Scout Notes

West Ham assets disappoint ahead of Blank Gameweek 31

West Ham United warmed up for Blank Gameweek 31 in underwhelming fashion on Saturday.

The Hammers fell to a 2-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Cardiff City, a side that had lost all three of their previous Premier League fixtures and who had conceded ten goals in the process of doing so.

This was West Ham’s sixth away match without a victory.

There was more concern for Felipe Anderson‘s owners after the Brazilian winger was hooked at half-time but the positive news for those Fantasy managers with West Ham assets in their squads is that Manuel Pellegrini’s side are at home in Blank Gameweek 31 and are unbeaten in five at the London Stadium.

The Hammers’ latest defeat on the road is the primary focus of this Scout Notes article, while we will also run the rule over the Crystal Palace v Brighton and Hove Albion below.

Cardiff City 2-0 West Ham United

  • Goals: Junior Hoilett (£5.0m), Victor Camarasa (£4.6m)
  • Assists: Josh Murphy (£4.8m)

Manuel Pellegrini said Felipe Anderson‘s (£7.2m) half-time substitution on Saturday was tactical in nature, allaying any fears of an injury for the Brazil international ahead of Blank Gameweek 31.

While concerns over fitness will have been assuaged, there will still be unease among the 15.8% of Fantasy Premier League managers who own the attacking midfielder ahead of the hugely appealing home fixture against Huddersfield Town next Saturday.

Anderson has been an ever-present in the league this season and is clearly a favourite of Pellegrini’s but the fact that he was withdrawn at the interval after yet another sub-par display must be a worry.

As is the fact that the Hammers are now blessed with attack-minded options ready and waiting for a start: Michail Antonio (£6.8m), Samir Nasri (£5.2m) and Marko Arnautovic (£6.8m) all began Saturday’s game on the bench and came on as substitutes in the second half.

Pellegrini said of Anderson’s withdrawal:

Just a tactical change because we didn’t create chances in the first half and, at least in the second half, Marko had a shot which was blocked by the goalkeeper and we had another shot from Declan Rice off the post.

Cardiff didn’t create too many chances also, but they scored their two goals.

We didn’t have many chances in the first half and that’s why we tried to make tactical changes, first with Marko Arnautovic and after that with Nasri and Antonio.

We improved a little bit but we didn’t create the amount of chances you need if you want to win away.

Anderson has registered just two shots in the last six Gameweeks, neither of which was on target.

The Brazilian midfielder has only created three chances in the last four Gameweeks, meanwhile.

On Saturday, Anderson didn’t register a single shot, key pass or penalty box touch.

He wasn’t alone in turning in a poor performance, however.

Javier Hernandez (£6.1m) also failed to register a goal attempt or create a chance in his awful 90-minute showing up front, while Manuel Lanzini (£6.4m) – who only sporadically flickered into life – did likewise before being substituted just before the hour mark. Robert Snodgrass (£5.0m) was similarly ineffective on the right flank.

West Ham had only two attempts on goal in the first hour and it wasn’t until Arnautovic stung Neil Etheridge‘s (£4.7m) palms after 74 minutes that the visitors registered a shot on target.

The Austrian striker was perhaps one of the few winners out of this defeat, as it would surely only serve to further his chances of a start in Gameweek 31.

Given that bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield visit the London Stadium next weekend, Pellegrini may even decide to play Arnautovic alongside Hernandez in a 4-4-2 and abandon the 4-1-4-1 system he has used recently.

“Out of position” defender Declan Rice (£4.6m), who was on the scoresheet in Gameweek 29, struck the upright from open play in the second half with West Ham’s only real other serious attempt on goal.

The Irons were repeatedly exposed at the back, too, with Lukasz Fabianski (£4.8m) called on to make five additional stops.

Pellegrini said of West Ham’s ongoing struggles away from home:

More than a disappointing result, it was a disappointing performance. We must review what we are doing when we are playing away because in four [of the last five] away games we didn’t score one goal and we conceded too many.

We knew that today we would find a team that was in a difficult moment with three defeats in a row that are fighting against relegation, but they didn’t have to do much to score two goals.

We were not concentrating for both goals. You can play badly but you can at least draw nil-nil. I think that was a very bad performance.

Maybe we improved a little bit in the last 15 minutes of the first half, but we didn’t create chances. We had two in the second half with Marko and one shot hitting the post but this was not enough to win a game away against a team fighting against relegation.

