Scout Notes

Arsenal’s FPL defenders offering greater value than attackers this season

Man United 0-1 Arsenal

  • Goals: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.7m)
  • Assists: Hector Bellerin (£5.0m)
  • Bonus Points: Bellerin x3, Gabriel x2 (£5.1m), Aubameyang x1

A penalty from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.7m) was enough for Arsenal to win a dour match at Manchester United that even a mythical football purist would have struggled to enjoy.

The Gabon international’s spot-kick, earned when Paul Pogba (£7.8m) fouled Hector Bellerín (£5.0m), handed the Gunners their first league win at Old Trafford in 14 years.

It also extended United’s winless run at home to four league games this season in a match that was heavy on the footballing history but light on pretty much everything else.

Gunner Be Tighter

It is a mark of this topsy-turvy season that Liverpool (15) have conceded the most goals and Arsenal (seven) the least.

Under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners are clearly much harder to beat. They are also much harder to love, especially in Fantasy terms.

Despite that impressive defensive stat, Sunday’s win was only their second clean sheet of the campaign, making it tricky for Fantasy Premier League managers to rely on a backline that’s clearly solid, just not solid enough.

But when they do shut down the opposition, the bonus point credentials of centre-half Gabriel (£5.1m) shine very brightly indeed. He earned his 11.4% ownership two extra points on Sunday.

All this defensive goodness has come during a tough opening run for the Gunners – they’ve faced Liverpool, both Manchester clubs and Leicester over the last five Gameweeks.

If they can kick on as their schedule eases, the returning Rob Holding (£4.4m) looks a potential bargain if he stays fit and in favour.

Arteta has already switched between a four and a five at the back this campaign, heightening the appeal of the team’s centre-halves.

Boring, Boring Arsenal

It is much harder to big up Arsenal’s attacking assets though.

Aubameyang is a great case in point. Boosted by his newly-acquired FPL status as a midfielder, he was owned by three million managers at the start of the season.

Six games, one goal and an assist later, his eight-point return at Old Trafford – his best score this campaign – was enjoyed by just over a million Fantasy bosses.

At least Aubameyang had something to show for his work, thanks to his penalty-taking responsibilities. 

Lone striker Alexandre Lacazette (£8.4m) had a miserable afternoon involving one penalty area touch and no shots, although he did lead the way – alongside Luke Shaw (£4.9m) – for chances created, with two.

With Aston Villa and Leeds up next for the Gunners, the prospect of goals looks good. But who’s going to score them?

United We Stand (Down)

As for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, the return of Anthony Martial (£8.7m) from suspension probably cannot come soon enough.

Since he was dismissed against Spurs, United have fallen apart in that Tottenham debacle, left it very late to beat Newcastle and have now emerged goalless and with one point from home games against Chelsea and Arsenal.

The United coach started with a diamond formation on Sunday, with Mason Greenwood (£7.2m) nominally playing up front alongside Marcus Rashford (£9.6m).

It was a move that Arteta referenced post-match.

“They played a really tricky formation with four midfielders and two that constantly strain your back four.” – Mikel Arteta

Whereas Solskjaer was rather less enthused by his own master plan.

“The formation is down to the opposition. It depends on the team you play against and how you execute that shape yourself. Of course, today we were too sloppy, too many passes went astray and the rotations weren’t there. Too many things can go wrong in a game of football that maybe went wrong for us.” – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Greenwood did at least work Bernd Leno (£5.0m) – one of three (regulation) saves for the Arsenal keeper.

But it was a mark of United’s toothlessness that Rashford had just three touches, and no shots, in the box.

In fact, the team’s major offensive weapon ended up being Harry Maguire (£5.4m), whose aerial threat led to a match-leading four attempts and five touches in the penalty area as United hoped for the best from a series of corners and crosses.

The best never came and the hope is currently drifting away.

United now have a mixed bag (eve WBA sou whu) to find some of both before Gameweek 12’s Manchester derby.

Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Fred (Matic 62); Pogba, Fernandes (van de Beek 75), Greenwood (Cavani 75); Rashford. 

Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney; Elneny, Partey; Saka, Willian (Maitland-Niles 86), Aubameyang (Mustafi 87); Lacazette (Nketiah 76).

LESSONS LEARNED FROM FPL GAMEWEEK 7

1,147 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    13, 17, 14 in 3 of his away games.... 😮

    1. The Man Pastore
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      who?

      1. Dreams
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Vardy

    2. Party time
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Doesn’t do home games these days

    3. pakornk
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      If you have TAA, would you bench him this week? (and play Dallas?)

      1. Buck The Trent
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Play

      2. Dodge13
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        No

    4. pakornk
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Bellerin or Cresswell?

      1. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Bellerin

      2. Dodge13
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Bellerin

      3. noone
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I got Creswell before the price rise yesterday! He's on set pieces too and very good going forward

    5. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Hey guys, just thought I’d throw it out there......that if you were to build a FH team for this coming GW, what would it be? I’m having to do this to cancel out a huge disgusted rage hit, my own fault, but here we are.

