Scout Notes

Scout Notes – Resurgent Wilson Sinks Arsenal

A star turn from an in-form striker makes history for Bournemouth as Arsenal’s defensive fragility is exposed once again.

Callum Wilson helped Bournemouth to their first ever Premier League win over the Gunners and boosted his increasingly strong claims to be our third forward for good measure.

The striker hit the equaliser and then set up Jordon Ibe’s winner, grabbing maximum bonus for a 12-point return.

Injury kept Wilson out of the team until Gameweek 10 and he then scored in just one match, although that did involve a hat-trick against Huddersfield, up to Gameweek 19.

But his current form has been well worth the wait for his 2.4% ownership, with strikes in three of the last four fixtures.

Priced at 5.7 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Wilson has the form and some favourable fixtures (whu che STK hud NEW lei) to be a strong third striker candidate.

He’s certainly got the attacking numbers to back up his claims. Only Harry Kane can better him for goals (five to three), shots (22 v 15), efforts in the box (14 v 12) and attempts on target (12 to eight) over the last four Gameweeks.

Ibe has also been producing the figures – as we detailed in yesterday’s Spot The Differential article – to warrant interest and he duly obliged with a first ever league goal for the Cherries.

He’s had more shots (19) and efforts on target (nine) than any other midfielder in the last four Gameweeks, while only four have bettered his 11 key passes.

Ibe thrived alongside Ryan Fraser, who provided the other assist, in a central support role in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

His 4.8 price and 0.4% ownership mark him out as a budget differential in a side showing some serious attacking intent – Bournemouth continue to rank top for shots inside the box over the last four Gameweeks.

Bellerin boost for owners

Just one Arsenal player, Hector Bellerin (12.6%), is currently enjoying double-figure ownership in FPL and he delivered in an otherwise dismal display from the Gunners.

Having failed to score in the first 21 Gameweeks of the season, the Spaniard has now netted back-to-back goals, with the assist today coming from Alex Iwobi.

Bellerin is finally starting to translate attacking statistics into points – among defenders, only Marcos Alonso has bettered his 24 shots so far this season.

Defensively, however, it’s another matter for him and his team-mates.

Arsenal’s nine clean sheets this season is bettered by just five teams, but they’ve now gone five matches without a shut-out and have kept only three in the last ten.

Injuries to key personnel such as Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal haven’t helped, although Sead Kolasinac was fit enough to return to the squad today.

However, the summer signing was consigned to bench-warming duties as Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ continued at left wing-back at the Vitality Stadium.

Mesut Ozil’s knee injury seemingly kept him out, while Alexis Sanchez was omitted from the starting XI and edges ever closer to the Emirates exit. However, Arsenal’s attacking depth was at least boosted by the return of Aaron Ramsey, who was handed 16 minutes from the bench after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The Welsh international averaged 5.4 points per match prior to that problem and he will now be pushing for a return to the starting XI, particularly with the Sanchez saga finally nearing its end.

Arsene Wenger had this to say on the Chilean’s situation post-match

“He’s [Sanchez] in a mode where he doesn’t know what’s happening to him. That’s why I decided to leave him out, because he could have moved today, or not. I didn’t want to come down with him here travelling away from the team.”

The 2-1 defeat today made it just one win in five for Arsenal, yet their attack has ticked over, scoring 10 times.

And their medium-term schedule remains one of the kindest – the Gunners play just three of the top eight over the next 12 fixtures, facing Spurs in Gameweek 27, Man City the week after and Leicester City in Gameweek 31.

4,816 Comments Post a Comment
  1. A19
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 2 months ago

    Hi guys, thoughts on this lot:

    Foster
    Alonso Ota Jones
    Salah Sterling Son Arnie Lingard
    Kane Firmino

    Elliot Mee Ogbonna Crouch
    1ft 0.6itb

    As I don’t have any obvious issues should I use my transfer to change my gk? WBA have awful fixtures coming up..
    if so Foster to who?
    A) Pickford
    B) Pope
    C) Lossl
    D) Adrian

    Cheers!

    1. MTPockets
        6 years, 2 months ago

        If Elliot's not starting, isn't he the priority to sell.

      • Kolarov Fpl Legend
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        I'm in the same situation but with Pope...he doesn't bring the points lately and doesn't have good fixtures so i'm selling for Pickford.
        Elliot is my second but he can be perma benched.

    2. Hardly Athletic
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 2 months ago

      2FT and 0.0ITB

      Foster - Elliot
      Alonso - Otamendi - Duffy - Robertson - Ogbonna
      Salah - Sterling - Son - Richarlison - RLC
      Kane - Aguero - DCL

      Aguero + Richarlison > Wilson + Sane then do DCL > Firmino next week?