The good news for owners of West Ham assets is that the Hammers face Huddersfield at home in Gameweek 31 – and Pellegrini’s troops are a different prospect at the London Stadium than they are on the road.

The Irons are unbeaten in five matches on home soil and the below comparison of their goal threat in their last six home fixtures (left) versus last half-dozen away games (right) emphasises their more potent attacking menace in east London:

Andy Carroll (£5.4m) missed out on Saturday, meanwhile, with Pellegrini explaining his absence thus:

Andy was not considered for this game. He has some problem in his ankle, so he was not in the [squad] list.

Cardiff assets now take back seat in Blank Gameweek 31 and with both Chelsea and Manchester City to come thereafter (potentially in a Double Gameweek 32), there will be few Fantasy managers interested in their assets despite this much-needed win.

As bad as West Ham were, the Bluebirds were much improved on their recent dismal showings.

Neil Warnock’s side got about their visitors with real venom in the first half, bullying their opponents from the off and showing plenty of attacking intent.

Josh Murphy (£4.8m) and Junior Hoilett (£5.0m) were recalled on the flanks as Warnock reverted to a 4-4-1-1 and it was those two wingers who combined for Cardiff’s opener after just three minutes.

The excellent Victor Camarasa (£4.6m), back in the “number ten” role, bundled in his side’s second goal after the restart and could have had another strike of his own when Fabianski made a terrific double-stop from both the Spaniard and Oumar Niasse (£5.0m).

Niasse also scuffed an excellent one-on-one opportunity wide as Cardiff were well worthy of their first win since Gameweek 26.

Camarasa and Joe Bennett (£4.4m) both limped off in the second half and Warnock provided updates on the pair after full-time:

Victor has got cramp. It’s quite physical to play for us. He apologised when he went off but I said: ‘Don’t worry, you did enough in an hour!’

Joe has just snicked a hamstring, nothing serious. But it’s three weeks until the next game, so he should have an opportunity there.

Warnock praised his side’s performance, meanwhile:

There are a lot of positives today, a lot of answers for the critics. That’s our eighth clean sheet, I would like to see how many other teams in the bottom half have eight clean sheets this year.

The centre-backs and full-backs were fabulous then you go into midfield with Gunnarsson running the show.

Arter got the crowd involved with his energy, Camarasa oozed class and Oumar played a part, the centre-halves knew they were in for a tough game today.

I asked the wide players to contribute to goals and you couldn’t have asked for much more. Wingers always get criticised but today I thought they were fantastic.

Cardiff City XI (4-2-3-1): Etheridge; Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett (Bacuna 62′); Murphy, Gunnarsson, Arter (Paterson 84′), Hoilett; Camarasa (Ralls 68′); Niasse.

West Ham United XI (4-1-4-1): Fabianski; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice; Snodgrass, Noble (Nasri 58′), Lanzini (Antonio 58′), Anderson (Arnautovic 45′); Hernandez.

Crystal Palace 1-2 Brighton and Hove Albion

  • Goals: Luka Milivojevic (£6.3m) | Glenn Murray (£6.3m), Anthony Knockaert (£5.2m)
  • Assists: Andros Townsend (£5.9m)| Lewis Dunk (£4.4m), Dale Stephens (£4.3m)

Crystal Palace and Brighton are without a league fixture in Blank Gameweek 31, as both teams are in FA Cup action this coming weekend.

Saturday’s “M23 derby” was the two clubs’ final league fixture before the international break and there is the very real prospect of both sides having a Double Gameweek 32 when the domestic action resumes at the end of March.

Brighton’s victory over their rivals was much-needed from their point of view but it meant a frustrating afternoon for owners of Crystal Palace assets, with the Eagles yet again demonstrating familiar failings on home soil.

Roy Hodgson’s side have the second-worst home record in the Premier League this season, with only Huddersfield having lost more games on their own patch.

Defensively, they are fairly solid: only six teams have conceded fewer goals on home soil and the Eagles were only beaten on Saturday by two superb strikes from Glenn Murray (£6.3m) and Anthony Knockaert (£5.2m).

Brighton, indeed, only had four shots on goal all game.

Palace’s goal threat is letting them down at Selhurst Park, though: again, only Huddersfield have scored fewer home league goals this season.

The hope for owners of Wilfried Zaha (£6.9m), Michy Batshuayi (£6.5m) et al ahead of this match was that the visit of Brighton would be the perfect opportunity to remedy that problem, as the Seagulls had conceded two or more goals in each of their last five away league matches.

