Scout Notes

Aguero hits hat-trick as Mendy collects another two FPL assists

Sergio Aguero hit a hat-trick as Benjamin Mendy delivered another two assists in Manchester City’s 6-1 defeat of Huddersfield Town.

Watford’s fine start to the season continued, while in our re-cap of yesterday evening’s match, Chelsea and Arsenal both exhilarated in attack – but looked shaky at the back.

In our latest Scout Notes article, we analyse three goal-laden matches from Gameweek 2.

Manchester City 6-1 Huddersfield Town

  • Goals: Sergio Aguero (£11.0m) x3, Gabriel Jesus (£10.5m), David Silva (£8.4m), own-goal | Jon Stankovic (£4.0m)
  • Assists: Ederson (£5.5m), Benjamin Mendy (£6.1m) x2, Sergio Aguero, Leroy Sane (£9.5m)

Sunday’s demolition of Huddersfield Town suggested that Manchester City players are, as they were in 2017/18, going to be a rich source of FPL points this season – but that we must also be prepared for more rotation roulette.

After Leroy Sane‘s (£9.5m) owners were left cursing Pep Guardiola’s team selection last weekend, this time it was the turn of FPL managers who had backed Raheem Sterling (£11.0m), Riyad Mahrez (£9.0m) and Kyle Walker (£6.5m). All three of these premium picks – as well as Sane – started on the bench as Guardiola brought in Gabriel Jesus (£10.5m), Vincent Kompany (£5.5m) and David Silva (£8.4m) for their first league starts of the season.

Rumours that Sergio Aguero (£11.0m) would be dropped for City’s first home match of the 2018/19 campaign proved to be unfounded, with Aguero lining up alongside Jesus as Guardiola switched to a 3-5-2 to combat their visitors’ defensive set-up.

Aguero’s three-goal contribution – and in particular his hat-trick goal – left Guardiola purring:

The pass was outstanding, the control by Sergio Aguero. I never saw him like this since I was here, he is in an incredible condition with the ball and without the ball. I thought to take Sergio off before the hat-trick but in the end it was perfect, he scored a goal and off to a standing ovation.

After surgery with the doctor, he feels free now. He suffered last year with some problems but his whole game, not just scoring goals but his passing and his assists… he never stops!

When that happens, he is one of the best strikers in the world, without a doubt. Since he came back, in this period, in the Community Shield, against Arsenal and today, he has been perfect.

Given the level of speculation surrounding Aguero and his position in the City team over the last 48 hours, those comments should leave FPL managers in no doubt about the Argentinean’s importance to Guardiola and the City set-up.

Aguero had nine shots on goal in this match and no FPL forward has had more attempts on goal than the 30-year-old striker so far this season.

Guardiola reiterated after the match the importance of Benjamin Mendy (£6.1m) in the 3-5-2 set-up, a system that the City manager only rolled out once after the French left-back’s serious injury suffered at the beginning of 2017/18.

Last season Huddersfield played five at the back. We decided today, we would play with two strikers. All the players made a good performance. We could not attack in this way last year because we did not have Benjamin Mendy [due to a long-term injury], he is so clever to go up and down. When we have we are able to attack in that way.

While effusive in his praise of Mendy, Guardiola’s slightly tongue-in-cheek comments after the match hinted at the possible need to manage the wing-back’s minutes when City are back in midweek Champions League action:

He’s a guy who is full of energy, offensively and defensively and with the ball.

We know his physicality. Now, we have one game a week, we have time for recovery. I don’t know what will happen when we play every three days!

Mendy recorded a brace of assists for the second week running and played a big part in City’s second goal, with the loose ball from the Frenchman’s halted darting run being rifled home by Jesus. Mendy’s price will surely rise again this week, with the former Monaco left-back having already been bought by over 100,000 new managers since the Gameweek 2 deadline passed.

Although Walker was rested for the visit of Huddersfield (perhaps with Guardiola taking into consideration his World Cup exertions), the England wing-back would seem ideally suited to this 3-5-2 formation going forward. City’s shape off the ball on Sunday – with John Stones moving across to right-back as City became as 4-4-2 of sorts – is, however, an indication that there was also a possible tactical reason for Walker’s omission.

