Scout Picks

FPL Gameweek 9 Scout Picks: Villa triple-up

30 October 2026 172 comments
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After Neale, Tom and Marc submitted their Scout Squad selections, it’s time to nail down our Scout Picks for Gameweek 9 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL).

This is a Free Hit in all but name, with the focus solely on the upcoming Gameweek.

As ever, we are limited by certain restrictions:

  • An £83.0m budget for our starting XI
  • An overall squad limit of £100.0m
  • No more than three players per team

GAMEWEEK 9 SCOUT PICKS

GOALKEEPER

Replacing Pedro, Gameweek 9 Free Hit + Wildcard drafts: FPL Q&A

Zion Suzuki (£5.0m) gets his first Scout Picks appearance ahead of Saturday night’s home encounter with Fulham.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s men are the division’s joint-lowest scorers on the road, having found the net only twice in four away matches.

Meanwhile, pass master Suzuki has kept two clean sheets over the last six Gameweeks, and has also racked up the saves: he’s banked six save points in that period, the joint-most of any goalkeeper.

DEFENDERS

 

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The rest of this article below is completely free to read but requires a Fantasy Football Scout user account for access – you can get yours at no cost here

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172 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Jona_Sheehy
    4 hours, 6 mins ago

    Who would you pick for a free hit team:
    A. Manzambi
    B. Kudus
    C. Schade

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    1. JBG
      4 hours, 5 mins ago

      A

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    2. banskt
      3 hours, 45 mins ago

      A.

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    3. zdrojo187
      2 hours, 16 mins ago

      ACB

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  2. FDMS All Starz
    4 hours, 4 mins ago

    Which option better? Have 3FTs & 2.0itb

    A) Pedro —> Jackson (1FT) (bench Konsa)
    B) Pedro —> Isak (1FT) (bench Konsa)
    C) Keep Pedro (start Konsa), Pedro —> Isak in gw10
    D) Keep Pedro till gw11 and reassess

    Front 8:
    Tavernier/Palmer/Rogers/Mbuemo/Gross
    Haaland/DCL/Pedro*

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    1. banskt
      3 hours, 44 mins ago

      B.

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    2. Tony Moon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 hours, 8 mins ago

      A

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    3. Yah You Betcha
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      2 hours ago

      I will be doing B next week. Maybe consider that instead and play your 5 midfielders? Otherwise if you really want to make the transfer this week then I would go A.

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  3. CelticBhoy1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    4 hours, 3 mins ago

    Chances or Rice starting?

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    1. CelticBhoy1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 hours, 3 mins ago

      *of

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    2. JBG
      4 hours, 2 mins ago

      Depends on when Arteta takes him off the oven.

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    3. NobodyF*cksWithTheJesus
      3 hours, 38 mins ago

      Very high? Unless I've missed some news

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  4. ididnt
    4 hours, 1 min ago

    Play Leif Davis or de Cuyper?

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    1. Nomar
      3 hours, 51 mins ago

      Davis

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  5. Barnaby Wilde
    4 hours, 1 min ago

    Gtg?

    Kinsky
    Konsa Gvardiol Vuskovic
    Palmer Rogers MGW Manzambi Groß
    Haaland Jackson(c)

    Gonzalo Thomas Diop

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    1. banskt
      3 hours, 42 mins ago

      Don't captain Jackson. Stay safe. Put it on Rogers or Manzambi if you want to take risk.

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      1. Barnaby Wilde
        3 hours, 28 mins ago

        What makes Manzambi safer than Jackson?

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        1. banskt
          3 hours, 19 mins ago

          Numbers over the last 3/4 PL games are slightly better. Ignore the European games. But, any Villa player is risky. Rogers slightly better.

          It's not the week to take risks.

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        2. Tony Moon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          3 hours, 3 mins ago

          Manzambi's xGI is slightly higher overall, on average. But Jackson is more consistent, I.e. fewer games with lower xGI. Arguably that makes him a better captain.

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  6. Pringle
    3 hours, 55 mins ago

    Would you do Thomas —> Gabriel for -4 and bench boost the following:

    Rushworth, Calafiori, Slater and Davis

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  7. Jona_Sheehy
    3 hours, 53 mins ago

    For FH team:
    A. Palmer
    B. Manzambi
    C. Kudus

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    1. banskt
      3 hours, 41 mins ago

      B.

