Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 1

It feels like we’ve had a half-term rather than a summer holiday – Gameweek 1 is upon us already!

During the break Fantasy Football Scout has been busy producing absolutely tons of exciting content. The aim of this guide is to distill that knowledge into a digestible format. As Andy’s recent guest Simon succinctly put it when explaining his use of stats: “it’s almost impossible to watch 20 hours of football per week”.

The first piece of advice given by three-time top 200 finisher Lateriser is:

Read up about football more and then tinker… What happens when you are doing this is that you are strengthening your instinct, your subconscious… and then you tend to be more decisive.

– Lateriser

The most important news for you to read first is the team news.

Neale reported the headlines from Thursday’s press conferences: Chelsea’s new-signing Hakim Ziyech is out for a couple of weeks; Christian Pulisic is ahead of schedule and could feature this weekend; Mason Holgate will miss Everton’s trip to North London with a toe injury; and Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed that budget ‘keeper Alex McCarthy is his No 1.

David and co have been reviewing all the pre-season matches in the Scout Notes and analysing the new additions to the Premier League in the Scout Reports.

If you want to quickly look up a particular team or player, the easiest way to find the information you need is via The Complete Guide to Pre Season. This section of the website lists all the articles associated with each club.

Pay Attention to Captaincy

Another of Lateriser’s rules – pay attention to captaincy. It can make up 25 per cent of your score and it’s the biggest decision you make each week. Our upside-chasing Pro Pundit advocates, on occasion, bringing in a player for a hit – even for one Gameweek.

The first Captain Sensible article of the new season has, for a change, been written by Jan Sienkiewicz. Jan finished in the top 100 overall last season and mustered 657 captain points, the second-most in the world. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the popular choice with a clear lead in the captain poll, but Jan is not convinced by the underlying stats:

[Aubameyang] has been in a rich vein of form lately and the spirits are certainly high at the Emirates. However, the underlying data shows us that Arsenal’s attack has been underwhelming, creating very little from open play.

– Jan

For the double-points maestro, Liverpool are the more attractive proposition:

The Liverpool attack looks set to fire against Leeds United in a game in which suits them tactically, even if they have been lacklustre in pre-season. Both Salah and Mané will look to start the season strongly and maintain their brilliant goalscoring records at home.

– Jan

Mohamed Salah scored in 15 home matches last season, more than any other player.

However, in our Captaincy video Joe and David took a different view. A reminder that David went on a successful 17-Gameweek captain run back in 2018/19:

Aubameyang is my choice at the moment… the eye test is looking good, he made Liverpool look distinctly average [in the Community Shield]… and when he plays smaller teams he tends to look better.

– David

Joe concurred, highlighting the Arsenal man’s excellent record against the minnows (teams outside of the top six): his expected goals is doubled, his number of big chances is doubled, even his shooting accuracy is doubled. 

When in doubt back the odds.

– Lateriser

It’s notable that Arsenal and Liverpool’s opponents, Leeds and Fulham, have the worst odds of recording a clean sheet. Thank you as ever to G-Whizz for posting his regular summary.

Wise Words

I’ve been sharing a splattering of Lateriser’s tips in this article, but we are lucky enough to have several excellent managers to call upon. The days when I used to write articles on the Top Five managers in the Hall of Fame are no longer needed – the top three are now all signed up as Pro Pundits.

So far we’ve heard from number three on the list, Darren Wiles, who recently finished 140th in the world and has three top 1,000 finishes in the last four seasons. He’s found that going ‘big at the back’ has served him well:

A strategy that threatened to take off at the start of last season, going big at the back has been the key to a lot of my success over the last four years.

– Darren

Darren’s FPL draft includes four premium defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, Matt Doherty, and Aymeric Laporte.

He’s also managed to squeeze in Salah, Aubameyang, and Werner! Somehow he’s done this with the same £100m budget as the rest of us.

Up front the Southampton fan has picked Che Adams and Aleksandar Mitrovic, giving him the same front three as Joe, who was roundly ridiculed on the Scoutcast by Az and Andy for having two £6.0m forwards. 

