Scout Notes

Gündogan shines in KDB’s absence as Cancelo finally delivers attacking haul

West Bromwich Albion 0-5 Manchester City

  • Goals: Ilkay Gündogan (£5.7m) x2 | Joao Cancelo (£5.9m) | Riyad Mahrez (£8.1m) Raheem Sterling (£11.5m)
  • Assists: Mahrez | Sterling | Cancelo | Bernardo Silva (£7.4m)
  • Bonus: Gündogan x3 | Cancelo x2 | Mahrez x1

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) owners who kept faith with Joao Cancelo (£5.9m) were finally rewarded with attacking points as the Portuguese full-back scored and assisted, bringing in a monster 17-point haul.

Managers looking for a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne (£11.9m) need not look far, with Ilkay Gündogan (£5.7m) bagging a brace and maximum bonus points.

As good as Manchester City were going forward, all FPL players will now be looking at targeting teams playing West Brom, who have shipped 17 goals in five games.

WOW CANCELO

Cancelo has delivered consistently impressive attacking numbers all season, without the points to show for it.

Before the West Brom game, Cancelo only had one assist against West Ham to his name.

But it finally clicked on Tuesday, with Cancelo scoring and laying on the first goal with a terrific through ball for Gündogan.

As he has done throughout most of the season, Cancelo started at right-back but spent most of the game as an auxilliary centre midfielder.

This leaves Cancelo in the prime position to lay on assists or have shots on goal, with him creating the most chances of any player in the match.

Gündogan credited the defender for setting up his first goal and his passing range.

“When we have the ball, he plays a bit of a different role, he plays in the middle a bit more, gets more touches and he has the quality to put in these balls and I knew it.

“He is doing well. Everyone is doing well, him especially in the last few weeks, and we need this rhythm to maintain our level.”

Ilkay Gündogan

Cancelo’s stats throughout the season suggest his 17-point haul was far from a fluke, and there could be many more to come this season.

With good fixtures and in a City defence which has conceded one goal in five games, Cancelo looks more than capable of building on this score.

The only negative for Cancelo is the potential of rotation, with Kyle Walker (£6.1m) returning to the bench for City.

WHO NEEDS KDB?

With De Bruyne missing the next few games through injury, more than 500,000 managers gambled on Gündogan to replace him, despite the huge difference in price.

And their gamble paid off in style, with Gündogan scoring twice and picking up maximum bonus points.

A feature of City’s game in the last few weeks has been Gündogan pushing further forward from his deep-lying role in midfield to join attacks.

For City’s first goal, the German midfielder ran in behind West Brom’s defence to latch onto Cancelo’s through ball, before stroking the ball past Sam Johnstone (£4.5m).

And for his second, Gündogan won the ball high up the pitch before dribbling into the box to score.

As his heatmap shows in City’s last six games, the midfielder is now picking up the ball far more in the opposition half, rarely coming deep to receive passes.

His double against the Baggies makes it six goals in seven games for Gündogan, who has now established himself as one of the biggest goal threats in midfield in the league.

Manager Pep Guardiola praised his first signing for Man City and his “sense of goal”.

“He’s a guy that has an incredible sense of goal. When he plays near to the box he has the timing to arrive at the right time, at the right second. When he arrives he has the calmness to slow down and make the right decision. I am happy for him. He deserves the best.”

Pep Guardiola

With Sheffield United (home) and Burnley (away) up next for the Cityzens, Gündogan looks essential if he can avoid Pep’s rotation.

His withdrawal from the game at 52 minutes hints that Pep wants him fresh for upcoming fixtures.

A STERLING PERFORMANCE

Another player looking to step out from the shadow of KDB will be Raheem Sterling (£11.5m).

Despite being City’s top scoring midfielder and scoring more than 200 points in his last three seasons, Sterling has gone under the radar being owned by less than 10% of players.

Previously immune to Pep’s rotation, Sterling has found himself benched three times so far.

But the England international re-established himself as an FPL asset with a strong all-round performance against West Brom.

Playing in a fluid front three without a recognised striker, Sterling was a constant goal and assist threat throughout the game.

With Gabriel Jesus (£9.1m) failing to convince and Sergio Aguero (£10.2m) struggling with fitness, now seems the perfect time for Sterling to step up.

