Scout Notes

Doherty stars in FA Cup as Wolves’ Blank Gameweek chances increase

Wolves progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup after defeating Shrewsbury Town in a fourth-round replay on Tuesday night.

The result did not drastically change the landscape of upcoming Blanks, as the Premier League side still have to face Bristol City before their Gameweek 31 fate is sealed.

If they beat the Championship outfit then their meeting with Arsenal on the weekend of March 16 will be postponed. Defeat at the hands of Bristol City would see that fixture go ahead, with the Gunners already out of the FA Cup.

How Wolves got on, in what proved to be a tough game for them, is the focus of this latest Scout Notes article.

Wolves 3-2 Shrewsbury

Goals: Matt Doherty x2 (£5.3m), Ivan Cavaleiro (£5.2m)

Assists: Jonny x2 (£4.3m), Doherty

Wolves’ FA Cup replay was all about Matt Doherty (£5.3m) as he had a hand in every single one of their goals against Shrewsbury Town. It was another match that demonstrated his huge attacking potential, as he scored twice and provided the assist for Ivan Cavaleiro‘s (£5.2m) winning goal.

His opener was a back-post header after Shrewsbury goalkeeper Steve Arnold could not collect a cross from Jonny (£4.3m). His second was a hugely important strike as it ensured Wolves did not go into the half-time break 2-1 down at home to League One opposition.

While some Fantasy managers might be disappointed that Doherty saved what was, effectively, a double-figure haul for the FA Cup, performances like this just continue to highlight what an asset he is for our teams this season. With the wind in his sails, plus returns in both of his last two Premier League matches, he is in the perfect form to deliver again at home to Newcastle on Monday night.

Left-back Jonny was also an important player for Wolves in their FA Cup tie as he provided the assist for both of Doherty’s goals. It was another match in which Nuno Espirito Santo’s side were most threatening down the flanks, thanks to the ability of their attacking full-backs. If it were not for them, things might have been more embarrassing for them on Tuesday night.

Nuno rotated his front line to bring in Helder Costa (£4.7m) and Cavaleiro flanking Adama Traoré (£5.1m), the three of them struggling to show any rhythm. As a side note, that seems to be a recurring theme for those three players this season, which helps us feels secure in ongoing starts for Raúl Jiménez (£6.7m) and Diogo Jota (£6.0m) who were benched and rested respectively.

“We were ahead with the first moment, the first shot on goal we scored, but after it, we kept the ball with no real threat and when they scored we started playing, but it was always rushed and not the best way to play football. We got the job done, not in the best way, the way we want to do. The boys, after they got scared, started playing – they know there’s no easy games in football.” – Nuno Espirito Santo

Perhaps of some concern when it comes to the return of FPL at the weekend, is Wolves’ defence. With Newcastle coming to Molineux on Monday night, there will be plenty of managers starting Rui Patrício (£4.5m), Ryan Bennett (£4.1m) or Willy Boly (£4.6m) in the hope of capitalising on a clean sheet. The fact that Wolves conceded twice to a side operating two divisions below them, plus one clean sheet in eight Premier League matches, might make owners of those assets think twice.

That may be especially because the first choice back-five were all in place for the FA Cup fourth-round replay. With Jonny and Doherty on the flanks, it was the usual centre-back trio of Conor Coady (£4.5m), Bennett and Boly. The only difference in that department was that goalkeeper Patrício was given the night off, with John Ruddy (£4.3m) deputising. The stand-in shot-stopper was to blame for Shrewsbury’s second goal, the ball slipping through his hands. Meanwhile, Wolves were also quite vulnerable from set pieces on the night too.

“After we scored so early, I thought that we could have play better, then we allowed them to get back in the game. It made our task very harder.” – Nuno

There was a change in the middle of the park as Romain Saïss (£4.2m) and Morgan Gibbs-White (£4.3m) came in for Rúben Neves (£4.9m) and Joao Moutinho (£5.2m). The latter has become something of a potential differential option in recent weeks so it was pleasing for Fantasy managers eyeing him up to see nothing more than a 20-minute cameo for him.

Meanwhile, Neves’ presence on the bench confirms he is available for selection following a knock sustained against Everton on Saturday. Jota and Rúben Vinagre (£4.3m) were not risked with their issues though.

Wolves XI (3-4-3): Ruddy; Boly, Coady, Bennett; Jonny, Saïss, Gibbs-White, Doherty; Costa (Moutinho 69′), Traoré (Jiménez 77′), Cavaleiro (Ennis 88′).

893 Comments Post a Comment
  1. PukkiBlinder
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    A- Sane > Son
    B- Hazard > Son
    C- Hazard/Deeney > Moutinho/Auba (-4)

    1. Karan14
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      C

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      C.

    3. fr3d
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

    4. Gringo Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

  2. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What would you do with this team? 2FT's 1m in the bank.

    Fab
    Doherty WanB Shaw Schindler Bednarek
    Salah Haz Rich Pogba Ward
    Rash Aguero Mitro

    Thinking some basic moves like:
    Haz and Aguero to Son/Mane and Auba.

    1. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, no point to try to be different with these moves.

    2. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Very similar to mine. Have sterling instead of kun.
      You're lucky with the ft.
      I did haz-->son already. And I'd consider kun-->auba for you.

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah saved it last week, was going to do Pogba to Son but just saved it.

  3. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    I am starting to find posts suggesting who is going to play for City tonight to be very, very irritating and some are just posted to rile other posters e.g. Sane captainers.

