Scout Notes

Why Arsenal’s defenders are worth monitoring despite being downed by Vardy

Arsenal 0-1 Leicester City

  • Goal: Jamie Vardy (£10.0m)
  • Assist: Cengiz Under (£5.9m)
  • Bonus: Kasper Schmeichel (£5.5m) x3, Vardy x2, Christian Fuchs (£4.5m) x1

A fairly turgid affair at the Emirates was settled by a late Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) winner, a goal that saw Leicester City move to within a point of top spot in the Premier League.

With Brendan Rodgers initially setting his side up in a striker-less wing-back system and Arsenal struggling for invention in the final third, the game looked be meandering towards an inevitable 0-0 before Vardy’s intervention.

Emulating the tactics that brought success at the Etihad in Gameweek 3, Rodgers was asked about his “masterplan” after the game:

I don’t know about masterplan, but it was the plan. It was the idea to deny space and keep our lines tight, and then obviously play through the pressure, so yes, it worked very well for us.

I thought we started the game well, first five or 10 minutes. We had good possession and then, of course, when you come away to play against any top team, you’re going to have to deal with pressure.

Then, into the second half, our lines were even tighter, we were in a better start position for our pressure, and then we enjoyed a lot more of the ball and always looked a threat.

CASE FOR THE (ARSENAL) DEFENCE

It seems incongruous to start this piece by talking up a backline that succumbed to defeat on Sunday and are without a clean sheet since Gameweek 1 but, such is the brand of football currently being served up by Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, their defensive Fantasy assets are arguably more appealing than those further forward right now.

Despite facing Manchester City and Liverpool away, a West Ham United side that are scoring for fun and now fourth-place Leicester, the Gunners have shipped just seven goals this season – only Aston Villa, who have played a game less, have conceded on fewer occasions.

Brighton are the only Premier League team at the time of writing who have allowed fewer shots in the box per match this season, meanwhile.

In the shape of Thomas Partey (£5.0m), Arsenal now also hope they possess a top-class midfield general who can add further protection to their backline.

While Rodgers will argue that his tactics worked perfectly on Sunday, the Foxes hadn’t had a single shot within 25 yards of goal before Vardy’s 79th-minute opener.

Arteta said of his side’s display after the game:

I was really pleased with the first half, the way we pressed, the aggression we showed against a team that are very capable of breaking that pressure and creating chances against you. We were very effective against that, we were on top of the game, we restricted them to nothing, we had the right opportunities to attack good space and create some chances.

An injury to the ball-playing David Luiz (£5.5m) disrupted the Gunners at both ends of the pitch but Arteta wasn’t sure of the severity of the issue, saying:

I don’t know. We’ve lost a few players in the last week or so. David had a muscular problem and he couldn’t carry on – we’ll have to assess him in the next 48 hours.

Arsenal’s fixtures are mixed at best over the coming month but they sit top of our Season Ticker from Gameweeks 12-20 and their defenders, more of whom in the Premium Members Analysis section, are names to monitor from that point.

Wesley Fofana (£5.0m), incidentally, was excellent for the visitors, as he was last week.

AUBA ALL RIGHT

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.7m) was finally moved off the left flank on Sunday – and switched over to the right.

Arteta’s aversion to playing the Gabon international centrally continues and the premium FPL midfielder again had few sights of goal, with his early, off-target header from a Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) cross being the only time he touched the ball in the Leicester box.

Aubameyang has now blanked four Gameweeks in a row, the first time that has ever happened since his move to the Premier League.

The recalled Alexandre Lacazette (£8.4m) again had the better chances, seeing an early header ruled out for offside before fluffing his lines from another Tierney delivery close to goal.

With there being few goals from central midfield and rotation a big possibility (other than Aubameyang) further forward, there seems little appealing about Arsenal’s attack at present – especially while the fixtures remain iffy.

VARDY RETURNS

Back from a brief lay-off with a calf problem, Vardy emerged for the final half an hour of yesterday’s game and continued his fine run of form against the Gunners: this was his 11th goal in 12 meetings with the red half of north London.

The veteran striker nodded in Cengiz Under‘s (£5.9m) square ball after a superb, defence-splitting pass from Youri Tielemans (£6.4m) had set the Turkish winger free of the Arsenal defence.

Vardy was later denied a second goal when Bernd Leno (£5.0m) saved his one-on-one effort in stoppage time.

All six of the striker’s goals have come on the road this season (four from the spot, of course) and it is Leeds away next up for the Foxes, who have looked more comfortable on the break at Manchester City and Arsenal than they have on the front foot in their last two outings at the King Power Stadium.

Vardy said of his comeback:

Me and the manager spoke yesterday and that was always the plan because I’m coming back from a little niggle. You don’t want to be chucked straight in, it’s about feeling your way back into it.

It was probably going to be the last 20 minutes or half an hour and that’s what has happened, and luckily I came on and made an impact and we can take three points home.

Harvey Barnes (£7.0m) had begun the game as an “out of position” centre-forward in Rodgers’ striker-less set-up, getting little joy from the Arsenal backline before his 74th-minute withdrawal.

Explaining his decision to omit Kelechi Iheanacho (£5.7m), Rodgers says:

Iheanacho can hold the ball, but I didn’t feel we needed that, so Harvey was there to stretch the game. The idea was always to bring Jamie on. Him and Cengo [Under] came on and Marc [Albrighton] made a valuable contribution too.


Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Leno; Bellerin, Luiz (Mustafi 49′), Gabriel, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka, Partey; Saka (Pepe 65′), Lacazette, Aubameyang. 

Leicester City XI (3-4-3): Schmeichel; Fofana, Evans, Fuchs; Castagne, Tielemans, Mendy, Justin; Praet (Vardy 59′), Barnes (Under 74′), Maddison (Albrighton 81′). 

