Scout Notes

How Premier League clubs have fared in their behind-closed-doors friendlies

The restart of the 2019/20 season draws ever nearer and Premier League clubs have been ramping up their preparations with some behind-closed-doors friendlies.

The details have been frustratingly sketchy, with the lack of press representation a bit of a hindrance.

While some clubs have provided us with match reports, others have barely acknowledged that matches have taken place and we’ve instead had to rely on word of mouth from ‘in the know’ sources.

We’ll round up all we have heard so far in the below article.

Klopp explains Liverpool rotation as Salah and Firmino are benched

Having first held an intra-squad friendly, Liverpool played Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday and hammered the Championship side 6-0.

Sadio Mane (£12.5m) scored and then assisted Takumi Minamino (£6.0m)’s strike, with Naby Keita (£5.8m), Joel Matip (£5.2m), Ki-Jana Hoever (£4.0m) and Leighton Clarkson also on target.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£6.2m) reportedly picked up a minor knock, while Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) and Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) missed out altogether.

Widespread media reports suggest their absence was merely precautionary, however.

Jurgen Klopp said after the match:

It was not only a workout; for us, it was a really important test and we wanted the players to go for 45 minutes [but] because of a few little issues we couldn’t do that, so we didn’t have enough ‘first-team players’, I would say, so that’s why we decided to let three players go for 60 minutes. 

Is it time to invest in Arsenal assets after Gameweek 28? 6

Arsenal followed up a 6-0 thrashing of Charlton Athletic with a 3-2 loss at the hands of Brentford, with both games staged at the Emirates.

Budget FPL forward Eddie Nketiah (£4.4m)bagged a hat-trick in that opening game, with Alexandre Lacazette (£9.4m), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.1m) and Joe Willock (£4.7m) also on the scoresheet.

Willock and Lacazette were the scorers in the defeat to the Bees.

Having been used as a left-back by Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka (£4.7m) was reportedly deployed in more advanced, central positions in that Brentford game, with Aubameyang again stationed in wide roles.

The fit-again John McGinn (£5.4m) was handed minutes in Aston Villa’s 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion, with Jack Grealish‘s (£6.4m) superb solo goal in that game captured on camera.

Villa then took on Leicester City in two training matches at Villa Park and the King Power Stadium, although no results and scorers were officially released (social media rumours suggest Villa won one game 3-0, with Leicester 1-0 victors in the other).

Leicester Live had an educated stab at compiling the Foxes’ line-ups in both games and reported that Ayoze Perez (£6.2m) missed out through injury.

A solitary Pedro (£6.8m) strike was all that separated Chelsea and Reading on Wednesday, with our very own Rotation’s Alter Ego doing some detective work on the line-ups based on stills and video footage of the game.

Reece James (£5.1m) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.2m) were reportedly absent with minor injuries but again, nothing official has been announced.

West Ham United were in action on the same day against QPR, with Football London reporting that the Hammers ran out 4-1 winners – the ‘out of position’ Michail Antonio (£6.9m) among the scorers.

No official word emerged from Sheffield United’s friendly against Hull City in midweek but unverified suggestions that John Lundstram (£4.9m) scored a brace in a 4-0 win have been doing the rounds.

The Athletic reported that Billy Sharp (£5.6m) and David McGoldrick (£5.4m) were on target in two other 60-minute warm-up matches against Huddersfield Town.

What should FPL managers do with their free transfers?

Teemu Pukki (£6.5m) found the net in a six-goal thriller between two Norwich City teams last weekend, while Luke Shaw (£5.4m) confirmed eight goals were shared in a kickabout involving two Manchester United sides.

The left-back himself scored a brace, while Bruno Fernandes (£8.6m) and Marcus Rashford (£8.8m) were also involved in at least two goals each.

The Athletic’s Tim Spiers reported that Wolves lost 2-0 to Nottingham Forest in an unofficial friendly at Molineux on Tuesday, meanwhile, with a mix of first-teamers and under-23 players taking part.

Joelinton (£5.5m) was on target both in Newcastle United’s intra-squad friendly and subsequent 3-2 win over Middlesbrough, with Steve Bruce afterwards saying that the club had been working with the much-maligned Brazilian on his positioning.


We’ll bring you another round-up on Monday with anything we’ve heard over the weekend.

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472 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Netters2018
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    BB30 WC31
    Fill th3 gap 5.1m and need a keeper or open to other suggestion

    Leno xxx
    Taa doherty targett oconnell egan
    Saka kdb grealish fleck sterling
    Auba aguero samatta

    Any advice on 5.1m gk?

    1. Forza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Samatta out for a SGW striker (Ayew/Maupay, or Pukki if you get Basham in for O'Connell), and go for Reina. Sheffield have scored just 30 this season, which is the sixth-worst record in the league.

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Krul?

