The Scout Squad – Gameweek 35

With Gameweek 34 still active and amid a busy midweek schedule, we take some time to look ahead to the next set of fixtures and the names 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 selection, 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

With three votes and two top billings, from Paul and me, Wayne Hennessey (4.3) looks to have secured a starting berth ahead of Crystal Palace’s home match with Burnley.

The Clarets are one of the Premier League’s weakest attacking outfits on the road, scoring a mere 23 times across their 17 days out. The Eagles, meanwhile, have strengthened significantly at the back in recent weeks, keeping two clean sheets and conceding just seven times in their last six – only Manchester United, Manchester City and Spurs have shipped fewer goals over that period.

Claudio Bravo (5.0) may make a late surge for a place, with a nod from Paul and Mark placing the Manchester City stopper top of his list in anticipation of him retaining the number one jersey from Willy Cabellero. Given that the Chilean visits a Middlesbrough side that has mustered a mere 13 goals at home – an unwelcome Premier League record – he could reward their faith.

Continuing threat of rotation between the sticks means I’ve decided to swerve City and am instead joining Paul in backing Southampton’s 4%-owned Fraser Forster (5.0) to prevail at home to Hull City.

Away from the KCOM Stadium the Tigers have been unimpressive, failing to find the net in half of their last six road trips and scoring a solitary goal in the others. With six shut-outs at home, the Saints look more than capable of keeping Marco Silva’s troops at bay.

In sharp contrast, Mark believes that the 22.2%-owned Eldin Jakopovic (4.1) will be the more lucrative custodian at St Mary’s, despite Hull shipping 15 goals and keeping just one clean sheet over their last six away from home.

Kasper Schmeichel (4.9) is the final keeper to earn a mention, with a third spot from me as he travels to a West Brom side that have arguably started their summer holidays early after reaching 40 points and safety.

The Baggies have scored just three times in the last six, while the Foxes’ number one has clean sheets in two of his last four.

Defenders

Manchester United’s rearguard is being heavily backed, although we will need to keep a close eye on Jose Mourinho’s press conferences as rotation is likely given the Red Devils’ punishing April schedule, spanning the Premier League and the Europa League.

Paul and I feel that Eric Bailly (5.5) will once again earn a start, with injuries to Chris Smalling and Phil Jones making his spot among the most secure: the Ivorian has started all of his side’s last six.

Mark backs Daley Blind (5.2) to earn a starting berth on the back of an impressive performance against Burnley at the weekend in which the Dutchman earned two bonus points to add to his clean sheet.

As the only two defenders to earn universal support, Stoke City’s Erik Pieters (4.7) and Leicester City’s Robert Huth (4.9) are well placed to survive Friday’s shakedown.

The Foxes’ centre-back has strong clean sheet prospects at The Hawthorns given that West Brom’s aforementioned dip in motivation. In addition, the 2%-owned German offers the chance of points at the other end of the pitch with two goals and an assist in his last six.

“Robert Huth has already bagged two goals and an assist in seven appearances since Craig Shakespeare took charge of Leicester City. During that period, the Foxes’ centre-half leads all defenders for shots, efforts in the box and attempts on target ahead of a trip to West Brom. With the Baggies already looking like they are on the beach, the champions seem well-placed to benefit at the Hawthorns this Saturday” – Paul

If one of these two are dropped, it may well be the Potters’ left back. Although Stoke have kept six clean sheets at the bet365 Stadium this season, West Ham have been in good attacking form on the road, scoring nine times and only failing to find the net once in their last six away days.

With nominations from Paul and Mark, Mamadou Sakho (4.8) could take his place, particularly due to Burnley’s travel sickness this season. Maximum bonus points in three of his seven starts further strengthen his cause, but with Hennessey offering a cheaper alternative, I think he may struggle to oust his goalkeeping team-mate in our search for Eagles’ defensive coverage.

Instead, I’m backing Charlie Daniels (5.1) to deliver when Bournemouth visit a Sunderland side that has scored just twice since Gameweek 24. With five double-digit FPL hauls, four goals and three assists this season, he also offers attacking threat, particularly as the Black Cats have conceded ten times over their last six.

The disagreements over which of Hull and Southampton will prosper at St Mary’s continues in our defender selection, with Mark again supporting the Tigers with a vote for Harry Maguire (4.4). Meanwhile, Paul has handed a second placing to Maya Yoshida (4.4).

Maguire’s two goals in his last four certainly back Mark’s selection, although, with a goal over the same period, Paul also has reason to be optimistic his pick will survive the cut.

“I’m following my gut with the nomination of both Jakupovic and Maguire. I feel that end of season motivation will be a big factor at St Marys and, although the Hull defence has been fragile on the road, I have faith in Marco Silva and feel that they could well squeak a victory with a clean sheet. Maguire, with his substantial goal threat, also offers a viable plan B should the Tigers concede.”

Despite concerns around rotation, Manchester City’s trip to Middlesbrough looks too good to swerve, so I’ve offered up full-back Gael Clichy (5.2) as an option should we shun Bravo. The 1.4%-owned differential has started all the Sky Blues’ last seven league matches, earning three clean sheets and a bonus on two occasions.

Midfielders

Three top placings and ten goals in his last 11 starts make 16.3%-owned Josh King (6.1) a shoo-in for selection ahead of Bournemouth’s trip to Sunderland’s leaky defence.

