Scout Notes

Wolves rotation set to be an issue as defences struggle at Goodison Park

We were treated to a surprisingly entertaining match at Goodison Park on Sunday, with Everton edging out Wolverhampton Wanderers in a five-goal thriller.

Both sides had struggled offensively this season and came into this match having only scored three goals between them in as many Gameweeks.

We analyse the main Fantasy talking points from what was the penultimate Premier League fixture before the international break in our article below.

Everton 3-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers

  • Goals: Richarlison (£7.9m) x2, Alex Iwobi (£5.9m)| Romain Saiss (£4.4m), Raul Jimenez (£7.4m)
  • Assists: Moise Kean (£6.8m), Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.8m), Lucas Digne (£6.1m)| Willy Boly (£5.0m)

Wolves were one of the safest bets last season when it came to security of starts for their Fantasy assets.

Nuno Espirito Santo named the same starting XI for the first nine matches of the season and eight of their first-choice team started at least 34 league games – only injury likely preventing Diogo Jota (£6.4m) and Jonny (£5.5m) from doing the same.

That trustworthiness in Santo’s Premier League team selections is on the wane, however, with Wolves’ ongoing involvement in the UEFA Europa League looking like it will have a significant impact on their FPL assets.

Last week was a bit of a warning, with Leander Dendoncker (£4.5m) benched after playing the full 90 minutes in Turin less than 72 hours earlier.

There was more widespread rotation this time round, with Jota, Matt Doherty (£6.0m), Jonny and Joao Moutinho (£5.5m) all making way from the starting XI that drew with Burnley last weekend – all bar Doherty (who is set for minor knee surgery) of that quartet had played at least 80 minutes against the Serie A side on Thursday night.

Should Wolves progress to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, they will now play two games a week, every week, from now until 2020 (except during international breaks, of course).

Rotation could be here to stay then, particularly as Santo has shown a keenness to name strong teams in the Europa League.

Speaking after the match, Santo said:

It was a tough cycle, everybody knows what we’ve been through. We played Thursday night, it was a big high on emotions but we recover. Coming to Goodison Park is very difficult, even if you have 15 days of rest it’s going to be hard.

We want to play and challenge ourselves by playing two times a week against fantastic teams. The Premier League is very tough, and we have a new challenge ahead of us, but I’m proud. The cycle was tough but the answer very good.

This match saw Doherty and Jonny replaced by Adama Traore (£5.0m) and Ruben Vinagre (£4.4m) on the flanks, with the pros and cons of those two options at wing-back apparent in Sunday’s match on Merseyside.

Adama has really impressed from an attacking sense in the last fortnight and it was from one of his rampaging runs down the right that Wolves’ first goal came: Lucas Digne (£6.1m), who struggled against the former Middlesbrough man, unable to stop a cross that eventually found its way to goalscorer Romain Saiss (£4.4m).

The defensive side of Adama’s game has always been in question though and Wolves look less secure at the back with him in the side.

Indeed, Alex Iwobi (£5.9m) left Adama for dead for Everton’s second goal, nipping in front of the stand-in wing-back to head the Toffees back in front.

Vinagre is arguably less of a secure option than Jonny on the opposite side, too, and it was noticeable how many crosses Everton managed to fire over in this match: only Crystal Palace attempted more in Gameweek 4.

The pair couldn’t be blamed much for Everton’s other two goals, though: Conor Coady (£5.0m) and Rui Patricio (£5.1m) getting in a mix-up for Richarlison‘s (£7.9m) opener and Willy Boly (£5.0m) caught ball-watching for the Brazilian’s headed winner.

Boly was then sent off for a second bookable offence late on and will miss Gameweek 5.

Speaking after full-time, Santo said of his side’s defending:

Very bad. We made mistakes that usually we don’t, but it’s part of the process, keep on going and work.

I wish I had the answer, but it’s work – lack of communication, it happens, I’ve been there, I know how it is.

Both situations of crossing and players coming from behind attacking the box, we should defend better.

All of a sudden, with Boly suspended, Doherty’s fitness an issue, rotation a possibility and the wing-back understudies not offering that same amount of protection, Wolves’ defence isn’t quite looking the formidable unit it did in Gameweek 1.

