Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 21

Gameweek 21 must be the easiest deadline of the season to miss. Coming, as it does, after the biggest party of the year. For those of you nursing New Year’s Eve hangovers, congratulations if you are reading this before the 11:30 GMT deadline. You’ve done your FPL team proud.

For others stumbling in a little later you may want to skip the insightful debate and compelling statistics contained within, and head straight to David Wardale’s Fantasy Premier League assets of the decade.

In his entertaining review, the author of “Wasting Your Wildcard” looks back on the achievements of FPL luminaries Aguero, Baines, and Suarez as well as some less fondly-remembered players. Find out which forward reminded us to “never trust a man whose first name sounds like a cinema”.

The big debate ahead of the new decade has revolved around which Liverpool players to own. Double Gameweek 24 was recently announced and the question facing many is whether to double-up in defence or attack?

Joe and Andy tackled the subject on the Scoutcast this week, while Pro Pundit Zophar examined the candidates for our teams in his aptly titled – Which Liverpool assets should we buy for Double Gameweek 24?

The six-time top 5,000 manager has made his bed early, taking a -8 to include Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah alongside Sadio Mane. Fellow Pro Pundit and five-time top 1,000 manager, Tom Freeman, added the same trio on his Gameweek 20 Wildcard.

Owning all three of the premium-priced players is a combination favoured by just 4.17% of the current top 10,000.

Conversely, Joe and Andy prefer going with two defenders. They reason that the sacrifices required elsewhere make it difficult to justify buying two players costing over £12m. Joe commented:

In terms of squad structure for the rest of my fifteen, and the eleven I want to play each week, I think I’m in danger of actually losing points, bizarrely, if I get Mané in.

– Joe

The dilemma facing him is which defender to pair with Alexander-Arnold.

Andy noted that Robertson and van Dijk have the same points-per-match averages this season of 4.5. Could the Dutchman, at £0.6m cheaper, be the better option?

While there are valid reasons for getting either Salah or Mane, an under-the-radar option not being considered as heavily is Roberto Firmino. Priced at an appealing £9.2m Andy reported on the Scoutcast that in nine away matches this season the Brazillian has six goals. Both Liverpool’s matches in Double Gameweek 24 are on the road.

However the captaincy will surely come down to either Salah or Mane. The Senegal international has been afforded more big chances than his Egyptian counterpart in recent Gameweeks, but Salah’s position against Wolverhampton Wanderers caught Neale’s attention:

While Salah blanked on Sunday, there was at least encouragement in that he was again playing as the centre-forward in a 4-2-3-1. It was in this formation that Salah had his purple patch last season, while his 16-point haul against Watford in Gameweek 17 also came when stationed centrally.

– Neale

West Ham fan G-Whizz brought us the news that his beloved Hammers had parted company with Manuel Pellegrini. Although he seemed less impressed with the re-appointment of David Moyes. Like Liverpool, West Ham also have two matches in Gameweek 24.

Looking at this site’s fixture ticker the Hammers top the table for attack over the next four Gameweeks. Should we be considering the likes of Michail Antonio for our fantasy teams?

Rotation Boost for Captain Pick

Jamie Vardy is the popular choice for the armband in the first Gameweek of 2020. 

And with good reason too – he’s rested after missing the trip to East London to attend the birth of his child. He now looks set to resume his place spearheading the Leicester attack as they travel to the North East.

Newcastle’s defensive numbers were scrutinised by David in his Captain Sensible article, offering hope to those favouring the Foxes forward. Many are anticipating the rocking-a-baby celebration this afternoon.

Vardy is one of three Leicester City players to feature in this week’s Scout Picks.

As ever, there are other contenders vying for the captaincy. Liverpool’s Salah and Mane feature prominently as does Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne. The Citizens top the latest DS stats, fixtures and clean sheet odds provided by G-Whizz.

Squad rotation could be a factor when considering your captain and starting XI.

In addition to Vardy several key players were afforded rests in Gameweek 20 – Soyuncu, Jimenez and Traore among them. All three are expected to return to action later today. In his Pro Pundit article, Andy revealed that he is contemplating adding the Wolves speed-merchant to his side. 

There was positive news on the injury front concerning John Lundstram, as Neale reported in his Team News summary. The out-of-position defender missed the encounter against Man City after turning his ankle but is predicted to feature against Liverpool.

There was also welcome news regarding another defender, Aymeric Laporte, who according to Guardiola is on course to return to full training in a week to ten days.

Having played the entire 270 minutes over the festive period, rotation may affect the minutes of Dele Alli, Serge Aurier, and Harry Kane in the Spurs ranks. Although Joe feels, Kane in particular, that they are too integral to be afforded a rest

Other players possibly at risk include Calvert-Lewin, Deulofeu, Grealish, Zaha, Willian, and Abraham.

Everton striker Calvert-Lewin is near the top of Tom Freeman’s watchlist. Following today’s trip to the Etihad, the Toffees enjoy a kind run of fixtures from Gameweek 22. At £5.8m and with impressive underlying stats, he’s one to consider.