Palace had also scored more goals in the preceding eight Gameweeks than all teams bar Manchester City and had been on the scoresheet in every one of their Premier League fixtures in 2019.

However, Palace again found it difficult to overcome a side that set out to defend.

As blistering as they are on the counter-attack away from home, Palace lack inspiration when their opposition are camped inside their own box.

Their only goal on Saturday came from the penalty spot, with Luka Milivojevic (£6.3m) dispatching his eighth spot-kick of the season after Andros Townsend (£5.9m) had been felled.

Clear-cut opportunities for Palace were few and far between, with Jeffrey Schlupp (£4.5m) – again playing “out of position” in central midfield – blazing the best of their chances over in stoppage time.

A long-distance attempt from Batshuayi and a looping James Tomkins (£4.3m) header were the only efforts that Mathew Ryan (£4.4m) had to deal with, as Brighton’s solid backline blocked seven of the hosts’ 15 shots.

Hodgson reflected on Saturday’s performance compared to their more impressive recent displays:

It’s a poor performance in the sense that we weren’t able to do enough with the amount of possession that we’d got. But they are such different games so I don’t know quite how you compare them. The last two games, we were playing against teams where we’d had 40% of possession against a team that’s had 60% of possession.

We’d had great opportunities to use our counter-attacking threats and to use those opportunities whereas today of course we were up against a packed defence who had the benefit from 15 minutes into the game to be sitting on a 1-0 lead. I don’t quite know how the performances can be compared particularly. Can we play better? I suppose we can.

Chris Hughton meanwhile paid tribute to his centre-back pairing of Lewis Dunk (£4.4m) and Shane Duffy (£4.7m), who played a large part in keeping Palace at bay:

I thought Lewis was very good. Both him and Shane needed to be. Anything less from our two centre-halves and I don’t know if we end up winning the game.

They were put under a lot of pressure, a lot of balls into the box, and they had to stay on their feet. I thought Lewis defended particularly well.

Murray wasn’t even meant to be starting on Saturday but his replacement in the Brighton XI, Florin Andone (£5.0m), suffered a thigh injury in the warm-up.

The veteran striker lashed in a brilliant half-volley from a difficult angle to give Brighton the lead, after Tomkins had misjudged an up-and-under from Dunk in the swirling wing.

Hughton said of his strike options:

Glenn had been playing recently and we have good competition up there. We had Andone on the bench in our last game and he changed the game with the winning goal. He deserved the start.

Sometimes if it’s early in the warm-up, you know you’re making a change, but this was very late, almost as the players were coming off.

If Andone starts, he might have done well and got the winner. But equally if you have to make that change late before the game, Glenn’s not a bad option to bring in.

Away from home you need to try and stretch the team, more so. Andone probably would be stronger at that because he’s got more pace than Glenn so he’d give us more dynamic stretching of the team but Glenn’s clever. He’s very clever in the way that he does it and he works [hard].

Knockaert’s winner was a brilliant curling strike from distance but the winger was perhaps fortunate to still be on the pitch after a first-minute tackle on Milivojevic.

Hodgson said, magnanimously:

He committed a bad foul early on but I don’t think it was a malicious foul. It was a winger’s tackle, wasn’t it? Trying in a derby game to show his commitment. It was over the ball of course and it was a bad foul of course but I presume the referee gave him the benefit of the doubt on that one.

You’d have to ask the referee. We were incensed by the challenge of course, I thought it looked like a very dangerous one. I was very pleased to see Luka Milivojevic get to his feet again. My first thought was to turn to Cheikhou Kouyate and to tell him to get warmed up. I had visions of him not being able to carry on.

Crystal Palace XI (4-3-3): Guaita; Wan Bissaka, Tomkins, Dann, Van Aanholt; McArthur (Benteke 77′), Milivojevic, Schlupp; Townsend (Meyer 77′), Batshuayi, Zaha.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI (4-5-1): Ryan; Montoya, Duffy, Dunk, Bernardo; Knockaert (March 75′), Bissouma, Stephens, Propper, Jahanbakhsh (Locadia 90′); Murray.



715 Comments Post a Comment
  1. beetlejuice
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 19 days ago

    Rondon or Wilson for blanks ?
    Have King and Fraser already. But Rondon GW33 is unsure yet.

    1. simong1
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      I'd go with Wilson myself - nice confidence boost from the last game

    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      Wilson

    3. WVA
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      Wilson
      Rondon gw33 unsure?

  2. BigBillyBass
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 19 days ago

    On a free hit guys. G2G?

