After unveiling the Scout Picks Squad earlier this week, it’s now time to reveal our Gameweek 2 selections.
Two of Gameweek 1’s most defensively impressive sides, Swansea and West Brom, come into our thinking with a couple of picks apiece. Meanwhile, tonight’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 there’s plenty more hauls to follow, including this weekend when Everton, who were among Gameweek 1’s worst sides in terms of shots in the box, visit. 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, Sunderland’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 Gameweek’s most prolific crossers.
Tottenham’s backline also offer another strong clean sheet prospect in Gameweek 2. To save funds we’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 United’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 man’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 City’s Champions League qualifier against Steaua Bucharest in midweek, Sergio Aguero looks undroppable from our Scout Picks. This week’s Captain Poll front runner, who at 47.1% is FPL’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.
Aguero’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 Brom’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 Everton’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 week’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 Liverpool’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 Sunderland’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 £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.
This week’s champion is Moin who has selected a 3-4-3 formation of Vorm; Ivanovic, Valencia, McNair; Payet, Firmino, Lamela, Januzaj; Aguero, Costa, Rooney.
