Scout Notes

What Bournemouth’s shock win over Leicester means for Fantasy managers

Bournemouth 4-1 Leicester City

  • Goals: Junior Stanislas (£5.8m), Dominic Solanke (£5.1m) x2, Jonny Evans (£5.3m) own-goal | Jamie Vardy (£9.8m)
  • Assists: Callum Wilson (£7.4m), Diego Rico (£4.2m), Stanislas| None
  • Bonus: Solanke x3, Stanislas x2, Vardy x1

Where to start with – and how to make sense of – this one?

A bewildering evening on the south coast saw Leicester City implode spectacularly in a manner that conjured up memories of Brazil’s 7-1 thumping at the hands of Germany six years ago.

From Dominic Solanke (£5.1m) finding the net to the Foxes’ two centre-backs scoring a combined minus five Fantasy Premier League points, it was a scarcely believable watch.

The first 45 minutes went by pretty much as expected, with Jamie Vardy (£9.8m) opening the scoring in a typically opportunistic manner, Brendan Rodgers’ side utterly dominating proceedings, and Bournemouth looking fragile in both defence and confidence.

Leicester went into half-time having racked up 10 shots to the Cherries’ one, with Vardy responsible for five of them.

Only some last-ditch blocks kept the score down, with Nathan Ake (£4.8m) getting a vital touch onto a 36th-minute strike from the Foxes’ forward to deflect one effort up and over.

Based on the first-half evidence, and with Ake limping off injured, many of us would have expected a Vardy haul to materialise and no doubt began looking at options for a Manchester City triple-up in Gameweek 36+.

Eddie Howe switched things around at the interval, making two changes and moving to a wing-back system to match Leicester’s formation, but the first 20 minutes of the second half passed by without much incident.

The Cherries were better, with only poor touches from Solanke and Callum Wilson (£7.4m) ruining promising moves, but had still only registered two efforts on goal before the game turned on its head in the 65th minute.

A suicidal kick out from Kasper Schmeichel (£5.5m) led to Wilson being fouled in the Bournemouth box, with substitute Junior Stanislas (£5.8m) stepping up in the injured Josh King‘s (£6.1m) absence to level the scores from the spot.

Things unravelled from that point for the visitors, with Caglar Soyuncu (£5.0m) seeing red for a kick on Wilson immediately after Solanke had squeezed a shot under Schmeichel.

Jonny Evans (£5.3m) then deflected a Stanislas shot past his own goalkeeper before Solanke rounded off the scoring when pouncing on a dreadful Christian Fuchs (£4.2m) pass.

Substitute Sam Surridge (£4.3m) went on to waste two glorious opportunities in injury time as Leicester’s defence went AWOL.

How to process this result as Fantasy managers?

Firstly, Bournemouth’s admirable second-half fightback isn’t likely to put us off going big on Pep Guardiola’s side in Gameweek 36+, with the Cherries looking brittle at the back.

As plucky as the south coast side were, this was a freakish set of circumstances and Manchester City would unquestionably have swatted aside Howe’s troops had they provided the opposition in the opening 45 minutes.

Bournemouth look likely to be without their best centre-half on Wednesday, too, with Howe saying of Ake:

It doesn’t look too good. With such a short time left of the season, it looks like it’s going to be difficult for him to play.

But what of Leicester?

It’d be easy to chalk this game down as an anomaly from their point of view, too, and it’s unlikely that circumstances will again conspire against them in the way they did on Sunday.

However, the Foxes have taken only 14 points from their last 14 games and they are in serious danger of losing out on a Champions League qualification place that looked all but secured at the turn of 2020.

Soyuncu will now miss the remainder of the season, while the Foxes – who still have doubts over James Maddison (£7.3m) and Ben Chilwell (£5.5m) – ahead of Gameweek 36+ – also lost Marc Albrighton (£5.1m) to injury in the first half.

Luckily, Vardy keeps on scoring regardless.