    Fab (Boruc)
    Luiz Pereira Rice
    Salah Mane Haz Fraser
    Vardy Firmino Wilson

    Bench: Diop Barnes Lejeune

    1. simong1
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      Looks good to me! Who's you captain?

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        Thanks. Mane captain

    2. #FPLBhuna
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      looks good but i'd rather double up on chelsea defence than go pereira!

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        Yeah fair point, Pereira in there for his assist potential more than anything!

    3. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      Leicester will concede surely based on recent results I’d just play Diop. You not keen on pool defence? I can see the logic in Firminio up against one of the worse defences in the league though.

      1. BigBillyBass
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        I think Pool will concede on Sunday, but will score a few! Hence the 3 attack 🙂

        1. Party time
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Ryan Babel might be eager to that

      2. WVA
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        That's insane other than Pereira!

        1. BigBillyBass
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          Thanks mate, I’ll look at alternatives for Pereira

    4. simong1
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      Fabianski – Button
      Robertson – TAA – Perreira – Doherty – AWB
      Salah – Son – Hazard – Maddison – F. Anderson
      Jimenez – Vardy - Crouch

      Will be doing FH32 and WC34. 1FT, 0.9 ITB.

      Thinking of going Jimenez > Wilson with the FT. Should I do an additional transfer for a hit? Such as Son > Fraser? Thanks!

      1. beetlejuice
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        yes i would do it. actually that's what i did.

      2. fenixri
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        It will pay of in 31 and 33 with just appearance points

        1. simong1
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          I will also have a FT in 33 though so could hang on until then. Which would you advise is better?

      3. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        Why the Crouch love. If you have value tied up in Jimenez I would rather do son and Crouch out for Fraser and Wilson and hold Jimi

        1. Debauchy
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          2 good fixtures for Bournemouth so should pay

          1. simong1
            • 5 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Good idea, thanks. Was just thinking of holding Crouch cos he doesn't blank whereas Jimenez does. Have only 0.2 value tied up in Jimenez. Removing Crouch still the better idea with that in mind?

            1. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Would rather focus on prime assets given gw 31 and 33 count. Worth the hit Gl

    5. Mixed Bag
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      Sorry if this has already been asked, but I couldn't find a post about it:

      I am going to Free Hit this week but have 2 free transfers. If I use the 2 free transfers separately before I make the Free Hit chip active, what team do I end up with the following week?

      A) The original team before the 2 free transfers with 1 free transfer for the new GW.
      B) The original team before the 2 free transfers with 2 free transfers for the new GW.
      C) The team after the 2 free transfers with 1 free transfer for the new GW.
      D) The team after the 2 free transfers with 2 free transfers for the new GW.

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        A

        1. FPL Blow-In
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          Any transfers you make will be irrelevant if you hit the FH after. The team goes back to your gw 30 team and you will only have 1ft.

        2. Mixed Bag
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          So I basically lose 2 transfers for playing my free hit? That seems a bit unfair.

          1. FPL Blow-In
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Well you lose 1ft. You will have 1ft going into gw32 not 2ft.

            1. Mixed Bag
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Yeah, but I would have had the 2 this week and 1 next week (3). Now I just have the 1 next week. Think I played it wrong. Thanks for the advice though.

    6. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 19 days ago

      There's always hope for fallers, chuck a few shields and gather the swords 🙂
      Make sure they're the sharp ones though . What the hell give it a go yeah.

      1. MTPockets
          5 years, 19 days ago

          Does Silva the magician beat shielded Salah?

          1. Debauchy
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Aye , not yet though

          2. Debauchy
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Salah facing many demons shields are conspiring against him at the MO

      2. Aubamazette
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        Vardy Higuaín or Barnes/wood just for next gw?

      3. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        How’s this FH team looking? I’d appreciate the feedback. I’m not really ‘on it’ this season (2 kids!), and my rank is pretty poor. So any advice from the sages on here would be well received.

        ...............Fab
        ......Rice - TAA - Pereira
        Mane(c) - Salah - Haz - Fraser
        ...Wilson - Vardy - Higuain

        Bench: 3.9GK - Ogbonna - Punch - 3.9
        0.1ITB

        Any improvements you’d make?

        1. Mixed Bag
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          Looks good. Probably Boruc on your bench just to be safe. He's only 4.0.

          1. thegaffer82
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Good call, I’ll do that now.

            Thx for the reply

      4. WesMantooth
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 19 days ago

        Gotta ask again because I didnt Get a lot of feedback last time around.

        Why is BB35, seemingly, such a given amongst people on ffs, twitter and pods?

