Scout Notes

Scout Notes – Salah Delivers Goals and Late Scare

A brace from the seemingly unstoppable Mohamed Salah is then marred by an injury setback, while Chelsea’s two big guns conspire to miss out on the Blues’ predictable five-goal rout of Stoke.

Salah ensured that most Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers’ Gameweek 21 started strongly as he fired home his 16th and 17th goals of a prodigious season for Liverpool.

But the 59.7%-owned Egyptian then created an early headache for their Gameweek 22 plans by limping off after 82 minutes of his side’s 2-1 win over Leicester City.

Coach Jurgen Klopp’s post-match assessment of the situation was, by its very nature, an early one, but any potential problem will not be helped by the two-day turnaround between fixtures.

“I don’t know in this moment exactly [what it is], but he was limping. That’s never a good sign, to be honest. We have to see what his problem was.”

Salah was the most popular captain of the Gameweek, with 1,137000+ (20.3%) handing him the armband (including 37 of the top 100 managers), and they were rewarded with 14 points from his goals and two bonus.

Any hopes of a maximum award in the Bonus Points System (BPS) were thwarted by the midfielder missing three big chances.

Instead, the other player to find the net on the day, Leicester’s Jamie Vardy, picked up the three points after opening the scoring from a Riyad Mahrez assist.

Salah has now produced returns in 12 of the last 13 Gameweeks and his 14 points today took him to 8.0 points per match – no player with more than one start can better that.

Both Klopp and nearly 60% of FPL managers will hope that he receives a positive assessment ahead of Gameweek 22’s trip to Burnley on New Year’s Day.

Rare blanks in attack and defence

A whopping 402,392 managers made Roberto Firmino the most purchased player of the Gameweek, with team-mate Philippe Coutinho also in the top six for transfers-in with 158,000+ new managers of his own.

The pair responded with less than timely blanks – their first since Gameweek 17 – and the fact that Firmino played the full match and Coutinho 88 minutes suggests both might be in line for a rest at Turf Moor.

That scenario might be compromised by Salah’s knock, however.

Local media have also previously reported that Salah and Sadio Mane, who provided an assist against Leicester, are to be allowed to attend the African Player of the Year awards in Ghana on Thursday.

This would more than likely rule them out of starting Friday’s FA Cup third round tie against Everton. As a result, the pair would probably have played at least some part in Monday’s match at Burnley.

Should Salah be sidelined, at least one of Firmino and Coutinho could now be in action against the Clarets.

Elsewhere for Liverpool, the defence conceded just a fourth goal in 11 matches at Anfield.

Rotation in Klopp’s backline was still in evidence, with Dejan Lovren and Joe Gomez recalled for Ragnar Klavan and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

New signing Virgil Van Dijk will not be available at Burnley, so his expected partnership at centre-back with Joel Matip remains on ice for now.

Instead, Klavan, who had started the previous five matches, could be in line for recall at the expense of Lovren.

Stars don’t shine for Chelsea

More than 178,000 managers reacted to Tottenham’s blank Gameweek 21 by replacing Harry Kane with Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata – the most popular swap going into the weekend.

The Spaniard was also the third most bought player overall, with 303,000+ hoping the forward would make hay against a Stoke City side severely weakened by injuries and rotation.

But Morata fluffed his lines, missing two one-on-ones and bringing in just two points for the 403,000+ (7.2%) who captained him.

To add insult to injury, he was subbed off on 70 minutes, only for Chelsea to win a penalty three minutes later – a spot-kick Morata would most likely have taken.

Willian earned the penalty and converted it. He also provided two assists and gained maximum bonus in a stellar 17-point display.

But the 6.9%-owned Brazilian remains differential material only, albeit one who has started four of the last five matches, unless coach Antonio Conte sticks with the 3-4-3 formation used today instead of his preferred 3-4-1-1 system in which Morata is supported by Eden Hazard.

The Belgian midfielder spent the Stoke match on the bench to cap an underwhelming six-Gameweek stretch from which he’s produced just a single assist.

That drop-off in form has persuaded 200,000+ managers to sell him on over the last three Gameweeks, with 87,000 acting ahead of this morning’s deadline.

But both Hazard and Morata will be expected to start at Arsenal on Wednesday. The former has struggled as a false nine in the absence of the Spaniard, ensuring that Morata remains Chelsea’s primary forward option with Michy Batshuayi clearly not trusted by Conte.

