Scout Notes – Gameweek 9 – Monday

Charlie Austin grabs both goals and Eduardo Vargas bags an assist as QPR see off Villa 2-0 at Loftus Road. Paul Lambert’s side fail to score for the fifth successive league match as popular budget option Alan Hutton misses out with an ankle complaint.

Austin at the Double
The R’s frontman was partnered by Bobby Zamora and scored twice as Harry Redknapp’s side climbed off the bottom with a vital home win over Villa. Owned by just 0.3% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers heading into last night’s encounter, Austin’s brace underlined how increasingly influential he’s becoming in recent matches – that’s three goals and an assist in his last four, compared to a single strike in the first five Gameweeks. With back-to-back showdowns against Chelsea and City in the next two, it’s fair to say few will be looking at the R’s right now, but with Newcastle, Leicester, Swansea and Burnley from Gameweek 12 onwards, the 5.7-priced Austin may yet persuade some he could be worthy of the outlay.

Vargas in the Points Once More
Having emerged from the bench to notch twice against Liverpool, the Chilean was handed a starting role on the right last night before moving up top in light of Zamora’s withdrawal. After teeing up Austin for the second, Vargas took his tally to two goals and a pair of assists in his last three appearances, but at 6.4, few will be willing to consider him over Austin, given that the latter also has spot-kick duties to bolster his appeal.

Ferdinand Benched Again
The centre-half was a sub against Liverpool last time around after sustaining a minor groin problem prior to the match. Despite his availability for last night’s encounter, Redknapp continued with Richard Dunne alongside Steven Caulker and was rewarded with a second clean sheet of the season, suggesting Ferdinand’s pitch time is in real danger, with his 4% of FPL owners looking for a way out.

Another Blank for Villa
The signs look ominous for the Midlands outfit after they failed to score for the fifth successive Gameweek last night. To some extent, it was understandable that Paul Lambert’s side had drawn blanks against Arsenal, Chelsea, City and Everton but hopes were high of a turnaround at Loftus Road, given that their hosts had conceded at least twice in six of the previous seven. Christian Benteke and co. once again failed to impress, and with Spurs, West Ham and Southampton in the next three, Fantasy faith in Villa’s main men is unlikely to pick up anytime soon.

Hutton Worry for Lambert
An ever-present over the first eight Gameweeks for Villa, the right-back was sidelined due to an ankle problem last night. Hutton is the most popular cut-price defender in the FPL game – now up to 4.2, he currently sits in over 13% of sides after serving up three clean sheets in the first four. Having conceded 13 goals and earned his owners four points in the subsequent five, a possible spell on the sidelines could be the ideal opportunity to part company with the Scot as Villa’s toils continue.