        We know its gonna be a big dgw (8-10 teams), but we dont know exactly how they will be arranged.

        My view is that the rearrangement matters a lot. Especially for those with all chips left. The effect of the BB should be largely influenced by whether theres a lot of cheap players with good fixtures or not. So much so, that I see ways where the fixtures land in such a way that perhaps TC35+sgwBB makes more sense than BB35+sgwTC.

        What's your views?

        1. Richd
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 19 days ago

          There’s always cheap options around. Most of us also want a simple version and that’s the simple way. It’s why I was surprised so few used TC during the city DGW

          1. WesMantooth
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Is it the simplest way though?
            Wouldnt it be simpler to manage 34-36-37-38 if you could have a couple of players thats not a part of the dgw35selection? TC35 would give you the possibility to do this, perhaps while gaining ground rather than losing ground with regards to the combined rewards from the TCandBB

            1. _figu
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              It's easiest for the masses as there is so much information available. People who don't REALLY manage their own teams and only follow these influencers (pods, youtubers, fpl shows etc) and make their transfers with a tunnel vision made by the effect of those things. I think the less decisions you do by yourself the bigger the change for that chip strategy as it is being discussed most and easy to follow ('sheep'). Best managers look at their own team and created a transfer/chip strategy based on their unique situation. Comparing all the variotions is practically impossible.

              I opted for alternative route (WC28, BB30, FH32, TC35) as I was chasing in my money leagues (top of my priority). From position of strenght I would've probably done something different.

              1. WesMantooth
                • 13 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Yeah, largely agree. But that doesnt explain why those "influencers" are taking bb35 as a given.

        2. MTPockets
            5 years, 19 days ago

            There are only 2 DGW than we know about and 35 gives the option to WC just before, limiting the risk of injuries etc.
            But you're right that without actually knowing the fixtures it's still somewhat random right now.

            If I still had TC would probably play it differently

            1. WesMantooth
              • 13 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Without the TC its certainly the right play. If you got them all im not that certain.

              1. MTPockets
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  I don't really understand why FH32 evolved into default for most with TC remaining, but suits me tbh

                  1. WesMantooth
                    • 13 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    I do. Its because the benefits are likely to be bigger than the effects of BB/TC sgw v dgw use.

            2. FPL Blow-In
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              I’m TC in gw32. I see the TC chip on a sgw being a waste. The BB35 looks great for those still with their wildcards. Easily get 14/15 dgw players.

              1. WesMantooth
                • 13 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Definately easy to Get 14-15dgwkrs in 35. But it might not be desired once we Get to know the fixtures.

            3. bitm2007
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              That's where the GW31 FH'ers have the advantage, they can BB GW32, TC GW35 or visa versa, GW34 FHers can only use one of BB or TC in a major DGW.

              1. WesMantooth
                • 13 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Yeah. But if they FH 31 they are gonna have a tough time maximizing BB32 with FTs

                1. bitm2007
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  You can prepare for it, if Brighton beat Millwall it's already been announced that Spurs v Palace will be in DGW32, which almost certainly means that Chelsea v Brighton will be as well.

                  1. WesMantooth
                    • 13 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    You cant prepare for this in one gwk alone. And a few gwks ago when you had sufficient time to plan for it, you didnt have the information.

                    Planning the bb32 with FT's must have been a nightmare for those trying.

            4. Hotdogs for Tea
              • 8 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              I think many are quite flexible really and will decide when the fixtures are released ... well I will anyway ....
              a BB is only as good as your players but gives 8 extra games in a DGW, TC in a double gives you 2 extra games potentially but from a better player

              Of course there may be a triple gameweek or maybe even 3 double gameweeks to come, just to confuse things 🙂

              1. WesMantooth
                • 13 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                For sure. But i think the part about 8 games vs 2 games is whats giving people tunnelvision. If the possibility of playing them both in a dgw is gone, than it needs to be dgwTC+sgwBB vs sgwTC+dgwBB and not just bb35 v tc35.

                1. Hotdogs for Tea
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  I agree, but TC36 looks good, which many are planning

                  1. WesMantooth
                    • 13 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    BB37 doesnt look to shabby either

                    1. Hotdogs for Tea
                      • 8 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      Lots of choices 🙂

                      1. WesMantooth
                        • 13 Years
                        5 years, 19 days ago

                        Yup, but the way people are talking it doesnt ssem like it is

                        1. Hotdogs for Tea
                          • 8 Years
                          5 years, 19 days ago

                          Just a bit lazy maybe, having to answer the same questions a million times about chips perhaps

                          1. WesMantooth
                            • 13 Years
                            5 years, 19 days ago

                            Yup, agree with you. Lazy. If your not gonna look at it with fresh eyes, then why talk about it at all.

