Scout Notes – Gameweek 5 – Sunday

Another big win for Manchester United flatters to deceive as Romelu Lukaku produces a double-figure haul that still may not be enough to halt sales of the Belgian.

Earlier in the day, Chelsea and Arsenal play out a goalless draw which saw David Luiz become the next Chelsea defender to see red to cause a headache for his sizeable ownership.

Here are the notes from Gameweek 5’s final fixtures.

Lukaku’s late show fails to halt sales

When Antonio Valencia crashed the ball into the Everton net four minutes into the match, a 4-0 result looked like the least Man United could expect from their day’s work.

By the end of an often lethargic showing, three late goals put a decidedly flattering gloss on the exact same outcome.

Romelu Lukaku was wasteful until the final flurry in which he scored once – his fifth goal in as many league matches this season – and set up the equally disappointing Henrikh Mkhitaryan for the midfielder’s first strike of the campaign.

Lukaku’s 12-point haul could and should have been doubled. He missed a big chance in the first half having been put through by Juan Mata, and then seemingly surrendered penalty duties to Anthony Martial for United’s fourth goal.

Indeed, post-match, Jose Mourinho provided some insight on that situation – indicating that Lukaku may well have relinquished duties from this point on.

“The penalty-taker today was Juan Mata, but he was out, so I let the players take the decision.”

That may compound matters for Lukaku, who, despite today’s 12-points, continues to see his ownership dwindle.

Over 51,000 managers have already sold him ahead of Gameweek 6 and, having been part of 60% of squads, he is now down to 55.6%, having suffered close to 108,000 sales going into Friday’s deadline.

That still means a majority of managers remain happy with the returns on his 11.7 price tag, though there is a feeling that the Belgian is closer to a barren run than a bonanza.

He led the way with four attempts today, but Jesse Lingard‘s 29-minute cameo produced more penalty area touches (6) than Lukaku’s five, with the substitute’s flick also setting up the forward’s goal.

United’s fixtures are on the cusp of stiffening. A Gameweek 6 trip to a defensively organised Southampton will be tough, although a visit from Crystal Palace a week later should prove rather more fruitful.

After the October international break, however, United will travel to Liverpool and Chelsea and entertain Spurs in what could be a treacherous four-Gameweek spell.

Sergio Aguero‘s 20-point burst at Watford, allied to a long run of good fixtures to come for Man City, has reminded us all that the Argentinian is Fantasy royalty.

More than 216,000 have now bought him since yesterday’s hat-trick, with Roberto Firmino (39000+) and Lukaku (37,000+) the main fall guys.

Mkhitaryan, who tops the FPL midfielder standings after his nine-points against the Toffees, remains a far more popular target than his team-mate, aided by the injury to Paul Pogba.

The Armenian is already the fifth most-bought player for Gameweek 6, with the majority (as happened ahead of Gameweek 5) swapping him in for Pogba.

And United assets at the back are still delivering good returns, with Phil Jones (5.1) unlucky not to sweep up bonus points – his baseline of 17 was easily the strongest in the Red Devils’ defence – with only Valencia’s goal scuppering the chances of extra points.

As for Everton, their horrifically tough start to the season is now at an end, and it’s come at a heavy price.

The side have been winless since a narrow Gameweek 1 victory over Stoke City, and they’ve lost three straight in the league, conceding ever more goals as they’ve gone.

Confidence is low, and their attack is toothless – only Swansea City have managed fewer attempts than the Toffees’ 42 (Spurs lead the way with 105).

At 4.3, right back/wing-back Cuco Martina could be a bargain now that Everton’s schedule takes a turn for the better (BOU, BUR, bri). We’ll learn more as to his starting credentials when coach Ronald Koeman decides on his line-up for Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Sunderland.

No goals, but points to be had

Arsenal visiting Chelsea and leaving with a point from a goalless draw was one of the more surprising results of the weekend.

It was great news for the 10.9% of managers who tempted fate by sticking by Sead Kolasinac, the muscular Bosnian recording a second consecutive clean sheet to keep him top of the Gunners’ defensive standings with 23 points.

His added attacking threat just about justifies the hefty 6.0 outlay he demands, and if Arsenal can continue to show the resilience on display at Stamford Bridge, he looks the most attractive route into an often untrustworthy backline.

The match was not a classic – Danny Welbeck led the way for goal attempts with a meagre three – and it was another case of wait and see when it came to the sides’ two big-ticket men Alexis Sanchez and Eden Hazard.

Both had to make do with appearances from the bench and the 11.9 required to secure Sanchez’s services looks too high a price to be pay until he’s starting and scoring regularly, even with an immediate schedule – WBA BHA wat – that promises much.

Hazard, at 10.5, is rather kinder on the wallet, and Chelsea’s fixtures are even better, a Gameweek 7 visit from a rampant Man City notwithstanding.

But coach Antonio Conte has made it clear he will not be rushing the Belgian back into action too quickly, and neither should we if he continues to be given limited pitch-time.

That Man City match will have to be endured without David Luiz as the 24.0%-owned Brazilian was given a straight red towards the end of today’s encounter.

The centre-half, an ever-present at the heart of the defence this season, will now miss two Gameweeks, with Antonio Rudiger his most likely replacement.

Luiz at least left it until he’d earned his owners a clean sheet. The 21.2%-owned Marcos Alonso was also in the points, but he was way off the bonus points with a BPS score of just 20 – only Luiz recorded a lower score among the Blues’ backline.

His 68% pass completion rate had much to do with that and the Spaniard’s net ownership is currently in decline, even though the 30 points he’s racked up makes him the highest-scoring Chelsea defender.

It would seem, however, that FPL managers expect extra from Alonso – like his two-goal, 16-point show stopper against Spurs, for instance.

For a price of 7.1, they may have a point, but Alonso is still producing consistent returns, and only five defenders have scored more points than him thus far.

One big-name player not producing so regularly is Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette.

His 11.5% ownership base has paid 10.4 for 17 points to date, but after scoring against Bournemouth last time out, he was subbed off on 66 minutes at Chelsea having mustered just a single shot on target – a big chance he failed to convert.

The competition for places in our forward lines is intense. Twelve strikers have scored more points than Lacazette, while just three of them cost more than the Frenchman.

His days of double-digit ownership look numbered.