Scout Notes

How Everton’s defensive improvements are boosting interest in Digne for 2019/20

Everton wrapped up their Goodison Park schedule for the season with a fourth-straight win and fifth successive clean sheet at home on Friday night.

Their 2-0 win over Burnley demonstrated once again the points potential at both ends of the pitch for the Toffees – which may help make them a team worth covering in the early stages of 2019/20.

We’ve had a look at the key talking points in this latest Scout Notes article.

Everton 2-0 Burnley

Goals: Seamus Coleman (£5.2m)

Own Goals: Ben Mee (£4.6m)

Assists: Richarlison (£6.4m), Lucas Digne (£5.4m)

Bonus: Digne x3, Coleman x2, Kurt Zouma x1 (£5.0m)

Lucas Digne‘s (£5.4m) 12-point haul on Friday night lifted him to fourth among the highest-scoring defenders of the 2017/18 season, which will go some way to making him one of the first names in teams next term, provided the price and fixtures are right. The Frenchman offered attacking threat once again, finishing the win over Burnley joint-third for goal attempts and joint-top for chances created, securing maximum bonus too.

Options such as Aymeric Laporte (£6.2m) and Marcos Alonso (£6.2m) admittedly have a game in hand on Digne, but to be so close to the top three assets at this stage, Liverpool’s triumvirate of Andrew Robertson (£6.8m), Virgil van Dijk (£6.7m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.7m) says a lot about how much he has to offer, especially in terms of attacking returns.

What turned some managers off Digne, even when he was intermittently registering big scores over the winter period was Everton’s poor defensive form. However, now that Marco Silva has addressed those problems effectively, Digne has the potential to be the complete package next season. In the last 10 matches, the Toffees have kept eight clean sheets and have not conceded a goal at home since February, when Manchester City came to visit in Double Gameweek 25. The teams that have blanked at Goodison Park since then are Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and now Burnley, who did not manage a shot on target until the 58th minute on Friday night.

When looking ahead to next season for options, Digne’s success should not let us overlook what Seamus Coleman (£5.2m) has to offer. Against Burnley, he registered more touches in the penalty box than any other player bar Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.4m) and had the joint-most number of shots there too. That led him to score his second goal of the season when he opted to stay in an advanced position even after one of Everton’s attacks broke down. Coleman’s persistence was rewarded as his position allowed him to nod home the rebound from Digne’s 20th-minute shot – although he did admit post-match that the manager was probably unhappy before he found the net.

“To be fair, no probably not (asked if Silva would have been happy with him playing so far forward). He likes one of us (the full-backs) to go in and the other one to stay but I was desperate to get on the score sheet so I went against the manager’s orders and got the goal and that’s all that matters.” – Seamus Coleman

Whether the Toffees can carry their defensive form into 2019/20 may depend on whether they can tie Kurt Zouma (£5.0m) to a permanent deal at the club. The Chelsea loanee has been vital to recent improvements at the back for Everton and was once again a key performer at the back on Friday night, earning considerable praise from his colleagues and the local press. Zouma also pulled in one bonus point for his efforts.

“I think eight in 10 now which is brilliant. It gives us the foundations to win games. (Zouma) is a top-class player so we’re obviously desperate to keep him. He’ll have his own situation so we’ll have to see, but fingers crossed (we can keep him).” – Michael Keane

“In the last 10 matches, we kept eight clean sheets playing offensive football, just in this way we can grow as a team. Everything is different this season, the ideas are different, some players they need time to adapt, everything that we are asking them is different. They are doing well and they are enjoying what they are doing.” – Marco Silva

Also key to Everton’s improvements at the back in recent months have been the performances of Idrissa Gueye (£4.7m), whose continued presence at the club may prove pivotal in whether or not we target their defenders for 2019/20. The Senegalese international has been a crucial cog in the Toffees’ midfield when it comes to breaking up the play of their opponents and offloading to the more creative outlets. However, such impressive displays have attracted the attention of suitors both in the Premier League and outside of it, so Silva may face a tough summer of trying to keep hold of Gueye ahead of him.

