Scout Notes

Blank for unlucky Ings as Antonio forces way onto FPL radar

Southampton 0 West Ham United 1

Goals: Sebastien Haller (£7.0m)

Assists: Pablo Fornals (£6.0m)

Bonus Points: Haller x3 Fabian Balbuena (£4.3m) x2 Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m) x1

A hard-fought win at Southampton ensured West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini will spend Christmas in full-time employment as the one key Fantasy asset on display endured a frustrating evening.

The Hammers came into the fixture with just one win from 11 matches – a surprise 1-0 victory at Chelsea in Gameweek 14.

They eased the pressure on their manager by repeating that scoreline at St Mary’s thanks to striker Sebastien Haller‘s (£7.0m) first goal since Gameweek 8 and a series of tough breaks for his opposite number Danny Ings (£6.4m).

The Southampton forward, owned by 12.4% of Fantasy Premier League managers, came into the fixture on a five-match scoring streak.

Ings owners were desperately unfortunate as the Southampton forward could have scored a hat-trick

He ended it having hit both the bar and the post before being denied what would have been a screamer of an equaliser when referee Martin Atkinson halted play for an earlier foul by Moussa Djenepo (£5.2m).

It was a decision which could be charitably described as borderline and more accurately as bewildering. Either way, it cost Southampton a point and Ings’ ownership four of them, plus in all likelihood a bonus award as well.

Saints coach Ralph Hasenhuttl was certainly feeling rueful about his forward’s lot.

“Ingsy was unlucky today – two good finishes. In the end we had the chance to turn the table but we didn’t today, so it’s normal that we are disappointed. The foul was against Moussa in the run up to Ingsy’s goal. That probably sums up the whole evening.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl

That the striker’s backers might get further returns from their man in Gameweek 18’s trip to Aston Villa will be of minimal comfort, particularly as sales are likely to kick in after that when the Saints embark on a nasty little four-match run involving trips to Chelsea and Leicester and visits from an obdurate Crystal Palace and a much-improved Spurs.

Ward-Prowse could not get any attacking returns against West Ham

Ings and midfielder James Ward-Prowse (£5.9m) have been rare beacons of light during the dark times ushered in by Gameweek 10’s 9-0 mauling at the hands of Leicester City, but both toiled in vain on Saturday as Southampton were kept to just two shots on target all match.

The once-dynamic Nathan Redmond (£6.2m) has suffered more than most while Hasenhuttl struggles to find both the system and the personnel needed to dig the team out of the increasingly large hole in which they find themselves.

The winger was hauled off after 45 minutes against West Ham as the coach ditched the 4-4-2 formation that had served his side relatively well in recent weeks.

Ironically, it was that self-same old school set-up which inspired the Hammers’ unlikely win and could put some of their assets back on the Fantasy radar.

Haller rediscovered some form against Southampton

Pellegrini rolled the dice when pairing match-winner Haller with midfielder Michail Antonio (£6.9m) up-front, but it was a gamble that paid off as the duo worked excellently together.

Haller, in particular, was reborn. He’d struggled to replicate the form that had prompted his transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt, partly because he thrived in Germany alongside Luka Jovic, now of Real Madrid.

Antonio is unlikely to be moving to the Bernabeu anytime soon, so his presence could continue to galvanise both Haller and the team as an attacking force.

The 0.7%-owned midfielder led the way for chances created and was unlucky to have a goal ruled out by VAR for an inadvertent handball when he muscled his way through the Southampton defence and lashed the ball past Alex McCarthy (£4.3m).

Antonio did well in his centre-forward position for West Ham

The decision prompted the player to suggest a decidedly extreme solution to the issue.

“I think I’m going to cut my hands off. It happened to me at Chelsea and it happened to me today. It is like they are magnets or something.” Michail Antonio

He helped Haller top the attempts chart and could be an interesting future option – with major differential credentials – if Pellegrini continues to deploy him out of position, with or without both hands intact.

The manager’s post-match comments suggested he will.

