Scout Notes

Burnley hit by more injuries but continue to impress ahead of favourable fixtures

Burnley 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers

  • Goals: Chris Wood (£6.1m) | Raul Jimenez
  • Assists: Phil Bardsley (£4.3m) | Matt Doherty
  • Bonus: Jimenez x3, Bardsley x2, Wood, Ruben Vinagre, Joao Moutinho x1

Burnley sit top of our Season Ticker in the remaining two Gameweeks of the season, with some favourable matches against shot-shy Norwich City and struggling Brighton and Hove Albion still to come.

It scarcely seems to matter who the Clarets play, however, with Sean Dyche’s side taking points from all of the top nine bar Chelsea and Manchester City this calendar year.

Tenth-place Burnley have only lost one of their last 14 matches (an anomalous 5-0 defeat at the Etihad) and that run of form is even more remarkable when we considering Dyche’s lengthy injury list and the fact he lost three of his out-of-contract senior squad members at the end of June.

Two more Burnley players were added to the list of fitness concerns on Wednesday evening, with Charlie Taylor (£4.4m) and Jay Rodriguez (£5.7m) lasting just 30 and 51 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Wolves.

Speaking after the match, Dyche said:

I think it’s [Taylor’s] hamstring. I think there’s a chance he’ll be out (in Gameweek 37+), I’ll find out more on Thursday morning. We always give it 12-24 hours to let the injury to settle down. If it is a hamstring, they are tough to settle down in two or three days.

Jay Rod I am bit more hopeful with because that was me being cautious. He said he had a tight calf at half-time and we can’t afford to keep losing players, so we had to get him off early. Hopefully, that one will be OK.

Taylor missing out on Saturday would be a blow to the Clarets but they’ve proven to be adept at overcoming adversity in recent weeks and at least in Erik Pieters (£4.2m), who had been playing ‘out of position’ on the right of midfield of late, they have a like-for-like replacement if he is sidelined.

It’s their defence that has really impressed: in only one of their last 14 games have they conceded more than one goal, a run that also includes seven clean sheets.

Frequently they have been under the cosh in recent matches but rarely seem to allow a hatful of quality chances.

Dyche’s side have conceded more shots than any other team in the last six Gameweeks but 11 sides have a worse expected goals conceded tally in that time.

All of that helps Pope accrue save points and he gained another on Thursday, which helped soften the blow of his clean sheet loss.

Much like in Gameweek 33+, it took a wonder-strike to beat him.

Matt Doherty‘s (£6.5m) blocked shot popped up invitingly for Raul Jimenez (£8.1m) but the Mexican still had much to do, lashing home a volley from the edge of the box to give Wolves the lead after 75 minutes.

That effort carried an expected goal (xG) value of 0.06, which illustrates the difficulty of the chance and perhaps how unfortunate Pope was to lose his clean sheet.

Less inviting are Burnley’s attacking assets, who have scored exactly one goal in each of their last six matches.

Since the restart, only Sheffield United have registered fewer attempts on goal than the Clarets.

But in Rodriguez and especially the fit-again Chris Wood (£6.1m), they do possess two cut-price FPL forwards who often make the most of what few chances come their way.

Wood had uncharacteristically spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise in stoppage time when nodding wide from point-blank range but made amends minutes later, converting a spot-kick after Doherty had been adjudged to have handled the ball in his own area.

Wolves are another of the sides who have caught the eye defensively since the restart, with four clean sheets in seven post-lockdown games.

That tally would have stood at a remarkable six had they not conceded stoppage-time goals in Gameweeks 34+ and 36+ and in truth, they were rarely troubled at Turf Moor, with Wood’s horror miss their first real scare.

The Kiwi striker’s converted penalty, indeed, was the hosts’ first shot on target all game.

A match against a woefully out-of-sorts Crystal Palace in Gameweek 37+ should keep FPL managers interested at both ends of the pitch, with the Eagles without a clean sheet in five matches and scoring only two goals of their own in that time.

Perhaps the major downside to Wolves at the moment is Nuno Espirito Santo’s small-scale tinkering.

Diogo Jota (£6.0m), Joao Moutinho (£5.3m) and especially Adama Traore (£5.6m) have all tasted bench duty since the resumption, although that trio were recalled for this one.

It was the turn of wing-backs Doherty and Jonny (£5.5m) to be handed a breather this time, with the Irishman at least compensating with his first attacking return since March.

Jimenez continues to be largely immune to the threat of rotation, however, having started 35 of Wolves’ 36 league games this season.

