International Scout Notes – Sunday

There’s double delight for two Dutch stars as Holland keep their World Cup qualifying hopes alive, while reports of an injury threaten to dent any chance of Alexis Sanchez’s revival as a Fantasy prospect.

Happiness abounds in Belgium, however, as the country’s Premier League-heavy side book their place for Russia 2018 with two matches to spare.

Here are Sunday’s international notes.

Daley’s Dutch Double

Holland’s hopes of World Cup qualification were given a boost by a 3-1 win over Bulgaria in which two Premier League players were instrumental.

Brighton midfielder Davy Propper scored twice, while Manchester United’sDaley Blind typically provided two assists.

Results elsewhere, and in particular France’s surprising inability to break down a stubborn Luxembourg, mean that the Dutch will go into the final round of matches in October with at least a shot at the play-offs for Russia 2018.

And their two match-winners, to varying degrees, reminded us of their Fantasy credentials.

Blind is the main draw of the pair.

The United defender has played every minute of the domestic season so far for Jose Mourinho’s men, racking up 18 points from three clean sheets.

Versatile enough to be able to play as a full-back, wing-back or centre-half, at a price of 5.5 he represents the middle ground in terms of value in United’s rearguard.

His 3.3% ownership has perhaps been kept at such a modest level by the availability of Phil Jones for 5.1, but nearly 10% of FPL managers have decided to spend a whopping 6.5 on Antonio Valencia, despite Blind currently outperforming his team-mate in terms of attacking threat.

The Dutchman has created three chances to Valencia’s two and the 23 crosses he has sent over is the highest figure among all defenders this season. Both the 13 corners he has taken and the five successful deliveries that have resulted are also league-leading figures among defenders.

United’s generous opening schedule continues with a trip to Stoke City on Saturday and takes in visits from Everton and Crystal Palace and an away match at Southampton before the next international break in October.

A Propper Performance

The case for Propper is rather less clear cut.

A double for the Dutch will have come as no surprise to his domestic audience – he hit 16 goals in his last two seasons at PSV – but a deep-lying midfield role at what can only be described as an “offensively limited” Brighton side doesn’t exactly bolster his attacking threat.

Propper has had four attempts to date for the Seagulls, none on target and all outside the box. By contrast, three of team-mate Anthony Knockaert’s four efforts have been from inside the box.

Only four Brighton players are owned by more than 1% of Fantasy Premier League managers – and three of those are for their 4.0 price tags alone based on the fact that they’ve thus far managed just 45 minutes of action between them.

Brighton have just one point, and no goals, from three matches. Something has to give, you would suspect, although manager Chris Hughton’s defensive instincts are likely to mean that not conceding goals will continue to trump scoring any of them for the time being.

But the Seagulls’ schedule is almost ridiculously kindly – only a trip to Arsenal just before the October international break stands out as particularly hurtful until it all turns evil, appropriately enough, from Gameweek 13.

Remove the Arsenal match, and this is their schedule through to late November – WBA, bou, NEW, EVE, wha, SOT, swa, STO.

This could yet promote the likes of Propper (5.5), Knockaert (5.9), Pascal Gross (5.4) and the attack-minded new signing Jose Izquierdo (6.0) as cut-price differentials.

Slim pickings for Sanchez

This has been a week to forget for Alexis Sanchez.

First, he saw his proposed move to Man City break down on deadline day, then former Chile coach Jose Sulantay took to the media to describe the national side’s main man as ‘…out of physical shape, totally. He’s fatter than normal’.

And now there are reports that the 11.9-priced Arsenal man has suffered an ankle problem and could miss Chile’s vital World Cup qualifier in Bolivia tomorrow night.

That would also make him a doubt for the Gunners’ home match with Bournemouth on Saturday.

Arsenal are a club in early-season chaos but at time when the schedule smiles kindly.

Aside from a Gameweek 5 trip to Chelsea, the Gunners have favourable short-term fixtures involving that Bournemouth clash and two other home matches with West Brom and Brighton and an away day in Watford.

That would usually spark a surge of interest in Sanchez – his huge price tag offset by memories of last season’s monster 264-point haul – although we are yet to see how he will consistently react to being forced to return to a club he clearly spent the summer wishing to leave.

Belgian bonus

Roberto Martinez’s Belgium became the first European team, aside from hosts Russia, to qualify for next year’s World Cup when they secured a fine 2-1 win in Greece last night.

A confident Romelu Lukaku made it four goals in two international matches with the winner, Jan Vertonghen opened the scoring and Eden Hazard was given a late run-out as he continued his return from injury.

Hazard will doubtless be assessed on his return to Chelsea but looks well placed to play some part – perhaps even start – when Chelsea visit Leicester City in Gameweek 4.

Man City skipper Vincent Kompany missed out with a knock on Sunday, though, which will need to be monitored given that Liverpool roll up to the Etihad next weekend.

Belgium are packed with Premier League talent – seven started Sunday’s match, two more came on as substitutes, and a further five were on the bench.

With their place in Russia now assured, and the group won as well, the final two matches of their qualification campaign are now dead rubbers in which Martinez can be entirely selective about how he uses his troops.

This could have a very pleasant knock-on effect, with a number of well-owned assets enjoying a rather less intense October international break than is usual.

Rotation is a factor around the autumn months, what with a busy domestic and international schedule and European club football also in full swing.

But Belgium’s efficiency has the potential to ease the risk of rest surrounding a whole host of players who earn their corn in the Premier League.