      1. Hardly Athletic
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Could do it now for -4.

      2. Hardly Athletic
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 2 months ago

        Think I got concussed there. Can't believe I was willing to take out Aguero for a hit! 😀

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

          If you have him you have to keep with those fixtures

      3. MTPockets
          6 years, 2 months ago

          I'd rather have Sane/Firmino than Rich/Aguero if that's what you mean?

          1. Hardly Athletic
            • 14 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Yes. I would need to do DLC > Wilson to make it happen though.

            1. MTPockets
                6 years, 2 months ago

                If happy to play Wilson, guess could downgrade Rich instead. Otherwise as you say a hit is involved (and moves without the DCL > Firmino part don't appeal to me)

        • FPL Virgin
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Mkhi an option again at £7.6m?

          Arsenal are keen on the idea of signing Manchester United's 28-year-old Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan as part of any deal that would take Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, 29, to the Old Trafford club from the Gunners. (Guardian)

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

            Oh yeah!

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

            Not until he gets some form. No confidence

          3. Collie01
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Mkihi is 28, thought he was younger for some reason.

            He isn't a top 6 club player imo. Overachieved for a month or 2 at start of the season but has mostly been poor.

        • Team Cruel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          England starting XI based on current form?

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

            The Burnley lineup plus Kane

            1. FPL Maldini
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Kane
              Alli
              Sterling
              Wilshere
              Dier
              Hendo
              Rose
              Maguire
              Jones
              Walker
              Pickford

              1. Collie01
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 6 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Henderson hasnt been playing recently. Dont see why he is a lock in so many peoples teams.

                Admittedly there isnt a huge depth of options at CM

          2. Total Foot 5 - romario 11
            • 10 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Vardy - Kane - sterling
            Alli - lingard
            Dier
            Burnley defence

          3. noquarternt
            • 8 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Pickford
            Walker Jones Stones Cahill Rose
            Dier
            Sterling Alli Lingard
            Kane

            What I’d go for

        • Tazah
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          get rid of zaha (more involved) or rich (better fix)

        • Bøwstring The Carp
          • 12 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          #17 Overall Rank 😎

          #1 on FFS league 😎

          Future champ in progress 😉

          1. Wild Rover
            • 13 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Epic, good luck 🙂

          2. wulfrunian
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Congrats!

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

            Go clean on mate

          4. Mr. Jenkins
            • 9 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Grats

          5. Patch
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Stalker Mode Activated!

            Can you have a peek at this (nothing dodgy):

            http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2018/01/14/scout-notes-resurgent-wilson-sinks-arsenal/?hc_page=19#hc_comment_17481135

            1. Bøwstring The Carp
              • 12 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              I don't like early transfers, not with games to go midweek.

              Especially when it's the cup - cards potentially impacting the weekend matches.

              So I would hold off and eat the drop if possible, unless it prices you out of the move you want

          6. BERGKOP
            • 12 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Massive. Well done. Best of luck to bring it home strong!

          7. alittlebitoffunman
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            nice, good luck man...! hey guys, how do I join the FFS league...? didnt know there was one... :p

        • bitars
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Is this team worth a wildcard?

          Courtois, Speroni*

          Maguire, Otamendi, Jones, Schindler, Kenny*

          Sterling, Arnie, RLC*, Zaha*, Eriksen*

          Kane, Ayew, Morata*

          1ft, 2,8 itb

          I am very tempted to hit the wildcard to change:

          Speroni-Foster, Because Foster has god games when Courtois has not.
          Kenny-Bellerin, For better defence and maybe som extra points
          Eriksen-Son, Who is cheaper and play further up in the pitch
          Zaha-Salah, Ovious reasons.Why did i let Salah go in the first place?
          RLC-Carrol, To save some money and have a player who always play.
          Morata-Firmino, Beacause Morata is totally crap!

          Make sense, right?

          Or should i save the wildcard for worse days and only get rid of shitty Morata for Firmino or Aguero. I want to bring back Salah so bad. Cheers!

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

            Wildcard will be so valuable the week before a big DGW (then benchboost in DGW)

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

              Yeah i know, but i still have the free hit for double game week and i don't wanna change the whole team just for a DGW, then what?

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

            Definitely don’t wildcard

          3. alittlebitoffunman
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            maybe get Son and/or Salah in (uve got money itb, maybe sell arnie, rlc)...! and either u sell morata (what fixtures has he got coming up...?) for a cheaper option in order to get them (and play 5 in midfield, maybe...?), or sell him for firmino and play him up front as well, with son or salah behind...? with ur oney itb, u can get son for rlc or arnie, no...?

        • Thinkering like a Boss
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Morata, Vertonghen > Aguero + Danilo. Have exact fund! Yay or Nay?

        • MarkoSD
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          vertonghen and morata to alonso and firmino, no brainer?

          or maybe

          vertonghen, morata and rlc to alonso, pogba and wilson?

