Scout Notes

Scout Notes – Big Names Sign Off In Style

Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane go toe-to-toe for the Golden Boot on the final day, boosting large numbers of Fantasy scores as they go.

More than 175,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers made Salah the second most purchased player of Gameweek 38, many no doubt taking a transfer hit to bring him back in after Liverpool’s single match in last week’s round of double fixtures.

The risk, as it turned out, was well worth it as the Egyptian scored his 32nd goal of the season and also provided an assist in Liverpool’s 4-0 win over Brighton.

Salah’s 11 points took him to an FPL record 303 points for the season, surpassing Luis Suarez’s 295 from 2013/14 with some ease. It was his tenth double-digit home haul and fifteenth over the campaign overall.

It also saw off Kane’s attempts to catch him in the Golden Boot race.

The Spurs striker scored twice in Tottenham’s remarkable 5-4 win over Leicester City, but that took him to ‘just’ 30 goals, three short of Salah’s haul.

The pair were the most captained players on the day, Salah leading the way on 25.2%, well ahead of Kane’s 18.66% backing. Among the top 100 managers, 52 went for the Egyptian and 35 for the England international.

The majority of managers who played their Triple Captain chip did so on Salah (54.09%) or Kane (20.30%) as well, with FPL’s eventual champion for the campaign, Yusuf Sheikh, owing a generous slice of his amazing last-day haul of 93 points to triple captaining the Liverpool star.

Vive Les Differentials

Salah (56.7%) was the most popular asset in the game, with Kane (37.7%) the most owned striker.

So while their final-day influence was significant, it was also widely experienced.

Leicester City pair Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez also delivered big-hauls, much to our frustration.

Second only to Man City’s Gabriel Jesus for transfers-out, Vardy was cast aside by 117,702 after scoring just twice in his previous four outings in disappointing Double Gameweeks 34 and 37 for the Foxes.

He picked the perfect time to serve up only a second double-figure haul of the season. The first one – back in Gameweek 1 – was also away to a north London side, in a 4-3 at Arsenal.

Mahrez, meanwhile, was subject to a major midfield exodus ahead of Double Gameweek 37, having produced five successive blanks prior to that round.

But yesterday he trolled us all, scoring and providing two assists in the 5-4 thriller at Wembley to make it 20 points from the final two matches.

Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (14%) scored the winner as Arsene Wenger said adieu rather than au revoir with a 1-0 victory at Huddersfield.

The striker has 10 goals and four assists to his name since his Gameweek 26 debut, blanking only twice in 13 matches, one of which involved a penalty miss – a remarkably consistent run that should make him a very popular choice when the 2018/19 season kicks off.

Only Sergio Aguero bettered Aubameyang’s points per match up front, by 6.8 to 6.7.

Crystal Palace midfielder Wilfried Zaha was the most purchased player of the final Gameweek, 176,000+ new managers taking him to 10.6% ownership overall.

The winger responded with a goal and 10 points – his third successive double-digit haul at home – as the Eagles beat West Brom 2-0.

The Ivory Coast star ended the campaign with five goals and four assists in the last nine Gameweeks and has upped his consistency by some distance since partnering Andros Townsend up front. If Zaha remains a midfielder in FPL – which will surely be the case – he’s sure to be a popular pick come the start of next season.

But the 3.1% owning Patrick van Aanholt were the real winners.

The defender netted for the third straight match, kept a third clean sheet in four and even had time to notch his first assist of the campaign in an all-action, maximum-bonus 18-point display which was the highest score of the Gameweek.

That indicated just how prescient the 75,000+ managers who made him the fifth most signed player of Gameweek 38 truly were. Like Zaha, Van Aanholt’s compelling end to 2017/18 – five goals, four clean sheets and an assist in the final nine – will turn plenty of heads when planning for next season gets underway.

In fact, only one of the top five transfers-in, Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino, blanked, and three of them produced double-digit hauls.

But only one player – Reds left-back Andrew Robertson (7.4%) – could match Van Aanholt’s score, and he did so by exactly replicating his performance.

