Double-ups are the order of the day as we reveal the Scout Picks for Gameweek 7.
We have no fewer than five pairings of players from the same team ahead of this weekend’s action.
As per usual, it has been a stressful few days deciding which players from David, Neale, Paul and Geoff’s Scout Squad submissions make the final cut but we’ve come to a decision.
This week we line up in a 4-4-2 formation and are bang-on are budget of £83.0m.
Goalkeeper
Kasper Schmeichel (£5.0m) was unanimously chosen as the goalkeeper for the Scout Picks this week, all four pundits opting for the Leicester man. In the last four Gameweeks, only Liverpool have conceded fewer shots in the box than the Foxes, while only two sides have allowed fewer big chances. Meanwhile, even though they have scored in every away match so far this season, only one team has registered fewer big chances on the road than the Magpies.
Defenders
Another week, another inclusion for Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.1m) in the Scout Picks. As per usual, the Liverpool right-back comes in having been unanimously voted as the best defender for the Gameweek, all pundits selection him as the number one option in this position. Alexander-Arnold simply won’t stop giving, with his first goal of the season coming last time out against Chelsea. Furthermore, he has created more chances than any other player from Gameweek 3 onwards while Sheffield United are second-bottom in the league right now for shots on target in home games.
The introduction of Fernandinho into Manchester City’s defence has calmed a few fears about their clean sheet potential, so Nicolas Otamendi (£5.5m) comes into the side this week. His inclusion is easily justified by the fact that he is now the only nailed-on starting defender under Pep Guardiola. Meanwhile, across three home matches this season, only two sides have registered fewer shots on target than Everton and they also rank joint third-bottom for big chances too.
Tottenham’s defence has not been too reliable of late, but there is plenty to like about Serge Aurier (£5.0m). In Gameweek 6, the right-back was second among defenders for touches in the final third and was unfortunate to see his goal ruled out. Given Southampton’s problems in the left-back position and a shakey defence, returns are not out of the question this weekend.
Such is our faith in the Leicester defence that the Scout Squad are keen on a double-up. Çaglar Söyüncü (£4.6m) is the obvious inclusion in this position, if nothing else, because of his discount price compared to the rest of the nailed-on defenders at the King Power Stadium.
Midfielders
Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) may be without a double-figure haul since Gameweek 3 but he continues to be a reliable Fantasy asset this season. His assist against Chelsea was his seventh in six matches and the Egyptian has still only blanked once in 2019/20.
Despite being rested for the win over Watford and playing over an hour at Preston midweek, Raheem Sterling (£12.1m) was voted as the best Manchester City midfield option for this weekend. Everton have conceded at least two goals in each of their last four outings while Pep Guardiola’s men have scored 10 times on their travels so far. Meanwhile, of players away from home in Gameweek 7, none has had more shots on target in such matches than Sterling. We also fancy the chances of Sergio Aguero this week but it was easier to accommodate the now slightly cheaper Sterling.
Three of our Pundits went with Son Heung-min (£9.7m) in the midfield for this weekend as Spurs prepare to face Southampton. The South Korean has three attacking returns in his last two Premier League matches and could be the key to overturning Spurs’ misfortunes of recent weeks. Southampton may have kept clean sheets in their last two away trips (Sheffield United and Brighton) but they should face a sterner test at Tottenham’s new home.
Mason Mount (£6.6m) continues to look like he can offer good value this season coming into Gameweek 7. Brighton may try to keep things tight at Stamford Bridge, but Mount has recorded some encouraging underlying numbers this season. He is joint-fourth among all players for shots on target and has created more chances than Salah – all of that for a mid-price midfielder in a top-six side is very exciting.
Forwards
Like his midfield colleague, Tammy Abraham (£7.5m) is in strong form coming into Gameweek 7. In the last four matches, he is top of the league for shots on target, he is second for shots in the box, while only one player has been afforded more big chances.
With Bournemouth still chasing their first clean sheet of the season, it seems likely that Sébastien Haller (£7.4m) will get back in the goals this weekend. He has been afforded the same number of big chances as Salah in the last four matches and is also level with the Liverpool man for shots inside the box and shots on target.
Substitutes
As we’re backing a Liverpool clean sheet in Gameweek 7, it makes sense to include Adrian (£4.6m) on the bench given the aforementioned struggles in front of goal for Sheffield United.
Fikayo Tomori (£4.5m) could offer great value over the next few Gameweeks, starting with the visit of Brighton to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea may be yet to keep a clean sheet but this man offers a budget route into the defence for a meeting with a Seagulls side that has blanked in three of its last four matches.
A home match against Newcastle could bode well for Youri Tielemans (£6.4m) in Gameweek 7. In the last four matches, the Belgian international is joint-top among Leicester players for key passes and has fashioned more big chances than James Maddison during that period.
Mason Greenwood (£4.4m) has as good a chance as any other time to make his first Premier League start this weekend with the injuries mounting up for Manchester United. With two goals in his last two outings in the Cup and Europe, an Arsenal defence is unlikely to present too many problems for Greenwood.
The Captain
The Scout Picks now has a captain for the 2019/20 campaign.
This skipper is chosen using the conclusions of the latest Captain Sensible article and a four-way vote between David, Neale, Paul and Geoff.
Because the use of Fantasy Football Scout data is used so heavily in this process, the captain we choose each Gameweek will be known only to those who have signed up to Membership for the 2019/20 season.
It will be revealed to the public only when the deadline for the Gameweek has passed.
Community Champion
Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Gameweek 7 is The Greenback Boogie.
They have gone for a 4-3-3 of Pope; Aurier, Pereira, Robertson, Alonso; de Bruyne, Son (c), Pépé; Firmino, C Wilson, Abraham.
The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.
It was a big win for the Community Champion in Gameweek 6 as irfansheikh beat us by an 88-72 score-line.
That winning margin of 16 points eclipsed InsaneFC‘s 11 from Gameweek 4 to set a new score to beat for the 2019/20 season.
Lessons learned from Gameweek 6:
- Southampton 1-3 Bournemouth
- Leicester City 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur
- Burnley 2-0 Norwich City
- Everton 0-2 Sheffield United
- Manchester City 8-0 Watford
- Newcastle United 0-0 Brighton and Hove Albion
- Crystal Palace 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
- West Ham United 2-0 Manchester United
- Arsenal 3-2 Aston Villa
- Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool
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