Scout Notes

Rare blank for Ings as much-sold Traore and Jimenez record double-digit hauls

Southampton 2-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers

  • Goals: Jan Bednarek (£4.4m), Shane Long (£4.6m) | Pedro Neto (£5.0m), Raul Jimenez (£7.5m) x2
  • Assists: James Ward-Prowse (£5.8m), Cedric (£4.8m) | Adama Traore (£5.7m) x2, Jonny (£5.4m)
  • Bonus: Jimenez x3 Traore x2 Long x1

Wolves came from two down to beat Southampton with some Fantasy trolling of near-epic proportions thrown in for good measure.

The Saints went into the match unbeaten in five league games, whereas the visitors hadn’t won since Gameweek 19, and the first half followed the form obediently enough.

It took Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side just 15 minutes to take the lead, Jan Bednarek (£4.4m) hooking in a James Ward-Prowse (£5.8m) free-kick, and they were two to the good when Shane Long (£4.6m) headed home Cedric‘s (£4.8m) cross.

The only issue for many a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) boss was that neither goal involved Danny Ings (£6.9m).

The Southampton striker had scored ten goals from his previous 11 starts, a run that has added £0.9m to his value and nearly two million managers to his ownership.

More than half a million had signed up ahead of the Wolves match alone, making him Gameweek 23’s most purchased player and FPL’s third-most-popular striker overall.

The only problem with scoring streaks is that they have to come to an end sooner or later, and Ings chose his moment unwisely, although it’s hard to criticise a man kept to just one attempt all match too harshly.

What proved equally galling was Wolves’ second-half comeback.

Coach Nuno Espirito Santo denied giving his players the secador de cabelo treatment (try Portuguese to English in Google) during the interval:

What I tried was to make them believe it was possible and we reacted very well. It was amazing the second-half. We realised the first-half was not good and we reacted very well. I’m very proud of the players.

Whatever was said worked, because they responded in emphatic style.

Pedro Neto (£5.0m) halved the deficit, from an Adama Traore (£5.7m) assist, when he scored his second goal in three Gameweeks on 53 minutes before Raul Jimenez (£7.5m) went on a trolling spree of his own.

The Mexico international had blanked for three straight matches and 228,000 FPL managers had had enough prior to the Southampton clash, making him the Gameweek’s third-most sold player.

A decent chunk of that figure presumably swapped him out for Ings as well, making the last 25 minutes of Saturday’s game an especially excruciating experience.

Jimenez ended his mini-drought with a large dollop of help from VAR.

Wing-back Jonny (£5.4m) was upended in the Saints area, with referee Darren England initially awarding a corner before Stockley Park told him otherwise. Jimenez slotted home the resultant penalty, although Hasenhuttl was not impressed with the decision:

In the end, the decision for the penalty is hard to understand for me, because I think the referee did a good job and I don’t know why he let VAR overrule him.

Slightly less partial observers might have disagreed with him but, either way, just over ten minutes later the coach’s agony – and that of all those Jimenez sellers – was complete.

The ever-dangerous Traore was released on the break by the striker’s pass and he held onto the ball long enough for the Mexican to catch up and finish sweetly.

With maximum bonus points awarded, Jimenez’s 13-point haul was his best return of the season, while swapping from him to Ings cost managers 11, although a good deal of that pain could be offset over the coming weeks.

The Saints have a fine run of matches all the way up to Gameweek 31, with a trip to Liverpool the only major obstacle, whereas Wolves will play the Reds, Manchester United, Leicester City and Spurs over the next five Gameweeks.

Ings’ owners might have to wait for the good times to return, however, as Hasenhuttl has recently talked of resting his star striker:

Like all the players, it’s important for them to be fit because of the high workload. At the moment, he looks in really good shape and can work for 90 minutes or longer which gives me a good feeling. We don’t have to put him in every game and we rested him once against Chelsea.

Rest has been a rarity for Wolves players. Saturday’s match was the club’s 39th of a season that started in late July, and their continued fragility at the back – they’ve not kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 15 – means their attacking assets are the only ones likely to catch Fantasy eyes.

Jimenez now has a bit of form to recommend him, while both Neto and Traore offer excellent value from midfield.

How long they can keep going to the well remains the big question. Their spirit is unquestionable, but their bodies all too human.

