Scout Notes

FPL pre-season: Chilwell left out of first XI as Mount excels

The pre-season friendlies wind to a close this weekend, with 18 Premier League teams contesting warm-up games and last season’s top two squaring off in the Community Shield.

We’ll be bringing you goal, assist and line-up information from all of these matches in our Scout Notes articles, which could help shape your Fantasy Premier League (FPL) squad ahead of Gameweek 1.

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.

We begin with Chelsea and Everton, the Gameweek 1 opponents who were both in action on Friday. A second-string Blues XI were actually involved in another match against Udinese on Saturday morning, which is also covered below.

FRIDAY: UDINESE 1-3 CHELSEA
SATURDAY: UDINESE 0-2 CHELSEA

Match highlights (Friday)

  • Goals: Kante, Sterling, Mount | Loftus-Cheek, Ziyech pen
  • Assists: Hudson-Odoi | Kovacic, Loftus Cheek

Thomas Tuchel split his squad in half for two friendlies against Udinese on Friday night and Saturday morning.

The starting XI in the first of those games looks set to be near enough the side that takes on Everton in Gameweek 1, with Kai Havertz (£8.0m), Mason Mount (£8.0m) and Raheem Sterling (£10.0m) dovetailing very nicely up top.

It was a fluid set-up in the front three but Sterling was in the nominal central role, and the Manchester City man showed some promising early signs of a fruitful relationship with Mount in particular.

“He had chances, was heavily involved in other chances. It was a good performance.” – Thomas Tuchel on Raheem Sterling

Mount was arguably the pick of the attacking trident, creating opportunities aplenty for his two aforementioned teammates but crucially also seeing clear sights of goal himself: his late tap-in and an earlier saved effort came from inside the six-yard box, while he had fired at Udinese goalkeeper Marco Silvestri’s legs when jinking his way into the hosts’ area.

Criticism of profligacy seems to have dogged Sterling for a while, and indeed he has finished with a negative xG delta (the difference between his expected goals and actual goals scored) in each of the last two seasons.

He was wasteful against Udinese, too, with even his goal a fortuitous one as the rebound from a spurned chance bobbled in off his torso.

Still, to be repeatedly getting into such dangerous positions is a positive, with 78 goals in his last five seasons evidence that shot volume can be as important as a clinical streak.

Question marks remain at the back for Chelsea, with two of their starters – Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.0m) and Marcos Alonso (£5.5m) – still reportedly keen on a move to Barcelona and Ben Chilwell (£6.0m) not only omitted from Friday’s first-choice XI but clearly still needing to recapture some match fitness after a rusty-looking display with the second string on Saturday morning.

Edouard Mendy (£5.0m) won’t want to rewatch Udinese’s only goal of the weekend either but Kalidou Kouilbaly (£5.5m) was a positive, deployed again in the left-sided centre-half spot vacated by Antonio Rudiger.

Saturday’s game saw Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.0m) used at right wing-back and play a part in both goals, first finishing well from a Mateo Kovacic (£5.0m) pass and then winning the penalty that Hakim Ziyech (£6.0m) converted.

Armando Broja (£5.5m) was spotted for the first time this pre-season, lasting 45 minutes as the spearhead of the Chelsea attack and seeing plenty of chances of his own.

Chelsea XI on Friday (3-4-3): Mendy; Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly (Emerson 72); James (Hudson-Odoi 72), Kante, Jorginho (Gilmour 84), Alonso; Havertz (Vale 72), Sterling (Kenedy 84), Mount

Chelsea XI on Saturday (3-4-3): Kepa (Bettinelli 67); Chalobah, Ampadu, Sarr (Emerson 67); Loftus-Cheek (Vale 77), Kovacic, Gallagher (Gilmour 77), Chilwell (Kenedy 67); Ziyech, Broja (Hudson-Odoi h/t), Pulisic.

FPL points predictions for Gameweek 3 and beyond 3

EVERTON 3-0 DYNAMO KYIV

  • Goals: Calvert-Lewin, McNeil x2
  • Assists: Tarkowski, Iwobi, Vinagre

Match highlights

Dwight McNeil (£5.5m) bettered his entire 2021/22 attacking output for Burnley in a 28-minute showing on his Everton debut.

The newly signed winger emerged from the bench to first lash home an effort from distance and then nod in fellow debutant Ruben Vinagre‘s (£4.5m) cross.

 “I’m really delighted for him because there is pressure coming in and it’s all happened very quickly for him. To play at Goodison, coming on and impacting the game in the way in which he did – he showed the qualities why we brought him here. 

“I’m a big believer in him. It’s a fresh start at a new club for him and if he carries on like that the fans are going to love him.” – Frank Lampard on Dwight McNeil

McNeil has never hit double figures for FPL attacking returns in a season before so the jury remains well and truly out, particularly as a start is far from assured in Gameweek 1. Washed-up wingers Demarai Gray (£5.5m) and Andros Townsend (£5.5m) did have short-lived renaissances of their own after a move to Merseyside a year ago, of course, so we can’t write the England under-21 international off completely.

Frank Lampard seems set to go into the 2022/23 season in the same 3-4-3 shape that he ended the last campaign with, despite his stated desire to move to a 4-3-3.

