Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 5

It’s back to business for FPL managers after the first international break of the season. The Fantasy Football Scout Gameweek Guide returns to round-up all the latest goings-on covering captaincy, team news, stats (yes, even xG), and opinion. And find out exactly what Az meant when he said Joe had:

Taken all the ‘wild’ out of a Wildcard.

Let’s start with the perennial captain dilemma – who should we trust with the armband this week?

The main contenders once again come from Liverpool and Manchester City. Salah currently leads this site’s captain poll with 35%, while opinion is split between City pair Sterling and Aguero on 21% and 14% respectively.

Part of Salah’s appeal is that he is fully rested: the international break was a proper football break for him. Whereas Sterling started both matches for England, playing the full 90 minutes in the second match. FP Elephant kindly summarised the player activity over the international fixtures, while David goes into more detail in his Scout Notes.

To help us decide who we should trust, David dissects the credentials of the leading candidates in his Captain Sensible article. Examining player stats, opposition stats, and the RMT before making his conclusion. Neale also offered his opinion in the Captaincy Video he did with Joe.

Newcastle-fan Neale pointed out that the Magpies are likely to set up defensively with no real attacking ambition. However, discussing Norwich’s ability to contain Manchester City, he noted:

I don’t know whether Daniel Farke’s got it in him to really sit back and defend – he hasn’t really got the personnel to do that anyway – so I think this could be an absolute bloodbath myself.

Speaking of personnel, Neale reported in his team news article on Friday that the Canaries’ fitness issues had reached almost farcical levels: they will be without all four senior centre-halves and first-choice right-back.

So while the potential is there for City to do well, the problem for many is which of their players to get? 

Norwegian fantasy expert, Aleksander Våge Nilsen, currently eighth in the Fantasy Football Scout Career Hall of Fame, did his best to decipher ‘Pep Roulette’ in this week’s Panel Consultation. And it looks like he might be buying himself a big sofa to hide behind because Aleksander would go without Aguero:

I just have to take the unavoidable Aguero hat-tricks on the chin and hope KDB and Sterling can keep up.

His third City player, in addition to Sterling and KDB, would be a defender:

After Laporte’s long-term injury, an opportunity to go for the cheaper Otamendi has opened, and on a Wildcard, I think I would take that chance.

And it was on the subject of Wildcards that Az accused Joe of being a little boring with his picks. Joe is known, perhaps a little unkindly, as a dullard manager. Although with seven ranks in the top 10,000 he’s also a very good one. 

Joe discussed his Wildcard picks which include Nicolas Otamendi, Sterling, Salah, and KDB, and faced criticism for being too template – for turning his team into everyone else’s team. 

In his opinion piece, the FPL General urged managers to think for themselves:

It’s not about following the pack, the goal is to beat the pack… Trust your own judgement/research/instinct/eye test. FPL is a simple game which we overcomplicate. The only ‘Template’ you need to worry about is your own.

Joe, in his defence, pointed out that at this early stage of the season, player ownership numbers haven’t settled so in that sense it’s hard to define the template. One of the ways Joe picks players, we discovered, is through the “ear test”: in addition to watching games – the eye test – Joe also listens to matches on the radio. 

It was a topic that was touched upon by his latest Meet the Manager guest, Josh Landon, who wonderfully described himself as “maverick within a box”. Josh uses the eye test to help break through all of the noise, and as the FPL General counselled – to trust yourself. 

Stats also play a big part in our decision-making process, but one particular statistic that receives a rather mixed response is expected goals. Essentially a measure of chance quality, there are a number of new xG stats that are available to members, and Neale explained how xG can be used

Elsewhere, David provided a members-only article on the best fourth midfielder to own. A fourth midfielder is defined as a player under £6.5m. While Neale examined Burnley’s appealing fixture run – which players should we own? Three of their number make this week’s Scout Picks.