All of that is unlikely to stall sales in both players, however, with Hazard top and Morata third for Gameweek 22 transfers-out.

Predictably, many are swapping the forward back out for Kane.

Happier times at the back

Owning Chelsea defenders proved to be a rather more profitable exercise – with one notable exception.

The 5.2% of managers with Andreas Christensen in their squads would have been delighted to hear their man had recovered from the illness that kept him out of the 2-0 win over Brighton, but less happy when the young Dane was named only on the bench today.

FPL stalwarts Marcos Alonso, who was signed by 178,000 this week, and Cesar Azpilicueta played and recorded their tenth clean sheets of the season, while Antonio Rudiger added a goal and two bonus for a bumper 14-point haul.

Not that it was all wine and roses as the unfortunate 1.3% who own Victor Moses saw the wing-back subbed four minutes before he would have earned clean sheet points, with the fact that his replacement, Davide Zappacosta, then scored Chelsea’s fifth goal putting the tin lid on their luckless day.

5,384 Comments Post a Comment
  1. the snazzy viking
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Will the most transferred in curse hit Kane? 😛

    1. _figu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      fitting top post.

  2. Donny_Rover
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Shocking week so I’ve panicked and pushed the WC button already in the hope of having a big double Gameweek...

    Currently got:

    Lloris - Begovic
    Alonso - Otamendi - Gomez - Cresswell - Long
    Salah - Sterling - Son - Arnautovic - RLC
    Kane - Firmino - DCL

    Have £1.4m in the bank but earmarking £0.8m of that on Gomez to VVD, but want rid of DCL - any thoughts on a replacement for £6.1m or less? Or any other changes to make?

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      lol

    2. Kermit Special
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Oh my....

    3. Powell
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Blimey

    4. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Downgrade Cresswell to save money.
      I'm going CWilson in my WCT.
      Begovic??????
      RLC???

    5. Rocky FPL
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Ayew

  3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Should Utd just bite the bullet & get Poch, Kane & Toby from Spurs over the summer. £200m should get them, they would be well worth it.

    1. Sepp Blattered
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Definitely more than that lol

    2. Les Bleus
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Kane would be 200m on his own.

    3. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      No, because every new manager claim they must spend £500m to put their mark on the squad.

    4. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Nope. Get Bale and Mahrez IMO.

      1. bench boost for every gamew…
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Mourinho and Mahrez would not get along... nor any player of that calibre, Mourinho destroys them.

    5. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Kane alone is worth 200m 😯

    6. Rash
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I think it'd take 200 just for Kane imho

    7. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      they will cost considerably higher than 200m, Kane alone is 200-)

      Probem is deeper than just players i think

    8. El Lobito 10
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Yes they should.

  4. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Alright so I was one of the fools bringing in Morata and making him (C), and I was sure I would do Morata -> back to Kane, but if Salah turns out to be injured with Liverpool having Burnley and City in the next 2 maybe I should keep Morata and do Firmino -> Kane and transfer Salah out (if injured). I can easily get Salah and/or Firmino back for Swansea.

    Would leave me with this team - what do you think?

    Courtois
    Otamendi, Jones, Vertonghen, Masuaku
    Sterling, Son, Hazard, Lingard
    Morata, Kane

    (Speroni, Lascelles, Atsu, DCL)

    1. Rash
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Don't ditch salah unless long term injury

      1. Salarrivederci
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        But if he is out against Burnley I don't mind not owning him against City

        1. bench boost for every gamew…
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          he is captain material vs City so why get rid? And everyone else have him so that means everyone has the same problem if he is out. Make sure you have a decent bench and this will sort it self out.

  5. El Lobito 10
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Does nobody think there is a decent chance Llorente starts versus his old club? If he does, he will score.

    1. The Orienteer - find me in …
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Yes and yes!

    2. Numb
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah, quite possibly

    3. Ibracadabra
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      If Swansea didn't have a new manager and didn't win, I think Poch would be tempted, but it's good news for Kane owners that SWA found some form as it may not seem as easy a fixture to Poch...

    4. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Take out your life savings and place an anytime scorer bet on him. If he doesn't start, you'll get your money back. If he does start, he will score (apparently) so you can't lose.

    5. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Could happen and that’s one reason I am getting Alli and Son to add to Kane

    6. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Kane or Son up top.