Southampton XI (4-4-2): McCarthy; Cedric, Stephens, Bednarek, Bertrand; Armstrong (Djenepo 71′), Ward-Prowse, Hobjerg, Redmond (Boufal 78′); Ings, Long (Adams 71′). 

Wolves XI (3-4-3): Patricio; Dendoncker, Coady, Saiss; Doherty, Neves, Moutinho, Jonny; Neto (Kilman 86′), Jimenez, Traore.

Members Analysis

Norwich City 1-0 Bournemouth

  • Goals: Teemu Pukki (£6.5m)
  • Assists: Ondrej Duda (£5.0m)
  • Bonus: Pukki x3 Sam Byram (£4.4m) x2 Christoph Zimmermann (£4.4m), Tim Krul (£4.5m) x1
  • Red cards: Ben Godfrey (£4.4m) | Steve Cook (£5.0m)

Norwich City’s 1-0 win over Bournemouth was, in Fantasy terms, the equivalent of two bald men fighting over a comb.

With both sides in freefall – Norwich hadn’t won since Gameweek 13, while Bournemouth had just one win and a draw from their last 11 matches – Fantasy pickings were always likely to be on the unhealthy side of slim.

And so it proved, with a first goal since Gameweek 17 for Teemu Pukki (£6.5m) the high point of a typically frantic and error-strewn relegation dogfight.

The 12.8%-owned striker scored from the penalty spot after Steve Cook (£5.0m) produced a fine one-handed save to deny Ondrej Duda‘s (£5.0m) goal-bound effort. Unfortunately, as a centre-half, Cook’s acrobatics earned him nothing more than a red card, leaving Bournemouth to play two-thirds of the match with ten men.

Seeing as the Cherries have been making a total hash of games with the standard quota of 11, their fate seemed sealed, although Ben Godfrey‘s (£4.4m) dismissal for a nasty tackle on Callum Wilson (£7.4m) did at least even up the numbers for the final 14 minutes.

Bournemouth failed to capitalise, with Nathan Ake‘s (£4.8m) header the closest they came to rescuing a desperately-needed point.

That the defender topped the attempts chart for the visitors, with two, spoke volumes for the attacking impotence of Eddie Howe’s team – over the last ten Gameweeks, only Burnley (76) have managed fewer attempts than the Cherries’ 84, while the 61 chances they’ve created is the league’s third-worst total.

Norwich were considerably more threatening on the day, creating a chance every six minutes compared to Bournemouth’s average of one per 16, and they really should have won the match by a goal or two more

Pukki had one excellent chance saved by Aaron Ramsdale (£4.7m), while the impressive debutant Duda and his fellow midfielder Emiliano Buendia (£6.0m) also spurned solid opportunities.

The 0.9%-owned Buendia, in particular, has been a consistent threat all season, way ahead of his team-mates for chances created and third for attempts, just behind the considerably more popular Todd Cantwell (£5.0m and 25.1%).

The latter’s blank was his sixth in his last eight starts, and Norwich’s schedule suggests more of the same over the next six Gameweeks, with the Canaries facing up to a run of Liverpool and Leicester at home and Spurs, Newcastle, Wolves and Sheffield United away.

Small wonder that coach Daniel Farke played down the win post-match:

We’re not over-excited, we know it’s only the first step and it will definitely be a long road to realise this miracle, but it was a good first step and hopefully we can go on.

It will probably take more than a miracle for Norwich players to return to our Fantasy radars anytime soon, however, while Bournemouth’s assets are even further down the pecking order.

Diego Rico (£4.4m) is the only Cherries player interesting many managers, although his return to the starting line-up gave his 12.6% ownership a measly two points and he’s now blanked in five of his last six starts.

And while the side’s short-term schedule is attractive enough – Brighton and Aston Villa at home, followed by trips to Sheffield and Burnley – their form is so ugly, and their confidence so low, that investment in any of their players would be foolish in the extreme.

Norwich City XI (4-2-3-1): Krul; Aarons, Godfrey, Zimmermann, Byram; Tettey, McLean; Buendía (Rupp 90+3′), Duda (Hanley 79′), Cantwell; Pukki (Drmic 85′).