Greyhead brought us two installments of The Great and The Good. The first looked back to how our managers fared in Gameweek 4 and the second, a treat for Adele fans, examined The Great and The Good Alumni.  

A regular hot-topic, G-Whizz collected all the DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds – no surprise that Liverpool and City are predicted to do well. While for fans of Swedish football and true fantasy lovers, Meltens previewed Gameweek 23 in Fantasy Allsvenskan.

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

Last week we decided to turn the Community Tournaments section into its own article. Updates on the latest mini-league and community run competitions can be found here.

And for those who may have missed it, registration is now open for the Pundit’s Play-Off Community Tournament. The deadline for entry is 30 September.

Best of luck for Gameweek 5!

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

2,530 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Dokdok666
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    How does the CPL defence look when all are available?
    PVA and Sakho should be nailed. Who of Tomkins/Cahill/Ward get the two other spots..?
    People say Ward should be nailed, being the only RB. But perhaps we could see a constellation of PVA/Cahill/Sakho/Tomkins, with Tomkins on the right, seeing how attacking PVA is on the left..?

    1. JonBoy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I would guess Tomkins and Ward. Kelly can play right back. Played most of his early career there.

      1. Dokdok666
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        You really think Cahill is bought for the bench? Didn't know that about Kelly

        1. JonBoy
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          He wasn't bought. It was a free. And he started most of the season on the bench behind Kelly. He's 34 before the year is out...

        2. Laen_inside
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          The pairing of Sakho & Cahill could turn out to be pretty strong

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

    Hands up for the triple captain chip o/

    1. Johnny Drama
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      On who?

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

        Sterling

    2. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      o/

    3. Hedge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      o/
      Activated this morning on KDB

  3. Ibra
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Is Otamendi best City defender for long-term?

    1. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      As nailed as any other City def under Pep - meaning just ride it out for now and adjust when the time comes

    2. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Probably.

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

    what to do with this team with 0.9 ITB & 0 FT left

    Pope
    TAA Digne Montoya Lundstram
    Sterling(c) Mane KDB Mount
    Rashford Pukki

    Button AWB Cantwell Wickham

    a. AWB to walker/Otamendi (-4)
    b. Rashford to Vardy/Haller/Barnes (-4)
    c. Rashford + Mane to Haller/Barnes + Salah (-8)
    d. AWB + Mane to Otamendi + Salah (-8)
    e. Hit is injurious to health & Rank

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      None of the hits seem worth it

    2. SiSenor
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Just hold

  5. Our Man Charlie
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pope 4.0
    Dunk AWB DigneLund Diop
    Mane Sterling KDB Cantwell Dend
    Firmino Rash Pukki

    With 2ft in the back pocket and 0.0itb I am running out of ideas for this gameweek, so many tempting options 🙁
    My original plan was no hits and AWB to TAA and Rash to Barnes but with the latter choice Barnes flagged and Rash could be on pens due to the Utd injury list ..... please any help is welcome

    1. Squib
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Needs LIV defender definitely.
      AWB - VVD?
      Rash - Haller?

      1. Our Man Charlie
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        cheers Squib good shout too , worried about Firmino mins too due to international break but hes a player on form

    2. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Barnes is fine. Wouldn't make my decisions based on hoping a penalty might happen.

      1. Our Man Charlie
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        thanks Pluma yes thats true and utd have been terrible atm and Burnley fixtures are too good to ignore

  6. Squib
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Help a brother out. What would you do?
    I want Emerson and Ceballos out but do I save ft this week?

    Pope Button
    TAA Digne Emerson Zich Lund
    Salah Sterling McGinn Ceballos Dendo
    Aguero Pukki Greenwood

    1FT
    0.2 ITB
    Wildcard

    1. Our Man Charlie
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I would save, Cebalios could be gold for the forthcoming fixtures any ideas for mine above , struggling too for decisions

    2. SiSenor
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Just bench Emerson and play Lund save FT

      1. Squib
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        What about playing Greenwood over Emerson?

    3. Optic1
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      If you don't want to wait on Emerson (good fixture run coming and some great underlying stats) then you could downgrade to a 4.5 for this week and play the 452. Then next week look to bump up Cab, Dendo or Greenwood to a 352 or 343 option with the money itb.

