Scout Notes

Guardiola hints at Double Gameweek 26 and 27 for City and offers Gundogan update

Double Gameweek 24 came to a conclusion on Wednesday evening as Manchester City extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to ten points with a win over Everton.

Elsewhere on a generally underwhelming night for those with Fantasy interest, Burnley and Fulham played out a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

SEEING DOUBLE

How the top 10k FPL managers set their teams up for Double Gameweek 24

A throwaway line from Pep Guardiola in his pre-match interview on Wednesday evening set tongues wagging in the Fantasy Premier League world.

The City manager lamented a busy month ahead for his side before the clash with Everton, in doing so mentioning that games against Wolves and Southampton – City’s two outstanding fixtures following cup-related postponements – had been added to the calendar in March.

Those two matches could realistically only be added to Gameweeks 26 and 27 if we’re looking at City’s schedule before the March international break:



Premier League fixturesOther fixtures
February 21Gameweek 25: Arsenal (a)
February 24UCL, last 16: Monchengladbach (a)
February 27Gameweek 26: West Ham United (h)
March 2/3*Gameweek 26: Soton (h)/Wolves(h)?
March 6*Gameweek 27: Manchester United (h)
March 9/10*Gameweek 27: Soton (h)/Wolves(h)?
March 13*Gameweek 28: Fulham (a)
March 16UCL, last 16: Monchengladbach (h)
March 20FA Cup, quarter-final: Everton (a)
—————INTERNATIONALBREAK———————-

*Exact March dates are yet to be finalised by the various broadcasters

ARE YOU ILKAY?

Missing his first Premier League game since Gameweek 12, Ilkay Gundogan (£6.1m) sat out City’s win at Goodison Park.

Guardiola had forewarned us that the German would miss out on the trip to Merseyside and he had more to say on the in-form midfielder ahead of kick-off, suggesting that a return to action in Double Gameweek 25 wasn’t yet assured:

Elsewhere on the fitness front, Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) marked his return from injury as a late substitute.

We await news on Joao Cancelo‘s (£6.1m) condition, with the Portuguese defender taking a heavy kick to his knee in second-half injury time and limping through to the game’s conclusion.

As for Everton, the Toffees could have Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.7m) back for the Merseyside derby this weekend:

SILVA LINING

Guardiola hints at Double Gameweek 26 and 27 for City and offers Gundogan update 1

De Bruyne’s return gives Guardiola another option in the centre of midfield, where Gundogan and Bernardo Silva (£7.4m) have started every Premier League match that they have been available for from Gameweek 14 onwards.

It was Phil Foden (£6.1m) who ostensibly filled in for Gundogan as the left-sided ‘number eight’ on Merseyside, with the youngster opening the scoring with a deflected 31st-minute effort and generally posing more of a threat than the shot-less Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) further up the flank.

Bernardo meanwhile made it six attacking returns in his last seven starts, first claiming the assist for Riyad Mahrez’s (£8.1m) superb strike and then taking advantage of some suspect goalkeeping from Jordan Pickford (£4.8m) to round off the scoring himself.

Bernardo has started 12 league matches in a row now and his and Gundogan’s run in the team pre-dated De Bruyne’s injury by some time.

It’ll be interesting to see how Guardiola incorporates the Belgian back into his side, then. Given the form of Bernardo and Gundogan in their respective central midfield positions and Gabriel Jesus‘ (£9.2m) lack of it up front, it’ll be the Brazilian who will be watching more nervously over his shoulder – both Bernardo and De Bruyne have operated as the spearhead of the City attack over the last few months.

Rotation will beckon for most City players during the upcoming period of fixture congestion, it has to be said, with Guardiola telling reporters:

If you see the schedule that we have… we have a game every three or four days, everybody is going to play. Against Arsenal, we are going to play new ones.

ALL ABOUT MEE

It’s now just one clean sheet in seven matches for Burnley without their skipper Ben Mee (£5.1m), who missed Wednesday’s draw with Fulham due to the concussion protocol.

The Clarets’ shut-out record stands at seven in 17 when Mee is fit and the good news for Sean Dyche’s side is that the first-choice stopper will be available for selection for the weekend’s clash with West Bromwich Albion, a fixture that offers Burnley a very good opportunity to add to their clean sheet tally.

