The Scout Squad – Gameweek 23

The selection panel returns for 2018, as renowned Hall of Famer Peter Kouwenberg once again joins Mark, Jonty and Paul in pondering an 18-man squad ahead of Friday’s Scout Picks.

Sunday’s potential feast of attacking football at Anfield – where Liverpool host Manchester City – shines like a beacon among Gameweek 23’s fixtures. But our panel appears divided – or perhaps confused – on its potential for points.

Season stalwart Mohamed Salah may even find himself ousted from Friday’s XI, while Raheem Sterling has already been cast aside by our four-man selection committee.

There is no dispute when it comes to the approach up front. Harry Kane is the clear favourite to lead the Picks attack, though it remains to be seen if he gets a strike partner or whether Friday’s formation is skewed by the value in defence and midfield.

Here are the panel’s current selection and the method behind their madness.

Peter Says…

Back in Gameweek 21, my main triumph arrived from heavily backing the blanks at the John Smith’s Stadium and Brighton’s visit to St James’ Park, whereas my top attacking picks of Alvaro Morata and Gabriel Jesus were somewhat less successful.

This week, three fixtures are flashing strongly on my clean sheet radar, with Swansea’s visit to Newcastle, Burnley’s trip to Crystal Palace and Brighton’s journey to West Brom destined for the last ten minutes of Match of the Day. Over the last six matches, five of those teams (along with Stoke) have been the least prolific in the league, with only the Eagles (10) posting a respectable goal tally during that period. Unsurprisingly, I’ve again pillaged the bargain basement for defensive options from these teams to free up some funds for the big players, particularly in midfield.

My first premium stop is at Stamford Bridge as the Blues welcome a leaky Leicester side contending with defensive injuries. While the Foxes do have the firepower to trouble Chelsea, Marcos Alonso and Eden Hazard should fare well.

I think any positive bounce for Stoke following the departure of Mark Hughes will have to wait, with Manchester United assets likely to profit under the lights against the Potters on Monday night, Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard and Romelu Lukaku chief amongst them.

FPL Virgin’s recent article on Everton concluded that new management has brought more clean sheets but fewer goals and assists. Hugo Lloris’s presence in my squad is testimony to the second part of that statement, but I’m also favouring Harry Kane and the in-form Son Heung-min to breach the Toffee’s rearguard, a defence which statistically may be more vulnerable to midfield scorers.

Two of the best defences (at home, in Liverpool’s case) take on free-scoring attacks in the big game at Anfield on Sunday. Given the mindset of the respective managers, I’m backing attack to prevail against defence so am looking to Sergio Aguero for the visitors and a fit-again Salah for the hosts.

Jonty says…

City’s trip to Liverpool is so tricky to call. The visitors have one of the league’s most potent attacks and boast one of the most stubborn defences on the road, while exactly the same can be said of Liverpool at Anfield.

As a result, I’ve only handed a place to one player from each side. For Pep Guardiola’s men, Aguero’s record of six goals against the Reds earns him my vote. While for the home side, Salah looks impossible to ignore, with the African footballer of the year bidding for his 18th goal of the campaign on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Spurs assets dominate my thoughts ahead of Everton’s visit to Wembley, with Ben Davies earning my support with the threat of rotation minimised by an injury to left-back rival Danny Rose. Dele Alli’s two goals and four assists over his previous four run-outs give him the edge over fellow midfielders Christian Eriksen and Son, although I’m happy to include the cheaper South Korean if money is tight.

While no striker has managed to score against the Toffees in the league since Charlie Austin’s brace in Gameweek 13 for Southampton, I’m backing Harry Kane to get the better of a visiting defence that has conceded more shots than any other team over the last four Gameweeks. Kane struck a brace against the Merseysiders in the reverse fixture.

Chelsea’s Marcos Alonso is another essential pick, with more shots (43) and goals (6) than any other defender. Leicester’s vulnerable right flank looks tailor-made for this rampaging left wing-back to prosper; no team have conceded more crosses (287) and chances (97) from the right side of defence than the Foxes.

