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. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I hate klopp

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

      Who the hairy fraud?

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

      +1

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

    I went for a last second Salah to Son move.. Hit accept.. too late. Probably missed it by less than 5 seconds. GG to my money league (currently in second). Now time to lose sleep (in Australia) and watch my team stumble to hopefully a top 3 finish.

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

      Me too.. Too late lol!

      1. Andy_Social
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Mine got in. Whew! But waiting on Spuds team - is it confirmed Son starts??

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

          He is

          1. Andy_Social
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Excellent. Waiting on update to see if my ML rivals have suffered. I'm feeling dead positive until a ball is kicked.

  3. Pukki Blinders
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2020/07/26/the-complete-guide-to-scouts-tips-and-advice-for-fpl-gameweek-38/?hc_page=30&hc_sort_by=comment_date#hc_comment_22216525

    I put my arse on the line with this comment 12 minutes before deadline and you all called for my head lmao...

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

      You need a source tbf.

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

        Thank you buddy !
        Took your word on reliability of that source

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

      Haha.

    3. Lev Yashin
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Ban!

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

      Haha. Triggered last minute panickers

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

      You need to source it. Lucky I had seen it otherwise you would have been banned, just how it works at deadline!

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

        You're the best mod !
        Accept it !!

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

          Always love having you around Amey :*

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

            😀

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

      Altho I didn't believe it at the time, thanks for posting that.

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

      I want your head!

    8. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Haha welcome to FFS.

      Who is laughing now 😉

    9. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      You had 12 minutes to post a source and couldn't/didn't. Well done mate! 🙂

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

    did Salah>Sterling last second but decided to stick with TAA since I dont see a good CS potential replacement

    1. COLLIN QUANER
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Exactly my move too.
      Had 2 mins to decide on a TAA replacement (for -4) and couldn't see any stand out options.

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

      Pieters. Spare money irrelevant.

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

        i already got Pieters. Could have got Robbo/Laporte/Aurier, but I am unsure aboutt CS as it is the last week with goals galore, and dont want to rely on attacking returns just to get positive return from the hit

  5. Easy Cheesy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Ended up doing foden/ vardy to sterling/ origi. Used liv leak but dropped foden (instead of mahrez).

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

    I cannot believe that Liverpool lineup.

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

      It caused me to completely change my FH team in the space of a minute 😆

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

        A good start for us at least.

        Hits galore.

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

      Robbo VVD 😉

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

        don't want any pool players in that weak lineup

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

          Maybe
          Maybe not
          Cash had to be spent 😀

  7. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Going with only VvD is proving a good idea so far.

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

    Any chance Salah stays on bench?

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

      If they’re at least 2 up, big chance he stays. If it’s tight, he’ll get minutes.

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

      I don’t think so do you?

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

        I fear he'll come on to block Foden on bench

  9. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Onyl good thing about mahrez bench is that pep makes his subs pretty early. Could see him subbed in at 59min

    1. Rojo's Modern Life
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Keep telling yourself that

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

      They will be 5-0 up by then.

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

      Hope so I’ve got him (C) ugh

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

    Made a late Salah(c) to Dilva(c) switch. Thanks to the guy ITK! Wish I’d held on to my trade now and got Sterling but didn’t want to risk getting locked out!

    1. iL PiStOlErO
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Same thing mate, copy/paste. But I did Dilva(TC). Hope he makes up for it. GL.

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

        And to you. Boly on standby for Salah/Trent!

  11. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Best of luck everyone. It's been a shiite season for me but here's hoping it goes out with a bang.

  12. JBG
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Ffs... Why didn't we get any leaked City news :/?? Would have easily taken out Mahrez for Sterling.

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

      Came through in our hour of need. Not got his beach towel out like FPLRockstar.

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

      Good call, I saw it in time but didn’t know how to filter the BS quickly enough,

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

    Dont know whats more surprising. Klopp resting half the pool team or all my Man City players starting lol

  14. Will J 256
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Mahrez benched!! So frustrating. Let’s hope he does some damage against tired Norwich legs! Didn’t see that one coming tbh

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

      Agree I preferred him over KDB

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

    thanks to all those who posted the pool line up on here before the deadline.. I was all set to save my FT but made good use of it by doing Salah to Sterling (C) 😀

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

      Shame could have rolled the FT over.

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

        😀

  16. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Stupid leaks ffs

  17. PascalCygan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Eeeesh, that was tense.

    Good luck everyone!

    I went all-out differential on my FH against my ML rival (who has a 16-point lead over me) and the only players we have in common are KdB and Jesus, who he's triple captained.

    Should be nervy/exciting!

  18. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Klopp trying to throw the game with that lineup. Thank God I managed to do Salah > Sterling for a hit 2 mins before deadline, still going in with 10 with TAA benched too.

  19. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Wow That was tense - took salah and TAA our on the leak

    TAA, Mahrez, Salah owners have been outrageously unlucky

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

      own all 3 lol. Stupidly made an early transfer as well so had to take a hit to ditch one of the liverpool ones

  20. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    That was chaos

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

      Inject into my veins!!!

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

    TAA and Foden ➡️ Williams and KDB -4

    Wow! Carnage happy and unhappy

  22. Mini Mahouse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I saw the leak .. I had 5 minutes .. I decided not to believe it. Also have Mahrez. Wish I didn't FH lol

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

    Didn't see leaks before site crashed. Had done TAA - Laporte and got Greenwood on bench.

    Salah +, Mahrez benched for me. Disgusting

  24. Siva Mohan
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    TAA to score and assist in last 25 mins..

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

      this 🙂

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

      Need to get his 5 points

  25. Jet5605
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Playing BB and 13 out of 15 starting with Nketiah on the bench. Bit disappointed about Willian but can't complain with Sterlimg (c), Jesus and KDB locked in

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

    Salah could still do well I’m not that fussed also have Greenwood first on bench

  27. faux_C
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Lol Salah(c).

    RIP my top 500 finish.

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

      Bore off , bragging

    2. Kun Tozser
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not over until the whistle pal

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

    I care about nothing else today more than that Pool cleanie going...

  29. Mr_Barbs
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Benched Foden. Fun times ahead.