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. AYLD28
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Play 2 of the below 5

    1. Lundstram
    2. Pukki
    3. O’Connell
    4. Otamendi
    5. Digne

    Currently on 1, 4, 5

    1. AYLD28
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Sorry I meant bench 2

      1. AYLD28
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        And currently benching 2, 3

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

      2&3

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

      1&3

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

    Who to have for upcoming fixtures...

    A) Pukki
    B) Jimenez

    And who scores more this gameweek only.....

    1) c Wilson
    2) jimenez

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

      B-2

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Are you keeping a record of all the answers you get? 🙂

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

        Mate I am so indecisive on this

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

          Had sort of noticed 🙂

          I’d want Wilson from 6 and Jim this time - but there again Wilson this time could work. As could Pukki long term 🙂

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

            I’m quite set on bringing Wilson in.
            Just not sure whether to bring him in for pukki or Jimenez...

  3. jatlan
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pope or Heaton
    Robertson - digne - O'Connell -Montoya - Coleman

    Think I'm on Pope and benching O'Connell. Or with the SHU home fixture, should I bench Coleman instead as already got Digne?

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

      I would bench Coleman instead. Don’t think Everton will keep cs at Bournemouth

      1. jatlan
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers, just needed a 2nd opinion, will do that, thanks. Even if EVE do get a cs then I'm covered anyway

  4. Shultan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Cap sterling or Kun?
    I've had 3 C blanks in a row

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Kun for me pal

      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Good morning, Maestro! Are you well? Long time no see ... 😀

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

      If I had aguero I would captain him. I only have sterling myself so I’m captaining sterling.

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

      There will be a pen at Carrow road today if that helps

  5. beric
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Rushed last minute wildcard

    Pope
    Engels - Lowton - Montoya
    Salah - Sterling - KDB - Mount
    Aguero(c) - Barnes - Ayew

    (Button, Doug Luiz, Lundstrum, Kelly)

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

      Good team altough id play lundstram instead of montoya this week

      1. beric
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        cheers man

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

      who needs a defence anyway

    3. WD27
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Not keen at all . Defence is the worst I've seen

      1. beric
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        says you WD27

    4. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Is that a Philosophers' Eleven? Who is this Engels? 😉

      Tl; dr you need a better defence! 😀

      1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Henderson/Heaton
        Wolves/Lundstram/Digne/x/x

        1. beric
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          are you mad, I can't afford that

          1. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 6 months ago

            I got them. 😉

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

        nah, defence is a post christmas luxury.

        Nice to see you 😉

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

    I envy Kun owners. This Salah Sterling face off is horrid. Currently on Sterling with Salah vice.

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

    Pope
    Ota, Digne, Lund
    Salah, Sterling, Mount, James
    Aguero, Tammy, Haller

    Pieters, dedonk, Kelly

    Any thoughts?

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Interesting, I could make some real imprvements by doing KDB -> James

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

        James is one concern but going to roll with it for now

  8. Luton_Fan
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    1. Play A pukki or B dunk
    2. Play A heaton or B pope
    3. Captain A sterling or B mane

    TIA

    1. kelvint93
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      1. B
      2. B
      3. A

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

        Thanks.im on A B A at moment.think burnley score and pukki always a threat against any back line. Hmm

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

    Jota > Tammy/Haller/Barnes (-4)?

    Ryan
    VVD - Digne - Zinchenko - Diop
    Salah - Sterling - KDB - Mount
    Pukki - Jota

    Heaton - Dunk - Greenwood - Cantwell

  10. kelvint93
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Should I play pukki or Mings?

    1. Jimmy Boy
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pukki

  11. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Transfer in Otamendi or Trent for Laporte?

    1. kelvint93
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Trent

  12. gawa11
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Cap sterling or kdb?

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

      Sterling

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

      Same dilemma

    3. Guru Mediation
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Same question here. On sterling. Vice is salah

  13. OneDennisBergkamp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone else on Ayew?

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      yup

    2. Kay317
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I own him but currently first sub. Can't see him scoring against spurs. Which means he will now.

  14. jdogg
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Teilamans or lanzini to silva worth -4?x

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Both should do okay this week I think i’d Hold x

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

      No way

    3. jdogg
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Cool cheers guys.x

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

      Not for me mate

  15. Liastro ⭐️
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Start Mings or Lund?

  16. LordEllison
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    G2G or use my FT 0.2 ITB? Thanks

    Pope 
    VVD Digne Zinchenko Lundstram
    Salah Sterling(C) KDB McGinn 
    Wilson Pukki 

    Button AWB Greenwood Dendoncker.