Santo gave the following update on Doherty after full-time:

He has to have a small surgery. It’s something that is bothering him. I don’t know [how long he’ll be out]. We have to keep on giving him time to recover, first the pain that he has in the knee, then back to fitness.

Further forward, there was frustration for Jota’s owners as he emerged as a second-half substitute for the dreaded one-pointer – his sixth straight blank in FPL.

Jimenez was fairly quiet all told but popped for his second league goal in as many games, nodding in from close range following a Boly flick-on.

Patrick Cutrone (£5.8m) was arguably the Wolves forward who most impressed, with his movement bright early on – although there understandably wasn’t the same telepathic relationship with Jimenez as the Mexican shares with Jota.

It was the Italian’s near-post run that caused the chaos that led to Saiss’s goal and a promising debut from the summer signing would be a further worry for owners of Jota and Jimenez, given that the pair now have something they didn’t have last season: competition for a place up front.

Everton were also less than secure at the back.

The Toffees had ridden their luck in keeping a clean sheet against Watford in Gameweek 2, while Silva’s side had shipped two goals in the defeat to Aston Villa the week after and then again against Lincoln City in midweek.

Here their full-backs were given a torrid time by Wolves’ wide players, with Digne partly to blame for both of the visitors’ goals – although the Frenchman delivered at the other end with another assist.

The Toffees didn’t concede too many shots, at least (only Liverpool and Manchester City allowed fewer in Gameweek 4), and some frailties were to be expected given that Silva chose this game to bed in three of his summer signings: Iwobi, Moise Kean (£6.8m) and Fabian Delph (£5.4m).

The hard-working Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.9m) and Bernard (£6.5m) were benched, while defensive midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin (£4.5m) was also sacrificed from the centre of the park; Delph was impressive in his stead but is not quite the same sort of midfield spoiler as the Frenchman, the injured Jean-Philippe Gbamin (£4.9m) or, more pertinently, the departed Idrissa Gueye.

We’ll have to give the Toffees more time to see if they can recapture their impressive defensive form of the last six months but going forward, Silva’s side are starting to look more of a threat.

The front four who started today also lined up in midweek, when Everton put four past Lincoln.

Kean battled gamely without looking too much of a threat, nodding over one Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.8m) cross and getting the decisive interception that led to an assist for Richarlison’s first goal.

It was the three players behind him who most caught the eye, however.

Iwobi had a promising full league debut on the left flank, nodding in a Sigurdsson cross to put Everton 2-1 up having almost teed up the Icelandic international with a delivery from out wide early in the game.

For all the talk of Everton’s new signings, it was the tried-and-tested FPL options of Sigurdsson and Richarlison who perhaps impressed the most.

Richarlison registered two attacking returns in the same game for the first time since Gameweek 11 of last season and worked very hard for the cause, while Sigurdsson’s distribution was excellent and he arguably merited more than the five FPL points he collected for his efforts.

Confidence has always looked key to Richarlison’s form, as Silva himself said after full-time:

Richarlison scored two very important goals for us and he will keep improving in our offensive moments. He is a fantastic player and a fantastic boy. How he works not just with the ball, but his work without the ball.

He is a good example to all our players and very good for our spirit inside the dressing room. We will keep working with him and he will keep improving.

He is the type of player who sometimes needs good performances and goals to win more confidence. The way he celebrated the goal against Lincoln shows how he needs those types of moments.

He started the game against Crystal Palace after just 13 days working with the team. He cannot work miracles – footballers are human also. They need time to rest and prepare. He needs time to be in the best physical condition.

Everton’s fixture schedule remains positive but Fantasy managers without representation from Silva’s side may wish to see further evidence of this new-found attacking cohesion before reviving interest in the Toffees’ midfield and forward options, given the goal drought that preceded this week.

For existing owners of Sigurdsson et al, there were at least encoraging signs going into a meeting with a porous Bournemouth side in Gameweek 5.

Members Analysis

Everton XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, André Gomes, Delph, Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Iwobi (Bernard 76′), Kean (Calvert-Lewin 76′).

Wolves XI (3-5-2): Rui Patrício, Bennett, Coady, Boly, Traoré, Dendoncker, Neves (Neto 84′), Saïss (Moutinho 59′), Vinagre, Jiménez, Cutrone (Jota 68′).