      Not being lazy here by the way, I’ve made a team previous pages and put together below what I’ve come up with so far, but just looking for inspiration from you gents. Got around 103m as the budget.

      Fabianski
      Cresswell - Chillwell - Reguillon - Bellerin
      Formals - Ziyech - Salah - Son
      Werner - Kane
      __________________________________
      Forster: Elmeny: Braithewaite: Davis

      1.9 ITB

      It really would be awesome to wake up tomorrow to some teams or strong candidates you’s put together or mention to cheer me up after a horrible GW 🙁

      Please do help, send help haha. Cheers guys, and look forward to returning to this post tomorrow 🙂

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Just really trying to attack those West Brom Fulham and Sheff utd fixtures as hard as I can.
        Thanks again guys, really hope to see some replies here 🙂 hope everyone is well.

      2. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        You would get more traction posting this at a more active time but...

        Fabianski

        Lamptey - Chillwell - Reguilon (4.0, Kilman)

        Auba - Son - Ziyech - Bowen (Bissouma)

        Werner - Adams - Kane

        1.3ITB

    6. Eric Banternaaa
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Martínez Steer
      Chilwell Robertson Lamptey* Mitchel* Dunne*
      Salah Sterling Barnes Barkley Stephens*
      Jimi Ings* DCL

      Got 5 players who could easily not play ir I wouldn’t want playing this weekend; Lamptey Mitchel Dunne Stephens Ings

      Thoughts on Ings Jimi > Kane Wilson? Leaves 0 ITB. Then if I need to transfer one of the defenders out I can do later in the week.

      1. Eric Banternaaa
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Any thoughts please?

      2. Chelsea91
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Yes for Wilson

      3. Pavsboot
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Not sure if I'd be getting Kane at this point if you've gone without. Feels like he could easily be a guy that people are moving out in 1-2 weeks for the next new thing (City/United mid maybe). Although in saying that you don't have Son so maybe it is the best move.

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

      Whos the one I should transfer in?
      A) Konsa
      B) Lamptey
      C) Coufal

      1. Mile Plankton
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        C

      2. Phil's Stamps
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        C

    8. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      West Brom seems like the sort of fixture where Kane disappoints everyone in seasons past

      1. Pavsboot
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Haha oh the memories. Still gotta captain him though (or Son I guess).

      2. Camino Aleatorio
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I haven’t cash on WBA yet, I went ALL IN with Chelsea... then I was down 0-3 inside of 30 minutes

        Werner got nothing and R James got zero points due to goals conceded and a yellow.

        Logic says this a game were Spurs should blow them apart but you never know. Liverpool lost 0-1 to a dire, relegation bound Swansea a few years ago, that’s why EPL is interesting and maddening

    9. shiraz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Have 2ft and 0.5 itb, with this lineup.

      McCarrhy Ryan
      Robbo PVA Saiss Lamptey Dunne
      Son Salah Raahford Grealish Anguissa
      DCL Maupay Jim

      Looking to use 1ft to get coufal for saiss, and roll over thw rest for ib. Keeping maupay, ryan for one more gw and see the situation. Will go for meslier if ryan really have been displaced by sanchez. Keeping jim till after gw 9. Good move?

    10. davies
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Despite his goal, safe to do Barnes > Grealish still?

      Also Kane > Vardy looks good in GW10...

      1. Pavsboot
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah I would. Feels a bit point-chasey but Grealish has good form and 7-8 weeks of good fixtures.

        1. Bushwhacker
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          He was nowhere for 90 mins...

    11. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A) Pulisic to Zaha (save an ft)

      B) Pulisic and Saiss to Rashford and Bellerin (free)

      1. Pavsboot
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I'd do B. Can't see a route for Saiss back into the team in the short term at least so we might as well be moving him on.

      2. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Don’t know why you’d want Rashford

    12. Pavsboot
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Saiss and Jimi to Kilman and Werner for a -4 looks kind of tasty if I didn't have a niggling worry that Werner might cop a rest at some point.

      1. JJeyy
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Prefer Vardy to Werner tbh

      2. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Should be rested midweek, let's see.

    13. The Man Pastore
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Any news on Pulisic?

      1. Camino Aleatorio
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Still the most physically fragile and brittle player in EPL

        ASM is trying to challenge him, however

    14. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Stick or twist?

      Mendy
      Robbo - Chilwell - Saiss
      Salah - JRod - Zaha - Barnes - Pereira
      Kane - Jimi

      Martinez, Mitchell, Brewster, Dunne

      0 FT, 0.5 ITB

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Def needs some work done.

        1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Yeah, about 40 points' worth...

    15. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      RMT
      McCarthy*(Steer)
      TAA* Saiss* KWP(Justin*)(Mitchell*)
      Salah Son Grealish Hamez*(Bissouma)
      Kane Ings* Maupay*

      2FT's, 0.2 ITB

      I really want to use WC soon, If I use it next week then maybe I can sell Son and Kane also, so should I just take 2 punts this week and then WC next week? Or should I just take a hit maybe and save WC for the time being? Another possibility is to WC GW 10 with more fixture swings

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        If you can make it to the IB I would

    16. squ1rrel
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Just realized that this gw was my first this season with a green arrow...