  17. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Feck it, captain Salah it is.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Good choice

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

      Feck it means Sterling surely?

    3. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Salah C locked in bud

      1. ‘Tis the Season
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        good luck Pal

  18. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Sterling and D. Silva as my only City players, All or Nothing!

    1. Frank Koscielny
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Wow, going kdb’less seems so risky

      1. Revival
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        yeah KDB is the one I want long-term

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

      is it odd to see Newcastle bottom of the league for filling their stadium, percentage-wise

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

        wow not even this website

  19. Frank Koscielny
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What’s the latest on Barnes? Can’t see him mentioned in yesterday’s article. Will he be fit for Brighton?

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

      Check tweets, should be fine.

    2. Luton_Fan
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yep should be. tight groin was reported last week not this

      1. Frank Koscielny
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks both of you

  20. tabby98
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Best martial replacement for £7.8?

    Already have mount

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      D. Silva if you already not maxed out on City players

  21. toerag
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    two wc teams
    one with kun and one without
    any assistance appreciated

    Team A
    pope button
    digne soyncu vvd lundstram schar
    salah sterling mount james cantwell
    kun abraham greenwood
    0itb

    Team B
    pope button
    digne soyncu TAA pieters lundstram
    salah sterling kdb mount cantwell
    pukki abraham greenwood
    1itb
    thoughts??

  22. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Help folks, which one?

    A: James
    B: Mount
    C: Iwobi
    D: Lanzini
    E: Ceballos

    1. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      D. B. E. A. C

  23. C'mon the Fylde
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Which team would you play?

    A) (current)
    Pope
    Soyuncu VVD Digne Lundstram
    Salah Eriksen McGinn KDB
    Aguero Pukki

    B) (Wildcard)
    Pope
    Soyuncu Vestergaard Digne Lundstram
    Mane Sterling Tielemans KDB
    Aguero Pukki

    1. toerag
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      feeling b atm

  24. theroadrunner
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    who is everyone captaining. salah or sterling?

    1. C'mon the Fylde
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero

      1. toerag
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        😆

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

        50/50 on Salah and Sterling

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

      Sterling is the jazz choice.

    3. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero

    4. WVA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero

  25. Lokomotivvv
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Are we sure Zinchenko is going to start with Mendy being back in training for 1 month?

    1. alastair
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Mendy will be eased back in starting with the League Cup - Zinchenko safe for now and City have never lost a PL game with him in the team

      1. Geriatric Unathletic
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Q 1-0 Norwich :).

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Think Zinchenko starts this one, With Champions league back there will be plenty of games for Mendy to be eased back into the team over the next month

  26. LLoris
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    A) Perez for Lanzini
    B) King out Barnes

    1. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      You're looking to lose Lanzini? The player who has only had more chances created than him by KDB?

      1. Jimmy Boy
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I assume it's Lanzini he's bringing in

        1. Jimmy Boy
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          A from me by the way, Perez isn't gonna start

    2. Luton_Fan
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      B

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

        Sorry meant A

  27. Zenith UK
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Hi everyone, I need your help really quickly please (at work);

    Pope
    Laporte, AWB, Digne
    Salah (c), Sterling, KDB, Lanzini
    Haller, Pukki, Greenwood

    Button, Lund, Cantwell, Kelly

    a) Laporte > TAA (still play Greenwood)
    b) Laporte & Kelly > Ota & VVD (bench Greenwood) -4
    c) Other options (1.6M in the bank)

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

      B

      1. Zenith UK
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers!

    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A).

      1. Zenith UK
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers

    3. bobby_bookah
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      wouldn't spend 4 points on a def so probs a but would play Lundy over Greenwood cos i hate a 10 min, 1 pt cameo

      1. Zenith UK
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I get what you mean, but thinking longer-term. Took the hit. Appreciate the comment though!

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

    This could be the GW that Greenwood would deliver given the injuries situation.
    Start him over Cantwell?

    1. Danstoke82
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I thought that would be the case when they played Saints. Got a 1 pointer.

  29. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Which one to captain?

    A) Kun
    B) Salah
    C) Sterling

    Thanks in advance!

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

      A

      1. Danstoke82
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks!

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

      Just how you wrote it, in that order - A B C.

  30. bobby_bookah
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Play 1; Pukki or Ayew?

    1. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pukki

    2. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Pukki.

    3. bobby_bookah
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      cheers

    4. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      King Ayew 🙂