The top two scoring midfielders on the day were the epitome of differential material.

Erik Lamela scored two and set up another of Spurs’ five goals, bringing in 16 points for his 8,618 (count them) owners, while West Ham’s 3-1 win over Everton came courtesy of a Manuel Lanzini brace benefitting just 44,860, or 0.8% of, FPL managers.

The other Hammers goalscorer, Marko Arnautovic (7.6%), completed his impressive conversion to the lone striker role with a goal and an assist for 12 points.

All 11 of his goals and all seven assists have arrived since being moved up front by David Moyes in Gameweek 16.

Arnautovic had mustered just 13 points in the opening 15 fixtures before delivered a further 131 points in 20 outings with the Scot in charge, averaging 6.55 points per match under Moyes.

It remains to be seen whether Moyes will remain at the helm, though, or whether any new manager will retain the Austrian up front. Like Zaha, if he continues as a forward for his club and is listed as an FPL midfielder, big investment for 2018/19 already looks on the cards.

Mentions must also go to Man United’s Marcus Rashford (7.6%), who scored in the 1-0 win over Watford, and Newcastle striker Ayoze Perez (6.5%), whose double in a 3-0 win dismissal of a wretched Chelsea earned his owners 13 points.

The Magpies’ frontman has made an early claim for the cut-price striker role in our three-man frontlines next term. Perez ended the campaign with six goals, two assists and ten bonus points over their final eight league fixtures.

Backline bliss in short supply

Only four defenders managed double figures on the day – Dejan Lovren and Florian Lejeune were the other two – and Robertson’s 7.4% ownership made him the most popular of the top ten scoring players in defence.

As it happened, of the eight most owned defenders in the game, only two of them featured in Gameweek 38 at all.

They were Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta (21%) and West Brom man mountain Ahmed Hegazi (17.8%).

Neither kept a clean sheet and they brought in a combined haul of two points.

No goalkeeper managed to make it into double digits, with Swansea City’s Lukasz Fabianski (10.1%) the pick of the crop thanks to a penalty save and nine points in a 2-1 home loss to Stoke City.

The Pole between the sticks saved three spot-kicks over the season – more than any other keeper – and owners of Wayne Rooney, Gabriel Jesus and yesterday’s victim Xherdan Shaqiri have good reason to be cheerless as a result.

Then again, more than 309,000 of Fabianski’s near-600,000 ownership benched their man for Gameweek 38…

Another tale of woe centred on Burnley’s backline, a much-vaunted unit that flattered to deceive all of us nearly all of the time.

Five of their defence, plus keeper Nick Pope, enjoyed ownership of at least 4.9%, and yet they kept just two clean sheets from Gameweek 22 onwards, culminating in a 2-1 home loss yesterday which involved shipping two goals in the last 16 minutes against Bournemouth.

Still, there’s always someone worse off, and the 9% of managers with Man City keeper Ederson in their squads had it bad.

The Brazilian didn’t even play in the champions’ 1-0 win at Southampton.

But he still managed to ‘score’ -1 points when he ran onto the pitch to celebrate Jesus’ last-gasp winner and was promptly booked.

That intervention might well have decided many a mini-league and should live on as a hard-luck story for the ages among FPL’s long-suffering acolytes.

412 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Mighty One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    I just noticed that Mark beat my by ONE point! (Not that he is in competition with me but...) I had been ahead of him all year and he jumped up above me by 1 point in GW 38 and that equates to ~400 rank places, dang it! Well played by Mark, Az, and all of the FFS team!

  2. joeydelucchi
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    finished at 2.8 million in world, only 2nd season ive played.

    my lessons from this season - need to learn to take less hits! and keep a bigger squad

  3. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 10 months ago

    ALS ALIENS KONDEN PRATEN!

    Are there any native Dutch-speakers here who'll be in Utrecht sometime in the next couple of weeks?

    Seeking participants for a psycholinguistics study. Let me know here 🙂

  4. Jay_
      5 years, 10 months ago

      Congratulations to FFS veteran Balders who won my Home Stretch league that started scoring in GW28 https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/leagues/standings/1268274/classic. Over 300 people entered.

