Scout Notes – Gameweek 12 – Monday

It’s all about the budget midfielders as Brighton and Stoke City share the spoils in a four-goal stalemate at the Amex.

Pascal Gross and Eric Choupo-Moting both maintain their fine starts to the season with a goal apiece as Gameweek 12 comes to a close.

Gross home comforts strike again

Pascal Gross’ impressive debut season in the top-flight continued with a strike in last night’s home draw with Stoke.

The Brighton playmaker also claimed maximum bonus to climb to fourth in the FPL midfield standings on 68 points and, at a cost of just 5.9, is now the top value midfielder in terms of points per million (11.5).

Gross has now scored or assisted 67% of Brighton’s goals when on the pitch – more than both any team-mate or any other regular midfielder for their respective side.

The German has three goals and five assists to his name and has picked up points in six of the last nine Gameweeks. But he now faces a real test of his consistency, with the Seagulls set to play Man United, Liverpool and Spurs in the upcoming five fixtures.

Yet with home clashes against Palace, Burnley and Watford and a trip to Huddersfield in the next seven Gameweeks, his 19% ownership may well choose to hold a player who is averaging 7.7 points per appearance in front of his own supporters.

Murray disappoints as Seagulls differentials deliver

Up against a Stoke defence that’s shipping two goals per match, Glenn Murray was the most captained player (6,868) for last night’s encounter on the back of four strikes in the previous three Gameweeks.

Transferred in by 112,000 FPL managers last week, the veteran failed to register a single attempt on goal as his claim for the role as our budget striker took a turn for the worse ahead of next weekend’s trip to Old Trafford.

But Chris Hughton’s differential midfielders have shown in recent weeks that it’s not all about Murray – or Gross – for that matter.

Jose Izquierdo’s goal was his second in the last four Gameweeks, while Davy Propper now has two assists over that same period after teeing up Gross for the opener. Anthony Knockaert had also chipped in with a goal and assist in the previous four.

At the start of the season, there was a fear at that the Seagulls may struggle for a cutting edge after arriving from the Championship. But last night’s result means they have now scored in eight of the last nine Gameweeks.

Choupo-Moting breaks away duck

Eric Choupo-Moting was handed another start up front and picked up his first away points of the season by firing the opener against Brighton.

The Stoke midfielder has served up two goals and three assists at the bet365 but has been a source of frustration on the road, drawing blanks in all five of his away appearances prior to last night.

With maximum bonus also in the bag, his 10-point tally means that the Cameroon international has now averaged a respectable 4.5 points per appearance.

Still priced at a mere 5.7, Choupo-Moting ranks third among all midfielders for both shots (35) and efforts in the box (26) over the first 12 Gameweeks.

Like Brighton’s Gross, his upcoming fixtures are somewhat mixed, with a home clash against Liverpool allied with trips to Spurs and Burnley in the next five Gameweeks.

Yet the fixtures around those matches – trips to Palace and Huddersfield and home encounters against Swansea City, West Ham and West Brom between now and Gameweek 20 – suggests he could still be in line to profit.

Consistent Shaqiri in the points again

While Kurt Zouma earned his second eight-point haul of the last three Gameweeks by netting the Potters’ second, Xherdan Shaqiri once again caught the eye from his advanced central berth.

The Swiss international’s assist for Choupo-Moting’s opener was his sixth set of attacking returns in his last eight Gameweek appearances for Mark Hughes’ men.

Although the likes of Gross has established himself as Brighton’s go-to attacker, Shaqiri is challenging Choupo-Moting for our attentions at Stoke.

He’s also averaged 4.5 ppm, yet his goal involvement is far superior – when on the pitch, he’s scored or assisted 54% of his side’s goals, compared with Choupo-Moting’s 40%.

Ranked fifth for chances created in midfield (27), the former Bayern man is now up to two goals and five assists for the season – already more than twice last term’s tally of two assists.

Given that Mark Hughes’ men continue to leak goals at an alarming rate – only West Ham have conceded more (25 to 24) – the Potters’ attack is becoming increasingly crucial to their prospects of survival.