    4. OleGGMU
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      The way i read your team id say you can go 4-4-2
      Taa,dig,lund,zinch
      Sal,sterl,mcginn
      Puk,aguero
      Which is not bad at all
      Though ,yes for this gw it screams extra mid/fwd
      Emerson is flagged, honestly dont know anything about it
      So if you really feel Ceballos is too big a risk then chuck otherwise save that ft.

  7. JabbaWookiee
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Ok enough is enough. Going with the safe, balanced option on the WC. Going without Kun but something had to give.

    Heaton / Button
    TAA / Digne / Lowton / Lundstram / Hanley
    Salah / Sterling / KdB / James / Guendouzi
    Haller / Barnes / Pukki
    0.0 itb

    Job done.

    1. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      no Auba
      no go

      1. JabbaWookiee
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Don’t buy that at all. And get rid of whom exactly?

        1. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          You have spent a WC on the current template. Not sure what you are trying to achieve. In a week or two most of those will be has beens.

          you need to try and be ahead of the curve.

          GL

          1. JabbaWookiee
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            Ok (a) they’re template for a reason - most seasoned players realise these guys are most likely to bring in the points in the coming several GWs (b) it’s not a time for differentials, it’s a time to keep up with the pack and (c) I don’t trust arsenal one jot, nor do I enjoy owning their players. I do get your point but unfortunately I don’t have a crystal ball.

    2. Dokdok666
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Love the avatar, one of my all time favourite characters

      1. JabbaWookiee
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Paulie and I appreciate it

    3. The_Fish
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Hanley?

      1. JabbaWookiee
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Go on... Better 4.0?

    4. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Great team

  8. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sorry for the typo in the previous page.

    Bench one

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      What??

    2. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yes definitely

    3. JJO
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I benched him

  9. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bench one:

    Wan B
    Lundstram
    Pukki
    Coleman

    1. primal33
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Lund

  10. primal33
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bench Montoya or Dendonker?

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Dendoncker

    2. Meinhoff
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Dendo

    3. JJO
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Bench one:
      Maguire
      Lundstram
      Coleman
      Mount

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Lundstram

      2. JJO
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Sorry,that should be my own post
        Dendo for you

  11. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    A) Jota > Barnes
    B) Jota & Kelly > Barnes & Lundstram (Play 5 at back) -4
    C) Dendoncker & V Dijk > James & Lundstram (play 442) -4

    Pope
    TAA, VDijk, Digne, Zinchencko
    Salah, Sterling, KDB, Cantwell
    Pukki, Jota

    Button, Dendoncker, Greenwood, Kelly*

    1. Mesh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  12. Big_Andy_GAWA
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Ceballos or Yarm (WHU), folks? Also currently have Guen (ARS).

    Thanks.

  13. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Personally think the expectations on City are too high this GW.

    I expect them to win, but people on here are predicting 8-0 or more. Norwich may have injuries, but they are still a professional football team and know how to organise themselves.

    1. Laen_inside
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      True.. It never usually is the cricket score people expect. The only real concern will be if Norwich concede within the first 5 minutes

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        If I'm honest, even if I would want to, I can't park the bus because I have no defensive players any more."

        -Farke

    2. windowview
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Nah

    3. Indalo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      True, but City have destroyed plenty of teams with far fewer injuries.

    4. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah, look at when LFC destroyed them 1st half at Anfield. They played very well 2nd half.

      Sure the are buggered in defence at the moment but does not mean they are going to roll over and die at home.

