Scout Picks
19 August 2016 855 comments
J0E J0E
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After unveiling the Scout Picks Squad earlier this week, itโ€™s now time to reveal our Gameweek 2 selections.

Two of Gameweek 1โ€™s most defensively impressive sides, Swansea and West Brom, come into our thinking with a couple of picks apiece.ย Meanwhile, tonightโ€™s early kick off at Old Trafford sees us also double up on Manchester United players at home to Southampton.

As with last season, a community champion will be going head-to-head with our weekly picks. The selections are capped at 83m, although this may be increased as the campaign progresses.

With 10 Fantasy Premier League points in Gameweek 1, West Brom stopper Ben Foster (4.6) was the top scoring goalkeeper. Three bonus points, earned through a clean sheet and four saves against Crystal Palace, suggest thereโ€™s plenty more hauls to follow, including this weekend when Everton, who were among Gameweek 1โ€™s worst sides in terms of shots in the box, visit. ย Foster has already earned a price rise this week to take his ownership to 10.9%.

Swansea were the only other side to register a clean sheet of Gameweek 1. With a home tie against Hull this weekend, we feel that the 11.5% owned centre back Jordi Amat (4.0) could pick up the points against the Tigers. The Welsh side have conceded just four goals in seven home matches under Francesco Guidolin.

With six goals last season and newly promoted Middlesbrough visiting, Sunderlandโ€™s Patrick van Aanholt (5.0) joins our three-man backline with points at both end of the pitch firmly in mind. Already against Manchester City last week, the 6% owned full back registered a shot on target and was among the Gameweekโ€™s most prolific crossers.

Tottenhamโ€™s backline also offer another strong clean sheet prospect in Gameweek 2. To save funds weโ€™ve opted for the budget friendly price tag of Kyle Walker (5.5) over his more expensive team-mate Toby Alderweireld (6.5). With an assist and bonus point against Everton last weekend, we feel the right-back is a more than able cut-price deputy.

This looks a strong week for clean sheets and has prompted us to opt for a 4-3-3 formation. Completing our rearguard is Manchester Unitedโ€™s 9.8% owned Antonio Valencia (5.5), who is another to offer the prospect of both attacking and defensive returns. In Gameweek 1’s away clash with Bournemouth, he emerged as a key attacking outlet for the Red Devils from a right back berth.

Our three-man midfield is packed full of points potential but comes at a sizeable cost. Eden Hazard sets us back 10.0, but with penalty duties seemingly in the 21.2% owned Chelsea manโ€™s locker, he should be worth every penny as he takes on a Watford defence away that conceded more shots than any other side in Gameweek 1.

At 9.5, Dimitri Payet is also costly, but will be needed by a West Ham side desperate to kick start their Premier League campaign after losing to Chelsea on Monday. Manager Slaven Bilic is set to recall the French international to the starting XI, despite still recovering from a busy summer at Euro 16. It is little wonder he is the third most popular FPL midfielder, with an ownership of 26.6%, after scoring nine times and assisting a further 13 goals for the Hammers last season.

Another player to be eased back into Premier League action due to Euro 16 heroics is Gylfi Sigurdsson (7.5). Swansea manager Francesco Guidolin has already said his industry will be needed in an attacking midfield role against Hull, as he looks to build on last week’s win at Turf Moor. Despite scoring 11 times last season, the Icelandic international’s ownership is just 7.9%, making him a strong differential this Gameweek.

With four goals in his last two matches, including a hat-trick in Manchester Cityโ€™s Champions League qualifier against Steaua Bucharest in midweek, Sergio Aguero looks undroppable from our Scout Picks. This weekโ€™s Captain Poll front runner, who at 47.1% is FPLโ€™s most owned player, visits a Stoke side, which is set to rely on veteran stopper Shay Given to keep him at bay with regular stopper Jack Butland still sidelined.

Agueroโ€™s nearest challenger in our Captain Poll is Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11.5), another costly inclusion in our picks. Although he was overshadowed by team-mate Wayne Rooney in Gameweek 1 in terms of shots and penalty area touches, the big Swede still registered a goal and earned maximum bonus points. His first competitive home match for Manchester United looks-tailor made for the veteran forward to reward his 45.3% owners.

West Bromโ€™s Salomon Rondon (6.5) takes the final striker berth in our picks on the back of an impressive display away to Crystal Palace, where he scored and finished the Gameweek with the joint highest amount of goal attempts. A run of favourable fixtures, including Evertonโ€™s visit this weekend, looks set to see his ownership increase from 3.3%.

Cesar Azpilicueta is unlucky to miss out on a starting role, with a 6.0 price tag proving too rich for this weekโ€™s top-heavy picks. An away trip to a Watford side that fired in the fewest goal attempts in Gameweek 1 looks extremely favourable for the 13.4% owned Chelsea left back, who earned an assist and FPL bonus point in Gameweek 1.