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    2. g40steve
      3 hours, 36 mins ago

      B

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  8. g40steve
    3 hours, 50 mins ago

    Would you play any of the benched players, too many choices?

    Raya,
    Konsa, Hall, *Bogle,
    Tavernier, Mbeumo, Rogers, *Gross,
    Haaland, Jacko, DCL,

    Leno, *DeCuyp, *Calaf, *King,,

    4m

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  9. FPL_WILDCARD
    3 hours, 49 mins ago

    Current team

    Kinsky
    Calafiori, Konsa, Hall
    Palmer, Rogers, Schade, Enzo
    Haaland(c), Jackson, DCL

    Bench: Verbruggen, Gross, Davis, Justin

    Is Enzo to Kudus/Tavernier worth a -4?

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    1. g40steve
      3 hours, 34 mins ago

      Tav but not worth the hit.

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  10. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 47 mins ago

    So Jackson not in training pics and Emery said:

    "Emery on availability of Jackson and Manzambi, who were absent at Bournemouth. 'We are going to train this afternoon and normally, yes (they're available). Absent at Bournemouth 'for different reasons, not only resting.' #avfc"

    https://www.avfc.co.uk/news/2026/october/30/prematch-gallery-aston-villa-prepare-for-cottagers-clash/

    Hmm! Probably nothing

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    1. JBG
      3 hours, 46 mins ago

      Hahah oh ffs -_-

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      1. JBG
        3 hours, 45 mins ago

        https://x.com/FPLVillan/status/2116240730515755176

        "There’s loads of players not in the training photos, wouldn’t stress"

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        1. Sun Jihai
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          3 hours, 23 mins ago

          Hope not, just trying to work out what Emery meant

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  11. The-Red-1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 43 mins ago

    Silva likely to outscore De Cuyper or Konsa by more than 4 points this week?

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    1. banskt
      3 hours, 40 mins ago

      I doubt. Leeds is not a locked clean sheet.

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  12. Buck The Trent
    3 hours, 41 mins ago

    Start ?

    A Calafiori (liv), have Gabriel
    B De Cuyper (mci)

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    1. NobodyF*cksWithTheJesus
      3 hours, 37 mins ago

      Haha posted similar dilemma below. I think maybe de Cuyper considering Cala injury risk

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  13. F4L
    3 hours, 40 mins ago

    transfer in:

    A - Rayan
    B - KDH

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    1. banskt
      3 hours, 38 mins ago

      A. only of you don't have Groß,

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  14. NobodyF*cksWithTheJesus
    3 hours, 40 mins ago

    Play Konsa or de Cuyper?

    Assuming Cala also starting

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    1. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      3 hours, 36 mins ago

      De Cuyper. City concede chances and I wouldn't put it past Brighton to score a couple.

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  15. DagheMunegu
    3 hours, 37 mins ago

    Bench one of each lot

    A Calafiori
    B Hall
    C Muharemovic

    1 Gross
    2 King

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    1. F4L
      3 hours, 36 mins ago

      c1

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  16. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 37 mins ago

    Bench boost this team?

    Raya, Kinsky
    Calafiori, Hall, De Cuyper, Davis, Mendy
    Palmer, MGW, Rogers, Enzo, Tav
    Haaland, Jackson, Barry

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  17. Nightf0x
    3 hours, 26 mins ago

    Kinsky (verb)
    Cala konsa egan (ewjik neco)
    Manzambi palmer ode gross tav
    Haland dcl (pedro)

    Which?

    A) g2g
    B) WC or FH

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  18. Qaiss
    3 hours, 26 mins ago

    A horror GW6 wildcard, followed by 3 points on my bench boost last week with Joao Pedro captain and Fernandes vice, have meant that I’ve given up this season and am playing completely against the herd. Betting against Haaland until the end

    If you couldn’t captain Haaland this week, who would you go for?

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    1. Qaiss
      3 hours, 24 mins ago

      There are actually no options for captaincy this week apart from him it seems..

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      1. banskt
        3 hours, 13 mins ago

        Captain Bruno. If you have still got him. And feeling lucky.

        If I was forced not to captain Haaland, then I would go Mbeumo. Chelsea in a sort of trouble. No Lacroix, no Martinez. This could be the week United bouncing back. Plus, Mbeumo has a respectable xG.

        Or, maybe, Isak..

        But, I wouldn't captain anyone other than Haaland if not absolutely forced.

