Scout Reports

What Fantasy managers can expect from Southampton forward Che Adams

Southampton and Ralph Hasenhüttl have added to their attacking armoury ahead of the 2019/20 Premier League season with the signing of Che Adams (£6.0m) from Birmingham City for a reported £15m fee.

Adams, 22, scored 38 goals in 123 appearances across three seasons at St Andrew’s and was named in the Championship Team of the Season for 2018/19.

The Englishman will aim to provide additional goalscoring impetus to a Southampton side who scored just 1.18 goals per game in 2018/19, ranking 15th in the goals scored table.

Adams’ arrival at St Mary’s comes alongside the signing of Moussa Djenepo (£5.5m) from Standard Liege as well as the permanent capture of Danny Ings (£6.0m) from Liverpool, as the Saints bid to improve on their attacking options and mount a challenge for a top ten finish in Hasenhüttl’s first full season in charge on the south coast.

Southampton forwards have rarely proved to be reliable sources of FPL points in the last two seasons, with midfielders Nathan Redmond (£6.5m) and James Ward-Prowse (£6.0m) representing the Saints’ top-scoring players in 2018/19 with 137 and 94 points respectively. 

Yet if Adams is able to translate the form he has shown throughout the lower leagues of English football into performances in the Premier League with Southampton, then this could be a player firmly worthy of consideration in the opening Gameweeks of 2019/20.

Upon signing for Southampton, Adams said: 

I was watching them play when I was at Birmingham and I liked what Ralph did so I couldn’t say no.

You can see with the track history… the gaffer’s belief in the young players, I want to be part of it.

There was interest in January but it didn’t quite go through but I’m happy now it has.

Hasenhüttl also spoke enthusiastically after confirming the signing of Adams: 

He has shown a desire to join us above all other clubs, which shows the positive reputation Southampton has built for developing young players.

The History and Statistics 

Che Adams’ first professional senior goal came in a League Cup semi-final against Spurs in January 2015

Born in Leicester in July 1996, Adams’ rapid rise through the lower divisions of English football is testament to not only his unquestionable ability but a work ethic that will certainly have furthered Hasenhüttl’s interest in bringing the player to St Mary’s.

After spells at Oadby Town and Ilkeston before his 18th birthday, Adams earned his first major career move in 2014, after the eyes and ears of Sheffield United were alerted to an immensely promising player plying their trade in the seventh tier of English football. 

Under the management of Nigel Clough, the Blades gave Adams his initial opportunity in the English Football League (EFL), with a tepid first season ensuing – the striker made just 13 appearances across the 2014/15 campaign as he saw his minutes managed by Clough, scoring three goals in the process. 

The 2015/16 campaign proved to be Adams’ breakthrough year at Bramall Lane, with the striker netting on 11 occasions across 43 games and, in the process, attracting interest from the upper echelons of the EFL – notably Birmingham City and manager Gary Rowett.

Birmingham signed Adams for an undisclosed fee after being impressed by the striker’s performances for the Blades and his 15 goals in 55 appearances for the club. The Englishman had seemingly stepped up at every increased level of competition in his four full seasons as a professional, and Rowett placed his faith in Adams to deliver in the Championship. 

This faith was handsomely rewarded as Adams gradually grew into his role leading the line at St Andrew’s, increasing his goalscoring output in successive seasons before delivering an eye-catching, sensational campaign in 2018/19 in which he scored 22 goals in 46 league appearances.

This clinical goalscoring output from a 22-year-old English striker will naturally increase speculation of a potential transfer, but it is Southampton who have secured the services of this highly-rated prospect who will now bid to make yet another step up and deliver in the top-flight of English football. 

Comparisons 
PlayerMinutes per shotMinutes per shot in the boxMinutes per shot on targetMinutes per key pass 
Adams32.850.566.855.8
Redmond44.3117.114963
Ings29.849.172.559.6
Long46.366.1138.886.8
Austin 30.742.7109109

The Prospects

Danny Ings is available for the same price as Che Adams in FPL this season

Southampton’s signing of Adams has understandably excited the club’s fanbase, and the anticipation surrounding the 22-year-old’s Premier League debut is far from unwarranted. 

The club has been crying out for a goalscoring number nine since the departure of Graziano Pelle in 2016, and in Adams, the Saints may have found a player capable of filling the attacking void vacated by the Italian following his transfer to Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng.

Adams’ minutes-per-shot on target average was superior to any of Southampton’s attacking quartet from the 2018/19 campaign, whilst the striker also ranks top for minutes per key pass – underlining his potential for valuable assists in the spectrum of FPL points.