This was his fourth goal in three games and he himself looks back to his best even if the Foxes continue to be hit and miss, with the support from Kelechi Iheanacho (£5.7m) and Ayoze Perez (£6.0m) in attack working well over the last week.

All three of those players could have added to the Foxes’ lead in the first half and it made Rodgers’ decision to withdraw the Nigerian at half-time, sending on Dennis Praet (£5.2m) in his stead, look particularly odd.

The Leicester boss said of that change:

[Iheanacho] wasn’t having one of his better games. The issue for us defensively was on the side of the pitch, because there was a lot of space for Wilf [Ndidi] and Youri [Tielemans] to cover.

So we pushed Ayo [Perez] on, he was playing well, and added an extra midfielder in to help cover.

But the defeat wasn’t tactical, it was about the spirit.

Turning his ire on his players and Soyuncu, Rodgers added:

I didn’t see it coming. We didn’t have personality in the second half. I would say an apology to the supporters, that was unacceptable for a Leicester City team, the reaction to the red card. We lacked the spirit and attitude.

It’s disappointing because we’re already without three of our key players. We don’t have a big enough squad.

It’s a stupid reaction [from Soyuncu]. His covering position could have been better. It was reckless.

Saying that, we have to defend better. We didn’t show the right spirit when we went down to 10 men.

While Vardy’s own form isn’t in question, that of his team is and the Foxes have three tricky-looking games remaining, starting with a match against a Sheffield United side who look back to their best defensively.

The Golden Boot may be enough to keep his existing owners interested but there’ll be fewer FPL managers looking at him anew, while the rest of the Foxes’ squad will likely be given short shrift altogether.


Bournemouth XI (4-4-2): Ramsdale; Stacey, Ake (S Cook 40′), Kelly, Rico; Brooks (L Cook 81′), Gosling (Billing 45′), Lerma, Danjuma (Stanislas 45′); Solanke, Wilson (Surridge 90′).

Leicester City XI (3-4-1-2): Schmeichel; Justin, Evans, Soyuncu; Albrighton (Bennett 16′), Ndidi, Tielemans, Fuchs; Perez (Barnes 70′) Vardy, Iheanacho (Praet 45′).

Members Analysis

FPL LESSONS LEARNED FROM GAMEWEEK 35+

4,127 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who to bench:

    KDB
    Jimi
    Vardy

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

      Jimi

    2. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Vardy

    3. Victor6359
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Jimi

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

    I’m 8 points above the top 10k average yet I still can’t get a green...

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

      Hits?

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

        -4 but still should go up. Had Sterling and all

  3. Ziyech on the Bench
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    On FH pick two please 🙂

    A) Giroud, Martial

    B) Rashford, D Silva

    Pulisic, Foden, Sterling, Salah, X

    Ings, X

    1. Bad Kompany
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    2. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    3. Ziyech on the Bench
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Cheers on B

    4. Hits Central
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Dilva will start

  4. Mr. Sitter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who scores more?

    A.) Salah + Jesus
    B.) Sterling + Rashford

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Stanislas + Deeney

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

      B for me

  5. Hits from the Bong
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    A. KDB to Antonio
    B. KDB to Pulisic
    C. KDB to Sterling
    D. One of those plus Alonso/Azpi (-4)

    Pope
    TAA Doherty Taylor
    Salah Pulisic Bruno Martial Foden
    Ings Greenwood

    Martin Jimenez Fernandez Simpson

    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      c

  6. Joyce1998
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    vardy to jesus for free and stick till the end ??

    yay
    or
    nay

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

      Wait until Jesus is rested

    2. Najoman86
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Vardy still has 4 goals in 3 games. Jesus has a high ceiling but is a rotation concern. Tough call

    3. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yay...Leicester are spent, Jesus should start IMO

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

    Which 1 player would you bench for this gameweek?
    A. Vardy
    B. Greenwood
    C. Foden

    1. Bad Kompany
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      C

      1. Bad Kompany
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Oops. Read it wrong. Probably Greenwood although it’s close between him and Vardy as Sheffield defense is back on form and Palace is on the beach

    2. Joyce1998
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    3. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    4. thepuntmaster
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    5. Bleh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Have all 3, currently on B

      1. TheRealDonaldTrump
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Me too.. its so tough...

    6. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A Vardy against a tight Shef Utd defence. Why woild tou bench Foden who is most likely nailed for the nect game?! Didn't watch the
      Man U game, was Greenwood poor?