Bournemouth XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale; Smith, Cook, Ake, Rico; Lerma (Solanke 79′), Gosling (Cook 87′), Billing; H. Wilson (Francis 35′), Fraser, C.Wilson.

Members Analysis

1,439 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Davew88
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Can somebody fill me in with what happened with Sidibe this week? Only played 33mins? Was he rested? Do i need to give him the chop?

    1. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ancelotti tinkered with the formation

      Think he should start midweek

  2. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    For dgw24:

    A) Martial, Robo/VVD, Alli
    B) Salah, Holgate, Grealish (-8)

    On A atm?

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

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

      A

    3. Big_Andy_GAWA
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      That is the most obvious answer I have ever seen on this site. Not even close...!!! 😆

  3. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Would you Wildcard this (1FT, 5.9 itb) :

    McCarthy - Button
    Trent - Soyuncu - Lundstram - Rico - Aurier
    KdB - Mane - Martial - Grealish - Cantwell
    Vardy - Ings - Maupay

    1. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      No

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

      Not this week

      Just get a 3rd Pool player in

    3. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Martial to Salah

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

    TC poll:
    a) Salah
    b) Mane
    c) TAA
    d) VDD
    e) Robbo
    f) dont TC

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      f

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

    3. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      salah or taa

    4. n14mul
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      B surely

    5. barcaa7
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

    6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A B OR C

    7. NeverLucky
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      on C currently....

      1. Big_Andy_GAWA
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Am in the same predicament. A or C for me...

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

    Thoughts on:

    A) Alli/Vardy > Mané/Deeney (-4)
    B) Alli/Pereira > Grealish or Trossard/Robertson (-4)
    C) Pereira > VVD
    D) Vardy > Vardy
    E) Pereira/Alli/Vardy > Robertson/Trossard/Aguero (-8)

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      C

    2. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      D looks good

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

        Haha whoops. Firmino*!

    3. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I'd do C or B with greal mate

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

        B was the original plan, although A came into my thinking.

  6. ZAWAd25
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Upgrade Traore to who up to 7.8m?

    Other mids are Salah, Mane and KDB

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Grealish.

    2. Party time
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Grealishious Grealish

      • Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Dilva

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

      It is worth to wildcard this team?
      Pope/ McGovern
      TAA/ Guilbert/ Montoya/ Wilems/ Lund
      Mane/ KDB/ Alli/ Maddison/ Dendo
      Vardy/ Ings/ Abra

      I was thinking bring Grealish/ Son/ Salah/ DCL/Greenwood for Alli/Maddison/Dendo/ Vardy/Abra and to delete Montoya/ Guilbert/ Wilems because they don't play 90 minutes week by week.

      Or maybe calmly -4 hit Maddi/Abra to Doucoure/ Firmino?

      I dropped down from 450 k to 680 k today

    4. Rbyrne95
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Took a -4 hit risk punt last week for Trossard it paid off. Now stuck with the dilemma with Rashford. 2.2 in bank 1FT.

      -Aguero in with Mariappa for 3 man def with TAA & Robbo.
      -Rashford & greenwood to DCL & Ings.

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

      Sarr updates?

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Hamstring so expect at least 3 weeks out

      2. n14mul
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Ouch....I wanted him in this week.

        What do I do now!!

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

          Get someone else or nothing.

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

      Wood
      Tosun
      Deeney
      DCL
      Maupay

      Who for the next few weeks?

      1. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        DCL
        Deeney

      2. barcaa7
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        DCL

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

        Tosun

    7. Albrightondknight
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A. Planned Traore to Martial but that makes my team even more similar to my mini league rival (he is leading) . would mean 9 of 11 the same
      B. Maddison to Son but that means I have to start Traore or Greenwood.

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        B and then think about traore or greenwood

        Greenwood may start with rashford out

        1. Albrightondknight
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Thanks Yes as a diff against rival it’s better but overall I am not sure. But I agree it is the way I need to go. Would put Greenwood in the starting 11.
          7 red arrows I know I won’t quit but it’s horrible.

    8. ShaunGoater123
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Aguero > haller
      Sarr > salah for a -4

      Leaving me with:

      Gazza
      TAA / soyuncu / targett
      Mane / salah (triple c) / Kdb / grealish
      Vardy / haller / ings

      Button / dendonker / lundstram / Kelly

      Press the button?