LOOMING THREAT

John Stones (£5.1m) owners would have been worried to see Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) warming up around the 51st minute.

Fortunately for Stones and Ruben Dias (£5.9m), Gündogan was withdrawn and Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) moved into a midfield role, with Laporte filling in at left-back.

After starting the FA Cup match, it appears Laporte is nearing full fitness, something to cause concern for Stones and Dias owners.

Pep has also been talking up Laporte since his return from injury, describing him as their “best left centre-back”.

Following the match, he said:

“From the beginning of the season apart from the game against Leicester we concede so few.

Now our defenders concentrate for 90 minutes. Ruben and John, Aymeric, they are so focused.

The midfielders and the strikers know we are there and covered and in the right moment we will score.

It is impossible to be at the latter stages of any competition without being solid at the back.”

Pep Guardiola

With the form of Stones and Dias, and the City defence in general, few managers would think of switching personnel.

But with three games in nine days, rotation is bound to come in to play putting the place of John Stones, in particular, at risk.

WHIPPING BOYS

After appointing Sam Allardyce as manager, many people expected the veteran manager to tighten up the Baggies’ defence.

Before the introduction of Big Sam, West Brom had conceded the most goals in the league, and had the worst Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) rating.

To make matters worse for the Baggies, they also conceded the most shots on target, shots in the box, and headed attempts.

Looking at the figures under Allardyce, you could even argue that their defence has got worse since his arrival.

In the 13 games before Big Sam’s appointment, West Brom conceded 26 goals and had an xGC of 25.24.

In the seven games with Allardyce at the helm, his team has still conceded the most goals, with 22, and has the worst xGC in the league.

Their overall defending appears to have got even worse, with the Baggies now conceding the most shots inside the box, outside the box, on target, headed attempts and losing the most tackles.

Following the game, Allardyce did not appear for the post-match press conference for an hour, locking his players in the dressing room and telling them some home truths.

“A few home truths needed to be said. I think it had to be done now because there is a short period of time before the next game then a short period of time for the game after that.

“And these two games really do stand high on what we need to do and how we need to try and perform. I needed to get my disappointment and feelings out of the way immediately after the game – that’s why it took so long.

“They (the players) needed to air some of their views – that’s fine because we are all in it together. But I was disappointed with that performance, to say the least. To get it out the way means it’s done and dusted.

“Hopefully, we will learn from it and we won’t see it again between now and the end of the season. I can accept defeat but not like that.”

Sam Allardyce

With no light at the end of the tunnel and defensive performances that are getting worse, targeting teams playing West Brom seems like a sound strategy.

West Bromwich Albion (4-4-1-1): Johnstone; Furlong, Ajayi, O’Shea, Gibbs; Snodgrass (Phillips 59), Livermore, Sawyers, Grant (Robson-Kanu 64; Pereira; Robinson (Bartley 46)

Manchester City (4-3-3): Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko; Gündogan (Laporte 52), Rodri, Bernardo Silva (Jesus 61); Foden (Torres 52), Mahrez, Sterling

1,484 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Third Eye Vision
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I’ve got 10.1 in the bank.

    I’m going to spunk it on Sterling I think.

    Does this mean I’ve got money than sense?

    1. Third Eye Vision
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      *more

    2. Tambling5
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      The politicians used to call this a "Sterling Crisis"

  2. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bruno (C) fail... arrghh Gundo!

  3. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Coufal, vardy, bamford > Digne, Kane, Antonio -8

    ??

    1. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Na keep Kane bro

    2. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes

    3. Third Eye Vision
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah.

  4. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Areola and Soucek on the bench!!! Grrrr!!! Haha

  5. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Thoughts on rudiger?

    1. Jebiga
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Nice option if he's nailed

  6. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Would you sell Wilson or Bamford first?

    1. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      i'm selling wilson

    2. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I sold both for -4, but I sold Wilson first for Kane then just booted out Bamford for C-L

    3. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Did Wilson, Bamford likely going for Ollie

  7. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Likely moves for weekend games - which do you prefer?

    Mané Bamford to

    A Grealish Kane or
    B Son DCL

    1. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A 1000%

    2. Alisson WondHaaland
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Im bringing in B

    3. Thinkering like a Boss
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A

  8. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bruno pogba theory so visibly proven right again

  9. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How many BAPS for Bruno?

