Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 31+

A quick turnaround as we head straight into Gameweek 31+ and once again we have a 5pm BST deadline.

While an earlier cut-off may be part of the ‘new normal’, one thing that hasn’t changed is that Pep Guardiola likes to rotate his players. As ever, predictably unpredictable.

Some interesting thoughts on how we could finally use that to our advantage in this Gameweek Guide, as well as enticing differentials and captain options.

To win the Pep Roulette, you need to play the Pep Roulette. It’s one of the biggest pots out there.

– LateRiser

Who else but our favourite upside-chasing manager LateRiser perfectly articulating the dilemma presented to us Fantasy managers by Manchester City. Thankfully, in his latest article, he offered us an intriguing option on how to play our hand. Could Phil Foden offer a less ‘all-in’ approach?

When it comes to Foden, I expect him to get a lot of minutes and I think he’s a really good option for your eighth attacker. What I would do with Foden is that if he is rested for a particular game, I would probably start him in my FPL team in the next game as we expect Pep to rotate and Foden’s upside is very high.

– LateRiser

To give our Pro Pundit some credit he did highlight Phil Foden on yesterday’s Scoutcast ahead of the evening kick-off. Although a bigger round of applause is reserved for Pep Pig, who not only brought him in for Gameweek 30+ but told us about it beforehand – twice! Unsurprisingly he still leads RedLightning’s January to July mini-league.

The big news that could potentially impact how we shuffle our City pack, is the injury to Sergio Aguero. As Neale report in the Scout Notes, Pep did not sound overly optimistic in his post-match interview:

He felt something in his knee. He was struggling the last month, some pain in his knee. It doesn’t look good for this season.

– Pep Guardiola

The two immediate beneficiaries are Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling:

The stock of Gabriel Jesus could be about to rise as we await a proper diagnosis from the City medical department, although it should be said that Raheem Sterling has operated as a ‘false nine’ in Guardiola’s various systems before and the Brazilian will surely not be starting week-in, week-out from now until Gameweek 38+ even if Aguero is sidelined.

– Neale

However with upcoming matches against Chelsea and Liverpool either side of an all-important FA cup tie against a resurgent Newcastle, looking elsewhere could be a viable option in the short term.

Manchester United and Wolves appear to be the golden ticket teams. The Red Devils take on a depleted Sheffield United defence with John Egan suspended and Dean Henderson ineligible to face his parent club – do check out the latest Team News ahead of the deadline. 

If you are considering one of Fernandes or Rashford for the armband, David’s dive into the stats is essential reading. His feeling is that Fernandes has the slight edge:

The fact he is a midfielder also gives him the edge over Rashford who, despite looking like an exciting option for Gameweek 31+, cannot capitalise on clean sheets and scores one fewer point for every goal scored, when compared with Fernandes.

– David

While in the debate between Rashford and Martial, TheFantasyFreÆK is leaning towards the Englishman:

Despite having his minutes curtailed by injury, Rashford has recorded the second highest number big chances at home of all forwards this season. Over the season, Rashford has registered 23 big chances compared to Martial’s 14 with both of them having played a similar amount of minutes.

– TheFantasyFreÆK

Manchester United and Wolves also have the best odds of a clean sheet after Liverpool, according to the bookmakers via G-Whizz.

But there are plenty of options for our teams this Gameweek. Neale highlighted Son’s potential earlier this month: 

Son’s shot accuracy in the Mourinho era has also caught the eye: an average of 1.53 efforts on target per 90 minutes is inferior only to Salah (1.61) when we look at midfield regulars in the top flight.

– Neale

While Pro Pundit Tom Freeman picked out the returning Dele Alli as one to watch in his differentials piece. An opinion backed up by David:

Dele Alli managed a total of 11 shots in the box over his last four, an average of 2.75. Crucially, that was achieved in his number 10 role, which he is likely to be dropped back into for Tuesday’s London clash with West Ham.

– David

There’s an enticing trip to Carrow Road for EvertonRicharlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin appeal:

The Everton pair have managed to record the joint-second-highest total for shots in the box over their last four, against Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool. That is incredibly ominous as they prepare to face Norwich in Gameweek 31+.

