The Scout Squad – Gameweek 9

It is almost inevitable that Manchester City should dominate the hearts and minds of the Scout Picks selection panel this week.

The relentless tide of goals from Pep Guardiola’s men is difficult to ignore, so they haven’t. However, that won’t stop the debate from raging, with the foursome split on the chosen striker. Friday will be heated.

Elsewhere, there are shoo-ins and tactical votes to review, while after a Gameweek 8 drubbing for the panel, we reveal the latest community member to take on our pundits.

Paul says…

Starting at the back, I’m endorsing the West Ham defence to claim a clean sheet at home to Brighton on Friday night, with Aaron Cresswell’s steady supply of crosses down the left earning him my nomination.

Only Spurs and Arsenal produced more shut-outs at home last season than Slaven Bilic’s side (eight). This term, they’ve kept out their opponents twice in three at the London Stadium, with only Spurs finding the net against them.

Having opened his account for the season last week, Michail Antonio – who fired more shots on target than any player in Gameweek 8 – offers a differential option, with less than 1% ownership.

A double-up on the Man City midfield looks viable, with Raheem Sterling’s goal threat and David Silva’s creativity making a very persuasive case.

Yet having been benched for the last two in all competitions, Sergio Aguero is my top forward pick – he looks likely to earn a recall as he goes in search of their all-time scoring record at home to Burnley.

Elsewhere, Stoke’s Eric Choupo-Moting and Swansea striker Tammy Abraham boast strong home fixtures and will both set you back under 6.0.

Choupo-Moting has fired more shots inside the box than any midfielder at home ahead of a visit from Bournemouth. He’s already bagged a brace against Man United at the bet365.

And Abraham has served up 21 points in his last two at the Liberty, courtesy of three goals and six bonus. The youngster has played a part in 80% of his side’s goals and hosts a Leicester City side in freefall and disrupted by the sacking of Craig Shakespeare.

Jonty says…

A key factor in our heavy defeat to Gameweek 8 community champion Mine n Tatties was our hesitation in investing in Manchester City attackers ahead of their 7-2 hammering of Stoke at the Etihad. While he went for three – Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus – we cautiously only opted for the England winger.

I advocated doubling up on the City midfield last week with both David Silva and Sterling, and I’m doing the same again this time around. Following early substitutions against Napoli in the Champions League, this pair look among the surest starters and racked up a total of 22 points last week alone.

I’m not stopping there though in my adoration of Guardiola’s troops, as I’d also like to see Gabriel Jesus, who has scored six in the league, involved. For me, he still looks a better bet for a start over Sergio Aguero, who has been recovering from a rib injury and was an unused substitute for City’s last two games.

There should be enough in the bank to afford this attacking City trio should I win the argument that Harry Kane can be swerved for Liverpool’s visit.

The Spurs striker has yet to score in the league at Wembley, with team after team managing to shackle him on its expansive surface. Will Jurgen Klopp bring a Kane-halting bus, to follow the lead of Swansea, Burnley and Bournemouth?

The German certainly has bus driving form, with the London side failing to score more than one goal in any of their five Liverpool clashes since he took charge in October 2015.

If any Spurs player is likely to break down the Reds resistance, it is more likely to be another of my midfield picks, Christian Eriksen, whose guile in the final third ensured he got the better of the Cherries’ defensive resolve at the weekend.

I’m also backing Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata to earn his fourth double-digit haul when Watford drop by Stamford Bridge. He looks a far better prospect than Kane this week, and substantially cheaper, too.

Elsewhere, Swansea’s Tammy Abraham, who earned 13 points last week, is among my top value picks, particularly as Liberty Stadium visitors, manager-less Leicester, have only claimed one shut-out in their last four.

Another budget selection I’d like to see in our final XI is Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, who travels to a Newcastle side that last kept a clean sheet in Gameweek 4.

Peter says…

At the time of writing, a lack of cast-iron insight on FPL’s top performing asset – Sergio Aguero – means that we have to speculate even more than usual.

City, of course, continue to dominate everyone’s thoughts, with that 7-2 pummelling of Stoke fresh in our minds as a very open Burnley side, missing its first choice keeper, rolls up at the Etihad. Only Pep dictates his players’ game-time, so I am in no position to criticise anyone’s speculations or choices for City players, just so long as our squads are maxed out on Sky Blues. I’ve gone for Sterling and Jesus once again and resisted the powerful temptation to triple up on their attack by slotting Nicolas Otamendi in.

The other half of Manchester also looks likely to get back on the scoring trail against a struggling Huddersfield Town side with just one goal from their last six games. I love a defensive double up, so David De Gea and Phil Jones join Romelu Lukaku as Manchester devours my notional budget.

The team which struggles to score at home (three goals in four games) takes on the team which can’t keep a clean sheet away from home (eleven goals conceded in four games) when Spurs host Liverpool on Sunday. The only time my loyalties strayed from Harry Kane he paid me back with a brace, so this time I am backing him, the in-form Christian Eriksen and the Reds’ Mohamed Salah to profit from a high-scoring game at Wembley.

Elsewhere, Newcastle looked a shoo-in at home to Crystal Palace before the Eagles’ rose up against Chelsea last weekend to claim their first win. This is a tough one to call, but two mid-price midfielders could well get among the points in the form of Matt Ritchie and the talismanic Wilfried Zaha.

In truth, that means I need to scour some of the less fashionable teams in order to afford such a rich spine, and I’ll be forced to go into hiding when Chelsea host Watford in the lunchtime kick-off on Saturday.

Mark Says…

The headline news is that I’m backing Aguero.

I love to speculate and theorise and, unlike some who see Guardiola’s decision to keep Aguero benched in the last two as indication of a new pecking order, I see it as the City boss keeping the striker under wraps specifically for Burnley’s visit.

Aguero needs a single goal to break the club’s scoring record. Guardiola has previously stated that he wants to celebrate such an event and he’ll surely want the goal to arrive the Etihad.

With City sharing the goal pie all season, I see Aguero starting with the star-studded supporting cast determined to hand the Argentine the opportunity to reach his milestone.

Elsewhere Raheem Sterling and David Silva are in the mix, though I’ve strategically promoted Stoke City’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting up my ranks in order to reinforce his Scout Picks credentials. I like his home form and Bournemouth, as we’ve seen, can prove obliging opponents. Unless you’re Spurs at Wembley, of course.

The Community Champion

Representing the Community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek will be Oddjobleff, who is in his fifth campaign, with last season’s impressive finish of 398 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).

Gameweek 8’s champion Mince n Tatties, beat the Scouts 56 to 39, however, the champion to beat remains Gregor, who achieved victory over the Scouts by a 33-point margin in Gameweek 5.