We continue our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 12 Scout Notes with analysis of Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United.
For a briefer summary of Saturday’s action, click here, while you can read up on Manchester City v Everton in more detail below.
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2-1 LEEDS UNITED
- Goals: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (£4.9m), Sergio Reguilon (£5.0m) | Daniel James (£6.0m)
- Assists: Lucas Moura (£6.4m), Eric Dier (£4.5m) | Jack Harrison (£5.6m)
- Bonus: Hojbjerg x3, Stuart Dallas (£5.1m) x2, Dier x1, Reguilon x1, James x1
KANE AND SON BLANK
Spurs failed to manage a single shot on target in a lacklustre opening 45 minutes on Sunday, but improved after the break to claim a 2-1 win over Leeds United.
However, for Fantasy managers who had invested in either Son Heung-min (£10.4m) or Harry Kane (£12.2m), it was a frustrating afternoon, as neither player registered an attacking return.
Despite that, they did have shots deflected onto the woodwork, while Kane managed four goal attempts – including three efforts inside the box – which is better and offers encouragement for future weeks, especially given their immediate schedule: Burnley (a), Brentford (h) and Norwich City (h).
Harry Kane’s shot map v Leeds United in Gameweek 12
Following the win, Spurs are now seventh in the table, four points off the top four, which Antonio Conte discussed after the game:
“We want to fight, we want to improve the position in the table. At this moment, there are four teams that, for many reasons, because they are working with the same coach, they invested a lot of money, at this moment there are four teams and there is a gap. I’m not scared about this.
I trust in my players, I trust in my squad. We want to fight to stay close and fight for Champions League. Then if there’s one team that slips up this season or makes mistakes, we must be there to try to do our best.”
ROYAL V REGUILON
Given Conte’s history with attacking wing-backs, there has understandably been plenty of discussion in the community around Emerson Royal (£4.9m) and Sergio Reguilon (£5.0m), and who is in fact the better option for our FPL squads.
So, here’s a selection of key underlying stats from the Italian tactician’s first two games in charge:
“My first goal in the Premier League. We get three points. It’s unbelievable, it’s amazing. And now we continue. When we attack I have to have the mentality of a striker. The gaffer wants that. I have to arrive, arrive, arrive – and also defend. Now I’m dead but I’m so happy!” – Sergio Reguilon
GELHARDT MAKES FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE START
With Raphinha (£6.7m) and Rodrigo (£6.3m) surprise absentees on the day, due to illness and a minor foot injury respectively, budget forward Joe Gelhardt (£4.5m) was tasked with leading the line in his first Premier League start.
The youngster showed glimpses of his ability throughout, ending the game with four goal attempts, three shots in the box and six penalty area touches, though moving forward, you’d expect him to be used as more of an impact substitute once Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford (£7.7m) return.
“He showed personality, he could adapt to the rhythm of the game, they are things that are important.” – Marcelo Bielsa on £4.5m forward Joe Gelhardt
Elsewhere, Daniel James (£6.0m) bagged his second attacking return in his last three appearances, while Kalvin Phillips (£4.8m) lined-up in an unfamiliar centre-back role, which he and his manager touched on after the game:
“Llorente played from the right side to the centre against a player who makes a lot of diagonal [runs]. Phillips played as a right centre-back following Kane whenever he dropped, Pascal played as a left-back marking Moura and Cooper played his natural position of left centre-back. Perhaps you interpret that it was a back three, perhaps what you saw was correct but our intention was to play Llorente, Phillips, Cooper, Pascal with Dallas on the right, Klich and Forshaw in the centre and then after James on the right, Gelhardt in the centre and Harrison on the left.” – Marcelo Bielsa
“To be honest I don’t know why he did it. We wanted to be more defensive with their attacking threat. Me and Liam Cooper went man for man marking. It worked really well in the first half, but in the second half it’s just a lack of concentration that hurt us.” – Kalvin Phillips when asked why Bielsa chose to play him at the back
Tottenham XI: Lloris, Tanganga (Sanchez 68), Dier, Davies, Royal, Hojbjerg, Winks, Reguilon (Sessegnon 79), Moura (Alli 88), Son, Kane
Leeds XI: Meslier, Llorente, Phillips, Cooper, Struijk, Forshaw (Roberts 65), Dallas, James, Klich (Firpo 59), Harrison, Gelhardt (McKinstry 87)