– David

In short, those who fancy an alternative to a Liverpool captain this week have plenty of options.

Community competitions

The Fantasy Football Scout Cup continued in Gameweek 30+ with Round Two taking place. The full results can be seen here

If you want to enter the new The FFScout Charity Shield mini-league, do so now.

We’ll be closing the league to new entries after the Gameweek 31+ deadline passes at 17:00 BST on Tuesday. Head to the FPL site via this link and use the code ‘i3lxye’ to sign up.

The top five places receive a free membership for next season. Fantasy Football Scout will also be making a donation of £300 towards the NHS and has set up a JustGiving page should others wish to make a contribution.

In TorresMagic’s Last Man Standing the safety score in Gameweek 30+ was a whopping 95 points, which saw a total of 72 managers eliminated.

The threshold for elimination increases to 30% for Gameweek 31+ and a minimum of 63 managers will depart. 4,899 managers have exited the competition so far with 207 left to battle.

A full review of the round-up of latest community mini-leagues will appear tomorrow.

TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

2,043 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ShackledAce
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Bench one:

    A) KDB
    B) Traore
    C) Ings

    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Traore

    2. Wakanda
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      b

    3. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B

    4. Thomas M.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B

    5. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      b

    6. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A???

      And to answer B

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

        Haha, hype getting to me. Cheers everyone

  2. Wakanda
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    WCT GTG ?
    Pope
    Maguire/Doherty/Aurier
    Bruno/Pogba/Son/Ali
    Auba/Vardy/Jimmenz

    Chasing

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

      Like it

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

      Yeah this is sick. Good luck.

      1. JabariParkersEyelid
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I'd be tempted by Richarlison for 1 week only though.

  3. zizoo10
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    is martinez a trap? surely arsenal can keep a few CSs. they are Arsenal after all

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

      Yeh hes a trap but a very cheap one at that, i'm still tempted lmao

    2. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Arsenal defence is a trap sticking 10 feet out of the ground

    3. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yes he is

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

    Is Kiko Femenía nailed for the rest of the season? Janmaat is injured right?

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yes

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      And yes

  5. Tempestic
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Over the next 2 gw's:
    Mane, Rashford, DCL vs Auba, Martial, Richarlison (would captain Auba gw32)

    1. JabariParkersEyelid
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Going B makes or breaks your season I think, I'd be tempted by it though.

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

        for sure

    2. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Which game out the 3 in 7 days do you think Auba sits out, maybe the Norwich game as the FA cup will now be Arsenal's priority.

  6. reo19uk
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Which would be the better option going forwards?

    Salah or Mane?

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

      Audition tomorrow

    2. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Salah imo

    3. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Salah - golden boot and pens

  7. Ronny Sandstone
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    FH help...

    Salah/Saiss/Martinez (GK)

    Or

    Sarr/Doherty/Allison

    Any opinions much appreciated

  8. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Doherty, Traore and Jimmy wolves Overkill?

    1. ElliotJHP
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Nah mate go for it

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

        Ok, ty

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

      Not at all

    3. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Leave Traore out

  9. ElliotJHP
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    The big call.

    Ngakia or Robinson?

    1. G Banger
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Ngakia off after tonights game

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

      Ngakia

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

      Ngakia wont be playing after the 30th of June, Robinson mightn't be either. Maybe Schelotto?

      1. ElliotJHP
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I like it, #WelcomeSchelotto

    4. zizoo10
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      get 0.2 and get femenia

  10. Rover
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Any Newcastle fans/followers, do you think Ritchie gets rested during the Villa game with the FA Cup quarterfinal in mind?

    1. Hairy Potter
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Thought he might do, but Bruce was cagey about whether he would make any changes.

      1. Rover
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Thanks, that's enough of a worry for me to avoid. Will go Aurier or AWB instead

    1. jason_ni
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Members inside knowledge... stop feeding the masses 🙂 !

  11. Bakibaki
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Spurs fans, will lamela start this gameweek?

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Dont think so

  12. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    SOS SOS

    Any last minute changes?

    Ederson - Martinez
    Drunk - VVD - Aurier - TAA - Lascelles
    KDB - Son - Martial - D.Luiz - Fernandes
    DCL - Kane - Jimmy

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

      martial the invisible man in man u...

