Scout Notes

Should FPL managers sell Aubameyang ahead of Arsenal’s tough fixture run?

Arsenal 2-1 West Ham United

  • Goals: Alexandre Lacazette (£8.5m), Eddie Nketiah (£6.0m) | Michail Antonio (£6.4m)
  • Assists: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m), Dani Ceballos (£5.5m) | Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m)
  • Bonus: Nketiah x3, Ceballos x2, Lacazette x1

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m) is top of the charts for Fantasy Premier League transfers out ahead of Gameweek 3, with over 250,000 FPL bosses having offloaded the Gabon international since last Saturday’s deadline.

Modest returns in the opening two Gameweeks is one reason for the exodus but Arsenal’s upcoming fixture run is arguably the single biggest contributing factor, with the Gunners now facing five fixtures against sides who finished in the top half last season.


In nine meetings against these five clubs last season, Aubameyang delivered just two goals and one assist.

Even a player who consistently boasts one of the best goal conversion records in the division would struggle with his underlying numbers in these games: the premium midfielder managed only two shots on target (scoring both, naturally) and averaged less than one effort in the box per appearance.

Top half last season doesn’t necessarily mean top half this season, of course, and the jury is still out on a Sheffield United backline without the services of Dean Henderson (£5.5m).

Liverpool’s high defensive line was exposed by Leeds in Gameweek 1, meanwhile, and Aubameyang put Manchester City to the sword in the FA Cup semi-final in July.

Still, the fact remains that the Gunners’ Gameweek 3-7 opponents were all in the top six for fewest goals conceded in 2019/20.

Aubameyang will almost certainly bag at least one attacking return, maybe even a handful, in his upcoming five matches, but is he likely to outscore the premium assets from the other ‘big six’ clubs over the same timeframe?

And in how many of these fixtures would we realistically captain the Gabon international?

On paper, a premium midfielder exchange seems to be a straightforward decision – but FPL, as this weekend showed, may have other ideas.

ONE SHOT

Aubameyang was by some distance the most-captained FPL asset of Gameweek 2, with over two million Fantasy managers handing him the armband.

One solitary assist for Alexandre Lacazette‘s (£8.5m) opener was all that he could muster, with the Frenchman nodding home his teammate’s cross after just 24 minutes.

The expected avalanche of points failed to materialise as both player and club struggled to carve out chances, with Aubameyang’s only shot of the match coming from distance in the 90th minute.

There was mitigation for his own display though.

Aubameyang had cultivated a good understanding with Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£5.0m) and Kieran Tierney (£5.5m) down the left flank recently and he was without both of his comrades at the Emirates, with the former benched and the latter succumbing to an injury in the warm-up.

Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) and Sead Kolasinac (£4.9m) came into the side and although Saka “assisted the assister” for both of the hosts’ goals, the rapport simply wasn’t there between the left-sided trio for much of the game.

TIERNEY UPDATE
One statistic to rule them all

Mikel Arteta acknowledged a disjointed performance from his troops after full-time, saying:

I think we were a little bit lucky in certain moments, but we found a way in the end to win it and that’s the mentality I want from the team, to always believe that we can do it until the last moment, even when we have difficult games where suffer and make it very difficult for ourselves in certain positions.

But in the end, it’s three points and that’s what we’re here for. We will take some big notes because there are a lot of things to improve.

It’s very strange because we were talking with the staff today that they had their best week in terms of decision making, quality and execution with the ball by far since I joined the club, but then in the first 15 minutes, they gave the ball to the wrong colour too often. We need to improve on that and we know that we still have a lot of work to do here, but at least they kept trying and nobody tried to hide.

On Tierney’s injury, the Arsenal boss added:

Kieran is fine. He had a little muscular discomfort in the last few days. He tried today and worked in the warm-up but he wasn’t feeling comfortable today.
 
We believed that he was going to be fit but during the warm-up, in the last 10 minutes, he said he wasn’t feeling OK. We had to make a decision. We were prepared just in case and Kola came on and had a good game.

ANTONIO BACK AMONG THE GOALS

After an anticlimactic Gameweek 1, Michail Antonio (£6.4m) was back on the scoresheet at the Emirates.

Encouragingly, he was occupying the sorts of areas that led to his purple patch of form after lockdown ended in June.

His 44th-minute goal from a Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m) cross came from inside the six-yard box and he had an excellent chance to add to that tally after the break, failing to make proper contact on an Arthur Masuaku (£4.5m) delivery from close range.

Antonio then hit the bar with a header midway through the second half and saw a goalbound shot blocked in the subsequent melee.

West Ham’s awful upcoming fixture run will put many FPL managers off but few players could compete with Antonio’s underlying stats after lockdown ended and there were encouraging signs that he could recapture that form on Saturday.

MOYES GOES 3-4-3

With Mark Noble (£5.0m) injured, David Moyes called on Arthur Masuaku (£4.5m) to replace him and turned to a 3-4-3 for the trip to north London.

