Scout Notes

Moyes gets off to winning start as West Ham’s Double Gameweek 24 assets impress

West Ham United 4-0 Bournemouth

  • Goals: Mark Noble (£5.0m) x2, Sebastien Haller (£7.0m), Felipe Anderson (£6.6m)
  • Assists: Robert Snodgrass (£5.2m), Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m), Declan Rice (£4.7m)
  • Bonus: Noble x3, Fredericks x2, Rice x1

David Moyes’ second stint as West Ham United manager got off to the best possible start on New Year’s Day but he could hardly have wished for more obliging opponents than a woefully out-of-sorts Bournemouth side.

Fantasy Premier League managers will be monitoring the Hammers’ players ahead of Double Gameweek 24, although the fact that the Londoners face Leicester City and Liverpool in that round of fixtures will be off-putting to many.

Forthcoming matches against high-flying Sheffield United and a resurgent Everton will also be truer tests of their abilities, with Wednesday’s opponents Bournemouth the division’s worst team based on form over the last ten Gameweeks.

Still, West Ham couldn’t have done any more than what they did on New Year’s Day, recording their biggest league win in over 12 years.

Moyes didn’t have much time to work with his new troops and didn’t look to make any sweeping tactical changes, retaining a 4-2-3-1 set-up with attacking midfield trio Robert Snodgrass (£5.2m), Felipe Anderson (£6.6m) and Pablo Fornals (£6.0m) playing behind central striker Sebastien Haller (£7.0m).

Michail Antonio (£6.9m) reportedly missed out with a minor hamstring injury.

Haller and Anderson produced arguably their best performances in months, with the hitherto out-of-form striker brilliantly volleying in a Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m) cross and the Brazilian rounding off the scoring when delicately controlling a superb Declan Rice pass (£4.7m) and slotting beyond Aaron Ramsdale (£4.7m) midway through the second half.

Mark Noble (£5.0m), who Moyes has repeatedly praised since his re-appointment as head coach, had opened the scoring with a heavily deflected shot before grabbing his second from the penalty spot after being fouled himself.

There could have been further goals, too, with substitute Manuel Lanzini (£6.2m) heading straight at Ramsdale from six yards and Fornals forcing the Bournemouth goalkeeper into a save with an effort from the edge of the box.

Speaking of the attacking options at his disposal, Moyes said:

We have got so many players who have got the ability. Anderson, Haller, Lanzini, Fornals, all technically gifted players so we want to get them all in the team but we have to play football to win and get ourselves out of this position in the Premier League.

Brazilians score goals, Brazilians make the difference, they do something which makes us all excited, I said [to Anderson] you’re not doing that. Give me a Brazilian goal and to be fair, he did.

Even when Lanzini came on, he looked lively, he had two good opportunities. They are people I know I enjoy working with and hopefully, they felt the same.

Lanzini is one of the players who Moyes worked with in his first stint in east London, with another being Arthur Masuaku (£4.2m) – the FPL defender was deployed ‘out of position’, as he effectively was as a gung-ho wing-back in 2017/18, in a seven-minute cameo against the Cherries on Wednesday.

Lukasz Fabianski (£4.9m) will rarely enjoy an easier afternoon, with his only two saves coming from shots from narrow angles, although his clean sheet was very nearly spoiled late on when Dominic Solanke (£5.2m) nodded against the inside of the post.

Angelo Ogbonna (£4.5m) deserves a mention, too, with the recalled defender delivering an impressive display at centre-half.

Reflecting on his impact on the West Ham players, Moyes said:

I tried to make it as simple as I possibly could.

In truth, I don’t know most of them, maybe eight or nine from before, but I tried to go over with them on yesterday morning, tried to use every bit of time to have conversations with them. I have spoken to one or two individuals who I think will make the difference for us.

But, really, we worked on being in a good defensive shape and when we lost possession, we were in a good place.

What I saw recently is the minute the ball changed over, we couldn’t get back into a good enough shape in transition. We have the ability to run fast forward, play off a big centre forward, and we could do with crossing the ball a bit more. Thankfully today, Seb did that.

Bournemouth were, as they have been for large chunks of the last two months, well below-par.

Callum Wilson (£7.4m) hasn’t delivered an FPL attacking return since September and was anonymous, touching the ball on fewer occasions than Ramsdale.

The Cherries’ injury-hit defence were repeatedly carved open and their most-owned player in FPL, Diego Rico (£4.4m), departed at half-time with a minus score having conceded three goals and picked up a yellow card.

Rico was one of a few players namechecked by his manager afterwards as not being fully fit, with Howe saying:

There were players today playing who were not 100 per cent fit either so that’s not to make excuses and to try and shy away from what we’ve delivered, because it hasn’t been good enough. I thought the players gave everything today but we weren’t in the best physical condition to play.”