    2. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      If ur not drunk, someone in ur defence certainly is

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

        Good team tho, i wish u the best of luck

  13. Babelcopter
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Start Saiss, Aurier or Lascelles?

    1. disarrays11
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Aurier

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Las

  14. disarrays11
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pope (Button)
    Doherty - Gomez - Aurier (Lascelles, Ngakia)
    Salah - KDB - Son - Bruno (Guend)
    Jimenez - DCL - Rashford

    GTG?

    No TAA....

  15. bitm2007
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pope, Button
    TAA, Justin, Lescelles, xxxxxx, xxxxxxx
    Salah, Son, KDB, Bruno, xxxxxxx
    Jimenez, DCL, xxxxxx

    A) Doherty, McGuire, Cantwell, Ayew

    B) Holgate, Femenia, Goundouzi, Rashford

  16. Jatz10
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Thoughts on my wildcard team?

    Pope (Martinez)
    TAA Lascelles Maguire Doherty (Aurier)
    Salah KDB Fernandes Traore (Foden)
    DCL Jimenez (Nketiah)

    Got 1.9 ITB, plan to sell DCL for either Giroud or Abraham for Chelsea coverage.

    Defence undecided who to start, Aurier or Lascelles?

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

      Aurier, surely

  17. corderz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    So i can't get the team i want with both KDB + Salah so drop one:

    A) KDB
    B) Salah

    1. Blunder fc
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Salah

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Mo

  18. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pick one for WC. I have KDB and Jimenez/Doherty.

    A) Button (sub GK), 4.4 Def, Traore
    B) Martinez (sub Gk), Saiss, Foden

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

  19. Champions united
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Sell or keep auba

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

      sell for what replacements or upgrade ?

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Depends

  20. drughi
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    play lascelles or saiss ? already playing doherty

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

      Saiss

    2. AuFeld
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Both have a good chance for a clean. Saiss has the better attacking threat.

    3. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Las

  21. Blue Gaffer
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    On a WC

    1. Matt Ritchie and play 4-3-3
    2. Foden and play 3-4-3

  22. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Is Saiss a suspension risk at all by the way? Or now the last game has passed, is he clear?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Needs 2 YCs in the next 2 for a 2 game ban. Clear if he can avoid a booking.

  23. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Repost soz

    How's this WC lads? Cheers

    Martinez, 3.9
    Doherty,VvD,Lascelles,Holgate,3.9
    Son,Mane,Fernandes,Martial,Saka
    Vardy,Jimenez,DCL

  24. Snapes on a Plane
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pick one to start?
    A) Lundstram
    B) Stevens
    C) Baldock

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      C

  25. Zladan
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    GTG?

    Martinez
    TAA Doherty Aurier
    KDB Son Fernandes Martial
    Vardy (c) Rashford (vc) Jimenez

    Martin Hayden Azpi Robinson

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

      Too much united

  26. Tired and weary
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Final piece on WC...

    Martinez (Button)
    TAA / Doherty / Saiss (Lascelles / Simpson)
    Salah / Richarlison / Son / Bruno (Foden)
    Rash / DCL / Jimi

    A Martinez + Foden
    B Pope + Guendouzi + 0.2

    1. JRO093
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      A

    2. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B all the way

  27. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Thoughts? Not many with Richarlison before Norwich:

    WC;

    Martinez
    Doherty, Lascellas, taa
    Kdb, son, mane, Richarlison, Bruno
    DCL, Jimi

    Button- holgate, greenwood, kiko

    1. Blunder fc
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Like it apart from Martinez, but doesn't look like you have room for funds to change that

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

        Yeh that's the only major issue I see, but who else are arsenal going to play in goal? I don't expect anything more than save points from Martinez tbh

  28. JRO093
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Captain:
    1. Jimenez or 2. Trent? Jimenez the more obvious pick but 8 days rest for Trent, playing Palace at home (good chance of cs), set pieces etc..

    Bench one:
    A. DCL
    B. Grealish
    C. Sarr

    Thoughts?

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

      Jimi and grealish

  29. Blunder fc
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    On FH
    A) Auba and VVD
    B) Mane and Gomez