Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 8

With the next international break breathing down our necks, be sure to savour the thrills, heartache, jam, and (fingers crossed) joy that Gameweek 8 will undoubtedly provide.

As ever, Fantasy Football Scout is here to help you separate fact from rumour, stat from gobbledegook, and Pep from his roulette wheel. Well, ok separating Pep from his roulette wheel is probably surgically impossible, but two out of three ain’t bad. And, just for the heck of it, we’ll even explain what a “compound differential” is. Oh yes.

Talking points

The main headline this week has undoubtedly been the injury to Kevin De Bruyne. Guardiola confirmed on Friday that the brilliant Belgian will miss Gameweek 8

No, tomorrow [De Bruyne] is not fit. After the international break, he will be ready. It’s not a big, big problem.

Over half a million managers have wasted no time in ditching De Bruyne with Mount, Yarmolenko, and Mahrez (more on him later), the popular replacements. 

For other more patient souls – willing to trust Pep when he says the midfield maestro will return for Gameweek 9 – this will mean a substitute taking his place in their fantasy teams. 

If you’ve got options like John Lundstram (£4.5m) or Todd Cantwell (£5.0m) on your bench, hold on to Kevin.

The FPL General

However, as Neale reported in his team news round-up, some may have reason to worry. Speaking on Friday, Norwich City boss Daniel Farke reported a problem with 27%-owned Todd Cantwell:

There is a little doubt, a little question mark behind Todd Cantwell. He’s got some hamstring problems. He was out Wednesday and Thursday, returned back today on the training pitch, it looked alright. We have to wait a bit, how his body reacts. I hope to have him available for tomorrow.

For the low-down on all the treatment room latest, we not only have Neale’s quote-filled articles, but Rotation’s Alter Ego has kindly summarised the key points for each team. Could Allison be about to make his return this weekend?

Who to trust with the armband?

Raheem Sterling leads the captain poll with 25.8% of the vote, ahead of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mohamed Salah, and Sergio Aguero. Without an overwhelming favourite to stick the armband on, FPL managers face another tricky decision. 

The underlying statistics once again point to the potential of Manchester City assets ahead of their home encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers, as David highlighted on the Captaincy Video

Only three teams have conceded more shots in the box [than Wolves], and no team has had more shots in the box than Manchester City.

Digging a little deeper – using data available to FFS Members – TheFantasyFreÆK focused on Wolves’ defensive problems this campaign:

… the stark contrast I notice in Wolves 19/20 v Wolves 18/19 from a defensive point of view is very worrying. Wolves have conceded triple the number of big chances this season than they did at this stage last season (12 v 4), hence their xGC (expected goals conceded) has nearly doubled (5.5 to 10). Shots in the box conceded have also witnessed an alarming rise of 46%.

The problem is knowing which City player to trust. 

In Gameweek 7, many FPL pundits and experts felt Aguero would definitely start following his midweek rest. They were wrong. This week it’s Raheem Sterling’s turn to be the favoured captain pick.

Sterling has scored in his last three matches in all competitions and emerged from the bench in the Champions League on Tuesday night to inspire City to victory. The 24-year-old will lead the FPL General’s troops on Sunday. 

However, one manager who won’t be giving Sterling the armband is Career Hall of Fame number one Sean Tobin. Sean, as Greyhead informed us in the latest installment of The Great and The Good, omitted Sterling from his Gameweek 7 Wildcard. Instead he’s chosen to go with Aguero and Salah as his only players costing over £11.0m.

Backing up Sean’s decision to favour Aguero, David observed in his Captain Sensible article:

Once again, we come into a Gameweek with Aguero as the busiest attacking player in the penalty box over the previous four matches. He has shot 17 times there from Gameweek 4 onwards, more than any other player in their last four outings.

While The FPL General feels that we shouldn’t be put off by Salah’s upcoming fixtures:

On paper, Liverpool have a tricky run of games but is it really that difficult? It’s Leicester at home this weekend (Salah’s lowest score at Anfield this season is nine points), then a trip to face mid-table side Manchester United before a home tie against a Spurs outfit who conceded seven goals to Bayern Munich this week.

Second in the captain poll, Aubameyang is attracting interest and it’s easy to understand why. Brandon pointed out in FPL Question Time:

With no blanks through the first seven weeks of the season, Aubameyang is indeed the real deal.

Discussing the Gabonese international in the Captaincy Video, Joe enthused:

It’s a six-point floor!… At the Emirates Bournemouth have conceded eleven goals and scored just three over their last three league visits, and Aubameyang has scored in his last two encounters against the Cherries.

High-end Purchases on a Limited Budget

The challenge facing many FPL managers is deciding which of the £11.0m+ players to own, with many offering the promise of points. Three premium-priced assets make this week’s Scout Picks: Salah, Sterling, and Aubameyang.

