Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 38+

It’s here: the final day of the season! Soon all the tinkering will stop and the rollercoaster ride will begin. Strap yourselves in! 

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 38+. Today’s deadline is at 15:00 BST, one hour before all ten matches kick-off.

The basics first: check the team news. Neale watches all the press conferences throughout the season and will have a sense for how each Premier League manager might approach their last game.

His predicted line-ups and notes contain the most up-to-date information about each team. Make sure your picks or potential transfer targets are included in his best-guess starting XIs. We might get some early team news but it helps to be prepared as much as possible beforehand.

There are a number of different ways to approach Gameweek 38+ and what you choose to do may depend on your overall rank and mini-league situation.

Mark Sutherns, for instance, hasn’t enjoyed his best campaign despite climbing the ranks since the resumption. And he revealed on the FPL show that Christian Pulisic will be his captain because he needs something different to break into the top 100k.

But this isn’t a recommendation that all FPL managers do the same, as Mark himself admitted a safe pick would be a Manchester City player such as Raheem Sterling or, perhaps, Kevin De Bruyne. In the conclusion to his Captain Sensible article, David wrote:

Sterling is clearly the most promising asset from Guardiola’s squad based on his last four performances. No Citizen can match him for big chances or shots on target during that period as he has rediscovered his clinical edge and an impassioned desire to hit 20 or more goals in the Premier League this season.

– David, Captain Sensible

Not only is Sterling in good form but he faces a team in bad shape. Norwich City have conceded 54 shots in the box over their last four matches; only Brighton have been worse. 

It’s easy to understand why so many are considering Pep Guardiola’s troops. To add fuel to the fire, Pep himself revealed that scoring goals will be a motivation for his players:

Every game there has to be a target, a focus, a desire to win the game, and maybe, scoring 100 goals is one of the reasons why.

– Pep Guardiola

The Citizens are currently on 97 goals for the season. So, is everyone tripling up on the former champions?

We’ve had five articles from our Pro Pundits this week: Zophar, Sam, Az, Holly, and Lateriser12 and they all have three City players in their teams.

Likewise Neale, who is preparing his Free Hit team, and Andy, who isn’t on a Free Hit but will have three City attackers.

using-the-top-10000-ownership-to-increase-your-fpl-rank-andys-article 9

On the Scoutcast, Az unveiled an alternative Free Hit team, one without Aubameyang, while both Joe and guest Aleksander will have two City attackers. Aleksander is currently third in the world and is debating whether he goes all out to win FPL – which means picking some differentials – or playing safe and trying to hold onto the bronze medal.

And in his regular review, TheFantasyFreÆK explained how he favours the City front three

It seems only Mark will have one City player as he considers swapping Willian for David Silva

Who knows where the points are going to go, it’s a bit of a lottery isn’t it?

– Mark Sutherns, FPL Show

But there are plenty of opportunities this week for captain and transfer options with a number of enticing match-ups. 

Newcastle, as Neale outlined on the Team News video, are down five of their recognised six centre-halfs, while David described them as being “among the most obliging defences of the last four matches”.

Good news for Liverpool and perhaps Mohamed Salah, who has, according to expected goals, been “the ‘unluckiest’ player in the Premier League from Gameweek 30+ onwards when we factor in both the quality of his chances and the execution of his shots”.

As Pro Pundit Holly notes:

[Salah’s] top for shots (21), shots on target (12) and shots inside the box (19), so ignore him at your peril.

– Pro Pundit Holly
 1

On the Breakfast Club, Neale explained that Mané’s aerial ability could lead to points against the Magpies. Steve Bruce’s side have conceded the most headed chances since the restart, which is consistent with their performance all season. 

There could be a lot of joy in the air for Liverpool.

– Neale, Breakfast Club

Crystal Palace are another side who are expected to struggle, with injuries across their backline. Good news for Harry Kane:

Not only are the Eagles giving up a host of high-quality chances, Spurs’ centre-forward has been steadily improving his total of big chances and shots on target over the last four.

– David, Captain Sensible

Kane’s teammate Son Heung-min was mentioned by Aleksander on the Scoutcast, and Johnny Orphan, currently 53rd in the world, has an interesting theory that the Eagles’ current right-back Joel Ward is a weak link in their defence.

Meanwhile, Watford’s recent poor form will give encouragement to those backing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. The latter was selected by Pro Pundit Tom Freeman as one of his three differentials this week.

[The Hornets’] 13 big chances conceded over the last four matches is the same number as Palace and Norwich but means giving up one every 2.7 shots in the box.

– David, Captain Sensible

Seven of those big chances conceded were against Manchester City, it has to be said. 

