We move onto Gameweek 35 of this season’s Scout Picks, where Mark, Jonty, a different member of the community and I pick an XI for the upcoming round of fixtures. Each week, our line-ups go head-to-head and over the course of the season we’ll be keeping a tally of the points as we go along, with the budget now sitting at 84.0 apiece for our starting line-ups.
The Community – Managed by Wolverine
I’ve selected Kasper Schmeichel in goal against Newcastle, who have lost seven on the bounce. Chris Smalling and Martin Skrtel both have kind fixtures, bonus potential and aerial threat from set pieces. Aaron Cresswell completes my backline, with a fixture against a Burnley side that have alarmingly scored just a single goal in their last eight.
Eden Hazard is at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea will be looking to seal the title in front of their home fans. Gylfi Sigurdsson will attempt to kick on from his 13-point haul last week with a home fixture against Stoke, having declared he is yet to achieve his personal goal target for the season. I’d be very reluctant to go without any Arsenal players despite Hull’s recent defensive heroics but I have limited myself to having just Aaron Ramsey for this fixture. I’m backing both Manchester United and Liverpool to recover from recent disappointments and therefore Marouane Fellaini and Raheem Sterling complete my five-man midfield, despite the latter’s lack of form.
Sergio Aguero has nine strikes in his six Premier League matches against Tottenham, including his four-goal haul earlier this season. Christian Benteke has netted eight times in the last seven and will be looking to end Everton’s run of three clean sheets in the last four as Villa bid to stave off relegation.
Jonty
With expensive assets from Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all having good fixtures this week, I’ve had to make compromises to squeeze my XI into the 84m budget.
Eden Hazard has the potential to make up for his two double Gameweek blanks when Crystal Palace visit with the Premier League title in Chelsea’s grasp. To fit him in I’ve had to abandon John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic and hope the cheaper Cesar Azpilicueta can bring in some extra bonus points. With 25 bonus points to his name ahead of QPR’s visit, I feel Martin Skrtel is another essential player this week. His price tag comes at a cost regarding Liverpool investment so instead of the more attacking Philippe Coutinho, I’ve opted for Jordan Henderson.
For Manchester United’s home tie with West Brom, David De Gea looks assured of clean sheet points, meaning there’s not enough in the bank for my top Red Devils midfield choice Juan Mata. Marouane Fellaini should do well as a cut-price alternative, though.
In attack, Sergio Aguero’s nine goals against Spurs in six Premier League outings bodes well for his chances. Olivier Giroud continues to impress up front for Arsenal and, with three goals in his last four matches, is in good form. That leaves just enough money for Aaron Ramsey to supply further attacking Arsenal cover and Sunderland’s Connor Wickham, who I’m hoping will continue to excel as Sunderland battle for safety.
Mark
I plumped for a five-man midfield, simply because I was struggling to decide on my third striker. Both Olivier Giroud and Sergio Aguero, despite facing road trips, were a given and, although Christian Benteke came close to inclusion, in the end I opted to flood the midfield.
Jack Grealish was a factor in that decision. I wanted to exploit his potential as a 4.3 priced asset and include him for Villa coverage at home to Everton. He allowed me to save funds to acquire Aguero and Eden Hazard, with Marouane Fellaini and Gylfi Sigurdsson providing plenty of goal threat as mid-price purchases. Swansea’s Icelandic playmaker is back on the radar now he’s shifted back behind the striker and, having returned at Villa, I fancy him to spark again with Stoke at the Liberty.
PhilIppe Coutinho is my Liverpool cover at home to QPR. Brendan Rodgers’ side are stuttering but the Brazilian was undoubtedly the standout performer over a pair of fruitless away trips at West Brom and Hull. Back at Anfield, I reckon Coutinho can translate that form into points against the R’s backline.
Savings in midfield have also allowed me to invest heavily at the back. I’ve gone all out for goal threat with my trio of Branislav Ivanovic, Martin Skrtel and Aaron Cresswell. All three have home fixtures that promise defensive returns but, similarly, bristle with attacking promise. Kasper Schmeichel is in nets – Leicester could easily keep Newcastle at arms length but, if not, the Dane should be good for save points once again.
Paul
I’ve chosen a couple of in-form relegation-threatened strikers up top, as Christian Benteke and Jamie Vardy get the nod against Everton and Newcastle. For all their recent resilience, the Toffees have two clean sheets outside of Goodison all season, whilst Vardy’s opponents Newcastle are in dire form and seeking to avoid an eight straight loss. Harry Kane completes my front three – he’s up against a City side that have lost each of their last four on the road.
With cash to splash elsewhere, then, I’m backing Eden Hazard to score for a third successive home match against a Palace side with a single clean sheet under Alan Pardew. Juan Mata earned double-figures in his previous home appearance and is my chosen United midfielder as Louis van Gaal’s side look for a seventh successive home win. Alexis Sanchez comes in for Arsenal’s trip to Hull on Monday evening, whilst I reckon Steven Gerrard – in his penultimate home match for Liverpool – will be determined to hog the headlines as QPR visit Anfield and can see him peppering Rob Green’s goal throughout.
David de Gea gives me United coverage at home to the Baggies, with save points to fall back on should his side concede. Martin Skrtel has earned 22 of his 25 bonus points when Liverpool have picked up a clean sheet – opponents QPR have blanked in each of the last two now. This allows me to bring in marauding full-backs Branislav Ivanovic and Aaron Cresswell at home to Palace and Burnley respectively, with the latter facing an attack that’s scored a single goal in eight.
The Scores So Far
Leicester and Liverpool’s resilient defences in the first match of the double Gameweek paid dividends for all four of our Scout Pick contributors. Jonty gained the highest Gameweek 34 score with 59, closely followed by myself on 55, whilst Community Champion Frank Black notched up a score of 50 and Mark took the week’s wooden spoon with 47. In the overall standings Jonty retains the lead with 1774, followed by myself on 1746, Mark on 1738 and the Community on 1654.
Remember that, for Gameweek 34, the second matches for Chelsea, Liverpool, Hull and Leicester did not count towards the final score for the Community challenge. This was to ensure all Community champions have an equal shot at the top Gameweek score of the season prize of a £100 Amazon voucher.