Interestingly, Pro Pundit Az has revealed a very similar front three, with the exception of Ings for Adams. The debate would clearly seem to come down to whether you think Ings is worth the extra £2.5m over Adams.

Value for money and the merits of going big at the back have also been discussed by the community. Thanks to this piece from kierenbwfc and the resulting hot topic.

To be fair to Az, it’s worth pointing out that Ings is just a placeholder for Anthony Martial his team. The co-host of the revamped FPL BlackBox podcast is set on owning the Manchester United forward for Gameweek 2.

Joining Az on the podcast is the legendary FPL manager and this website’s founder, Mark Sutherns. Mark has returned to Fantasy Football Scout and will be contributing his thoughts and insights over the coming season. Commenting on the proliferation of stats and content available to FPL managers, Mark reflected:

These days everyone can get a glut of knowledge, information and data in their timeline with relative ease. But to work out how best to process it, how you learn to separate luck from skill and focus on improving the input, not dwell on the output, that might just be the new marginal gain.

– Mark

Don’t be surprised if Mark adds to his four top 1,000 finishes.

Another manager looking to join Az with Martial in his Gameweek 2 squad is Lateriser, although the upside-chasing manager is starting with him on his Gameweek 1 bench! India’s two-time FPL champion outlined his thinking in his latest Pro Pundit article

Meanwhile Pro Pundit Tom Freeman has been scouting the Red Devil’s summer signing Donny van de Beek. The new addition gives Ole Gunnar Solskjær an extra dimension to his already gifted attack. Although Tom feels he may have to settle for a place on the bench, at least to start with.

Intriguingly, Tom’s headline differential pick is Christian Pulisic, who, as mentioned earlier, is in contention for Monday’s trip to Brighton. And he’s got the potential to deliver even if he’s named among the substitutes:

An appearance off the bench might not be the end of the world for owners, considering his ability to haul from limited minutes, as evidenced at Anfield last season.

– Tom

Costing the same price as Chelsea’s Captain America is the Blues latest recruit from the Bundesliga, Kai Havertz. Chelsea fan and Pro Pundit Zophar, ran the rule over the former Bayer Leverkusen star. The German’s impressive goal conversion ratio of 19 per cent led the six-time top 5,000 manager to describe him as an “ice-cold finisher”.

Another player singled out by Tom as a differential ahead of the new season is Dele Alli. Indeed he is a player I highlighted when examining Mourinho’s attacking formation. Spurs have been much debated this pre-season both in terms of their attack and defence.

Pro Pundit Sam Bonfield shared her thoughts on the improved backline during the restart period, explaining how it bodes well for the coming season. While community member FPL Octopus argues that their defenders have been underpriced. And I took a look at the potential offered by Matt Doherty.

Join in the fun!

The Head-to-Head leagues and Last Man Standing are back, and we’re dishing out £2,500-worth of giveaways in the Community Members mini-league, plus there are a plethora of competitions for you to take part in: perhaps you fancy yourself against Greyhead’s The Great and The Good?

Take a moment to read this article to find out the League Codes – watch out for those Gameweek 1 deadlines. And thank you, as ever, to RedLightning for administering a number of our community mini-leagues.

Enjoy the new season.

Best players by position:

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TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

3,246 Comments Post a Comment
  1. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Scenes

    1. the Penman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Top of the page, first post I see when visiting after deadline. QuLity!

      1. the Penman
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        *wuality

        1. the Penman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Uuuuuuugh

          1. GOTHAM City F.C.
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            😉 see why I don't say much.

  2. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Willian - Lacazette - Aubameyang

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

    FULHAM TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Arsenal: Rodak, Ream, Hector, Odoi, Bryan, Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Kebano, Cavaleiro, Kamara
    Subs: Areola, Mitrovic, Knockaert, Cordova-Reid, Le Marchand, Christie, Anguissa

    ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Fulham: Leno, Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Tierney, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Xhaka, Willian, Aubameyang, Lacazette
    Subs: Macey, Saka, Ceballos, Pepe, Willock, Nketiah, Kolasinac

    1. Luton_Fan
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      No saka

      1. ClassiX
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Saliba not even in matchday squad...

    2. Forza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Thanks.

      The campaign for Parker's sacking begins.