Roberto Firmino (8.5) somehow swerved any attacking returns during Liverpoolโ€™s 4-3 victory over Arsenal in Gameweek 1. His strong underlying statistics mean we are keeping faith in his ability to deliver away at Burnley. If the 10.1% owned Brazilian is again overshadowed by team-mate Philippe Coutinho (8.1), we may have to re-think his inclusion in future Scout Picks.

Price has also seen Sunderlandโ€™s Jermain Defoe drop to the bench. With a goal against Manchester City in Gameweek 1 and home clash with Middlesbrough on Sunday, he has already earned a price hike to 7.1, taking his ownership to 8%.

The Community Champion

The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a ยฃ100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.

This weekโ€™s champion is Moin who has selected a 3-4-3 formation of Vorm; Ivanovic, Valencia, McNair; Payet, Firmino, Lamela, Januzaj; Aguero, Costa, Rooney.

J0E Podcaster and writer. Tweets stats and stuff via @FFScout_Joe Follow them on Twitter

855 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Ibra blank plz.

  2. GreenWindmill
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    What best to do with Coleman (other than go back a week and remember to remove him from my GW1 team)?

    Straight swap to Baines/Williams or steer clear of Everton for now?

    Rest of the defence is Valencia, Stones, Evans, Friend.

    1. LC1
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Amat? And make yourself a bit of moolah.

    2. GoonerByron
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      I want Baines eventually (Well really soon) but with your defence I'd maybe downgrade him to Amat..

    3. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Amat? Hmm...

      Thanks ๐Ÿ™‚

    4. Ziro
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      How did you end up with him? Wasn't it known well in advance he was injured?

      1. GreenWindmill
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Was leaving him in for as long as possible in case there was further news and he was only going to miss one game then clean forgot to do anything about it. News about his injury being worst than first feared came out a few hours after the deadline ๐Ÿ˜†

        1. GreenWindmill
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          #casual

          1. Ziro
            • 11 Years
            9 years, 6 months ago

            +1ed

    5. Thomas Magnum
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      I'd bring in Baines but how long is Coleman out for?

      1. GreenWindmill
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        "several weeks" ๐Ÿ™

        https://twitter.com/Everton/status/764448969900560384

        Trouble is I don't think Baines is that good anymore, if I knew he was on pens though...

  3. Hakchak
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Aguero or Firmino captain?!

    1. Zlatan Time
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero for the majority, Firmino for the punt as he has lots of hard fixtures coming up...

      1. Hakchak
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        I hate the fact the "casuals" are making me make a decision so soon on Vardy + Tadic for Redmond and Ibra

        1. Zlatan Time
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          I have owned both Redmond and Ibrahimovic from the start but Tadic and Vardy are more proven in the league and will probably get higher returns, stick at the moment ๐Ÿ™‚

    2. Henryyy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Kun imo

    3. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Ibrakunovic.

  4. Shack
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Little A-D action for a Friday afternoon, play 2:
    A: Capoue (CHE)
    B: Redmond (mun)
    -------------------------
    C: Friend (sun)
    D: Stones (stk)
    Cheers!!!

    1. Zlatan Time
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Capoue won't score again for a while so Redmond and Stoke might not score against City so Stones ๐Ÿ™‚

    2. L S P
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      BD

  5. Costa's Counsellor
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Kone out is a real kick in the nadgers...

  6. IdrissaGueye
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone considering origi

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Enough chicks and I'm in....

    2. kijsberg
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Absolutely if he was nailed on.

      1. IdrissaGueye
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Surely he is this week with mane out

    3. Christina.
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Cesc Origi

  7. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    15 ๐Ÿ˜Ž

    1. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Be good if it was in English. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Invincibles49
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    When are we expected to use our wildcard? After GW 2 or 3?

    1. GoonerByron
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Whenever you need it.. Certainly not GW 2 or 3 for me

    2. Individual
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      No expectation, you have until the first GW in January ๐Ÿ™‚

      Whenever you think your team needs it!

      Many here have planned to use it early (GW3 international break) in order to reap the benefits of transfers during the 2 week break. But it's up to you!

      1. Invincibles49
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        I think I'll use it during the international break myself, my team is already looking a little rubbish lol. Thanks for the feedback

    3. Mr. Blonde
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      There's a big fixture swing around 5/6 so considering then myself

      1. Jamie_GAWA
        • 9 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Who's got that fixture swing?

        1. Pipermaru
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          WAT, ARS, LIV, STO if I recall correctly...

  9. D0GS B0110XS FC
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    play friend or evans?

    1. GoonerByron
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Evans 100%

  10. how now brown cow
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    If zlatan scores tonight I'm getting him in for vardy before price rise.

    2ft but need an extra 0.5.

    Should I go pieters to amat now and play him instead of evans? Have foster in goal already.

    1. rdamjan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      I would do that, if you plan get Amat next week...

    2. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      What if he doesn't score this week and scores a hat trick and 2 assist in gw3?

      What happens then? ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. paulb6384
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone still got Micki??

    1. jia you
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Just got rid of him a few hours ago! Was gonna stick with him and keep the FT (hope it doesn't bite me in da ass)!

  12. kijsberg
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Posted this earlier, but I'd like a few more opinions.

