Scout Notes

Injury latest on Ritchie as OOP asset outshines other Newcastle defenders

Newcastle 1-1 Aston Villa

  • Goals: Dwight Gayle (£5.0m) | Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.1m)
  • Assists: Andy Carroll (£5.4m) | Conor Hourihane (£5.7m)
  • Bonus Points: Gayle x3, Matt Ritchie x2 (£5.3m), Jonjo Shelvey x1 (£4.9m), El Mohamady x1, Hourihane x1, Ezri Konsa x1 (£4.3m)

An entertaining draw with Newcastle led Aston Villa Dean Smith to decry an ‘annoying point’, while most Fantasy managers were just left annoyed.

Of the seven players who scored, assisted or were awarded bonus points, none of them were owned by more than 0.9% of FPL bosses.

Fantasy interest was instead concentrated on the 23.1%-owned Villa midfielder Jack Grealish (£6.3m), who blanked for a fifth straight match, and various members of Newcastle’s defence, which failed to keep a fourth consecutive clean sheet.

The game went full cliché by being of two halves. The first belonged to Villa, who went close through Trezeguet (£5.2m) and Mbwana Samatta (£5.6m), both from excellent deliveries from the right, while Newcastle looked much more threatening in the second once Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.4m) decided to come alive.

But it took Newcastle substitutes to break the deadlock, with Andy Carroll (£5.4m) holding the ball up wide on the right before feeding Dwight Gayle (£5.0m), who finished calmly for his first goal of the campaign.

Other than that, the Magpies’ brightest attacking spark was Matt Ritchie (£5.3m), classified as a defender in FPL this season but playing as a midfielder for the most part.

The Scotland international was joint-top for attempts and was a creative force as well, his all-round performance earning him a bonus point even though he had to go off with an injury after 67 minutes. Crucially, he was the only Newcastle defender to benefit from a clean sheet.

Midfielder Isaac Hayden (£4.4m) was another to succumb to a knock, with Newcastle manager Steve Bruce providing an update on both post-match.

“Both soft tissue. Well have to wait and see. We hope we’ve caught it, it’s more precautionary. We have to err with caution.” – Steve Bruce

Ritchie, in particular, remains an attractive Fantasy proposition in his current out-of-position role as the Newcastle defence is generally solid at present.

The Magpies’ schedule is good, although they do have Liverpool and Manchester City to play still, and Bruce is hoping his players will finish the season strongly.

“We can’t forget that we have a great opportunity to push on a bit now. Can we push on and catch the teams above us and finish the season looking upwards, rather than just looking over our shoulders?” – Steve Bruce

If investment in Newcastle’s backline therefore remains viable, Villa’s prospects, both real and Fantasy, are considerably less promising.

Ahmed El Mohamady‘s (£4.1m) late equaliser, from fellow substitute Conor Hourihane‘s (£5.7m) corner, was deserved, although it did involve a rare error from home keeper Martin Dubravka (£5.1m), who allowed the defender’s header to slip under his body.

But Smith was more interested in his side’s improved defensive performances since the resumption of top-flight football.

“We’ve been conceding too many goals and too many chances all season. It’s no surprise to me that the first two games back, on expected goals, we’ve deserved to win. The fact that we’re restricting good teams to so few chances can only be a positive.” – Dean Smith

‘Positive’ is not a word that can be applied to Villa’s run-in, however.

They have to face Wolves, Liverpool, Manchester United, Everton over the next five Gameweeks and with Grealish seemingly struggling through a points drought, few of the team’s others players are much more tempting for such a tough schedule.

Newcastle (4-3-2-1): Dubravka; Manquillo, Lascelles, Fernandez, Rose; Ritchie (Gayle 67′), Shelvey, Hayden (Bentaleb 86′); Saint-Maximin, Almiron (Lazaro 86); Joelinton (Carroll 64′).

Aston Villa (4-5-1): Nyland; Konsa (El Mohamady 77′), Hause, Mings, Targett; Trezeguet (Davis 70′), Douglas Luiz, McGinn (Nakamba 77′), El Ghazi (Hourihane 70′); Grealish Samatta.

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FPL Lessons Learned from Gameweek 31+

429 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Looks like im captaining Jimmy next gw. Who's your captain?

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

      KdB or Salah. Probably.

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

      Jimmy but I am a little concerned that it will be his third game in less than 7 days.

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

        Makes no difference to Jimmy boy.

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

      Probably Jimmy too.

      Don't like the uncertainty over the other picks who'll have to come through FAC games first.

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

        Then pick a Pool player. Salah or Mane are guaranteed to start. This could be their only really competitive game until next season.

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

          Hard to call that game, Salah only two away goals all season too if you're into them stats.

          Jimmy vs Villa beats a captain in City/Pool, for me.

          1. Ross Geller
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Agree

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

      I might go Son. I need to take risks.

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

        Same. Jimi VC

    5. Me Spurs
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Might go son again mainly due to having 9 days between games

    6. Ross Geller
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I think i’m gonna go with Jimenez also

    7. villa_til_i_die
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Jiménez, if only to put the kiss of death on him!

  2. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    All the below is prefaced with 'allegedly'

    I don't understand why Traore would lie about going to the gym (if he is lying)

    You have young kids who look up to you and you are saying you don't gym?

    Kids could easily think that he is just like that naturally so kids won't go to the gym or get in shape. The gym is needed in football, not only for strength, but to prevent injuries

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

      Think its more of the case that he can't go hard in the gym cause he'd get too big, surely he still participates in them sessions with teammates.

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

        I presume based on this that you don’t gym.

        No one ever got ‘too big’ from going to the gym unless they were using other ‘supplements’

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

      The physique he has got, if he isn’t lifting weights then how does he have so much muscle mass....

    3. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      There is of course a thing called a garden.

      No lycra, no ephedrine, no 5'2" poseurs chasing skirt.

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

    “Squad management” for Guendouzi being left out of the squad. I sense arsenal fans will lose patience with Arteta

    1. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Guendozi is terrible player anyway. Only good young player from Arsenal is Saka and maybe Martinelli

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

        Even as a Chelsea fan who hates Arsenal, I believe that if Guendouzi sorts out his attitude he has potential to become a top top player.

        1. Niho992
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          I think he hasnt. Dont see any progress in his games in past 2 years. Same old sh*t

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

    So my Richarlison one week captaincy punt obviously backfired.

    Any reason to not swap to Martial tonight after the games to catch the rise if he was always leaving my team anyway?