Mahrez and Sterling played centrally on occasion for their respective clubs last season so it is not necessarily a given that the pair couldn’t be integrated into such a set-up; Sterling, of course, was deployed as a striker for England in Russia in Gareth Southgate’s similar – albeit not quite as fluid – 3-5-2 system.

With Mahrez off the pitch and De Bruyne crocked, David Silva demonstrated his aptitude from dead-ball situations with a direct free-kick goal. Bernardo Silva (£7.6m), meanwhile, was mostly entrusted with corner-taking duties.

Huddersfield were without the injured Zanka (£4.5m) and Jonathan Hogg (£4.5m), while Aaron Mooy (£5.5m) missed the match with his wife in labour.

David Wagner sprung a few surprises in his bid to combat their hosts, deploying FPL defenders Jon Stankovic (£4.0m) and Florent Hadergjonaj (£4.5m) “out of position” in midfield.

Stankovic scored on his Premier League debut and could, depending on the severity of Hogg and Zanka’s injuries, be another bargain-bin defender to add to the short-term watchlist, particularly with the Terriers next at home against Cardiff City.

Wagner said after the match:

I’m pleased for Jon (Stankovic). It wasn’t easy for him in the last 12 months. We prepared him as a centre-back, but when City changed their shape to a three, he had to play alongside Philip Billing as ‘six’.

Aaron Mooy will be back for Cardiff. We also have to hope that Zanka and Jonathan Hogg will be back; we will make a decision on that later in the week.

The first-team prospects of the only £4.0m-rated goalkeeper to have started a Premier League fixture this season, Ben Hamer, might be in doubt after his display in this match, however. Hamer was particularly culpable for City’s third goal, shovelling a Mendy cross straight into the path of Aguero.

Manchester City XI (3-5-2): Ederson; Stones, Kompany, Laporte; Mendy, D Silva (Mahrez 64′), Fernandinho, Gundogan (Foden ’82), B Silva; Aguero (Sane 76′), Gabriel Jesus

Huddersfield Town XI (4-4-1-1): Hamer; Smith, Schindler, Kongolo, Lowe; Pritchard (Diakhaby 61′), Stankovic, Billing, Hadergjonaj; Sabiri (Depoitre 46′); Mounie (Sobhi’ 84)

Burnley 1-3 Watford

  • Goals: James Tarkowski (£5.0m) | Andre Gray (£6.0m), Troy Deeney (£6.0m), Will Hughes (£5.0m)
  • Assists: Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£6.0m) | Troy Deeney, Abdoulaye Doucoure (£6.0m)

With all the tactical tweaks and line-up changes going on at the Etihad, it was a Scout Notes writer’s dream to see two unchanged Premier League teams walk out at Turf Moor.

Burnley had the joint-best home defensive record outside of the top six last season, conceding on just 17 occasions in 19 matches on their own soil, but the first potential impact of their Europa League-influenced Thursday/Sunday schedule might have been evident on Sunday as they fell to a 3-1 defeat to the Hornets.

Although only Joe Hart (£4.5m), Stephen Ward (£5.0m) and Jeff Hendrick (£5.5m) of their starting XI today played the full 120 minutes against Istanbul Basaksehir, a further six of the team that faced the Hornets were also involved to varying degrees on Thursday evening.

Dyche though refused to blame the defeat on the Clarets’ hectic schedule and heavy legs:

It’s the story that started five months ago. It’s not new, but you’ll all run it, it’s your jobs. That’s the challenge, it’s here, it’s real, so that’s what we get on with.

The performances have been really good. First half we were very good, certainly the better side. Once they get 3-1 up, it’s difficult, at the end of the market, when teams have a two-goal swing.

The Clarets will again be in action on the next two Thursdays, taking on Olympiakos in a two-legged Europa League play-off less than 72 hours before matches against Fulham and Manchester United – something that will perhaps influence Fantasy managers’ decisions on whether to draft the likes of Hart, Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£6.0m) and Chris Wood (£6.5m) into their squads for Burnley’s appealing next half-dozen matches.

