As we edge ever-closer to Saturday’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 9 deadline, we roll out our weekly regular. As usual, we focus on the main protagonists in the Scout League, while casting an eye over the transfer market as trades pick up pace on the back of some stand out displays last time out:

Scout League Standings

T.I. remains at the summit, despite scoring 42 points last time round. John Arne Riise, Eden Hazard and Carlos Tevez chipped in with 26 points between them, while captain Dimitar Berbatov produced a four point armband return. T.I. currently sits in eighth place overall, with 558 points accrued over the opening eight Gameweeks.

Soaring into second spot is Chris Bull after scoring a sensational 83 points last weekend – 40 points higher than the Gameweek average. In midfield, Raheem Sterling, Kevin Nolan and Juan Mata provided four goals and 41 points between them, while captain Wayne Rooney racked up 28 points in United’s 4-2 win over Stoke. Chris’ decision to play his wildcard prior to the weekend’s deadline proved to be an inspired one, as he climbed to 14th overall, with 554 points.

Iyad Zahlan sits in third spot after scoring 56 points in the previous Gameweek. The main protagonists were Michu, Eden Hazard, Aaron Hughes, Robin Van Persie and captain Luis Suarez; Iyad now has 552 points, enough to earn him 19th place overall.

In fourth place is Blake Longley, who racked up 65 points in Gameweek 8. A midfield trio of Nolan, Michu and Hazard produced 29 points between them, whilst up front, Van Persie returned a 22 point armband haul and Jermain Defoe also chipped in with a goal in Spurs’ defeat at the hands of Chelsea. Blake moves to 21st overall in the rankings, with 552 points accrued.

James Fitzgerald completes the top five after scoring 68 points at the weekend. Sterling, Nolan and Michu all produced the goods in midfield, while Van Persie and Carlos Tevez combined for 29 points up top as James moved to 27th overall.

Those top five performers have ensured Fantasy Football Scout remains top of the league of leagues. Our score of 553.2 heads off the challenge of Last Word Listeners (546.6) in second spot.

Finally, for the contributors, Greek Fan takes top spot, with Nolan, Michu, Van Persie, Tevez and Brede Hangeland his main performers. He scored 60 points last weekend and sits around the 21K mark.

Market Trends

Juan Mata is the runaway favourite this week after his 18 point return at the Lane last Saturday. The Spaniard has been acquired by over 95,000 Fantasy managers due to a run of form that has now harvested three goals and five assists in the last four Gameweeks – he has risen 0.2 in price since Chelsea’s 4-2 weekend win and now sets you back 9.1.

Kevin Nolan has also acquired a substantial number of new suitors. The West Ham skipper has been snapped up by over 78,000 Fantasy managers after his goal and assist contribution in the 4-1 win over Southampton. Nolan has now notched in four of his side’s five home games and has risen to 6.5 this week – he now squares up to four of last season’s top five in the next six Gameweeks, though, and could struggle to maintain his recent form. Fellow Hammer Mark Noble has also proved popular; his brace against the Saints has tempted more than 20,000 to climb on board the bandwagon.

Raheem Sterling has attracted over 56,000 new owners. The Liverpool winger returned 11 points in the 1-0 win over Reading and, with game time looking guaranteed, seems a strong cut-price contender for out five-man midfields – he has risen to 5.0 on the back of his weekend exploits. Swansea pair Michu and Wayne Routledge remain popular, despite the club’s schedule taking a turn for the worse. They have received a combined 46,000+ trades ahead of the trip to City on Saturday evening.

Spurs trio Aaron Lennon, Gareth Bale and Jermain Defoe have attracted a combined 60,000+ transfers in for their visit to Southampton as Andre Villas-Boas’ side goes in search of their fifth win in six, while elsewhere in north London, Santi Cazorla and Gervinho are also attracting interest. In spite of Arsenal’s poor showing at Norwich last weekend, the midfield pair have been picked up by over 24,000 new owners ahead of the visit of QPR this Saturday.

Fulham left-back John Arne Riise, with an assist in each of his last three appearances, has been drafted in by almost 40,000 Fantasy managers – substantially more than any forward this week. Aside from the aforementioned Defoe, Demba Ba, Wayne Rooney, Peter Crouch and Carlos Tevez are this week’s favoured forwards – the quartet have each been snapped up by over 15,000 Fantasy managers prior to Saturday’s deadline.

In terms of transfers out, Everton duo Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar are far and away the main contenders. With doubts over the Belgian’s availability for the Merseyside derby and Pienaar suspended, they have been sent packing by over 86,000 and 55,000 respectively.

Yaya Toure, without any attacking returns in the last five, has been sold on by almost 40,000 Fantasy managers in spite of City’s kind upcoming schedule, while United’s Shinji Kagawa has also bore witness to a Fantasy exodus; almost 30,000 have traded in the midfielder after he failed to feature against Stoke last time out.

Injury doubts such as Kieran Gibbs, David Silva, Damien Duff and Moussa Dembele have all accrued plenty transfers out – Gibbs is the most sold defender, with over 20,000 parting company. Fernando Torres has been shipped by over 26,000 after failing to produce any attacking returns in Chelsea 4-2 win at Spurs, while Swansea’s Nathan Dyer has been sold by a similar number after dropping to the bench in the win over Wigan on Saturday.

Up top, Lukas Podolski, Rickie Lambert, Carlos Tevez and Luis Suarez have all been sold by 15,000+ Fantasy managers – the fact that Tevez is also in the top five forwards for transfers in highlights perfectly just how fickle us Fantasy managers can be.