Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 4

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout guide to FPL Gameweek 4, the final round of fixtures before the first international break of the season.

And what a blistering start it’s been with clean sheets in short supply – as Neale noted in his Big Numbers article:

[only] three clean sheets have been recorded by the ‘big six’ in total after three Gameweeks, as many as Liverpool managed themselves in the same period last season.

Holly revealed on the Scoutcast that she’s already moved away from her double-up on The Red’s back-line, although Luke still has faith in Manchester City and Liverpool’s defences. For those who feel the dearth of clean sheets is set to continue, Joe took a look at attacking defenders. Chelsea’s Emerson (£5.5m) stood out with 4 of his 6 goal attempts arriving in the box.

The Chelsea left-back was also the subject of a members-only article, examining his credentials ahead of a good run of fixtures for The Blues between Gameweeks 4 to 12.

Raheem Sterling (£12.3m) got involved with FPL last weekend, replying to a tweet from Scoutcast regular Andy. This week, the England international is once again one of the main armband contenders. David noted in the Captaincy Video that Sterling has had seven ‘Big Chances’, two more than fellow premium-midfielder Mohamed Salah (£12.5m).

Both players make the Scout Picks for Gameweek 4, which features a Manchester City triple-up ahead of Brighton’s visit to the Etihad. Kevin de Bruyne (£9.7m) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.5m) join Sterling. TheFantasyFreÆK noted in his hot topic article:

Zinchenko created 5 chances in Man City’s game vs Bournemouth, and that makes him second only to Trent in defenders for chances created since the season began.

Making his first appearance of the season in the Scout Picks is West Ham’s Sébastien Haller (£7.4m), tipped to do well by all four pundits. The French centre-forward will be up against a Norwich defence that has conceded more shots on target than any other side and let in the highest number of goals so far with eight.

With an attractive set of fixtures, West Ham have a number of players who could offer points returns over the coming weeks. David, when taking an in-depth look at their credentials, concluded that: 

While there could be value in waiting for one more match to assess the Hammers’ players, those who are brave enough to select one for Gameweek 4 could well benefit.

Although Mark McGettigan (aka The FPL General) advocates the importance of saving a transfer ahead of the international break:

Injuries often occur during internationals (most of which turn out to be nothing more than a sore toe) but it is comforting having those two frees available if you do get unlucky with a few knocks.

The only exception to that rule, he noted, is the on-fire Teemu Pukki (£7.0m). Fellow Irishman Matt Kearney (aka Bowstring the Carp) concurred:

With [Pukki’s] high ownership he will certainly do a lot of damage if you don’t have him.

Pukki is the outstanding captain pick for those who feel like venturing away from expensive players like Sterling and Salah. David dives into the stats and draws his conclusions in the regular Captain Sensible article. 

Going in the opposite direction to The FPL General, MINUS FOUR (aka “The James Bond of FPL”) suggest that managers shouldn’t be afraid of playing aggressively and taking a -8 if they need to. Employing such an approach last season, MINUS FOUR finished inside the top 300 overall.

The major team news is the absence of Anthony Martial (£7.7m). The Frenchman is the most-sold player ahead of the Gameweek 4 deadline, with nearly half a million managers ruthlessly showing him the door. Rotation’s Alter Ego started a hot topic on potential replacements

14 Premier League clubs had midweek matches with the second round of the League Cup getting underway, while Wolves progressed through the Europa League qualifying rounds. For managers worried about fatigue, FP Elephant has collected the minutes for the popular players.

For fans of puns and Star Trek, Greyhead has served up a treat with his review of The Great and The Good. You’ll be tickled to learn that “Mark continues to Klingon to top spot”… 

For those of you still reading this article, G-Whizz brought us the DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds for Gameweek 4: Manchester City record a whopping DS of 762. While for Scandinavians and lovers of all things fantasy, Meltens and TallestJohn have once again kindly provided us with their regular articles.

Meltens previews Gameweek 22 in Fantasy Allsvenskan and TallestJohn gives us his guide to Gameweek 19 in Eliteserien Fantasy. Updates on the respective FFS mini-leagues in Eliteserien and Allsvenskan are found later in this article.

To view all our discussions please visit our Hot Topics page, and if you’ve got some analysis, scout reports or features brewing, be sure to visit our community section to submit your article.

