Scout Notes

De Bruyne stars for Belgium as McGinn continues form

The final international break of 2019 continued on Saturday where a number of Fantasy Premier League assets saw some action.

We’ve got all the latest talking points from those matches in this Scout Notes article…

Euro 2020 qualifiers

Russia 1 Belgium 4

Kevin de Bruyne got himself two assists in Belgium’s 4-1 win against Russia

Big money transfers, loan moves and injuries mean that Belgium’s current line-up isn’t the Premier League all-star selection of old, but a key Fantasy finding was still there for the taking in Russia.

FPL’s most popular midfielder, the 39.9%-owned Kevin de Bruyne (£10.2m), was at his influential best for the Belgians, providing two assists, ahead of a massive Gameweek 13 clash with Chelsea.

He played the full 90 minutes, as did Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld (£5.4m), while the in-form Youri Tielemans (£6.6m) came on after 52 minutes and Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi (£6.6m) for the last 13.

Christian Benteke (£5.7m), Dennis Praet (£5.3m), Divock Origi (£5.2m) and Leander Dendoncker (£4.4m) were all unused subs.

Cyprus 1 Scotland 2

McGinn’s 2019/20 continues to go from strength to strength

The main news in the Scottish camp was the withdrawal through injury of Andrew Robertson (£7.0m), but a rising FPL star, John McGinn (£5.8m), kept the Fantasy fires burning in his absence.

The Aston Villa midfielder has produced three goals and two assists for his 11.9% Fantasy ownership and he was in excellent form as Scotland laboured to victory in Cyprus.

McGinn, who played the full 90 minutes, set up the opener and then scored the winner as the Scots moved ever closer to a play-off place. To seal the deal, they will need to avoid losing at home to Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

Sheffield United striker Oliver McBurnie (£5.7m) came on after 62 minutes, but his club-mate John Fleck (£4.8m) stayed on the bench, where he was joined by Southampton’s Stuart Armstrong (£5.2m).

Azerbaijan 0 Wales 2

Harry Wilson (second right) was on good form for Wales against Azerbaijan

Bournemouth’s Harry Wilson (£6.0m) was the star of the show as Wales kept their hopes of automatic qualification on track.

The Liverpool loanee, who has treated his 2.9% FPL fan base to four goals this season, scored and assisted in Baku.

Wales will secure second spot in the group with a win at home to Hungary on Tuesday, so Wilson is not in line for a rest just yet.

He played the full match on Saturday, as did club-mate Chris Mepham (£4.4m), Crystal Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey (£4.4m) and Spurs left-back Ben Davies (£5.4m).

Manchester United winger Daniel James (£6.2m) was subbed off with eight minutes remaining and, like Wilson, is unlikely to be given time off for the final qualifier.

Northern Ireland 0 Netherlands 0

Virgil van Dijk and the Netherlands have qualified for Euro 2020

A goalless draw meant the play-offs for Northern Ireland and an automatic qualifying spot for the Netherlands.

Burnley back-up keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell (£4.4m), Leicester City veteran Jonny Evans (£5.1m) and Watford’s Craig Cathcart (£4.4m) started and finished the match, while Norwich City’s Jamal Lewis (£4.5m) played 81 minutes and his club-mate Michael McGovern (£4.0m) warmed the bench.

For the Dutch, Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m) played 90 minutes, Brighton midfielder Davy Pröpper (£5.0m) came on after 36 minutes and Bournemouth’s Nathan Aké (£5.1m) joined them for a brief injury-time cameo.

Patrick van Aanholt (£5.6m) was reduced to doing bits on the bench, alongside Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.4m).

Euro 2020 round-up

Man City midfielder Ilkay Gündogan was in action for Germany

Elsewhere, Germany qualified for their 13th straight Euros with a 4-0 win over Belarus.

Manchester City’s Ilkay Gündogan (£5.2m) played the full match and set up the final goal, while Arsenal keeper Bernd Leno (£5.0m) watched on from the bench.

Croatia joined the Germans after coming from behind to win 3-1 against Slovakia.

Chelsea’s Mateo Kovačić (£5.3m) played the last 15 minutes. Aston Villa back-up keeper Lovre Kalinić (£4.4m) was an unused substitute.

Meanwhile, Southampton’s Jan Bednarek (£4.5m) played 90 minutes for Poland as they won 2-1 in Isreal.

AFCON qualifiers

Pépé was kept away from penalty kicks by his Ivory Coast colleagues

Arsenal winger Nicolas Pépé (£9.2m) and Tottenham defender Serge Aurier (£4.8m) played the full 90 minutes as Ivory Coast edged past Niger 1-0.

It was an eventful evening for Pépé, who earned a first-half penalty and then lost an argument with Max Gradel over who should take it. Gradel promptly missed and Pépé was denied a second chance when Franck Kessie won the game from the spot after the break.

Ivory Coast play again on Tuesday, in Ethiopia, where they could welcome back Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha (£6.7m), who missed Saturday’s match as he continues to manage a foot injury.

Under-21s Euro 2021 qualifiers

Patrick Cutrone (£5.6m) scored twice for Italy Under-21s as they beat Iceland 3-0.

Everton’s Moise Kean (£6.5m) was suspended for the match following a recent red card on international duty.