“Obviously, Burnley play with two big lads up front so they’re going to win a fair few, and we had to win the knock-downs. Some of the midfield lads did that brilliantly today.” – Michael Keane

“Our work is already done, our board already knows what we want for the next season, but the first thing we have to do is keep our best players.” – Marco Silva

Owners of Sigurdsson can probably feel a little hard-done-by in Gameweek 37 as he was once again a key part of Everton’s attack. He had more touches in the penalty box than any other player, was joint-top for shots in that area of the pitch and registered the highest number of completed passes in the final third. Furthermore, it was his pass that set Richarlison (£6.4m) up to find the net 17th minute, but he lost his assist when it was reclassified as a Ben Mee (£4.6m) own goal because the initial shot was off-target. Sigurdsson was substituted in stoppage time but only for tactical reasons. Centre-back Phil Jagielka (£4.3m) came on for the Icelandic international to make potentially his last appearance at Goodison Park.

Richarlison owners also suffered some frustration considering the Brazilian lost two points from his goal becoming just an FPL assist. Also, he was forced off the pitch early in the second half with a recurrence of the rib injury that has plagued him in recent weeks.

Those invested in Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.4m) were left disappointed too as his hard-working performance yielded no attacking returns. This was the first time since Gameweek 29 that the youthful forward blanked at home, but he came close to making it a fourth successive match in the points. Calvert-Lewin proved to be the so-called ‘assister for the assister’ of both of Everton’s goals, playing the ball into Sigurdsson before he set-up Richarlison, and having a shot blocked before Digne nearly scored a few minutes later, the Frenchman’s effort just saved by Tom Heaton (£4.8m) before Coleman turned it in.

Calvert-Lewin certainly deserved his praise at full-time because it was his graft that helped Everton on their way but whether he can retain his place in the side next season depends on how Silva wants to set his side up. The Toffees manager cited the influence of Romelu Lukaku‘s (£10.7m) departure from the club as a major influence in his plans for the club’s strike-force, indicating that he is on the hunt for a more recognised goal-scorer long-term.

“I think we’ve got that good balance in the second half of the season. When the play out from the back or when to recognise to go long. I think Dominic has done that well up front and has given us options. He causes defenders problems all night long. So we’ve done it well, we’ve mixed our football well and we’ll look to do that next season as well.” – Michael Keane

“Since Lukaku left our club always it will be the same conversation. When we had a striker score more than 20 goals every season and we sold the player everyone is asking if one player can score more. I think we have to respect Dominic (Calvert-Lewin), respect Cenk (Tosun) and Richarlison who can play there. Of course, if you ask me if I want an improved goal-scorer, of course, I want. We have some targets for us.” – Marco Silva

Burnley offered very little at Everton and proved once again why they have dropped off the Fantasy radar. They are the only side with no asset owned by more than 5% of managers, and we saw why on Friday night. As already mentioned, it took until roughly the hour-mark for the Clarets to land a shot on target and the manner in which they started the game had them looking very shaky and likely to concede even more at 2-0 down. A Gameweek 38 meeting with Arsenal is not expected to yield much in the way of returns at either end of the field based on this performance.

Everton XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Digne, Zouma, Keane, S Coleman; Gueye, Schneiderlin; Bernard (Lookman 73′), Sigurdsson (Jagielka 90+1′), Richarlison (Walcott 49′); Calvert-Lewin.

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Heaton; Taylor, Mee, Tarkowksi, Lowton; Brady (Hendrick 80′), Cork, Westwood, Gudmundsson (McNeil 69′); Wood, A Barnes (Vydra 72′).

462 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Holteenderinthesky
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    No llorente, and then you start Trippier after I Bench him. Cheers Poch.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      He is such a fool poch, single handedly ruining champions league chances

  2. Toblerone52 - Zlatan Ibra-H…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Think this could be a painful early kick off after selling eriksen and son!

    1. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Ditto

  3. FPL Forward Thinker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    BOU 1 TOT 4

  4. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Cmon Son. Justify me keeping the faith and not selling you for Pogba.

    1. andywalks5300
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      This...glad I'm not the only one. my finger was so close but I have saved my FT.

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      This

  5. drughi
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    here comes the pain for Eriksen sellers

    1. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Agree and I’m one of them

      Don’t know why I sold but hey ho . Crap season anyways

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

      Sold him for Mané last week so it's slightly less unbearable.

  6. Runaway
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Strongest possible Spurs team. Come on Trippier and Son, pay me back!

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

      Easiest way to get CL next season 😉

  7. Fresh_From_Desh
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Forgot to do my team

    Robertson captain for second week running!

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Not a bad shout!