If you’re a member and are yet to get to grips with the custom statistics tables, you can view this movie for an explanation of how they work. Also, remember to tag them so that people can find the tables with ease.

COMMUNITY TOURNAMENTS

Gareth Mantle is the new leader of our Fantasy Football Scout mini-league and is up to twentieth overall in only his second season. Gareth Triple Captained Kane in Gameweek 1, Wildcarded in Gameweek 2, and played his Bench Boost in Gameweek 3. Will he play his Free Hit in Gameweek 4?

There are currently 42,801 managers participating in the Fantasy Football Scout mini-league, to join them enter code ooyz44 in your Leagues’ section on the FPL site. 

Tom Foster moves to the top of our FFS Members mini-league and, unlike Gareth, is yet to play a chip. This is Tom’s twelfth FPL season. Currently 76th overall, his best finish is 48th in 2017/18. One to watch!

The code to join the FFS Members League can be found on the Members page

In TorresMagic’s Last Man Standing the safety score for Gameweek 3 was 36, this saw 217 managers eliminated. Over 3,900 will take part in Gameweek 4 when the threshold for elimination remains at 5%.

It is possible to enter the competition up until Gameweek 22 using the code bcvy39, however you must pass all the previous safety scores to qualify. Aside from bragging rights, the winner will receive a free Fantasy Football Scout Membership for the 2020/21 season.

Steve Horan (aka FPL Fairy) has seen his lead at the top of the FFS Mods & Cons mini-league cut to a point by FFS founder Mark Sutherns. Mark gained attacking returns from six of his front seven on his way to 70 points in Gameweek 3.

Gareth Oakes held onto first place in RedLightning’s Top 10k Any Season mini-league. Gareth played his Wildcard in Gameweek 3 and is now 447th overall. A good week for Gareths! Managers with a top 10k finish may join the league using the code m0tq9y.

Frenchman Francois Jacquemot has a 13-point lead in Chaballer’s Top 1,000 HoF League and is up to 56th in the overall standings. Shyam Kumar moves into second spot, his faith in Sébastien Haller was repaid as the West Ham forward contributed 13 points to an impressive Gameweek score of 80 points.

2017/18 champion Yusuf Sheikh leapfrogged 2016/17 champion Ben Crabtree to take the lead in the FPL Champions League. Yusuf used one of his free transfers in Gameweek 3 to bring in Mason Mount. He was immediately rewarded with 8 points courtesy of a goal and a bonus point. Run by 2014/15 FPL winner Simon March (aka Dufflinks) to qualify for this mini-league you must have won FPL!

In the FFS Eliteserien mini-league Svein Johansen consolidated his place at the top with an excellent 80 points in Gameweek 19. He climbs one place to sixth overall. Eirik Pedersen deployed his Attack! Attack! chip to good effect gaining 83 points and moving into second spot in the FFS mini-league. The Attack! Attack! chip enables your strikers to score double points. Eirik is 17 points behind Svein heading into Round 20.

Daniel Sebestyen slips to second in the FFS Allsvenskan mini-league as Henrik Mäkitalo takes over at the top. Henrik’s captain Sead Haksabanovic contributed 30 points to his impressive total of 91. This sees Henrik move up to a nosebleeding second overall, just two points off first place. Third in the FFS mini-league is Simon Eriksson. Simon sits at eighth place in the overall standings with Daniel in seventh. 

Finally, Boris Bodega previewed a forthcoming community tournament called “The Pundits Playoff“. To join send an email to punditsplayoff@gmail.com with your FFS Username, FPL ID# and the pundit(s) you wish to name your team after. Entries close on Friday 13 September.

If you are running a community tournament and would like the latest scores included in future Community Round-Ups, please email us a summary of the current leaders and a link to your league, spreadsheet or head-to-head competition at geoff@fantasyfootballscout.co.uk


TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

2,901 Comments Post a Comment
  1. RyanKent14
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Gtg for this week?

    Ryan
    Taa Laporte Soyuncu
    Salah Sterling kdb McGinn
    Pukki Haller Abraham

    Button Cantwell Kelly Lund

    Bench in order yeah?

    1. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I think I would play Cantwell over Mcginn this week

  2. Weilong7
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    best replacement for martial?

    mcginn
    maddison
    F.anderson / lanzini
    cantwell / buendia

    thanks!

