Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 9

Welcome back from the international break, hopefully all those little niggly injuries that forced you to miss a day or two off work have cleared up and you are, like Premier League players up and down the land, raring to go for Gameweek 9. 

Over the two-week period Fantasy Football Scout has had a little makeover. You may have noticed drop-down menus appearing and the addition of an entire new section. Pro Pundits provides a platform for some of the leading voices and rising stars from across the Fantasy world to share their insights.

Learning from the best is an excellent way to improve as an FPL manager. Whether that’s by tracking the moves of The Great and The Good – it is noteworthy that Greyhead achieved his best-ever FPL rank last season of 85th overall – or hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth. 

Opening their equine gobs this week are Scoutcast regular Az, six-time top 5,000 veteran Utkarsh Dalmia (aka Zophar), community influencer Ash (aka the Chief), and former FPL winner Simon March.

Az has set his black box to record and will share his musings as the season progresses; Zophar talks us through his Wildcard choices; Ash considered replacement ‘keepers given the likely return of Alisson; and Simon prepares to leave the ‘Pukki Party’.

Who is the best FPL captain for Gameweek 9?

FPL managers face a tricky choice ahead of Saturday’s 11:30 BST deadline. For the first time this season, the leading pair in the captain poll do not play for either Manchester City or Liverpool. Form and enticing fixtures propel Tammy Abraham and Callum Wilson to the forefront of managers’ thoughts. 

David concludes in his Captain Sensible article:

Abraham’s statistical form over the last four weeks has been hugely impressive in terms of shot volume, placement, accuracy and quality, while Newcastle look particularly susceptible away from home under Steve Bruce. Meanwhile, Wilson is the standout Bournemouth option as Norwich come to the Vitality Stadium. While shooting less often than Abraham, his chances tend to be slightly more accurate and of higher quality when they do arrive.

The reason for Liverpool and Man City players being largely overlooked is down to uncertainty and unfavourable fixtures. How much can we trust Pep? Will Sterling or Aguero even start? And will Liverpool experience another hard-fought match against Manchester United? 

In the Captain Video for Gameweek 9, David explained why the league leaders might be in for a difficult afternoon on Sunday:

Man United … are potentially capable of frustrating Liverpool based on some decent defensive stats – they have conceded only 6 big chances in the last four … and Liverpool have a history of coming to Old Trafford and struggling … we can’t guarantee there will be an open enough game for Salah and Mane.

David also reminded us of Manchester City’s recent travails at Selhurst Park and noted that both Sterling and Aguero have room for improvement, while De Bruyne is returning from injury. He concluded:

If we are talking question marks there are just loads of them – the players I can’t trust, the fixture I can’t trust, so no Man City I can’t really captain one of their players this week.

Should we be worried about Sterling?

Questions were being asked in this week’s FPL Question Time about Manchester City players, with Fusen worried about Sterling’s form following one goal and no assists in his last four starts. Gregor, who has three top 1,000 finishes and came 29th in the world in 2016/17, replied:

I think he’s a keeper for now. Fourteen points over the last five Gameweeks is bitterly disappointing but given the strength of Manchester City’s next three fixtures, their need for wins and their emphasis to go on the attack, I think the returns should be just around the corner.

Neale concurred:

Sterling has always been … prone to as many frustrating blanks as he is double-digit hauls. I think back to Gameweeks 15-22 last season when he didn’t score more than six FPL points in a single fixture and remember a similar twitchiness to what we’re experiencing now … [I’ve kept him because] he has scored 463 points and banked 67 attacking returns in the last two seasons combined.

Sterling is included in the Scout Picks for Gameweek 9.

In Case You Missed It

In a community article, Hedge examined the lack of clean sheets so far this season, finding that the ‘big six’ have averaged just 1.8 shut-outs in the opening eight Gameweeks. Although his research suggests that the number of clean sheets will improve. 

Meanwhile in his members-only piece, Neale focused on defenders with attacking involvement. He picked out a few budget and premium-priced players worthy of consideration.

Neale also brought us all the treatment room latest in two quote-laden round-ups. There was good news for De Bruyne owners as Pep announced that the Belgian is back in training. And Rotation’s Alter Ego once again provided us with his handy summary for each team. Could Lacazette feature on Monday night?

Leicester City were given top-billing in Neale’s Frisking the Fixtures update: 

Between Gameweeks 9 and 17, the Foxes meet only one of the ‘big six’ – and that is a home fixture against an Arsenal side not renowned for their defensive aptitude.

