Scout Picks

Gameweek 18 Scout Picks – Time for Man City triple-up

We are bringing you our best XI for Gameweek 18 several hours earlier than usual because of the Friday night deadline.

As usual, we have assessed the squad of players submitted by our Scout Squad panel Paul, Joe, Az and Peter to come up with the optimum line-up.

We are inside our budget of £83m this week, and are lining up in the traditional Fantasy formation of 3-4-3.

Goalkeeper

Lukasz Fabianski (£4.7m) was the most popular goalkeeper with our Scout Squad this week, with two of them picking him as the best option between the sticks, while Joe had him as the second choice. The West Ham shot-stopper has recorded a minimum of eight points in three of his last four Premier League outings and prepares to face a Watford side with two blanks in their three most recent away trips.

Defenders

Aymeric Laporte (£6.1m) is our Manchester City representative for Gameweek 18 after Joe and Peter picked him out as the best defender this weekend. The Frenchman is easily the most assured of a start even during this busy Christmas period. Pep Guardiola’s defending champions may be without a clean sheet since Gameweek 13, but the visit of Crystal Palace seems to be the ideal time to record their ninth of the season. Only Huddersfield have scored fewer goals than the Eagles in 2018/19.

Stephan Lichtsteiner (£4.5m) comes into the Scout Picks XI for the first time ever, as we look to cover the Arsenal defence in Gameweek 18. Sead Kolasinac was actually the player chosen by our Scout Squad panel with Paul and Az tipping him as the best defender for the weekend. However, with Kolasinac still a slight doubt in our minds for the visit of goal-shy Burnley (Emery “thinks” he will be okay to play rather than declaring him 100% fit), we’ve gone for the safer option. Lichtsteiner looks to be the only option available at right-back, with Hector Bellerín now ruled-out, which is more can be said for the left-flank where either Kolasinac, Nacho Monreal or Ainsley Maitland-Niles are likely to be used.

Matt Targett (£4.2m) played his way into our thinking for Gameweek 18 after his impressive display against Arsenal. With Ryan Bertrand currently out of the Southampton team, Targett has made the left-back spot his own and has been offering some creative potential too. The Saints have a real chance of showing what defensive improvements they have made under new manager Ralph Hasenhütll this weekend too, as they travel to face the division’s lowest scorers Huddersfield. The Terriers have found the net just three times at home in 2018/19 thus far.

Midfielders

Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) is the first of our Manchester City double-up as Crystal Palace prepare to visit the home of the champions. Guardiola’s men have scored five goals against the Eagles each of the last two times they came to the Etihad Stadium, and the way they are playing there this season suggests we could be in for another goal-fest. After having some rest against Everton and Leicester midweek, Sterling should be preparing to start Gameweek 18, especially with his direct competition in Riyad Mahrez playing the full 90 in the EFL Cup. In his last six Premier League starts he has five goals and five assists and it should be no surprise that the Englishman was unanimously tipped as the best midfield option by our Scout Squad panel this week.

Eden Hazard (£11.0m) also forced a unanimous decision out of our pundits, with all four of them selecting him as the second-best option for Gameweek 18. The Chelsea midfielder is in very reliable form having recorded five assists and a goal in his last four matches. That stems from some very impressive underlying statistics both for goal threat and creativity, meaning he is one of the likeliest players to get a double-figure haul this weekend.

Leroy Sané (£9.7m) completes our Manchester City contingent as they prepare to host Crystal Palace. Once again, it was a unanimous decision from the Scout Squad panel with all four of our pundits putting Sané in the box for third-choice. The German international has been keeping pace with Sterling’s underlying statistics in recent weeks, as Fantasy Football Scout members will know more about from the latest Captain Sensible article, making him just as likely to deliver as his English colleague. We think Sané is more likely to start as well, having had his minutes managed at Everton and absent from the EFL Cup win.

Ryan Fraser (£6.3m) and his Bournemouth colleagues may be on the chopping block for some Fantasy managers, but we believe Gameweek 18 is the right time for faith in your Cherries assets. They host a Brighton and Hove Albion team allowing more shots from set pieces than any other side in away games this season. This is where Fraser specialises as Bournemouth’s corner taker, so we’re expecting him to continue ticking over for the campaign on Saturday, with Joe and Az his backers.

Forwards

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.5m) is another player who should be regarded with patience by his owners. The Arsenal man has received the backing of all four of our Scout Squad pundits this week, with Joe, Az and Peter picking him as the best option, Paul the second-best. Aubameyang has been unfortunate not to have scored since his Gameweek 14 brace against Spurs and we believe that a home match against Burnley, who are still giving away plenty of chances, is the opportunity he needs to get back in the goals.

Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez (£6.5m) is our West Ham representative this week, ahead of that visit of Watford to the London Stadium. The Mexican forward has scored three times and assisted twice in his last four matches and he continues to appear the first choice for the Hammers with Marko Arnautovic out. Meanwhile, the Hornets have just one clean sheet away from home this season and are likely to concede in the wake of Manuel Pellegrini’s in-form attacking side.

Salomón Rondón (£5.9m) completes our Scout Picks XI for Gameweek 18 as Newcastle face Fulham at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon. The Cottagers have conceded an average of 2.67 goals per away match this season, suggesting that there are attacking returns on offer for the Magpies this weekend. Rondón is easily their in-form man with a goal or an assist in each of his last three Premier League outings, and underlying statistics which suggest that output is sustainable.