    Bench one:
    1: Redmond (14% chance to score)
    2: Tadic (15% chance to score)
    3: Funes Mori (34% CS chance)

    According to the bookies, I'd probably want to bench Redmond or Tadic and play 4ATB (other defenders Amat (48%), Stones (40%) and Valencia (52%)).

    But I guess you shouldn't trust the odds blindly. What do you guys think?

    1. L S P
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Bench Mori

  13. andy85wsm
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Ibra ๐Ÿ™

    1. Ziro
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      what?

      1. andy85wsm
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        I need him!

        -4....

        1. Christina.
          • 16 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          Give him another 90 min. Get tonight after ManU game.

          1. andy85wsm
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 15 Years
            9 years, 6 months ago

            Transfer on a Friday with 9 games to go....

            Sounds risky!

            1. Hakchak
              • 14 Years
              9 years, 6 months ago

              Tadic sacrificed for Redmond?

              Vardy out? I think Vardy will outscore Ibra - 4 surely

              1. Ha.
                • 10 Years
                9 years, 6 months ago

                Don't call him Shirley

            2. devils advocate
              • 11 Years
              9 years, 6 months ago

              Serves you right for not trusting in the Zlatan from the start.

              I expected better considering your grav contains one of our finest. ๐Ÿ˜‰

        2. Ziro
          • 11 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          ๐Ÿ˜€

          was happy momentarily thinking Zlatan was injured.

  14. Surgical Attack
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    4-3-3? ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

    1. Mr. Grv
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

    2. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Nearly as shocking as backing over the cat on the way to work in the morning.

      Trust me I know. ๐Ÿ™

  15. The Chosen One...
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Mane > Payet for free?

    1. L S P
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      no

    2. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Not bad.

  16. meerlight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    @officialFPL have posted their scout picks. 7 players the same

  17. Mr. Grv
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Kun hatty ,
    Ibra goal and valencia assist . Plsss ๐Ÿ˜›

  18. tim
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Sanchez out
    Hazard in

    Yes or No?

    1. devils advocate
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Nope.

  19. andy85wsm
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    All these sources of info from FPL etc now and I still missed Kone being injured until I logged into my team... ๐Ÿ˜†

  20. JayBomb
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Hi Quick Q. Pick 1 to bench

    A Carroll
    B McAuley
    C Jagielka

    Thanks

    1. JayBomb
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Have Foster in goal

  21. Ha.
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Phew, only 5

  22. Bøwstring The Carp
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    5 picks, benching one of them ๐Ÿ˜‰

  23. Plagued by indecision
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Lost On last post

    Saving the FT. Here's my line-up:

    Jakupovic
    Amat / Stones / Shaw
    Hazard / Lamela / Firmino / Tadic
    Aguero / Ibrahimovic(c) / Gray

    Subs : Heaton / Capoue / Friend / Paredes

    Thoughts?

    1. Plagued by indecision
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Planning Tadic > Redmond and Gray > Benteke next week

    2. Mr. Grv
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      gtg

    3. Zlatan Time
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Ibrahimovic captain is risky and would change to Aguero in my opinion. But almost identical to mine, good to go ๐Ÿ™‚

  24. FPL Panda
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Thinking of doing tadic to lamela now and Ramirez to Redmond next week. Thoughts?

  25. Henryyy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    What have i learned at the start of this season?

    Keep money ITB so you dont need to take hits for a player at the very beginning

  26. Fantasy123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Two things I still can't decide

    Fuchs vs Amy?
    (c) aguero or ibra?

    1. Fantasy123
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Amat*

  27. Mr. Grv
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    6 picks in playing 11 ๐Ÿ™

  28. Bubz
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Just watched some of those officialFPL shows on Facebook. Kinda see where everyone is coming from with the spoon feeding remarks tbh. Things like the segment on Shaw vs Valencia and just telling everyone how much better Valencia is and why is kind of annoying.

  29. Yome
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Pepe said "Right now, today, Willy is better in that position".
    Seriously, I think Pep talks too much! Joe has proven that he is very good goalkeeper, no way Willy is better than Joe

    1. MrMaverick
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      this is the thing. For a club with the ambition of city, how many costly costly costly mistakes does hart have to make to be dropped?

      1. Yome
        • 14 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Every keepers make mistakes! I don't think he can take all the blame on his shoulders! Joe saved penalties in CL and City won the league a few years back. What is the problem??

        1. MrMaverick
          • 9 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          the reason England went out of the euros was HART

          and you ask "what is the problem"...... ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

          1. MrMaverick
            • 9 Years
            9 years, 6 months ago

            do I need to mention the bale FK, or the Chelsea nastastic mistake?

          2. Yome
            • 14 Years
            9 years, 6 months ago

            What? so you are putting all the responsibility on Hart. That is your opinion but for me England didn't perform as a whole not only because of Hart. What Kane and Sterling did?

            1. MrMaverick
              • 9 Years
              9 years, 6 months ago

              wow, just wow.

    2. how now brown cow
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Willy in what position? It's all too much for this time of day.