Scout Notes

Cardiff’s aerial weakness offers owners of Brighton players hope

Cardiff City are one of two clubs with a Double Gameweek 34 but, like those backing Brighton and Hove Albion assets, any Fantasy managers investing in the Bluebirds’ players would have been left disappointed by their initial returns on Saturday.

Burnley all but ensured their Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over Neil Warnock’s side, who now face the Seagulls at the Amex on Tuesday night.

We run the rule over the Welsh side’s performance and look ahead to their trip to Sussex in the Scout Notes article below.

Burnley 2-0 Cardiff City

  • Goals: Chris Wood (£6.3m) x2
  • Assist: Dwight McNeil (£4.4m)

While owners of Glenn Murray (£6.3m) et al would have been left crushed by Brighton’s abysmal display against Bournemouth on Saturday, there were encouraging signs in Lancashire that the second game in the Seagulls’ Gameweek 34 double-header could prove more fruitful by way of FPL returns.

Cardiff visit the south coast on Tuesday night having conceded six big chances to Burnley at the weekend, with only Watford allowing more gilt-edged opportunities when Premier League sides are filtered by their last six matches.

More pertinently for those Fantasy managers who own the likes of Murray and Shane Duffy (£4.8m), the Bluebirds are looking particularly suspect in the air.

Eight of Burnley’s 14 chances were headers on Saturday, meaning Cardiff have now conceded more headed opportunities than any other top-flight club when filtered by their last half-dozen games.

No Premier League team has allowed more attempts from set plays in that time, either.

Both of Chris Wood‘s (£6.3m) goals were headers, the first coming from a Dwight McNeil (£4.4m) corner after half an hour.

Wood then doubled Burnley’s lead in stoppage time when another McNeil cross bobbled up into his path via touches from Bruno Ecuele Manga (£4.4m) and Neil Etheridge (£4.7m).

There were other chances from dead-ball situations, too, with Wood hitting the post in the first half before Ben Mee (£4.6m) tested Etheridge with a 76th-minute header.

The below graphic shows where Burnley’s chances came from; all eight around the six-yard box were headed opportunities.

Even from open play the chances came, with Ashley Westwood (£4.6m) spurning two excellent one-on-one opportunities and Ashley Barnes (£5.7m) unable to convert when attempting to round Etheridge.

The fact that Cardiff pretty much have to beat Brighton on Tuesday in order to keep their survival hopes realistically alive would certainly seem to bode well for an open game and Warnock’s side were not without their chances either.

Harry Arter‘s (£4.9m) curling effort clipped the top of Tom Heaton‘s (£4.8m) crossbar and Junior Hoilett (£5.0m) ballooned a presentable chance over in the second half, while Cardiff had three penalty shouts after the interval – one of which was actually awarded as a spot-kick before Mike Dean overturned the decision.

We can perhaps expect to see Oumar Niasse (£5.0m) back up front in midweek after Kenneth Zohore (£4.6m) flopped on a rare start, while Victor Camarasa (£4.5m) was the not as effective as part of a midfield three rather than a “number ten” and didn’t register a single shot or indeed touch in the Burnley box.

As Cardiff’s penalty-taker, of course, Camarasa would have had the chance to register his third goal in five matches had Dean not made a U-turn on the aforementioned spot-kick award.

Warnock was understandably incensed by the decision:

My lads should surround the referee really, they should get round him; [Burnley] had three lads in his ear straight away.

Can I say I’m lost for words? The linesman gave it, the fourth official told me Mike [Dean] didn’t see it and yet Mike must have seen something because he’s gone over and told the linesman that it’s hit a part of his body so it can’t be handball.

It’s baffling really. I’m so gutted for my players. I thought Darren [Cann] made the right decision but I think Mike has talked him out of it.

Warnock paid tribute to his players though for their second-half effort, saying:

I thought the lads were super, especially in the second half and our fans were also fantastic. They’re a great bunch and I can’t fault any of them, but we were punished and it’s hard playing Burnley when they’re 1-0 up because it’s difficult to get into the flow.

At half-time, I told the lads that we can play better than we had and if we moved the ball quicker and got into their box – we could win the match, but it’s frustrating when one thing after another goes against you.

Dyche, meanwhile, lauded his own team:

I think in the first half we were really good, the game should have been done. We had a brilliant chance from Woody when he hits the post, a good goal from Woody and Westy has two one v ones.

And then in the second half, credit to Cardiff they threw caution to the wind and almost went 2-4-4 and got the ball forward earlier.

The ball was coming in from everywhere and I thought the resilience of the team was important because they had the upper hand without a doubt.

Then we just started to slow it down and turn the tide slightly in our favour and then saw the game out as we have done many, many times.

Despite the excellent FPL form of McNeil and Wood, Burnley’s assets will likely be in short demand given that they face Chelsea, Man City, Everton and Arsenal in their remaining four fixtures.

The Burnley boss hailed McNeil’s latest contribution, adding:

Fantastic, he’s a real talent. His calmness at the end [for Wood’s second goal] to cross it into a dangerous area, his calmness before that to dribble out of trouble. He’s a really good player and he can only mature. I’m pleased for him, for the work he puts in.

On Wood, Dyche said:

There’s other parts of his game today weren’t as good as he can be but two goals, you want strikers scoring, him and Barnesy have been scoring. Really pleased with them.

Dyche also confirmed that he thinks Phil Bardsley (£4.2m) “will be right this week” after missing his second successive game with a gashed leg.

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Heaton; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Hendrick, Westwood, Cork, McNeil; Barnes, Wood.

