Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 6

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 6. It’s the first Friday deadline of the season – you have until 18:30 BST to ready the troops!

Who to captain?

This week Jan Sienkiewicz, our sage of the armband, recommends Sadio Mané (£11.9m), Mohamed Salah (£12.3m) and Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) in his Captain Sensible article. Risk-taking often factors into our decision-making process, and in terms of popularity Salah is the safest pick:

“Backed by over 66% of our voters combined, Salah and Kane seem to be the safe choices for Gameweek 6, the heavily-backed Egyptian the safest of the two.”

– Jan

In the latest edition of The Review, BigManBakar also tips Salah ahead of an enticing encounter against Sheffield United:

He’s on penalties playing for a team that has the best xG this season. According to the bookies, Salah has the best odds of scoring a goal and Liverpool are the most likely team this Gameweek to score 2.5+ goals. No player in the league has recorded more shots in the box this season.

– BigManBakar

Meanwhile David, who returned to the Captain Video after successfully transferring out a wisdom tooth last week, brought more good news for those considering a Liverpool player. Pointing out the impact the now-departed Dean Henderson (£5.4m) had on the Blades’ defence, he noted:

Sheffield United last season, for all the clean sheets they kept, I think a lot of people … would have assumed their xGC (expected goals conceded) was often quite good, but actually it really wasn’t. They would give up lots of Big Chances, but Dean Henderson had the second-best xG Prevented in the whole division last year, i.e. he was making incredible saves to keep Sheffield United in games.

– David

And if you prefer a differential option – a tactic last week’s Meet the Manager guest Graeme Sumner advocates – Neale was on hand with a tasty stat in his Big Numbers piece.

79.4 minutes per expected goal involvement (xGI) recorded by Sadio Mane, the best figure in the division from any player who has started at least one Premier League match this season.

– Neale

At under 10 per cent ownership, the Senegalese could be the better option for those willing to move away from Salah.

High opportunity cost

With so many players performing well this year it’s impossible to have them all. One strategy is to switch between the premium assets for their best fixtures, to give yourself the best captain candidates. 

But, as Greyhead has found out this season, you will have to accept the high opportunity cost.

The Community scribe sold Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) before his unexpected Gameweek 3 hat-trick away to Manchester City, he then ditched a potentially-injured Son Heung-min (£9.4m) ahead of his brace in Gameweek 4, and even his Gameweek 5 transfer-out Che Adams (£5.8m) returned 11 points after leaving his team.

The topic was raised on this week’s Scoutcast, with all three of Joe, Az, and Lee holding differing opinions on how to deal with the season. Az in particular was against switching out expensive players:

I think you can build a team with these premiums and you don’t need to worry about switching them out every week to try and catch different ones, because we’ve seen how much that can hurt people.

– Az

Instead, Az prefers to identify blocks of fixtures rather than transferring out a player because he blanked. 

Pro Pundit Simon March offered a different perspective on opportunity cost when discussing loss aversion, a cognitive bias that describes our tendency to fear losses more than we value gains.

Arguably the number one source of anxiety among Fantasy managers comes from transferring a player out who you suspect might suddenly start scoring, something that always seems to happen.

– Simon

Citing Timo Werner’s (£9.3m) haul against Southampton’s high-line defence, Simon explained that “one of the key skill elements of FPL is identifying the contextual factors that influence whether a player will score or not.

Essentially, judge the decision not the outcome. Simon concluded:

Most importantly, although it might feel like it, a player did not start scoring because you transferred them out. That kind of ‘magical thinking’ can quickly sabotage a Fantasy manager’s season as it removes logic and objectivity and puts events firmly into the hands of chance.

– Simon

And fellow Pro Pundit Lateriser doesn’t expect the rollercoaster of a season to stop any time soon.

This season, variance is a lot higher than usual and I expect that trend to continue. Be prepared for it and remember that this is only a game, one which involves a fair amount of luck and unpredictability as well.

– Lateriser

Value Villains 

Several contributors have noted the value on offer in Aston Villa’s ranks, who have surprised us all with their excellent start.

Now is a good time to invest in [Villa] from an attacking standpoint. When it comes to their attackers, I get the feeling that you will get what you pay for. Jack Grealish (£7.2m), Ross Barkley (£6.0m) and Ollie Watkins (£6.0m) are all correctly priced in my opinion and could be good stick-and-forget options for a while.