Another budget-friendly midfielder that looks likely to earn a place is Stoke’s Marko Arnautovic (7.1), who gets second places from Mark and me and has scored three in his last four home matches. The 1.2%-owned Austrian collides with a Hammers back line that has shipped ten in their last six to offer up an enticing one-week punt for those looking to play their Wildcard in Gameweek 36.

Paul’s lack of faith in Hull continues into midfield, with a fifth place for Southampton’s penalty-taking midfielder Dusan Tadic (6.9), who has created the most chances this season among Claude Puel’s charges and has three goals and five assists across his 25 starts.

Fresh from squaring up to Paul over the credentials of the Tigers defence at St Mary’s, Mark is set to be embroiled in further tussles over our remaining midfield selections.

I’ll be taking on Mark and Paul over their sponsorship of Alexis Sanchez, who has a tough trip to a Spurs side that has only conceded eight times at White Hart Lane, a record in the Premier League this season.

The 24.7%-owned Chilean’s failure to register a double-digit FPL points return since Gameweek 25 adds to my argument that, for Gameweek 35 at least, he is not worth his hefty 11.5m price tag.

“My support for Sanchez remains unshakable. I am just concerned that we will turn our backs on the Gunners man at just the moment he snaps back into a points-earning groove. Of course, that’s always the risk with an asset of his stature and, keeping the faith could be folly given his price tag. But I’m backing him for a return against Leicester on Wednesday and, if that’s the case, we will definitely want him under serious consideration for the Picks, even against the robust Spurs defence.” – Mark

Eden Hazard’s (10.4) inclusion looks set to ensure the squabbles continue, with the Belgian backed by Mark and myself but shunned by Paul. With a third placing, I’m set to be the cheerleader in chief for the 31.2%-owned Belgian, who is in sensational form, scoring six and assisting a further three in his last ten starts.

Instead, Paul will be hoping to convince us to back Manchester City winger Leroy Sane, who since breaking into the starting XI in Gameweek 22 has scored four times and earned two assists.

“I’m opting for the security of starts offered by Leroy Sane on the flank for Man City’s weekend trip to Middlesbrough. Named on the teamsheet in every match from Gameweek 22 onwards, the summer signing has scored or assisted in five of his six away appearances over that stretch and looks in line to profit once more against the doomed Teesside outfit” – Paul

Grapple fans will be pleased to see that the arguments are set to continue over Liverpool’s midfield assets, with Paul and Mark ignoring the Reds altogether, while I’m backing Roberto Firmino (8.7) to shine away to Watford next Monday. The Hornets’ concession of 23 goals at home this season and the 13.5%-owned Brazilian’s delivery of attacking returns in all but one of his last seven run-outs tip the scales in my favour.

At least there should be peace when we discuss the inclusion of Dele Alli for the North London derby. He enjoys universal backing and, with attacking returns in all of his last seven, looks assured of a start.

Forwards

The harmony around Spurs is also evident in our forward selections as Harry Kane earns top spot across the board. He has seven goals in his last five starts and faces an Arsenal defence that’s shipped ten goals and kept a solitary clean sheet over their previous six ahead of tonight’s home tie with Leicester. All of that makes the England hitman a certainty in this Friday’s Scout Picks.

Christian Benteke (7.3) looks another assured pick, with three second spots and an enticing home tie with a Burnley side that has conceded 33 times on the road. It is no wonder the 11.7%-owned Belgian is also a close second to Kane in this week’s Captain Poll, given he has scored five goals in as many matches.

There’s also universal support for the superb home form of Romelu Lukaku (10.5) when Chelsea drop by Goodison Park.

The Toffees’ talisman has racked up 16 goals in as many home starts, while his former club have failed to keep a clean sheet since Gameweek 22. We anticipate disappointment for the 17,000+ FPL managers who have shown him the door since Saturday.

However, the arguments start up again across our remaining selections, with myself and Paul supporting Jamie Vardy (9.9) while Mark has instead opted for Diego Costa (10.3).

The Blues striker’s brace last night against Southampton brought in a 16-point FPL haul. But as this was first double-digit return since Gameweek 14, Paul and I have decided to steer clear. Everton’s impressive record of seven clean sheets while conceding a mere 13 times in 17 Goodison Park league matches also weighs heavily against the 29.3%-owned Spaniard’s inclusion.

Paul and I favour Vardy’s combination of consistency and explosiveness – he has two double-digit FPL points returns in his last seven run-outs, and six goals over that time frame. Just one shut-out in their last six for his hosts, West Brom, is another statistic we will be using to convince Mark.

Paul and I gang up on Mark once again over our support for 3.5%-owned differential Manolo Gabbiadini (6.4). He earned an assist last night against Chelsea and scored four across his first quartet of matches for Southampton before injury sidelined him for three Gameweeks.

Meanwhile, Mark will be busy building a case for Sunderland’s Jermain Defoe (7.6) to earn a place when Bournemouth visit, even though the 17.9%-owned veteran striker has failed to score since Gameweek 24.

Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek will be Kings of Lyon, who has two top 10,000 finishes across his seven previous seasons. Currently ranked at 14,282, he is on course for another high placing this campaign.

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).

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