  8. Bad Kompany
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    What to do with Mahrez and KDB? Have Foden as third City player.

    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      if enough cash and using ft, Mahrez to Sterling

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

      Unless you want to free hit it
      Mahrez > Dilva/Pulisic/Willian?

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

    Bottomed

    Bench boost this week unsure what is best

    McCarthy
    TAA Robertson Caylor Boly Stephens
    KDB Sterling Bruno Pulisic ASM
    Rashford Greenwood Vardy

    A) Vardy -> Jesus
    B) ASM -> Foden
    C) Vardy and ASM -> Ings and Dilva/Foden -4

    Cheers!

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

      B

    2. Victor6359
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    3. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

  10. Oooo Matron
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Giroud/Sterling or Pulisic/Jesus?

    Current team:
    Pope
    Doherty TAA Wan-Bissaka
    Mane Mahrez KDB Fernandes Foden
    Jiminez Vardy

    Subs: Greenwood, Aurier, Lascelles

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

      Puli Jesus

  11. thepuntmaster
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pulled the trigger on Mahrez > Antonio. Great form, important fixture, guaranteed start and almost a full week rest. With Greenwood and KDB minutes questionable, seems a safe bet. Plus, mun week after are letting a few in at the moment too!

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

      The full week rest is ridiculous. I am considering it too.

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      its a good shout mate

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

      Then finish off with villa at home who could already be down
      Tempting for me but just leaves kdb as city coverage. Hmmmmm

    4. Tonyawesome69
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Both team playing for survival, I expect a cagey game between WAT and WHU

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

        Watford are pretty pants away from home
        In saying that west ham are the ultimate trolls

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

      And here I am considering taking him out in my FH team.
      I think Watford have bigger balls than West Ham and will give them a really tough game. I mean Pearson vs Moyes, who you backing?!

    6. Tempestic
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bare in mind Watford also had a full weeks rest

  12. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    78.3 pts avg per week since restart, well happy with that.

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

      83 here. Went from 9k to 1k

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Great work mate

      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Still have TC?

        You could go all the way....

  13. Puyol Pants Up
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Thoughts on my moves here?

    Pat
    AWB, Aurier, Doherty
    KDB, Foden, Mahrez, Bruno, Pulisic
    Jimi, Rashford

    4.0, TAA, Connolly, Kiko
    2.5ITB, 2 FT

    Jimi + Rashford ---> Ings + Kane/Auba/Giroud?

    1. Najoman86
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Keep Rashford. Jimi > Ings or Goroud would be the move to consider

      1. Najoman86
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        *Giroud

  14. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Jimenez and KDB
    To
    Sterling and Ings/Jesus=-8?

  15. wulfrunian
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Do you think that Greenwood could get a rest?

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

      If they had won today possibly

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

      i think he could but who replaces him

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

        James scored in the first round vs CPalace.

    3. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yeah for sure, in the FA cup

    4. Najoman86
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Too much to play for and has cemented his spot in the starting XI. He might have his minutes managed but expect him to start when fit

    5. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      thanks all

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

    Am I mad wanting to play Greenwood (cry) over Vardy (SHU). Both with alot to play for, feel like SHU have tightened up and LEI almost in freefall..

    1. Victor6359
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Nope

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Id play Vardy

      Dude hates Sheffield Utd

  17. ZTF
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mahrez, Salah to Sterling, Pulisic for a -4? Chasing

  18. CheesyZoot
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    KDB or Dilva on FH alongside Sterling and Jesus?

    Leading ML by 7 points, rival has no chips left but does have KDB, worried about a KDB haul....

