Scout Notes

Martial furthers FPL cause as Man United defence improves

Wolves 1-1 Manchester United

Goals: Rúben Neves (£5.5m) | Anthony Martial (£7.6m)

Assists: Joao Moutinho (£5.5m) | Marcus Rashford (£8.6m)

Penalty miss: Paul Pogba (£8.6m)

Penalty save: Rui Patrício (£5.0m)

Bonus Points: Moutinho x3, Patrício x2, Neves x1, Rashford x1

Manchester United’s key attacking assets delivered points on Monday night to add further evidence to suggestions they can be important Fantasy options this season.

After Anthony Martial (£7.6m) and Marcus Rashford (£8.6m) got attacking returns at home to a poor Chelsea defence last weekend, the pair were snapped up in their droves for Gameweek 2.

312,546 Fantasy managers snapped up the England international while 232,598 signed Martial.

Despite concerns that they might not be able to replicate Gameweek 1 form against a Wolves side that often raised its game against top-six opposition last season, Manchester United were the better side for much of the Monday night contest.

Martial now has two goals in as many Premier League matches for Manchester United this season

They dominated possession and, even though they did not fashion as many opportunities as Rashford and Martial owners would have liked, their quality still shone through.

Manchester United’s only goal of the game came when Martial made a run just left of his centre-forward furrow, spotted by Rashford, and fired high into the net.

Despite two successive games in a row with attacking returns, there are still one or two questions hanging over the appeal of Rashford.

For the second match in a row, he was deployed on the left flank of attacking midfield, acting more often than not as a winger rather than a forward.

While Rashford was still able to link into attacking play well, it might be hard to justify the extra cost compared to Martial, who is being used as the centre-forward with a midfield classification in FPL.

Furthermore, Monday night also demonstrated that Rashford cannot always count on penalties to supplement his attacking returns either.

Despite scoring one last week against Chelsea, Rashford was not considered for the one Paul Pogba (£8.6m) won in the second half at Molineux.

The two players had a quick discussion before the Frenchman took the spot-kick, only to see his powerful effort saved by Rui Patrício (£5.0m).

Another penalty miss for Pogba sparked a post-match media inquisition into Manchester United’s spot-kick set-up

Pogba has now missed four penalties in 2019 while Rashford has scored all four he has ever taken in his career so far.

Understandably, with Manchester United not winning the game, there was a media inquisition at full-time, in which we learned a little more about the penalty situation.

Last week, Rashford insisted there was no penalty taker, although, at Molineux, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirmed that the Englishman and Pogba form a designated duo.

“The two of them are the designated penalty shooters. It is up to them, there and then who feels that this is mine. Sometimes players just feel that they’re confident enough to score. Paul has scored so many penalties for us and Patrício made a good save. You can see the slides, they’re on the powerpoint. No (it doesn’t change). Not at all. The two of them have been very confident and of course last week Marcus scored a goal, I’m sure he would have liked to take this one but Paul was confident. I like players full of confidence.” – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

“Paul wanted to take it. Everyone can miss a penalty. He has scored countless penalties for us and throughout his career. It’s normal to miss one. We forget about that one and we go again. It’s simple. If you want to take it, you take it. But I took one last week so it’s no problem for him to take one this week. Like I said, it’s unfortunate he didn’t score but that’s football.” – Marcus Rashford

While Martial appears not to be in the frame for penalties, the case for his inclusion remains strong.

His goal at Molineux was the 50th of his Manchester United career, with no other colleague netting as many since the Frenchman’s debut in September 2015.

Owners of Manchester United defenders can probably consider themselves very unlucky not to capitalise on a second clean sheet in a row.

The Red Devils were in control for large spells of the game, in contrast to their previous meetings with Wolves.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men have typically risen to the occasion against the top six, especially Manchester United, but they were somewhat subdued for most of Monday night.

They largely sat deep in an attempt to soak up pressure in the first half, which did initially limit Rashford and Martial’s ability to use their pace to exploit space.

However, Wolves’ creative midfield players were stifled by Manchester United, meaning that the home side were limited to playing long balls forward.

Harry Maguire was commanding in the air for Manchester United on Monday night

This made life very easy for Harry Maguire (£5.5m) in particular, who won virtually every header all night.

Also making a big impact on Manchester United’s defensive potential this season is Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.5m).

The right-back kept Diogo Jota (£6.5m) quiet and ensured he played a peripheral part in the match.

The Portuguese international will have disappointed his 11.3% ownership as he was forced out very wide for much of Monday night. Two matches in a row without any attacking returns for him and Raúl Jiménez (£7.5m) will certainly give their owners itchy feet especially with Teemu Pukki (£6.7m) rising in popularity.

Jota (left) had a quiet game for Wolves on Monday night

However, there are still mitigating factors for Wolves’ forwards, to some extent. Gameweek 1 saw them play very soon after a 6,000-mile round-trip to Armenia, while it has to be said that Manchester United defended very well on Monday night.

The additions of Maguire and Wan-Bissaka looked to have had a positive effect on the Red Devils’ back-line.

The right-back is also slowly offering more creativity too. In the second half, Wan-Bissaka was making more advanced runs and set up two opportunities for Jesse Lingard (£6.5m).