To help ease the pressure on our limited budgets players such as McGinn, Pukki, and Abraham – as well as a shift towards cheap defenders – are proving popular. All three offer the promise of goals this weekend.

In his analysis of the underlying stats, Neale revealed that Abraham had been presented with nine big chances in the last four Gameweeks:

Abraham had four of those gilt-edged opportunities in the last two Gameweeks, so he has still been getting into dangerous positions despite recording back-to-back blanks.

And goals are expected when Norwich City host Aston Villa later today:

486 shots conceded by Arsenal (126), Aston Villa (121), Norwich City (121) and Bournemouth (118) combined this season. Those four clubs have allowed the most attempts on goal in the Premier League this season and play each other this weekend, with Norwich entertaining Aston Villa and Arsenal hosting the Cherries.

Compound Differential

The form of Riyad Mahrez has been discussed this week. The injury to Kevin De Bruyne and a potential ban for Bernardo Silva increasing his appeal.

Neale goes into impressive depth exploring not only how well Mahrez has performed this season, but also his potential for minutes. While the Algerian does not have the luxury of guaranteed game-time, Neale observed:

If we are to accept the occasional rest for [Sterling, Aguero, and De Bruyne], then why not the more affordable Mahrez?

The most transferred-in player ahead of the Gameweek 8 deadline and with an ownership fast approaching 10%, Mahrez just about squeezes into the differential category

But it’s as a “compound differential” that he could really make a difference. Appearing on the Scoutcast this week Tom, from Who Got The Assist?, explained:

Where I think Mahrez is really interesting is that because he’s a compound differential, so it’s not really a differential in and of itself, it’s a differential because you’re pairing him with other players and making a unique combination, which is a little bit different to everybody else.

Tom went on to point out that selecting a triple City midfield of Sterling, De Bruyne, and Mahrez is pretty maverick: that combination is owned by just 0.04% of managers.

Even selecting City’s three most highly-owned players – Sterling, De Bruyne, and Aguero – each owned by over 29% of managers, as a combination is only selected by 2.3%

In Case You Missed It

There was another take on the De Bruyne injury / Mahrez appeal, tuvok thinks that perhaps De Bruyne’s absence could have a negative impact on Mahrez.

Elsewhere, Sebastes asked can Spurs bounce back? And Meltens kindly previewed Gameweek 27 (only four Gameweeks to go!) 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

For a full update on all FFS Mini-Leagues and Community Tournaments, please click here to read the latest round-up. 

For those interested in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. A link has also been added to the ‘Scout Leagues’ section on the home page

The fixtures for Gameweek 8 can be found below:


Use the drop-down menus to show your league and division. To find out which league and division you are in, follow the instructions on the main Head-to-Head page.

Once the Gameweek starts, if you click on your opponent’s name you will be linked to their team on the FPL website.

Best of luck for Gameweek 8!

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

2,244 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Boy I wish Norwich had an away game today. Just so we could get a Cantwell didn’t travel/did travel as that would determine if I cap Pukki or not..

  2. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Anybody else benching Lundstram?

    1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Not me at least

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Would have done if KDB wasn't injured.

    3. DF
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Tomori on bench instead of him for me. An ownership thing....but i don't like the look of it

  3. DF
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Pochetino to Rodgers?
    Only seen this rumour this morning. Any views?

    1. Dokdok666
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      idiotic at best

    2. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Dont think that Poch is the problem at Spurs.

  4. AFBS_1991
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Choose one to play:

    a) soyu (CS vs pool?!)
    b) rico (Impossible CS but get some assist)
    c) Greenwood (first start on PL?!)

    Help me please!!

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

      Easy B

    2. JoeJitzu +42
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Ouch too hard,.. sorry

    3. andre_c
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      c

    4. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Ugh. I took a hit to avoid having to play one of these 3 (might end up having to if Cantwell is out anyway)

      Rico first.

    5. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B - Arsenal defence is shocking, so some chance of attacking returns as he is on set pieces

    6. AFBS_1991
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Thanks all! GL

  5. JoeJitzu +42
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    A. Sterling & Haller
    Or
    B. Mahrez & Aubameyang

    Much appreciated

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      MA

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

      Why Haller? Pukki, Wilson, Tammy. Then easy A.

  6. mad_beer ✅
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    My big decision. Greenwood or Kelly first on the bench?

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

      Kelly

    2. Sponge-worthy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Kelly

    3. DeadStarComing
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Kelly

    4. mad_beer ✅
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Thanks all!

    5. Mr. Mystic
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Kelly for me

  7. Sponge-worthy
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Play Pope(EVE) or Heaton(nor)?

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

      Pope

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Pope

    3. AFBS_1991
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Pope

  8. mcmd11
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    A) VVD + Salah
    B) TAA + Mane
    Using WC

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

      B

    2. andre_c
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      b

  9. snowman
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Start Wan B or Montoya

    1. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      AWB

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      The one who is playing Newcastle

  10. Roy Rovers
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Help!!!…first to 5...who gets the C

    A - Salah

    B - Kun

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

      A

    2. andre_c
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B vice A

    3. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B

    4. JoeJitzu +42
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      A security of start
      B higher ceiling

    5. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      kun

      1. Roy Rovers
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Now it’s getting interesting!!

      2. Belli2007
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        A

        I can't go B being a Leicester fan!!!