Not that stand-in centre-back Kevin Long (£4.3m) was culpable for this clean sheet loss, with first-half substitute Robbie Brady (£5.0m) – on as a replacement for the crocked Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£5.4m) before having to leave the field himself – making a hash of a goalline clearance for Fulham’s opener.

On a disappointing evening for owners of Nick Pope (£5.6m) et al, the four Fantasy assets who emerged from the draw at Turf Moor with any sort of FPL return were all owned by 1.5% of Fantasy managers or fewer.

Ola Aina (£4.5m), the fortuitous scorer of the Cottagers’ goal and assister of one of Josh Maja‘s (£5.5m) strikes in the win over Everton, finished as Gameweek 24’s joint-top scorer on 20 points alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) – two players owned by a combined 10 managers inside the top 10k.

Fulham were worthy of their point and their undefeated run against sides outside of the top four now stretches to ten games.

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1,127 Comments Post a Comment
  1. as33
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    What changes on WC would u do?
    Martinez
    Cancelo, Stones, Holding, Kilman, Mitchell
    Salah, Sterling, Grealish, Bruno, Bissouma
    Bamford, Richarlison, Antonio

    1. George James
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Stones holding kilman mitchel sterling Biss rich Antonio all
      Out

      Dias Shaw Dallas vestergard son Barnes Kane Bamford ings IN

      1. as33
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Thanks mate

  2. Sheffield Wednesday
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Good morning Mr Hunt. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to select a team of THREE defenders for gw25 from this list of five. Good morning Mr Hunt. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to select a team of THREE defenders for gw25 from this list of five. To aid your choice they are listed in decending order using various criteria:

    A) Defenders in order of total points:

    Cresswell [TOT]
    Dias [ars]
    Wan-Bissaka [NEW]
    Stones [ars]
    Mee [WBA]

    B) Points per match:
    Stones - Cresswell - Dias - Mee - Wan-Bissaka

    C) Form:
    Wan-Bissaka - Cresswell - Dias - Stones - Mee

    D) Fixture defensive difficulty:
    Mee - Wan-Bissaka - Stones/Dias - Cresswell

    E) Relative defensive difficulty:
    Wan-Bissaka - Dias/Stones - Mee - Cresswell

    F) An online tool selection:
    Wan-Bissaka - Mee - Stones - Dias - Cresswell

    Good luck and as always should any defenders be ruled out through injury or rotation the secretary will disavow all knowledge of your actions.
    This message will not self-destruct in the next 5 seconds...

    1. Sheffield Wednesday
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Favouring F at the moment

    2. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Go for the two with best chance of Clean Sheets points plus the one with best chance of Attacking points. Sorry if that means substituting your two City boys.

      1. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        I'll probably pick one Man City defender with another first on bench.

    3. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      I have B (with Cancelo instead of Stones), so B must not be the correct answer

      1. Sheffield Wednesday
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        I should probably have Cancelo rather than either Dias or Stones, because his expected attacking returns are higher. But my FT is better used adding a Leeds mid/attack this week.

        1. Max City
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 29 days ago

          True

  3. donbagino
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Do you think it's possible to survive blank gw29 after doing WC this week? Not having FH though.I mean, WC this week and play BB Gw26.

    1. jomikijiq
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Of course

      3xLeeds
      3xVilla
      Kane, Son

      and you're set

      1. donbagino
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        1. If AV - Tot game is confirmed
        2. So 3 Leeds on WC and holding them till (maybe longer) 29?
        Or maybe drop 1-2 for 26-28 and get them back for 29?

        1. jomikijiq
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 29 days ago

          1. it most certainly will be
          2. My three would be Struijk, Raphinha, Bamford

          Struijk is good for team structure as he can become a bench fodder even if he looses his place
          And Raphinha is cheap enough for 8th attacker slot imo

          1. donbagino
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 29 days ago

            Already owning Dallas,Raph and Bam so it's ok.

    2. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Yes as long as you have the big hitters for that week

      1. donbagino
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        I did't get what you mean...:/ For which week?

    3. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      I am sure you won't die, whatever moves you make to your team. 😉

  4. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Okay, so I've definitely ruled out BB in GW29.

    My plan is slowly coming together 😛

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      That's crazy! Massive red arrow that GW for you

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Ignore 33 as well

  5. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Jesus, Rashford -> Salah, Kane (-4)?

    Or get Salah next week?