          1. Thinkering like a Boss
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Or like me, Vertonghen, Morata > Aguero, Danilo?

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

          Bottomed

          Aguero + Sane or KDB + Firmino?

          1. Thinkering like a Boss
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            KdB + Firmino

        • Jimjam
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Pope, Elliot
          Otamendi, Jones, Mustafi, Schindler, Ogbonna
          Salah, Sterling, Son, Arnautovic, Richarlison
          Kane, Calvert-Lewin, Quaner

          A) Schindler —> Alonso (4-5-1)
          B) Calvert-Lewin —> Firmino (3-5-2).

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

            B

        • Lionel Ronaldo
          • 8 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Evening, chaps. Thoughts on this?

          Christensen/Hazard/Calvert ---> Alonso/Albrighton/Firmino [-4]

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

            I like this. Alonso is near essential imo

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

            Yup

        • Rinseboy
          • 12 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          who scores more this gameweek Alli or Lanzini?!

        • TerryVenables
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Tough one, any advice on these options?
          (A) Aguero + Richarlison
          (B) Firmino + Sterling (-4)

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

            B

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

            B

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

            B

        • bitm2007
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          A) Arnie and Kun

          or

          B) Sterling and Firmino

          1. Volley127
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            B

        • Gastar
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Good evening all! Team is as follows:

          -------------------------| de Gea |--------------------
          ------------| Alonso | Otamendi | Christensen |-------
          ---| Lingard | Salah | Sterling | Sane | Richarlison |---
          ----------------------| Kane | DCL |------------------------

          Subs: | Pereira | Quaner | Kenny | Rangel |

          £3.0M itb and 1FT

          1) DCL --> Tosun
          2) Sane + DCL --> Arnie + Firmino (-4)
          3) Sane + DCL --> Milivojevic + Aguero
          4) Something else??

          Thanks!

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

            DCL to Wilson?

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

              Didn't consider Wilson.. Thanks!

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

            Very nice team but do you need 5 big midfielders?
            I would have downgrade the midfield for a striker but would keep Sane. Maybe if you Change Richarlison to Tom Carrol at 4.3 you have founds for Firmino or Vardy?

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

              Thanks - a Richarlison downgrade would free up an extra £2 and may allow the upgrade to Firmino.. One to consider!

        • George James
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          Best mid up to 5m? Won’t need to play every week.

          A) Young

          B) Mili

          C) Ibe

          D) Sako

          E) someone else??

        • arndff_
          • 12 Years
          6 years, 2 months ago

          a) Christensen, Hazard > Alonso, Mahrez for -8pts
          b) Save
          c) Other

          DDG (Elliot)
          Ota Christensen Ogbonna (Dunk Long)
          Hazard Salah Sterling Arnie Lingard
          Kane Firmino (Quaner)

          1. MTPockets
              6 years, 2 months ago

              b

            • Lionel Ronaldo
              • 8 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              In a similar situation. Could do one of the following:

              - Christensen/Hazard/Calvert ---> Alonso/Albrighton/Firmino [-4]
              - Christensen/Hazard/Son/Calvert ---> Alonso/Mahrez/5.7MID/Firmino [-8]

            • George James
              • 9 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Haz >> KDB?

          2. jose1
            • 9 Years
            6 years, 2 months ago

            Alli > Albrighton
            Firmino > Aguero

            For a -4?

            1. MTPockets
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Not for me

              • slamdunk
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Alli and firm combination outscore them 2 imo

              • Schwarzer
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                No way

            2. Uncle Avram
              • 8 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Right chaps which one

              A) DDG
              Jones/Alonso/Christense/VVD(Masuaku)
              Salah/Sterling/Arnie/Lingard/(RLC)
              Kane/Aguero/(Niasse)

              0.0 itb

              B) Courtois
              Jones/Alonso/Masuaku/(Edwards)/(Mbemba)
              Salah/Sterling/Arnie/Lingard/Son
              Kane/Aguero(Mcburnie)

              0.0 itb

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

              A question to those managers in the top 10k. The top teams seem to have many players in common.
              Most likely at least 7 or 8 from:
              DDG, Pope
              Alonso, Christensen, Otamendi, Jones
              Salah, Sterling, Hazard, Lingard, Arnautovic, Son
              Kane, Firminho

              What strategy do you intend to employ as the back end of the season starts ? The conservative approach being to stick with the common players and hope to maintain your rank or be more aggressive and include a lot more differential options. Would you be satisfied with your current rank if the season ended today ?

              1. TorresMagic™
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 14 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Play each GW as it comes.
                Given most will have 3 or 4 chips left and are likely to play the blanks/DGWs better than the average top 10Ker, current rank at seasons end would be a fail unless ultra high.