    1. Victor6359
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Dilva, very doubtful KDB starts

  19. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Have Ederson Sterling Jesus on FH

    How to get Dilva? Is it worth it

    Ederson
    Azpi AWB Digne
    Sterling Pulisic Bruno Willian Antonio
    Ings Jesus

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

      Would it be surprising for Bravo to get a start or is he the cup keeper?

  20. davies
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    GW38 only...

    A) Auba (WAT) + Dilva (NOR) + Holgate (BOU)
    B) Jesus (NOR) + Antonio (AVL) + Digne (BOU)

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

      B

  21. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    TEAM - GW36+
    Martínez / (Pope)
    TAA / Doherty / Saiss / (Lascelles) / (Taylor)
    Sterling / Salah / Martial / Fernandes[C] / Foden
    Greenwood / Vardy / (DCL)

    For this GW only
    Vardy to
    (A) Jesus
    or
    (B) Giroud

    Auba takes this spot for the final 2

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

      A few years ago I brought in Giroud and he got a red card very early.

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Giroud, if he starts, he'll pay back in kind 🙂

  22. Dynamic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Please can someone direct me to the part of the rules which details what happens if I play my free hit this gameweek, having already taken multiple hits.

    I have been told that my hits are no longer deducted from my score, however I can't find anything in the game rules to confirm this.

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

      Errr maybe it doesn't explicitly say that. But that's been our experience.

    2. Greek Freak
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      You won't get anything deducted on the week that you play your free hit.

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

      Ok, thanks for the help everyone.

    4. dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I can confirm

  23. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Best goalkeepers for FH in 36?

    1. Max City
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Best defenders for FH GW 36?

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Azpi Alonso Digne

      2. HD7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Azpi/Alonso, Digne, TAA for me

    2. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      McCarthy and Ederson

  24. bulbuf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Possibility of aurier playing?

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Very low i'd say, if at all.

    2. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I'm leaving on the pitch with Fernandez on bench

  25. MaestroMostar
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pope (Martinez)
    Wan-Bissaka Justin Boly (Saiss ) (Gomez)
    Willian(VC) KDB(C) Bruno Pulisic Salah
    Greenwood Vardy ( Ings )

    0.1 ITB , 1 FT , don't know what to do for this GW. Any advices ?
    I want to put Ings in , but don't know who would I sub out...

  26. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Jimenez/Vardy out
    Jesus/Ings in -4

    The bones have been rollled...

  27. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Was gonna leave it but i actually could do with some opinions here, my ONLY aim is to crack under 1m...yes, it's been that bad, and can't wait fo it to end, however i digress...

    Henderson
    Doherty - Azpilicueta - TAA
    Martial - Mane - KDB - Willian - Bruno
    Vardy - Greenwood
    _______________________________
    Kril: Taylor: Aurier: Nketiah 1.2 ITB

    Was thinking:

    KBD ---------> Salah
    Mane --------> Dilva

    Then if Giroud is confirmed to start, Vardy -----> Giroud

    Just having fun and may as well go for it, Salah looks the better option over Mane, covers someone important in the arsenal game along with two differentials.

    Opinions welcome guys.

  28. Aftermath
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Green arrow of a whopping.. 300 places. On to the next one

  29. Ziyech on the Bench
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    FH g2g? 1.5 ITB

    DDG / McCarthy

    Alonso, Doherty, Digne / Bertrand, Cresswell

    Sterling, Foden, D Silva, (P)ulisic, Salah

    Ings, Rashford / Greenwood

    Cheers all and good luck 🙂

    1. Ziyech on the Bench
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Could afford TAA but Liverpool have been shaky since champions

    2. Hits Central
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Who’s your capitano?

      1. Ziyech on the Bench
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Pulisic

  30. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Do you think AWB can get rested?
    Looked tired. However with those Shaw, Williams setbacks he probably will be needed

    1. Najoman86
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Too much at stake for United, he'll play

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Agreed