    1. All For One
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      lol yeh, why do people keep asking? no one knows who is starting for Man City lmao

  4. Duffy Dunk
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    For everyone who still has the Triple Captain chip available:

    Yes, Kun scored a hattrick and it's a double gw.
    In isolation, he did so in 1 match, against a top 6 team, in a busy schedule, with rotation risk always around.

    My point is, there will be single gw chances to use TC.

    1. Dave Bauer
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Absolutely true, but personally I would always do it on a double. Failed miserably last year with Kane, succeeded nicely with Aguero this time - and there may even be more to come.

      In conclusion, it’s all just luck and life is basically a giant waste of time.

      🙂

    2. the Penman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Absolutely. Nobody gave Aguero the TC armband because they thought he’d get 3 goals against Arsenal. Nobody. 3 goals across Arsenal and Everton? Sure. But he could have done what he has done in any other gameweek this season, and could still be dropped entirely tonight - it would still look like he got 17x3 points in a DGW regardless.

  5. Duffy Dunk
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    You possibly own or plan getting an ARS forward.

    Their next 3 are hud SOU BOU.

    CHE's next 3 are mci *blank* TOT.

    After those, ARS play tot MUN, while CHE play ful WOL.

    At that point, selling your ARS fwd for Higuain could be an interesting move, instead of going for Hazard.

    1. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Yep. I like

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Chel forward Hig, mid Haz, def Luiz

      1. Superbadhine
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        This

    3. danishdynamite
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Waiting to see whether Chelsea get knocked out of the cup and play 31 or not, but yeah - he's very much pinging on my radar

    4. the Penman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Mentioned on the scout cast I think - Aubameyang to Higuain or switch out for Hazard in midfield is a real opportunity.

  6. simong1
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    RMT please, 1FT, 0 ITB

    Fabianski - Button
    Robertson - TAA - Digne - Doherty - AWB
    Salah – Hazard – Richarlison – Pogba – Sane
    Jimenez – Crouch – Rashford

    1. InSaneMan-e
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      It's fine but like mine some surgery needed before the blank

      1. simong1
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Any suggestions?

    2. DV8R
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Save

  7. 007 [RoboKlopp]
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    So frustrated, down from 109k to 177k.
    Sane C with Salah VC.
    Can I finished in top 60k?

    1. fr3d
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Season defining gw this for many. Brutal. 60k should be possible

    2. the Penman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Easily. Chill.

  8. DV8R
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Play 3

    A) Robbo (BOU)
    B) Doherty (NEW)
    C) Digne (wat)
    D) AWB (WHU)
    E) Bednarek (CAR)

    1. Dave Bauer
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Tough call, I’d quite like to play 5.

      ABC

    2. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      The same 5 defenders I have, funnily enough.

      A and B are a given, never bench those 2, so it’s really a toss up between C, D and E.

      I’d say D but AWB has gone off the boil a bit lately. Digne will either get you 14 points or -2, it seems.

      Bednarek may be the best option there as I still don’t trust Cardiff to score goals on the road.

    3. the Penman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      That’s my defence! I’m being obvious and playing ABC - but for attacking returns against poor defences, not just for clean sheets.

  9. STONEROSES
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Which gets most points this weekend?

    1. Son (LEI) & Aguero (CHE)

    Or

    2. Hazard (mci) & Aubameyang (hud)

    1. Wheato182
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Could be either one but if I have to choose i'd prob go 2 just because of how shocking huddersfield are at the mo

  10. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Alisson / Patricio

    Trippier, Luiz, Doherty, AWB, Lindelöf
    Salah, Son, Pogba, Richarlison, Gunnarsson
    Rashford, Kun, Jimenez

    1.5 itb 0 ft (after Sane > Son)

    The question is whether to do Kun to Auba. Yet the main problem is what to do after that. Might be very difficult to get BGW31 players. Lindelöf > TAA is obvious, but not good for gw27. Any ideas what should the plan be?!?

  11. Wheato182
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Current Team

    Patrico
    Bennett - Mee - AWB
    Salah - Sane* - Richarlison - Son
    Aguero* - Rashford - Firmino

    Bench Hamer - Diop - Luiz - Mendy

    Considering doing one of the below, which seems best?
    A) Aguero > Auby (-4)
    B) Sane > Pogba (-4)
    C) Both (-8)
    D) Stick

  12. Tim
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Lingard to Son for a hit?

  13. LoyalRoyal
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Which players score highest total?

    Sane (CHE) & Aguero (CHE) - no hit
    Son (LEI) & Aguero (CHE) - minus 4
    Sane (CHE) & Auba (HUD) - minus 4
    Son (LEI) & Auba (HUD) - minus 8

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

      Son and Auba but I have Son and Kun

  14. fantasygurumd
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    I've got two City and two Everton players. Trying hard not to WC after 26, but would entertain the option.

    Patricio/Etheridge
    Robertson/Digne/TAA/Holebas/AWB
    Salah/Pogba/Son/Richarlison/Siggy
    Aguero/Jimenez/Rashford

    Looking at taking a -4 for Digne/Siggy for Doherty/Anderson, giving me flexibility to sit Aguero/Richarlison in 27.

    or WC this:
    Richarlison/Sigurdsson/Robertson/Digne/Patricio to get
    A- Mane/Anderson/Doherty/Bednarek/Guaita
    B- Mane/Jota/Doherty/Pereira/Guaita

    Take the hit and save the WC or use it now. Thoughts?