      1. Fresh_From_Desh
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Worked well last week and I need a differential to catch a 50 point lead!

  8. Mark-O
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Travers not listed in fpl wow

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Boruc will get his points

    2. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Will he be added this late on. I guess he will have the folks at FPL towers scrabbling to get him listed before GW38 !

  9. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Good old Bournemouth 6-1-3

  10. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Travers could be the Irish Iker Casillas.

    1. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Indeed

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

    Need a CS + Pen save from Lloris !!
    Not asking too much 🙂

    1. teneighty
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I'll settle with a pen save and max bps. Don't be so greedy.

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

        Okay
        Deal

    2. ZLATAN'S PONYTAIL
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I don't think you are

  12. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Assist for Wilson and I'm satisfied 🙂

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I think Wilson will score (I don't have him)

  13. BobB
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Who on earth is Travers?

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I think he was a death water in Harry Potter

      1. FPL_Gyarados
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        *eater. Thanks autocorrect

    2. FPL Forward Thinker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      .

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Really?

  14. FPL_Gyarados
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Still got Erikson and Son here. This could be good!

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      hey hey same here bring it on !!

    2. Lord.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I also remember the chickens being counted when Bournemouh started a £3.8 defender against City.

      1. FPL_Gyarados
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        No counting here. Just looking at my chickens with hope and thanksgiving that they are on.

  15. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Travers you know the trick... Save Eriksen's shots and let Son's shots go in!

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Save them into the path of Son. That would be perfect.

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

        This

  16. Bouncebackability
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Plays both Eriksen and Moura, didn’t see that happening.

  17. FPL Forward Thinker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Scared of double digits from HMS and CE today

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      only you can change that

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Don’t worry Mark, you get that cleany

  18. AuFeld
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Ake playing as CM?

  19. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Travers' points total after today?

      1. La Roja
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        -2

      2. FPL Forward Thinker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        11

  20. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Brace for Son 3 baps. Goal and assist for Lucas 2 baps please

  21. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 11 months ago

    Well Jimenez is starting and going to score a brace!!

    “After striker Raúl Jiménez' Wembley wrestling mask celebration, Wolverhampton Wanderers invited & flew over his friend, Mexican WWE wrestler Sin Cara, to meet Raúl and the rest of the Wolves squad this week.

    Jiménez is said to be a good friend of the WWE star who will attend today's game with Fulham while the club will hand out up to 20,000 wrestling masks for fans to wear in the crowd.

    1. Party time
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Raúl(C) is ready for fulham 🙂

      • ZLATAN'S PONYTAIL
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Jota to spoil the party!

      • Klein
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Why was the beef with deeney over this mask?

    2. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Wilson to blank today after I benched him last week

    3. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Forgot I had Lloris. Expecting a 3 pointer

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Easy 6 here

    4. JELLYFISH
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Bringing in Shaw over Digne isn’t looking like a very smart move right now

    5. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Will be a Travers-ty if Son doesn't haul today. Mark my words.

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

        You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it think.

    6. Don Rogers FC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      I don’t seem to have any ffs podcasts available since 17th april. Is anyone else having this problem.?

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Key man dependancy at FFS HQ

        1. Don Rogers FC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 11 months ago

          So has there not been any?

          1. Don Rogers FC
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            4 years, 11 months ago

            I am a bit of a techno lightweight, so not sure whether it is something I am doing wrong. Or not doing when I should be.

            1. Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              4 years, 11 months ago

              I don't even know what a podcast is! I just know they have had some problems with them lately.

            2. Don Rogers FC
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              4 years, 11 months ago

              Ok , I can see they are there on yourube.

              1. Don Rogers FC
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                4 years, 11 months ago

                Cheers Jarvish

    7. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Wasn't Son the 2nd most transferred out player heading into this GW? Could be painful

    8. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Have Son, Lucas and Lloris. Not sure what I prefer... Watching the game and being v tense/nervy or checking HT and FT scores slightly more exciting

    9. barracuda
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Best football app on android?

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Sofascore

      2. FPL_Gyarados
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Fotmob is better if you want text (and sometimes audio) commentary with that superlive feature. The one with the pitch and you see every pass and shot etc in real time. More notification customisation also.

    10. Emiliano Sala
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 11 months ago

      Sold moura for jota. Moura hattrick coming

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 11 months ago

        Would b nice but doubt it