“Both of them worked very well attacking. We knew Southampton were a team who concede goals and both of them had different actions, one inside the box, and the other running into space. We had a few more chances too. Antonio is an important player as is so many of the players we are missing. We know he makes an impact. He can improve more and I think we will see him score more.” Manuel Pellegrini

But any moves for Antonio will have to wait as West Ham are without a Gameweek 18 fixture while Liverpool sweat it out in Qatar at the Club World Cup.

After that, though, the Hammers have a fairly decent run of fixtures from which Antonio could profit. Crystal Palace and Leicester await just after Christmas before they face Bournemouth, Sheffield United, Everton and Brighton across a five-match stretch that takes them into early February.

They’ll have to prove the Southampton performance was no one-off to justify investment, but the signs were certainly encouraging at St Mary’s.

After an anonymous start to life at West Ham, Fornals has found some form recently

West Ham had twice as many shots on target as their hosts, with a Haller header forcing McCarthy into one excellent second-half save, and were the dominant force in a match where Pablo Fornals (£6.0m) offered further evidence that he is finally adapting to life in the Premier League.

The Spanish midfielder provided the knock-down from which Haller scored, making it three assists from his last four starts.

Owned by just 0.3% of FPL managers, that sort of consistency is proving incredibly rare in a midfield containing explosive, but often explosively anonymous, talents such as Andriy Yarmolenko (£5.5m) and Felipe Anderson (£6.7m).

The Ukraine international, who managed just 17 minutes from the bench on Saturday, has not started a match since Gameweek 13, while Anderson didn’t even make the squad through illness.

But in that 4-4-2 formation, neither was missed.

Fredericks (right) will miss West Ham’s next Premier League match

At the back, the Hammers have now kept two clean sheets in four Gameweeks, with centre-half Fabian Balbuena (£4.3m) and full-back Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m) handed bonus points for their efforts against Southampton.

The latter also picked up a fifth yellow card of the season, however, and will miss the Boxing Day match away at Palace that offers a half-decent chance of another shut-out.

Another who could be out of action at Selhurst Park is third-choice keeper David Martin (£4.1m), who tweaked a muscle in his leg late on at St Mary’s.

He has impressed in the four matches he’s started since back-up goalkeeper Roberto (£4.4m) was dropped, but the issue might just mean a festive return for the latter, although Lukasz Fabianski (£4.9m), who has had surgery for a hip injury picked up in Gameweek 7, is closing in on a return to full fitness.

Permutations involving West Ham goalkeepers are unlikely to vex many of us, but it might just be a different matter further up the pitch if Haller and Antonio can build on the promise of their first outing as an attacking duo.

Southampton XI (4-4-2): McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, J Stephens, Cédric (Adams 87′); Redmond (Romeu 46′), Højbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo; Ings, S Long (Armstrong 84′).

West Ham United XI (4-4-2): Martin; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Fredericks; Fornals, Rice, Noble (Diop 88′), Snodgrass (Yarmolenko 73′); Haller (C Sánchez 79′), Antonio.

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1,171 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FPL FREAK
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Any Head to head leagues to join....??

    1. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      You out the cup.

      1. FPL FREAK
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Yes... Are there any Head to head leagues to join..??

        1. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Not sure.

  2. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Someone bring the big Lewandowski to the Prem.

    1. teneighty
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Il Duderino would really tie an attacking unit together.

      1. Duderino
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Obviously youre not golfers

  3. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Thoughts for GW18?

    Guaita
    Kelly Lund Baldock aurrier
    Allison KDB
    VAR - Vardy Abraham Raul
    Donker Soy Mane

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      captain?

    2. Taking the Mkhitaryan
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I'm thinking that a keeper playing in mid is maverick

      1. Party time
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Alisson* 😉

          1. ResultatFar
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Alli Son*

    3. Spacemonkey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Who else was screwed by fplstatistics.com's Mane and Son price change estimations tonight?

      1. ViperStripes
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Clue is in your question...Estimations!

        1. Spacemonkey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          http://fplstatistics.com/ is considered to be quite accurate. Mane has dropped back to -87% from the change zone. Often ridiculed fantasyfootballfix.com had its estimation around -55% last night.