    1. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Keep and give your benchfodders game time

    2. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I don't rate UTD players this season, especially flakey martial so I'd get rid.
      Cantwell or Mcginn short term, maybe make room for a better player long term.

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

        Martial had two goals and an assist from three games.

        What would he have needed to do to catch your fine eye?

        1. Kudo Warrior
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          He's notorious for being flakey with form and UTD are nowhere near a team that we should invest in them long term.

          I prefer picking long term picks where possible.

      2. Weilong7
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        just got martial in last gw.. unlucky with the injury 🙁

        1. Eastman
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Me too but keeping

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

    Can we just have a vote on Greenwood? A lot of people seem to be affected by this when choosing bench order, or even possibly starting him.

    In your opinion will he start for Utd today - yes or no? Share your reasoning if you like.

    1. YuvalFPL
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      yup

      1. Kudo Warrior
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Yes.

    2. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      No

    3. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      No. Rashford plays centrally with James one flank and Lingard, Mata or Periera on the other

      1. Pranav Santhosh
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        This

    4. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      no

    5. Laen_inside
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      There really is no way of knowing. One thing for certain though is that this game is a must-NOT-lose for united. So I wouldn't be surprised if he went with experience over youth.

    6. the dom 1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      No but he will come off the bench around the 55-60 min mark imo

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

      I'm currently on no, he won't start. On one hand Solskjaer has been very good at giving some of the younger players game time but on the other it's a (tricky?) away game.

    8. DontPiqueTooSoon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I think he will start with James/Greenwood/Rashford as the 3 up top.

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

        This would be tasty

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

      I don't think he'll start. I think Rashford is ahead of him in terms of central striker position and James, Mata and Pereira are ahead of him for wide positions. Just my thoughts, I don't have him in my squad and don't really care if he does or doesn't start.

    10. The Chosen One...
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      As a United fan, I think he'll start. Ole wasn't impressed with Lingard last match and took him off for Greenwood quite early. That leaves Mata and Pereira who don't offer what Greenwood does, especially with Martial out

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

        Did you hear Ole's comments on Lingard? Opposite of unimpressed.

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

      Yes, Ole’s banged on and on about this kid, now’s the chance to see what he can do.

    12. beetlejuice
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Worst is to have him as 1st sub and can not be sure what to hope for.

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

    Mount or Lanzini?

    1. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Mount

  5. Laen_inside
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Thoughts on Aguaro triple C?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Could be huge

    2. Arse Craic
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Keep for double GW's

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

        People say this but then double GWs rarely work out as expected (rotation etc). I'm starting to thing one super fixture can be better

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

          Than just do it.

    3. Andy'81
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'd still prefer to keep my chips for DGW's, Pool might have an early one thanks to the world club cup.

    4. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Keep the chip for a DGW

  6. Gazpilicueta
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How many goals does he have to score before I actually consider Pukki captain? man hes tempting me....

    1. Arse Craic
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He is due a brace today 🙂

      1. Gazpilicueta
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        What's an Arse Biscuit?

  7. Optic1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Decided to bring in Barnes last night as I had the exact money. Looking at benching him this week (not sure if that's a smart move).

    Ryan
    TAA Robertson Zichenko Digne
    Salah McGinn KDB Sterling(c)
    Pukki Greenwood

    4.0 Barnes Lundstram Dendoncker

    WC still in hand. How's she looking and what are thoughts on bench and order?

    Good luck this week everyone.

    1. Puncheon Guly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Barnes over Greenwood

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I had Barnes on WC and did not go with him for the reason of having to bench him vs LFC. Just feels wrong benching him. I cannot see him hauling this weekend either.

    3. the dom 1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I feel my reds will concede 1 at least which will probably be by Barnes but my fingers are crossed for a CS

      3 - 1 LIV

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Fellow Red here mate. Pool defence to keep cleanie today.

    4. Optic1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Looks like a tough one. Maybe the way to look at it is from the Greenwood angle... what's he like?

  8. George James
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best option?

    1) Ederson / TAA / Mings

    2) Pope / VVD / Laporte

    3) Pope / TAA / Zinchenko

    1. YuvalFPL
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      3

    2. Muscout
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      3

  9. MikeLowrey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Martial to Mount (-4) - missed the price rises
    B) Martial to Maddo (-4)
    C) Hold and play Cantwell

    1. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      C

    2. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      C

    3. micsway
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hold

  10. YuvalFPL
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    WC team has pepe over KDB, genius or moron?

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Get Pepe in two weeks time, KDB for this GW

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

      I prefer KDB. We haven't really seen what Pepe is capable of yet.KDB is n good form with good fixtures ahead.