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        1. Qaiss
          3 hours, 9 mins ago

          Yes decent shout

          If I were playing seriously I wouldn’t dare go against Haaland but already being way behind, no point tucking in now

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    2. Lifeariley
      3 hours, 14 mins ago

      I'd punt on form and go Tavernier or Jackson

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      1. banskt
        3 hours, 10 mins ago

        Tavernier, I may get behind.

        But not Jackson. Textbook bandwagon waiting to go off the wheels. Poor underlying process in a poor team. Everyone hoping Villa 2.0 will rock the boat based on 2 lucky goals against City and 2 wins against weaker European teams, Fenerbahce and Vikings.

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    3. F4L
      3 hours, 4 mins ago

      doku

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      1. F4L
        3 hours, 1 min ago

        mgw could finally deliver this gw but shame ndoye is major doubt, think hes important for a match like this when forest will likely play counter

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        1. Brosstan
          1 hour, 57 mins ago

          Dan Ndonk is one of the major factors for NFOs underperformance. If hes out that is good for MGW

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    4. Brosstan
      1 hour, 57 mins ago

      Tavernier

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  19. donbagino
    3 hours, 25 mins ago

    Play 2 :
    Rudoni, Gross, Konsa, DeCuyper or Muharemovic

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    1. RICICLE
      3 hours, 14 mins ago

      i'm also struggling between Gross and Rudoni

      i'd defo play Muharemovic, and to hell with it, Rudoni hehe

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      1. donbagino
        3 hours, 9 mins ago

        I'm currenlty the same - Muhar and Rudoni but I'm on WC and not sure if Van Hecke is better option than Muhar / Konsa

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  20. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 16 mins ago

    Which 2 to start alongside Hall?
    A. Calafiori
    B. Konsa
    C. Thomas
    D. De Cuyper

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    1. F4L
      3 hours ago

      ab

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    2. Udo
      1 hour, 38 mins ago

      ac, b as 1st sub

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  21. Weasel51
    3 hours, 15 mins ago

    Who’s better for the next 5 GW’s?

    A) Manzambi
    B) Tavernier
    C) KDH

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    1. RICICLE
      3 hours, 14 mins ago

      B

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    2. donbagino
      3 hours, 13 mins ago

      BAC

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  22. Make FPL Casual Again
    3 hours, 12 mins ago

    Cherki predicted to start on twitter...surely no point in sellng to Manzabi this week then.

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    1. NobodyF*cksWithTheJesus
      2 hours, 56 mins ago

      Reliable sources?

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      1. Make FPL Casual Again
        2 hours, 53 mins ago

        Don't know...Luke/Dis replied with an X, fwiw

        https://x.com/AlwaysTalk_FPL/status/2116193915045044534

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  23. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    3 hours, 7 mins ago

    Raya
    Calafiori, Hall, Egan
    Palmer, Mbuemo, Rogers, Gross
    Haaland (c), Jackson, DCL

    Lecomte, Sangare, Muharemoic, Konsa

    2ft 1.9itb

    A Sangare to Tavernier (bench Gross)
    B Hall to Van Hecke
    C Sangare and Hall to Tavernier and Van Hecke
    D roll to 3ft

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    1. Herger
      2 hours, 54 mins ago

      Looks good. I’d say D and consider punting on Mbuemo captain. This game’s must win or we’re probably out of the title race already. He looks the one most likely.

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  24. The Mighty Whites
    3 hours, 3 mins ago

    Start 2 defenders:
    De Cuyper / Calafiori / Muharemovic / Thomas

    Start 1 midfielder:
    Gross / Rudoni

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    1. F4L
      3 hours ago

      cala muha
      rudoni

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      1. donbagino
        2 hours, 55 mins ago

        and would you start Konsa or Muhar?

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  25. F4L
    2 hours, 58 mins ago

    which team do you think is most likely to score this GW?:

    A - Palace (spurs a)
    B - Brentford (forest h)

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    1. NobodyF*cksWithTheJesus
      2 hours, 56 mins ago

      B

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  26. barton fc
    2 hours, 53 mins ago

    Raya (4.5)
    Muhar konsa egan (calafiori MDC)
    MGW palmer Rodgers gross (slater)
    Haaland Jackson DCL 2.2 ITB 1FT

    Best option?
    A) bank
    C) slater > tavernier

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  27. Brosstan
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    Time for Maresca to start naming fake teams to rat out the leak.

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