Lessons learned from Gameweek 4

2,184 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FPL_Crisis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Do we have a summary of which counties are / are not in action during IB?

    1. lespaul
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Cornwall and Devon aren't

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

        Hahahaha touché
        *countries

  2. Paulie Walnuts
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    SCMODS

  3. Hits from the Bong
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Transfers done, nice and early. Now who to bench..

    A. Dunk (BUR)
    B. Lundstram (SOU)

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

      Tough one. Toss a coin

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

    What is up with fplstatistics?

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

      Yeah a lot of wrong predictions lately

    2. WWF
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      This season's chaos

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

    VVD Jota Sigurdsson —> Lundstram Barnes KDB (-4) + 1.7ITB

    Done, so I don’t have to fanny about with it for 2 weeks.

    WC available if needed due to injuries, otherwise set!

    Pope
    TAA Digne Zinchenko Lundstram // Rico
    Salah Sterling KDB Mount // Dendoncker
    Pukki Barnes // Greenwood

    1.7 can be used in a number of places soon.

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

    Can't decide who to get in for Rashford:

    1. Barnes
    2. Tammy

    Have Haller and Pukki already

    1. Hits from the Bong
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I couldn’t either so I went with the cheaper one with better fixtures. Think Tammy will be more explosive though

    2. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Vardy?

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

        could get vardy but then i couldn't put in TAA for AWB

    3. GOONER
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      2

  7. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    When do we find out how well we did in the scout picks?

    1. Greasy Grealish Gang
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Is there any link? was wondering the same.

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hot topics.

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        My name isn't in there. Did I do something wrong?

          1. Tsparkes10
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            Aware of that. My name isn't on the drop box spreadsheet though. Will it be updated?

            1. TorresMagic™
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              That's GW3. Probably in 2 weeks, takes a while to update.

  8. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Welcome back to my team Salah. It has been amazing watching you from behind the sofa up till now but I feel like it’s time to captain you against Newcastle.

  9. PogChamp
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Got a price rise out of Douglas Luiz. Wasn't expecting that.

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

    Trying to have a 15 player squad of regular starters.
    With this in mind anyone’s thoughts on Ceballos (who I currently have).

    1. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He did look good when he came on but you need to have regular starters. Especially with European competitions starting after the break

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

        My thoughts. Have 0.9 in bank. Thinking of upgrading to Mount with this in mind

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

          he looked class, nearly scored

  11. 007 [RoboKlopp]
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Which is better option before another price rise/fall?

    A. Moura -> Mount
    B. Moura, Greenwood -> Tammy, Cantwell (-4)

    WC is still intact.
    Thanks 🙂

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

      1

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

    IMPORTANT CLARIFICATION

    I bought Wan Bisaka for 5.5 and then his price increased to be 5.6 but in my team he is still 5.5, if he drops in price from 5.6 to 5.5 will he drop in my team to 5.4 or will he remain at 5.5.

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      5.5

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

        Thanks

        Are u sure?

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Player Prices
          Player prices change during the season dependent on the popularity of the player in the transfer market. Player prices do not change until the season starts.

          The price shown on your transfers page is a player's selling price. This selling price may be less than the player's current purchase price as a sell-on fee of 50% (rounded up to the nearest £0.1m) will be applied on any profits made on that player.

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

            I don’t get which part here answers my question

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

              100% he will be 5.5 in your team if he drops to 5.5

            2. TorresMagic™
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              Can't be worth less than buying price unless under.

    2. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      7 years experience and still not figured this out? 😉

  13. Tabbara
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Hi,
    Looking to bring de Bruyne. In order to do it I have to replace Robertson with someone who is max 5.0. What is the best options for that bracket

    Thanks

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

      pieters of burnley

    2. GOONER
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      No one get Lundstram or Kelly and save the money

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

    What to do here guys?

    Current lineup for next week:

    Heaton - (Ryan)
    TAA - Zinc - Digne - (Lund - Taylor)
    Salah(c) - Sterling - Trossard - Lanzini - (Dend)
    Rash - Barnes - Pukki

    1FT & 0.7ITB. Cheers!

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

      rash out, haller or tammy in

    2. PogChamp
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Take a -4 to get KDB in?

      1. bennyp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        How?

