FPL pre-season: £4.0m Williams makes Forest debut as Kane scores again

Harry Kane (£11.5m), Son Heung-min (£12.0m) and Jarrod Bowen (£8.5m) were amongst the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) names in action on Saturday as more pre-season friendlies were staged.

We’ve got all the goal, assist and line-up information you need in this latest Scout Notes article.

A round-up of Sunday’s fixtures will follow.

We’re also keeping tabs on the minutes played in all of these warm-up fixtures, with Premium Members of Fantasy Football Scout able to access this information at the bottom of this article.

READ MORE: Thursday and Friday friendlies: Injured Jota a Gameweek 1 doubt

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 1-1 SEVILLA

• Goal: Harry Kane
• Assist: Son Heung-min

Match highlights

The clinical pairing of Kane and Son combined yet again for Spurs’ final match in South Korea but FPL interest came from elsewhere.

Firstly, Richarlison (£8.5m) started in a fluid front three alongside the deadly duo, although Dejan Kulusevski (£8.0m) replaced the Brazilian in one of six half-time changes.

Whilst early summer gossip suggested that the Swedish international could be the latest attacker to be converted into a wing-back, Victor Moses-style, it was Lucas Moura (£6.0m) who started there in Suwon.

“I spoke with Lucas and I think that this will be a good option for me and in the past I converted Perisic in that position. [Victor] Moses was the same. [Antonio] Candreva was the same. Before a winger and then to become a wing-back. For sure he has great quality Lucas and I think this could be a good option.” – Antonio Conte on using Lucas Moura at wing-back

It’s not like Spurs are lacking in wing-backs, with the imminent Djed Spence signing set to put him amongst Matt Doherty (£5.0m), Emerson Royal (£5.0m), Ryan Sessegnon (£4.5m), Sergio Reguilon (£4.5m) and Ivan Perisic (£5.5m). And now Moura.

Speaking of Perisic, he is yet to play any pre-season minutes due to a calf injury. The 33-year-old new signings will be ready to participate in training sessions once the team returns to London and should get “20 to 30 minutes” versus Rangers in midweek. Will a slow pre-season lower his current FPL ownership from 40%?

Kane’s second-half opener followed a brace in Wednesday’s 6-3 win over Team K League. His very slow start to last season dramatically changed once Antonio Conte arrived and it’s hard to bet against him continuing this into the 2022/23 campaign.

Meanwhile, any FPL interest in centre-back Ben Davies (£5.0m) may have diminished once Clement Lenglet (£5.0m) arrived on loan but it’s still worth noting that he limped off after landing awkwardly.

“I don’t think that’s a big problem. In this moment, he has pain in his ankle but, honestly, I hope when we start our training sessions again he can start the sessions with us. I don’t think it’s serious and I think he’s okay.” – Antonio Conte on Ben Davies’ injury

Spurs XI (3-4-3): Lloris (Austin 72′); Romero (Tanganga 46′), Dier, Sanchez (Davies 46′ (Fagan-Walcott 85′)); Lucas Moura (Doherty 46′), Hojbjerg (Sarr 72′), Skipp (Bentancur 46′), Sessegnon (Emerson Royal 46′); Richarlison (Kulusevski 46′), Kane (Parrott 72′), Son (Bryan 72′)

OH LEUVEN 3-3 LEICESTER CITY

• Goals: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Patson Daka, Jamie Vardy
• Assists: Ayoze Perez, James Maddison, Youri Tieleman

Match highlights

Brendan Rodgers’ side is still without a new signing or pre-season win, although they came back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 with sister club OH Leuven.

The match lasted for 120 minutes, with two separate line-ups both getting a run-out before an extra four changes were made late on.

It was Jamie Vardy‘s (£9.5m) first summer outing, netting a late equaliser to showcase why his price drop could make him a strong under-the-radar pick for early home matches against Brentford and Southampton.

“James Maddison, it’s the best I’ve seen him, in the three-and-a-half years I’ve been at Leicester. He looks now really physically strong, technically confident and tactically, his view of the game is outstanding.” – Brendan Rodgers

A quick-thinking James Maddison (£8.0m) chipped a free-kick for Patson Daka (£6.0m) to head home but the long-range goal from midfield colleague Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£5.0m) could interest FPL managers.

At a time when appealing cheap midfielders are needed to unlock potential three-premium drafts, Dewsbury-Hall may become a candidate at such a low price.

“Of course I want to improve the squad, I want to develop the squad, I said that midway through last year, but if it’s difficult financially, I really respect the club, so I don’t go to war with them. Hopefully we can improve the squad, but my honest opinion is that it’s not going to be the level I would have wanted. But that’s just unfortunate.” – Brendan Rodgers

Leicester XI for the first hour (4-2-3-1): Iversen; Pereira, Evans, Fofana, Justin; Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall; Perez, Maddison, Barnes; Daka

Leicester XI for the second hour (4-2-3-1): Stolarczyk; Castagne, Vestergaard (Braybrooke 107′), Soyuncu, Thomas; Amartey (Choudhury 107′), Mendy; Iheanacho, Tielemans (Albrighton 107′), Praet (Wright 107′); Vardy

READING 1-1 WEST HAM UNITED

• Goal: Nikola Vlasic
• Assist: Jarrod Bowen

Match highlights

A strong West Ham line-up took the lead on a very hot Berkshire Saturday through Nikola Vlasic (£5.0m) before Yakou Meite equalised to deny them victory.

FPL observers will have noted Jarrod Bowen’s assist, as he burst down the right flank and stood up a perfect cross for Vlasic’s header. The England international almost notched for himself too, were it not for a superb fingertip save from Reading’s goalkeeper.