          • EL tridente
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Higuan or Vardy in a FH team?

            1. RamaJama
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Vardy seems the safer bet by now

            2. Yoshimiwinz
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Both

          • Team Cruel
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Madrid are taking a leaf out of United's book and hiring a former player.

            1. The Ejiptian King
              • 5 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Like Solari?

            2. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Not exactly a new concept

          • The Yorkshire Pirlo
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Which two to bring in?

            A) Vardy, Luiz (11 playing)
            B) Higuain, Luiz (11 playing)
            C) Firmino, Fabianski (10 playing)

            Alisson
            Robbo/Pereira
            Salah/Hazard/Anderson/Almiron/Brooks
            King

          • HD7
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            How are your GW31/33 teams shaping up, mates?

            Mine is:

            Fab
            Pereira Ake VVD Robbo
            Salah(C) Brooks Hazard
            Higuain Vardy King

            Subs: Button, Pogba, Camarasa, AWB

            1. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Mine and my ideas are below 🙂

              Yours looks good

            2. Steve Stiffler
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Co city?

              1. Steve Stiffler
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                No*

              2. HD7
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                City most probably blank in 31/33

          • Ambrosiana Inter
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Schemicheal
            Trakovsky,Alex Arno,Lescelles, Luiz
            Richarlison,Hazard,Salah
            Higuain,Arnie

            Thoughts%?

            1. Ambrosiana Inter
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Jimmy to Wilson or stick with 10?
              Want jimmy for double gw

              1. Top Lad Dakes.
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Keep Jim in that case. Was contemplating the same move but I think I’ll keep him and stick on 9/10 players

          • Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Hey all. 1FT 1.0 ITB. Thinking:

            Sterling Camarasa to Mane Fraser (-4)

            To give:

            Fabianski/Boruc
            Robertson Pereira
            Salah Mane Anderson Fraser
            Higuain Vardy

            Meaning I can keep Pogba and Jimenez. Not fussed taking bits for defenders (Doherty AWB Bednarek) unless someone convinced me of a good option!!? Anyone?

            Cheers in advance 🙂 will wait til after Liv UCL time is over for the moves

          • CarrollsPonytail
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Pick one:

            A - Rudiger & Wilson
            B - Rudiger & Hazard

            The latter leaves me with only Arnautovic and Barnes upfront. I alreayd own Luiz so am doubling up on Chelsea defence.

            1. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Wouldn’t be confident doubling Che defence.

              Honestly A

              1. CarrollsPonytail
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Food for thought. I don't see much clean sheet potential this week, perhaps Bournemouth at home to Newcastle could keep be an option.

                I agree with Wilson. Seems like a more explosive option for this week.

          • EL tridente
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Rate this FH team please:

            Fabianski, Lossl
            Robertson, Azpilicueta, Aké, Diop, Stankovic
            Salah, Mane, Hazard, Fraser, Hayden
            Arni, Wilson, Vardy

            1. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Pretty much what you’d want

            2. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Top of the pops imo, really !

              1. Debauchy
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                For FH of course

          • Tmel
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Boruc
            Rice TAA Robertson
            Fanderson Salah Almiron
            Vardy

            Currently have 8 GW31 players and 1FT - which is the best option? (FHing in GW32)

            a) Sterling & Rash > Haz & Wilson (-4)
            b) Sterling, Rash & Jimenez > Haz, Hig & Wilson (-8)

            1. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              A comfortably.

            2. Patrick Bateman
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              As a Chelsea supporter I can confirm Higuain is not worth an extra hit. A

          • Yank Revolution
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Patrice Evra trolling PSG, and then they file a ridiculous complaint against him w UEFA. Lulz.

            https://deadspin.com/mr-i-love-this-game-patrice-evra-has-apparently-pissed-1833201736

          • Emiliano Sala
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Captain varsy or wilson?
            Or even arnie?
            No mo.

            1. Emiliano Sala
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Vardy*

            2. FPL Blow-In
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Arnie 😉

            3. Patrick Bateman
              • 6 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Mane if you have him. Out of your options I would say Vardy

            4. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Of those and on gut ,Arnie

            5. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Willy

          • Patrick Bateman
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Anyone get worse than 24 points for the GW just gone? Worse GW this season, dropped from 2,081 to 6,843 OR. Salah got my only points...

