Scout Notes

Aubameyang signs off for Gameweek 28 in style as Everton’s front two excel

Arsenal 3-2 Everton

  • Goals: Eddie Nketiah (£4.3m), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) x2 | Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.2m), Richarlison (£8.2m)
  • Assists: Bukayo Saka (£4.5m), David Luiz (£5.7m), Nicolas Pepe (£9.2m)| Yerry Mina (£5.3m)
  • Bonus: Aubameyang x3, Saka x2, Nketiah x1

Fantasy managers who were undeterred by Arsenal’s Blank Gameweek 28 and Everton’s “fixture swing” were amply rewarded at the Emirates on Sunday.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) grabbed a brace against the Toffees to move joint-top of the Premier League goalscorers’ charts, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.2m) and Richarlison‘s (£8.2m) fantastic form under Carlo Ancelotti continued as the Everton strike duo both found the back of the net.

Since the Italian first took charge of the Merseyside club in Gameweek 19, no player has scored on more occasions than Calvert-Lewin (seven).

Richarlison himself has six attacking returns in seven appearances under his new boss.

We discussed the form-versus-fixtures dilemma after Gameweek 26 and questioned whether the ‘big six’ were really to be feared, with one eye on Everton’s upcoming schedule.

Those who hung on to Calvert-Lewin or joined the budget striker’s bandwagon had their faith justified after less than a minute of Sunday’s game in north London, with the 22-year-old striker acrobatically hooking the visitors into a very early lead when Arsenal failed to deal with a free-kick.

After the Gunners then turned the game on its head with two quickfire goals, Richarlison restored parity on the stroke of half-time when he feathered Yerry Mina‘s (£5.3m) flick-on past Bernd Leno (£5.0m).

Both of Everton’s scorers emerged from this encounter with six Fantasy Premier League points but there could easily have been further returns, which ought to provide their owners with a lot of encouragement for the season run-in.

Calvert-Lewin saw a glorious 71st-minute chance from three yards scooped away by Leno and then failed to get meaningful contact on a cross from the left flank shortly afterwards, with Richarlison being denied the assist on both occasions.

Deep into stoppage time and with the Toffees pushing for an equaliser, Calvert-Lewin glanced a header from a Bernard (£6.4m) cross inches wide of the upright.

Richarlison was himself thwarted from six yards by the busy Leno in the 77th minute, with all five of the visitors’ shots on target coming from Everton’s front two.

Carlo Ancelotti said of his in-form forwards after full-time:

[Calvert-Lewin] is really dangerous, I think that him and Richarlison are fantastic strikers.

Richarlison is unbelievable in my opinion because he’s able to score but also he works really hard.

Dominic, nothing to say, he’s doing really well. Important that he stays focused and try to improve because he can improve, in my opinion.

While relatively few managers will be bailing on Richarlison or Calvert-Lewin after this display, Everton’s defenders may be surplus to requirements for the time being.

The Toffees are without a clean sheet on the road since Gameweek 1 and have registered only one shut-out this calendar year, conceding 11 goals along the way.

Two of Arsenal’s goals on Sunday came from crosses from the flanks, while the Everton backline was cut open far too easily by David Luiz‘s (£5.7m) through-ball for Aubameyang’s first strike.

Jordan Pickford (£5.3m) and co played themselves into trouble on a few occasions, too, with Eddie Nketiah (£4.3m) hitting the bar from one of their defensive cock-ups.

Ancelotti said of his side’s display:

The performance was really good offensively but not good defensively and this is the reason we go home with no points..

We conceded three goals too easily. Arsenal in certain periods of the game had good control but they really didn’t have many chances. You cannot concede three goals, we made easy mistakes and I think that this week we have to work there.

We have to be ready on crosses, we have really good headers of the ball.

And the second goal, if there is no pressure on the ball you have to cover the space, you cannot stay in line. Other teams have fantastic strikers, you have to run back quickly and cover the space behind your shoulder. We didn’t do this and we have to work on this.

All credit to Arsenal, though, who have now plundered seven goals in two Gameweeks after a hit-and-miss opening month under Mikel Arteta.

Aubameyang was at his clinical best, scoring from his only two efforts of the game, while Eddie Nketiah (£4.3m), one of the cheapest forwards in FPL, expertly converted a Bukayo Saka (£4.5m) cross to draw Arsenal level at 1-1.

