Our midweek regular arrives again this evening as we give you a heads-up on our Scout Picks thinking for the Gameweek ahead. This list of 22 players also includes some names in contention for a place in our Spot the Differential article, though will, of course, be subject to change, depending on the injury situation as the week unfolds.
For Gameweek 7, here’s who is currently in our thinking…
Keepers
Boaz Myhill (4.7) boasts the highest total score (37) of any shot-stopper this campaign, having recorded four clean sheets in his previous five outings ahead of a home tie against Everton. Asmir Begovic (5.0) offers the cheapest route into a Chelsea defence that snuffed out Arsenal’s attacks last Gameweek and faces a trip to a struggling Newcastle outfit this Saturday.
Defenders
Only two sides have fashioned fewer shots on target (19) than Aston Villa this campaign, rendering Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel – who’s always a threat from set-pieces – an attractive pick-up when those two sides meet at Anfield this weekend.
Cesar Azpilicueta (6.0) lays claim to a goal and an assist already this campaign and is less prone to rotation than the Blues’ other defensive recruits. Matteo Darmian (5.8), meanwhile, will be determined to perform following his early substitution against Southampton, with a home tie against Sunderland conducive to the Red Devils’ fourth clean sheet of the season.
As the only ever-present in a Baggies rearguard that’s conceded in one of their last five, Craig Dawson (5.0) is an attractive option in the mid-priced bracket. Aaron Cresswell (5.6) ranks in the top six defenders for attempts (five) and top five for key passes (seven), highlighting his attacking potential before Norwich’s visit.
City’s Aleksandar Kolarov also remains in contention as the league leaders travel to a Spurs side that’s scored just three times in the last four Gameweeks.
Midfielders
Edging closer to the 50% ownership mark, Riyad Mahrez is essential on current form. The burgeoning star tallied five goals and three assists through the first six Gameweeks, only drawing a blank in the fixture he couldn’t finish due to injury. No midfielder has mustered more shots on target (10) than Mahrez as he prepares for Arsenal’s trip to the King Power Stadium.
Eden Hazard (11.3) snapped his goalless streak last weekend and ranked joint-top among midfielders for attempts on target (two) and key passes (five). The Belgian’s team-mate Pedro is also in our thoughts, having averaged an effort every 24.7 minutes since arriving from Barcelona. Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez (11.0) is yet to open his account this season but will fancy his chances against a Foxes back line that’s conceded in every match so far.
All of Dimitri Payet’s (7.7) three goals this term have come at the Boleyn Ground, which serves as encouragement for his 16.0% ownership as West Ham United play host to Norwich. Philippe Coutinho (8.1) amassed a hefty 10 attempts at goal against the Canaries, with only Sanchez (22) carding more shots inside the box (14) over the entire campaign amongst midfielders.
Kevin De Bruyne (10.0) recorded a goal, four attempts and as many key passes on his first league start for Manchester City, which bodes well for their road clash against Tottenham. Juan Mata (8.6) is the top scoring (34 points) player within Man United’s ranks, having drawn just two blanks in six outings.
Forwards
Anthony Martial has netted with three of his four attempts since his switch to the Premier League, illustrating his clinical nature ahead of a meeting with Sunderland’s generous defence – no team has conceded more goals (13) than the Black Cats. Like Martial, Odion Ighalo (5.1) complemented his goal in Gameweek 5 with a brace last time out against Newcastle. The Watford frontman now enjoys a home tie against a Palace side that’s kept just one clean sheet in their previous 20 league outings.
Sergio Aguero (13.2) might be struggling for form, but he loves playing against Tottenham – scoring eight goals in his last four league starts against the Lilywhites. With Christian Benteke set for hamstring scans and Brendan Rodgers keen to ease back into action, we’re going to overlook Liverpool’s forwards until they issue a clearer injury update on the Belgian. Instead, we turn to Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson, who visits a Stoke defence that’s yet to earn a clean sheet. The Cherries lone striker has now netted five times in his last four and bagged a hat-trick on his travels against West Ham.
Bojan Krkic (5.3) scored in his first start of the campaign against Leicester and brought fresh impetus to an ailing Potters attack. He’ll be emboldened by the fact that Bournemouth shipped six goals across their last two road encounters. The Hammers place joint-top for goals scored (13) this season, ensuring that their chief striker, Diafra Sakho (6.5) – who’s netted twice in three matches – makes a strong case for investment.
THE COMMUNITY CHAMPION
Last week, the Scout Picks were beaten by Massive, whose score of 54 points was 16 more than our total. He now leaps above previous Community Champion Fuzzy Warbles in the race to claim a £100 Amazon voucher for beating the Scouts by the biggest margin.
It doesn’t get any easier for The Scouts this week, when they take on the Blue of Leicester, who won the Gameweek 7 Community Champion lottery. This is his seventh season and he has two top 5,000 finishes under his belt in FPL.