    6. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      A

    7. Roy Rovers
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      3 - 3.....help me out guys!!!!

      1. Roy Rovers
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        4 - 3 to Salah!!!!

    8. AFBS_1991
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B

      1. Roy Rovers
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Aaaaagh!!…next one the winner!

  11. DeadStarComing
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Start Cantwell or McGinn?

    1. Sponge-worthy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Cantwell

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Mc

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

      thats tricky. Assuming you have Pukki then I think play McGinn.

      Please help below thanks.

  12. Gentle_Turks
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Play

    A) Cantwell
    B) Barnes

    Thanks and good luck this week.

    1. JoeJitzu +42
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Think Barnes but really tough call

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

        Yeah tough. I have Pukki.

    2. DeadStarComing
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Barnes defo, cheers.

    3. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Same dilemma I’ve benched Cantwell atm but it feels wrong

    4. andre_c
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Barnes

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

      Cantwell high ownership....

  13. Catastrophe
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Captain

    A) Aguero
    B) Mahrez
    C) Pukki

    On B! Which will hopefully not end in tears

    1. mcmd11
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B if chasing rank

      1. Catastrophe
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers. Little worried about a benching.

        1. Belli2007
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          I have all 3 of these and on A...

          Nervous of the rotation although Kun usually starts at home. No guarantee through

  14. Whats the Mata?
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Start Digne over Son?

    1. Football Heaven
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Got to be both surely?

    2. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      lolorama

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        This

  15. Football Heaven
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who scores more, Salah and lundstram or Auba and yarmo -8?

    1. Better luck next year
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Salah and Lund

  16. Epic Fail
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    RIP Son owners.

  17. Saïss Doesn't Mat…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    captain kun or mahrez?? trynna catch up

    1. Belli2007
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Mahrez more of a differential although people will be nervous of rotation on both so can see a lot going for neither too

      1. Belli2007
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        I am on Kun but having stupidly looked at FFS last minute am now torn....

        Think I will stick with my gut...

  18. Jimmy Boy
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Barnes drop means I'll be 0.1 off doing Barnes > Vardy for 1FT next GW. fs

  19. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Hope he's full of shite 😯

    https://twitter.com/index_lad

    1. KGFC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Expected 🙁

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      No smoke without fire

    3. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Well I've gotta play him, bench is a Leicester and Bournemouth defender

  20. Dirty Harry
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    I'm scared of not owning Auba or Sterling this week. Can't even think of a move to get then in with injured KDB, rumoured Son benching and unsure of Kun starting. Lord save me

    1. JoeJitzu +42
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      This

  21. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Hope Son starts!

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I hope all my players start too.

      1. KGFC
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        GL mate!

  22. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Gtg? Bench weak but hoping cantwell will play (for KDB)

    Pope
    TAA, VVD, Otamendi, Lundstram
    Sterling(C), Salah, KDB*, Saka
    Pukki, Abraham

    Button, Cantwell, Greenwood, Aurier*

  23. Better luck next year
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Salah or Sterling cap?

    1. Orion
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Sterling

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Sterling for me but RMT says Salah

    3. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Sterling.
      Wolves as very average this year plus played on Thursday.
      Also City only team in the league capable of absolutely mauling their opponents.
      Ask Watford fans.

  24. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Digne, Dendoncker > Tomori, Yarmolenko (free)

    Allows me to bench KDB for Yarmolenko. Yay or nay?

  25. MASTER ROSHI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Not sure on this one, any thoughts would be great -

    A) Save FT and play Lundstram
    B) Use FT for Aurier to Tomori

  26. MattysFantasyFooty
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Lets go Auba C

  27. CAPTAIN CRESPO
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Bench one:
    A) Zinchenko
    B) Otamendi
    C) VVD
    D) Lundstram
    E) Digne

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Feck me that's some conundrum.

      Digne or Lundstram, but it's crap to bench any.

      Zinchenko might not play, but you have to play him

      1. CAPTAIN CRESPO
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Thanks mate, think I’m on Digne or VVD at the moment, can’t bench Lundstram when he’s in midfield

  28. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Ffs usually i am pretty decisive picking a captain but i just can not make up my mind this morning and there is only a few minutes to go now. 🙁

    1. DeadStarComing
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Same 🙁

  29. Snapes on a Plane
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    One last time!

    Who to make captain?
    A) Sterling
    B) Auba

    1. KGFC
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      A

    2. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      A (uba)

  30. NWA
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    final decision aubam or salah C?

    1. andre_c
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Auba