The Scout Squad – Gameweek 30

Do you remember where you were when all of the Scouts neglected to make Mohamed Salah their premier midfield pick?

Reading this article, that’s where, because it’s finally happened.

Egypt’s wonder of the modern world gets only second, or even third, billing this week. Unless you’re talking about Paul, that is, because Mo gets no mention from him at all.

The rest of our ‘expert’ panel – Fantasy Football Scout veterans Mark and Jonty and Career Hall of Fame luminary Peter Kouwenberg – haven’t gone that far, but all agree that it is Eden Hazard who is Gameweek 30’s top midfield man.

Except for Jonty, who’s gone for Riyad Mahrez.

So there’s going to be a lot of disagreements this week, with unfamiliar picks getting strong backing, such as Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka.

For a player in a side with just one clean sheet in seven Gameweeks, that says an awful lot about the Magpies’ opposition, Southampton, a lot of it involving them being awful.

At least Harry Kane gets a unanimous vote in attack, but who plays up there with him will also be subject to heated debate, with Huddersfield’s Steve Mounie getting as many votes as both Sergio Aguero and Arsenal’s man of 24 characters, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Join us later in the week for the fallout from the inevitable bickering to come, and in the meantime here are all our Scouts’ selections, complete with workings-out.

Peter Says…

Attacking returns from each of my five strikers last week and only Cenk Tosun to deny me the Holy Grail of five clean sheets from my defenders.

Sadly, that’s about as many points as my own struggling FPL team produces in a month.

This week throws up some form versus fixture quandaries, with off-colour Arsenal and Chelsea seemingly handed the most favourable home fixtures, and free-scoring Liverpool heading to face the tightest home defence in the league.

Indeed, most of the matches look tough to call, particularly with relegation-threatened teams like Swansea City on a great run recently, so I’m hoping there is a bit of variety across our Scout shortlists this week.

My nod to Manchester United’s defensive resolve at Old Trafford is that Mohamed Salah only features third in my midfield picks.

While Eden Hazard and Riyad Mahrez above him are both worthy contenders, I do feel a little disloyal to the Egyptian, who is currently neck and neck with another of my selections, Harry Kane, for the Golden Boot.

I backed Glenn Murray over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last weekend, but as it happens they both found the net. I reckon they may well repeat that feat, and I’ve also thrown Troy Deeney into the mix at the Emirates with the Watford man serving me well over the recent weeks – we know he loves a goal against the Gunners, too.

I pop in at the John Smith’s Stadium for my final attacker. I was torn between Jordan Ayew and Steve Mounie and went for the latter purely because Huddersfield’s meagre goals tally at home exceeds the Swans’ laughable away strike rate.

My miserly approach to strikers means that I can afford to complete an expensive midfield quintet with Leroy Sané and Marko Arnautović.

City must surely be heavily backed at Stoke City, though once again we’ll be desperately hunting for scraps and clues as to Pep’s starting XI nearer the deadline. For now, Ederson and Kyle Walker look good bets to me.

And speaking of betting, what are the odds that Ben Mee will finally break his scoring duck, à la Lewis Dunk, the week I retire him from my picks?

That day will soon come, when Mee is forsaken and I break all bonds of fellowship for the defender with more shots in the box than anyone other than Marcos Alonso. But it is not this day!

This weekend he will bring the Hammers crashing down. If not, you won’t see him again in my Scout picks this season.

Paul Says…

For once, I’m going to overlook Salah.Even though he’s likely to be up against Ashley Young on the Man United left on Saturday lunchtime, I feel that Jose Mourinho’s tactics will limit the Egyptian’s potential.

Elsewhere, I’m backing Huddersfield to maintain their strong home record as Swansea visit.

David Wagner’s side have only failed to score four times in front of their own fans this term, and three of those matches were against top seven sides.

I’d rather pick Alex Pritchard, but with doubts over his fitness, opt for Rajiv van la Parra as a budget option – he’s fired more shots, efforts in the box and attempts on target than any team-mate in the last four Gameweeks.

West Brom look dead and buried under Alan Pardew, which looks more than encouraging for weekend visitors Leicester City.

A goal or assist in ten of his last 13 league starts makes Riyad Mahrez their most consistent attacking asset, although Jamie Vardy clearly loves playing at The Hawthorns – he’s scored away to the Baggies in each of the previous three seasons.

Jonty Says…

This looks to be a strong week for budget gems, and they’ll be needed to load up on more expensive players from the ranks of Spurs, Leicester and Chelsea, who all have kind fixtures.

Newcastle looks the ideal place to go bargain hunting at the back, given they have conceded just twice over their last four home matches.

This means I’m backing Dubravka, who has also managed to rack up a clean sheet, two bonus points and the same number of save points across his three starts.

Another source of value picks looks to be West Ham, who host a Burnley side that has managed to find the net just once in their last four road trips.

Adrian in goal looks a great selection should Dubravka fail to win backing from the others. Arnautovic (7.0) is another Hammer to offer solid points prospects for a small outlay, with seven goals and four assists over his last 11 league matches.

I’m so unimpressed with Arsenal’s woeful form that I’ve also included Watford’s Deeney as a cheap differential.

The Hornets striker is in fine form, with three goals in his last four starts. He also has a good record against the Gunners, scoring in each of his last two encounters.

Among my heavy hitter picks, Kane is a shoo-in against a Bournemouth side that has allowed opponents a record 99 shots over the last six Gameweeks.

Aubameyang’s controversial maximum bonus award in Arsenal’s loss to Brighton on Sunday has also caught my eye.

Unable to play in the Gunners’ Europa League campaign, he looks nailed on and ready to once again produce a surprise bonus point haul.

Salah is the only player I am willing to back for returns in Liverpool’s tricky trip to United.

Even though Jose Mourinho’s charges have kept ten clean sheets at home, they have been in poor defensive form of late, with just one clean sheet in their last five.

Elsewhere, Mahrez gets star billing among midfielders for me and also looks a great alternative captain option for Leicester’s trip to a West Brom side already preparing for life in the Championship. Four goals in his last seven bode well for returns against the Baggies’ porous backline.

Mark Says…

I’ve nominated Theo Walcott just to give me another opportunity to argue with Jonty. And because I genuinely feel that so many managers have given up on him too soon.

Yes, Everton have been woeful, but at Goodison Park they are a different animal, and unless we feel that Brighton are about to keep their first clean sheet for eight Gameweeks, then Walcott deserves our attention.

I doubt I’ll get my way and manage to mastermind his selection in the Picks, but it will be fun trying.

Elsewhere in midfield, the template looks pretty settled and, even with Salah at Old Trafford, I expect him to end up in our XI come Friday evening.

The striker roles and our final formation look more questionable.

Aside from Kane, it’s surely up for grabs, and we may end up opting for Vardy or even a budget option in order to get our dream midfield line-up.

A 4-4-2 looks likely, which is no bad thing given the defensive choice, though if I see the possibility of pushing for five across the middle, then I can re-open that case for Walcott.

The Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 30 will be Fusen, who is in his eighth season, with top 10,000 finishes in his last two campaigns.

The community champion who has the best lead over the Scouts during 2017/18 will win a £100 Amazon voucher (currently we can only offer Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com vouchers).

Last week’s champion, Heroes and Villains, narrowly beat the Scouts 63-62.

The one to beat remains Gregor, who achieved victory over the Scouts by a 33-point margin in Gameweek 5.