The Scout Squad – Gameweek 33

After a short break due to last week’s hectic Premier League schedule, we welcome the Scout Squad back and reveal the players in the frame for a place in this Friday’s Scout Picks.

This article aims to give a greater insight into the decision-making process behind our selections, as Mark, Paul and I list 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.

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

Value and clean sheet potential tend to be the key drivers for our goalkeeper selections and our latest lists are no exception, with four under-5.0 stoppers being put forward for consideration.

All of us see Wayne Hennessey (4.3) as an excellent option due to his integral role in a Crystal Palace defence that has kept three clean sheets in as many home matches and last saw their goal line breached at Selhurst Park back in Gameweek 24.

Visitors Leicester City have been in strong attacking form of late, scoring 15 in their last six, but with Champions League involvement on their minds, we think they will be sufficiently distracted. Mark is the 2.7%-owned stopper’s strongest backer, placing him at the top of his list.

Stoke City custodian Lee Grant (4.4) is another with strong support, with endorsement from Paul and myself ahead of Hull City’s visit to the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday.

Despite conceding twice at home against Liverpool in Gameweek 32, the Potters have been resilient on familiar turf, where they have six shut-outs – a tally only bettered by Chelsea, Everton and Spurs.

The Tigers, meanwhile, are among the most travel sick sides in recent weeks, scoring just twice in their last six away matches and a mere eight times on the road this season.

Mark is less convinced Grant will start as Jack Butland completed 90 minutes for Stoke’s reserves midweek in his injury comeback. Instead, he has handed a vote to West Ham’s Darren Randolph (4.4), who drops by the Stadium of Light to visit the Premier League’s most out of form attacking unit.

David Moyes’ troops last scored in Gameweek 24, making the 1.8 %-owned Irishman a strong candidate despite his solitary vote and West Ham’s concession of 13 goals over their last six.

Joel Robles (4.7) earns top spot from Paul and nominations from Mark and myself due to Everton’s aforementioned strong defensive home form, which is unlikely to be troubled by a Burnley side that has scored just nine times away from Turf Moor.

Defenders

With three votes apiece, Spurs’ Ben Davies (4.9), Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso (6.8) and Stoke’s Erik Pieters (4.7) may have sewn up our Scout Picks’ backline.

Davies, who tops my onw and Paul’s lists, is part of the Premier League’s best home defence with 10 shut-outs – a record that will be put to the test when Bournemouth visit on the back of scoring nine goals in their last six.

But with four shots and six chances created for team-mates in his last five starts, the 3%-owned Welshman offers the added security of attacking potential to further justify his inclusion.

As already mentioned, Stoke have a solid prospect of a clean sheet when Hull visit, with the 8.6%-owned Pieters offering further routes to points, earning bonus points five times this season.

Goal threat is Alonso’s strength, having scored five times, including his sensational free kick against Bournemouth in his last run-out. He visits a Manchester United side that has struggled for goals at Old Trafford – over their last six home games, Jose Mourinho’s troops have failed to score on two occasions and only registered more than a single goal once, back in Gameweek 25 against Watford.

There’s the potential for disagreement should we back an Everton defender over Robles for their home tie with Burnley, with each of us picking a different player. I’m backing the in-form Phil Jagielka (4.7), who has two goals and an assist in his last pair of matches and looks to be taking over from the injured Seamus Coleman as the Toffees backline’s most potent threat. The FPL transfer market agrees with me, with 52,000+ bringing him in since Saturday.

Paul and Mark are rolling back the years with the selection of the 12.8%-owned Leighton Baines, who at 5.8 and with no attacking returns since his only goal this season in Gameweek 20, looks unlikely to make the cut. His 2010/11 heydey, when he scored five times and amassed 11 assists, looks a distant memory this season.

“Baines looks like one of the best options for points at both ends of the pitch this weekend. Everton had five home clean sheets in six prior to last week’s 4-2 win over Leicester and Ashley Williams’ return from suspension will bolster their prospects against Burnley at Goodison. The stats lend further weight to the left-back’s potential. Sean Dyche’s men have conceded 96 chances down their right flank away from home – more than any other side – which suggests that Baines (and Kevin Mirallas) could be in profit this weekend”. – Paul

Another put forward for consideration, by Mark and myself, is Arsenal’s right back Hector Bellerin (6.5), who travels to Teeside to take on a Middlesbrough attack that has scored just 12 times in front of their own fans, an unwelcome Premier League record this season. Mark has even gone as far as to rank the 13.9%-owned Spaniard top of his list.

Mamadou Sakho (4.8) gets a mention from Paul due to Palace’s strong recent defensive form and him earning maximum bonus returns in two of his last five run-outs.

Midfielders

As with last week’s Scout Picks, there is a strong possibility we will be loading up on Spurs’ attacking assets. Dele Alli (9.2) sweeps the board as our top midfielder and the 18.2%-owned Christian Eriksen (8.8) earns second spot from Mark and Paul.

A second successive favourable home tie is a key factor, with Bournemouth hoping they fare better than last weekend’s visitors Watford, who were crushed 4-0.