      2. Taking the Mkhitaryan
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Screwed how? You did a transfer you were planning anyway

        1. Spacemonkey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Lost 0.3 value from perfect team. 🙂
          But you are right, it's not *that* bad.

      3. ChrisPire
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Wildcards ?

        1. Spacemonkey
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Only from GW20, but plan to use it later in Spring.

    4. Krupinho
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Got 2 FTs and not sure what to do, any ideas?

      Don't fancy playing Soy away to City

      Traore for Guen possibly

      Pope
      Lund Kelly Aurier Soy
      KDB (c) Mount Alli
      Vardy Tammy Jimenez

      Button Mane TAA Guen

      1. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        mane to whoever you fancy in midfield, bench soy

        1. Krupinho
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Thought about doing that but cost to get Mane back

          Am thinking maybe Traore and D James for Mount and Guen

    5. ViperStripes
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Devil's advocate discussion:

      Benching Vardy vs Man City? Who woudl you play from your bench instead.

      Me I have Moutinho vs Norwich currently 1st bench.

      1. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Small upside, potentially disastrous downside. Not worth it for a player like Moutinho

      2. Taking the Mkhitaryan
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I've heard worse ideas.
        Not for quite a while though

      3. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        City aren't great at the back. I expect Vardy to score.

      4. ResultatFar
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        You must have a player starting who is worse than Moutinho you can play instead?

    6. JonnyOnionRings
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Sickened that I sold KDB last week, had him all season and then he hauls. But oh well.

      Thoughts on this? Just did a -4 to do Teilemens, Puli, Aurier to Alli, Grealish and Targett

      Team for this week is
      Kelly-Lund-Rico-Targett
      Son-Alli-Grealish
      Kane-Rash-Vardy

      Sub-Mane-Dendoncker-Soy

    7. De Gea Van Dijk. 10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Why have I still not done Mane/KDB yet.

      1. JonnyOnionRings
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I don't no

    8. bruuuno
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Wildcard time! Any thoughts of which way to go?

      A. Soy Grealish Maupay (0.2ITB)
      B. Montoya Dendoncker Abraham (0.0ITB)

      Rest of team is:
      Ramsdale Martin
      Aurier Lund Targett Rico
      Sterling KDB Alli Son
      Vardy Rashford

      1. JonnyOnionRings
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        A for me

    9. manu4life99
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Start Heaton(SOT) or Hend(bha) double up with Lund?

      1. JonnyOnionRings
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Heaton

    10. Jullepuu
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Thoughts on this lot going forward?

      Guaita Button
      TAA Soy Lund Aurier Reid
      KDB Alli Son Grealish Hayden
      Vardy Jimenez Abraham

      Jimenez to Rashford on the cards for game week 19.

      1. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        teak looks fine, but would personally stay far away from rashford

        i would look at maupay, wood, calvert-lewin, and even the likes of greenwood or martinelli

        1. Jullepuu
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Hmm interesting. Maupay is on my watch list but surely Rashford will outscore him. Money is not an issue until game week 25 or so

          1. lindeg
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            i think rashford is possibly this seasons biggest trap during christmas, everyone looking at fixtures, but forgetting man u cant break down deep sitting teams, he plays left mid, but is listed as a striker

            if you want to look at man u, then i would suggest greenwood, 4.3, a sublime finisher, actually a striker, and ole praising him

            1. Jullepuu
              • 4 Years
              4 years, 3 months ago

              Greenwood isn't s starter

              1. lindeg
                • 5 Years
                4 years, 3 months ago

                i think he will be, but i have listed alternatives if you are not convinced, or just get rashford like everyone else

                1. Jullepuu
                  • 4 Years
                  4 years, 3 months ago

                  Rashford is taking a lot of shots and is in great form. I agree that ManU have trouble against defemssive teams

                  1. lindeg
                    • 5 Years
                    4 years, 3 months ago

                    shots yes, shots in the box, not so much, his upside is he takes pens, but thats about it

    11. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Predictions for top scoring players by position between now and end of season, yours?