      1. El Lobito 10
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        I think he starts and Kane will be back to score as he usually does versus West Ham.

  6. ooooo
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    A) Rich + Haz to Alli + Son
    B) Rich + Haz + Jones to Arnautovic + Alli + Vertonghen(-4)

    Which one?

    1. 824545201
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Do B but get Son and upgrade a cheap defender to Vert. I did Hazard, Kenny to Son, Vert. Jones is FPL gold.

      1. ooooo
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Have DDG as well though

  7. Ibracadabra
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Was all set on Courtois, Hazard and Stephens (4.5mid) -> Adrian + 2 Spurs mids as have 2 FT but Lukaku's injury forcing a re-think...

    Anyone else w Romelu now keeping Hazard due to Lukaku injury?

  8. Maddi Son
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Has there been any updates on Kane's illness since yesterday?

  9. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Do you expect Adrián to play both week 22 games ?

    1. Numb
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I don't

      1. Ibracadabra
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Why not? He has replaced Hart as no1. If he keeps a clean sheet vs West Brom he will def play both in my opinion.

    2. Les Bleus
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      As long as he plays for the first, I don’t really care about whether he starts the Spurs game to be honest.

    3. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Why risk playing Hart!?!?

  10. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Gone from 1.3m to 490k in 4 weeks.

    Getting capt pick right makes a huge difference 😉

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Yep.

    2. Sepp Blattered
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Hello Michael Owen.

    3. finnur89
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Well done! did 1,3m to 620k 😉

  11. frenchfries
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Son or Alli?

    1. Les Bleus
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Son

    2. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Sally

    3. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I wanted Alli but was .2 short

  12. Blanka
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Used my two free transfers with Hazard > Son
    Richarlison > Arnie.

    Now contemplating if RLC to Lanzini is worth a - 4.

    Thoughts?

    1. Blanka
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Or even Courtois > Lloris?

    2. Donhush
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Definitely worth it.

    3. william prunier
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      run the risk of spreading your cash to evenly

    4. 824545201
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Cheap defender to Vertonghen?

      1. Blanka
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Is Courtois to Lloris more guaranteed minutes tho?

        I'm activating my wildcard following week I think.

  13. Mackans
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    CHOOSE ONE alternative:

    A: Hazard, RLC & DCL -> Alli, Arnie & Quaner
    B: Hazard & RLC -> Son & Arnie

    1. Pras (FPL)
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      B if you are going to bench DCL anyway

      1. Donhush
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        This

  14. HairlessGrealish
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Adrian
    Alonso-Jones-Otamendi-Dann
    Alli-Sterling-Salah-Son-Arnautovic
    Kane

    (Elliot,DCL,Quaner,Naughton)

    Looks good for DGW and longterm?

  15. Powell
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Where’s the love for Alli? He gets three 15+ hauls in a row this time of the year. Everyone knows that.

    1. Rash
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I can him or go with son and Arnie.. with hazard and richarlison making way..bit of a dilemma

    2. the axolotl
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      think i'll jump in for 2 of those and probably sell before his 3rd

  16. soup natsi
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Ooh just realised this monster move is possible:

    Adrian, Son, Arnie, Sane, Kane, Rashford in
    Fabi, Gundogan, RLC, Hazard, Lukaku, Morata out

    1. soup natsi
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      For as little as -16

      1. Powell
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        If you’re doing -16, you may as well do -28

        1. soup natsi
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          All I need is more encouragement

    2. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Take out Sane and Rashford and it looks a little more intriguing

    3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I would feel sad if I looked at my team & saw rashford, Adrian, son & arnautovic in it. I would literally think to myself "what have I done" 🙁

  17. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    For Monday play one of:

    A) Bellerin(CHE)
    B) Jones(eve)
    C) Robertson(bur)

    1. Donhush
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      B

      1. Donhush
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        C also

        1. FPL Blow-In
          • 11 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Can’t play 2 already playing Otamendi and Masauku.

    2. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      c as Burnley won´t score vs LIverpool and Robertson wil lget assist soon, but long term problem there when Moreno is back.

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Why don’t you think Burnley will score?

        1. bench boost for every gamew…
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Burnley will struggle to even have the ball, and Liverpool are far better defensively than people give them credit for. Especially against weaker teams. Burnley seems depleted and tired, Liverpool looks fresh and ready to go. Burnley score few in general. I think a repetetion of Spurs maul is on the cards. 0-2 or 0-3.

