Scout Notes

Luckless Aguero blanks as Bergwijn helps Spurs beat ten-man City

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester City

  • Goals: Steven Bergwijn (£7.5m), Son Heung-min (£9.9m)
  • Assists: Lucas Moura (£7.1m), Tanguy Ndombele (£5.8m)
  • Bonus: Hugo Lloris (£5.3m) x3, Bergwijn x2, Davinson Sanchez (£5.3m) x1

Sergio Aguero‘s (£12.0m) Gameweek 25 went the way of so many other well-owned Fantasy Premier League assets’ weekends, with the Argentinean forward blanking in a 2-0 defeat for Manchester City at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Aguero had scored in each of his four previous Premier League appearances but that run came to an end on Sunday as City endured another cursed evening in north London.

The premium FPL striker’s luck was out from the start, as Hugo Lloris (£5.3m) toed his 26th-minute effort onto the base of the upright.

Aguero then won a penalty for the visitors (after intervention from the VAR), only for Ilkay Gundogan (£5.2m) to step up and take the resulting spot-kick.

Further salt was rubbed into the wounds when the German midfielder missed from 12 yards, depriving his teammate of even an assist.

Aguero missed the target from around two yards out and had a goalbound effort hacked away from near the goal line by Toby Alderweireld (£5.3m) either side of the break, with a day to forget rounded off in the 64th minute when he was brought off for Joao Cancelo (£5.2m) as Pep Guardiola restructured his line-up following the dismissal of Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.2m).

Not everything could be pinned on an absence of good fortune – Aguero ought to have done better with that aforementioned chance from point-blank range and he had a couple of wild stabs at the ball earlier in the game – but this was just one of those days where he failed to get the rub of the green.

On why Gundogan has stepped up to take the penalty, Guardiola said:

Their decision. When we spoke [about the running order] it was both, Sergio and Gund, Gund and Sergio, and they decide.

Raheem Sterling‘s (£11.7m) dismal run of FPL form continued and he couldn’t blame Lady Luck’s absence, having flirted with a red card for a nasty-looking tackle on Dele Alli (£8.5m) early in the game.

Jose Mourinho and co argued that he could have picked up a second booking for simulation in the 39th minute, too, hitting the turf under a challenge from Lloris and being denied a spot-kick award after a check from the VAR.

It’s now 11 blanks in 15 Gameweeks for the below-par premium midfielder, whose afternoon was capped off when he limped out of the game in the final ten minutes with an apparent muscle problem.

Guardiola said rather unhelpfully afterwards about Sterling’s injury:

I didn’t speak with the doctor, not yet.

The indefatigable Kevin De Bruyne‘s (£10.7m) magic touch deserted him in the final third as he occupied a more advanced central role alongside Aguero, while a bright start from Riyad Mahrez (£8.5m) gave way to one of his more frustrating, selfish displays and it was from his awful 59th-minute corner that Zinchenko picked up his second booking.

A home match against West Ham United next weekend at least offers the perfect opportunity to exorcise Sunday’s demons, with the Hammers having shipped nine goals in their last three games and having lost 5-0 in the reverse fixture in Gameweek 1.

The fact that City then have a two-week break to recover would also be encouraging regarding rotation risk, although we never truly know with Guardiola and there’ll much crossing of fingers from Fantasy managers ahead of that match at the Etihad.

Either way, it’s hard not to see investment in City assets increasing ahead of Gameweek 26 despite their upcoming blank on EFL Cup final weekend.

Mourinho claimed his first ‘big six’ scalp as Spurs manager but it would be a stretch to say that this was a tactical masterclass from the Lilywhites, with the game following a similar pattern to the Gameweek 22 defeat to Liverpool.

With the impressive Fernandinho (£5.2m) mopping up well at centre-half for the visitors, Spurs hadn’t had a single attempt on goal until Zinchenko was dismissed on the hour-mark.

Even the hosts’ opener came out of the blue, with debutant Steven Bergwijn (£7.5m) superbly crashing in a volley from the edge of the box to break the deadlock.

Son Heung-min (£9.9m) then registered his eighth attacking return in ten starts under Mourinho with a deflected strike for Spurs’ second.

While the Spurs boss bemoaned the lack of a red card for Sterling, the hosts’ luck was otherwise in and two near-miss own-goals in stoppage time – Harry Winks (£5.2m) and Davinson Sanchez (£5.3m) almost diverting the ball past Lloris – rather summed up the two sides’ contrasting fortunes.

Speaking of Bergwijn, who limped off with cramp late on, Mourinho said:

It was a debut goal that was the icing on the cake of a very good performance. Independent of the goal I would say his performance was very good, very solid. Very mature.

We worked hard during the week. He came to us Tuesday so he had a complete week to work and to try as fast as possible to understand what we wanted from him.

So very solid performance against such a difficult opponent like Kyle Walker, but then he was clever enough to appear also in other zones and try to create some problems for City.

So very, very good performance. Also defensively very aware of his position, defending zonal, covering spaces. Very, very good and then, of course, the goal is a great goal. It’s so important for us.

On Alli, who needed treatment on his ankle following Sterling’s robust tackle, Mourinho added:

Since that moment he was ‘can I stay on the pitch or not?’. Half-time the same discussion, beginning of the second half the same discussion and then he realised that he couldn’t carry on.

A third clean sheet in 13 matches under Mourinho isn’t anything to get overexcited about, particularly given the nature of this latest shut-out, but it’s worth hailing Spurs’ defensive efforts in this match, with budget FPL defender Japhet Tanganga (£4.0m) among those to impress individually.

Lloris’ return could also be significant to Spurs’ future clean sheet prospects, given what we highlighted last week in our Big Numbers piece about his expected goal prevention (xGP) stats.