            1. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Wow that's tough. Smallish drop though considering, keep the faith

            2. FPL Blow-In
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Top 10k average must have been low then. I dropped from 36k to 41k with 50points!

          • Me Spurs
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            all set on kun Doherty for Vardy Luiz, but would u do McNeil to Fraser -4 or stick?

            1. Debauchy
              • 11 Years
              5 years, 19 days ago

              Do all 3 , I would

          • Gazpilicueta
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            What to do, what to do?!

            Fabianski, Patricio
            Robertson, David Luiz, Wan Bissaka, Bennet(wolves) Mee
            Hazard, Sterling, Pogba, Westwood, Hojberg
            Aguero, Higuain, Jimenez

            2 Free transfers and 1.1mil in thank, Thoughts please!

            I want to get Mane, but not sure how. I want to keep all my players! lol.
            Jimenez... best value in the game in my opinion, Aguero/Sterling, liable to Hatrick, Pogba back to CAM, Higuain, seems to have a bit of form, and has fixtures for all the blanks.
            I know it seems like I have 3 Chelsea cos I am a chelsea fan, but this is actually the first time all year Ive had more than 1 chelsea player, I just got a couple more in for the blanks.

          • FPL Blow-In
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 19 days ago

            Charlie Taylor or Harvey Barnes first sub?

            1. MTPockets
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Sub? You must have a good team. Barnes b/c I'm playing him

                1. FPL Blow-In
                  • 11 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  Well I’m on FH

                  Thoughts on this gw31 XI:

                  Fabianski
                  Robertson, Azpi, Rice
                  Salah, Hazard, Manè, Fraser
                  Vardy, Wilson, Arnie

                  Boruc, Barnes, Taylor, 4m

                  1. MTPockets
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      Nice. Arnie seems risky, and I'm not as confident about whu cs/form as most

                    • DA Minnion (Former great)
                      • 11 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      I've Barnes instead of Arnie and Ake instead of Azpi

              • hogree
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Bit late to the party - what teams are nailed for games in both 31 and 33?

                1. Forza Juventus
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  31 is 100% guaranteed as the following:

                  Bournemouth vs Newcastle
                  Burnley vs Leicester
                  Everton vs Chelsea
                  Fulham vs Liverpool
                  West Ham vs Huddersfield

                2. Forza Juventus
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  33 has some games for certain (see below list for certain) and then the list underneath that is dependent on future results:

                  Certainty:

                  Chelsea vs West Ham
                  Everton vs Arsenal
                  Bournemouth vs Burnley
                  Southampton vs Liverpool
                  Huddersfield vs Leicester

                  Dependent:

                  City vs Cardiff (Blank if MCI beat SWA)
                  Tottenham vs Brighton (Blank if BHA beat MIL)
                  Watford vs Fulham (Blank if WAT beat CPL)
                  Newcastle vs Palace (Blank if CPL beat WAT)

                  1. hogree
                    • 6 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    Absolute champion of the people cheers bro

                    1. Forza Juventus
                      • 9 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      No problem my dude, good luck!

              • Longlatini
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 6 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Would you FH to get rid of this team?

                Only got 1 FT otherwise so would be looking at one hit at least

                Heaton

                Robertson Taa Luiz Pereira

                Mane Almiron Anderson

                Barnes

                Non playing Aguero Sterling Pogba Jiménez Doherty Hamer

                Was trying to plan for gw31 using transfers but now not so sure

                1. L S P
                  • 8 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  Do not even think about using your FH when you have 9 31ers

              • Forza Juventus
                • 9 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Out of these 3 teams which do you guys think would be the best option to get a GW31 and GW33 defender from?

                Bournemouth (NEW, BUR)
                Leicester (Bur, Hud)
                Newcastle (Bou, CPL)

                Fixtures are better for Bournemouth and Leicester, but they are far more leaky than Newcastle. Tough call, thoughts?

                1. FPL Blow-In
                  • 11 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  BOU I think. Newcastle are not great away from home really and both home games.

                  1. Forza Juventus
                    • 9 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    Yeah the home fixtures make it appealing. It's worrying that Bournemouth have conceded 54 goals though, the only teams worse than that are Fulham with 68, Burnley & Cardiff with 57 and Huddersfield is close with 53. That's the bottom 4 teams in the league...worrying.

                    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
                      • 9 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      they do okayish at home though

                2. Ajax Hamsterdam
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  bournemouth are ok at home from what i gathered i d go for them.