Although Jamie Vardy surprised FFS community writer some witty pun when he used expected goals to review striker performance. The Foxes forward has an xG90 of 0.27 – the lowest he’s ever had across his 6 seasons at Leicester.

G-Whizz not only shared his thoughts with us in FPL Question Time this week but also posted the Gameweek 9 DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds. Chelsea and Leicester City have, respectively, a 48% and 46% chance of clean sheets in their home matches today.

And Meltens kindly previewed Gameweek 28 in Fantasy Allsvenskan. Impressively, with three Gameweeks to go there are four managers from the FFS mini-league in the top 10 overall. Well done to them!

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 Competitions

In the Pundits Playoff Community Tournament the squads have been announced and Matchday 1 is about to take place. There is still time to vote for your favourite team avatar, please do so via this link. The entry from “A Whole Lawro B*llocks” looks particularly good to me. 

For a full update on all FFS mini-leagues and community competitions, 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 9 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 9!

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

1,509 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Captain who-
    Tammy
    Wilson
    Aguero
    Kdb

    1. Daghe Munegu
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B

    2. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Wilson if you have him

      If you dont captain him you never will - which would be fine

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

      Should be
      T-ammy
      W-ilson
      E-riksen
      R-aheem
      K-DB

    4. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Wilson

    5. nolard
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      wil

    6. Dybala10
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      A

  2. Pieterke30
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    A. Tammy C, no hit
    B. Pukki -> C Wilson (C) for -4

    1. Daghe Munegu
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      A

      1. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Easily A

        1. Pieterke30
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Why? C Wilson could explode today, I feel. Whereas I dont see Pukki scoring more than 6 pts, tops

          1. St Pauli Walnuts
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 5 months ago

            *Could

            Tammy could also explode. Pukki could also do well against a Bournemouth team who have conceded 7 in 4 at home. You're starting 4 points down. Over a course of a season I think if you regularly make hits in those sorts of scenarios you'll be worse off for it overall.

  3. Daghe Munegu
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Play?

    A Rico
    B Aurier
    C Ayew

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Aurier.

    2. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Aurier with Rico first sub.

    3. Dybala10
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      B

  4. Feed tha Sheep
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    If MEN are predicting agureo bench should I capt sterling or stay with agureo?

    1. Futbol Heritage
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Are they? Do you have a link?

      I'd switch if that's the case

      1. Feed tha Sheep
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Someone had a link earlier don’t have it now sorry

    2. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Well I predict he won't. Now who you gonna believe?

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

      Just remember week 3 last season .....

      1. Feed tha Sheep
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Enlighten me?

  5. Bruno Commando
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    who to captain? sterling, KDB, abraham, mount?

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

      tammy

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

    Maddison and Soy

    or

    CHO/yarmo and Boly/Tierney

  7. HanS14
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who will score more in the next few weeks, Maddison or Jimenez?

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

      Maddison

  8. SALVA
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Dunk or Montoya?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Burn

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

        Burn is interesting for sure. Was unlucky not to get an assit vs. Tottenham.

        Failing that, Dunk. But remember, he's on 4 YCs.

  9. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    GTG here?

    Pope
    TAA Pereira Boly
    Mané KDB Mount CHO
    Aguero Wilson(c) Abraham

    McGovern Lundstram Rico Dendocker

    1. Gregor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Fo sho.

    2. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Perfect team

    3. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      That's my team, give it back

      1. Dr. Mantis Toboggan
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Oh actually hang on, didn't see Pereira. I've got Soy and cash ITB for Wilson->Vardy in 2 weeks

    4. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Krul not back in training?

      Nice team

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

      kane c is missing

  10. Jon Snow
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Apologies for asking again, my rront 8 looks like this:
    Sterling | Salah | Lanzini | McGinn | Dendoncker
    Abraham | Auba | Pukki

    2FT 0.1itb

    A) Salah + Pukki ➡ KdB + Wilson
    B) Salah + Lanzini ➡ KdB + Mount
    C) Sterling ➡ KdB
    D) Other

    Any advice is appreciated

  11. Rik Waller
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Callum or Tammy captain?

    1. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Callum

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      C

    3. Podge
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Im on tammy with both

    4. Rik Waller
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Currently on Tammy

    5. Dybala10
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Tammy

  12. Shultan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Pukki > king
    Or pukki & Ota > wilson & tomori

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

    Have I got this right?