Gudmundsson, who registered more assists (nine) last season than anyone in the £6.0m or under price bracket, was the architect of yet another goal on Sunday afternoon, with one of his five corner-kick deliveries finding the head of James Tarkowski (£5.0m) for Burnley’s equaliser.

The Icelandic midfielder was also the most advanced Burnley player over the course of the 90 minutes, based on average positions.

To claim that Watford’s victory was down to their hosts’ weariness would be a disservice to an impressive Hornets’ side, though.

Javi Gracia’s well-organised “4-4-2 with inverted wingers” set-up once again allowed Jose Holebas (£4.6m) plenty of freedom to push forward from the left-back position, though he and the other hero of last weekend – Roberto Pereyra (£6.1m) – were to give up the stage for four other key players in Watford’s midfield/attack.

Troy Deeney and Andre Gray (both £6.0m) combined beautifully for the latter’s opening strike before Deeney got a goal of his own from Abdoulaye Doucoure‘s (£6.0m) sumptuous pass.

Speaking of his front pairing, Gracia said:

It’s good for our two forwards. They are doing a very good job, not only like today by scoring goals. They are creating difficulties for the centre-backs and today we have been able to keep the line a little bit higher.

Will Hughes, at £5.0m over one million pound cheaper than Pereyra in FPL, posed a bigger goal threat than his opposite wide-man and got a deserved goal on 51 minutes, punishing a sloppy pass from Matthew Lowton (£5.0m).

Crucially, Watford have now shaken off their away-day jinx under Gracia (this was his first win on the road) and they now face three successive home matches in the league with which to capitalise on their impressive start.

Burnley XI (4-5-1): Hart; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Ward (Taylor 74′); Lennon, Hendrick (Vokes 70′), Cork, Westwood, Gudmundsson; Wood (Barnes 65′)

Watford XI (4-4-2): Foster; Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas; Hughes (Femenía 82′), Doucoure, Capoue, Pereyra; Gray (Sema 67′), Deeney (Success 88′)

Chelsea 3-2 Arsenal

  • Goals: Pedro (£6.5m), Alvaro Morata (£9.0m), Marcos Alonso (£6.5m) | Alex Iwobi (£5.5m), Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£7.0m)
  • Assists: Marcos Alonso, Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.5m), Eden Hazard (£10.5m) | Henrikh Mkhitaryan

After all the doom-mongering pre-season predictions about how life as an orthodox left-back in Maurizio Sarri’s 4-3-3 system would end his days as a worthwhile premium pick, Marcos Alonso (£6.5m) sits atop of the highest points-scorers’ table in FPL with only one match of Gameweek 2 remaining.

Alonso delivered his second successive double-digit return, registering a goal and assist in Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Arsenal to add to his 11-point haul in Gameweek 1.

The Spaniard had three attempts on goal in the win over the Gunners and made numerous overlapping runs past Willian (£7.5m) ahead of him, who would often cut inside to generate space for Alonso.

The introduction of Eden Hazard (£10.5m) arguably made him an even bigger threat in attack and it was the Belgian who found Alonso in the box with nine minutes remaining for the left-back to grab Chelsea’s winner.

Substitutes Hazard and Mateo Kovacic (£6.0m), the latter of whom completed 42 of his 43 passes, drew praise for their displays, though Sarri’s words after the match hinted that Willian and Ross Barkley‘s (£6.0m) starting positions might be safe for another week or so:

I am really very happy. But in my opinion, in this moment Kovacic and Hazard are not able to play for 90 minutes.

So I thought that it was better 25-30 minutes when the intensity of the game is going down, and Hazard has done two assists in two matches. So I am very happy, also because I think that Kovacic can improve a lot here.

While the Blues were potent in attack, the quarter of an hour of madness immediately before half-time would have been a worry for both Sarri and FPL managers who own a Chelsea defender.

Arsenal scored twice to peg the score back to 2-2 and looked in the ascendancy at half-time, having struggled to get into game for the first half-hour.

That Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£7.0m) created more chances than any other player at Stamford Bridge yesterday said much about Alonso’s failings defensively, though the Spaniard was not afforded a great deal of protection by the midfielders in front of him and wasn’t alone in his iffy showing at the back.

Speaking of his side’s defensive work, Sarri said:

We have to improve in the defensive phase, and I’m not talking about only the defenders. The defensive phase of all the team, all the players. If we press very high, we are able to do well. But, at the other moments, when we are not able to press in the other half, we are in trouble.

Pedro (£6.5m) scored his second goal of the season to open the scoring and was a threat all night, while Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.5m) and Alvaro Morata (£9.0m) demonstrated their almost telepathic understanding for Chelsea’s second goal. Azpilicueta, while not quite as gung-ho as Alonso on the opposite flank, made three key passes yesterday evening and now has seven assists since the start of 2017/18 – all seven of which were scored by Morata.

Jorginho (£5.1m) and N’Golo Kante (£5.0m) delivered eye-catching performances in midfield, meanwhile.

Jorginho was metronomic at the base of the central three, though the fact that not one of his 99 passes led directly to a chance says much about the Brazilian’s Fantasy appeal (the odd converted penalty aside).

Kante’s rebirth as a box-to-box midfielder continues to intrigue, however, with no player on either side having as many touches in the opposition area. The French midfielder also fired off three shots, though lacked conviction when presented with a goal-scoring opportunity.

Unai Emery was adventurous in his team selection, deploying Alex Iwobi (£5,5m) to the left of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) and stationing Mesut Ozil (£8.5m) in the hole.

Nacho Monreal (£5.5m), meanwhile, was fit enough to return at left-back.

The Gunners’ offensive performance for the second half of the opening 45 minutes would have encouraged FPL managers ahead of Arsenal’s appealing run of fixtures from Gameweeks 3-10, though, like Chelsea, their defence left much to be desired.

Iwobi’s display in particular, capped off by a goal, would have given Emery food for thought ahead of next week’s home encounter with West Ham United.

Mkhitaryan, meanwhile, delivered a double-digit return to further his case in the mid-price midfielder bracket.

Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan both spurned glorious opportunities, but the fact that Manchester City were the only side to carve out more “big chances” than the Gunners this weekend speaks volumes about their attacking menace. Iwobi’s goal involved ten Arsenal players and 19 passes, underscoring their fluency in attack at times yesterday.

Ozil was withdrawn midway through the second half after a somewhat underwhelming showing, though Emery backed the German midfielder in his post-match press conference:

We need him. He helps us with his quality and also I want to push him to be competitive in every match. I am happy with Mesut because he worked hard. I decided to change it because I think we needed a little more of a push in the middle, so that we couldn’t let Chelsea progress easily with the ball.

We were defending too deep and we needed a push, so for that I brought on Aaron [Ramsey] to push up more and recover the ball to continue attacking. I am happy with Mesut. With him, I am going to do the same work, help him and demand also that he works every day. At the moment he is doing that and I am happy. In the process, he is one player that I am sure is going to have a good season.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Luiz, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Barkley (Kovacic 60′); Willian (Hazard 61′), Morata (Giroud 74′), Pedro

Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Cech; Bellerin, Papastathopoulos, Mustafi, Monreal; Guendouzi, Xhaka (Torreira 46′); Mkhitaryan, Ozil (Ramsey 67′), Iwobi (Lacazette 74′); Aubameyang.

5,702 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Thinking of doing an early WC...team is decent but I want to get some players in and need to get rid of sanchez so I think its better to use it now than a -8. Thoughts?

    Patricio- Hamer
    Robbo-Mendy-Tomkins-Cedric-WanB
    Salah-Sanchez-Bsilva-Richarlison-Stephens
    Aguero-Arnie-Ings

    Thinking on the WC
    EDERSON-Hamer
    Robbo-Mendy-ALONSO-WanB-4.0
    Salah-MKHTI-PEDRO-Richarlison-Stephens
    Aguero-Arnie-Ings

    the problem is that I want Hazard over Pedro but the second option only leaves me with 2.4m ITB so I'm torn

    1. Vinyl78LP
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I'm on WC as needed six changes, for -8 i'd keep your WC in hand,

      1. Keep Calm and Play On
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Yeah would have needed a -12 at least to get a decent side....caught the price rises and on a WC, will sort it tomorrow.