                  1. Forza Juventus
                    • 9 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    Yeah i'm going to study their home form shortly and see what i think.

              • Top Lad Dakes.
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Are there any defenders that are actually worth a hit (total -8 including other moves then) this week? Doherty AWB Bednarek my squad players.

                Would have to be max 5.8m, and I have 3LIV already

                1. CarrollsPonytail
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  Possibly Ake. Will play through both sets of blanks and has a good home fixture in both. I am trying to justify it to myself.

                  1. Top Lad Dakes.
                    • 7 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    Could be a good shout tbh. Rest of my plan above, what do ya think?

                    1. Debauchy
                      • 11 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      Enough said 🙂

                2. Debauchy
                  • 11 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  Gut only but if you're short a player then go for Ake. 2 good homes and the boy due a goal. Plays 31 and 33 so a - 1 at the very worst

                3. Ajax Hamsterdam
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  do you field 10 players ? i d keep it that way i wouldnt take it an extra hit for a defender

                  1. Debauchy
                    • 11 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    Why not risk a -1 for a decent upside ?

                  2. Top Lad Dakes.
                    • 7 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    9

                    1. Debauchy
                      • 11 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      No brainer Tops

              • CarrollsPonytail
                • 7 Years
                5 years, 19 days ago

                Is triple Liverpool, West Ham and Bournemouth a bit excessive?

                1. Now I'm Panicking
                  • 9 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  Depends how much you trust them to do well I guess.

                2. DA Minnion (Former great)
                  • 11 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  3 Liverpool
                  3 Bournemouth
                  2 West ham
                  1 Chelsea
                  1 Leicester
                  1Burnley
                  Done.

                3. Top Lad Dakes.
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  I’ll have 3 LIV by choice. Fabs is okay but stuck with Anderson now. Boruc on the bench, getting in Fraser and may get Ake since not selling Jim

                4. Party time
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    If they are all attacking assets. I believe they will do good

                5. Morph - Unbelievable Geoff
                  • 7 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  “If Brighton win their FA Cup quarter-final match on Sunday 17 March we [Spurs] shall play Crystal Palace on Wednesday 3 April and Brighton on 23 or 24 April.
                  “If Brighton lose their FA Cup quarter-final match on Sunday 17 March we shall play Brighton on 6 or 7 April (subject to Champions League scheduling) and Crystal Palace on 23 or 24 April.”

                  https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/mar/08/tottenham-new-stadium-first-match-brighton-crystal-palace-champions-league

                  1. DA Minnion (Former great)
                    • 11 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    So whatever that mean in double game week terms.

                    1. Morph - Unbelievable Geoff
                      • 7 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      3rd is GW32; 23rd/24th is GW35

                  2. Pukki Party
                    • 6 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    So? Brighton win=Spurs-Palace gw32
                    Spurs-Brighton gw35

                    Brighton lose=other way around. Am i correct?

                    1. Mysterion
                      • 6 Years
                      5 years, 19 days ago

                      Yeah

                      Brighton win = Spurs DGW32 (liv, CRY) & DGW35 (mci, BHA)
                      Brighton lose = Spurs DGW35 (mci, CRY)

                      1. Now I'm Panicking
                        • 9 Years
                        5 years, 19 days ago

                        Brighton lose and Palace get through to the FA Cup semis and are picked to play in the Saturday game by the BBC would also mean Palace v Newcastle is likely to move to another GW (as Newcastle are playing Monday GW32 so would have to play Palace on the Thursday, which would be very unlikely to happen if Palace are playing at Wembley on the Saturday).

                        1. Mysterion
                          • 6 Years
                          5 years, 19 days ago

                          Ah cheers what a fustercluck... didn't consider Palace at all, shouldn't have bothered 😛 I'll just wait for confirmation then

                6. Pukki Party
                  • 6 Years
                  5 years, 19 days ago

                  I could get this team for 32 for a -4, and use TC on Aguero or Sterling. How far away is it from your FH32 team? Thinking if it's better to use FH or TC that week.
                  *=single game player

                  Guaita
                  Alonso Doherty Kiko
                  Pogba Hazard Sterling Brooks*
                  Aguero Jimenez Zaha

                  Alisson* TAA* Gunnarson Digne

                  1. L S P
                    • 8 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    impossible to know my FH32 team until fixtures are announced.

                  2. WVA
                    • 7 Years
                    5 years, 19 days ago

                    I can also get a fairly decent side out instead of fh32 but not sure yet