Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 19

Welcome to the Christmas edition of the Fantasy Football Scout Gameweek Guide.

If festive distractions are keeping you from your beloved FPL, I’m delighted to point you in the direction of Simon March’s Guide to the Christmas Period. Simon is a Pro Pundit and former FPL winner and, in his article, he gives away the secret of his success. It’s a gift to us all. 

The pressing question this week for many FPL managers has been what to do with Son?

Replacements were debated on site with many looking at an upgrade to Salah. As Joe revealed on the Scoutcast that is exactly his plan, and David provided some comforting statistics to back up his decision.

Over the last four matches Salah is top for Shots in the Box (16), Shots on Target (9), and has an expected goals of 2.4 – again the best for any player.

Other options were discussed with Antonio, Martial, Willian, Grealish, and Alli all mentioned. Indeed, Meet the Manager guest Phil Ampleford (aka Philman) advised in the chat to keep it simple and get Alli. Although other FFS managers were less convinced

Captain candidates were also debated and following the success of Danny Ings against an injury-hit Aston Villa side, Teemu Pukki was highlighted as a potential armband pick.

In Gameweek 18 Danny Ings made up for his misfortune in Gameweek 17 with a 13-point haul. Az began a festive-themed hot-topic on the in-form forward, “Jingsle Bells” (brilliant or dreadful, make your own mind up) – with the fixtures stiffening for the Saints, should we keep or sell?

Teemu Pukki is the next talismanic forward to face the Villains. Their abysmal backline was highlighted by David in his Captain Sensible article: 

Aston Villa’s defence continues to be the worst by a considerable margin over the last four matches. They are bottom of the league for shots conceded in the box (55) by a total of 15, bottom for big chances conceded (14) by a total of three and also the worst for expected goals conceded (xGC). Their total of 11.17 is 4.97 greater than any other side in the last four Gameweeks.

– David Munday

Not pretty readying for Villa fans.

Conversely very pretty reading for owners of our favourite Finn. To bolster his case, the Norwich City forward was twice denied by Wolves goalkeeper Rui Patrício in their 2-1 defeat last week and boasts two goals in his last four matches. 

Although there was a word of warning from Neale in his Predicted Line-Up notes:

 The absence of Tyrone Mings (hamstring) and John McGinn (ankle fracture), both of whom have made big contributions to defensive efforts this season, may force Dean Smith into a more conservative shape when a slightly resurgent Norwich attack come to Aston Villa on Boxing Day.

– Neale Rigg

Harry Kane tops the Captain Poll, and a timely analysis from shniklas added to research by Pro Pundit Lateriser last month.

Over the past five seasons Kane has played 13 games during this Christmas period. He has scored 19 goals and been awarded 7 assists.

– shniklas

Brighton-fan Joe was fairly pessimistic about his team’s chances at White Hart Lane. 

Gameweek 17 hero Kevin De Bruyne put in another impressive performance, as Colm Hayes (aka CHayes) reported in his take on the key stats from last weekend:

Kevin De Bruyne managed four attempts against the Foxes, 75% of those coming from inside the penalty area. That goal threat complements De Bruyne’s creative genius – only Norwich’s £6.0m midfielder Emi Buendia (9) fashioned more opportunities for his team-mates than the Belgian (7) across the Saturday games.

– Colm Hayes

In his new advanced role he certainly presents an easy captain pick.

There are also reasons for picking Marcus Rashford at home to Newcastle. Aside from the expected return of Paul Pogba to the starting XI, Rashford tops the points predictions on this site’s Rate My Team.

And if you are looking for a reason to hand the armband to Tammy Abraham, G-Whizz provides you with ammunition in the latest DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds with Chelsea top of the ratings for Boxing Day. 

Everton appointed their new manager in the shape of Carlo Ancelotti, what will this mean for their fortunes? 

Gregor began a hot-topic on the subject, while the Scoutcast trio of Joe, David, and Andy debated the potential impact. 