        Cheers and GL

    2. Bartowski
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      i mean you're only real option then is to lose Salah for Mane

  2. Pranav Santhosh
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Transferring out alexis Jota and king. Want a Chelsea attacker and arsenal attacker. Pretty set on Eden hazard coming in I think mkhi is ideal as auba isn’t affordable if I go with hazard and then for the forward ings looks like a good cheap forward. Thoughts?

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah could work , they all might drop very soon though!

      1. Pranav Santhosh
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Yeah those 3 plus Hudson odoi are the 4 players that are dropping in my team. Not worth transferring odoi because he is just a bench player compared to king Jota and sanchez

    2. Pierce34
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Yep, practically the same situation as you. I've kept King though and transferred out the other 2 as part of a formation change.

      1. Pranav Santhosh
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Keeping king is probably smart good fixtures and even though Wilson is the one people want that can easily be swapped with king. Jota and Sanchez on the other hand played 45 minutes and 0 minutes respectively

  3. semiconductor
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    How much time left for changes before price changes?

    1. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      8 mins

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      abou 7-8 mins

    3. semiconductor
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      ok done the changes and took the hit. Hope it would be the right decision. Was between 2 options

  4. milanista10
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Luiz to Mendy worth a -4?

    1. 1314
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      yes

    2. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      No

  5. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Big number of price drops incoming!

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah very big , but no 3.9 defenders yet...

  6. davies
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Worth -4?

    Cedric/King > Alonso/Kamara

    Shifting to 352/442...

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Yes

    2. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Yes

    3. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Could work

  7. amplifiedAnt
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Current team:
    Ederson (Hamer)
    Robertson, Luiz, van Aanholt (Wan-Bissaka, Ream)
    Salah, Mané, Richarlison, Jota (Cairney)
    Aguero, Arnautovic, King

    Jota >
    1. Pedro
    2. Mkhitaryan

    King >
    A. Wilson
    B. Ings

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      2B

      If for free.

      1. amplifiedAnt
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Cheers! Yep, should've said 2FT.

        That's what I was on, so have pulled the trigger.

    2. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      2A for Ludwig

  8. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    A) Pedro, B Silva
    B) Mkhi , Fraser

    Which pair is best?

    bottomed

    1. Down with this sort of thin…
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      B

      Silva under threat

    2. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      B for Ludwig

  9. Pierce34
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Well, I've done it. I made 3 transfers for a -4 before the gameweek is even finished, all because you lot can't keep knee-jerking left, right and centre 😛

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I played my WC with all the knee-jerking, so not to blame for those price drops 🙂

  10. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Going to stick with King. Not worth -4 to swap him for Ings imo

    1. Pierce34
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Same - I sold Sanchez and Jota (couldn't risk it as their replacements wouldn't have been affordable with price drops) but I've kept faith with King.

    2. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I'm with you

      EVE (H) is a good fixture for him to deliver a consolation prize before Chelsea

  11. Gt1996
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    To avoid having to play Masuaku (ars) or Neves (MCI).. Does Masuaku > Ryan Fraser for -4 look like a decent switch? Or should I suck it up and play either of them?

    1. Sterling Silva is better th…
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Depends if you think Fraser will score 6 points to cancel out the hit

    2. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Probably not worth. Ludwig would pick Neves out of those two.

  12. NATSTER
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    I still don't get how to read xG. May I get some advice please?

    Does it tell the past or predict the future? How to interpret it?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      It shows games played. xG of 1 suggests that player should have scored 1 goal at least.

      1. Pierce34
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        And xG 68 per 90 minutes means Sturridge would've scored 68 goals if he'd played the whole game 😛

    2. Twelve years a slave
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      It a sophisticated system that looks at all shots, angles range etc and calculates the chance that a goal would have been scored.