Substitutes

David Luiz (£5.8m) could be the man to capitalise on Leicester’s troubles in front of goal in Gameweek 18. The Foxes come to Stamford Bridge on the back of successive blanks while fitness doubts remain over Jamie Vardy.

We would have loved to include Felipe Anderson (£7.4m) but just ran out of funds to do so following his most recent price rise. We feel we have sufficient cover in Hernandez but have to point out the Brazilian was well-backed by our pundits, three of them asking for him to be included. Indeed, he has two goals and two assists in his last four appearances.

Marcus Rashford (£6.9m) looks likely to start for Manchester United in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first game in charge and stands a decent chance of getting some attacking returns, with his accuracy in recent weeks. Ultimately what cost him a place in the full XI was the uncertainty around the Red Devils with Solskjaer’s impact as yet hard to measure.

Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 18 is ochili. He has opted for a 3-4-3 formation of: Leno; Luiz, Lovren, Delph; Fraser, Sterling, Hazard, Pogba; Rashford, Wilson, Aguero.

The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.

The Scouts have won nine and lost seven so far, with #FPLGuru defeated 47-43 in Gameweek 17.

fclackless‘s winning margin of 33 points (77-44) in Gameweek 10 is the current target to beat.

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1,480 Comments Post a Comment
  1. MartialMatas
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Start Lichtsteiner or Jimenez?

    1. Gringo Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Always play striker

  2. S.Agueroooooo
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    A) Gudmundsson > Snoddy
    B) Kane, Gudmundsson > Hazard, Rashford
    C) Kane, Gudmundsson > Sane, Rashford
    D) Laca, Gudmundsson > Sane, Kamara/Ings..

  3. as33
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Predicted CS for this gw(teams)?

    1. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Hot topics ~> View All & look for G-Whiz's article

  4. jorgen88
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Transfer in Monreal or Young?

  5. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    son and laca

    hold, sell 1 for free or both for -4?

    1. Wayne Enterprises
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I’m selling laca

  6. I Have No Idea What I'…
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Free transfer:

    Neves to ...

    A) Fernandinho ?
    Or
    B) Gundogan ?

  7. Gubbins94.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Have 5.5m to spend on a defender for this week and next, thoughts on Stones? Too risky?

  8. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Martial captain anyone

    1. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Not sure if he'd captain himself.

  9. Krafty Werks
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Play?

    A - Jimenez vs Liverpool?
    or
    B - Kenedy vs Fulham?

    Thanks.

    1. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Kenedy and pray he plays. B1 Jim

  10. Patch
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Where's that ragadolly bloke, need some random stats for an edge?

    1. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Who?

  11. as33
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Is Lovren and Robbo not too much?

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      No

  12. Who are all Lukakus
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Hazard to Sterling and captain him? I have 2 FT, cant find elsewhere to improve. Could backfire

  13. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    1) GTG
    2) Son, Fraser > Sané, Snodgrass (-4)

    Fab
    Bednarek, Robbo, Luiz
    Sterling(c), Son, Hazard, Fraser, Anderson
    Kane, Wilson
    Bench: Button, Kamara, Doherty, AWB

    1. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Out of 10
      8
      4 8 7
      9 5 9 7 8
      7 7
      0 2 6 6

  14. as33
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    TAA>Lovren, Monreal or Young?(others Robbo, Kola, Tomkins, WB)

    1. Olaf Sabres
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Robbo

  15. Trane84
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I've been incredibly bold/stupid and gone:

    Salah/Kane/Pereyra - > Sterling(c)/Hazard/Firmino

    For a -8 hit. Prey for me.

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Wow

  16. aborg
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Who will be less rotation prone out of Erikson and Sane in the next 4 Gw’s? Also if you have Sterling would you keep Erikson or swap for Sané ?

  17. Olaf Sabres
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Will Auba start? I want to make him captain and he's a huge dif in my league but I also have sterling and Hazard. Any opinions?

  18. Olaf Sabres
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Will Auba start? I want to make him captain and he's a great dif in my league. I also have Hazard and Sterling :-/ Any opinions please

  19. For Fuchs Sake
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Kane to Rash and Murphy to Sterling for free?
    Have WC to use next week, so can change back easily....

  20. For Fuchs Sake
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Thoughts on Laca this GW?

    1. Wayne Enterprises
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I’ve sold

  21. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Mane and VVD or Hazard and Lovren?

    1. Disco Pat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I'd go hazard and lovern. Hazard should pkay all 4 games and are in theory easier fixtures. Mane will probably play 3, with 2 of those being Arsenal and City. So you'd only be looking to get hazard in 2 weeks time. Also hazard appears to have higher ceilings points wise for season and would be seen as a better captain choice. Wolves have beaten Chelsea and drawn with city already, so expect a rough game tonight.

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Hazard and Lovren

  22. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Gtg?

    Ederson
    Alonso robbo Digne balbuena
    Sane(c) siggy f.anderson Fraser
    Kane auba

    Hamer success guendouzi bellerin

    1FT 1.6itb

  23. Champions united
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Captain choice?
    Headache with sane ster kane haz

    1. Disco Pat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I have 3 of those 4, with Auba instead of Sane and I'm thinking hazard for this week.

  24. Wayne Enterprises
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Bench Jiménez or

    Fraser/Martial/Snodgrass?

    1. Wayne Enterprises
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      One of sorry

    2. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      ?

  25. Kingtekkerz
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Captain Sterling or Sané?

  26. Fadi AMJK
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Last minute transfer
    Sterling instead of Salah for -4?
    Should I do it?

  27. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Kane for the captaincy on boxing day?
    Also have Salah and Hazard