All 11 starters had been replaced by the 62nd minute, with Aaron Cresswell (£5.0m), Declan Rice (£5.0m) and Pablo Fornals (£5.5m) amongst those coming on.

“It was a decent test for us. It didn’t have a great intensity but I think the temperatures would explain that a little bit. We got a chance to get international players back and get some of them 45 minutes, some of them slightly longer. For an opening game I’m pleased with it, pleased with the fitness more than anything. We’ve got a lot I want to work on as far as football goes, but I can’t complain with how we’ve looked today.” – David Moyes

Furthermore, any managers interested in owning the misfiring Michail Antonio (£7.5m) will likely be deterred by strong rumours that Armando Broja (£5.5m) is about to join permanently.

West Ham XI (4-2-3-1): Fabianski (Areola 46′); Coufal (Ashby 62′), Zouma (Diop 46′), Aguerd (Ogbonna 62′), Johnson (Cresswell 62′); Downes (Coventry 62′), Lanzini (Rice 46′); Bowen (Chesters 62′), Vlasic (Masuaku 62′), Benrahma (Fornals 62′); Antonio (Mubama 46′)

STUTTGART 2-1 BRENTFORD

• Goal: Bryan Mbeumo
• Assist: Mathias Jensen
• Match highlights

Brentford were another team to completely change their team at the halfway point, with Bryan Mbeumo (£6.0m) scoring his second goal in as many games. Saman Ghoddos‘ (£5.0m) pass was flicked on by Shandon Baptiste (£4.5m) into Mathias Jensen (£5.0m), who proceeded to drive forward and lay the ball on for Mbeumo to do the rest.

Although the Frenchman’s reclassification from midfielder to forward seems to have dampened FPL appeal, he comes in at £1.0m cheaper than Ivan Toney (£7.0m) – albeit without penalty duty.

Alternatively, Yoane Wissa offers an interesting £5.5m midfield alternative to Pedro Neto. He only started 12 times last season but half of these arrived in the final nine matches, notching four goals and two assists. Here, he hit the woodwork on two occasions.

“There were a lot of positives, we played two mixed teams again to give all the boys 45 minutes. It was a very warm day and the boys have been trained very hard. They dug deep and produced two performances. We were extremely dangerous in transition and scored a fantastic goal from that.” – Thomas Frank

New signing Aaron Hickey (£5.0m) played in the first half, with fellow newcomer Keane Lewis-Potter (£5.5m) soon to be added into proceedings.

Brentford’s first half XI: Cox, Maghoma, Crama, Jansson, Hickey, Trevitt, Mbeumo, Jensen, Baptiste, Ghoddos, Dervisoglu

Brentford’s second half XI: Raya, Oyegoke, Stevens, Bech, Henry, Onyeka, Dasilva, Janelt, Peart-Harris, Wissa, Toney

SOUTHAMPTON 1-3 RB LEIPZIG

• Goal: Adam Armstrong (£5.5m)
• Assist: Will Smallbone (£4.5m)

Match highlights

A 105-minute match took place in Austria on Saturday, as five new signings took part in Southampton’s pre-season opener.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu (£4.5m) played well and made an outstanding save from Dominic Szoboszlai, in his quest to start the season as number one ahead of Alex McCarthy (£4.5m).

“The goals we conceded were nice shots – a little bit too easy, I think, but I must say that what I wanted to see today was definitely there. We were working on a few parts, and this is what we could see. I saw a few interesting things for us, and the young lads and the new guys have found a good way in the team so far.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl

It was interesting to note that manager Ralph Hasenhuttl played the whole match with a three-man defence, rather than his usual 4-2-2-2 formation. It saw Armel Bella-Kotchap (£4.5m) start on the right side of this trio, with Fantasy midfielder Joe Aribo (£5.5m) cutting inside from the right as a support striker.

Whether this is Hasenhuttl’s new plan to defeat the Saints’ alarming late-season form remains to be seen, especially as James Ward-Prowse (£6.5m) did not take part.

Southampton XI (3-4-3): Bazunu (McCarthy 46′ (Lis 91′)); Bella-Kotchap (Stephens 60′), Bednarek (Lyanco 60′), Salisu (Simeu 60′); Walker-Peters (Valery 60′ (Edwards 91′)), Diallo (Smallbone 60′), Lavia (Romeu 60′), Djenepo (Small 60′); Aribo (A Armstrong 60′), Tella (Adams 60′), Elyounoussi (S Armstrong 60′)

BARNSLEY 0-0 NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Finally, there was a stalemate at Oakwell between Barnsley and newly-promoted Nottingham Forest.

£4.0m FPL defender Neco Williams started at wing-back, although on the left side – where Omar Richards (£4.5m) will soon add to the competition – rather than right. Fellow new signing Giulian Biancone (£4.5m) played on the opposite flank for the third match in a row.

Loanee goalkeeper Dean Henderson (£4.5m) began the match but was replaced after 30 minutes after reporting stiffness.

Steve Cooper wasn’t too concerned after full-time, however.

“It was a precaution. It’s been a really heavy week physically, including for the goalkeepers.

“He’s not injured, he’s fine. He just felt his groin a little bit. He did the right thing by coming off.” – Steve Cooper on Dean Henderson

Nottingham Forest XI (3-4-1-2): Henderson (Hennessey 30′); Worrall (Donnelly 61′ (Abbott 83′)), Cook (McKenna 46′), Niakhate; Biancone (Laryea 61′), Cafu (Fewster 61′), Colback (Ojeda 61′), Williams (Ioannou 46′); Hammond (D Taylor 61′); Johnson (Mighten 46′), Awoniyi (L Taylor 61′)

PRE-SEASON MINUTES TRACKER