Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 33+

You’ve got to think for yourselves. You’re all individuals. You’re all different.

– Brian, The Life of Brian

The concept of the template has come under the microscope ahead of Gameweek 33+. But with managers agonising over differential transfers, Pro Pundits Simon and Andy reminded us that our teams – however template they may appear – are wonderfully unique.

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 33+.

An 11:30am BST deadline begins a sequence of Saturday-Tuesday cutoffs in FPL, as the season-end draws ever closer. 

Indeed with six Gameweeks to go, transfer decisions assume a greater importance for many:

Anyone I buy now will have to be justified as someone I am happy to have in my team until the end of the season.

— Pro Pundit Ash

No pressure then.

Conscious that home advantage was largely nullified in the Bundesliga, Pro Pundit Ash is treating the fixture ticker with caution. Although a reduction in home victories from 44.8 per cent to 41.7 suggests that Premier League teams still benefit from familiar surroundings.

Perhaps of greater significance will be the quickfire turnaround times between games, as rest periods between matches vary significantly. Pro Pundit Zophar was on the case this week, revisiting the findings he shared over the busy festive period.

Recent research has shown that muscle injury risk increases by almost 20% when recovery time is reduced from six to three days.

– The British Journal of Sports Medicine

So who are the winners and losers in the scheduling lottery?

Manchester United have the most favourable timetable, with Wolves the other victors.

Man City and Liverpool, in contrast, have particularly compressed schedules, while Everton and Spurs fare worst of all.

Bournemouth were absolutely terrible, they made Jonjo Shelvey look like Iniesta.

– Lee Bonfield, Scoutcast

Things are looking good for Man United. Not only the best rest periods between fixtures but an enticing encounter against Bournemouth to start things off. The question recently has not been whether to triple up on Man United assets, but rather which three should we buy?

Anthony Martial is the best pick according to United-fan Andy. The Frenchman has averaged 5.7 points per match this season, and David even selected him as his captain in the Scout Picks.

Writing in his regular Captain Sensible article, David revealed that Martial’s underlying numbers mark him out as the best candidate from the quintet of United attacking options (Fernandes, Rashford, Greenwood, and Pogba the other four).

The out-of-position midfielder averages a shot every 31.4 minutes and a big chance every 62.8 minutes, putting him ahead of his teammates.

However, there’s a split in the Fantasy Football Scout boardroom.

Still reeling from his last minute decision to switch the armband from Bruno Fernandes to Marcus Rashford before the Gameweek 32+ deadline, Neale is adamant he will select the Portuguese on this occasion.

His mind was made up when Fernandes was withdrawn early against Brighton, ensuring he is rested for this weekend’s encounter.

But TheFantasyFreÆK fears Neale could be setting himself up for further disappointment:

Will Fernandes continue to outscore Rashford and Martial? I would think the Brighton game was the exception rather than a new norm – past trends show that Rashford and Martial will be involved more regularly which is why I’m hesitant on putting the armband on a Man United asset this week fearing that points might be spread.

– TheFantasyFreÆK 

All three main attacking assets are included in the Gameweek 33+ Scout Picks

An alternative for the armband, if you find choosing between the Red Devils too dicey, would be Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mané.

Comments on Friday from Jurgen Klopp suggest Liverpool will be fielding a strong side against Aston Villa, who have tightened up defensively since the restart. But as David pointed out, that might count for little at Anfield on Sunday:

Facing a stiff defence is not always an issue for the Liverpool pair, Salah’s 11-point haul against a supposedly resolute Crystal Palace side in Gameweek 31+ proves that point perfectly.

– David

The Egyptian has seven goals and one assist across his last six home league matches.

Despite their compressed schedule, Manchester City have an appealing fixture run. Although picking the right players to take advantage of it is unlikely to be straightforward.

Kevin De Bruyne, following his recent exertions, is not included in Neale’s predicted line-up for the trip to Southampton. Whereas a midweek rest sees Riyad Mahrez handed a place in the Scout Picks XI. The Algerian has attacking returns in every match he has started since Gameweek 30+.

Another City player who is again being talked up is Phil Foden. Pro Pundit Tom Freeman was ahead of the curve when he picked out the Man City youngster as a differential back in Gameweek 29 and he is considering him now as a fifth midfielder.

Whilst many see Foden as a no 8 and David Silva’s long-term replacement, his versatility is appealing. We’ve seen him through the middle, coming in off the right against Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup final, and now on the left against Burnley.

– Tom Freeman

Among his three differential picks this Gameweek, Tom selects Allan Saint-Maximin. The elite FPL manager notes that the upturn in the Frenchman’s form has coincided with Steve Bruce’s decision to switch from a defensive 5-4-1 system to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 in Gameweek 28. 

Although when it comes to making transfers, Pro Pundit Simon March challenges the idea of template and differential. He argues that if you consider the specific combination of players in your team you’ll discover that it’s essentially unique, no matter how highly-owned the individuals are. 