      1. YuvalFPL
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        I just have this horrible feeling he's going to destroy spurs this weekend and I want to feel smug at work..

    3. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Could be genius but likely moron 🙂

  11. Kudo Warrior
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Should I stick with Firm and Kane or should I take one out for Pukki? And if so who?

    1. YuvalFPL
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      pukki party...

  12. TheGrumpyManager
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Thought on Greenwood? Could he be in starting XI?

    1. Union_Jacks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yes, quite possibly imo.

  13. Michelle Davin
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    If I made a min 4 and play my wildcard after I dont lose 4 points right?

    1. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yes

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

      The minus 4 is wiped out

  14. Gorbitz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What would you do here:

    Adrian
    Digne AWB Boly
    Sterling KDB Mane Mount
    Pukki Kane Greenwood

    (Button, Lundst, Dendonck, Dunk)

    0 itb. 1 ft

    A) Kane -> Haller
    B) save ft and get Kun next gw?
    C) anything else?

    1. BOATIES FC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B

  15. The Frenchie
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wan Bissaka or Cantwell in the XI?

    1. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Cantwell. Utd will not keepa a cleanie, may even lose!

  16. Judders
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Team is:
    Pope Button
    Coleman VVD Robo Zin Lunstram
    Salah Martial Sterl (C) Lanzini Dendoncker
    King Pukki Greenwood.

    Im really considering a -8 to take out Martial and Robertson for KDB and Van Aanholt or possibly Maitland Niles. .1 short from just Martial to KDB. Holding Siggy killed me. Pull the trigger or hold the knee? Thanks

  17. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Who to start kiddies?

    A Dendo
    B AM Niles
    C Greenwood ( maybe a goal off the bench?)

    1. Kudo Warrior
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

  18. Dele
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    On a WC and need help with my last decision...

    A) Laporte & Greenwood
    or
    B) Söyüncü/Mings & Barnes

    1. Arse Craic
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B) Söyüncü/Mings & Barnes

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

        Churrsss

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

      What can you do if you go Zink instead of laporte?

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

        Not get Barnes unfortunately!

  19. 4-6-0
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    On WC
    Pope button
    Taa zinchenko digne kelly lund
    Salah sterling kdb martial Cantwell
    Pukki barnes 4.5

    a) keep martial, bench him til next gw (play cantwell and barnes)

    B) take advantage of wc and just get mount or McGinn

  20. FantasyFS007
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Ings, Greenwood, Fraser - start, first sub, second sub?

  21. HeHeFC
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    King > Haller (-4) anyone?

    1. Gazpilicueta
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      sure, i like this.

  22. Muscout
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pope
    TAA, WB, Digne
    Salah (vc), Sterling (c), De Bruyne, Mount
    Wilson, Pukki, Greenwood

    Lundstram, Dedon, Rico

    Bench in the right order? Greenwood worth starting over Lund / Dedon?

  23. Firmino
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Martial, Wickham -> Cantwell, Haller -4
    B) Martial -> F. Anderson
    C) Martial -> B. Silva

  24. Gazpilicueta
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I am thinking of doing

    Rico and Jota
    to
    Soyuncu and Tammy A

    This would allow me to keep Martial for when he is back, and I would be very happy with my team. thoughts anyone??

  25. jorgenoj
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Martial + King --> Mount + Haller for -4?

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

      Did Martial > Mount, now considering King > Haller (-4) myself.

  26. BadgersBoys
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Martial, Kane > Mount, Kun - 4??
    Please help.

    1. FantasyFS007
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      for this week yes, but long term you'd probably want to bring them back (also Kane loves playing arsenal so even short term it's not definite)

      1. BadgersBoys
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Thanks. Thats my thinking.

  27. Don Rogers FC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Is there a breakfast club cast today? If so, how do I find it?

  28. BOATIES FC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Play Cantwell or Maitland-Niles?

    1. Danstoke82
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Cantwell

  29. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Who to start?

    A) Greenwood
    B) Lundstram
    C) Deondocker

    Thanks in advance

    1. micsway
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Lund

  30. Sting
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    best defender for 5m max?