I think the difference probably from this to previous years is the amount of injuries that we’ve had. The lightness of the squad, I’ve never had a smaller group of players to pick from.

Even some of those players, if you look aren’t 100 per cent fit. Steve Cook, Junior Stanislas, Diego Rico, Simon Francis, Jefferson Lerma are all coming into the game on the back of injuries and haven’t trained. I don’t think we were in the best physical condition today.

Josh King (£6.1m) and Jack Stacey (£4.3m) joined the ever-growing injury list after picking up hamstring strains in Gameweek 20, with Howe saying after full-time on Wednesday:

I think they’re going to be out for about five to six weeks. They’ve got very similar injuries. Both hamstring injuries, both been given the same grade, so a massive, massive blow.

All of which adds up to an appetising fixture for in-form Watford in Gameweek 22, with Bournemouth out of sorts and short of several first-team players.

Members Analysis

Manchester City 2-1 Everton

  • Goals: Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) x2 | Richarlison (£8.0m)
  • Assists: Ilkay Gundogan (£5.2m), Riyad Mahrez (£8.4m) | Theo Walcott (£6.2m)
  • Bonus: Jesus x3, Djibril Sidibe (£5.3m) x2, Gundogan, Fernandinho (£5.2m) x1

The 11-day Premier League hiatus probably comes at a good time for Manchester City and owners of their Fantasy assets.

Energy levels had clearly been sapped over Christmas, with the Citizens not helped by having to play over 75 minutes with ten men against Wolves last Friday.

Having named the same front six players in his starting XI in Gameweeks 19 and 20, Pep Guardiola finally delivered the rotation we had been fearing on New Year’s Day.

Raheem Sterling (£11.8m), Sergio Aguero (£11.7m) and Bernardo Silva (£7.8m) were all dropped to the bench, while Kyle Walker (£5.8m), City’s most-owned defender in FPL and an ever-present in the Premier League in December, also made way at right-back.

Kevin De Bruyne (£10.6m), he of the lung-busting runs from deep, avoided a benching but looked to be pacing himself after his exertions over the festive period, operating in a more restrained central midfield role – although, as we’ll discuss shortly, that was perhaps as much about Guardiola’s tactical tweak as it was energy preservation.

Sterling came on for an owner-infuriating one-point cameo in stoppage time, to compound the misery for the 23.3% of Fantasy bosses who still retain the winger’s services.

Explaining the rotation and the omission of Ederson (£6.0m) ahead of kick-off, Guardiola said:

Ederson is sick. The other ones… it has been an incredible amount of games. It’s the toughest period – we need fresh legs.

While the personnel changes weren’t too surprising, the change of formation was.

City switched to a 3-4-3 for this match, with wing-backs Joao Cancelo (£5.2m) and Benjamin Mendy (£5.5m) playing either side of centre-halves Rodri (£5.4m), Eric Garcia (£4.5m) and Fernandinho (£5.2m).

De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan (£5.2m) operated as the two holding midfielders, with Riyad Mahrez (£8.4m) and Phil Foden (£5.1m) flanking Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) in attack.

We saw very little of De Bruyne in the Everton box as a result, while his distribution was, for once, a little off: the Belgian’s pass completion rate was the worst of any City player in Gameweek 21.

Perhaps De Bruyne most of all needs a breather, which will surely come on Saturday when City entertain Port Vale in the FA Cup.

Asked about his use of a wing-back system, Guardiola said:

We can do it in the future. We make a really good build-up. The five guys – Eric, ‘Dinho, Rodri, Gundogan and Kevin – they are so good with the ball. Everything that happens that starts from there is good. It is better. Riyad received the ball in better conditions. Phil received it in better conditions. It helps us to play better.

City laboured in the first half against Carlo Ancelotti’s side, with a shanked Mahrez effort and a disallowed Foden goal as close as they came to breaking the deadlock.

Everton’s resistance finally caved early in the second half, with Jesus expertly finishing two well-crafted team goals to help City establish what ought to have been a comfortable lead.

A botched pass from Claudio Bravo (£4.8m) led to Richarlison‘s (£8.0m) goal and a nervy final 20 minutes but, in truth, City looked more likely to increase their advantage than concede an equaliser, with Jesus twice denied by Jordan Pickford (£5.3m) and seeing a shot crash back off the upright.

From an Everton point of view, we are hardly likely to be deterred by an away defeat at the Etihad.

The Toffees’ next five matches are appealing (even if the trips to Watford and West Ham perhaps come at the wrong time considering the potential for a continued new manager bounce at both clubs) and they sit near the top of our Season Ticker as a result.

