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. fkmzcgp
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tammy, Martial and Evans —> Greenwood, Mane and Holgate (-4)

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

      I'd rather have a defender than Mane tbh and keep Martial

    2. Pilgrim62
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Can you do DCL instead of Green ?

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

        Nope 🙁

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

    1FT 0.0itb.

    Take a chance on a West Ham player (for Soyuncu/Rico) or roll transfer?

    McCarthy
    TAA Holgate Söyüncü
    Mane (tc) Salah KDB Grealish
    Aguero Ings DCL

    Henderson; Rico Lundstram Elneny

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

      excellent team

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Id roll and mini WC with 2/3 transfers next week

    3. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Salah(TC)

    4. Ian J
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      one 'ell of a team - well done
      you must be flying high in OR
      I'd roll the transfer and next week look at using the value in Söyüncü to a Southampton or Newcastle defender & upgrade Elneny.
      Oh, and I'd TC Salah

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

    start Targett Rico or Lunds?

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

      Targett

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

    Do Cantwell & Maupay to Salah & Greenwood (-4) ?

    Will do tonight before price rises stop me

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

      yes

  5. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Is Mane worth a hit (-4) to get in? Currently eyeing:

    Soy --> Robbo

    OR

    Alli + Maddison --> Doucore/Fleck/Trossard/Adama (6.4M cap)

    Thanks lads!

    1. Pilgrim62
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Firs imo. Mane still dangerous

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

    Henderson
    Sidibe Trent Dunk
    Salah TC Mane Grealish DeBruyne
    Vardy Maupay Ings

    Kelly Lundstrum March

    Gtg? Could do March to Noble but think I’ll save..

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

    TC on -
    A. TAA
    B. VVD
    C. Mane

    I’m thinking A to change things up

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

      A

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

      I’m going A too, one clean sheet is a given and if he banks 1 attacking return also i’ll be pleased. In comparison the attackers need to get 2 attacking returns to match his output.

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

      Might go B. Nailed on. Liverpool looked tired. Might be rotation with the other 2.
      But if no rotation. Probably C. Mane scores more away from home

    4. Snooze ya lose
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      A

  8. Mattymo23
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Sorry not been on here in a while but is this GW prime time to use TC chip?

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

      Of course my horse

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

      Yes

    3. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      depends on who you have. I have TAA and Salah and getting one of mane or Robbo.

      Because Mane has a much higher ownership I think caping Salah is a differential enough. Im tempted to hold TC. Id TC if you only have Mane

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

      I think so and would TC Trent if I had the chip

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

    KDB to Mane

    OR

    Targett to Robertson??

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

      b

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

      b

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

      B

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

      B

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

    For one game only, Rashford to:
    A. DCL (12 points in reverse fixture v NEW)
    B. Deeney (12 points in reverse fixture v AVL)

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

      Anyone?

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

      A

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

      A

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

    Bad luck captaining Vardy but Traore and Gomez off the bench for Richarlison and Rashford so not too bad.

    Have Ings and Vardy, Rashford out to whom?

    1. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Jimi? Took him out last week for ings and instant regret!

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

        Same move I made lol, I was looking at it but their fixtures aren't great.

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

      DCL?

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

        16 points off the bench for two players?!! I think it's much better than "not too bad...!!!" 😆

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

    Maddison > MArtial free?

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

    Save looks perfectly fine right?
    Henderson
    Trent Robertson Dunk
    Mane Son Martial Mahrez
    Aguero Ings Maupay
    (Button Williams Stephens Choudury)
    1FT

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

      Yea but Aguero benching could happen?

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

        Always a risk of that with Pep but have ok bench cover I guess in worst case scenario

  14. Crazygopher
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Repost. Bottom of page.

    Best west ham midfielder. For gw24 punt ?

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

      Wouldn’t bother

    2. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Snodgrass maybe.

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

      Looking at snod or noble. Should get 4 points min. As long as they play both games.