Under-19s Euro 2020 qualifiers

Bukayo Saka scored for England Under-19s on Saturday

There were an unprecedented four goals scored by FPL assets for England Under-19s as they beat their North Macedonian counterparts in Euro 2020 qualifying on Saturday.

Two of those were stuck away by Manchester United midfielder James Garner (£4.4m).

More pertinently, Arsenal’s budget man Bukayo Saka (£4.5m) also found the net on Saturday.

As Everton continue to struggle for goals, a strike by centre-forward Anthony Gordon (£4.5m) for England Under-19s might endear him to Marco Silva some more ahead of Gameweek 13.

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505 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Klip Klopp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Can I get some advice on where I can improve my team?

    Pope
    Tomori / Lundstrum / TAA
    Yarmelenko / Salah* / Martial / Sterling
    Jiminez / Vardy / Abraham

    Bench: Button, Rico, Dendoncker, Kelly

    1 FT and 1 itb.

    A. Yarmalenko + Salah —> Mane + Mount/Tielemens ? For a -4
    B. Salah —> Mane
    C. Yarmalenko —>
    D. Pope —> Schimeichel
    E. Anything else?

    1. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yarmo - Tielemans.

    2. theguy69
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      could do Yarma + Salah -> Mane + Pulisic.
      Defo fan of yarma out. Tielemens good option. I think you want your 3 leicester players as outfield players

      All just my opinion!!

    3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      C with Tielemans looks good

  2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    (For bench)
    A) Dendoncker
    Or
    B) Hayden

    &

    (To play occasionally)
    1) Mousset
    Or
    2) Ayew

    1. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      B1.

      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers!

        1. Monkey Hanger
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          There could come a time when you want three Wolves. Never going to happen with Newcastle. 🙂

          1. All de Gea no iDier
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 4 months ago

            With their fixture congestion coming up tripling up on Wolves now might not be such a good idea.

          2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 4 months ago

            Not impossible but unlikely 🙂

    2. The Man Pastore
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      B1

      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Thanx!

  3. Luggy10
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Thoughts on this team please...
    Had a good GW12, but still around the 700k mark. Team looks ok on paper but how do I close the gap in my mini leagues & overall.
    Pope, Button.
    TAA, Robbo, Tomori, Soy, Prodl.
    KdB, Mane, Martial, Mount, Donck

    1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      You need Lundstram and strikers!

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Yes this 🙂

      2. All de Gea no iDier
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Yes. Strikers would be good!

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Without knowing other teams in your ML it’s impossible to know exactly what can close the gaps, but far too early to worry about ML’s anyway, good captain picks, and a few good low owned selections maybe.

  4. Luggy10
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    King, Vardy, Jimenez.

    1. Luggy10
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Reluctant to bring in Lund for one of Soy or Tomori as believe they are still decent value & I would be paying an extra 1m for him!!! Was thinking maybe Mount, King out for McGinn & Rashford.

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

        Extra mil? He's not that much extra (yet). You're buying a midfielder regularly getting attacking returns with the benefit of clean sheets in a team that is actually gets them.

        1. Luggy10
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          I was meaning from Lunds starting price. But you make a good case for getting him in. May take out Tomori for him.

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

            Oh I see. Immaterial really though, that's just cutting your nose off to spite your face, he's still great value even at 5 mil.

            TAA and Robb are nice to have but I think it is more important you upgrade King to Tammy and ditch one to facilitate it (probably Robb out for Lund). I'm planning on bringing in Robb for the double up but I have pretty good TV so can afford too.

            1. Luggy10
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 4 Years
              4 years, 4 months ago

              Cheers mate, appreciate your thoughts.

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

                No probs mate

  5. Luggy10
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    To add, 2FT 1.6 ITB

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

      I think this is the 1st time I’ve ever seen a RMT spread out across 3 posts. Innovative

      1. The Man Pastore
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Lol

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

        Players I’d be keenest on getting in in your position are Abraham and Lundstram. Players I’d be most wanting rid of are King and Prodl - maybe even KDB if it facilitates the upgrades - don’t think he’s going to be worth it in this run of games. Pretty nice team though

  6. Luggy10
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Newbie to this forum

    1. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Welcome.

  7. DALEDOBACK
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Hi all,

    Any help appreciated. Have 3.1 in the bank for kelly/reid to Robertson. Worth a -4 or Hold?
    Alternatively upgrade cantwell.
    117k OR
    0 FT (lascelles to soy)

    Ryan Button
    Soy TAA Lund
    Mane KDB mount madd
    Vardy Abraham Jimi

    Cant kelly reid

    Thanks in advance

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

      Do it for free next week. Chance you might be punished, but more chance you won't.

      1. DALEDOBACK
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Agreed, thanks

  8. KDB4PREZ
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Hows this looking on WC

    Gazzaniga/Hendo
    Taa/Periera/Lundy/Janmaat/Rico
    Mane/KDB/Martial/Son/Traore
    Vardy/Tammy/Ings

    .02 itb so could go Salah over mane depending

    Plenty options for the busy period upcoming. Thoughts welcome and appreciated.

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

      Very good team, like both keepers particularly Gazza who is looking really good. Keep Mane over Salah and like the punt on Traore..........

      1. KDB4PREZ
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers buddy gl