In the end, the only thing that could breach Manchester United’s defence was a world-class goal from Neves.

Anyone who has ever seen the Portuguese midfielder score for Wolves should have a pretty good idea of what his latest one looked like.

Joao Moutinho (£5.5m) played a ball to him on the edge of the box which he stroked marvellously into the top corner off the crossbar to a roaring Molineux ovation.

Neves scored a trademark goal against Manchester United

While such a goal will have frustrated owners of Manchester United defenders, it won’t be every week they face arguably the best finisher from distance in the Premier League.

Wolves certainly pushed the Red Devils in the closing stages, buoyed by Neves’ goal, but Solskjaer’s men held on for the point.

It makes for encouraging clean sheet potential when Crystal Palace come to Old Trafford in Gameweek 3.

Finally, there are some concerns over Matt Doherty’s (£6.0m) fitness after he limped off at half-time.

There were reports that the right wing-back was struggling in the warm-up but according to the local press, Nuno said Doherty would be “okay tomorrow.”

His departure at the interval allowed Adama Traore (£5.0m) to replace him and it was the pacey wide-man who was the spark for Wolves coming back into the game.

“Traore was able to impact the game directly. We keep trusting him, keep giving him chances to make his impact.” – Nuno Espirito Santo

Members Analysis

ACCESS THE MEMBERS AREA ENTRY FOR WOLVES VS MAN UNITED

ACCESS THE MEMBERS AREA HOME PAGE

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI (3-5-2): Patrício; Boly, Coady, Bennett; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Doherty (Traoré 46′); D Jota (Neto 86′), Jiménez (Cutrone 90+1′).

Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelöf, Wan-Bissaka; McTominay, Pogba; Rashford (A Pereira 89′), Lingard (Mata 80′), D James (Greenwood 89′); Martial.

Lessons learned from Gameweek 2

1,038 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Is Digne alright?

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It’s a hammy and he’s going for a scan. Suspect it’ll come down to the last minute. Friday night doesn’t help.

    2. Murder On Zidanesfloor
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Misses Friday imo

  2. TeddiPonza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What to with this?

    Pope Button
    VvD Digne Zinchenko Montoya Lundstram
    Salah Sterling Perez Trossard Dendoncker
    Wilson Kane Greenwood

    2 FT and 0m in bank

    Thanks

  3. SALVA
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    TAA, Wilson, Perez -> KdB, Pukki, Söyüncü -4?

    Yay's or Nay's?

    1. Visionaries
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Absolutely.

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      See I’m not convinced actually. Would rather keep Trent and find another swap for Wilson Perez.

  4. The Beer Baron
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I haven't watched much of Watford this season...
    So does King to Deeney or Deulofeu seem like a good idea, up until the international break in 2 weeks? ( I plan to use WC)

    Bournemouth have City +Leicester
    Watford have West Ham + Newcastle

  5. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best Midfield Player with 8.5 Or Less ?

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Siggy if Everton can get their finger out. On form, Martial could be decent though and saves some money

    2. Murder On Zidanesfloor
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Martial

  6. Hairy Potter
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Am I kidding myself that Martial + Rashford is better medium term than Kane + 5.0mid?

    1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      United fan?

    2. In a Rush
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It’s the 5m mid part I think is the problem there.

      1. Murder On Zidanesfloor
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Captaincy makes kane the better option

  7. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Hey lads. 🙂

    Roll FT, giving Pérez/Sigurdsson one more week, then get Son/KDB in next week? 1.3 ITB 1FT

    Pope // Button
    TAA VVD Digne Zinchenko // Rico
    Salah Sterling(c) Sigurdsson Pérez// Dendoncker
    Pukki Jota // Greenwood

    Thanks a bunch !

    1. robt
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Having same dilemma. Don't know whether to give one or both another week. Can bring in Martial and KDB.

  8. cheeky moses
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pull the trigger?

    Salah, Fraser, Wilson > KDB, Martial, Kane (-4)

    1. Freaki
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      If you don’t have any Pool attackers you need one at least

    2. KunDogan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Keep Salah, better than Kane for long term

  9. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Hi

    I have Martial and Sterling, no Pool?
    A) Rashford, KdB, 4.0 def
    B) 4.5, Mané, Walker

  10. NUFCAndrew
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Does anyone have any ideas what to do with this?. 2 FTs & 0.5 ITB

    Ryan Button

    Robbo VVD Digne Zinchenko Lundstram

    Salah Sterling Martial Perez Dendoncker

    Wilson King Greenwood

  11. Wakanda
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    WC Imminent ?
    Current Lineup
    Heaton
    Arnold,Vandijk, Zinchenko,Walker Peters
    Sterling Martial Salah James
    Jota, Vardy

  12. NUFCAndrew
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wilson or King out for Pukki?

    1. Phil's Stamps
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I just did King out for him

  13. Lestat
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    who should I choose here:

    A – Sigurdsson, Rashford (IN), Firmino

    or

    B – Mount (IN), Rashford (IN), Kane(IN) – 4 pt hit

    I just really want Kane at home to Newcastle

    Thoughts??

  14. wagner is king
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    King , lucas moura and TAA
    for
    martial ,puki and Wan b
    for minus 4
    ??