Finally, if you’ve not enjoyed the best 2019 remember, as Greyhead reminded us in bumper edition of The Great and The Good, “Ings can only get better in 2020.

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 for £2.99 per month. Click here to sign up or upgrade your account.

Join a new Mini-League for 2020?

Track your progress in the New Year by joining RedLightning’s January to May League. Scoring will start in Gameweek 21. So far 270 managers have entered, to join them the league code you need is aafkpq.

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 21 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 2020!

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

1,527 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ToooooooOon
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Just woke up thinking I'd missed the deadline. Phew.. thought there was a breakfast club?

  2. Siggy Azalea
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Morning all, pick one...Thanks
    a) Mount
    b) Zaha
    c) Tielemans
    d) Barnes
    e) Perez

  3. IAWC ( It's a Wonderfu…
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Grealish to

    A)Sarr
    B)Traore
    C)Save ft

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Traore

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

      A

    3. Ronny Sandstone
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I have Grealish and Traore, starting Grealish with Traore on bench, Watford seem ok now

  4. QueefParkRangers
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    The user who posted about vardy is rowdog24

    Account looks to have been registered today and only has 3 posts to what he posted today, smells like bs.

    rowdog24
    1 Year
    COMMENTS (LAST 30 DAYS)
    THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCOUT’S TIPS AND ADVICE FOR FPL GAMEWEEK 21 24 MINS AGO
    Really? Even if it’s correct? » Read

    THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCOUT’S TIPS AND ADVICE FOR FPL GAMEWEEK 21 25 MINS AGO
    A friend of a friend who knows the Leicester squad well. Don’t shoot the messenger though please (don’t normally post stuff like this) » Read

    THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SCOUT’S TIPS AND ADVICE FOR FPL GAMEWEEK 21
    Comment removed. Please refer to our terms and conditions on posting comments.

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      what did he say?

    2. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      ‘A friend of a friend’

      Seems legit

    3. columbo
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Nah hes been registered at least a year, easy to find past posts of his from last season.

      1. QueefParkRangers
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Still a bit fishy to trust

        1. columbo
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Agreed, strange if true after Rodgers said hes good to go

      2. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Yep. Comment history on profile pages is only last 30 days.

    4. HVT
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Cheers mate, looks dodgy.

    5. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Still going to (c) Vardy 🙂

      1. The Dribbler
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        exactly. the whole reason we have vc's. imo this (more than likely) fake news was an attempt to have people change their cap choice...but it shouldn't change anything as long as people has chosen a sensible vc.

  5. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Start ryan or ramsdale?

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      ramsdale

  6. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Deulofeu to dcl or jimi (have traore)?

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      dcl

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

      Jimi

      1. boroie
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Look at the evidence over a longer period than the last 2 GWs and there’s a clear winner

  7. Mike82
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Any changes needed and who to captain?

    Pope
    Robertson, Otamendi, Kelly
    Mane, KdB, Mount, Moura
    Vardy, Rashford, Jimenez
    Button, Cantwell, Lundstram, Rico

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      strong team

      1. Mike82
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks, feel Trent will punish me again.
        Everyone on Vardy it seems as captain

  8. Planet Head
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bottomed

    Ings(TOT) in for Traore(wat) or GTG?

    Ryan (Button)
    TAA - Pereira - Aurier
    Salah - KdB - Maddo - Martial - Traore
    Vardy(c) - Abraham

    Ings - Rico - Lundstram

    Thinking of benching Ings as he's up against one of my defenders so Traore might have more potential

    1. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I'm playing Traore over Ings too

      1. Planet Head
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        That's reassuring, cheers 🙂

    2. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ings could score against Spurs.
      They haven't kept a clean sheet under Jose.

      1. Planet Head
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        He's scored at Spurs this season too. Ahhh decisions

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

        Aurier still attacking?

  9. Bonus magnet
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    A. Pogba+Keita-> Salah + 4.5 mid

    B. Pogba+ Mendy -> Salah + 4.2 Def (masuaku)

  10. Mr Arsenal
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Would you captain Salah or Aguero away at Newcastle? Likely not.. so don’t understand why most will be captaining Vardy. Even more so as Newcastle will sit deep and wait.

    Did I miss something?

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

      Lack of options

      1. Mr Arsenal
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Salah or Aguero at home..?

        1. FirMinaMiMo
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Salah

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

          Salah's form is iffy
          Majority of us dont have Kun

          1. FirMinaMiMo
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Kun owner but i suggest salah mate 🙂 ....coz everton are gud at defence

          2. Mr Arsenal
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            im just trying to convince myself not to go for Vardy(c)

            Failing so far!

        3. Lecky Legs FC
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Aguero

  11. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    anyone can give me some reasons why i SHOULD cap kane over vardy?

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

      Southampton's defense is worse than Newcastle?