    3. BananaNose Maldonado
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Past. It's what would have been expected based on the kinds of chances they got, shots they took, etc.

      It's a little early in the season to be looking at xG, I think. It's a statistic fraught with wobble, so I think it takes at least five matches for it to start to make any kinds of sense.

      Also, xG doesn't take into account the class of the player. Good finishers can outperform their xG; while weak finishers can flatter to deceive.

      1. Pierce34
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        This. There are always statistical anomalies when the sample is so small. (look at the Sturridge example for instance)

    4. RoysCallerAnne
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Load of tosh.
      Stats shcmats.
      Just watch some games and go with good fixtures.

      1. Pierce34
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        I mean, watching games and going through stats are not mutually exclusive activities!

        1. RoysCallerAnne
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          I'd rather have some nachos rather than look at stats.
          Or stick pins in my eyes.

    5. NATSTER
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Thank you. That sounds like it summarised the past then.

      The player with higher xG tend to score more in future. Is that the way to interpret?

      1. BananaNose Maldonado
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Well, um, not necessarily. In that case, I'd probably follow RCA's advice above. It's an additional piece of information that probably proves most useful as a way to validate the eye-test. And even when it doesn't, trust the eye-test more.

      2. Ne0
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        It's more complicated than that. xG stat for players point to the quality of chances a player gets. So a player with high xG stats gets many good chances (due to his quality of getting into good spaces, due to the quality of providers around him, due to weak defending of the opposition, etc.). But that doesn't mean high xG means high goals for a player on average.

        A good finisher will finish more half chances. A poor finisher will fail to score a number of good chances. So you want to see other stats beside xG stats. A good idea is to see xG vs goals scored. And to be honest, nothing beats the eye test in my opinion.

    6. noquarternt
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Each shot has an xG rating assigned to it based on how hard it is for the average premier league player to score it. All based on previous years. Different companies have different xG methodologies so look at each one individually, but there are a few similarities throughout.

      A shot from the centre of the 6 yard box has a really high chance of going in. So it’ll have an xG of 0.95 or something.

      A shot for, the halfway line will have an xG of 0.01 or something.

      So it’s expanding on ‘shots and shots on target’ kind of stats. Which is better, Coutinho having 10 shots from outside the box, or Kane having 3 from the 6 yard area? This is what it tries to solve.

      These get added up to show how potentially threatening they were in the game.

      A high xG shows a player is getting quality chances. Whether they convert them or not is likely to show how good a finisher they are.

      It tells the past, but can inform who is getting quality chances and who might be overachieving/underachieving but this is more subjective.

    7. NATSTER
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Thank you very much for the advice. I will try to read and find how this can be used. 🙂

  13. nkhoughton
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    How's Mahrez and Zaha to Mhki and Morata sound for free

    I know it's a lil premature to decide before cpl v liv

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Not for me , Mahrez could start next game and Zaha still has nice fixtures.

      1. the snazzy viking
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        'could' isn't good enough when you're paying 9m for a midfielder when there are options left right and centre doing it for 6.5m and ticking along well

        1. Down with this sort of thin…
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Got rid of Sane for that reason...

    2. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I like the first one, the second I wouldn't bother with

      surely there are more pressing issues than Zaha out when he has wat, SOU, hud, NEW, bou, WOL in his next 6 ?

      1. Down with this sort of thin…
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Yep. Zaha is main man now at Palace, expect most goals to involve him

    3. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I think Zaha + Mhki will score most points in their coming fixtures

  14. noquarternt
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Do your transfers now so you don’t end up posting ‘I missed the deadline by 1 second OMG’.

    1. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Is Mkhi safe from a price rise today?

      1. noquarternt
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Dunno, FPL Stats?

  15. 007 [RoboKlopp]
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Come on Alonso, Pedro and Ings!

  16. Paul
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Nah can't bring myself to an early transfer just to avoid 0.1 price rise..

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      High risks high returns

  17. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Looks like Mkhi's price tag wont rise tonight.. phew..