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

    Captained Vardy, Gazza on the bench and Jimmy > Ings awful! Somehow managed to get a green arrow .... FPL miracle!

    1. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Wow! Who saved you?

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

        Grealish Traore Aurier TAA Salah

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

    GTG?

    Ryan
    TAA, Soyuncu, Sidibe
    Salah (TC), Mané (VC), Martial, Grealish, KDB
    Greenwood, Abraham

    Subs: Button, Ings, Kelly, Lundstram

    1 FT, 0.3 ITB

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

      Yes

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

      Only if Ings is benched for S'ton.

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

      Would put ings in for greenwood. And put tc on mane. Imo

  17. WVA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    FFS ML rival was behind me but has the below team with TAA captain

    Pope
    TAA VVD Lundy
    Salah Grealish Traore Cantwell
    Jimenez Aguero Ings

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

      Pretty good week for him

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

      Who’s the casual 🙂

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

      Wow close to dream team of the week

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

    Grealish or Martial?

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

      martial

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

      The one in form

  19. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    2FTs, 0.8itb... and probably need to do this soon, so which Pool to go alongside TAA and Mane? Alli the fall guy for Salah, fyi.

    1) Salah and Greenwood
    2) Robbo and DCL
    3) Gomez and Jimenez

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

      2 probably

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

    Yesterday huge red 7 points from 4 inc C
    4pm today 10 points from 7, looking 200k+ drop.
    After Pool match with autosubs inc 45 & only 5k drop, Rashford not playing Traore pts 🙂
    No skill to this game just pure Jam needed 🙂

    1. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      not really jam if you have a good bench... Whats the bench for if not to replace players who didnt play?

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

      Agreed, so much luck
      My rank went from 76k to 135k before that game (13 point GW). Ended up with 51 points and 62k OR, massive fluke, nothing more to it

  21. _Gunner
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Best Forward for 6.6 or less?

    Already have DCL

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Maupay

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

        Maupay + TAA or Robertson + Ings?

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

          First one

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

      Maupay?

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

      Deeney for next 3

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

        Deeney + TAA or Robertson + Ings?

  22. AzzaroMax99
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    No other issues so Soyuncu+Simpson to Cathcart+Williams for free?

  23. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Jimenez to Firmino for a hit ?

    Thx in advance.

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

      Yep

  24. Lignja
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Cant decide for weeks now.. need help

    a.Son to Salah (bench Rirco, play Traore)
    b.Rico to Robertson/Vvd (Bench Traore)

  25. mdm
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Traore to Grealish? Yes or no?

    1. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      no

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

      Yes

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

      Yep

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

    Yays or nays

    1) Vardy to Firmino for free?

    2) TC on Salah?

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

      yes and yes

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

    A) Martial > Salah
    B) Maupay & Cantwell > Greenwood & Salah (-4)

    Only got Maupay in this GW, front 8 is:

    Mane KdB Martial Grealish Cantwell
    Vardy Ings Maupay

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

      B

  28. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bobby I'm going for, scared not having Mane, but I'm not selling KDB and if I sell any other mid I need to get Greenwood up front, which is ridiculous.

  29. james 101
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Madness to do this?

    Rash/Vardy -> Aguero/DCL

    Would give me:

    Ramsdale Button
    TAA Lunds Kelly Rico Williams
    Salah Mane KDB Grealish Traore
    Aguero Ings DCL

    (0.8m more available if there’s anyone better than DCL)

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

      No...WHU worth keeping Vardy for that though

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

      Looks like defence need to be improved

  30. Pukkipartyy
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Current team:
    Gazza Button
    TAA Soy Lund Rico Kelly
    Salah Mane KDB Mahrez Cantwell
    DCL Ings Vardy

    WC team:
    Mccarthy Button
    TAA Webster Lund Williams Tanga
    Salah Mane KDB Martial Cantwell
    DCL Ings Aguero

    Is it worth for WC...really dont want to, but few of my ML rivals got Aguero..

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

      Aguero might not start on Tuesday?
      Some difficult fixtures too

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

      No