That’s good news for FPL defenders Vitalli Mykolenko (£4.5m) and Nathan Patterson (£4.0m), who were pushed high and wide as wing-backs against Dynamo Kyiv.

Patterson is obviously an interesting case given his starting price and current injury to positional rival Seamus Coleman (£4.5m), although we did see Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) used at right wing-back in the win over Gameweek 1 opponents Chelsea in May.

Iwobi was here part of a midfield two alongside Abdoulaye Doucoure (£5.5m) on Friday but injuries rather forced Lampard’s hand, so the Nigeria international could still be deployed elsewhere on the opening weekend.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£8.0m) nodded in Everton’s opener, with summer recruit James Tarkowski (£4.5m) claiming the assist with a raking ball over the top.

Everton XI (3-4-3): Pickford; Tarkowski (Welch 83′), Keane (Holgate 62′), Godfrey (Nkounkou 83′); Patterson (Mills 83′), Iwobi (Warrington 83′), Doucoure (Allan 72′), Mykolenko (Vinagre 72′); Gray (McNeil 62′), Calvert-Lewin (Alli 62′), Gordon (Rondon 72′)

PRE-SEASON MINUTES TRACKER

Who played the most minutes over the March international break?

1,507 Comments Post a Comment
  1. TheTruth
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Its not offside

  2. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Foden assist

  3. TheTruth
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Onside

  4. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Didn’t Adrian have it in two hands or is that not a rule any more?

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Nope he didn’t hence why it counted

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        Yeah because refs/var have never got anything wrong 😆

    2. F4L
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      foden didn't touch the ball i think

    3. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      No he didn't

  5. adstomko
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Trent looking at the linesman when he could've blocked that goal.
    Classic defensive Trent

  6. Pedram
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Alvarez bandwagon get innn

  7. BobB
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    If you went with this game you would have had PEA in 20/21 and Nacho last year.

  8. sirmorbach
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Alvarez locked.

  9. FPL Brains
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Haaland who?

    Welcome Alvarez.

  10. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Trent rested

  11. BeaversWithAttitude
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Game on!

  12. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Haaland >> Alvarez

    1. Pedram
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      L

  13. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    I made a nice draft with Alverez before. Enabled Son... Probably had no Jesus though so not worth it. He's a great player though!

  14. R.C
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Haaland to Alvarez done.

  15. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Waiting on the airport in Croatia and they just called out for a passenger named Mark De Bruyne at the same time a dude walked by with a Perisic shirt. Surely a sign? Have none of them in my team right now.

    1. NorCal Villan
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Signs, signs, everywhere signs

  16. 3 A
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Doherty, Perisic start.

    1. bso
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Good to know thanks. Perisic in my team.

    2. Stranger Mings
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Can Doherty be a regular starter as good 5m option?

      1. bso
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        That would be great. Keeping an eye on it.

  17. F4L
    • 9 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    the direct running of foden, grealish can enjoy a season mostly on the bench again

    1. dshv
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Hahahaha sounds like yes

  18. Z
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Alvarez so esencial!!!!!
    LFC deff is rubish....i ll sell TAA and Robbo.............

    1. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      As essential as your spelling...

      1. Z
        • 6 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        I am ironic smar guy......

  19. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Kane to Alvarez for -4. Thoughts?

  20. Oscar Slater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Would TAA have kept his clean sheet if he had crossed the touchline before the VAR outcome?

  21. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Cheap strikers at 7m and below gonna break the one up front template, favoured by FPL 'influencers'?

    1. Gross Blank Point
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      The template is always blown out the water by GW2

      1. Bartowski
        • 13 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        True.

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      I’ve 3 up front and never swayed

  22. Lukakwho
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    A.) Cancelo, Dalot, Rashford
    B.) Walker, Trippier, Saka

  23. R.C
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Haaland playing 75+ mins

  24. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    Trent turned his back on the ball. He could have cleared it.

  25. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    The new Torres

  26. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    No ET, straight to penalties if tied at 90 but Trent and Kdb come off.

  27. FPL Emu
    • 13 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    When you put it this way ...

    A) Robertson as third pool + Neto

    B) Dalot and an extra 8m mid

  28. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 7 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    No city draft... ?

    Raya
    Trent Perisic Trippier Zinchenko
    Salah Son Martinelli Bailey
    Kane Jesus

    (4.0 Andreas Neco Plange)

  29. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    No City, no Salah, what do you think?

    Sa (Sarkic)
    TAA - Robbo - Trippier - Gabriel - Dalot
    Mount - Maddison - Son (Bailey, Andreas)
    Kane - Jesus (Archer)

    0.5 itb, I guess I rotate Bailey and Dalot, or similar).

    1. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      “No City, no Salah” no chance 😉

    2. Sailboats
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Very bad imo, sorry

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        🙁

    3. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      Spot the United fan

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        lol yea right 😀

        Dalot probably becomes Perisic soon

  30. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    1 year, 8 months ago

    If city play with a front 2 it would all but ruin Mahrez, Foden, and Grealish as options.

    1. Bubz
      • 10 Years
      1 year, 8 months ago

      I think they are dodgy options anyway, no knowing which will start

      1. Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 8 months ago

        True