Tricky Calls

We might feel reasonably confident in predicting wins for City, Liverpool, Spurs and Arsenal but a number of matches are much harder to call.

Take Chelsea v Wolves, for example. Both teams need to get a result to fulfil their European ambitions. The boldness of Mark’s decision to hand Pulisic the armband is highlighted when we consider the strength of the opposition defence: 

Five big chances conceded by Wolverhampton Wanderers since the restart, which is the lowest total in the division. No club has conceded fewer goals (four), shots in the box (16) or efforts in the box (41) than Wolves from Gameweek 30+ onwards.

– Neale, Big Numbers

And Manchester United’s trip to Leicester City is another game with a lot potentially riding on the result – a place in the Champions League could be at stake.

Their recent schedule afforded Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s men very little time to recover between matches, which may well have contributed to some tired-looking performances. However, as Az warned on the Scoutcast, taking out United players could hurt given their huge ownership levels. 

But, equally, this could be a very cagey match as a draw will be good enough for both teams should Wolves beat Chelsea.

Go cheap at the back?

With many managers looking to invest in appealing attacking assets, identifying cut-price defenders with clean sheet potential could be key to Gameweek 38+ success.

So Chris Wood’s comments ahead of Burnley’s match against Brighton were music to our ears:

As a team, we’ll be fighting like hell for [Nick Pope]. He’s an outstanding goalkeeper. Hopefully, we can get him one more so he can get his hands on the Golden Glove.

– Chris Wood

Not only do Burnley offer several cheap defensive options but there’s also the chance they could produce some attacking returns too:

36 chances conceded by Brighton and Hove Albion from their right flank since the restart. Only relegated Norwich City have allowed more opportunities to be created from that zone than the Seagulls… Erik Pieters could potentially exploit that weakness when the two sides meet on Sunday, then.

– Neale, Big Numbers

Since replacing Bernd Leno in goal in Gameweek 30+, Emiliano Martinez has saved 83.3% of the shots on target he’s faced. At £4.4m, he could help enable more expensive options further forward.

And Southampton have the fifth-best chance of recording a clean sheet according to the latest odds supplied, as ever, by G-Whizz. Alex McCarthy, Jack Stephens and Kyle Walker-Peters are all sub-£4.5m options for our squads.

Enjoy the final day

Lateriser12 reminded us that we should try to have fun, and one way of doing that is by playing the game our way:

… you still need to make well informed decisions that are based on stats and the eye-test and on the correct side of probability. The point is that you have to be happy you made the right choice for your playing style, regardless of the outcome.

– Lateriser12

In his article this week, he quoted former community member Eunuch Jelly, who defined what made playing FPL so enjoyable for him:

If you keep your eye on the ball, you can set yourself up for hours of enjoyment at the expense of your rivals. I urge you to transcend points and find the true heart of the game, where those who take a different path can mock others for a few minutes on the weekend and be the real champions of the game.

– Eunuch Jelly

Whether it’s getting one over on a rival or reaching a certain rank, FPL is a game which unites us all.

And speaking of the Fantasy community, here’s your chance to get more involved with the site by joining the Scout Network.

Be it a cool tool, a video channel, amazing tech skills or anything else in between, we want to hear from you.

Community Competitions

For an update on all FFS Mini-Leagues and Community Competitions – including the winners of both the Head-to-Head league and Last Man Standing – please click here to read the latest round-up.

The Head-to-Head fixtures for Gameweek 38+ can be found below:

Use the drop-down menus to show your league and division. To find out which league and division you are in (although you probably know by now!), follow the instructions on the main Head-to-Head page.

May your arrows be green!


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

3,847 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Well that was a fun few minutes!

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

    Was there any correct Man City leaks in the end?

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

        *guessed.

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

          It was an educated guess. It was always a risk getting Mahrez without team leak

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

            Stating the most obvious thing ever.

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

          What is the difference between a prediction and a guess except wording?

          I got all 11 right too.

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

    Last minute panic as salah and taa owner on fh.. quick shuffle with 2 mins to go.
    Salah taa and greenwood out for
    Son, robbo and ings.. thank god for that leak!

    Just know salah and taa will haul from the bench now!!

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      nice moves, i sold greenwood too. hope he doesnt bite us

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

      Of course they will. 😀

    3. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I didn’t make any moves as was worried it was fake 🙁

    4. Obi Wan Elokobi
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Did exactly the same

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

    Did many not trust the LFC leaks and stick with Salah on FH?

    1. Jimbo-Jones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yep. And TAA. Disaster.

    2. SAY MY NAME
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      salah and taa for me, kept them, thought it was fake news

  5. Jebiga
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Will mane stays on the bench? 🙂

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Doubt it

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

    -4 to ditch Jesus and Foden for Dilva and Sterling TC and both Fod + Jesus start.
    ffs.