Aubemeyang’s first goal saw him race onto a Luiz pass to curl past Pickford, while his second strike was a fine header from Nicolas Pepe‘s (£9.2m) delivery seconds after the half-time break.

That was his first double-digit haul at the Emirates in over a year and his purple patch does present owners with a keep-or-sell dilemma, given that Arsenal are without a fixture in Blank Gameweek 28.

Bemusingly, Aubameyang is the most-bought FPL forward of this week, although there’ll be some of his 70,000+ new owners who are perhaps playing the price rise game on a Wildcard and not blissfully unaware that the Gunners don’t have a Gameweek 28 fixture.

Arteta said of the Gabon international’s display:

I’m so happy with him because he is scoring very important goals for us, but as well as a captain, he’s giving a great example to everyone else. That a player of his calibre is able to work the way that he is working defensively… because the demands of the matchday are big, and he is willing and he is happily doing it and I think we should pay regards to him.

I had two questions [about Auba’s attitude to defending]. One was whether he wanted to do it, or could he not do it physically? So once I found out that physically he could do it, it was about convincing him to do it and that he can do it every three days. He’s showing that.

He could just say ‘I scored the goals, I don’t need to do it’ but unfortunately we’re not that good that we can allow a few players not to [work hard].

Pepe wasn’t quite as influential as he had been against Newcastle but still collected an assist, while Mesut Ozil (£7.2m) was back in his usual habit of linking play well without delivering an attacking return.

Nketiah’s display and goal perhaps spell bad news for Alexandre Lacazette (£9.3m), who failed to even make it off the bench as his side delivered another fine attacking performance without him.

Before we write off the Frenchman and talk up Nketiah’s budget forward credentials, however, Arteta has tinkered with his starting XI throughout his reign and brought players in from the cold – such as Dani Ceballos (£5.2m), who started again in midfield on Sunday – when they appeared to be surplus to requirements.

Saka has been another youngster to impress under the Gunners boss and he emerged as a first-half substitute to set up his side’s first goal and claim his third assist in the space of five Gameweeks.

With the Gunners looking as if they may have lost Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m) to a shoulder injury sustained in Sunday’s game, Saka could be set for a prolonged run in the team – although the return to fitness of Kieran Tierney (£5.3m) draws ever nearer to add to the competition at left-back.

Saka’s classification as an FPL midfielder, of course, also deprives him of all but one clean sheet point.

Arteta said of Kolasinac after full-time:

I don’t know, it looked bad. To be fair, he was in a lot of pain so we will have to try to assess him tomorrow and see how he is. Hopefully not [a dislocation] but he was in pain.

On the Everton injury front, Ancelotti said of sidelined pair Lucas Digne (£5.8m) and Theo Walcott (£6.2m):

I think that they can play next week against United, they will be ready, they don’t have big problems and so, I think that they can recover soon.

Andre Gomes (£5.2m) returned from a three-month lay-off and impressed in a half-hour cameo at the Emirates, with his manager saying:

Andre did really well, without any problem. He was really strong in the tackle. The player is ready and really important for us and will play in the next game.

Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Bellerin, Mustafi, Luiz, Kolasinac (Saka 19′); Ceballos (Torreira 76′), Xhaka; Pepe, Ozil (Guendouzi 82′), Aubameyang; Nketiah.

Everton XI (4-4-2): Pickford; Sidibe, Mina, Holgate, Baines; Iwobi (Bernard 60′), Schneiderlin (Gomes 59′), Delph (Kean 81′), Sigurdsson; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

Members Analysis

1,363 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Huge fail as a Mane (c), Salah owner. Terrible Salah performance again and Fabianski gifting him a free one

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Mané outscores him though so not so bad.

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

      Why was that a fail? I'd be delighted with Mane (c) and Salah.

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

        Yes you should be! Don't see how that's a huge fail

      2. Cok3y5murf
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Because Salah 175% EO

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

      I thought Salah had a better game than Mane tbh

      1. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Both were pretty poor tbh

      2. Brehmeren
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        He did

    4. Effe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Salah looked poor tonight. Definitely failed the eye test.

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

        The entire front 3 looked poor

        1. Effe
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Totally agree

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

        He has for a while but keeps scoring

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

          They may look poor at times but the sheer amount of chances that are created by Liverpool mean that I’ll remain a Mane and Salah owner with TAA

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

    Congratutions on your 3 extra points smug TAA cappers.

