[sbu_large_image] Scout Picks
5 April 2013 1691 comments
Paul Paul
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With Gareth Bale joining Theo Walcott on the sidelines, it’s been a turbulent 24 hours for Fantasy managers as we address the Welshman’s impending two-week absence. Behind the scenes, we’ve rallied back and forth and called upon Liverpool and Chelsea to come to the rescue, with the pair supplying five of our XI for Gameweek 32. Here’s who we’ve gone for:

Petr Cech may be a little pricey between the posts but with money saved elsewhere in our XI, we’ve opted for the Chelsea keeper’s consistency of starts ahead of Sunday’s home clash with Sunderland. With a single goal conceded in their last three at home, the Blues will be confident of keeping the Black Cats at bay in Paolo Di Canio’s first match on charge of the visitors.

Glen Johnson is welcomed to the fold as Liverpool prepare for the visit of West Ham. Devoid of Andy Carroll due to the conditions of his loan deal, the Hammers’ chances of improving a record of four goals in the last nine away matches looks bleak, while Johnson’s forward forays from right-back have impressed of late, despite a lack of attacking returns.

We put our faith in Barclays Player of the Month Jan Vertonghen to maintain his recent run of form as Tottenham welcome Everton to the Lane. With double figure hauls in two of the last three, the Belgian’s attacking potential has more than atoned for a lack of clean sheets – Everton have scored once in their last three on the road and with Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar suspended and Kevin Mirallas a doubt, Vertonghen may even pick up some defensive returns this Sunday.

Seb Bassong is the final defender as Norwich prepare for the visit of Swansea. The Canaries have conceded just twice in their last five home matches and will be confident of another clean sheet at Carrow Road – Swansea have scored just once in their previous five road trips. Bassong has already notched against the Welsh club earlier in the season, with his aerial ability proving crucial in the Canaries’ win at the Liberty.

Having been utilised as a second-half sub against Rubin Kazan last night, we’re backing Eden Hazard to return to the Chelsea starting line-up as the Blues square up to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. The Belgian has produced double figures in four of his last six home starts – by comparison, Juan Mata has yet to return double figures all season in front of his own fans. With Paolo Di Canio promising to go on the offensive, an open, attacking game could play into the hosts’ hands as Rafa Benitez’s side go seeking their fifth successive home win.

Santi Cazorla’s recent form, allied with Theo Walcott’s absence, helps the Arsenal playmaker get the nod for the trip to West Brom. The Spaniard has returned four goals, an assist and five bonus points in his last five appearances and will be confident of producing the goods again, given that the Baggies have conceded in each of their last six at the Hawthorns.

With attacking returns in all three of his home games since joining Newcastle in January, Moussa Sissoko looks key to the Magpies chances this weekend. Alan Pardew’s side welcome Fulham to St James’ Park and having beaten the likes of Chelsea, Southampton and Stoke in front of their own fans, will be confident of picking up the points and boosting their bid to beat the drop. Sissoko has returned 30 points over that trio of fixtures, picking up double figures twice.

Another mid-price winter acquisition gets the nod as we welcome Philippe Coutinho to the Scout Pick fold. The young Brazilian has made an instant impact on Merseyside since arriving from Inter earlier this year and with attacking returns in four of his five appearances in the Reds’ starting XI, has averaged six points per start – he looks a strong option at home to West Ham this Sunday.

An average of over 10 points per game across his last five home appearances highlights Luis Suarez’s appeal as Liverpool square up to West Ham. The Uruguayan has produced four goals, four assists and 11 bonus points over that period, failing to find the net only once – up against a Hammers side that have lost five of their last six road trips, there’s no surprise to see he’s the runaway armband favourite, with over 44% of the votes cast in this week’s Captain Poll.

We’ve decided to change tact for Monday’s Manchester derby and opt for Wayne Rooney over Robin Van Persie. Rooney climbed to the top of the Watchlist standings earlier this week and has returned to full training after a brief groin problem – while the Dutchman struggles for form, Rooney has scored in three of the last four at Old Trafford and could keep Van Persie in the shade again as Sir Alex Ferguson looks for the victory that would all but clinch the title.

QPR may be staring relegation in the face but Harry Redknapp’s side have been full of goals in recent matches. The R’s must go on the offensive in tomorrow’s home clash with Wigan and, having notched in three of the last four, Loic Remy’s consistency has proven crucial – at 5.9 in FPL, the Frenchman has offered superb value in recent matches.