A total of 74 shots in the box throughout the 2018/19 season would have placed Adams joint-fifth in the Premier League standings from the previous campaign, level with Jamie Vardy (£9.0m) and above the likes of Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Alexandre Lacazette (£9.5m).

The usual big disclaimer applies regarding these figures, of course, with Adams having registered them in the second tier with Birmingham.

The value that Adams could offer managers is evident from his final campaign with Birmingham, a team who didn’t feature in the Championship promotion picture (although a points deduction saw to that) and who scored just 64 times throughout the season, with Adams accounting for 34% of the team’s goals.

Yet central to determining the striker’s potential as a value-for-money £6.0m forward in Gameweek 1 squad for 2019/20 remain the questions over Southampton’s attacking abilities as a unit.

Shane Long (£5.0m) and Charlie Austin (£6.0m) have struggled for the Saints since arriving on the south coast, whilst injury in Ings’ first season at St Mary’s as a Liverpool loanee disrupted any potential for a consistent stream of minutes and form. 

The club tying down Ings on a permanent deal from Liverpool alongside the signing of Djenepo from Standard Liege is a clear indicator of their intentions for the upcoming campaign, and if Adams can play his part in this trident of new attacking signings then the Saints could be set for an impressive year in Hasenhüttl’s first full season in charge at St Mary’s. 

At a price of £6.0m, Adams (whose ownership is 1.6%) is placed alongside the likes of Glenn Murray (4.1%), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (4.8%) and teammate Ings (3.0%) who currently form the three most popular £6.0m strikers in the build-up to GW1.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is currently the most-owned FPL forward in the £5.5m-£6.0m bracket

This level of competition and comparison is important in determining if Adams is offering stronger value than his similarly priced counterparts, yet a decisive element in the striker’s effectiveness as a budget striker will lie in Hasenhüttl’s tactical and formation-based selections. 

The Austrian alternated between a 3-4-2-1 and 3-5-2 during the 2018/19 campaign, enabling a sense of defensive solidity whilst deploying differing attacking combinations dependent on the quality and calibre of opposition. 

If Hasenhüttl opts to regularly deploy the 3-4-2-1 formation this drastically reduces Adams’ potential for a regular berth in the Southampton starting XI, especially considering the club’s permanent signing of Ings from Liverpool. However, the Saints’ pre-season schedule commenced on Sunday with a 1-1 draw against SCR Altach in Austria, with Adams making his Southampton debut and scoring inside two minutes with a clinical low drive from 18 yards.

Hasenhüttl’s decision to deploy a 4-2-2-2 formation (his favoured system in Germany) in the club’s first game of pre-season could be indicative of the Austrian’s plans for the 2019/20 season. Adams’ impressive performance as part of a two-strong strike force will only strengthen his chances of starting for the Saints when they face Burnley on August 10th.

Adams’ total number of goals scored last year (22) surpassed the combined goalscoring output of Southampton’s four main attacking options (Long, Ings, Redmond and Austin) who scored 20 league goals between them, and it is evident that the Saints have signed a player with an eye for goal and who could fit seamlessly into Hasenhüttl’s attacking plans for the upcoming Premier League campaign.

Southampton’s opening five fixtures of the 2019/20 campaign present a dilemma for FPL managers who may be considering investing in their assets, with attractive games against Burnley, Brighton and Sheffield United juxtaposed against the visits of Manchester United and Liverpool to St Mary’s. 

In these games last year, excluding the fixture against newly-promoted Sheffield United, Southampton won a total of five points, having laboured to a 1-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion whilst drawing 1-1 and 2-2 with Burnley and Manchester United respectively; the Saints also were defeated 3-1 by Liverpool in April. 

The fact that Hasenhüttl’s side scored in each of these games last season and will fancy their chances of doing so against newly-promoted Sheffield United is a promising omen for those considering investing in Southampton’s attacking assets, but selecting the most consistent forward around Adams’ price presents a difficult dilemma for managers.

Given the number of £6.0m strikers in 2019/20 – the most common price-tag for forwards in the game – investment in Adams would represent an unquestionable risk but a gamble that could pay rewarding dividends given the player’s initial pre-season form as well as three attractive fixtures in the Saints’ first five.

This may be a case of “wait and see” for sanctioning Adams’ inclusion in your squad for the initial stages of the 2019/20 campaign but the former Birmingham striker is worth monitoring at the very least – particularly for those Fantasy managers who are going light up front.