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      4

  10. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Another close cup run, who wins?

    1. Salah + Kane
    2. Son

    1. mezza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      1 obviously big favorite

    2. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      1

  11. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    There were people who actually thought that United team could win the league under Ole, baffling.

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I never thought we had a hope to be honest but the frustrating thing is our form coming into this game made me feel like we would drop the points to the likes of City/Pool/Spurs/Leicester/Everton and so on not the likes of Sheffield. False sense of security! They were soooo bad tonight I can’t process what I watched

  12. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Not really an issue this blank. Bruno was a completely non descriptive player this week. Come on Salah Kane and Sonny boy.

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      This. Got those three too and they have the potential to get me up the ranks as they all have less than 100% EO.

    2. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Was big for those that didn't captain. I did Foden so I'm so relieved now 😆

  13. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Doing Bamford > Kane for sure this GW

    Thoughts on Watkins > DCL for -4 too? Like the Newcastle + Leeds fixtures, but Watkins does keep scoring and having a lot of chances

    1. Do I Not Like Orange
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Wouldn't take Watkins out now he's finally started scoring.

      1. Gross Blank Point
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        He still looks like he's not as good as the players round him, not his fault, he tries

  14. Davekitson
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any changes to this lot or roll FT?

    Areola - Johnstone

    Cancelo - Stones - Dallas - Dawson - Mitchell

    Sterling - Salah - Son - Raphinha - Fernandes

    Bamford - Antonio - Brewster

  15. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bruno to Grealish?

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Great move.

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Why not Burke?

  16. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    That wasn’t the Bruno no show I wanted...

    Gundo vice and Soucek first sub 🙁

  17. Ozzy smith
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    28 with Salah/Son to go. Thank god for the quick turnaround before GW21 lol

  18. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    After that performance, keeping Saka should be an option right?

    1. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Absolutely

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bounce back alert

  19. janowsc
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    As a Liverpool fan I really can’t complain about the Bruno (c) fail.

  20. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Barring Aurier outscoring Kane by 20 pts tomorrow, I'm through to the next round of the FPL Cup. Anyone else through or expecting to get through?

    1. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I'm through unless Son scores 5.

  21. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Genuinely lost this season !

  22. Tambling5
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Hmm..worse day for some time onlyGrealish contributing with DCL Digne Martinez and Bruno(C) failure.

  23. Alisson WondHaaland
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    FPL cup, who wins?

    A) Salah Robo
    B) Kane + 4

    1. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A

    2. Jebiga
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kane even with -4

    3. REDMOND IN SANDALS
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      B

  24. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Those who watched the Lei game, how did they fare? Worth bringing in one of their attacking asset? And who in particular?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Were all over Everton in the second half, but were very wasteful and could not get the shots on target.

      1. Stranger Mings
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        How did DCL look/play?

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Was trying, but he was very isolated. A lot of hopeful balls over the top / on the diagonal to him for him to chase.

          1. Stranger Mings
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Ok cheers I am tempted to bring him in

      2. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers mate

  25. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What to do with Rashford?
    Sell him for Son for -4?

  26. Jebiga
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I can't believe. On he begining of this season i said that Liverpool will not reach top 4 and everybody told me that I'm crazy 🙂

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Can you link it?

      1. Jebiga
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Im speaking this every day from the begining 🙂

    2. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      But they will, so you are still crazy. 😀

      1. Jebiga
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        No way, they are nailed under top 4 next 30 years 🙂

    3. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Take it easy man. Plenty of games left.

      1. Jebiga
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        LOL

  27. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    40 points from 5 yesterday
    13 from 4 including captain today

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

    Have Dias and Stones. Who to get?
    A) Cancelo
    B) Gundogan

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Gundogan. And then switch Dias for Cancelo at some point.

  29. Gross Blank Point
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    14 points from 5 tonight, a pretty bad haul, yet a decent green arrow and through in the Cup, I'll take it.

  30. Art Vandelay
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I currently have 67 points with one player to go.

    53 points are from my 3 city players, and 14 from the other 9 😆

    1. Art Vandelay
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      *7* obvs...

    2. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      So who was your 12th man?