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

    Absolute scenes.

  8. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    very frustrating but it s all part of the game 🙂 gl all

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

    Salah and TAA come on in the second half and score as Liverpool struggle in the first. What are you going to do then? 😀

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

      Laugh.

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

    On FH and kept TAA and Salah. Also brought in Mahrez. 🙁

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      And you're a United fan. Tough being you.

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

        How do you know he's a United fan?!

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

    Robertson haul incoming

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

      Would love this!

  12. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Well I saw the Liverpool leak and didn't believe it. Oh well

    1. SAY MY NAME
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      same here, hoping TAA and Salah come on and get a hat-trick each to punish all the sellers!

  13. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    11 starting is a win in itself.

    1. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      this 😀

  14. Mike2795647
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    If only FF gave a 4th chip of a 5 minute delay on team selection for one week only.

  15. Moose™
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Salah and Mahrez still in my team.. Slow mind and hand.. Cant decide lol!

  16. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I opened three tabs for FFS and one of them opened - two gave me the errors. It seems three tabs were considered as separate requests to the server. Anyway lucky to do Salah to KDB at the last moment. Although it could still proved to be a costly transfer as I have taken a hit. GL everyone.

  17. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    need a goalfest between united and leci... like 4-4 ..... with vardy and martial hatties...

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

      This will definitely happen, it’s the only thing that will lose me my ML

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

    This really blows. If I had waited 2 more minutes I could have gone Mahrez to Dilva and Salah to Sterling.

    Did Fernandez to Dilva, no more room for City 🙁
    Salah to Rich for a hit RIP homies

  19. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Noooooo I’m stuck with Salah. Could have gotten Auba instead FFS

  20. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Wow ... just realised TAA and Salah benched, not great! Nketiah and Alonso first and second benches. Better for them not to show up at all!

  21. Pies Have Come
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Go and brush your teeth with some Black Jacks, Klopp!

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

    Salah is so expensive 😀

    You understand when you sell him. LOL

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Did you make changes? I didn’t. Bottled it. Going to cost me so much money 🙁

      1. SAY MY NAME
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        could come on and do well, good luck, i have taa and salah

    2. MTPockets
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I know right. Biggest panic was how to spend the funds

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

      All locked in now people, nothing can be done from here, it's out of our hands! Good luck!

      Lets do some score predictions:

      Arsenal v Watford 2-1
      Burnley v Brighton 1-0
      Chelsea v Wolves 3-2
      Palace v Spurs 0-2
      Everton v Bournemouth 1-2
      Leicester v United 1-2
      City v Norwich 5-0
      Newcastle v Liverpool 1-2
      Southampton v Sheffield 2-1
      West Ham v Villa 1-1

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

        I like your guesses

      2. Vpan
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Arsenal v Watford 2-1
        Burnley v Brighton 0-0
        Chelsea v Wolves 1-0
        Palace v Spurs 0-2
        Everton v Bournemouth 1-1
        Leicester v United 1-2
        City v Norwich 4-0
        Newcastle v Liverpool 0-2
        Southampton v Sheffield 1-1
        West Ham v Villa 1-1

    4. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Last second move, TAA, Greenwood and Salah to Bardlsey, Aubameyang and Son. Triple Burnley defence, good luck lads

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

      Just done TAA Salah Ings to Tierney Martial Auba at the last minute

      This is my first season back since 11/12. Too much crippling anxiety, see you all again in another 10 years.

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

        very good moves. Im back after 8 years too lol

    6. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      good work scout picks...have Braithwaite and Noble coming in for TAA and Mo.

    7. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Dilva TC.

      It's been that kind of season.

      1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I hope your right........tough call not to give it to Sterling...

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

          I got bitten by Sterling not starting

    8. Captain Scarlet
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Patricio
      TAA Aurier Pieters
      Willian Bruno Martial Sterling (TC) DSilva
      Vardy Jesus

      Subs: Martin; AWB, Long, Simpson

      Currently need TAA or Long to come on for a full XI but I'm pretty happy and hopeful of remaining top of my ML.

      Good luck everyone!

    9. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If you transfer out a player who was your captain, the new player is now your captain yeah?

      1. the snazzy viking
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        yes

      2. JJO
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Should be

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

      Disappointed that Mendy is not starting would have thought he'd be included for a tune up prior to Champs League. One dead spot on my BB for the week. Took out Trent at the last minute hopefully that doesn't bite me!

      1. Dichio24
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Mendy is suspended for CL

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

          Ah you're right. Oh well!