Stoke’s Marc Wilson makes the bench ahead of a home clash with Villa. Coming in at just 3.9 in FPL, the Potters left-back affords a cut-price route into a backline that has conceded just twice in their last three at the Britannia.

With four goals in his last seven for club and country in all competitions, Gylfi Sigurdsson is full of confidence right now. The Icelandic international notched in last night’s Europa League draw with FC Basel and with Gareth Bale sidelined for Spurs, Sigurdsson’s eye for goal will be more crucial than ever as Andre Villas-Boas’ side look to maintain their charge for a third place finish.

Rickie Lambert is a little unlucky only to make the bench as Southampton travel to Reading. With spot-kicks and set-piece duties in his locker, the Saints hit man gets the nod ahead of in-form team mate Jay Rodriguez as he looks to get one over former manager Nigel Adkins at the Madejski tomorrow.

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  1. Zoomi
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    So bench Sissoko, Michu ... Or Mata?

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    1. Conrad.
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Sisso. He's least explosive of the 3.

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      1. Zoomi
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        I was cool with that but then they went and put him in the scout picks.

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  2. Chu Young Ping Pong
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    2

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  3. NATSTER
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Just 2 of the picks for me.. 😯

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    1. NATSTER
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Bale to who?

      A: Gerrard
      B: Mata
      C: Hazard
      D: Coutinho

      Current team

      Cazorla - Walcott - Townsend - Lampard - Bale
      Suarez - RvP - Berbatov

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      1. Del Griffith
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        I;m thinking Hazard

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      2. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 16 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        E : Silva?

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        1. NATSTER
          • 15 Years
          12 years, 11 months ago

          Not so confident to have City attacker in the derby.

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    2. SC not pearls before swine
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Only 3 for me :/ Enrique instead of Johnson is about equivalent I suppose.

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  4. Carrick Doesn't Deserv…
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    swear every week its lambert is a little unlucky to make the bench!

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  5. Gamst - Up (?) the Rovers
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    5th

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  6. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Still need a Bale replacement. πŸ˜•

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    1. Caine & Co.
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      silva

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  7. Declan-
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Only 3. Makes for a good week πŸ™‚

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    1. Rafabio
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Same here, hoping for the best now! πŸ™‚

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  8. weeurquahrt
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    sounds nuts i know but i have guthrie and he played last week so with bale out is he worth a punt cos i want to save my trannie this week ..
    thoughts please.ta

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  9. Louis
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Play Pearce or Clichy ?
    Play Bunn or De Gea ?

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    1. pieces
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Bunn Pearce

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  10. faux_C
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    I got Bale in at 9.6. If I ship him now, I'll probably not be able to afford him again.

    MY BRAIN HURTS.

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    1. Optimus.
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      take the bag off your head and breathe

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    2. weeurquahrt
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      shirley he`s gunna drop .4or.5 so it wont be to bad

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      1. pieces
        • 15 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        Stop calling him Shirley πŸ˜€

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    3. Kuqi Monster
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      I got him at 9.3 - I'll be keeping.

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      1. weeurquahrt
        • 15 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        YOUR FUNERAL

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  11. Ninjaa
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Got bale and walcott both injured and only bench fodder to cone in, shall I do bale and walcott > cazorla and Coutinho for a 4 point hit??

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    1. Del Griffith
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      definitely worth getting Caz but not sold on Coutinho as he never plays a full game. I've got the same problem, going for Hazard and ??????

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  12. OrmskirkFC
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Wow, I have 5 out of 14 in a 13-manager draft league, not bad at all!

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  13. MADE IN CHARLTON
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Are people with Bale and a free transfer still this week taking Bale out before the deadline or simply waiting till after the deadline - therefore playing bench fodder, Guthrie in my case - in order to have TWO free transfers for GW 33 given the teams that have doubles??

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    1. Konig Luther
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      i probably will wait, and save 2 FT

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      1. King Nil Miss ✩
        • 15 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        Check your mail πŸ˜‰

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        1. Konig Luther
          • 13 Years
          12 years, 11 months ago

          i have a question, see

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    2. Ninjaa
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Suppose it depends on how your team lines up with bale benched

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    3. Portuguese&Proud
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      i still have both and will use the freebie

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  14. Jafalad
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    So annoying these Scout picks come up teams with little view to future gameweeks. No one's going to pick half of these players as they're not involved in the dgw.

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    1. Optimus.
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      its a gw team as always

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    2. Chu Young Ping Pong
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      ??