1,139 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Lateriser 12
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Doosra! Hi!

    1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Hello, my old mate. How are you doing? 🙂

  2. KingOllie
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    I assume this is pretty template but everything look good?

    Pope
    VVD TAA Coleman Zinchenko
    Salah KDB Zaha Siggurdson
    Wilson Vardy

    4.0 / Dedonker / Dunk / Greenwood

    1. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Zaha late return worry for GW1, otherwise looks grand.

    2. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Isn't that team 0.5 over budget?

    3. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Nice

      Vardy Wilson means you’re swimming against the tide on here. Seems a nice combo to me.

      I’d downgrade a defender to get Fraser over Zaha. Palace invariably start slowly as they invariably move late in the window. And well Fraser is more than 0.5 better than Zaha in FPL imo. I’d go Digne and 4.5 to find the money

  3. BadaBing
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Keep getting drawn back to 5 defenders. The points return of a 6/6.5 midfielder is nowhere near that of a similarly priced defender

    1. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Compare mids priced 0.5 higher to the equivalent defender price point.

      Cheapest defender = 4.0
      Cheapest mid = 4.5

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

        Don't see the point of that. As BigJoe says, a 6m defender outscores a 6m midfielder. Simple as.
        All your statistical analysis adds is 0.5 on the bench. I'd rather get the benefit from my premium defender on the pitch than my 4.5 mid sat on my bench.

        1. Respect My Authoritah
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Don't follow this. What I'm saying is that you should compare the price increase compared to the base price.

          Say you have a 10m budget, you can get a 6.0 mid + 4.0 def or a 5.5 def + 4.5 mid.

          All I'm saying is you have to compare say, Laporte, to 7.0 mids, not 6.5 mids

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Which combo do you have at the back? Imo any defender that isn’t likely to get consistent attacking returns and is cs dependent is a long term call that will be very easy to get knocked off when cs don’t appear early.

      Fraser started last season at 5.5 - that’s 6.0 in today’s money. See also Jim

      1. BadaBing
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        For example Luiz, 164 points last season. No 6 million mid got near that!

        1. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          I like Luiz too.

          I’ve moved off 5 though just because I know my play style dictates I’m going to want to move aggressively and probably WC early. I see the back 5 paying off as a midterm hold.

          FWIW my preference would be minimal doubling at the back to cover 5 different likely cs teams. I started with

          Lloris
          Robbo TAA Luiz Coleman City

        2. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Fraser beat it confortably!!!!

    3. Binny
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      also in past seasons you tend to get 1 or 2 mids in this price range that will over-perform. i agree limited options it would appear this year....

      Possibles;
      Perez/Tielmans
      Grealish
      Barkley
      Gross
      Lanzini/ Yarmalenko

      1. BadaBing
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Yes good point. Could maybe see who is the over performing mid then sacrifice a 6 million defender for him. Though Fraser was the standout last season, still only 17 points more than Luiz!

        1. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Then you decide whether or not just to try and pick the mid from the outset rather than a double transfer to get them in. I’m going 4 at the back partky for this reason - saved transfer and the defender may well not produce much in first 4 weeks or so

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

        At this point in time getting the 6m midfielder who'll be a good catch is simply a punt, and unless you're lucky, it'll probably take a few transfers in and out to settle on the right one, after missing points pre-bandwagon. On the other hand, you can be far more confident that your GW1 starting premium defender is going to be dependable over the season.

        1. pingissimus
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          The catch is in “dependable for the season”. How many are prepared to play like that? Dependable for the season may well equate to 12 points in the first 4 weeks.

          City had a run of 7/8 weeks without a cs last time let’s not forget.

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

            Right. With premium defender, esp the mainstays at Liv and City, you set and forget. And that's partly my point - with similarly priced midfielders you're chopping and changing, chasing the points.

            1. pingissimus
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 8 months ago

              Agreed I think.

              City (if you find one) and Liverpool are set and forget. I’m just not sure others are. I can see a lot of people being pushed off Digne early on if he doesn’t return. Treating Everton (or new Chelsea) defence in the same way as City Liverpool doesn’t quite add up to me.

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

          Totally agree. Currently have TAA, VVD, Digne, Laporte and Azpi at the back.

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            That’s a decent selection.

            I’d question both VVD and Laporte though. Both returned very unevenly last time with attacking returns. You need their second half of last season form really. I’d lose one of them for Robbo who was not cs dependent.