This was Richarlison’s sixth attacking return in the last ten Gameweeks and his advanced role in the Everton set-up is obviously attractive.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) is flourishing under new management, as well: the budget FPL forward has five goals in six matches since Marco Silva departed and, while quiet for long periods, came close to scoring at the Etihad with a header.

Further back, Djibril Sidibe (£5.3m) is enjoying a new lease of life in the post-Silva era.

Whether deployed as a wing-back in a 3-4-3 or a right-winger when the Toffees move to a 4-4-2, the on-loan defender has two assists, two clean sheets and six bonus points in five starts under Duncan Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti.

Two of those bonus points arrived on New Year’s Day, despite Sidibe not banking an attacking or defensive return.

While the Toffees were not as fluent as they had been at Newcastle in Gameweek 20, chances did arrive: Seamus Coleman (£5.3m) forcing Bravo into an early save, Yerry Mina (£5.3m) nodding wide from a good position and Moise Kean (£6.4m) spectacularly volleying off-target.

An honest Ancelotti said after full-time:

Honestly, Manchester City played a really good game and we stayed in the game until the end. At the end City deserved to win – they were better than us.

We were too shy in the first half, we had the possession but we were not able to find the solutions.

In the second half, we showed good spirit, now we have to look forward for the next game.

On Bernard (£6.4m), who picked up an injury in the warm-up and had to pull out of the starting XI, Ancelotti added:

He was not able to play. He had a contact with Yerry Mina in the warm-up. I hope he will be ready for the next game.

Manchester City (3-4-3): Bravo; Rodrigo, Fernandinho, Eric Garcia; Joao Cancelo, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Mendy; Mahrez, Jesus, (Sterling 90′) Foden (D Silva 82′). 

Everton XI (3-4-3): Pickford; Coleman (Walcott 59′), Mina, Holgate; Sidibe, Sigurdsson (Kean 66′), Delph, Davies, Digne; Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison. 

Members Analysis

1,982 Comments Post a Comment
  1. lilmessipran
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Which option looks better, with 1ft 0.6 itb

    A Maupay to Dcl
    B save ft, next gw Hendo + Maupay to Mcarthy + Ings with 2ft

    1. NUFCAndrew
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

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

    Thoughts on this WC side?

    Fab Fodder

    TAA Soy Lund Dunk Holgate

    Salah Mane KDB Grealish Luiz

    Vardy Ings DCL

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Looks like 5m in bank team.

      1. NUFCAndrew
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        0 ITB 🙁

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

        Really? Mine would look like a 10m in bank team 😀

    2. Party time
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Need some muscles in there!

        1. NUFCAndrew
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          ?

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

            Talking about Traore and Antonio I guess 😉

            1. Party time
                4 years, 2 months ago

                😆

            2. Party time
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Nice team although I would want Adama or Jimmy in there

          2. JT11fc
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Looks good

        2. jia you
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          It's funny if I had pulled the trigger on my wildcard (easy to say I know) I would have had a mega haul this GW. As I was set on selling Vardy, getting Ings, Grealish, Fabianski and triple LIV 🙁

          1. jia you
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            I started to calculate it up and stopped half ways through as it was already crushing my GW score lol

          2. fantasyfog
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            I did pull the trigger, didn't get ings (rash) and got rid of Grealish (traore)

            1. fantasyfog
              • 8 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              oh and rico in for vardy ✅

              1. fantasyfog
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                plus cantwell 2nd sub ✅✅

            2. jia you
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Unlucky mate, just checked the screenshot on my phone an hour ago of my mock wildcard pre deadline and it depressed me!

          3. Party time
              4 years, 2 months ago

              I did it this gw 🙂 62 points but not good enough 🙁

              1. jia you
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                62 is good will you stop!

                1. Party time
                    4 years, 2 months ago

                    😆

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

                Why do you know, I have all of those and did get a haul 😛

                1. jia you
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  WP 😛

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

              Wow FPL not updated WTF

              1. The FPL Units
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Where is that banner FFS

              2. The Berbatouch
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Little did we know the Iranian General was the one updating FPL all along.

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

                  Too soon

            • fridge
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              2 FT, 0 ITB

              Ramsdale
              TAA. Soyuncu. Lundstram
              Salah. KDB. Maddison. Martial. Alli
              Ings. Vardy
              Button. Aurier. Greenwood. Kelly

              Alli > Traore to get some money for Aurier > Robbo ahead of DGW?

            • internal error
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              How frustrating. I finally get a decent week and they are taking ages to update the points

              1. fantasyfog
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                livefpl.com

                1. fantasyfog
                  • 8 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  sorry. net

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

                I hope it only gets updated together with the update for new gw 😀 had stinker of a gw with 37 points and Rico coming on for Vardy, wouldn't want to watch my rank and red arrow every time I log in 😛

              3. jia you
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                first world problems, try waiting for the nail in your FPL coffin to be confirmed lol

              4. KEN YA DIG IT
                • 6 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                I can relate

            • Bavarian
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              G2G?