However complicated we make FPL, it ultimately still comes down to picking the players who will score the most points. There is a potential benefit to a good differential, but it’s important to ask yourself; are they ‘good’, and not just ‘different’. Will they really outscore the more popular alternatives?

– Simon March

A player who is both good and different is 8.0%-owned Christian Pulisic. The American has impressed since the restart and did so again at the London Stadium on Wednesday night.

While the Chelsea winger is challenging for a precious midfield slot in our FPL squads, one player who has failed to live up to recent expectations is forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin. 

Three successive blanks is testing the patience of his loyal ownership – the Everton striker still features in 10 of the 12 squads among The Great and The Good –  but David suggests that their patience could be a virtue: 

The recent obliging nature of Spurs’ defence, which has conceded 31 shots in the box over the last four matches, could offer some last hope for Dominic Calvert-Lewin owners.

– David
Eliteserien

ReindeerHotdog set the scene for the next round of fixtures in Norway. He delved into goal and shot statistics to highlight the over and under performing teams in the league.

Community Competitions

A full round-up of Community Competitions will follow this article.

The Head-to-Head leagues have been updated for Gameweek 32+, results and tables are currently showing on the main Head-to-Head page.

The fixtures for Gameweek 33+ are below:

Best of luck in Gameweek 33+

FPL Lessons Learned from Gameweek 32+

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

2,361 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Taegugk Warrior
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    A. Play Nketiah bench Egan
    B. Play Egan bench Nketiah (already play stevens)
    C. Nketiah to Greenwood for -4 hit

  2. MattysFantasyFooty
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pick one to play

    Aurier
    Saiss
    Nketiah
    Saka

    1. jaywills
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Aurier

    2. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Aurier

    3. Henryyy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Saiss

    4. Dele
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Aurier or Saiss

    5. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I'm going Saiss

    6. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Aurier for me.

    7. MattysFantasyFooty
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Thanks all

  3. RubeRx
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Hey mods how about a tweet or hot topic clarifying the Pogba/Rashford fake news to avoid further confusion

    1. Rotation's Alter Ego
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No official news so won't be a tweet.

      Could be a HT but I'm a little reluctant as I think most people have got the gist now and theres no way we can say "Pogba and Fernandes are 100% ok".

      Rashford is a real stretch, are many people reading into it at all? I don't think so.

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

        Its on almost every page but I understand the liability/credibility issues

      2. Rotation's Alter Ego
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        The current theories floating around:

        Mirror reported that Bruno and Pogba had collided in training and are out for the season. Other sources dispute this and it seems they fell for a satire article that went up on the 1st. Widely disregarded now.

        Rashford wasn't photographed in training on Friday, but was in photos on Thursday. Ole said he has a few knocks so it was theorised that Rashford picked up an injury during that session he was photographed.

        I think it's unlikely because players are regularly not photographed for United as they only do 20 players a day - there's 5/6 others who weren't shown either. Additionally Rashford tweeted "It was a good day" after Thursday training, which would be weird if he had just got injured.

        https://twitter.com/MarcusRashford/status/1278757159073873922?s=19

        1. DeadStarComing
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Aren't most of the press reporting the possible injuries? Scout in the past have tweeted in relation to similar things haven't they? Such as "so and so are reporting that blah blah" 🙂 . Personally I don't mind either way because as you say nothing is actually confirmed.

          1. Rotation's Alter Ego
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 12 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            It's just a couple tabloids that use the mirror as a source, none of whom are reliable.

            For example, the Express are reporting it but still include both in their predicted lineups.

            It's just easy clicks for them.

            1. DeadStarComing
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 13 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Oh I see. I've seen it on the Mail and saw that the Sun has posted this morning about it etc. Guess they're all linked/copying each other. Ok cheers

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      WHAT HAPPENED??

  4. YEAH PITCH!
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Anyone captaining Mane?

    1. akhilrajau
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yes me.

    2. zdrojo187
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      He's my VC

  5. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who is more likely to be benched?

    1. Foden
    2. KDB

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      3. Greenwood

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        3

    2. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      1 and I have him

  6. The Yorkshire Pirlo
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    What Liverpool/City/Utd assets would you you go with on a FH?

    1. Oscar Slater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Martial (c), Fernandes, Mahrez, KDB, Salah & TAA for me but make sure you've got good back ups for the inevitable rotation.

  7. corderz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    DDG Button
    TAA Doherty Aurier Ritchie Bolly
    Salah Fernandes Son Foden Saka
    Rashford Jimi DCL

    A) Saka DCL DDG Ritchie > Mahrez Greenwood Pope N.Williams

    B) Saka Son DDG DCL > Mahrez Martial Pope Nketiah

  8. zdrojo187
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who to play?
    A)Billiams
    B)Lascelles

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

    Morning everyone and good luck
    A) Aurier and Saka
    B) Charlie Taylor and Phil Foden

    Thinking long term not just for the GW!