The eyebrow-raising Italian favoured a 4-4-2 formation at Napoli which could mean good news for Richarlison according to David, while Joe enthused about Calvert-Lewin, who has notched 12 goal attempts in four matches. There were also positive quotes from Ancelotti about Moise Kean, who he tried to buy while he was at Napoli:

Moise Kean did really well last year. When I was at Napoli we tried to buy him. A really good player with a lot of talent. You have to consider that he’s 19 years old, for every player that change countries and teams, you need sometimes adaptation.

– Carlo Ancelotti

Finally, Greyhead was in reflective mood in the latest installment of The Great and The Good. Using the What If Machine he reported that Neale has been the transfer king so far this season, gaining an impressive 165 points with his wheeler-dealing. 

He also revealed that the famously patient Ville Ronka finally played his Wildcard. The Finn sold Jamie Vardy and tripled up on Man United players. Interestingly, World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen also bought Harry Maguire. If their success is anything to go by, perhaps that’s a move we will all be copying very soon.

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.

Rolling monthly subscriptions are now available, with the first month costing only £1.99 for a limited time only. Click here to sign up or upgrade your account.

Community Competitions

For an 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. The fixtures for Gameweek 19 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.

Enjoy your Christmas and best of luck for Gameweek 19!

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

1,845 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Graham Scott in charge for Spurs game. Has shown 3 red cards in 10 games so far this season already.

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Alli red card incoming

    2. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Kane 2 penalties for a hattrick incoming...

  2. ooooo
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Captain?
    A) KDB
    B) Alli
    C) Rashford

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B

      1. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        You’ve been saying Rashford all morning?

        1. KDB4PREZ
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Lol

    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      C

    3. Dele
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B

    4. KDB4PREZ
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      C

  3. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Kane cappers REUNITE !

    1. jimmyabs1987
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Let’s hope!

  4. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Cathcart or Kiko on wildcard? Cheers

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Kiko

    2. KDB4PREZ
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Cathcart as Janmaat is back soon and will be gunning for kiko spot

      1. Garfield1001
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        When is Janmaat back?

  5. GE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Rashford (C) and Pogba here we go! 🙂

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Good luck hoping for a convincing win today!

  6. Fishy
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    CAN YOU KEEP YOUR QUESTIONS SIMPLE PLEASE

  7. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Play:
    A) Kelly (442)
    B) Maddison (352)

    Pope
    TAA, Aurier, Lundstram, Kelly
    Mane, KDB(C), Grealish, Cantwell
    Vardy, Rashford

    Button, Maddison, Mousset, Soyuncu

    1. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Im playing Maddison ahead of Kelly

    2. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      A

    3. Big Al Stankovic
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B)

  8. FDMS All Starz
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Which one scores more this week?

    A) Rashford (c)

    B) Jiménez +4pts... Tammy (c)

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B

    2. Big Al Stankovic
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B)

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

    To play. TAA or Targett?

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Taa

    2. Railwayman
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      TAA

    3. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Trent...

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

      Thank you!

    5. Dele
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      TAA

  10. Kante Touch This
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Start Pulisic or Mount?

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Mount

    2. Big Al Stankovic
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Both. Mount if you must.

      1. Kante Touch This
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Other options would be Pulisic vs Ings, or Pulisic vs Cantwell

        1. Big Al Stankovic
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Rather bench Cantwell or Ings. Probably Cantwell.

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

      Pulisic

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

    Pope
    TAA Kelly Lundstram
    Mane KDB Alli Zaha
    Vardy Rashford Mousset

    McG Chilwell Maddison Rico

    1FT 0.6m itb

    Chilwell/Madders out?

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Save, teams good.

      1. Zladan
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Madders to Moura and bench Mousset maybe?

  12. Alli
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Captain?
    A) KDB
    B) Tammy
    C) Salah

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      B

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      C

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

      C

    4. drughi
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      c

  13. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wheel decide chose Kane 3 out of 5 times for me including the first choice. Locked in (K)ane ahead of Tammy, Vardy, KDB, Mane & Alli. Good luck to everybody!

  14. Purse83
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Jimi to Kane for -4?

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      No

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

    need to bench 1, Not sure who, mids/fwd below:

    Mane, kdb, grealish, Moura, Alli
    Ings, vardy, Jimi

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Jimi?