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      He was never going to rise tonight 🙂

      1. LǝgleSs e|even
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Good.. and thanks! I can go to bed now..

  18. Enes_Sahini1
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    When are price changes from now minutes?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      2mins

      Too late to make transfers

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Too late.

    3. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Like 1-2 min

  19. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Did Eriksen and Boly to Mkhi and Alonso In the end.

    Foster
    Mendy Alonso Robertson
    Salah(C) Mkhi Bilva Rich
    King Mitrovic Aguero(vc)

    Fabs Tomkins Shaw Stephens

    G2G?

    1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      You got the template essentially

  20. SuperDan
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Pick one:
    A) Robertson
    B) Pedro

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      No context...

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Decide tonight.

    3. Boxwoods
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Rob

    4. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Robertsson

      Pedro might have gotten the minutes but i think Willian will retain his place.

    5. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      A because he has nicer hair

  21. grayedog
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    0.5ITB, 2FT
    Coleman + Mahrez -> Mendy + Mkhi

    Leaves me 1.9 ITB for next week (to upgrade Jota or someone else)

    Thoughts? Any reason not to just pull the trigger now?

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Might as well wait til tomorrow.

    2. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      An easy yes

      1. grayedog
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Chance Mendy goes up again tonight? Word is Mkhi isn't, otherwise I can just make sure no injuries for LIV tomorrow (have Mane, Robbo, Firm)

        1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Mendy went up tonite

          1. grayedog
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Would you take that 1.8 ITB (after those two transfers) and take a -4 to go Jota -> Pogba or Jota -> Bilva?

            1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Jota already fell so I would wait and see if he is going to fall again... if unlikely then you have a whole week to watch for training injuries and pressers... Bilva may get rested and Pogba plays for United who are out of sorts

  22. NeatBourbon
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Is there anywhere to check tonight's price rises/falls?

    1. 420king
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Here.

    2. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Look below in 3...2...1...

    3. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      FFS hot topics

    4. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      On here, shortly.

  23. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    All you Connor Wickham owners better sell before the price drop...

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Too late...

  24. Balls of Steel
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    After 3 hours of deliberating finally pulled the trigger and took the -4 for the following:

    Shaw, Jota, King to Alonso, Mhki, Kamara

    Hope the price drops//rises differential of 0.3m pays off down the line

    Team is:

    Pickford
    Robertson Mendy Alonso AWB
    Salah(C) Mané Richarlison Mhkitaryan
    Aguero(VC) Tosun

    Foster Doherty Cairney Kamara

    1. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Looks good , had to WC to get my team close to that atm

      1. Balls of Steel
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Cheers.

        First time in a long long time going with such heavy investment in my defenders but I can see Robbo, Alo and Mendo being up there at top of the points leader board at season end so gonna try it out this season!

    2. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      triple Everton? blimey

      1. Balls of Steel
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Marco Silva will work miracles with them this year!!

        Plan is to replace Tosun with Zaha next week all going well

  25. Enes_Sahini1
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Is Pedro nailed?

    1. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Nein.

    2. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Probably for the next game given he has scored 2 weeks in a row. But not for sure.

  26. bigbudgie
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Did Sanchez/Bilva > Hazard/Mkhi for free

    @ me

  27. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Price Changes - 20th August 2018

    🔺  Alonso (6.6), Pedro (6.6), Mendy (6.2), Agüero (11.1)

    🔻  Xhaka (5.4), Lacazette (9.4), L.Cook (4.9), Emerson (5.4), Hudson-Odoi (4.4), T.Davies (5.4), Sigurdsson (7.4), Calvert-Lewin (5.4), van La Parra (4.9), Sané (9.4), Foden (4.9), Zinchenko (4.9), Atsu (5.4), Yoshida (4.4), Davis (4.9), Masina (4.4), Cresswell (5.4), Jota (6.4), Cavaleiro (5.4), Seri (5.4), Diakhaby (4.9)

    1. Francescoli
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers TM

    2. Buck The Trent
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      No King

      1. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        The Night King falls tomorrow

    3. Pierce34
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Come on Josh, one more week to go!

      1. noquarternt
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        By week, you mean night?