              2. Bøwstring The Carp
                • 12 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Right now, I'm carrying RLC and Quaner which stops me from playing any 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 right now.

                Gotta play 4-4-2 at the minute. Hoping that after Spurs play Southampton, I can ditch Son and RLC for Lingard and someone like Shaqiri/ Chopou-Moting for a few weeks.

                Then when the DGW fixtures reveal themselves, I can line up a WC move for down the line.

                Personally, I don't like to think that far ahead. Too many factors constantly changing in FPL. Best to just navigate the path as it unfolds before you rather than overthinking and making plans.

            4. Badger Badger Mushroom Mush…
              • 7 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              I feel really really daft.

              Last night I did DCL to Ayew, thinking it was a solid transfer.

              Just noticed I could’ve gone Alli to 4.5 fodder, gone back to 343 and had a front line of Aguero, Kane and Firmino.

              What a pleb.

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

                That would be my dream...can't afford.it at all

                1. Badger Badger Mushroom Mush…
                  • 7 Years
                  6 years, 2 months ago

                  I have 106.0 SV, but no Alonso. I can afford that with decent mid and defence.

                  Gutted I missed out on the opportunity.

                  Not sure if it’s worth doing it now for -8.

                  1. Collie01
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 6 Years
                    6 years, 2 months ago

                    106 SV?

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

                      no team linked so who knows

                      1. Badger Badger Mushroom Mush…
                        • 7 Years
                        6 years, 2 months ago

                        Sorry, meant TV.

                    2. Badger Badger Mushroom Mush…
                      • 7 Years
                      6 years, 2 months ago

                      I wish! Typo. Meant TV.

              2. HashAttack
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Ayew's scored a few against Liverpool ..

                1. Badger Badger Mushroom Mush…
                  • 7 Years
                  6 years, 2 months ago

                  He’s a bench fodder

            5. hurrrrr
              • 10 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              What to do with this team?

              Pretty happy with it but 0.7m in the bank which seems wasted.

              Pope - Adrian
              Alonso - Jones - Kenny - Hegazi - Chilwell
              Salah - Sterling - KDB - Arnie - Richarlison
              Firmino - Kane - Quaner

              Guessing I could upgrade Richarlison but don’t really see any viable replacement at 6.9m or lower.

              1. @FPL_liverbird (liverpoolfa…
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                If you could get another big defender some how your team would be exactly how Id want it

                1. hurrrrr
                  • 10 Years
                  6 years, 2 months ago

                  Yeah could do Chilwell -> Danilo if Delph’s injury is serious, but pretty happy with my current budget options - rotate really well.

            6. Dr Dream
              • 11 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Quite fantastic to see three great attacking teams this week from the "top six"....Liverpool, City and Spurs really are top drawer stuff on that front. The other three, Chelsea, United and Arsenal definitely behind them now...

              1. 1314
                • 9 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                irony is the latter three have all won something in the recent past while the former three bar City have won nothing, even though being great offensively..

            7. @FPL_liverbird (liverpoolfa…
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 7 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Think the end of the 1 up top is close:

              Eriksen > Ibe
              DCL > Firmino -4
              +1.2m ITB

            8. Obi Wan Ken Obi Nil
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 6 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Son at southampton.. what do we reckon? Stick or out for Mahrez (Wat @ Home)?

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

                Keep

            9. Schwarzer
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 14 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Which would you rather do? I have 2 FTs.

              A) Morata > Aguero &
              Eriksen > Mahrez

              OR
              B) Morata > Aguero &
              Kabasele > Alonso
              Erisen > 5.8
              (-4)

              1. Obi Wan Ken Obi Nil
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 6 Years
                6 years, 2 months ago

                Do you have Firm?

                If not, could do Morata -> Firm and Eriksen -> Mahrez

                Otherwise, I'd go with B. Alonso I think will give good returns next few weeks

            10. IL Fantasista
              • 11 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              A:
              Morata --> Firmino
              Son --> KDB

              B:
              Morata --> Aguero
              Son --> Lingard

              C:
              Morata --> Firmino
              DCL --> Wilson

              For free. Which one? A leaves me 0.0 itb, so would have to do it quickly.

            11. Iceball
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Earlier today it looked like Morata was dropping but now only -95,6??
              Im still not sure about Firm or Kun(differential next 4 weeks) so might just sleep on it since no price changes.

            12. Brayden29
              • 9 Years
              6 years, 2 months ago

              Thoughts on side and moves to make?
              Have 0FT and 1.7 cash, looking at Arnautovic:
              Fabianski, Gomes
              Alonso, Christensen, Jones, Otamendi, Vertonghen
              Salah, Sterling, Lingard, Richarlison, RLC
              Kane, Firmino, DCL

              Thanks guys