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. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Is this WC draft good enough to go without Salah or Mane?

    McCarthy
    TAA | Robertson | VVD | Lundstram
    KdB | Son | Martial | Grealish
    Aguero | Vardy

    Button | Hayden | Greenwood | Williams

    0ITB

    Thanks

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

      You need Salah

    2. Dreaming of glory
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Drop Robertson and move son to salah

    3. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Could be, but if Salah hauls and Liverpool concede you could be in for a world of red arrows (I guess you could say the same for the opposite though) Im playing triple Everton defence 😀

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

      Different but solid.
      Triple defenders can easily outscore mids as today proves.

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

      Like it

  2. Cruz88
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tempted to WC to bring in Aguero but have strapped down my knees and made two free transfers instead, how's this looking?

    Henderson
    Virgil Soy Trent
    Mane KDB Grealish Martial Maddison
    Vardy Ings

    Jimi, Lund, Kelly

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

      Nice

    2. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Like a team missing Aguero

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

    Can we expect Greenwood to start now?

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

      probably

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

      Hopefully, I’m playing him in the hope he starts v BUR

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

      Prolly not.

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

      vs Burnley, yes.

  4. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Last week I played Holgate, Traore & Jimenez(c) - this week Digne, Cantwell & Maupay 😀 😀 if only I'd missed the deadline

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

      Unlucky 🙁

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        I mean, it looks bad written down but sounded like Holgate was getting rested and the other two had nice fixtures 🙁

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

      Wow, you made your team ALOT weaker.

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Holgate and Traore were benchings

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

      that's just cruel... unlucky mate!

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        these things happen 😀 thanks mate

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

          yeah, sold Jimenez myself which hurt but the other 9 that I got rid of on WC all blanked so can't complain too much!

          1. SADIO SANÉ
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Ah that's not bad!

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

    Soyuncu >> Williams ??

    Allows me to do Vardy >> Aguero next week.

    Y or N

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

      Yeah

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

      When would you get Aguero? Blank in 28 potentially

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

        GW25

        so he blanks 28 if (likely) City get time EFL final?

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

      Y

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

      Y. Soy underperforming and needs to go, Williams a great value

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

    A) Firmino and Williams

    B) DCL and Robbo

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

      B

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

    Cantwell to Fleck worth it long term?

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

      Yeah

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

      Yes defo

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

      Definitely

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

      Probably if he'll feature often and no major worries.

    5. Dreaming of glory
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      If its 5th mid spot then just stick and bank transfer

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

    Remember not to get too caught up & worry over the Triple Captain chip.

    It only gives you one extra player... '3x Salah's points, compared to just 2x'.

    A Bench Boost gives you 4 extra players, while the imperative Free Hit gives you free rein on any 11 starters...

    TC Sanchez & Aguero (25 pointers) were amazing in the 1st season of the chip, while a few punters opted for Andy Carroll. Sane (TC) for 1 point hurt many managers while Salah vs Huddersfield smashed it in a SGW and how could you forget "Shane Duffy Triple Captain", typing that still doesn't feel right...

    Of course you want your TC to smash it but the chip really isn't worth the stress. Luck is needed, it's 'only' 1 extra set of points.

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

      Totally agree...

      Are you playing yours?

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

        It's on Mane, it's very likely it remains there.

        We know what we're getting in this DGW & its finally a Liverpool one! I don't like the if's & but's of future DGWs where teams may have their priorities elsewhere.

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

      Another way of looking at it is sure, bench boost gives you 4 extra players, but it's the 4 players you deem to be the worst in your squad for that week. Triple captain gives you an extra player, but it's the player you expect to have the highest GW point score in your squad during the entire season

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

    Regret selling jimi but here we are! Gtg for this week?

    Guaita
    Taa soy Cathcart
    Salah(tc) mane kdb moura
    Vardy ings dcl

    Button kelly Lund dendo

    0ft 0.5itb.

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

    Current back 5: Taa BWilliams Stephens Lund Soy

    Soy :arrow ??

    A) Fernandez
    B) Tanganga
    C) Holgate
    D) cathcart
    E) Ward
    F) Any other??

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

      Lascelles

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

        Soy to Tanganga this week
        Stephens to lascelles next week?

