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. Victor6359
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Only one playing keeper on wildcard at 4.5, would you go Gunn over Pope if you already had Burnley defender?

    Cheers

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

      Pope.

      1. Victor6359
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers

    2. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Good time to start asking questions.

      1. Victor6359
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        11.30 cut off pal

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

          So, a few seconds after your question.

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

    Come on Joeilinton blow away pool`s clean sheet !!!! Sorry lads

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

      VVD is getting a goal, CS, and 3 baps 😉

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

        Yes please. Then Milner doesn’t start and Salah knocks in two pens

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

    Start Montoya or Soyuncu?

    (Have Pieters and Pope)

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

      M

  4. Snapes on a Plane
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Start Pukki or Lunstram?

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

      I’ve bottled it and gone Pukki. His ceiling is 6 points.

      Lundstram might gets 6 for CS but maybe attack too

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

    Bench Lundstram Pieters or Pukki?

  6. Orion
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Zinch or Lundstram to play?

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

      Zinch

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

        Cheers, GL

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

      Yeah, both should.

  7. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    just seen mane's record at home.....oh wow. He should be leading the polls

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

      Might be CF if twitter is to be believed.

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

      Too late

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

      This Salah bloke is quiet good too and on penalties

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

      That’s my (c)

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

      Got him over Salah on WC
      Scored way more goals than Salah this year too

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

      I'm sure he's on the scoreboard yoday

  8. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Omg 😯

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

      ?

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

      Ikr

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Unbelievable Jeff

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

    omg my link dropped

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

    Pants down

  11. Mince n Tatties
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Oh Sweet Mother of Nature
    Just flipped back to Salah (c)
    Can’t be doing with all this Pep rotation chat

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      RIP

      1. Mince n Tatties
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        Enjoy your 30 points scored...
        Laugh at your 18 points on your bench...
        RIP

    2. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      I did same

      feel it's safer

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

      Don't forget to come back and complain about the advice here when it goes tits up.

      1. Mince n Tatties
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 6 months ago

        I'm back - Canaries are birds, Birds are tits, and so are you.
        Who's complaining?...

    4. Victor6359
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      It’ll be fine

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

    just had to redo all my changes

  13. JAYPEE
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Bench Lundstram or Pukki

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

      Playing both

  14. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Changed to Salah. Then back to Sterling. Please start!

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

    i now no longer have kun

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

      Huh?

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

      Why??¿???

  16. DR0GBA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Aguero (c) with triple City attack...

    please turn my rank around!

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

      christ on a bike

  17. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Phew...

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

      Pretty congested here

  18. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Pens down.

  19. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    PANTS DOWN

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

    sterling has gone captain

  21. Tshelby
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    Let's go template wildcard!

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

    Pant down

  23. R.C
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    No Bobby

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    firmino fail

  25. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    LOL @ME. Bottled it and captained Kane last minute

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

      Well done

    2. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Bottled what?

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

        Brain ?

        1. La Roja
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 6 months ago

          There shouldn’t be a space between “n” and “?”

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

      Nice

    4. Victor6359
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      He should do well

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

    Lol, absolute scenes

  27. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    I benched Firmino for Montoya 3 seconds before 12:30. Refreshed. Game updating. And now we wait and see 😀

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

      Fun

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

    crap

  29. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 6 months ago

    ⚽ Team News 📰
    LIV: Adrián, Robertson, van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Chamberlain, Fabinho, Wijnaldum, Mané, Salah, Origi
    Subs: Kelleher, Gomez, Milner, Lallana, Henderson, Shaqiri, Firmino

    NEW: Dubravka, Lascelles, Dummett, Willems, Krafth, Schär, Almirón, Hayden, Atsu, Shelvey, Joelinton
    Subs: Darlow, Clark, Manquillo, Fernández, Ki Sung-yueng, Longstaff, Muto

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

      Cheers

    2. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 6 months ago

      Matip essential

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

      Yes!! Salah still on pens

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

      Been for a walk this morning and I've seen more Pool then NUFC tops which is pretty disappointing living in Tyneside, make the b******s pay Jonjo.