While Jarrod Bowen (£6.4m) and Tomas Soucek (£5.0m) were not at their best, Masuaku was excellent in a left wing-back role and West Ham delivered a much-improved display following their poor performance in Gameweek 1 – something to perhaps consider for those targeting assets who play the Hammers in weeks to come.

Moyes’ troops registered twice as many shots as their hosts, with their goal not coming under much threat after Lacazette’s opener – that is, until a lapse in concentration allowed Dani Ceballos (£5.5m) to set up Eddie Nketiah (£6.0m) for Arsenal’s late winner.

Moyes said of his side’s display:

We were massively improved from last week. We made chances, played well, wanted to be as good as we could. But ultimately we are playing a form team. I am disappointed that we have not come away with a point at least.

Arsenal XI (3-4-3): Leno; Holding, Gabriel, Kolasinac; Bellerin, Ceballos, Xhaka, Saka (Luiz 89′); Willian (Pepe 64′), Lacazette (Nketiah 77′), Aubameyang.

West Ham United XI (3-4-3): Fabianski; Diop, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Fredericks, Rice, Soucek, Masuaku (Anderson 85′); Bowen (Yarmolenko 83′), Antonio, Fornals (Haller 87′).

Members Analysis


FPL Lessons Learned from Gameweek 2

3,517 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Martial to Jesus worth a hit?

    Or wait another week

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

      Just a casual player really, if Jesus didn’t score at the end there you wouldn’t be asking that

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

        Heh

      2. Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Keep trying maybe ull get a reaction one day

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

          It’s true though. Martial > Jesus for a hit is silly and knee-jerky. Keep chasing those points though, it’ll do ya good

          1. Nightcrawler
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Keep going

    2. diabydoesgallas
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      He didn’t look great to me

    3. F4L
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      See what Pep has to say about Kun come the presser. If the two month+ time frame is still looking likely, then yeah I'd take the hit.

  2. bitm2007
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    I missed the Marcel injury, how bad did it look ?

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      He walked off but subbed straight away

  3. Visionaries
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    How's this WC?

    Martinez, McCarthy
    Saiss, Justin, Digne*, (Taylor, Mitchell)
    KDB, Foden*, Salah, Podence, Son
    Kane*, DCL, (Davis)

    Or Digne, Foden, Kane > VVD, Zaha, Jesus

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I was thinking how the hell can you afford that team and then I saw no TAA.

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Jimenez over Kane.

      1. Visionaries
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        With Podence though?

  4. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Aub Egan ASM >> KDB Saiss Podence (-4)

    Y or N

    Thanks

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

    2. HVT
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Y

  5. DAVESAVES
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Soucek falling tonight?

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Miles off according to Fantasy Football Fix

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Could do. -98.3 on fplstats.

  6. JamTart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    BOTTOMED - (yet another, similar) RMWC

    4.5, Button
    TAA, Saiss, Lamptey, Taylow, Mitchell
    Salah, KdB, Zaha, 5.5, Burke
    Jimi, Werner, DCL

    1. HVT
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      No

      1. JamTart
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        At least you commented to say you wouldn't I guess

    2. Buck The Trent
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Solid

      1. JamTart
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers

    3. diabydoesgallas
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Make podence the 5.5

  7. Rinseboy
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Best 2 from Foden JamesR Podence Zaha?

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      JRod and Podence

      1. Rinseboy
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        yeah Foden is so tempting tho at 6.5

    2. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Jrod and Zaha for me. Zaha has pens and good fixtures coming up.

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

    Any City players rising tonight?

    1. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      KDB

  9. UnitednationsXI
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    The big differnce between my current team (-4) and potential WC team would be:

    A (Non-WC team)
    - Mccarthy
    - Vinagre (who might play now)
    - Podence
    - Werner
    - Martial

    B (Potential WC team)
    - Martinez
    - Saiss
    - Son
    - Jimmy
    - DCL

    Worth using the WC?

    1. DAVESAVES
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      No

    2. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      no. couple of hits over a few weeks sorted

  10. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Evening.....any views on best option here for wildcard?

    Seem silly not to have 2 city attackers.....

    Martinez steer
    Taa saiss xxx lamptey 4m
    Salah xxx kdb zaha podence
    Dcl xxx xxx

    A......james sterling mitro brewster 352

    B.....Taylor reed jesus jiminez 343

    Thanks

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      hard one... dont like jesus... A just

    2. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I like B because of Jimmy and his fixture run.