    2. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      C

    3. Dreaming of glory
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Wouldnt panic on soy hes not expensive and their fixtures turn quite soon. Expect cs to return

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

      C

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

    Kiko to Cathcart(AVL) or Stephens(Palace)? Only 4.3 to spend. Other toughts?

    Ryan
    TAA Soy Kelly(SOU)
    Salah(c) Mane Kdb Mads
    Vardy Ings Maupay
    Cantwell Lunds Kiko

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

    Dunk to gomez worth it with my FT?

    Hendo button
    taa rico lunds dunk cathcart
    mane kdb grealish cantwell doucoure
    ings vardy kun

  13. Boss Hogg
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Which defender to buy this week?

    a. Sell Chilwell
    b. Sell Rico

    1. Buy Williams
    2. Buy Maguire
    3. Buy Tanganga
    4. Buy Dunk
    5. Buy someone else

    Or keep both Chilwell and Rico??

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

      A5

      1. Boss Hogg
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Lascelles?

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

          Yes, Stephens/Cathcart/Fernandez/webster all good options

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

          Yes, strong option

  14. Cahill
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    really want to make my moves and close my laptop

    A) Mane & DCL (-4)
    B) Martial & Firmino

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

      A

  15. Wensink
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    I see on FPL Price Predictor that Reid is scheduled to rise tonight. Is he expected to see playing time or is he bench fodder for WC users?

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

      the latter

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

      Bench fodder for wc most likely

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

        Cheers. 3.9m for a former FPL stalwart woulda been nice.

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

      Just the cheapest defender, Button (3.9m) now being bought for the same reason.

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

    on the moment I like A Best. what do you think ?

    A : Vardy & Sarr > Firmino & Son (-4)
    B : Targett > Robbo
    C : Martial & Sarr > Mane & Romeu (-4)

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

      B

  17. Aftermath
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Set for a massive gameweek?

    Guaita
    TAA Robertson Stephens
    Mane(TC) KDB Maddison Fleck
    Aguero Ings Vardy

    Button Kelly Cantwell Lundstram

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

    Play

    A) Ings
    B) Greenwood

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

      A

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

    Have Salah and TAA.

    A) Soy/Rico/Kelly to Gomez
    B) Vardy to Firmino

    Thanks!

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

      Tough choice, tempted by B

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

        Thanks, me too!

  20. j.m
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bottomed.

    Thoughts about Fleck as 5th mid?

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

      He's my fourth mid and fixtures look tasty from gw 25

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

    Randolph number 1 while fab is injured?

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

      Yes

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

        Cheers

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

    My head to head rival captainned VVD; that extra bap just made this week a draw, I was going top haha

  23. Bourbon, Pot Still or Islay…
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Tosun and KDB
    Or
    Aguero and Zaha?

    What you reckon?

    Red to ditch Rashford

    To join
    Mane Maddison Martial Grealish Vardy Ings
    Gomez TAA Lund Aurier Kelly
    Ryan McCArthy

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

      Palace fan?

      B with anyone else but zaha, he's a troll

  24. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Rashford to Firmino done

  25. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Thoughts on this lot ?

    Ryan
    TAA Soyuncu Dunk
    Salah KDB Maddison Sarr
    Ings Vardy Abraham

    Button-Rico-Lundstram-Donck

    a) Sarr and Abraham to Mane and Greenwood
    or
    b) Sarr, Maddison and Abraham to Grealish, Mane and DCL -4 (exact money)

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

      A

  26. fgdu
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    McCarthy
    Gomez Van Dijk Lundstram Kelly Rico
    Mane Maddison Martial KDB Grealish
    Vardy Ings Rashford

    Rashford, Maddison -> dendo Aguero makes sense?

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

    Maddison and Abra to Douccure/ Trosard and Firmino for -4?

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

      Yes for me

  28. Muscout
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    How am I looking for next GW, any changes needed?

    McCarthy
    TAA, Lund, Dunk
    Salah (TC), Mane, KDB, Felipe
    Vardy, CL, Ings

    Martin, Traore, Rico, Kelly

  29. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Has anyone read “The Wall” by John Lanchester? It’s complicated, but I need to find the plot line of it ASAP!

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

    Soyuncu to?

    A - Lascelles
    B - Williams
    C - Tanganga
    D - other

    0.0 ITB
    Backline is Guaita + TAA / Lundstram / Holgate / Cathcart
    No other ManU / Spurs / Toon