After listing the players under consideration in our midweek Scout Squad article, the time has come to reveal who has earned a Scout Picks place.
Our search for value between the sticks brings us to Crystal Palace’s Wayne Hennessey (4.3) as he looks to earn a fourth clean sheet in as many home matches when Leicester City drop by.
Distracted by their Champions League exertions, we see rotation among Craig Shakespeare’s troops, which adds further to the 2.8%-owned stopper’s clean sheet potential. Should he concede, the Welshman also offers the security of save points, having made 17 in his last trio of matches. In addition, a double Gameweek 34 makes him a shrewd short-term option for those in search of a new keeper.
As we look to assemble a strong XI from our 84m budget, we’ve found further savings in defence, with Spurs’ budget-friendly left back Ben Davies (4.9) set to continue for the injured Danny Rose for Bournemouth’s visit to White Hart Lane.
Although the Cherries have scored nine in their last six, there is a strong chance of a shut-out given that Spurs have the Premier League’s best defence, denying visitors ten times this campaign.
Erik Pieters (4.7) is another budget option that looks set to prosper this Gameweek, when he takes on a Hull City side that has only found the net twice in their last six road trips. With five sets of bonus points this campaign, the 8.6%-owned Dutchman is, like Hennessey, another to offer the chance of returns from different routes.
Paul’s Scout Squad analysis concerning Burnley’s frailties down the right flank have earned Everton left-back Leighton Baines (5.8) a place. He anticipates that the defender, along with left-sided midfielder Kevin Mirallas, could prosper due to Sean Dyche’s men conceding more chances from the right than any other team away from home.
Dele Alli (9.2) has emerged as our Tottenham midfielder of choice, beating Scout Picks’ favourite Christian Eriksen for Saturday lunchtime’s encounter with Bournemouth.
The 34.7%-owned England midfielder has scored eight goals at White Hart Lane, compared to his Danish team-mate’s five, which could prove decisive given that the Cherries have shipped 14 goals and kept just one clean sheet in the last six road trips.
Earning a place, perhaps for the final time for the foreseeable future, is Alexis Sanchez (11.6), who has driven his owners to distraction through a series of muted displays on Arsenal’s left wing where he has scored just one goal in four.
For the Gunners’ trip to Middlesbrough we will have to hope he improves out wide, as Arsene Wenger has indicated that the Chilean himself prefers to play there rather than in a central striker role.
Six clean sheets at the Riverside for Steve Agnew’s charges will prove to be a good test of his points-scoring potential. But with 12 goals on the road – more than any other player– we know that the Gunners’ top scorer has the ability to punish the 63,000+ FPL managers who have jettisoned him this week.
The form and fixture data combine perfectly for Liverpool schemer Philippe Coutinho (8.4) as he travels to a West Brom side that last kept a home clean sheet in Gameweek 24. Three goals in as many matches bode well for the 58,000+ FPL managers who have drafted the Brazilian in this week.
With a double Gameweek 34 looming, Crystal Palace assets are hot property in the transfer market. Gaining 103,000+ new FPL managers this week is Wilfried Zaha (5.9), who forms part of an Eagles triple-up for this week’s Picks.
Two double-digit FPL points hauls in the last three matches give us faith he can prosper against a Leicester side that has shipped nine goals in four on the road.
The third Eagles place goes to Christian Benteke (7.1), despite scoring just two of his 11 goals at Selhurst Park this season. But with an impressive 42 shots in front of his own fans, we are banking on an upturn in his conversion rate against the Foxes.
Our final two spots go to FPL’s most popular player, the 46% owned Romelu Lukaku (10.4), and Harry Kane (11.3), who are tussling at the top of our captain poll this Gameweek due to strong form and favourable home clashes against leaky defences.
Everton’s marksman will be looking to extend his lead in the race for the Golden Boot and add to a 23-goal tally when Burnley visit. Twelve goals in his last seven home matches, allied with the Clarets’ meagre three clean sheets on their travels, suggest he will reward our faith.
The Spurs striker’s six goals in four starts prior to his recent three-match injury lay-off give us hope of a similarly impressive points return, particularly given the Cherries’ aforementioned frailty on the road. His 112,000+ new FPL managers make Kane the most popular forward in the transfer market this week.
James Collins (4.2) earns a sub role after excelling for West Ham’s injury-ravaged defence in their 1-0 home victory over Swansea in Gameweek 32. A second clean sheet in a row looks a real possibility for the 3.7%-owned centre back given that he’s off to Sunderland, who are on a torrid seven-match goalless streak.
With Winston Reid a confirmed absentee and Aaron Creswell and Sam Byram doubtful, the Welshman’s place alongside Jose Fonte at the heart of the Hammers’ backline looks guaranteed.
While our faith in the travelling Swansea rearguard may be at rock bottom, we still retain some in their attackers and have handed Gylfi Sigurdsson (7.6) a place on the bench.
As with Sanchez, we are hoping the 15.2%-owned Icelander can overcome a recent slump in form which has seen him fail to deliver attacking returns in his last four. His 12 shots over that period, a third of which were on target, suggest an upturn in fortunes is just around the corner.
Four goals in his last four at Vicarage Road earns a bench spot for Troy Deeney (6.9). The Watford striker welcomes a Swansea outfit that, on the road, has conceded 34 times and made 15 defensive blunders – more than any other side.
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.
The current champion to beat is Boris Bodega, who achieved a 33-point margin of victory over us in Gameweek 15.
This week’s champion, Jazz, has selected a 4-3-3 line up of: Jakupovic; Naughton, Yoshida, Trippier, M.Olsson; T.Davies, Alli, Sanchez; A.Carroll, Kane, Ibrahimovic.
