We move onto the penultimate Gameweek 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.
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For my picks I’ve tried to select players who either have a point to prove or have something to play for. Sunderland are fighting for their Premier League survival and Costel Pantilimon looks good for a clean sheet. A draw could be good enough for the Black Cats and their opponents Leicester to survive, so I’m expecting a low-scoring encounter.
Chelsea’s John Terry wants to play every match and Aleksandar Kolarov keeps on impressing as Manchester City’s left back. Between them, the pair have racked up four goals and an assist over their last three. I prefer Martin Skrtel as my Liverpool defender as Crystal Palace, with just one goal in the last four, visit. Budget constraints mean I have to opt for his fellow defender, Dejan Lovren.
Doosra’s excellent Midfield Marauders table has prompted me to go for Arsenal duo Santi Cazorla and Alexis Sanchez. The pair have accrued 37 goal attempts in their last four matches. A goal from Steven Gerrard, who makes his last ever home appearance for Liverpool at Anfield is surely written in the stars. Meanwhile Sadio Mane of Southampton is my budget pick against a potentially leaky Aston Villa defence. I also expect the Saints to concede, which propels Christian Benteke into my thinking.
Sergio Aguero’s recent form makes him essential and for my final attacking pick I’ve opted for Charlie Austin to give relegated QPR’s home fans a goal scoring display against a Newcastle side that have conceded 10 in the last four games.
Jonty
My selection this week is dominated by double Gameweek assets, reliable points scorers and a moment of football history.
Recent community articles by AZ and Jaffalicious have convinced me that Alexis Sanchez is the most reliable attacking option and Santi Cazorla offers a strong prospect of a large points haul. In defence Laurent Koscielny, with three goals already this season, offers attacking threat on top of clean sheet potential for the Gunners.
Among Sunderland’s ranks, I’ve opted for the best defender and striker according to my recent Members table looking at shots in the box among the Black Cats ranks. This gives me high hopes that Patrick Van Aanholt and Connor Wickham will deliver returns.
For my single Gameweek players, Sergio Aguero’s hat-trick and two assists last week make him undroppable. His team-mate Aleksandar Kolarov wins a place too after notching up 38 points in his last four matches. Meanwhile, John Terry looks secure of a start against a West Brom side that has registered the lowest number of goal attempts in the Premier League over the last four Gameweeks.
Romelu Lukaku enjoys scoring away to West Ham. He notched the winning goal in his Everton debut in 2013 and a last gasp equaliser at Upton Park in the FA Cup this season. That’s enough for me to consider a punt on the Belgian striker.
The football romantic in me, rather than statistician, has admittedly driven my selection of Steven Gerrard, as he makes his final appearance at Anfield in a Liverpool shirt.
Mark
Five is the magic number for me, although I’m still wary that opting for two double Gameweek assets from the Sunderland camp is wishful thinking; their likely quest for draws could well make a mockery of my Connor Wickham pick.
The omission of Olivier Giroud will also doubtless raise eyebrows. However, I’ve decided to punt on Santi Cazorla as my partner in crime to Alexis Sanchez – I just think spot-kicks could factor over the double Gameweek and I’ve not been impressed by Giroud’s form over his previous outings; the opposite is true of Cazorla.
I’ve gone Laurent Koscielny as my third Arsenal pick – for me, with five goals conceded in their last nine, it’s too easy to overlook the Gunners’ back four in favour of chasing attacking points. I reckon one of Wenger’s rearguard is a must, with Koscielny perhaps the most likely to start both matches.
Harry Kane’s selection will also doubtless prove controversial. I’m just struggling to see the Spurs striker fizzle out in his final home tie of a superb season – particularly when a desperate Hull provide the opposition.
Elsewhere, I’ve ignored the clamour for Steven Gerrard and kept faith with the undoubted talents of Philippe Coutinho. The Newcastle pair of Moussa Sissoko and Ryan Taylor are a gamble, fueled by Newcastle’s plight and must-win scenario at QPR.
Paul
Costel Pantilimon earns a place for Sunderland’s double Gameweek, with the Romanian’s propensity for picking up save points helping him average 4.2 points per appearance so far. I’m banking on John Terry to be retained for Chelsea’s trip to West Brom, whilst Martin Skrtel’s bonus point potential should come to fruition if Liverpool can keep out a Palace side with one goal in four. Laurent Koscielny affords me Arsenal defensive coverage for the double and has already netted three times.
I’ve opted for Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla as my other two Arsenal players. The duo sit first and second respectively for attempts on goal over the Gunners’ last six at a time when Olivier Giroud is struggling for form.
I selected Steven Gerrard for his penultimate home match and give the Liverpool skipper the nod once again at home to Palace – with two goals in as many outings, he faces a defence with a single clean sheet in 16 under Alan Pardew. Chelsea’s Juan Cuadrado comes in for the trip to West Brom. The January signing will surely be handed his third start since arriving and has averaged an effort every 34.3 minutes so far.
Up top, Sergio Aguero’s stunning form should continue against a Swansea defence with a single clean sheet in the last eight at the Liberty. Harry Kane gets another chance as Spurs welcome troubled Hull to the Lane, whilst Connor Wickham has offered the greatest goal threat of any Sunderland player since the arrival of Dick Advocaat.
The Scores So Far
Gameweek 36 Community Champion Kings of Lyon’s score of 77 points has propelled him into the lead in the hunt for the £100 Amazon voucher, which is handed to the champion with the highest Gameweek score. However, it was still not enough to beat Jonty’s score of 82. Meanwhile, I manages 59 and Mark picked up a score of 56.
In the overall standings Jonty has 1909, followed by myself on 1865,Mark on 1854 and the community on 1798.