              Ramsdale
              Soyuncu-TAA-Sidibe-Lundstram
              Mane-KDB-Maddison
              Vardy(C)-Jimenez-Tammy(VC)

              Button-Grealish-Cantwell-Kelly

            • sunzip14
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              How is this WC team? 0.7 itb to do Sterling>Salah gw24. Should I go for it?

              Ryan, Button
              TAA, Soy, Sidibe, Lunds, Reid
              Mane, KDB, Richarlison, Sterling, Cantwell
              Vardy, DCL, Greenwood.

            • King Kohli
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Does this team look lopsided after fitting in double pool mids?

              Guaita
              TAA Soy Lundy
              Mane Salah KDB Maddison
              Vardy Ings DCL

              1. fantasyfog
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                yeah looks rubbish

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

                You will soon get rid of Kevin, so not an issue

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

                  8 out of 11 players are from top 10 teams, wouldn't call it lopsided

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

                    9 actually, didn't expected Palace to be in top 10

                2. King Kohli
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  KDB's not going anywhere unless injured.

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

                    With a caveat about him reverting to CDM if Dilva's back permanently

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

                Looks OK for this week - who are your subs?

                1. King Kohli
                  • 11 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  Cantwell, Rico, 3.9 def

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

                Not at all.

            • Orion
              • 13 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Salah on 2 baps 🙂

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

                VVD on 1

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

                  Yeah, that changed recently - VVD dropping 1.

              2. TOPCAT1960
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Since 9hrs now...might be getting tired

              3. Whats the Huth
                • 8 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Brings me up to 79 points.

            • Make Arrows Green Again
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Can't wait for the Liverpool game to finish so the game can update. Did the ref forget to blow the full time whistle?

              1. The FPL Units
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Nice

            • dontyouknowimloko
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Depending on cup minutes, is anyone considering a punt on Perez for next game week? He’s burned me twice already this season but is finding form, could be third time lucky and he has 2 hatties in 2 vs Saints...

              Punted on Deulofeu last week and it just paid off but finding it tough to gain ground with little losses e.g. no Cantwell, poor/unlucky (C) choices...

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

                I looked him just now, good stats. But could burn you for a point from the bench if he doesn't start.

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

                Talking about Perez...

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

              Updated! Somewhat..

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

                Lol 7.30am, they have woken up....

              2. Party time
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  Auto subs to be added tomorrow

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

                    lolz!

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

                What's your OR at the end of GW21 (livefpl.net) and where would you be content with finishing come the end of the season?

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

                And baps added finally

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

                  Damn, TAA just misses out..

              5. New article posted
                1. doy
                  • 6 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  Cheers - Neale's a top writer!

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

                  Also, very decent GW Mr Sumner! 😉

                  1. Gregor
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • Has Moderation Rights
                    • 14 Years
                    4 years, 2 months ago

                    Aye, I enjoyed that one, bar Rico coming on with his -1, cheers boss!

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

                      No worries mate! You're bookmarked on my faves in the "Legends" folder alongside Ronka, Jay, Sean Tobin, Kenneth Tang, Marlen Rattiner, Matthew Jones, Adam Hopcroft & Triggerlips ;-). Mark is in the FFS folder haha!

                      1. Gregor
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • Has Moderation Rights
                        • 14 Years
                        4 years, 2 months ago

                        Ah, you are too kind sir, I used to do alright but i’ve dropped off a bit in the last couple of years! Good luck with the rest of the season, bud.

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

                          Thanks! Best wishes to you too! The cream rises to the top 🙂

              6. King Kohli
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                Baps updated.

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

                  Sidibe still 2 baps, dafuq?

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

                What would you do with this lot?
                2 FTs, 0.3 ITB

                Pope
                Rico TAA Lundy
                Salah Mane KDB Zaha
                Ings Rashy Vards

                Button Kiko Hayden Kelly

                A) Pope to Flaps
                B) Zaha to Son, Rashy to DCL
                C) Zaha to xxxx
                D) Sth else?

                Cheers!

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

                Where is Magnus Carlsen these days?

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

                  Busy with chess tournies

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

                    🙂
                    In an FPL context

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

                      ;-).
                      Sadly struggle street of late, https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/1908330/history

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

                        Cheers

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

                          Pleasure champ!

              9. shaunyjames
                • 11 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                If you count Guaita's save point not a single 1 of my starting 11 blanked. Tidy 92 points

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

                Anyone know why fantasy football hasn't updated?

                1. Mingo
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 7 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  I've just noticed that too, how strange. Maybe they had a server issue last night.