– Lateriser

In his Scout Notes from Gameweek 5, David Wardale, the author of Wasting Your Wildcard, revealed that Grealish was the most advanced Aston Villa player against Leicester City. While Az also recommends the Villa talisman:

Looking at the numbers, Grealish seems the stand-out option. Turning attention to Mark’s “Top Penalty Box Dweller” table in the Premium Members Area also shows that no player in the league can better the number of touches that Grealish has had in the opposition box (38) over the last four Gameweeks.

– Az

Referring once more to Neale’s stat-dive article, we find that Dean Smith’s men could be set for more immediate returns:

2.8 direct attacks per game recorded by Aston Villa this season, the highest number in the Premier League. Leeds United, Villa’s opponents on Friday, have had the most direct attacks against per game so far this term (4.0). A direct attack is one that starts just inside a team’s own half, has at least 50% of movement towards the opposition goal and ends with a shot or touch in the opponent’s box. Aston Villa ranked 16th for this statistic last season (1.4).

– Neale

A change in attacking style this season that looks set to reap rewards again in Gameweek 5.

Are Premium Defenders Worth the Money?

– the black circles represent the defenders priced £5.5m and over

Lateriser is considering selling Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m), Magnus Carlsen has sold Trent Alexander-Arnold, and BigManBakar’s research finds that “Andrew Robertson (£7.1m) is beating Trent in almost every single underlying stat that matters – not only this season but post restart”.

The graphic above is taken from FPL Ted’s video analysing premium defenders. Alexander-Arnold stands out with nine shots and nine chances created, which would suggest attacking returns are imminent. But perhaps the numbers aren’t as impressive as they first appear:

Alexander-Arnold seems to have monopolised direct free-kicks, which may explain why all nine of goal attempts have been small chances.

– FPL Ted

Neale, too, paints a less-than-ideal picture of the Liverpool full-back:

50 minutes per chance created by Trent Alexander-Arnold this season, still a very reasonable figure but down on last season’s average of 37. His average number of crosses per match has dropped from 10.1 to 7.4, in no small part thanks to his rate of corner-kicks dipping (4.3 to 2.6); Robertson, indeed, has delivered more of those than the Liverpool right-back in 2020/21.

– Neale

Will he be making way in your team this week?

Finally, before confirming your starting line-up, don’t forget to check the latest Team News and Predicted Line-ups. In case you missed it, James Rodriguez (£8.0m) may make a miraculous recovery for Sunday’s game!

Community latest

Earlier today, the Best of the Community feature included a tactical analysis from Kroos Kontrol, a ‘keeper evaluation from El Estadístico, and Jaydutt’s list of potential transfer traps ahead of the weekend’s fixtures.

And finally, for those interested in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. The fixtures for Gameweek 6 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, follow the instructions on the main Head-to-Head page.

Once the Gameweek starts, if you click on your opponent’s name you will be linked to their team on the FPL website.

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

1,099 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Handsome Hunk
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    GL to all of you!

    1. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Good luck mate

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      You too

    3. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Same to you.

    4. BarryManilows
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I hope you get 10 pts you do gooders

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

      Let the green arrow be with us, GL!

  2. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Is anything worth a minus 4? I have 1.5 ITB for an upgrade

    Martinez
    TAA Saiss Lamptey
    Bruno(C) Son Pulisic James Podence
    Kane DCL

    Nyland Brewster Justin James

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      GET_SALAH_STUPID_ TO_GO_WITHOUT_SALAH_100

      1. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Very helpful. Thanks

    2. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Can you afford Bruno to (S)alah?

      1. Dont_Win_Friends_With_Salah…
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Nope, unfortunately not

  3. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Good luck everyone. Who are you captaining? Kane, Mo or other? Mo here.

    1. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Sadio.

      Good luck to you too

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mo, tempted by Son though...

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

      Kane again. Good luck to you as well!

    4. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Harry

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

      Mo though feeling punty and want to go Maupay!!

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I have Maupay too but ever thought of giving him the armband.

  4. Tmel
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    a) Jimi > Kane
    b) Werner > Kane

    1. FPL Bond @ Twitter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      A.

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

    Who else is giving Podence last chance?

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Two good home games to come

    2. BarryManilows
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Why would you even pick him from the start anyway

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

        GW3 wildcard pick. He was quite popular back then.

      2. Guru Mediation
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Helpful

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

    Any news on Dier? Will he start, injured or out of contention?

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I'm starting him

  7. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Good luck all. I'll be back when Mo wins 3 pens off Egan handballs

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Here's hoping

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

    Choose one:
    A) Ings vs Everton (H)
    B) Aguero vs West Ham (A)

  9. Annie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    £15 to watch Villa tonight on BT, absolute joke.

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Nowt to do with which team it is.