      GK - Guiata
      DF - TAA/Robertson
      MF - Salah
      FWD - Vardy

      1. Jullepuu
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Same as yours altough I don't know about the keepers. Lundstram could keep it up but TAA is a safer guess.

      2. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        schmeichel
        taa
        kdb
        vardy

      3. ResultatFar
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Ryan
        Lord Lund
        KDB
        Auba

    12. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      1FT 0.0ITB What would you do (thinking about GW18 and GW19)?

      Ryan
      Rico Aurier Lundstram
      Alli Grealish Martial Pulisic
      Vardy Rashford [C] Abraham

      Gazza Soyuncu Mane TAA

      A. Pulisic > Traore/Zaha
      B. Mane > KDB and bench Pulisic
      C. Mane > Richarlison bench Pulisic
      D. Save FT
      E. Others

    13. Armknight
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Will Mahrez start in weekend? Cancelo also over Walker?

      1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        How on earth are we supposed to know that?

      2. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Decide after the League Cup game.
        Probably the B team, but you never know what may transpire.

    14. Banda
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      About to Wildcard...

      Looking for good playing defenders 4.4mil or under other than Kelly. Any thoughts?

      Also best striker under 6mil for the next 10 game weeks?

      1. ResultatFar
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Rico is a solid pick

        1. Banda
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Thank you...

    15. boc610
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      some journalist talking about m carlsen

      "His rise up the charts is incredible. He had a really good year for a while last season and then he dropped a couple of hundred places at the end of the season, but he was still in the top 1,000.”

      his rank was 24105. FPL history don't lie!

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        they all come back to earth.
        Eg Mark, Triggerlips, Wille Wonka

        1. Ask Yourself
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          And Christina 😉

          1. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            True. Hanging on by my fingertips!

            1. Party time
                4 years, 3 months ago

                😆

              • Christina.
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 3 months ago

                WC1 disappearing in next 304 weeks will hopefully help me

                1. Christina.
                  • 14 Years
                  4 years, 3 months ago

                  *3-4

              • Ask Yourself
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 3 months ago

                Top 5k still with a really nice team you’re doing just fine brother x

                1. Christina.
                  • 14 Years
                  4 years, 3 months ago

                  hoping I can get (c) call correct this week. Difficult.

                  1. Ask Yourself
                    • 7 Years
                    4 years, 3 months ago

                    I’m praying Dilva is out so i can slap it on KDB with a clear conscience. Otherwise it becomes insanely difficult. Even considering Lundstram. Really uninspired by the other options.

                    1. Christina.
                      • 14 Years
                      4 years, 3 months ago

                      KdB/Alli/Vardy

                      1. Christina.
                        • 14 Years
                        4 years, 3 months ago

                        ...or Rashy

                        1. Ask Yourself
                          • 7 Years
                          4 years, 3 months ago

                          Yep will have all of those but super uncomfortable with it. Watford’s all out approach vs pool has me considering rash especially since they have 1 fit full back he could cause damage. Wish I had son.

        2. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Journalists literally never know what the f they are talking about. This becomes obvious whenever you see an article about something you have extensive knowledge about.

      2. InterUranus
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Ryan or Heaton this week. Also have Matt Targett so not sure if should double up.

      3. rnrd
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        BOU fixtures can't be ignored can they?

        Is Calum Wilson worth the 1.3 over Josh King?

        1. Rust Cohle
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Been asking this myself. Nice transfer in for Jiménez with Wolves upcoming fixture swing.

          Any news on C. Wilson hamstring injury? Minor, major?

          1. ResultatFar
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            They said it was only minor, so could play this week. He has looked trash for some weeks now though

      4. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Anything worth a -4??? Before you say Mount to Son, I already have 3 Tottenham.

        0FT, 4.4ITB

        Ryan,

        Lunds, Kelly, Aurier

        Richarlison, Alli, KDB, Mount

        Abraham, Jimenez (C), Vardy

        Gazza, Tomori, Saka, TAA*