        Trossard + Rash -> KDB + Ayew -4?

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

          Dont like to give team advice but Yeah that sounds decent

  15. UpAndAway
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone looking at Otamendi?

    1. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      yes, between him and Zinc

    2. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Is Laporte dead?

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

        Assume he's out for some time. Waiting for diagnosis.

  16. Little Frank
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best AWB replacement (0.0 itb)?
    A. Zinch
    B. Otamendi
    C. Stones
    D. Matip
    E. Keep AWB
    F. Someone else

    1. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A, C, D could lose their places or injury prone.
      B is nailed
      You want to lose AWB. 1 clean sheet in 19 matches for UTD.

  17. screamer73
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Best 4.5 defender for the next few GWs?

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

      Mings

  18. jimmy12
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What is up with Ndombele?

    Minor injury and misses a big derby

    Surely back after int break

  19. Bleh
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Which pair wins long term?

    A. James & Cantwell
    B. Mount & Hayden

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

      A

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

        Thanks, on them at the mo

  20. BigBillyBass
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    WC dilemma please help?

    A) VVD + Mings + Barnes
    B) TAA + Zinch + Ayew

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B

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

      A

    3. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      C

      1. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Don't like Mings or Ayew. Taa is a must though.

  21. 007 [RoboKlopp]
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Who is better between Tammy and Mount?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Tammy lately.

    2. AlpoShearer
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Tammy ATM

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

      Tammy

    4. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I have Mount but if Barkley continue to start I'd say Abraham

  22. AlpoShearer
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    AWB and Rashford to TAA and Haller +1,0M (-4)?
    Y or N

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

      y

      Just did AWB and Rash to TAA and Barnes as already have haller

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

        Cheers, I really think i need TAA.

  23. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    People are buying before the IB, madness!

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

      Because some people havent wasted their WC yet they can take risks with transfers. Shocking turn of events.

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

        Was gonna say this, but less aggressively 😆

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

          If there’s one thing he does well, it’s being aggressive on the internet.

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Burnt WC and took a hit, got to play a little aggressive now alraedy behind leaders in ML.

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

    Feels nice to finally look at KDB in my team rather than Sigurdsson

    1. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      just went Siggy's form improved 😉

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

        Well, slightly. One assist in 4 weeks against fairly easy opposing defenses is pretty abysmal for 8m (now 7.8)

  25. Scout15
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Any thoughts what to do with Wesley? Would you sell him?

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

      No. Keep if you have him. Unless on WC, maybe shift him then.

      Could still do alright tho

      1. Scout15
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Not on WC, and he is the only player I am considering to sell... Otherwise I would save FT
        I was hoping that he would score this week tbh. Not sure if making the same mistake if he stays...

    2. Hits from the Bong
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yep

      1. Hits from the Bong
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Don’t think Villa will score enough and he’s a bit too unselfish for fpl

        1. Scout15
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Cheers!
          Glad we don't have such a problem with Mane and Salah 😀

    3. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'd try to upgrade.

      1. Scout15
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Will consider. Cheers!

  26. Hits from the Bong
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Is this good to go? Can I go to bed for 2 weeks

    Pope
    TAA Digne Lundstram
    Sterling Mane KDB Mount
    Haller Pukki Barnes

    Button Dunk Kelly Cantwell
    £1.5m

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

      Very good!

    2. MikeS
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      same team as me but i have salah instead of mane and pieters instead of dunk

      1. Hits from the Bong
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Nice. I’ve money in the bank for Mane to Salah and Mount to Tielemans, possibly.

    3. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yes, very template though.

    4. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'd want Zinch in there

      1. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        And Salah

        1. Hits from the Bong
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Yeah, planning on Mane to Salah next week and maybe Mount and Kelly to Tielemans, and Masuaku

  27. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Do you guys think this IB will have a lot of price risers > 0.2 ?

    Maybe only Kun, Tammy as double risers ?

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

      Maybe Vardy due to big score but don’t really know.

      Those two probably will. Don’t think I’ll have either though ahah

    2. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Kun & Tammy look most likely, maybe Haller

  28. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Haller or Wilson for the striker spot?

    1. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Holla

  29. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    how long till price changes?

  30. Gentle_Turks
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Otamendi nailed while Laporte out?