      £15 for any game is a joke. Not doing it.

      1. Annie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Didn't say it was. Of the mind to cancel Sky Sports altogether.

    2. BarryManilows
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Villa & Leeds fans will pay

    3. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Best defence in the league. Worth at least £15 😉

  10. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Thinking of doing Barnes to Grealish, likely to backfire?

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I would, but theres always a chance.

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Giving him a chance

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

      I did it.

    4. Rinseboy
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I would for longer term mate. Good move

      one of you who would you bench from
      Saiss Barnes or Lamptey?

      1. _Ninja_
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Tough one mate, i'm maybe selling Barnes as i think he'll blank.

  11. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Martinez
    Robbo Mitchell Chilwell
    Pulisic Hamez Son McGinn Salah (c)
    Kane DCL

    Steer Brewster Dallas Kwp

    Looking ok to save FT? Bench order right?

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

    Would you take a hit or good to go?
    McCarthy
    Coady/Targett/PVA
    Salah/Trossard/Son/Grealish
    Werner/Kane/Jimenez

    0ft 0.0itb

    a)Werner->Dcl/Ings(-4

    1. ididnt
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      def not - gtg

      1. Hansel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Gtg

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

      thanks both

    3. lespaul
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      -16 needed

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

        Why?

  13. ididnt
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Reece James to Reguilon -4?

    1. FPL Bond @ Twitter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Do it. Reece James isn't playing..

      1. Hansel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Who is your backup?

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

        Bookmarked.

        1. ididnt
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          what do you mean?

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

      Tough call.Tottenham has only 3 good fixtures.I prefer Chilwell if you have the money.

      1. ididnt
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I have the money for Chilwell, but prefer Spurs this week. Back-up is Mitchell

  14. manu4life99
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Start Chilly or Soucek?

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

      Soucek

    2. BarryManilows
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Soucek

  15. AC Yew
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Would you take a hit for McCarthy---> Martinez?

    1. manu4life99
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I would not.

    2. ididnt
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      no

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

      Nah

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

      Thanks guys. Probably should log off now!

  16. El Matador
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Which one to play:

    A. Chilwell
    B. Mitchell
    C. Justin

    Cheers

    1. Traction Engine Foot
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      A

  17. Feed tha Sheep
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    A. Davies > Lamptey -4?
    B. Play Mitchell

    1. Art Vandelay
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      See my post below mate. It all depends on how likely you think Mitchell starting is.

      If no starts for Mitchell and Davies leaves you in trouble then a hit might make sense as the problem is not going away.

  18. Art Vandelay
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Do we think Mitchell gets one more game. Trying to decide whether to ditch Reece James this week as I could be struggling to get 11 out.

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

      I think it’s more likely than not as you’d imagine PVA would get some minutes off the bench before starting, especially as Hodgson don’t tend to rush players back in. But there is still a risk.

      1. Art Vandelay
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers. Really tempted by Jame to Regulion.

        1. ididnt
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          seriously contemplating the same move

          1. Art Vandelay
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            It would be a hit but am still considering it. However, now that it looks like James Rodriguez might be playing, I potentially have less of a squad issue than I thought so will probably leave it.

  19. Steirish
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Start Chilwell or Kilman? already have Saiss starting

  20. Will J 256
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Jimi to Kane (C) -4?

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      No

  21. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Final decision is Justin or Davies (chance of a 1 pointer) as first sub?

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      They’ll both be benched I reckon

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Why would Justin be benched??

  22. lampsblues
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Grealish or Barkley?

  23. AMP
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    KDB to Mane for next 2 weeks??????

    1. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Oh yess! Even forever. Kdb could be back to his injury ways of 2 seasons ago.

  24. lelou881
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Need to play one.... Mitchell, KWP, or Ayling?

    Thanks!

  25. Hansel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    1FT, 2.4 ITB

    McCarthy
    TAA Robbo Mitchel
    Salah Son Hamez* Podence
    Mitro Ings Jimi

    Steer Bissouma Justin Taylor

    A) Save
    B) Jimi -> Kane

    Will probably captain Salah

  26. gaet1112
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What do u think about giving armband to TAA?

    1. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Has a lot of merit

    2. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Haha no

  27. Tmel
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Podence > Barkley for free or save FT?

  28. Hansel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Go

  29. AnfieldRoad
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    For GW6 and beyond:

    A) Sterling and Brewster
    B) Foden and Ings

  30. The Wizard of Ozil
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Best defender for 5.9 or less? Have Saiss

    A) Reguilón
    B) Chilwell
    C) PVA (with Mitchell as backup)