MEMBERS ANALYSIS



LESSONS LEARNED FROM FPL GAMEWEEK 6

1,125 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Sad Pablo Arsecobar
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Nah!

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

    39 all out. Cheers Son.

  3. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    That goal cost me 150,000 places, and I own Son. Brutal!

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

      Find that very unlikely

    2. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Can't be right unless you own a Burnley defender

  4. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Ended on 66 pts.

    Shame I benched James

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Great score

  5. Black Knights
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Owning Dier there has just about made up for not captaining Son or Kane, I guess?

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

    Was the goal good or bad for Kane and son owners non cap

    1. Black Knights
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      The higher you are, the worse it was.

    2. Rains of Castamere
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I dropped from 116k to 125k with that goal and I own both

      1. Black Knights
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Reckon owning Dier, Son, and Kane at 60k might be enough to avoid a drop?

        1. Rains of Castamere
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Yes

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

      Slightly Bad

    4. The Mandalorian
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bad

  7. Dybala10
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Grealish or Zaha?

    1. Frucke
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I have both

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

    On to the next one!

    BRUTAL SEASON haha

  9. Dr. Ante Pavlovic
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    41(-4) here. Is that good ?

    1. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Average I suspect

    2. Brehmeren
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Below Average

    3. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Not great.

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

    51, small red arrow, can’t really complain, could have been worse

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

    Kane back to being Harry Kane now.

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah just another assist to add to his tally.

  12. LLoris
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Podence Out??

  13. Rains of Castamere
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    49pts, my 6-year-old captained Son and got 65pts. I'll call him at casual at breakfast tomorrow.

    1. The Mandalorian
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Just tell him well done and let him eat cake to celebrate he'll never forget it.

  14. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    40 all out, disappointing

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Up to 433

      1. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        That's great.

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

        Great overall score, hope it gets better for you next week

  15. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Price prediction for Son next season? My guess is 10.5

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      12.5 after crushing Salah's record

  16. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    With everyone giving the armband to Kane/Son, now Salah will score more points than these two! Salah(C)

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

      if you own Kane and Son, then def Salah captain

  17. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    43

    score looks respectable but rank drop from 1.3m to 1.5m

  18. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    So folks which is my best option here this week?? Any advice warmly welcomed!!
    A-Son(C) and Ings
    Or
    B- Kane(C) and Son(VC) -4

    Many thanks!!

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

      A

  19. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Save FT?

    Martinez

    Saiss Bellerin Justin

    Salah Sterling Son Foden

    Kane DCL Watkins

    Subs: Steer, Bissouma Mitchell Taylor

  20. Long ago I drew a walrus
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Let's play a game of spot the pattern

    GW1 - Spurs home - same score
    GW2 - Spurs away - Son outscores Kane
    GW3 - Spurs home - Kane outscores Son
    GW4 - Spurs away - Son outscores Kane
    GW5 - Spurs home - Kane outscores Son
    GW6 - Spurs away - Son outscores Kane
    GW7 - Spurs home - ???

    Kane (c) next week lads.

    1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Aargh that could affect my thinking haha see above mate

    2. Leaf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Why, they get same score

      1. Long ago I drew a walrus
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Wouldn't matter who's captain if they get the same score

        1. Leaf
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Will if they both get a 2 and Salah hauls 🙂

          1. Long ago I drew a walrus
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 5 months ago

            True, separate conversation though. I'd imagine most people on here have all 3

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

      GW3 Son hit the post twice and only played 45 minutes. Son is simply the better option, pretty comfortable not even owning Kane with Son captain.

      1. Long ago I drew a walrus
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Doesn't matter if Son's the better option or not, all about who scores more next fixture

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

        Actually Ryan has terrible stats for shots from outside the box so I take back the “simply the better option” statement.

        1. Long ago I drew a walrus
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          I just don't think Brighton are defensively very good. That West Brom goal earlier was the most inevitable thing, everyone saw it coming from a mile away. Dunk out hurts them, probably.

    4. The Mandalorian
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I love Poetry

  21. The Frenchie
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    A) Alexander-Arnold / Maupay
    B) Zouma / Vardy
    C) Zouma / Bruno Fernandes

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

      A

  22. Leaf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Whet has happened to season ticker on here !?

    Horrible on a phone

  23. Mackans
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Zaha or Rodriguez?

  24. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What would the average points coming off the bench be typically?

  25. Scrumper
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Watkins or Bamford?

  26. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Average 47?

  27. sminkypinky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Cheeky Lookman punt for next week? (For Podence or Trossard)

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

      He is looking extremely good so I’m considering him as well.

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

        For his price at least

        1. sminkypinky
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Can’t shoot to save his life but gets into scoring positions, which as you say for his price is decent.
          Meh... Slim pickings unless hitting.

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

      Go for it, I think he's looked very sharp

  28. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Martinez
    Robertson Chilwell Saiss
    Salah Son James Grealish Sterling
    DCL Watkins

    Forster Dallas Brewster Ferguson

    2 FT, 0.0 itb

    1. Watkins >> Bamford
    2. Sterling Watkins >> Foden Kane
    3. Sterling >> KDB
    4. Something else ?

    Thanks.

  29. Corona is not good 4 U
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Alexander-Arnold, Gomez and Mitrovic -> Lamptey, Dallas, Kane for -4?

    Thank you!

    Team is:

    Mc. Carthy, Steer
    Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Saiss, Mitchell, Justin
    Salah, Fernandes, Son, Grealish, Bissouma
    Calvert-Lewin, Wilson, Mitrovic

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Na

  30. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Podence to Jorginho?