  2. Bojangles
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    RMT FH team please
    Leno
    TAA,Egan,oconnell,
    KDB, Grealish,Ozil,Sterling,
    Aub,Aguero,Samatta

    Subs Targett,Simpson,Amartey

    1. Dr. Agabuse
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Ozil not a sure starter imho

  3. Udo
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Any update on Sane? How are the chances on him playing DGW?

  4. Udo
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Would you rather go for?
    A: Sane
    B: Mahrez

    1. 7shadesofsmoke
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B

  5. Pulisic 4 President
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    DGW team, last 3 slots for my BB team

    A) Ederson, Stevens, Max Aarons
    B) Henderson, Mendy, Saiss

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

  6. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Should i go Sterling over Mane on a FH?

    Ederson
    TAA Baldock Lunstrum
    KDB Mane Grealish Saka
    Kun Auba Jimenez

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Would then go Leno/Hendo over Ederson

      1. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        With Hendo. I'd alsp fancy Stevens over Baldock.

    2. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yep

  7. Visionaries
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Apologies for my ignorance as I'm only just back in the game, 2 questions.

    1 I assume prices are currently on a freeze?
    2 Why am I seeing so many freehits when there's unlimited free transfers?

    Thanks

    1. Indpush
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      1. Correct
      2. Many have no WC to bring their team back from so many double game players they don't want after this game week.

  8. timmyotool
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Can I make transfers to prepare my team for gw31, then freehit my team for gw30?

    1. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      nope

      1. timmyotool
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Thanks, assume any transfers I make before free hit will be voided?

        1. The Polymath
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Yep. They'll be wiped out.

  9. Pulisic 4 President
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Any suggestions here for GW30+ using BB? I have WC and FH remaining as well.

    Ederson Leno
    Stevens Lundstram Targett Aarons Lascelles
    Sterling KDB Pepe Grealish Fleck
    Auba Samatta Jimenez

    0 ITB

    (I bought Jime at 7.1, so can't really get him out would lose to much value for my WC GW30+)

  10. Sike
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Saka or Cantwell?

    And is this worthy of a BB?

    McCarthy Justin Cantwell/Saka Lasc

    1. St Pauli Walnuts
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I'd punt on Saka but I wouldn't BB that.

  11. Cak Juris
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Super subs for BB 30, please choose:

    A. Egan - Hanley
    B. Targett - Lascelles
    C. Saiss - Kiko Femenia

  12. Saka Punch
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Keep:

    A) Salah
    B) Mane

    1. HVT
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Mane

  13. Who are all Lukakus
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Please rate my BB team.
    Stuck with high value of TAA and Ings.

    Ederson Leno
    Baldock Stevens Oconnelll Target TAA
    KDB (C) Sterling Grealish McGinn Bruno
    Auba Jota Ings

  14. stephen paul holtham
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    If I BB does it go back to my old. team? As it does with FH

    1. melvinmbabazi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      yees

    2. Zogzeg
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      No. You keep your BB team in 31+.
      Most managers that still have their second WC are planning to use it in 31+ (having played BB in 30+).

      If you FH in 30+ your team in 31+ will revert to your players from GW38.
      This means that you will miss out on the unlimited transfers that are currently available in 30+.
      On the positive side, you won't lose any value on players you sell for DGW30+.

  15. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Is Saka really worth it?

    Best midfielder option for 4.7?

    1. joker14
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      He's not a sure starter given that tierney and kola are back fit.
      Plus both are tough away games.
      I'd rather go for cantwell 😡

  16. albie.s
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    A. Aubameyang & Sako
    B. Nketiah & Pepe

    1. albie.s
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Saka sorry

      1. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        A by loads

  17. ratski
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    I just can’t face a BB as will lose too much TV.
    So Fh it is.

    For me it comes down to...
    A. Sterling and fleck
    B. Ozil and mahrez

    Leno (burton)
    Stevens, o Connell, Taa, (Targett, Lascelles)
    Kdb, Sterling, fleck, Grealish, (Saka)
    Aguero, aug. Jimi

  18. Miguel Cafuquena
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Henderson
    Egan/David Luiz/Targett/
    Fleck/KDB/Mahrez/Grealish
    Jiménez/Aubameyang/Agüero(C)

    Leno/Douglas Luiz/Alexander-Arnold/Lascelles
    Chip:BB

  19. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    So to kickoff the restart - everyone hoping for a 0-0 in SHU-AVL for 4x CS’s, followed by a 12 goal thriller in MCI-ARS with KDB, Kun, Sterling, Laca, Auba, Lolzil all heavily involved?

    Won’t be a massive disappointment at all I’m sure

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yeah it's bound to happen just like that. We'll all be looking at 170 point game weeks. 😀 (in our dreams)

  20. JurgenRocks
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Which Man C defenders are most likely to play?