean is certainty for a place in Friday’s Picks.

But while Mark and Paul have had no hesitation in ranking him as their first squad pick, I’ve only handed the Gunners attacker second spot with Eden Hazard (10.4) my tip to be Gameweek 15’s top scoring midfielder ahead of his meeting with West Brom.

I believe that the 36.4% owned Belgian’s stronger home form gives him the edge over the on-fire Sanchez. At Stamford Bridge, Hazard has returned 60 FPL points, compared to Sanchez’s 41 over the same number of Emirates matches.

Roberto Firmino (8.8) and Gylfi Sigurdsson (7.4) are two more names to earn support across the board.

The Liverpool midfielder may have gone three matches without attacking returns, but a spot in my goals imminent table suggests that drought could end this weekend, particularly as the Reds entertain a West Ham United side that has now shipped 10 goals in their last four outings.

Swansea City’s ‘false nine’ Sigurdsson looks another certainty for selection on Friday, on the back of two goals and three assists in his last five Gameweeks.

I was surprised to see that I am the only one backing a strong Gameweek from Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne (10.8), particularly as Sergio Aguero will be starting a four-match ban.

The 10.4% owned Belgian excelled the last time Aguero was stuck in the stands, scoring 27 points over Gameweeks 4 and 5. He travels to a beleaguered Leicester City side that has conceded eight goals in their last four league outings and who were thrashed in Portugal on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Mark is tipping Wilfried Zaha (5.4) for profit from Crystal Palace’s match at Hull City. The 5.5% owned winger has certainly impressed on the road in recent weeks, with attacking returns in three of his last four away trips.

“There appears to be conveyor belt of mid-price midfield assets right now but Zaha has shown some consistency. Conspicuous by his absence among the returns in last weekend’s Gameweek 14 victory, I feel he’ll be a factor again at Hull City. He’s likely to be up against Andrew Robertson, who is a fine full-back but one that that likes to contribute to the attack. I feel that Zaha could get the better of that key battle.” – Mark

Paul will be hoping there’s a promotion to the Scout Picks for Liverpool’s Emre Can (4.9), who was rewarded a mention in our Spot the Differential article last weekend ahead his third goal of the season and an assist, away at Bournemouth. This Saturday’s West Ham encounter looks an ideal setting for the German further his stock as a budget midfield solution.

“I picked Emre Can in last week’s Scout Squad article and am keeping faith again after a goal and assist at Bournemouth. The German’s underlying numbers continue to look exceptional value for money – he’s my budget pick this week at home to West Ham’s dodgy defence. A look at the Big Numbers article suggests Southampton’s Sofiane Boufal is shaping up to be a decent mid-price differential, though.” – Paul

Forwards

Once again I’m on my own in backing a Manchester City asset in this position.

As with De Bruyne, Kelechi Iheanacho (6.6) proved himself to be a strong source of points during Aguero’s first spell of absence this season. The last time the youngster deputised up front he brought in a total of 20 points over two outings.

My argument for his inclusion is further strengthened by a goal in the Champions League on Tuesday against Celtic.

The Nigerian starlet will be up against Mark and Paul’s pick of Charlie Austin (6.9) for a Scout Picks berth.

The Southampton forward has two goals in his last four outings, but with Middlesbrough conceding only a goal a game on average over their last four matches, I’m certainly leaning towards Iheanacho and am ready to argue his case.

“I’m backing Charlie Austin to produce the goods at home to Middlesbrough. Yes, Southampton have netted just twice in the last four, yet only two sides have fired more shots inside the box than Claude Puel’s men over that period. Impressively, Austin has scored every 114 minutes in front of his own supporters – by comparison, Diego Costa has averaged a goal every 157.3 minutes at Stamford Bridge.” – Paul

There will be little argument among the rest of our striker picks, though.

Not surprisingly, Diego Costa (10.8) is awarded the top nomination from all of us ahead of West Brom’s visit to Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard, who has been drafted in by more than 170,000 FPL managers since Saturday, looks to have recovered will hopefully recover from the knock that saw him replaced at the end of Chelsea’s victory at Manchester City. Costa has delivered attacking returns in all bar one of his seven home league matches to this point.

Jermain Defoe (7.7) also earns three votes as he prepares to tackle Swansea’s obliging defence, which has conceded 13 goals in their last four matches: more than any other team.

The 23.2% owned Black Cats veteran also has form on his side, having scored his eighth goal of the season at home to Leicester City last time out.

Christian Benteke (7.6) is another mid-price striker contesting a Scout Picks start. He travels to Hull City in search of a fifth goal in as many Gameweeks. The Tigers look set to struggle to shackle the 7.6% owned Belgian, given their aforementioned habit of conceding close range efforts.

Liverpool’s Divock Origi (6.6) could cloud our final selection discussions. He takes on the West Ham defence seeking to make it three goals in as many matches and, given his price, could yet earn at least a spot on our bench.

Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek will be Boris Bodega, who is in his fourth season, with 2013/14’s overall finish of 148, 419 his best to date.

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).

Last Gameweek’s champion Prichardson311 was beaten by 103 points to 53.

The current frontrunners are Ziro and VS10_, who both have a 32-point margin of victory over us.