    Pope
    Vvd Otamendi Mings
    Salah Mount Kdb McGinn
    Aguero (C) Wilson Tammy

    Button Cantwell Lundstram Rico.

  14. nadman89
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    would you guys do anything differently??

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

      not a minute of it, no regerts 😉

  15. Bobby
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Not many captaining kun this week. Makes me nervous

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

      Never owned him this season and I'm doing well so far without him. 🙂 Rank 2m

    2. FPL_DON
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      just got him, nailed on captain for the two following GW

    3. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I am

  16. Blame it on Traore
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who's your GW9 captain and why?

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Wilson - just watched Norwich highlights from last GW

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Yep - can't argue with that

      2. Hairy Potter
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        If I had him, he'd definitely be my choice.

    2. Kasper the ghost keeper
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Kane because Watford

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Great shout. Fancy him to do well this weekend too.

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

      Aguero because Aguero

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        I'm tempted by him too

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

      Tammy, hattie incoming

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        My current choice!

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

      Tammy. Newcastle at home is a nice easy fixture where he has the potential to score a brace.

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        He's certainly red-hot right now.

    6. Hairy Potter
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Abraham, as too many doubts on minutes for Kun, KDB, Salah and Son. If he fails, then as a Newcastle fan, I won't be too gutted.

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Haha. I hear you mate. Fellow Toon fan.

    7. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Kane because I still have him and if not this week, Why do I own him?

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Exactly!

    8. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      KDB. Center of everything and city will want to make a statement. Also seems a differential this gw

      1. Blame it on Traore
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        For sure. Wish I had him!

  17. Optic1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    WC finalised.

    Ryan
    TAA Tomori Soyuncu
    Mane Mount Maddison Sterling
    Abraham(c) Wilson Vardy

    4.0, Cantwell Rico Lundstram

    In 2 weeks plan to do Maddison and Wilson > KDB and Connoly.

    Vardy > Firmino after that.

    Looking good?

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

    Cant make my mind up on captain. Mouff, Pompom or Arse. Life is full of hard decisions.

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

    GTG?

    Pope
    TAA, Soy, Ota, Aurier
    Salah, Sterling, KDB(VC), Mount
    Pukki, Abraham(C)

    Button, Cantwell, Lundstram, Greenwood

  20. SirStevieG
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Play Rico or Cantwell?

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

      Rico

  21. Dybala10
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Bench 1 because my brain is fried

    A) Boly (SOU H)
    B) Tomori (NEW H)
    C) Soyuncu (BUR H)

    1. Kasper the ghost keeper
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Id bench Soy

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

      Play all 3, what are other options?
      If I had to pick one I would bench Soyuncu

      1. Dybala10
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Robbo or McGinn...

  22. Powerplay
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    would like to thank all those who have traded mo, kdb, sterling and pukki the past few weeks...easy way to have quality POD's

  23. danlynch13
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Tammy or sterling captain?? Any help

    1. nadman89
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Cp arent the type of team to concede 3-4 goals at home . id go tammy

  24. nadman89
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Would you guys do anything differently

    Ryan

    Lundstrum - Guilbert - Digne

    Maddison - Salah - Mcginn - Mount

    Abraham - Wilson (C) - Aguero

    cantwell - vvd - kelly

  25. St Pauli Walnuts
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    How's she looking? I think If I had a playing 2nd keeper I'd be half tempted to BB this week, I've struggle with bench order and whether to start Ota. Captain choice alright?

    Pope
    TAA / Ota / Soy
    Mane / KDB (v) / Mount / Madd
    Auba / Vardy / Tammy (c)

    Button / Rico / Cant / Lund

  26. Connor's Calling
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Bring in Dunk or Aurier?

  27. Gorbitz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Captain who?

    A) Wilson
    B) Auba
    C) Sterling
    D) Mane

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Oh, Salah cap, Vardy vice cap.

      Going to be interesting going no City.

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Fail!!!

  28. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Deadline around the corner.

    Pope
    Aurier TAA Lund
    Salah McGinn Mount Mane
    Vardy Pukki Tammy

    Button Dunk Rico Cantwell

    Good luck everyone 🙂

  29. imvs
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    pope button
    otamendi robbo TAA pereira lundstram
    mcginn salah KDB cantwell mount
    abraham aubameyang greenwood
    whom should i bench?

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

      greenwood 😉

  30. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Pukki to Wilson for a hit?

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

      whats the other half ?