    Thanks

    1. timmmuh
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

  10. Ninjaa
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I have KDB as only City cover and no Chelsea. Do I have 7m to spend who do I bring in Mount or Foden?
    Or another?

    1. Ninjaa
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      So not do

    2. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Foden might not start. If you're gonna start then i would go for Moubt

  11. Bobby_Baggio
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who to capt from the below please?

    A) Mane
    B) Bruno
    C) Rashford

    1. Ninjaa
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bruno and Rashford V

    2. Henryyy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

    3. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

    4. Bobby_Baggio
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Cheers all

    5. OptimusBlack
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

  12. theBoose
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    How does this FH team looking?

    Schmeichel
    Alonso Walker AWB
    Martial Pulisic Salah(c) Fernandes Mahrez
    Firmino Jesus

    Cheapest of the cheaps bench

    1. Ninjaa
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I wouldn't have Firminho or jesus

  13. corderz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    A) Saka + DCL > Mahrez + Greenwood

    B) Saka + Son > Mahrez + Martial

    1. jaywills
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

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

        Thanks

  14. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Start

    A) Gayle
    B) Greenwood

    Have Martial & Bruno

    1. Henryyy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    2. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

  15. Sid1891
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Bottomed on last page

    Martial for a hit or should l keep Mount?

    Have Bruno an Greenwood

    Thanks for replies

  16. Henryyy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Good to go lads?

    Pope
    TAA Robbo Doherty
    Salah Bruno Martial KDB Pulisic
    Greenwood Jim

    Martinez Saiss Ayew Ward

    1. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Nice set up

    2. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Very. Good luck

    3. Baron Penguin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      That’s 9 of my starting 11 so I think it’s great. I have AWB for Robbo and DCL/Jota (still undecided) for Greenwood. Who is your captain?

  17. EgyptianKing
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mates:

    1) Worth considering Walker?

    2) Do we think Greenwood starts?

    1. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      nah. Better spend it elsewhere.

  18. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who is to first sub ?
    A- Lascelles v.s WHU (H)
    B- Saka v.s WOL (A)
    C- Holgat v.s TOT (A)

    1. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

    2. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

    3. OptimusBlack
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Cheers

  19. HP18
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Morning all,

    Which do you prefer?

    A) Martial, Mahrez & Greenwood
    or
    B) Martial, Pulisic & DCL/Ings

    1. LLoris
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

      1. wijohnson85
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        B safer for game time rest of season. A more explosive imo

  20. Pickle juice
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Should i

    A. play son and dcl ---> ASM and Pulsic/mahrez FOR -4
    B.stick with son and dcl

    Cheers

  21. joelsprylar
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    1FT 1,0

    Save free transfer or what would you do?
    Also tripple captain Salah, yes or no?

    Ederson

    Trent, Doherty, Aurier, Lascelles

    KDB, Martial, Salah, Foden

    Auba, Jimenez

    Leno, Egan, McBurnie, Cantwell

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

    Triple captain Salah, with Willian VC?

    1. Dele
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yeeeee, maybe a United asset vice captain?

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

        Only got Greenwood and Wan-Bissaka

      2. Coys96
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        This

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

        Are you thinking Willian really not worth it?

  23. JJeyy
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mount to Pulisic worth -4?

    Clearly Pulisic would have to score to make it worth, and mount did get the extra rest.

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yes. I think he'll score

    2. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Feeling pulisic gets a rest, seems to have played a lot of minutes

    3. Ninjaa
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I wouldn't for a hit. Mount is on all direct free kicks also and after a rest on Wed he should play the full 90.

  24. Taegugk Warrior
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Nketiah to greenwood for -4 or just play Nketiah..?

    1. timmmuh
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not for a hit

  25. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mahrez or pulisic?

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Mah

  26. UKG
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mane to Salah -4, then (c) worried Mane is going to be low scoring and Salah tears it up?

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I wouldn’t, I’d captain mane

  27. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    G2G?

    Pope

    TAA Doherty Maguire

    Salah(TC) KDB Son Bruno Pulisic

    Jimenez Greenwood

    1. Heiro
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I did Son to Mahrez incase KDB was benched

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        For a -4?

        1. Heiro
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          No. With free transfer

          1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Oh sadly I’ve used my 2FT getting Pulisic, thinking of doing Son & Salah to Sterling and Mahrez next week for a -4

            1. Heiro
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Son has Bournemouth next week who just let 4 in at home to Newcastle. I'm prob bringing Son back in next week for that. Maybe look at foden next week if he's resting this GW

  28. wijohnson85
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Wildcard
    A) Pope, AWB, Cresswell/Holgate
    B) DDG, Taylor, Saiss

    [. ] / 3.9
    [. ] / TAA / Jonny / Kiko / [. ]
    Salah / Mahrez / Foden / Pulisic / Fernandez
    Rash / Jim / Nketiah

  29. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mahrez captain anyone? On Bruno atm....

  30. TAT
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Genuine question:
    If picking one; Rashford or Greenwood?