Manchester United surely need to be strongly represented come Friday’s Picks, with Lingard looking a shoo-in having scored seven goals since Gameweek 14.

Watford’s Richarlison could offer further value in midfield. He hosts a Southampton defence that boasts just one clean sheet over the previous 13 Gameweeks.

My bargain hunt also takes me to Brighton’s Shane Duffy and Huddersfield’s Christopher Schindler, who both offer strong clean sheet prospects against West Brom and West Ham respectively. The Seagulls centre-back is also long overdue a first goal of the season, with only Alonso and Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann firing off more penalty area shots among defenders.

Paul Says…

A host of the usual suspects earn nominations, though I’ve tried to look beyond the obvious where possible.

West Brom’s defence has to be backed at home to a Brighton outfit that have failed to score in five successive road trips. At just 4.5, Ahmed Hegazi is the cheapest of the Baggies’ regulars, and all six of his bonus points have arrived in matches where his side have shut out opponents. Since Alan Pardew took charge, only Man United and Arsenal have managed to breach The Hawthorns defence.

Son’s home form is the most convincing of any Spurs player ahead of the visit of Everton. Whereas Kane has flattered to deceive at Wembley, the South Korean has scored in six of Spurs’ last seven at their temporary home, bettering Kane by 66 points to 59.

Goals look on the menu for Bournemouth’s home clash with Arsenal. With that in mind, I’d prefer Alexandre Lacazette as my third premium striker behind Kane and Sergio Aguero. He’s already scored against the Cherries back in Gameweek 6, and Eddie Howe’s men sit bottom for goals against (10) and big chances conceded (12) over the last four Gameweeks.

In the same fixture, Callum Wilson boasts the most convincing underlying numbers of any budget forward. Priced at just 5.7, he collides with a Gunners’ defence that heads to the Vitality Stadium with numerous injury concerns. Over the last four Gameweeks, Wilson has scored twice, while seven shots on target is bettered only by Kane (10), In terms of efforts in the box, he ranks fourth with 11. Again, it’s only big-hitters such as Kane (14), Salah and Aguero (both 14) who can better that.

Mark Says…

With so much value available in defence this week, we may see us either opt for a 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 come Friday’s final selection.

For starters, I like Newcastle’s prospects at home to Swansea. I just feel that Rafa Benitez will grind out another vital victory with his defence well capable of repelling a Swans attack bereft of creativity. Ciaran Clark is the selection given Jamaal Lascelles possible absence.

Similarly, I just can’t see many goals at The Hawthorns. I think both defences can prevail, but I just favour the Baggies’ Hegazi having noted that Brighton have allowed more efforts from set-pieces (26) than any other side over the last four Gameweeks.

I’m also backing West Ham to bounce off their encouraging draw with Spurs to earn a result at Huddersfield.

David Moyes’ defence have allowed just five big chances from their last four away trips, and I believe they can shut-out the Terriers, while also posing a threat at the other end. Only Liverpool and Chelsea have created more big chances than the Hammers over the last four matches – no mean feat considering the rearguard action against Spurs at Wembley. I’ll be pushing for Adrian in goal, while I fully expect Marko Arnautovic to be fit and back as Moyes’ lone striker.

With City’s trip to Anfield relegating Salah in my pecking order and forcing me to overlook Raheem Sterling, it is left to Hazard to lead the midfield pack, while I’ve also kept some faith in Alvaro Morata up front.

He might be short on confidence but a two-yard tap-in can fix that and with Wes Morgan a possible absentee, I reckon Leicester’s defence with be vulnerable to Morata’s aerial threat.

The Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 17 will be Meppelfield, who is in his sixth campaign with last year’s season’s finish of 78,053 his best to date.

The community champion who has the best lead over the Scouts during 2017/18 will win a £100 Amazon voucher (currently we can only offer Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com vouchers).

The champion to beat remains Gregor, who achieved victory over the Scouts by a 33-point margin in Gameweek 5.