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    3. The Gambler.
      • 16 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      There cant be too many Dgw players that are WORTH signing this week either
      Most of us already have santi/theo

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    4. faux_C
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      It's the picks for THIS week. The information for future gameweeks is in the watchlist, the members area and in other posts. Jeez.

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      1. Jafalad
        • 16 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        I know, I know,....jeez.

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    5. Caine & Co.
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      it's not supposed to be for any other gw than this

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      1. Jafalad
        • 16 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        Well yeah...I get that and this is a time we're all planning for the dgw. What's the point of Cech, GJ, Vert, Bass et al?

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  15. dillydally1982
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Does anybody have any informed opinion on who will start in goal for Reading tomorrow? Need a cheap keeper option to rotate with Jasskelainen and considering Federici.

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    1. Chu Young Ping Pong
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Start Jussi. He'll save a Gerrard penalty.

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  16. OrmskirkFC
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Better keeper for the Gameweek, Cesar or Reina?

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  17. Motong-Moting
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    who would be the best Man u midfielder to replace bale....I am considering Kaawa at the moment...any other thoughts to replace Bale...???

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    1. Optimus.
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      none worth investment

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      1. Motong-Moting
        • 13 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        Silva then???

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        1. Optimus.
          • 15 Years
          12 years, 11 months ago

          decent shout but not for me..go with your gut though

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  18. Nopli
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Hola Amigos

    Just 2 for me πŸ™‚

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  19. Gargamel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    I think I'm going to play Bunn instead of De Gea. Had a look at the odds and they're very very similar for both teams to keep a cleanie over at most bookies, but I just have this feeling that we're more likely to see a boredraw in that game than in Manchester.

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    1. Sweetpea
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      sorry to be a pest, could you put id 8497 into your formula? Thanks

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    2. Sweetpea
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      agree, Bunn is a better option - can't see Citeh not scoring

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  20. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Just playing a bit of Football Manager

    It's Man Utd v Wigan, it's 1-1 and Al-Habsi has saved 2 RvP penos

    Imagine the points for Al-Habsi 😯

    and RvP 😯

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  21. JK - Cønt ⭐
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    wow, bar Coutinho I have the entire Scout picks front 7

    Let's hope this week's picks do as well as last weeks

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    1. Konig Luther
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      i only saw now, i have 5 of scout picks ( remy, suarez, rooney, hazard, cazorla)

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      1. JK - Cønt ⭐
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        12 years, 11 months ago

        I have all those 5 plus Sissoko. I also have Turner, not Bassong. No idea why they picked him.

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  22. TheBabyfacedAssassin
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    2FT. 0.5 in the bank. What would you do with this team? Sell bale?
    Bego
    Davies, Wilson, Rafael, Zab
    Sissoko, Mata, Cazorla
    Suarez, RVP, Anichebe
    subs: Harte, Sess, Bale (bunn)

    cheers.

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  23. OrmskirkFC
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Who to captain / vice captain?

    Rooney - Lambert - Cazorla

    Currently I have Rooney (C) Lambert (VC)

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  24. Lawrø
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Davies or Cameron out for Mertesacker this week?

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  25. BONZ
    • 16 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Scout Picks will sway many a Bale seller into Hazard - he's tempting me but i HATE rafatation πŸ™

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    1. JK - Cønt ⭐
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Hazard will start IMO, only played 12 mins yesterday

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    2. Caine & Co.
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      silva :rayban:

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    3. Toonzie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      i've done it and i'm urging you to do the same! πŸ˜›

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  26. Liastro ⭐️
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Evening folks. I’ve got 1FT and 1.3m in the bank. Team is…

    Begovic – Federici

    Evans – Turner – Davies – Clyne – Harte

    Bale – Mata – Cazorla – Michu – Puncheon

    RVP – Suarez – Berbatov

    I’m kind of stuck where to go? Should I transfer out Bale? Get rid of Evans? Take a hit? Suggestions welcome!

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    1. pieces
      • 15 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      Bale to Gerrard or Coutinho

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  27. ~SpartakMac
    • 13 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Dat strikeforce 😎

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  28. pieces
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    Play:
    Bunn or Bego
    3 out of this lot: Pearce Wilson Dawson Zab Davies

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  29. Wounded Prophets
    • 15 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    What are the chances of Gerv playing this week and the double gameweek?

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  30. Sean.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    12 years, 11 months ago

    RMT suggests i should play pearce over baines 😯

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    1. CarelessGenius©
      • 14 Years
      12 years, 11 months ago

      That must be pre-Bale injury......

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