            Digne? Let’s see. I’m a sceptic simply because I had him cheap last time and rarely regretted having him on my bench. Could be dynamite of course this time especially if Everton buy a forward. One of those that could go either way - a bit like a mid priced mid!!!!

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

              Sure, the actual identity of those set and forget premiums is somewhat limited. 3 Liverpool (although most of us would have 2 of them to allow for Salah) and Laporte. I think Walker is still safe and we're waiting on the LB. My current solid crew, therefore, is TAA, VVD, Laporte, Zinky and .... Luiz.

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

    I've seen Greenwood in a few RMT's recently. Obviously he's a 4.5 enabler, but is he expected to see much time on the pitch? Of all the 4.5's, is he most likely to play?

    1. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Unless Palace get a striker in, Wickham

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

        My thoughts too

      2. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Wickham is half possible to get regular minutes.

        Last night though he was playing in a youth side - only he and Sorloth were first team squad players. He needs minutes of course but that selection shouldn’t be taken as a positive really.

        Palace are bound to get at least one forward in anyway. Possibly two.

        The minutes he’d get would be likely the minutes Ayew had last time but there’s still talk that Ayew is returning and maybe Palace will break the habit and actually buy a proper striker too.

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

      Ole has said Greenwood will get more minutes. I take that to mean sub appearances, which is possibly more pitch time than any other 4.5 striker.

  5. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    If you were to choose between King and any 6.5 mid ( Gross, Brooks etc), whom will you go for?

    Already have Perez.

    1. Winston.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      King to start with those first two fixtures

  6. Winston.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Any thoughts on this one? Could this work as there is so much value in premium defenders and midfielders...

    Pope 4.0
    TAA Robertson Laporte Zinchenko Digne
    Salah KDB Sigurdsson LMoura Perez
    King 4.5 4.5

    Possible to play 541/451 depending on fixtures, rotating Perez/King/Digne....

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

      Your problem here is that with Kev, Siggy & Lucas, you're left with nothing up top. You have no flexibility if King isn't firing. 2x4.5 strikers will be an albatross around your neck forcing you into an early wildcard.

      1. Winston.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Thanks...Jota and Deulofeu available as well. And King can be upgraded easily with two transfers to Vardy. Aguero needs three transfers, so -4. KDB easily upgraded to Sterling if needed by selling f.g. LMoura or Laporte.

  7. KingOllie
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Whose the best 5.0 defender? Iv got Holebas currently

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

      Wait and see if any emerge at Chelsea or Spurs.

  8. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Is kilo nailed in the Watford backline?

    I’m clueless on Watford, any insight would be appreciated as I’d rather not have to stretch 5m for holebas.

  9. rnrd
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    a Bilva / KDB combo frees a whopping 6.5£ budget compared to a Sterling / Aguero combo

    can sterling - Aguero really justify that gap?!

    1. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Depends on captaincy picks

  10. maurorodi00
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Ok bug question for my squad please someone help me
    A) Alisson/button
    Ake/digne/taa/kelly/dunk
    Siggy/mane/fraser/dendonger/zaha
    King/delofeu/aguero
    And change fraser and ake with perez and davud lui after 2 gw or

    B) ederson/button
    Van dick/taa/digne/kelly/dunk
    Sterling/salah/zaha/dendonger/perez
    King /delofeu/jota
    The think here is that i dodnt have fraser and siggy for the beginning and i beleive that they can make chances but i have instead sterling over aguero and salah over mane and van dick

    1. FPL_Gyarados
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      B

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

    Which 6.0 (or lower) mids are better options than James Ward-Prowse?

    1. LangerznMash
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Barkley + Yarmolenko

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

        thanks 🙂

    2. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Iwobi

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Pereyra

  12. The Big Fella
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    What happened to Mignolet?!

    BBC: Liverpool have included 35-year-old English goalkeeper Andy Lonergan - who is a free agent after leaving Middlesbrough - on their pre-season tour of North America because of a shortage of cover.

  13. Offside
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Lloris
    TAA
    VVD
    D Luiz
    Robertson
    Bilva
    DeBrun
    Kante
    Sterling
    Vardy
    Giroud

  14. Fantasy Steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    My first ever RMT!

    TEAM A
    Alisson
    TAA Robbo Walker Azpi Digne
    Sterling KDB Fraser
    Jiminez Wilson
    Bench: Fodder

    or

    TEAM B
    Alisson
    TAA Gomez Coleman Walker AWB
    Sterling KDB Zaha Fraser
    Kane
    Bench: Fodder

    Would appreciate your thoughts 🙂