  16. My Name Is Prince
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Thoughts on Otamendi as a punt for the next few until Stones is fully back? Easy downgrade to a cheaper def when he loses his spot, could get a surprise haul in the next few!

  17. boroie
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Hate not using a transfer when I have 2 FTs but I have no idea what to do with this... Please help...

    2 FTs, 0 ITB

    Gazzaniga
    Aurier Lundstram Zouma
    Alli KDB Martial Mane
    Abraham(C) Rashford(VC) Vardy

    Button; Cantwell Soyuncu Rico

    1. Gringo Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Zouma to Holgate

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Good call. Zouma out to someone.

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Button to McGovern so stop value loss?

  18. Zladan
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Will Moura outscore Madders over the next 3?

    1. Athletic Nasherbo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Would expect so

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

      Yes, if maddison is rested for a game. Moura fresher so won't be rested and has greater fixtures

  19. CC22
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Bench one of Ings, Maddison & Cantwell? Currently on Maddison.

    1. jimmyabs1987
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Correct

  20. Athletic Nasherbo
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Richarlison as captain too risky?

    Abraham, Alli, Vardy, KdB, Mane all in my team

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yes
      Way better options

      1. Athletic Nasherbo
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Like who?

        1. Teror
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Abraham, Alli, Vardy, KdB, Mane all better options

  21. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Looks like I’ll be burning a FT this week... 2FT 0 ITB 🙁 also, Captain Vardy?

    Pope
    TAA Lundstram Kelly
    Mane KDB Maddison Alli
    Vardy(c) Rashford Jimenez

    Martin Dendoncker Soyuncu Rico

    Thanks in advance 🙂

    1. Teror
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I'd get rid of Madz if I was you

    2. Big Al Stankovic
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Pope ➡ Henderson/Foster?

      Vardy is a good bet for (C).

  22. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Captain KDB or Sterling?

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Kdb

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Kevin

  23. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Who is more likely to bounce back Spurs or United?

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Spurs

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Neither I hope

    3. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Spurs did it against Burnley after losing to United. I expect the same.

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

      Spurs, there will be a reaction today. Plus they want revenge on Brighton after a 3-0 trashing by them under Poch.

  24. Bielsa's Bucket
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    On a WC - GTG?

    3.3 ITB

    Ryan
    Mendy, Aurier, Lundstram, Kelly
    Alli (c), Salah, Richarlison, KDB (vc)
    Abraham, Vardy
    (Button, Ayew, Cantwell, Soy)

  25. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Not sure I want my C playing in last game of the week?

    KDB
    Tammy
    Rashford
    Lundstram 🙂

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Rash.

    2. There is always next GW
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      KDB from those choices

    3. Big Al Stankovic
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      People are saying Tammy. But I have a good hunch on the Lord to bring home some bacon.

    4. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Rashford of those. United have a good Boxing Day record, and Pogba is back.

  26. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Pope
    TAA Lund Kelly
    Mane KDB Alli Grealish
    Vardy Rashford (C) Ings

    Button Maddison Soy Rico

    2ft’s 0.4 ITB

    I think I am just going to do Gazziniga in for Pope and roll the second FT.

    Really feel Kane is going to kill me though. Should I get him and Traore for Maddison and Rash or wait till next gameweek?

  27. vandebeek
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Start Pulisic or Cantwell?

    1. Kante Touch This
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I'm on cantwell atm

    2. Big Al Stankovic
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Puli

  28. There is always next GW
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Start Ings or Maddison?

    I have a feeling that Ings may be rested for the Palace game

    1. Fishy
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Ings

      1. There is always next GW
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Thanks

    2. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Why the Palace game - that's the vital one to win.

      1. There is always next GW
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I was not clear. I felt that he would be rested for the Chelsea game with a view to starting the Palace game

  29. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Captaincy tough this week. Maybe De Bruyne just for fun on Friday night.

  30. machickenz
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Im stuck between picks. Who is the best captain option for my team?

    Henderson
    Aurier Lundstram Kelly
    KDB Salah Maddison Alli
    Ings Rashford Vardy

    SUB: Heaton Mctominay Chillwell Rico