      1. barcaa7
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        No

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

        Absolutely. I projecting:
        Aguero: 1-8 points
        Sarr: 0-2 points
        Salah: 6 -16 points
        Haller: 6 - 9 points

    9. barcaa7
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Mahrez > Snodgrass
      Maddison > Salah(TC)
      for -4

      Yes/no??

    10. Feed tha Sheep
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Which one is better for DGW? (Have salah & TAA)

      A. Alli & Maddison > Mane & Fleck
      B. Rico & Alli > Robertson & Grealish
      C. Jimi & Alli > Firmino & 7.7 mid

    11. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I have the exact money for this move..... worth it??
      Rashford, Martial or Maddison, Baldock out... Aguero, Grealish and Gomez in.....-8 what do we think?

    12. Holteenderinthesky
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Does we reckon Greenwood will now start some games with Rashford out for up to 3 months? Easiest way for me to get more Liverpool

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        He won't start every game - but will get plenty of game time

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

          We thinking he comes in Vs Burnley at least ? Understand him not playing Vs Liverpool, but surely more defensive teams he plays ?

          1. Feed tha Sheep
            • 11 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Yeah he will start midweek I reckon

            1. Big_Andy_GAWA
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              I have him and keen to hear folk's views on this, too...

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

              That's what I'm hoping for. Surely he has to start midweek.
              Tammy&Soy>TAA&Greenwood

    13. Party time
        4 years, 2 months ago

        I swear, I forking I enjoyed this gw. Fpl is better without captain picks tbh. We all need to play the game the harder way

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

          Taken you this long to figure that out?

          1. Party time
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Yeah 🙂 , this gw the eye opener

        2. Eleven Hag
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Any standout options for Soy ➡ ??upto 4.8

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

            Holgate

        3. El Lobito 10
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Will Matip or Lovren threaten Gomez's starting spot?

        4. Animo et Fide
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Maddison to Salah is the move rather than Mousett to Firmino, right?
          Salah fells safe but Firmino more of a punt

        5. Bring the Cavalry
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          No real problems with my team, got triple liverpool already and 2 FT so does
          Pope > Randolph
          Sound good?

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

            Was tempted by Randolph but it’s not clear whether Moyes will play him

            1. Bring the Cavalry
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              He started on Saturday

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

          Changes needed or save it?

          Guaita
          TAA, Digne, Robertson, Aurier
          Salah(C), KDB, Grealish
          Vardy(VC), Ings, Jiménez

          Martin, Cantwell, Lundstram, Hayden
          1 FT, 1,8 million in the bank

        7. JJeyy
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          KDB to Mane
          OR
          Targett to Robertson??

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

          Soy, Madds > Williams, Martial free?

          yay or nay

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

          Ryan rams
          Soy lund taa simpson sidbe
          Mane kdb martial mads traore
          Dcl maupy vardy

          (((WC this to this ? Or no ?)))

          Foster buton
          Dunk taa lund lascels cahil
          Salah son mane fleck grelish
          Deney/delfo ings tosun/dcl/maupy-->auba

        10. MJM
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Do we think David Silva will start most matches, or is he too much or a rotation risk?

          1. Coys96
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Dont bother, cant play a full 90 anymore

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

            Id rather own Mahrez

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

            Too much. Against the big 6, even more unlikely!

          4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 13 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            He should start most pl games when it's one game a week

            However with midweek and champions League he will be rotated

        11. Coys96
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Thoughts?

          A) Martial > Salah
          B) Rico & Martial > Robertson & Son (-4)
          C) Cantwell & Maupay > Salah & Greenwood (-4)

          Have Trent & Mane

          1. Eleven Hag
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Martial will now be our only goalscorer and on penalties

            So C

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

            C

            1. Big_Andy_GAWA
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              C. I wouldn't be losing Martial...!

        12. Gudjohnsen
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Start Ings or Greenwood?

          1. Coys96
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Greenwood, Ings probs rested

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

            Ings

        13. Rinseboy
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Perez to Salah this week and then team all set?

          Mcarthy
          TAA Soy Targett
          Mane Salah KDB Martial
          Vardy DCL Ings
          Button Cantwell Lunds Rico

          1. Coys96
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Yes

        14. marquinhos
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Sarr to Salah?