      1. Samir16
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        this was my first red arrow lol. ended at just 39 since i had saiss, mitchell, maupay, james in my team, all didn't play plus martinez got the big 0 for me in goal too.

    17. 007 [RoboKlopp]
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      TAA, RJames, Saiss, Lamptey, Mitchell
      A. TAA -> Chilwell
      B. TAA, Saiss -> Robbo, Chilwell (-4)
      C. Saiss -> Zouma/Kilman
      Cheers.

    18. Sz21
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      5 red arrows in a row- 150k- 440k.
      Need to mix this team up a bit.
      What changes would you make? TAA, Jimenez out this week probably.

      McCarthy.
      TAA, Robbo, Ayling.
      Salah, Barkley, Podence, Son.
      Kane, Jimenez, DCL.
      Button, Justin, Mitchell, Bissouma.
      2ft, 0.7m ITB.

    19. Dreams
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Hello Dz friends. How was the gameweek?
      Ryan Mccarthy
      TAA Robertson Saiss Kilman Justin
      Barnes Salah Son Fernandes Burke
      Jimenez Davis Watkins
      Time to Wildcard?

      1. Party time
          3 years, 4 months ago

          My gw was a bucket full of turd as usual.

          No. Nice team. gtg

      2. Samir16
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        on a WC right now.

        mendy/McCarthy
        Creswell, Zouma, Kilman, Dallas, Cancelo
        Ziyech, De Bruyne, Salah, Grealish, Fornals
        Kane, Wilson, Brewster

        0 ITB, any suggested changes?

        1. Party time
            3 years, 4 months ago

            gtg

            1. Samir16
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              I'm torn apart on cancelo or bellerin. Bellerin will give me guaranteed starts in a team that has a more shaky defense than city but then cancelo has rotation risk with guardiola thats my only issue

              1. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                If you have a quality 1st sub Cancelo could prove himself to be worth it

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

                  but theres always the risk of cancelo being subbed on

                  1. Flair
                    • 3 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    If you're that terrified pick Dias instead.

                2. Samir16
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  in that team there's definitely good subs. i feel like only 3-4 of those defenders will ever play in a gw for me so I'll always have a good sub coming on. other than brewster, the other 12 outfield players are good picks for 10 spots, but yeah cancelo subbing on would be the real issue

              2. Party time
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Yeah. It is tricky probably Bellerín

          • Party time
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Trent is just a lucky fella in my team. So many times I want to pull the trigger but he survives the roulette yet again. I may as well keep, let’s see what he gives me back in return

            • Fantasizer
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              had brought in INGS and PULISIC on wildcard
              What to do with them?
              Any chances one of the two may be back for gw8?

              1. Samir16
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                pulisic looks very unlikely. for ings they said the injury is not as bad as the initial assessment but not much has been said. for chelsea, wait for lampard to mention it at a champions league press conference and for ings just wait till deadline probably.

            • Dr. Ante Pavlovic
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 4 months ago

              Mendy, Button
              Chilwell, Semedo, Reguilon, Justin, Branthwaite
              Salah, Son, Ziyech, James, Grealish
              DCL, Kane, Brewster

              What do you think? Semedo to Masuaku for a hit? I think that punt could easily work out.

              1. Party time
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  😆

                • Samir16
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  definitely not worth it, save the transfer since you're probably planning to move out one of the spurs players after the game against west brom right? you'll probably downgrade from son anyway so you could use the funds on a defensive upgrade

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

                Hey guys,

                For this week only - would you play

                Dallas (CRY Away)
                or
                Coufal (FUL Home)

                Thanks, I'm kinda torn...

                1. Flair
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Coufal, don't see Leeds cleaning

              3. pakornk
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Captain Son or Vardy this gw?

                1. Flair
                  • 3 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Son

                2. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
                  • 7 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Son

              4. Flair
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Walker is an interesting option, not very offensive though.

              5. Live Lad
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                Mahrez to someone for a hit?
                (1) Ziyech
                (2) Zaha
                (3) Hames
                (4) Fornels/ Bowen
                Thanks.

                1. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
                  • 7 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Not for a hit I think

              6. Eleven Hag
                • 6 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                G2G?

                Martinez
                Robbo James Justin
                Salah Sterling Rashford Son (c) Soucek
                Ings DCL

                - Kilman Brewster Ferguson

                Brewster will come in for Ings if the former is not fit

              7. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                For next 2 weeks only
                A) Werner+Justin/Bissouma
                B) DCL+TAA

                1. Eleven Hag
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Werner

                2. tinear
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  A

                  1. Bushwhacker
                    • 4 Years
                    3 years, 4 months ago

                    If rested midweek

              8. tinear
                • 4 Years
                3 years, 4 months ago

                TAA, Zouma, Saiss, Mitchell, Ayling are my def. 1 ft who to ship for who? Or save and field TAA, Zouma, Ayling until Saiss confirmed not starting?

                1. Lucky Z
                  • 6 Years
                  3 years, 4 months ago

                  Saiss to Coufal