        1. Pierce34
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          No, I'm actually keeping him so I have this futile hope he won't drop before he has to play again!

          I know it won't happen.

    4. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Thanks TM. King survives!

    5. Ravager
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers. 3 Up

      1. the snazzy viking
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        thanks for the update

    6. OldBenKenobi
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Sweet! Astu only 5.4 now 😉

    7. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Thanks, FPLstats has been good so far!

    8. Rafiki
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Looks like fplstats are pretty on the ball now

    9. ZimZalabim
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      king didnt fall

      1. ZimZalabim
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        cheers TM

    10. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      cheers TM

      a few potential options for the future dropping there: Laca, Siggy, Sane, Jota..

    11. Patson Dabaka
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Amazed that Sanchez didn't drop!

      1. Skalla
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Yep surprised with him and King must have been all the WC taking them out!

    12. Totally !rre!evant
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers TM

    13. Chandler Bing
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Damn Hudson-Odoi

    14. Skalla
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      We have our first 4.4 mids now aswell!

      1. Down with this sort of thin…
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        who?

      2. Rihanovic
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Mid*

    15. Teahupo'o
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      3-0

    16. semiconductor
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      had to do jota out just in time not to lose the 0.1m. Wanted a bit of time to choose the right transfer in but I think time will tell.
      Thank you TM

    17. NATSTER
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers, TM

    18. Aɴᴛᴇᴄᴇᴅᴇɴᴛ
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Thank you

    19. NotReadyForPrimeTime
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers, TM, you're a trooper. Given all the drops, happy to up 2.

    20. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      4 up!

    21. fclackless [Brazil Nuts]
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      cheers

    22. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Cheers TM. Lot of fallers in the game once again!

    23. Kragbaek
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Hoping for a Mane rise and Sanchez fall after the game tonight.

      Mayne even a King fall and Wilson rise.

      1. Kragbaek
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Maybe*

  28. the snazzy viking
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    KING SURVIVES

    will probably fall tomorrow though

    1. Kane Toads
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      yep. I did King > Ings. gives me an even 1m ITB.

  29. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    66p and dropped 19k-->24k wtf?

    1. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      surprised you didn't drop more

    2. Twelve years a slave
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      All those Aguero triple captains gone sailing past

    3. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      What's your GW rank

    4. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I wouldnt take early ranks serious since there is plenty of wierd but high scoring teams up the ranks in just 2 gameweeks.

    5. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      but thats a great rank?

    6. Pierce34
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Tough crowd - I got 67 and had a similar drop.

      1. Pierce34
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Will drop even more tomorrow unless Salah miraculously blanks.

    7. Sonny “The Hitman&rdq…
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Life in the top 50K is tight... I got the same score and moved up to 200K from 400K

    8. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      That's odd, I got just four more points and climbed a couple thousand to the cusp of top 10k. Likely to drop tomorrow when the Salah captainers get a boost.

    9. Rash
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I'm on 68p went from 16.5k to 16k 😯

    10. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah I wouldn’t take the early week ranks too seriously.

      Plenty of casuals burning through chips, which I s actually paying off for them well.

      GW1 Bench Boost
      GW2 TC Agüero

  30. The Finnisher
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    Grabbed Alonso before the price rise, leaves me with;

    Ryan
    Alonso TAA Mendy
    Salah Mkhitaryan B.Silva Richarlison
    Aubameyang Aguero Ings

    Button; Wan-B, Gunnarsson, Peltier

    Obviously the bench needs fixing but happy with how it's looking for now.

    1. Ludwig
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Looks gorgeous both name, form and fixture - wise.

      Good luck.

    2. ScratchingTheMud
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Great team

    3. semiconductor
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Almost my team except of dead weight

    4. semiconductor
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      I have hennessey-Robertson-Bennett-Zaha

      For your ryan-alonso-TAA-ings

    5. farmerfat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 10 months ago

      what are the chances of Alonso's price rising again before gw4?