      He went from 10.6k to 356 overall in this time. Amazing run. https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/entry/10542/history.

      He wildcarded GW32, used FH GW34 and used BB GW37. The key to his success was loading up on City, Liverpool and Arsenal players, when most were ignoring them.

      Shirin Nizar finished second with a great run. He went from 763 to 30 overall. Interestingly, he also used BB in 37 but wildcarded GW35, FH31 and TC34. https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/entry/465167/history

      Rok Krasna came third. He also used BB 37 and what’s remarkable here, he got through all those late weeks with no FH, he used that in GW22. He went from 609k to 80k. https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/entry/25786/history

      All of the top 3 all used BB in 37. That was a unpopular route on here but these 3 showed that it was the best way in the end. Well done guys

      1. Jay_
          5 years, 10 months ago

          This is a repost from DZ. Balders reply here https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/comment/18210979
          Congratulations again mate and thanks for entering all.

        • Rik Waller
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Thanks mate.

          Finished 13th myself, which shows I had a pretty strong finish to the season. I used the common strategy that was used by many on here.

          See you next season 🙂

        • Limited & Mediocre Mana…
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Thanks for hosting.

          I finished 10th with FH31, TC34, WC35 and BB37.

          Unfortunately my 34 was dreadful and overall my chips were very underwhelming. WC35 was a very nice midground however.

      2. Mackans
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Does anyone beat my 403 points gained from Salah?

        1. RoysCallerAnne
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          392 here. It was a pleasure owning him for 38 GWs but I suspect most of the Salahexiters wilk be happy too.

        2. wbm
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          439 here

        3. wulfrunian
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          433

        4. hamidt71
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          456

      3. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Thanks to everyone on here for some great advice over the season! Hope you all smashed it at the end!

        Decent end to my season & a nice win for the mighty toon! SJP was rocking yesterday 😀

        Have a nice Summer everyone!

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Thanks for battering Chelsea yesterday Rafa, love ya big man.

          1. RAFA THE GAFFA
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            😀

        2. FPL ZB
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          I don't love that you battered us, but I have enjoyed the large amounts of help you've given me this year! cheers!

          1. RAFA THE GAFFA
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Haha! No worries man. Thanks for your great input too 🙂

      4. Mackans
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        What's your:

        -Total Benched points (my is 214)
        -Total Captain points (my is 609)

        1. tibollom
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          how can you check that?

          1. Mackans
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            FPL Statistico, and paste in your FPL id

            1. tibollom
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              thanks mate, sorry for stupid quesiton but how do I check my FPL ID?

              1. Mackans
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                Go to your fantasy team and in the section "points". Then look at the adress and my FPL id is 514415.

                https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/514415/event/38

                1. Mackans
                  • 6 Years
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  If you don't understand, An easier description can you find at FPL statistico when you click "help".

        2. RoysCallerAnne
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          bench 197
          captain 604

        3. FPL ZB
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          173 benched
          640 captain points

          Think that's mainly the place that things went well for me this year

        4. Cheltnamshire LaLaLa
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          can anyone "beat" this effort

          Total Captain Points : 430

          Total Captain Points as % of overall score : 19.61%

          Couldn't pick a captain for love nor money all year and had a horrendous season as a result. 140k OR after 8k, 4k, 21k, 3k in prior 4 seasons.

          I reckon this must be some sort of benchmark low for captains.

          1. Cheltnamshire LaLaLa
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Total benched points for the above Gameweeks : 211

        5. tisza
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          capt: 679 pts
          benched: 236 pts (but autosub pts just 61)

          1. Mackans
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Oh 679 Captain points is very impressive!

        6. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          202 benched
          554 captaincy

          Captaincy is something I'll have to do better with next year, I imagine I'd be in a lower percentile than most of a similar rank.

        7. wbm
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          212 and 623

        8. The Gobstopper
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Bench points = 245
          Captain points = 640 (28.78% of my total overall score)

        9. Varsenal
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Bench: 170
          Capt’n: 612

        10. spyda12001
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          this is super cool thanks for the heads up.