Tottenham Hotspur XI (4-3-3): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Tanganga; Winks, Lo Celso, Alli (Ndombele 70′); Son, Bergwijn (Lamela 70′), Moura (Dier 84′).

Manchester City XI (4-4-1-1): Ederson; Walker, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Zinchenko; Sterling (B. Silva 84′), Gundogan, Rodri, Mahrez (Jesus 72′); De Bruyne; Aguero (Cancelo 64′).

Members Analysis

881 Comments Post a Comment
  1. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Bench looking correct & keeper for next week?

    McCarthy,
    Trent, Robbo, Holgate
    Salah, KDB, Martial, Traoré
    Ings, Vardy, Jimenez

    Pope, Maddison, Soy, Lundy,

    1. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Tough choice of keeper- Pope in such good form but you have to think Ings going to score so yes good set up

    2. Bagheri Arce
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Hell of a benching headache!

      What's your team value?

  2. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Do you think ok to keep Traoré on WC even if we get no further news pre deadline given Wolves play second week of winter break? Nuno says “He’s a strong boy. He’ll be ok, hopefully “

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I wouldnt want him anyway

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

      You can use him as 5th mid

    3. ManUtdFan_UK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Keep

  3. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I know it's an unpopular opinion on here considering peoples transfers...
    but Lundstram may actually get his place back - did well when came on and may sign new contract.

  4. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Hey guys!! What to do here? Help is appreciated thanks

    1,0 ITB
    McCarthy
    TAA-Dunk-Stevens
    Mane-KDB-Grealish-Salah (c)
    Vardy-Jimi-Ings
    Button, Söyuncu, Hayden, Kelly

  5. AchilleasP
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Best midfielder option up to 7.2£? Already have Grealish.

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Maybe Moura, maybe Traore

    2. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Barnes or Traore

    3. Earn your Spurs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Or Tielemans

    4. ManUtdFan_UK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Traore

    5. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Traore or barnes

    6. mineinplace
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      hudson odoi maybe if u have a decent bench to cover the rotation risk. 5.3, starting for a top 7 team, great fixtures similar to leceicester, potential alternative to barnes/fleck/traore/grealish

  6. yer old da
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Got Lundstram with a selling price of 4.5m. Got 0.7m in the bank. Am I overthinking it if I don’t just do Lundtstram > Enda Stevens?

    Also have Mane and DCL - if I downgrade Mane to say Son I can upgrade DCL to Jimenez...

  7. ludaslol
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Pope
    Lascelles TAA Williams Egan Kelly
    KDB Salah grealish Mahrez Saka
    Ings Auba Firmino

    G2g?

    Anything worth a hit/WC?

  8. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Guys is it time to sell lund or wait for at least another week?

    Team
    McCarthy
    Taa lund holgate
    Salah kdb Mane Martial mooy
    Vardy ings

    Button greenwood Rico soyu
    0.3 itb 1ft

    A) save
    B) lund to oconnel
    C) greenwood to martinelli

    1. ManUtdFan_UK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I’d probably sell

    2. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      B

  9. ManUtdFan_UK
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Henderson, Button
    TAA, Soy, Lundstram, Holgate, Williams
    Salah, KDB, Maddison, Traore, Dendoncker
    Vardy, Ings, DCL

    0FT, £6.5 ITB. Used a FT on Haller > Ings

    So tempted to WC to this, which leaves £0.1 ITB:

    Henderson, McCarthy
    TAA, VVD, O’Connell, Stephens, Lascelles
    Salah, KDB, Son, Traore, Hayden
    Vardy, Jimenez, Ings

    A) Save WC, just do Lund > O’Connell
    B) WC

  10. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Time to sell the fraud Aguero? Might not even start against West Ham after him and Pep looked like falling out after the sub!

    1. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Could backfire enormously

    2. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Nope. I am making him my captain next GW. Is this a double bluff? 😉

      1. ThisTimeNxtYrRodney
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        No, he's staying for me this week and will be my captain.

    3. ManUtdFan_UK
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      If you have him you can’t sell him this week

    4. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      You also said Sterling was going to be dropped for not following instructions when he took and missed the pen. He started next match after.

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        He should have been dropped though, look at his form since then...

        1. Tinkermania
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Yes, poor fantasy form. But was referring to you pre-empting Guardiola's decision.

    5. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ha
      Funny. The guy is on fire and doesn't return in 1 week (thanks to pep for shaking the penalty order) and people selling?
      He is def gonna start against west ham esp cause now pep needs the strongest team out there to bounce back. I would suspect sterling being replaced by jesus and gundogan being replaced by B or D Silva.
      Possibly even mahrez replaced with B silva but I am hoping not.

  11. abaalan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lundstram + Sarr -> Walker-Peters + 7.0 (who?). -4

    Any suggestions?

    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      harvey barnes?

  12. Earn your Spurs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    So is Lundstram now behind Besic and Berge for game time?

    I bought him at £4.1m but if he's not going to play I should just cash in I guess

    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      cash in mate

      egan and o connel are tempters

    2. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He's not playing due to contract issues

    3. FantasyHero
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Cash it!

  13. ThisTimeNxtYrRodney
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Anybody whose thinking of mane (c), as a bit of a differential this gameweek, will have to consider that the gw deadline is sat 8th and liverpool dont play till sat 15th. A bit of a risk ? I may be stating the obvious but only putting it on the table.

    1. Bob McMayday
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Surely no one is seriously considering it

  14. AchilleasP
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Is Martial and Maupay to Ings and Traore worth a -4?

    1. Bob McMayday
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah as fixtures are decent for both

  15. Ten Season Wonder
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone still got Mane?

    if so, what are your plans?

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

      Majority are probably keeping.