  11. kennethrhcp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    money not considered, who to own

    A: Ings
    B: Werner

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B

      1. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        thanks

    2. diabydoesgallas
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B

  12. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    TAA to Robbo on WC is very tempting...that .5 is awfully useful

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      i was thinking similar but didnt

  13. Voodoo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Jiménez rising in price any time soon?

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      no only on 28.8 according to Fix

      1. Voodoo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Cheers.

  14. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Your Thoughts on THis WC Team.
    Please Help

    Guaita Steer
    Digne Justin Saïss Taylor Ferguson
    KDB Sterling Salah Podence Burke
    Jimi DCL Mitro
    0.3 itb

    1. LJP
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Worried no Werner against WBA ?

      1. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        may buy him back after drop in price

    2. diabydoesgallas
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not owning Liverpool defenders will be painful in the longer term. Probably hard to get them in easily too

  15. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    No Wolves or City players means I will probably wildcard despite being around 150k rank.
    Got to make positive rather than reserved moves. Anyone else who's had a good start and is considering a WC?

    1. diabydoesgallas
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I’m just outside the top 2k at the minute, wondering the same thing. Leaning towards wait and see I think.

  16. JELLYFISH
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Is Podence nailed?

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Seems like it

    2. Pukkipartyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      ATM yes, and plays very good

  17. Muchentuchel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    3,713,877
    what a rank!

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      and your still only just off halfway.

  18. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Did Auba, Adams to Kdb, Jim with -4. Can I save my WC?

    Mccarthy*
    TAA Davies* Mitchell (KWP Justin)
    Kdb Salah Jrod Soucek* (Biss*)
    Werner Jimmy DCL

    * players to get rid

    1. Concrete
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yea

      Soucek will bag this weekend ha

    2. The Son-dance Kid
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Save.
      You'd want to use your wildcard if, as currently expected, Justin and Michell are replaced in first team by players returning from injury

  19. checkit_j
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Kdb and podence - 4
    Son and Foden - 4.

    Or chose 1ft

    1. Voodoo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Son and Foden.

      1. checkit_j
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Any particular reasoning? Worth a - 4? It'll be for Asm and Auba obvs

    2. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      KDB Podence no doubt

      1. checkit_j
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Any particular reasoning? Worth a - 4? It'll be for Asm and Auba obvs

    3. Hiroku
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I'm on KDB and Podence.
      Son won't score 4 goals every week and Foden is always at risk of Pep roulette.

    4. Pukkipartyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A

  20. Concrete
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Doherty to

    A Digne
    B Saiss (have Vinagre)
    C Keep..

    1. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      C

  21. Obi Wan Elokobi
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    If Fernandes and Martial drop in price it’s so unfair on people who wildcarded GWK 2 wanting their price rises.

  22. Oh Mane Mane
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Is De Bruyne likely to rise tonight?

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

  23. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Which option:

    A)Sell Davies and get Saiss
    B)Sell Egan and get Saiss
    C)Sell Auba + one of Davies/Egan and get KDB(C) + Saiss for -4
    D)Sell Davies and Egan for -4 and get Saiss + Ayling for -4(this allows me to avoid playing 4.5 mid)

  24. Hiroku
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    GTG?
    Taking a -4 to get rid of Auba and Saka and bring in players before price changes.

    Ryan
    TAA | Robertson | Digne
    Salah | KDB | James R. | Podence | Soucek
    Werner | Mitrovic

    Walton Ayling KWP Davis

  25. MINUS FOUR
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Konsa! Called it, always nice to pluck a good differential out of the underlying stats in the members area. Goal threat very likely to increase without Hause in the team, who was dominating attempts and had the best numbers in the whole league post restart.

    https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2020/09/17/fpl-gameweek-2-team-news-and-injury-updates-so-far/?hc_page=6&hc_sort_by=comment_date#hc_comment_22443405

    1. DeadStarComing
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Didn't you actually say go Ayling over him? 😉

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

        Dont let that get in the way of a cool story

      2. MINUS FOUR
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        I guess so. You are allowed more than one defender in your squad, right? I think I was adamant about Konsa being a great option. Anyway, isn't this the fun of the game? It is to me. We're all going to have TAA, KDB etc. The thrill of the budget enabler is the best.

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

      U did! Amd that final comment just tipped me back to Ayling!

  26. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Martinez Ryan or Guaita 4.0??

    1. Pukkipartyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A

  27. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Need to make 0.5 on my WC.

    Werner fall and buy 0.1
    Would love Trent to fall, but can't see it happening.
    So need 4 double risers who I don't want to keep. DCL, Hamez, Justin, Zaha - could they be my guys or is that wishful thinking?

  28. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Next GW
    Chelsea and Man Utd players haul
    Auba brace
    Clean sheet for Soton

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

      All of those things could very likely happen as well, and then the herd will go running back

  29. DavidKent
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Why is Werner about to drop in price with West Brom next?!

    1. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Because there are at least 100 players in the game that are better value than him

      1. Pukkipartyy
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Wich are?

        1. DavidKent
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Good Q

  30. Robbie Slater
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Bottomed:

    Should I WC?

    McCarthy Ryan
    TAA Davies Taylor Justin Lewis
    Salah Auba Traore ASM Bissouma
    Werner Martial Brewster

    0FT