Much has been made of the Mexican’s wife being due to give birth at the end of July but he has remained an immovable presence up until this point and now enjoys a five-day breather before Palace head to Molineux.

Jimenez had been on the fringes of the play but did lash a second-half effort over before his goal, with Wolves enjoying what few chances there were.

Romain Saiss (£4.7m) had headed over an early corner and Jota fired into the side-netting before the break, and a narrow away win would arguably have been a fairer reflection of the game overall.

Santo said after full-time:

The first half was good, the second half was good. We were always in control very, very well in the middle of the park, pressing high, recovering the ball.

We didn’t allow Burnley to play, they would always go direct but we controlled it well deep. The team was good.

Members Analysis

FPL Lessons Learned From Gameweek 36+

293 Comments Post a Comment
  1. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Who would replace Salah *IF* I were to sell?

    1) Sterling
    2) Martial
    3) Son

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      2

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

      2

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

      I would NOT sell Salah before Chelsea at home...............expect a vintage performance

  2. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    A-Mane & Lascelles-> Salah & burnley defender upto 4.8
    B-TAA & Lascelles-> Robbo & Tarkowski

    Double burnley defence in both cases

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

      A

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

      B

    3. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Why not just Lascelles to Burnley defense?

      1. The Red Devil
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        2 FTs FH in 38
        Wanna use both transfers

  3. Karan14
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    McCarthy
    TAA Doherty Holgate
    Sterling Mahrez Bruno Martial Pulisic
    Rashford Jesus

    (3.9 Nketiah Aurier Cathcart)
    1Ft & 2.2m

    A) Save FT
    B) Pulisic ➡ Armstrong (United mid to Pool mid in GW38)
    C) Pulisic & Rashford ➡ Salah & J.Rod -4
    D) Pulisic & Rashford ➡ Mane & Wood -4

    Can also do C or D for free next week.

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

      Easy C

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

      Why do you want to sell a striker playing WHU bro ??

      If anything try Ingsy Wood for Nketiah & bench Pulisic

      1. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah I probably should keep Rashford for this week. He's a great differential too.

        Maybe I'll just save this week and then get a Pool attacker next week by selling Pulisic & one United attacker.

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

          Yes

    3. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      C/D next week imo. Pulisic could get some returns against Liverpool. Rashford has a good fixture in 37.

  4. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Bench one:

    A) TAA (CHE)
    B) Maguire (WHU)
    C) Vardy (tot)

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

      Hard one but I'd have to say A

    2. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B. I don't see United keeping a CS.

      1. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        That will be the week he scores though

        1. WE GO FOR IT
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          There's more chance of TAA getting something against Chelsea than Maguire scoring against West Ham.

          1. Miguel Sanchez
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            True - lowest ceiling of the three

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

      B

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

    Who would you prefer for final two gameweeks?

    A. Jimi, sterling and martial
    b. Aubameyang, d.silva and Fernandes (-4)

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

      B

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

      B because David Sterling is more nailed in the next league game than Sterling

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

        David *Silva

  6. Shineonme
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    If Dilver is in the bench the weekend in the cup he's a great pick for the last 2 league games at 7.3. I did pusilic > Dilver last night

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

      Minor problem though, cup is after gw deadline, so no way to know for sure

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

        I know but seeing Dilver played 90 min last night can't see him starting in the cup.

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

          I too might get him, but would be for Mahrez...

        2. WE GO FOR IT
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          He starts and comes off early imo. He will have 120-150 minutes in the last 2 games for sure. One week rest after that before the Cup final and one week for CL after that.

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

    Mahrez vs dilva last 2 games? KdB and Sterling the other ones

    1. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Dilva. I'll probably end up having both though as I'll be switching Foden to Dilva in GW38

  8. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Got Wood?

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

      Not yet

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You feel Norwich will turn up?

        1. WE GO FOR IT
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          They did against Chelsea. But I do see them conceding and Wood might get a goal.

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

      My Greenwood is maturing

  9. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Main ML rival (currently 37 points behind me) has both Salah and Trent. So do I.

    Assuming he hangs on to them, is it too maverick/crazy for me to sell one of them?

    1. WE GO FOR IT
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Salah can easily score 4/5 goals in 2 weeks. TAA won't hurt as much.

      1. jdp219
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Great minds, sir...

        TAA > Tark is what I was thinking.

      2. Long ago I drew a walrus
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        'Easily' - no. That's a quarter of his season's output you're talking there, and Liverpool are not in good form. Possible yes, likely no.

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

    Burnleys Rodriguez or Wood for last two games??
    Rod likely to miss GW37 with injury??