Scout Mission – Gameweek 11

Our attentions turn to the weekend’s fixtures before yet another international break is upon us. As always, we look at the players, scenarios and tactical set-ups we’ll be keeping a close eye on over the upcoming round of matches.

Coutinho’s Starting Role
The Brazilian’s emergence from the bench at the Emirates saw Brendan Rodgers haul off Aly Cissokho and revert to a back-four against Arsenal. Coutinho was handed the role on the left as the Reds boss switched from 3-4-1-2 to 4-4-2 but Rodgers has previously talked up Coutinho’s prospects as “a number 10”, with many expecting him to be handed the role in “the hole” behind Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge. A 4-4-2 would not only keep the Brazilian out wide, it would curtail the recent wing-back roles handed to Cissokho and Glen Johnson and end their out of position prospects ahead of Liverpool’s kind run of fixtures – Saturday’s home fixture with Fulham could afford us a window into Rodgers’ thinking as the Merseysiders go on the attack.

Pantilimon’s Security
The big Romanian has now started the last three games in all competitions ahead of Joe Hart as Manuel Pellegrini’s number one. Pantilimon had produced back-to-back clean sheets before conceding twice at home to CSKA Moscow in midweek but with Hart managing just three shut-outs in the opening nine Gameweeks, the new man in charge in clearly open to altering the goalkeeper pecking order. Another start and clean sheet away to Sunderland this weekend and Pantilimon, at just 4.9 in FPL, may just have a bandwagon on his hands.

Hazard’s Chelsea Return
Dropped from the Chelsea squad for last night’s Champions League win over Schalke after missing a train back from France on Sunday evening, it remains to be seen whether the Belgian will be handed a berth in the XI at home to West Brom. Hazard has started more league games than any Chelsea attacking midfielder and, up till this point, has clearly a favourite of Mourinho’s but the Blues boss went out his way to praise replacement Willian’s display against the German outfit – as Juan Mata has already discovered this season, the Special One is never swayed by reputation and with plenty alternatives, Hazard could be left in the cold once again.

Villa’s Formation
With doubts over Gabby Agbonlahor and Andreas Weimann, Paul Lambert may be forced to roll out a 3-5-2 again for the visit of Cardiff. Essentially, this bolsters the prospects of Nathan Baker retaining his role in the Villa first XI – coming in at just 3.9 in FPL, he has now started four of the last five and with Lambert’s side heading into a kind run of games with three clean sheets in the previous six, Baker could be a real budget option over the next few fixtures.

Everton’s Attacking Midfield Three
The return of Steven Pienaar has thrown a cat amongst the pigeons in Roberto Martinez’ midfield. While Gareth Barry and James McCarthy look secure in front of the back-four, only Kevin Mirallas has started each of the last three, with Pienaar, Ross Barkley and Leon Osman handed two starts and a sub appearance apiece over that trio of games. Given that Mirallas was hauled off just after the hour mark against Spurs, it’s becoming clear that Martinez’ ploy for freshening up his options behind the lone forward midway through the second period of games is starting to curtail the midfielders game time. Osman was dropped for the first time in Gameweek 9, while Barkley was named a sub for the first time last weekend – Mirallas is now the only attacker to start every game for the Toffees but his owners may be a little concerned by his manager’s recent penchant for tinkering.

Robbie Brady’s Minutes
The Hull midfielder continues to be handed game time off the bench after Steve Bruce’s decision to rush him back from a hernia operation backfired. Brady played the full 90 minutes against Everton upon his return but since then, a couple of late appearances in the second-half against Spurs (seven minutes) and Sunderland (15 minutes) have afforded him little time to make an impact. A start against Southampton this weekend will appease his 10% owners ahead of a home game with Palace – another week of bench-warming duties, though, and many may think twice over holding for the long-term; Brady had racked up 40 points in six games prior to the surgery but has produced just three points since.

Remy’s Central Role
Shifted from the left of a front three to centre forward last week, the Frenchman repaid Alan Pardew’s decision with a sixth goal of the season. Paired with Shola Ameobi as the Magpies boss moved from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 and dropped Hatem Ben Arfa to the bench once again, Remy has now played a part in 50% of his side’s goals since joining on loan from QPR, with an assist also accrued. There’d be no real surprise if he drew a blank away to Spurs this weekend, given that the north London club have seven clean sheets in 10, but with back-to-back home games against Norwich and West Brom directly after the international break, Remy, at 7.7, would remain on the radar for those enticing pair of St James’ Park fixtures.

Laudrup’s Plans for Bony
With Michu sidelined for up to four weeks with dodgy knees and ankles, Michael Laudrup has a real problem in the attacking areas. While the Spaniard has started every Europa League and Premier League match this season, the Swans boss seems reluctant to give his summer signing an extended run of games – Laudrup spoke of Bony’s lack of fitness earlier in the week but surely, you’d think, his match sharpness would only improve by increased game time? It’s no secret that Laudrup’s first choice for the lone forward role was Iago Aspas but having paid Vitesse Arnhem £12m for a player who scored 31 goals in 30 league games last season, now looks the time to show some faith. With a set off kind fixtures on the horizon, starting this week at home to Stoke, Bony will be hoping to finally start proving his worth as the Welsh club try to address a record which has seen them fail to score in three of the last four.

Ben Davies’ Starting Berth
Back in the Swansea starting line-up for this evening’s Europa League clash against Kuban Krasnodar, it remains to be seen if Laudrup will curtail the left-back’s game time come the weekend. Davies has recovered quicker than expected from an ankle injury sustained in the Gameweek 8 home win over Sunderland and Neil Taylor has proven an able deputy, with the Swans conceding just a single goal in the subsequent couple of league matches. Should Davies return to the XI for Sunday’s clash with Stoke, though, he may arrive back on Fantasy radars, with clashes against Fulham, Newcastle, Hull and Norwich in the five Gameweeks following the international break. Granted, he’s slightly pricier than Ashley Williams (5.0 to 4.8) but with two goals to his name already, has shown plenty attacking threat from the back.