          277 bench
          643 Captain

        11. hamidt71
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Total Captain Points : 635
          Total benched points for the above Gameweeks : 254

      5. mogadishu
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Struggling to pinpoint what went wrong for me. Was 32k GW8 and have just not moved significantly all year and finished 62k.

        Anyone fancy looking at my team and giving me some analysis from at outside perspective? Felt I made sensible transfers for the most.

        1. Rik Waller
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Ben Crellin probably would for a small fee 😉

      6. Badluck Jonathan
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        Why does the fpl community (myself included) continually overlook Kevin de bruyne?

        He finished as the 4th highest scorer, which probably surprises nobody, yet he was never in the template and how many of us had him in our teams? I really don’t think this is hindsight as he scored well last year and was probably a safer bet than Salah or Sterling from GW1.

        Surely he’s nailed on for the template for next year? Or will we continue to look for “better value” elsewhere?

        1. *sigh*
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Had him gw 1 but was first transfer out for D Silva when I watched City’s first game.Figured I got pretty much the same with 2m to improve team elsewhere.

          1. Badluck Jonathan
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Well, that lost you 40 points. Hope you made those back with your other improvements

        2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          I was about to reply “too expensive”, but do you know what, he scored the same amount of points as Harry Kane, and for 3.0 less. So you are dead right, we overlooked him in error.

          Is it time to go Kane-less from now on while he is >12.5m? He scored 29 goals again this year so it’s not even as if he can do much more... like can he realistically score 35 in a season? 40? Because that’s what he has to do to justify his price tag when 10.0’s like KDB are matching him point for point

          1. Badluck Jonathan
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Exactly where I got to when I started thinking about this

          2. Get up ya bum
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            No you were right it's price. What's Kane got to do with it? Sterling 8.5 salah 9 sane 8.5 eriksen 9.5 mane 9 son 8 etc.
            I've had him a couple times though. Including last 3 weeks

            1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Kane is the FPL benchmark for any comparison - the most expensive player in the game, who has just had another 29 goals season. If KDB is matching the benchmark for points, and for 3.0 cheaper, then he is a good deal.

          3. Make Arrows Green Again
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Good idea but you can't read it in a vacuum. With Salah as an alternative then Kane is not worth 13m. If Kane is on his own scoring 25+ goals per season he is worth it as a captaincy option.

        3. Prokoptas
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          It's value. Look at the player immediately above him - Sterling outscored KdB by 20 points, and opened the season at 8.0 compared to 10.0, which is a massive gulf. Similarly, Mahrez opened up at 8.5 and scored just 14 fewer points. Factoring in the need for Salah (who finished 75 clear of the field), and KdB just couldn't find a regular spot in most teams. If you're spending 10 on Salah and have two midfielders in the 8-9 bracket, you simply can't get that 4th MID in at that price.

          With Salah likely ending up at 13 next year and Sterling no doubt jumping up to 10, then KdB could be interesting in 2018/19. If he and Ras both open up at 10.0, then there will be a lot of debate as to who is the superior option. This year, though, the fact that Sterling was 2 million cheaper killed the debate before it began.

          1. Rik Waller
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Yep. Gonna be some big price rises on City players for next season.

            I think KDB will prove to be far more popular when he is priced similarly to the other City mids next season.

        4. Eden Wizard
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          KDB Sterling Silva were the glory weeks of my season!!!! Absolutely loved owning triple up

        5. Rik Waller
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 10 months ago

          Because Man city offered so many great options in all positions, so having KDB might've meant missing out on the great value offered by Sterling, Sane, Silva, Otamendi and to a lesser extent Jesus, Kun, Walker and Ederson.

          So many of the City players proven to be under-priced this season, whereas KDB was quite accurately priced for how he scored.

      7. tibollom
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 10 months ago

        how do i check what my fantasy ID is?

        1. MTPockets
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Select 'view gameweek history' and it's the number where the XXXX are
            https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/entry/XXXX/history

        2. MTPockets
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Request - was about to note down final home/away ratings from season ticker page, but they're gone.
            Any chance a mod could post them if still to hand? Cheers

          • Scotty B
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Top goalscorer for world cup with decent odds/chances?