      1. thepeen555
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah what an idiot

    3. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mitro vs tired holding & Gabriel 😆

    4. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      That is brutal on Mitrovic owners. No one could have possibly expected that...

      Welcome back to FPL, everyone!

      1. ClassiX
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Leeds 1-0 penalty winner over Pool after TAA is red carded...mark my words. 🙂 🙂

    5. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yay

      Have Reed first bench - safe 😀

  4. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Think FPL moved the deadline forward due to their updating issues more than anything

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      This

    2. Teomi
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yhis

    3. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      This

    4. CostaCoffee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      No

    5. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Classic case of fixing the symptom, not the cause.

    6. Veggente85
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Having people waiting the last minutes of the deadlines to get the official lineups of the first game of the gameweek wasn't properly "sane" for the game.

  5. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Saka Nketiah owners rip

    1. Jarnathan
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Noooooo

    2. Oooof
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Gutted but it was always a risk with Saka

  6. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Nketiah, Saka and Ceballos possibly benched too

    1. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I was really tempted by Nketiah so i have missed a bullet there nicely.

    2. Kun Tozser
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yep

  7. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Lol no Saliba

    1. HashAttack
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Doesn't even make the bench

  8. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    I’m glad I’ve gotten into fpl, given me something to focus on other than work these past months

    I’ll probably be furious in an hour or 2

  9. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    ⚽ Team News 📰
    FUL: Rodák, Bryan, Denis Odoi, Hector, Ream, Onomah, Cavaleiro, Kebano, Reed, Cairney, Kamara
    Subs: Areola, Le Marchand, Christie, Anguissa, Knockaert, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Bobby De Cordova-Reid

    ARS: Leno, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny, Bellerín, Maitland-Niles, Lacazette, Willian, Aubameyang
    Subs: Matt Macey, Saka, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Willock, Pépé, Nketiah

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Scotty, what are you doing with no mitro

    2. Fitzy.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Thanks SS

    3. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      No Mitrović!! Love it!

  10. Kip
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Mitro and Nket benched

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      And Saka.

  11. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Laca, Wilian start
    Of course Auba too.

  12. Party time
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mitro against tired legs

      1. The Wanton Trader
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Every cloud and all that....

    • ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      WTF WHY NO MITRO??!

      1. Egg noodle
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Lol such is life mate

    • R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Kamara haunts Mitro again

    • Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mitro owners FURIOUS

    • Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I didn't see any serious managers pick Mitrovic anyway...

    • Zladan
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      LMAO Mitro. Ffs what a bad start.

    • Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Hehehehe Ceballos fail I deserved that

    • diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Glad to see that Rockstar's tweets can't influence FPL team transfers and selections any more.

    • The Tinkerman
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mitrovic benching is baffling...

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        He hasn’t been in the UK. Played no preseason afaik

    • Puntillimon
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      LOL. As a mitro owner.. I can only laugh

    • Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Kamara was always the obvious pick over Mitrovic

      1. Gabbiadini
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        yep. surprised it wasn't being spoken about more.

    • Hairy Potter
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      AK47?! was my 4.5 bench striker a few years back.

    • Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I love Mitrovic

    • Clam. ☘️
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Annoyed I didn't go with William now lol

      1. KGFC
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Same here.
        Really wanted him but EVERYTHING on the internet pointed to him being rested and Pepe starting 🙄

    • Better Call Paul
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Buzzing I put in laca last minute

    • Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      WTF MITRO AND SAKA

    • Goodricke
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Fulham XI: Rodak, Ream, Hector, Odoi, Bryan, Onomah, Cairney, Reed, Kebano, Cavaleiro, Kamara

      Arsenal XI: Leno, Bellerin, Gabriel, Holding, Tierney, Maitland-Niles, Elneny, Xhaka, Willian, Aubameyang, Lacazette

      1. Toonmad
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        And so it begins... Welcome back to fpl

    • KGFC
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Does Laca up top impact Auba or it makes it better??

    • Rotation's Alter Ego
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Starting my season how I mean to go on. Adams to Mitro at 10:59 🙂

      1. The Knights Template
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Ouchy

      2. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Oh mate, you didn’t 🙁