With eight goals and two assists at home for the FPL’s most popular midfielder Alli, and his Danish team-mate scoring five times and helping team-mates score a further seven, there is every chance both will make the cut.

I’ve refrained from this midfield double-up to ensure we don’t get blinded by Spurs and miss out on other strong midfield options, most notably Eden Hazard (10.4), who drops by Old Trafford in sensational form.

Over his last four run-outs, the 30.3%-owned Chelsea schemer has racked up three double-digit returns, two of which came on the road.

Four goals and two assists on his travels suggests that he is already on his way to having his strongest season yet away from Stamford Bridge – with his 2013/14 tally of four strikes and five assists his best so far.

Alexis Sanchez (11.6) may well be on a final warning as a Scout Picks selection due to his appalling recent form shackled to the left wing of an out-of-sorts Arsenal side. Over his last four appearances, the Chilean has mustered just one goal and visits a resolute Middlesbrough home defence with six shut-outs at the Riverside.

Given his price and tentative fourth-placing from me (and two third-place nods from Mark and Paul), his place in this week’s Scout Picks is far from certain.

If he fails to deliver again, many more FPL managers are set to join the 46,000 that have already jettisoned him this week.

“I just can’t fathom the idea that Sanchez can continue his decline. It seems improbable that, after seeing his side struggle with the Chilean parked out on the flank, Arsene Wenger will refuse to back down and change tact. The trip to Middlesbrough seems tailor made for Sanchez as the central attacker, with the pace of Theo Walcott and perhaps Alex Iwobi flanking either side. Four Gameweeks without a goal or an assist for Sanchez is just unthinkable and I refuse to entertain the idea.” – Mark

Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha (5.9) looks a far better bet to survive Friday’s shakedown, with three votes based on his value, form and fixture. The 11.3%-owned Ivory Coast international, who has been bought by 63,000+ FPL managers this week, hosts a Champions League-focused Leicester side having accrued three assists and two goals in his last five.

“Zaha seems to be finding his best form under Big Sam just in time for Palace’s double Gameweek – only Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min has fired more shots inside the box amongst FPL midfielders over the last four rounds of fixtures. With visitors Leicester having one eye on the Champions League, the Eagles will look to their in-form wide man to help claim another three points. Encouragingly for Allardyce, the Foxes sit in the bottom four defences for big chances conceded and shots against inside the box over the last four Gameweeks.” – Paul

Philippe Coutinho (8.4) is another in strong contention, with second billing from me and a fifth-placed nod from Paul. The 21.5%-owned Brazilian travels to West Brom as Liverpool’s most potent attacking threat, with three goals in as many matches. The Baggies last kept a clean sheet at The Hawthorns in Gameweek 24 to further boost his appeal.

Joining Sanchez in supping a drink at the last chance saloon is Swansea City set-piece specialist Gylfi Sigurdsson (7.6), who last delivered an attacking return in Gameweek 28 when he served up an assist against Hull.

Only Mark is keeping the faith in the Icelander when he drops by Vicarage Road. With just one defeat in their last six home matches, and no goals conceded in their last two in front of their own fans, Watford will not make it easy for the once reliable mid-priced asset.

Forwards

Harry Kane (11.3) and Romelu Lukaku (10.4) dominate our top two placings, making them shoo-ins for selection this Friday.

The form and fixture collision looks simply irresistible –  the Everton marksman, who has scored 12 in his last seven Goodison Park clashes, hosts a Burnley side that has shipped 30 goals on the road this season.

Mark marginally favours the 45.8%-owned Belgian, who is FPL’s most popular player, over the Spurs talisman, who earns top billing from Paul and me.

With six goals in his four starts prior to a three-match injury lay-off, Kane looks a sure bet for points when Bournemouth drop by – Eddie Howe’s charges have conceded 14 times and kept a solitary shut-out in their last six away trips.

Little wonder then the England striker has been acquired by more than 72,000 FPL managers since Saturday.

Just 84 million in our Scout Picks kitty means Sergio Aguero (12.8) may miss out despite gaining universal support and scoring five in his last six.

As well as his hefty price tag, a lack of double-digit hauls since Gameweek 13 and a trip to a Southampton outfit that has kept two clean sheets in their last four at home also count against the 23.5%-owned Argentine.

If we opt for a third striker, Jermain Defoe (7.7), Troy Deeney (6.9), Christian Benteke (7.1) and Andy Carroll (6.3) lead the charge for a place.

With two votes each, the Palace front man and the West Ham striker look the likely favourites.

However, I’ll be arguing that the Hornets’ skipper deserves a place after scoring four in as many home matches and hosting a Swansea side that has conceded 34 times on the road – the second-worst record in the league.

Mark is hoping Defoe can recapture the form that saw him score 14 goals between the start of the season and Gameweek 24. But with no returns since then, his prospects for inclusion do not look good, although with just one clean sheet on the road West Ham may be able to oblige the 20.3%-owned veteran.

Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 33 will be Jazz, who is doing well in his third season, with a rank of 6,163.

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, Mikeharbrw, beat the Picks 70-54.

The current champion to beat is Boris Bodega, who achieved a 33-point margin of victory over us in Gameweek 15.