Cardiff City XI (4-3-3): Etheridge; Peltier, Morrison, Manga, Bennett; Gunnarsson, Arter (Reid 80′), Camarasa; Hoilett (Mendez-Laing 73′), Murphy, Zohore (Niasse 78′).

170 Comments Post a Comment
  1. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Arnie has to go as first priority - Deeney is a good option but see how he plays tonight first

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Reply fail 🙁

      1. kysersosa
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Got it anyway! Agreed. See how it goes tonight. Though as long as he doesn’t get injured etc, I think he still comes in.

  2. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Siggy vardy to

    A) redmond - fraser
    B) laca - wilson - deeney - firmino

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Redmond and Deeney

    2. JohnnyMagrinho
        4 years, 11 months ago

        If you can take out 2 players and get 4 in return I'd definitely do that

        1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          😆

    3. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Anyone know anything about Valery’s injury. Likely to be involved in the next game?

      1. Nightf0x
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        People in here saying it was just a cramp

      2. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Invited to Winehouse pad.

        In rehab.

      3. Maddamotha
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Cheers

    4. Simmoo
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Patricio

      TAA, Luiz, Duffy

      Salah, Mane, Hazard, Son

      Rashford, Jimenez, Wilson.

      Roll a transfer?

    5. simong1
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Looking to replace Siggurdson. Better to bring in Deulefeu or Mane this week?

      Could hold on bring Mane in (for Eriksen) until his match against HUD. Only have TAA as Liverpool coverage at the moment.

      1. KINGS
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Deu

      2. the german
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Mane

    6. Nightf0x
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Siggy vardy to

      A) redmond/raser laca/firmino/wilson/deney
      B) sterling deney

      1. KINGS
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        B

    7. Rains of Castamere
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Camarasa and Vardy to:

      A) Sterling and Jimenez
      B) Jota and Aguero
      C) Deulofeu and Aguero
      D) Sterling and Deeney

      Head's all over the place with this one.

      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        A

    8. Catsandhats
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Wildcarded last week and brought in JWP, worth doing JWP > redmond for free?

      Nothing else to address

      1. Bring the Cavalry
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        No

      2. dbeck
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        No that’s points chasing

      3. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Nothing else to address?

        Show your team.

        1. Catsandhats
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Current team for bench boost:

          Gunn, Ryan
          Duffy, Trent, Laporte, Doherty, Valery
          Son, Erickson, Mané, Sterling, JWP
          Aguero, Deeney, Jimenez

          0.7itb

          A little concerned over valery but can’t see a better option

      4. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Stick

    9. Athletic Nasherbo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      At 7.00pm Friday bang on deadline I did Boly, Sterling and Deeney > Laporte, Deulofeu and Lukaku...disaster.

      Desperately need Deulofeu to do something tonight!

      1. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        You know what is coming though.....

        1. Athletic Nasherbo
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          A Deeney hat-trick probably

      2. Rains of Castamere
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        I was very, very close to doing Wilson to Aguero, but didn't. So I guess between us we restored the world's equilibrium.

      3. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Thanks for the tip, i'll bet a tenner on Deeney to score.

      4. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Ouch!
        I sold Salah, TAA, Pogba, Wilson & Brooks on wildcard to make you feel better.
        Not even bothered to calculate the points I lost.

        1. Athletic Nasherbo
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Oh I got rid of Pogba and Wilson on mine.

      5. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Sterling sale was like having unprotected sex with Hilary Clinton.

        1. Athletic Nasherbo
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Yes mate I have performed awfully in FPL for two years and seem to not have learnt...Sterling had to stay 100% but the Aguero hat-tricks earlier on in the season has scarred me. 150K now my aim is simply top 100k.

    10. Disco Stu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Keep Moura for another week, or just be happy I had him for the hat trick and move him on this week to any of Sterling/Mane/Salah?(Have KDB and Son)

      Also would you rather have Deeney or Laca for next week and the remaining weeks?

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        What's the downgrade elsewhere to get Salah?

        1. Disco Stu
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          Vardy > Deeney instead of Laca. Left myself enough in the bank after my WC to make this kind of a move

          1. Pukki Party
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            I'd be very tempted then, Deeney a good option and Salah has looked good.

      2. MANGE TOUT RODNEY
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Whatever you do, well played on Moura this week

    11. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      One of the following forth a FT this week? Probably doing both next week anyway.

      A) Trippier to TAA
      B) Sane to Mane

      1. Gríma Wormtongue
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        B

    12. Gríma Wormtongue
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Pick one for GW35

      A) Boly
      B) Doherty
      C) Redmond
      D) Ward-Prowse
      E) Doucoure

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        D

    13. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Guita, Pereira, Tielemans, Vardy and Batshuayi to Foster, Kolasinic, Sterling, Jiminez and Deeney. -16 😆

      1. The 5% Team
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        haha why not 🙂

    14. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      The RMT Tool is giving me a score of 108.09 for DGW35.

      How about your team?

      1. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        107.55

        But honestly looking at the fixtures and rotation don't think it's going to be such a high scoring week.

      2. grumpyman
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        108.58. I'd be delighted, 100+ scores in DGWs seems a distant memory.

      3. Buck The Trent
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        106.6 + 21.2 BB = 127

    15. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Duffy -> Doherty worth a hit yeah?

    16. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      CityTV

      Doesn’t look like Aguero was with the group today in training

    17. manu4life99
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      A) Duffy, Laca, Hojberg
      B) Duffy, Firmino, Hojberg
      C) Laporte, Jiminez, Redmond (-4)