    5. CARROW ROAD
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      It would be at least without injuries let alone with injured. I think something like 7-3 is likely

      1. Laen_inside
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Is that a Pukki hattrick?? 😀

    6. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      They literally dont have any defenders available. Even a top team like City would struggle if their entire defense was out

  14. Oggle22
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Triple Captain:
    A) Kun
    B) Sterling
    C) Salah
    D) Save

    Cheers

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Kun

  15. Meinhoff
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    RMWCT

    Pope
    TAA • Ota • Lund • Soy • Montoya
    Salah • KDB • Sterling • Ceballos • Cantwell
    Haller • Pukki • Kean

  16. TheJoker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    A:Van Dijk/Kelly/Barnes
    B:Mings/Pieters/Callum Wilson

    1. Mesh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  17. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bench one.

    Cantwell
    Montoya
    Guibert

    Thanks.

    1. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Cantwell

      1. EmreCan Hustle
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers

      2. JJO
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        +1

  18. The Wizard of Ozil
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    A) TAA, Salah & Abraham

    Or

    B) Soy(rotation with Lund), Mane & Aubameyang

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

    2. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      B

    3. SiSenor
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  19. Crisnel Ronessi
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Any questions?

  20. gooner_112233445566
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pope
    Vvd digne lund (Montoya) (rico)
    Sterling kdb salah mount lanzini
    Pukki Jimenez (Greenwood)

    1.2 itb 1 ft
    A) pukki OUT for c Wilson
    B) Jimenez OUT for c Wilson
    C) save ft
    D) other suggestions...

    Please help

  21. Lingard’s Shin Guards
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Play 1 and put the other 2 in bench order -

    Montoya, Cantwell, Soyuncu

    1. The Wizard of Ozil
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I’d play Montoya

    2. Crisnel Ronessi
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Mont

  22. Fpl Richie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Currently playing Pukki and Lundstram.

    First bench?
    A. Greenwood
    B. Dendoncker
    C. Rico
    D. Change starters

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

    2. Bishopool
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  23. Gunnergirl
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    King to Haller for -4?

    1. gooner_112233445566
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      No

    2. Bishopool
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      No

    3. Gunnergirl
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Thanks

  24. Rinseboy
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Milner expected to start? taking pens from Salah?

    1. JonBoy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Wouldn't rule it out.

  25. Bishopool
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Transfer Murray -> Wesley?

    Both home, but maybe give Murray a last chance and save FT for next week..

    Bank: 0.2

  26. 03farmboy
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Is there any nailed 4.0m defenders to replace kelly with now he’s injured?

  27. boroie
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Have Martial... do I...

    A - save the FT and let Dendoncker come in for this week
    B - get Martial out for someone

    If B, who?

    1. The_Fish
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Have the same issue.

      Probably doing A, but if doing B then Dilva

  28. windowview
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Captain Kevin, sterling or Salah?

  29. BaasB
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    WC team g2g?
    Advice welcome if not...
    I need some support to be able to put my phone down. Lol

    Pope (Button)
    TAA Otamendi Pieters Lundstram (Hanley)
    Salah Sterling Mount James (Hayden)
    Aguero (C) Barnes (Pukki)

    0.2m in bank

    1. The_Fish
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Hanley?

      1. BaasB
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        What else on max 4.2m?
        Kelly is also injured and fixtures are worse..

        So i thought Hanley... injured next game but better fixtures

  30. Dbz91
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Dilemma between two great teams...

    Also, Sterling a season keeper but concerned of his minutes today as played 90 x 2. Could be light week?

    —-Save—-
    Ederson
    Robbo, VVD, Digne, Zinch, Lund
    Salah, Sterling, Cant, Dendonck
    Wilson, Pukki, Haller

    —-WC—-
    Ederson
    TAA, Digne, Kelly, Mings, Lund
    James, Salah, KDB, Cant, Dendonc
    Aguero, Pukki, Haller

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Save, but it's hard to judge with a mid missing from the save team.