  18. william prunier
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    point 1......How's this for a -4
    Kabasele, Pogba & Morata to....Vertonghen, Son & Kane???
    Thinking Son can become DSilva when he is over his personal problem.

    point 2.....Is the sacrifice of Agbonna over Vertonghen worth the Son upgrade to Alli/Eriksen???

  19. rdamjan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Hits galore. Opinion

    Fabianski, Richarlison, Pogba, Hazard ---> Adrian, Arnautovic, Dele, Eriksen -8

  20. Geezer
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Play Duffy, or get Ogbonna for Daniels for a -4?

    1. Geezer
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Duffy is at home against Bournemouth

    2. william prunier
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      take the hit

      1. Geezer
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers

    3. Donhush
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      I'd play Duffy. Only Westham defender worth taking a hit for is Adrian for save points

      1. Geezer
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers

    4. _figu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Play Duffy

  21. PDM TOP 1,000 any Season Le…
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    For the upcoming DGW
    Which spurs midfielder Son/Alli/Eriksen will play both matches and maybe score double digits.?
    Planning on maybe taking a hit for Hazard!

    1. XabiAlonso
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      The million dollar question

      1. PDM TOP 1,000 any Season Le…
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Fair comment....

  22. Heavy Data
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    captain harry or eriksen?

    1. william prunier
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      harry

    2. Donhush
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Seriously?

  23. I Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Foster
    Otamendi, Christensen, Jones, Masuaku
    De Bruyne, Salah, Sterling, Richarlison
    Kane, Morata

    Elliot; Loftus-Cheek, Calvert-Lewin, Mee.

    2 FT 0.4 ITB

    A) De Bruyne + Loftus-Cheek -> Son + Arnautovic
    B) Morata + Loftus-Cheek + Richarlison -> Quaner + Son + Arnautovic (-4)

    A is for free but I'd much rather keep KDB for WAT than Morata for ars, plus B leaves money in the bank to upgrade Christensen to Alonso later.

  24. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    In last 10 gmwks my OR went from 1.900.000 to 77 k,its my second year,is this great jump or normal?

    1. PDM TOP 1,000 any Season Le…
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Just decent rewards for decent tranfers/(c) choices Well Done.

      1. CRO KLOPP
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers

    2. _figu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Well done. I had a similar run from 1m to 28k earlier this season. Been struggling since.

      1. CRO KLOPP
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        One question please,can you somehow know if your opponent activated WC
        Cheers

    3. BROOKLYN GOONER
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      That's an extremely great jump. Possible, but definitely not normal.

      1. CRO KLOPP
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers,will try to improve it

  25. Rik Waller
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Spurs next 3 fixtures:
    2/01 Swansea
    4/01 West ham
    7/01 Wimbledon

    Surely Eriksen, Alli and Son will be rested for the cup game, not the prem matches.

    1. william prunier
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      yup

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Lamela is fit though so they could be rotated in the PL also. Two games in 3days is tough.

  26. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    ur thoughts
    vertonghen or davinson
    arnie or lanzini
    alli or son or eriksen

    1. william prunier
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      vert
      arnie
      alli

    2. Donhush
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      Very
      Arnie
      Son

      1. Donhush
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Vert*

  27. thunder_mike
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Advice appreciated.

    A) Haz, RLC > Alli, Arnautovic (-4) B) Haz, RLC, Jones > Son, Arnautovic, Vertoghen (-8)
    C) Haz, RLC, Elliot > Alli, Arnautovic, Adrian (-8)
    D) Haz, Richarlison > Alli, Eriksen (-4)

    Pope Elliot
    Alonso Jones Duffy Chilwell Masuaka
    Salah Sterling Hazard Richarlison RLC
    Kane Depoitre Firmino

  28. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Speroni ➡ Adrian
    DDG ➡ lloris??

    Have Hazard cash and fts.

    Hazard ➡ Son
    Richarlson ➡ Arnautovic the 2fts I'm considering.

  29. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Pope
    Otamendi - Jones - Ogbonna
    Hazard - Salah - Coutinho - Sterling - Pogba
    Kane - Depoitre
    (Elliot,Kenny,DCL,Mbemba)

    Haz and Pogba to Son and Arnie tonight?
    Leaves funds to do Depoitre to Firmino for -4 or wait till next week?

  30. _figu
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Haz Rich -> Allison or Arnieson