      1. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        I thought this but compared both for last 4 homegames and it doesn’t seem to be the case (at least over that period)

        I have both and am going Vardy (as it stands)

    2. CrouchDown
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I fancy Kane to bag a few today

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

      More points

    4. Infamy, Infamy
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Kane has scored in at least the last five league matches v Southampton.

    5. Lord Flashheart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      cheers all - i think i will take the gamble...

      1. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Sod it, I think I’ll join you.

  12. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Vardy [C] who should be the VC:
    A. Salah
    B. KDB
    C. Rashford
    D. Doesn't matter

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      salah

    2. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

    3. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      D

  13. Simon Says...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Play Ings or Moura?

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      moura

      1. Mr Arsenal
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        He’s due..

  14. Sike
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    GTG? - 1 FT 0.1 ITB and I may wildcard next week

    Guaita

    Soyuncu Rico Hanley

    Mane Salah KDB Ali Richarlison

    Vardy Ings

    Bench ~Button,Greenwood,Lundstram,Targett

  15. fridge
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Couple of bad weeks but good to save transfer?

    Ramsdale
    TAA. Soyuncu. Aurier
    Salah. KDB. Maddison. Alli. Martial
    Ings. Vardy (c)
    Button. Greenwood. Kelly. Lunds

    1. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Looks good! Save FT

  16. Benditlike
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Have 2FT and 1.2 ITB. No obvious transfers. Considering Grealish -> Sarr. What do you think?

    Current team:
    Pope
    TAA, Digne, Rico
    Mane, KDB, Alli, Grealish
    Rashford, Ings, Vardy

    Button, Cantwell, Kelly, Lundstram.

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      greaish to traore

  17. mash
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Ryan
    TAA Aurier Soyuncu
    Mane KDB Alli Maddison
    Vardy Jiminez Abraham

    Button Cantwell Rico Lundstram

    2FT, 0.3 in the bank

    A) stick
    B) Alli and Abraham to Salah and Greenwood
    C) Aurier to Gomez

    Leaning towards A at the moment. B feels like it might unbalance the squad, C would be an early Liveroool triple up that could be worth a gamble...

    1. The Legend Squad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      C personally. Gomez IN for the early triple up is my next transfer

  18. The Legend Squad
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Have I got the bench order right here? G2G?

    Gazza
    TAA Chilwell Kelly
    Mane KDB Martial Maddison
    Ings Vardy Jimenez

    Button Grealish Rico Lundstram

    1. mash
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      G2G, all the best

  19. turner1209
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    3 to play from Maupay, Dan James, Pogba or Traore (Wolves)

    Any assistance please

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      drop james to 1st first choice sub

    2. Mike82
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Maupay, James and Traore

    3. The Legend Squad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Drop James

  20. QUEN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Question 1: who is your captain this week

    1. Siggy Azalea
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Salah

    2. The Legend Squad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Mane

    3. Mike82
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Am struggling between bardy, mane, kdb and rash

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

      Jimenez

  21. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bench one please guys:

    (A) Martial (ars)
    (B) Grealish (bur)
    (C) Ings (TOT)
    (D) Traoré (wat)

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      d

    2. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      B

  22. the egyptian king
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Play:

    a) Lundstram (liv)
    b) Kelly (nor)

    1. whosBenj
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      B

  23. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Hanley 4.0 looking a solid budget defender option. NOR don't really do cleanies, but decent bench fodder and maybe they'll tighten up a bit

  24. QUEN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Question 2: who do I bench? Currently benched rashford

    Kdb moura Traoré mane mount
    Abraham Vardy rashford

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Dont bench Rashford. Mount or Moura I would say

    2. Mike82
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Bench traore for rash personally

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

      bench mount, rashford up against mustafi should get returns

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

      Bench Mount.

  25. davies
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tammy > Jimenez

    Y or N?

  26. Van der Faart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Sorry for the repost but need some opinions on this please

    2FT and some players need changing

    Ryan (*Gazza)
    TAA Rico Soy (*Kelly Lundy)
    Kdb Alli Mane Grealish (*Dend)
    Rashford Vardy(C) Ings

    .2ITB

    1: Gazza to Button, Dendo to Cantwell
    2: 1 plus Grealish to Traore (-4)
    3: Grealish to Traore and save the other FT
    4: Something else

    1. Citizen Kane
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      3

  27. Citizen Kane
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    GTG?

    Ryan (Button)

    TAA, Robbo, Sidibe (Kiko, Lund)

    Mane, KDB, Martial, Alli (Cantwell)

    Vardy C, Ings, DCL

    On WC, 0.2 ITB

    Open Controls

  28. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    1FT. Is Ramsdale > Fabianski worth it?

    1. whosBenj
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Maybe save and do it another time? Bournemouth have good fixtures.

  29. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Gtg bench order etc?

    Ramsdale
    Taa Aurier Kelly
    Salah (vc) Mane Kdb Martial Traore
    Vardy (c) Ings

    Bench: Greenwood, Rico, Lund

  30. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    What would be your bench order?
    A) Rico
    B) Lundstram
    C) Connolly