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. All about that Baines
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    What's the news in Hueng Min Son? How likely is he to start?

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

      Dont see any reason why he wouldn't

      1. All about that Baines
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Played 152 mins internationally. And with Moura and Lamela rested

    2. Fernando Torres
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Guaranteed

    3. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I think he starts.......do we think Vert starts at the back ??

      1. SHOOTER MCGINN
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Yeah I think it's back to full strength team now

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

      He'll score a goal

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

    Trent or Otamendi for the next few weeks?

    Have VVD

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

      Ota

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

      Taa

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

      TAA

    4. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Trent for sure but Ota v good choice too for another spot.

  3. royaljoe
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    ​What Silva would you get in Bernado or David?

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

      D

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

      David

    3. Peter Ouch
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      None

    4. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      D

    5. Not again Shirley
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Well I have brought in Bernardo but could easily be a mistake. He will play games so if for long haul I reckon he will be good choice.

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

    Any questions????

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      What is split personality and does playing FPL have any links to it?

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

        A disorder characterised by the presence of two or more distinct personality states.

        Yes it does.
        Like captaining Deeney for -6 , or captaining dunk in a dgw.

        These can be dangerous

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      What are you having for lunch?

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

        McDonald's

    3. Athletic Dildao
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Do you keep tomato sauce in the fridge or the cupboard?

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

        Cupboard

    4. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Shall I get Vertonghen in for the next 10 fix

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

        I tjink so yes

        1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          You are a genius .....thank you

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

            No problem

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

      does jon snow really know nothing?

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

        He has no clue about anything

  5. Stoic
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Can't wait to WC !

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

      Why now?

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

        Want to restructure my team

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

          Good reason for a wc.

          How will you approach it?

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

            Maybe Salah out

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

      why are you WC for gw6? just curious..

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

    Is it really wrong to get Wood over Barnes? Want some differential ony WC

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

      Yes.

    2. Peter Ouch
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

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

      Yes

    4. schwing
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      no if he scores more

    5. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Come on, its 2019

  7. Weilong7
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    on WC..

    1) abraham or haller or barnes? had abraham now
    2) adrian or pope? had pope now
    3) best city defence? walker? otamendi? zinchenko?

    Capt:
    A) salah
    B) sterling (had KDB as well)

    thanks!

    1. JT11fc
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A
      B
      B

      B

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

    I've whittled Martial's replacement down to:

    D Silva (great team, great games but could be rotated with Gundogan or Foden)

    Richarlison or Sigurdsson (hard to split these)

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

      Not sold on any of them really, but Silva would be the one I'd pick

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

      Martial will be back on it I’m the next three. No bench?

      1. FPLMarc
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Greenwood, Dendoncker, Rico

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

          Dendoncker then. Chelsea leaky

    3. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Id go Dilva

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

    Pukki to barnes for free or no?

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

    Button AWB Greenwood Dendoncker

    1. Gabantoya
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      hell no.

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

      No way

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

      yes...better fixtures over the next 10 rounds imo

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

    Wilson vs Haller?

    1. JT11fc
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Wilson

  11. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone benching Pukki?

    1. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      no- there will be opportunities for Norwich to play on the counter and Pukki will get chances.

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

      No way, going with Pukki

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

    Didn't want to lose Sterling but was itching to get Aguero - he could explode this weekend

    Couldn't help but go with the following WC:

    Ederson (Button)
    TAA, Digne, Mings, Pieters (Lundstram)
    Salah, Ceballos, KDB (Cantwell, Dendocker)
    Aguero, Haller, Pukki

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

      This has made my day. I haven’t got Sterling by choice, but ripping up your team for 1gw is nuts

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

        lol, right before deadlien to. crazy!

  13. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Christ I'm seriously thinking of Sterling over Salah now.

    No matter what it'll be the wrong choice.

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

      Salah guaranteed something

      Sterling could be all or nothing

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

        No one is guaranteed anything. Salah safer. Sterling could get 5

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

      Go for it

    3. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Yup, just pick one and stick. I'm on sterling purely because I think Norwich wont play as defensively. Could be wrong!

    4. Nailed Jesus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      sterling either starts & score or doesn't come on imo. i mean why bring him on when already 6-1 up?

    5. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Tell me what you're doing. Im copying you.

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

        Been on Salah all IB.

        LoL

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

          me too, so stick!

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

          Me too. If I knew Sterling would start, Id go him. Nerve wracking lol

  14. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    G2G wildcard team?

    Pope Button

    TAA Digne Ota Lundstram Kelly

    Salah Sterling KDB Cantwell Dendoncker

    Pukki Haller Barnes

  15. Felix Navidad
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    A, AWB > VVD -4
    B, Play Dendoncker
    C, someone els?

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

      B

  16. micsway
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    what time does the breakfast club start?

  17. Norsemen
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Start Lowton or Lundstram?

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

      Lowton

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

      Lunds

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

    Liverpool leaked news

    Vvd, Salah, mane all start

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

    Can't decide between Sterling and Salah so going Trent. There.

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

      Atta boy

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

      Like it

  20. Sndeshdhkl
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    start
    pukki or dunk??

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

      Pukki

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

      Pukki all day long

  21. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Liverpool Newcastle 2-0
    G Salah Mane
    A Firmino

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

      Inside 20 mins

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

      Crap not good enough

    3. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Did I sleep in?

  22. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    .is Vertogen back and is he nailed ??

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

      Yes

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

      Yes

  23. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    We good?

    Hendo
    TAA VVD Digne Montoya
    Salah Sterl KDB Ceballos
    Wesley Pukki
    (Stek, Diop, Greenwood, Dendonk)

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

      Yup.
      Good luck

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers, you too 🙂

  24. alfast1c
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Replacement for Kelly on WC?

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

      Budget?

  25. FULLSERVICECOVER
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    On a WC mcginn or cellebos?

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

      McGinn

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cebalos

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      John

    3. FULLSERVICECOVER
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Ceballos even 😉

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

      It’s the McGinning of something wonderful

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

        Had mcginn this entire international break so think I best stick with that. Thanks for responses lads

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

      cebellos

  26. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    No Martial drop is silly. Maybe because Mark owns him and decided to keep him. No other plausible explanation whatsoever

    1. Fitzy.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      You're an idiot.

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

      It’s bizarre. But there will be a more sensible reason such as the sales were WC

      1. Tambling5
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        When Laporte got injured, he dropped after a week, so how does injury flagging not apply. Presumably also precipitated a lot of wild cards when injured

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

          I’m just as confused as everyone else

  27. Your Mum's Athletic
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Trossard to:

    A) James
    B) Iwobi
    C) Ceballos
    D) Lanzini
    E) Tielemans

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

      A

    2. 1zverGGadeM
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      A

  28. Bonus magnet
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Captain Salah

    Get in

  29. Patrick Bateman
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Start:
    a) Coleman
    b) Pukki

    1. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Coleman

  30. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    How likely is AWB to start?

    1. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      93.8%

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

      Not looking good but you never know