    1. Doctor Evil
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks

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

    Flappy Bird

  4. Egg noodle
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Richarlison and DCL looking good for points, although their fixtures are rather horrendous. I'm getting Auba in GW29 though

  5. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Salah looked f*€king SH!te 😀

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah got lucky tonight

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

    Not sure how mane has so many bonus. Robertson massive today and looks to be leaving with no bonus.

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Robbo conceded twice.

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

        Ah, hadn't clocked each goal was a minus. Thanks.

    2. Brehmeren
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Winning goal

  7. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Members area seems to suggest
    TAA 3
    Gini 2
    Mane 1

  8. Ask Yourself
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    BAPs
    3 - TAA
    2 - Wij
    1 - Mane

  9. Firmino
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Any bonus for Robbo?

    1. Effe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Seems like he’s going to just miss out annoyingly

    2. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Nope not quite

  10. Fernando Torres
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    DCL to Jimenez for free?

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

      Not for me

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

    Trent 41
    Wijnaldum 34
    Mane 33

    Robbo 32
    Salah 27

    Close!

    1. Fernando Torres
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Mane 2 baps

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

        Rainer knows a thing or two about baps 😉

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

      that gini block at the end was important

  12. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    McCarthy
    TAA,Robbo,Stephens,Lascelles
    Salah,Traore,Grealish*
    Ings,Jiminez,Auba*

    Dubravka,KDB,O’Connell,Fleck

    Have 2FTs, 0.1ITB and have no idea what to do. Help?!

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

      Grealish, Fleck -> Armstrong and Barnes/Traore/Mount If you want keep Auba instead of Vardy

  13. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    LiveFPL down 😆

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Pythons everywhere!

    2. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Working well for me

  14. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Best option

    A) bruno
    B) martial
    C) richarlison

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

      A or C close one

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

    A) Barnes
    B) Traore
    C) Mount

    I have Vardy, Söyuncu, Boly and Jimenez

  16. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Finally in top 100k for 1st time this season. 🙂

    Minor success.

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

      I think I'll be close, but may be around 105... came into the week at 160k..

    2. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      well done

    3. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Well played!

  17. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Would you get rid of Bobby "Gnasher" Firmino even with Liverpool's fixtures?

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Ahe is away next week, think im captaining. Then he is out

    2. beric
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I thought he looked good tonight

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

        He always does but he just doesn't look like scoring

    3. FPL_Crisis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He always seems unlucky not to score, just missed that header before it fell to Mane
      Hasn’t scored in the league at home for a year. Keeping this week then most likely swap to Auba
      The plan is/was to go double defence

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

      good captain option next week

  18. Rash
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    After 7 red arrows in 8 I am delighted with 70 points and a nice shade of green.

    1. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Great score this week. I’ve been lucky to scrape 40

  19. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    No BAPS for Salah? Confirmed?

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Miles away

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

      Nope. Didn’t deserve a goal, never mind bonus.

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

        Haha this but I'll take it.

      2. Tambling5
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        quite right, but how on earth was Mane rated the second best performer on the pitch?

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Winning goal helped

        2. Annie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          He wasnt

    3. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Confirmed before game started

  20. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    TAA should be knighted for services to FPL

    1. Effe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He looked so good tonight and was unlucky not to get more

  21. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    13 assists now for TAA. Incredible for a defender

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

    How many bp Will Mane get?

    1. Fernando Torres
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      2 baps

      1. Tambling5
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        nobody watching the game would have thought so. Anonymous.

    2. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      1

  23. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Andy finishing 1 short of a ton!

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Casual!

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

      Not me

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

    50 £ in the middle. If mane gets 1 bouns point I win. If he gets 2 I lose.. What it's gonna be?

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

      Looks like 1 point

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

      2 imo

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

      2

  25. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    This Liverpool team is best PL team ever. Deal with that.

    1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      best ever. not quite but a very good team

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

      Don’t say it after tonight, ffs.

      Save that nugget!

  26. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    I assume winning goal bonus has gone through already? Doesn’t seem to get updated more than once after the game.

  27. Sloane426
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Saiss and Lascelles both nailed?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      95%

      100%

  28. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    BAPs final.

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

      Can you please put here?

  29. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Reckon this transfer will pay off for a hit?

    Gomez, Mahrez, Redmond --> Taylor, Mane, Doucoure

  30. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    You get the feeling Gary Neville is raging

    1. Naby K8a
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Good. Moron said Utd will win the PL before Liverpool at the start of the season

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

        lol he can be okay at imes and a complete and utter knob at other times