            1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Hazard could be a good outside shout, I really honk Belgium could be good value. He’ll have pens & FK’s hopefully too & KDB setting him up

          • Rik Waller
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Biggest lesson learnt from this season?

            For me it was to insure I had a full squad of starters for the busy periods, especially during the xmas schedule.

            On numerous GWs I failed to field a ful l11 over the hectic festive schedule and my rank suffered due to it. Mbemba stayed in my team far too long...

            1. MGD
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              This. So true.

              Everything that shine isnt gold...

            2. Eden Wizard
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Don't waste FH (if it's here again)

            3. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Pick better captains.
              Avoid MUN attacking assets.

            4. Markus
              • 14 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Should be hulked

              For the end of season, standout players and sure starters for average teams > average players for standout teams as both results and lineups are unpredictable

              FFS forum is most useful for latest news/facts/stats not necessarily for garnering opinion on specific decisions (as I harshly learnt through Gross's 18 point subbing).

            5. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 10 months ago

              Bench boosts are a godawful waste of time and money

              1. spyda12001
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                This

          • FPLMarc
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 10 months ago

            Does anywhere show half-season points totals? I'm interested in who has been great since January.

            Therefore including Aubameyang, Van Aanholt etc but not Richarlison or Jones.

            1. MTPockets
                5 years, 10 months ago

                From gw22:

                ARS 25
                BOU 24
                BHA 18
                BUR 20
                CHE 25
                CPL 25
                EVE 22
                HUD 13
                LEI 20
                LIV 34
                MCI 41
                MUN 40
                NEW 25
                SOT 16
                STO 13
                SWA 17
                TOT 39
                WAT 19
                WBA 15
                WHM 23

              • MTPockets
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  Ah you probably mean fpl player points - no don't have that.

              • MGD
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                Total transfers: 43
                Total immediate points from transfers: 276

                :O

                Goals on bench all season: 4

                2 from Mili 2 weeks in a row, haha...

              • FPL ZB
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                Captaining Kane 19 times in 38 gameweeks may have been a mistake

                1. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  Not if you got 640 captain points. I captained Kane 12 times and totalled 554.

              • FPL ZB
                • Has Moderation Rights
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                I wonder if we'll be priced out of having both Sterling and Salah next season.

                If City make another marquee midfield signing then it could get very complicated

                1. Eden Wizard
                  • 5 Years
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  City could be too competitive next year, indeed. If Bernie had got a run sooner, he might have factored more. Also, Sane is now a threat to the RW due to Mendy playing wide left. Suggest Sterling or Jesus will nail the narrow LW spot.

              • Eden Wizard
                • 5 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                Officially a sad act, can't withdraw! Already got a rough draft on the go for 18/19. Trying to apply lessons from this year.

                1. Kane Toads
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 11 Years
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  2018 - 2019? Salah (C) and hit auto fill. Job done!

                  1. Eden Wizard
                    • 5 Years
                    5 years, 10 months ago

                    Plus 3 city obviously!

              • Mackans
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                How many red cards did your players get this season? 0 for me (!)

                1. Eden Wizard
                  • 5 Years
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  I had Zeeglar red in his first week for me then, Masuaku retrospective 6 game ban! LOL

              • DJ1000
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 10 months ago

                Scored 2,341 pts to go 4,457th overall but missed opportunity to get in top 2,000.

                Tced Jesus and still amazed he didn't do anything in gw37. Use of freehit chip in gw22 cost me in gw23, as I no longer had Arnie or Son and they went mad, then in gw35 when owners of Lacazette et al got 20-30 more.

                So next season I will keep my chips until the dbgws unless something really unusual happens like bad weather postponements. With no freehit chip it was like having the handbrake on in gw34 picking 3 Burnley players, although they did ok in gw35-36.

                1. Je suis le chat
                  • 10 Years
                  5 years, 10 months ago

                  Jesus was not prolific all season, something like only 1 double digit haul all season.