    1. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Looks good to me, go for it

    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Get Salah next week

    3. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Get both next week for free?

  6. niloh1
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Any of this worth a -4?

    a) coufal to dallas
    b) soucek to raphinha

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      B

    2. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      B

    3. West End Exile
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      B

  7. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Wc thoughts? 0.0itb

    Martinez McCarthy
    Cancelo stones shaw Dallas konsa
    Salah Bruno son gundo raph
    Kane bamford Watkins

    1. George James
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Wouldn’t have stones rest is nice

    2. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      pretty much similar with most

  8. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    GTG & bench correct?

    Martinez,
    Dias, Mee, Maguire, Dallas
    Salah, Foden, Bruno, Gundo, Son,
    Bamford C,

    Johnson, DCL, Watkins, Coufal,

    1. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      looks OK

  9. URMothersLover
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    defender for under 4.4 cant be leeds..

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Fulham, Brighton

    2. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Brighton

    3. jb1985
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Burn - 4.2 - Brighton

  10. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Not sure whether to BB26 or BB30 with sgw-ers. Plan to WC31. 2fts

    Martinez -- Forster
    Cancelo • Stones • Dallas -- Digne Lowton
    Bruno • Salah • Grealish • Rashford -- Gundog
    Antonio • DCL • Bamford

    A: Make 6 transfers i.e. 3 hits to get 14 doublers on BB26
    - Forster + Rashford + Antonio >> Areola + Barnes + Ings (-4)
    - Dallas + Salah + Ings >> Shaw + Son + Kane (-8)

    B: Postpone BB. Instead take a -4 in gw26 to get 11 doublers out. can BB30/WC31
    - Rashford + Antonio >> Raphinha + Ings in 25
    - Salah + Ings >> Son + Kane (-4) in 26

    1. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      This is exactly dilemma mate, although personnel are different.

      A) for me, I don't have Bamford and I would get 15 DGWers with just one hit, but I would not have Kane and would captain Son.

      So I would miss out on Bamfords points in 25 and Kane's in 26.

      Hence I can't decide myself which option would be good for my team.

    2. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      both are OK

  11. Dosh
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Foden + Antonio --> Raphinha + Ings ? Only other DGWer is Bamford.

    1. Sheffield Wednesday
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Antonio > Ings

  12. Pepeye
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    If Gundogan is fit and KDB restored, picking City's line up for Arsenal will be like picking a lottery winner

  13. Pepeye
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    City's run has to end soon, can't go on and on, Arsenal could be the one

  14. Dash444
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Any news on Cancelo knock at the end of the game last night. He got a big boot to the knee and went down in agony. Then spent the last minute of the game unable to walk properly.

  15. Pepeye
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Cancelo got some treatment post game . Knee swollen not sure impact on Arsenal game

  16. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Happy DGW Announcement Day!!

  17. choco27
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Please help me... which combo for GW25?
    A. Targett
    B. Cancelo
    C. Lowton

    X. Sterling
    Y. Gundogan
    Z. Son

    Many thanks before...

  18. FantasyFooty01
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Pope
    Dias Shaw Cancelo
    Fernandes Grealish Gündogan Rodríguez
    DCL Cavani Ings

    Forster Saka White Vestergaard
    1 FT Bank 2.0m
    What changes should I make?

  19. jcr1997
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Who to start:

    Ederson (arsenal)
    Or
    McCarthy (wolves and Leeds)

    Targett (Leicester)
    Or
    Coufal (Tottenham)

    Antonio (Tottenham)
    Or
    Neto (Leeds)

  20. baines is god
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    McCarthy
    Coufal (just)
    Antonio (it's neves not neto who's on wolves' pens right?)

  21. baines is god
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Areola or Martinez

    Mee or DCL or Rodriguez or Kilman

  22. artvandelay316
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Unsure what to do with my squad...
    Pope
    Cancelo, Stones, Coufal
    Fernandes, Salah, Rashford, Gundo, Soucek
    Bamford, DCL

    Subs: Forster, Holding, Cavani, Mitchell

    Is Gundo going to play?

    Currently thinking to take a risk on him, keep him in and instead do Soucek > Raphina

    Should I sub Stones for Holding? Or leave Holding as first sub?

    1. JammySprat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Yes Gundo will play. I would do cavani to ings

      1. JammySprat
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        But you're clearly a united fan with rash and cavani haha