Scout Picks

Manchester City triple-up is key to Gameweek 9 Scout Picks

The Scout Picks are back for another weekend of Fantasy Premier League action on the eve of Gameweek 9.

One of this season’s holy trinity of Sergio Aguero, Mohamed Salah and Eden Hazard has missed out again after Paul, Joe, Az and Peter submitted their Scout Squads.

As per usual, we have come in under our budget of £83m, this week with £0.1m to spare, taking into account the official FPL prices on Friday evening.

Goalkeeper

Rui Patricio (£4.6m) gets his first inclusion in the Scout Picks this season with Wolves’ defence looking very resilient over the first eight Gameweeks. The only team to have allowed fewer big chances than Nuno’s side are Manchester City, which shows their amazing potential for clean sheets. It’s a Watford side up next for Wolves, whose goal conversion rate of 3.8% over the last four Gameweeks is the joint-worst in the division.

Defenders

It’s a welcome return to the Scout Picks selection for Benjamin Mendy (£6.2m), who makes his first appearance since Gameweek 5. The Frenchman looks established back in the Manchester City team and has potential to do well at both ends of the pitch once again. He managed five assists in the first four Premier League matches of the campaign while Man City, as we’ve already read, have allowed the fewest number of big chances so far this season. Not surprisingly, Mendy was chosen as the top defensive pick by three of our pundits.

Andrew Robertson (£6.3m) is another returning face who we’ve got high hopes for this Gameweek. Liverpool face a trip to goal shy Huddersfield this weekend and we believe that a clean sheet is highly probable for the Reds. Meanwhile, the Terriers have not kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 3 so there is also promise of attacking returns for Robertson.

Matt Doherty (£4.8m) has already been described as the new Marcos Alonso and he has taken the Scout Picks by storm in the last few Gameweeks. Only Harry Maguire has more efforts on goal among defenders in the last four Gameweeks than the Wolves man and his time spent in the penalty box is why he has two double-figure hauls in a row coming into Gameweek 9. Don’t forget he also benefits from Wolves’ impressive defensive numbers too so looks like an all-round excellent defensive option for a great price. He was tipped by all four of our pundits.

Completing the defence is a more left-field option, quite literally, in Everton’s Lucas Digne (£4.8m). The Frenchman has actualy created the same number of chances as Doherty since Gameweek 5 and has taken the same number of shots. Furthermore, Crystal Palace have struggled to create chances in that time and are facing an injury crisis among their forwards. This could be the week where delivers FPL points at both ends of the pitch.

Midfielders

Raheem Sterling (£11.2m) was our clear favourite in midfield for Gameweek 9. The Manchester City man was the top pick for all four of our pundits. That’s not surprising when he looks like a potential captain candidate this week, and the fact that he has outscored Sergio Aguero in every home match so far this season. Sterling’s next oppponents Burnley have given up more shots than any other side in the league over the first eight matches so the England international will have plenty of opportunities to score on Saturday.

Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) returns to the Scout Picks after missing out for the first time this season in Gameweek 7. Paul, Joe and Peter picked him as their second choice, while Az went for a third place spot. We largely feel that he will come through the injury doubt and that he is the best attacking option available at Liverpool. The Reds may have disapointed offensively over the last four Gameweeks but they did face Spurs, Chelsea and Man City in that time.

Josh Murphy (£4.8m) gets a spot in the team as our budget enabler. He represents the first Cardiff City player to make it into the Scout Picks this season, and we didn’t just do it to annoy Joe! Since returning to the Bluebirds’ line-up in Gameweek 7, Murphy’s total of nine shots on goal is the second best in the league. This week he faces the only side left in the league without a clean sheet this season: Fulham. Even more interesting is the fact that Cottagers are particularly vulnerable down their right-flank, with only two teams conceded more chances down that side of the pitch than them. You won’t be surprised to hear that we have Paul to thank for that particular statistic.

Forwards

We could not look past Sergio Aguero (£11.3m) as the top forward option with Burnley coming to the Etihad Stadium. All four of our pundits backed him as the best in his position for Gameweek 9 with good reason. Despite playing fewer minutes than many of the other options during the last four Gameweeks, no player has more shots on goal or in the penalty area than Aguero in that time. We’ve already covered why Burnley will give him plenty of chances and we’re expecting another home match with attacking returns. Aguero is yet to blank at the Etihad this season.

Alexandre Lacazette‘s (£9.7m) form ensured our pundits gave him unanimous backing as the second best forward option for Gameweek 9. The Arsenal man has registered attacking returns in every single game he has started in 2018/19 and is about to face a Leicester side with only one clean sheet on the road thus far.

Callum Wilson (£6.4m) takes the final spot in our team but it was a close-fought battle between him and Aleksandar Mitrovic. In the end the Bournemouth man won out on cost although we think both options will do well. The only side to have scored more home goals than the Cherries in the Premier League this season is Man City while their next opponents Southampton have given up more big chances than every club apart from Fulham in the first eight Gameweeks.

Substitutes

DeAndre Yedlin (£4.5m) gets a place on the substitutes bench to reflect the fact that Newcastle’s fixtures have begun to swing. This week it’s Brighton at home, the Seagulls having drawn a blank in all but one of their away games this season. The only one they scored in was against Fulham who have the worst defence in the league.

We would have loved to put Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.4m) into the side but we were restricted by cost. Nobody has created more chances than him in the last four Gameweeks while he also ranks second in the whole league for shots over that period too.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.9m) gets his mention by being included on the bench this week. He is still doing well for efforts on goal, registering the same number as Sigurdsson since Gameweek 5 but with a higher concentration of them taking place in the penalty area.

Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 8 is FPL Mountainer. He has opted for a 3-4-3 formation of Fabianski; Walker, Robertson, Doherty; Ozil, Walcott, Sterling, Salah; Lacazette, Ings, Wilson.

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 Scouts have won four and lost three so far, with Hazard is an FPL Legend (ConteClub) defeated 53-44 in Gameweek 8.

Eden Wizard still leads the way, with his Gameweek 2 victory over the Scout Squad crew coming by a 77-68 scoreline.

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8,036 Comments Post a Comment
  1. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    First on bench?

    A) Bennett
    B) Højbjerg
    C) AWB

    1. Thiga
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      A

    2. GAMBIT
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      A

    3. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      A

    4. Carlton_Goal
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      A

    5. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I've got same bench, going ABC

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Love me a MNF captain 😎

    1. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Laca OG and RC inc

    2. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      😮

  3. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Ahhh last little pick. Schurlle or Alonso to start

    1. Iceball
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Both, or at least start Alonso, who are you other defenders?

    2. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Alonso if have to choose

    3. Styles_X
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      schurlle

  4. Football Heaven
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Im seriously tempted to captain Salah but everywhere I look people are captaining Aguero. I’m quite high in rank and don’t want to lose it but at the same time would like to progress. I think if their games were at the same time id stick with Salah. HELP

    1. Carlton_Goal
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Personally if I had that choice I would go for Salah. The fixture just seems so much better

  5. The Great Statuto
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Apologies if this is a stupid question 9 weeks in. But the preamble is no more?

  6. Styles_X
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    play bennett or fraser?

    1. GAMBIT
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Fraser

  7. Plymouth
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Pickford
    Doherty, TAA, Alonso
    Richarlison, Hazard, Salah, Maddison
    King, Mitrovic, Aguero (C)

    Bench: Stekelemburg, Stephens, AWB, Vertonghen*

    1 FT, 0,1 ITB

    Saving FT, ok?

  8. Styles_X
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    play bennett fraser or maddy?

    1. GAMBIT
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Maddisson

  9. rowdog24
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    I have no Hazard.

    Aguero or Salah captain?

    1. Styles_X
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      aguero is safer

  10. Carcaju
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Gtg?

    WC on

    Patricio - 4M
    TAA - Mendy - Doherty - Bennet - Wan Bissaka
    Salah - Hazard - Richarlison - Maddison - Stephens
    Aguero - Wilson - Mitovic

  11. Thadsy12
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    Current WC team:

    Patricio
    Mendy Robbo Alonso Doherty
    Salah Hazard Richarlison
    Wilson Aguero Jimenez

    B: Kenedy AWB McTominay

    Main concern is very weak bench. Is it worth downgrading one of the premium defenders? Either Robbo > TAA, or swapping out Mendy and/or Alonso to save 1-1.5m?

  12. Bees4Lyf
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 5 months ago

    To buy long term?

    A) rich
    B) Maddison
    C) siggy

    1. GAMBIT
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Rich

    2. Pinturicchio10
        5 years, 5 months ago

        B

      • Gooner Kebab
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        C on pens

    3. SM001
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      I have 2.1 million in the bank. Do I spend it for -4? Hazard, Aguero(C), Alonso and Trippier are in my team already

      1. Gooner Kebab
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Try getting Salah 🙂

      2. Iceball
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Probably not unless some bench problems in team, but short answer, NO.

        1. SM001
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          I have Pererya to come off the bench for Fraser if he doesn't play. Next is Wan-Bissaka and then Holebas

    4. Mondeo
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Breakfast club on this week?

    5. Warmsy
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Just wanted to be comment number 8K to satisfy my ocd.

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        😀

      2. Gooner Kebab
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        everyone's ocd in a way

    6. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Captain Kane it is

    7. Styles_X
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      bennett or maddy?

    8. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      Why is the Breakfast Club stream called "Gameweek 10"?

      Is my time machine playing up again? 😉

    9. SHOWSTOPPERRR
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 5 months ago

      score prediction pls chel-utd..

      am gng with a 1-2 utd....biased though 🙂

      1. Pinturicchio10
          5 years, 5 months ago

          3-0 to Chelsea

      2. Carcaju
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Last check! Gtg?

        WC on

        Patricio - 4M
        TAA - Mendy - Doherty - Bennet - Wan Bissaka
        Salah - Hazard - Richarlison - Maddison - Stephens
        Aguero - Wilson - Mitovic

      3. Champions united
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        M i GTG?

        Foster
        Alonso taa doherty
        Mane haz fraser neves
        Kun kane mitro

        Fab awb hoj mee

      4. Iceball
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Panic, do I have to get Mendy for Shaw for a hit... or just play Fraser with bench(AWB Höjberg Shaw)?

        1. GAMBIT
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 5 months ago

          Do it

      5. Taegugk Warrior
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Any News about King...?

      6. Carlton_Goal
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Probably a good thing the clock on my computer is 5 mins slow. Was still thinking about captaining Robertson haha

      7. Iceball
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        I have same starting XI as David except Hennessey(who he transfered out live in breakfast club) instead of Patricio.

      8. Mcgugan
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 5 months ago

        Currently have TAA and Trippier, have the cash to make it Robertson and Mendy.

        Which transfer to make this week? I’m thinking Trippier to Robertson, then TAA to Mendy the week after?