Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 10

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 10 ahead of today’s 18:30 GMT deadline

Is now the time to be getting Manchester City players? Is Diogo Jota (£6.7m) trustworthy? Should we all be backing Jamie Vardy (£10.2m) with the captain’s armband?

To help you answer those and other crucial questions, the Gameweek Guide draws on the best expert opinion, pertinent stats, and latest team news for the upcoming round of matches.

Form v Potential

The Manchester City conundrum. Two contrasting takes stood out in Neale’s Big Numbers piece encapsulating the dilemma facing Fantasy managers:

23-1 is the cumulative score of Manchester City‘s last six meetings with Burnley in all competitions. But 15.7 attempts on goal and 5.3 shots on target per game registered by Manchester City in the Premier League so far this season is the fewest they’ve managed in a single campaign under Pep Guardiola.

– Neale

The fixture is there, and the potential for them to do well is huge, but the form is lacking.

Pro Pundit Darren Wiles has decided to go with his gut:

I am hoping this is one of those situations where my instincts as a football fan outweigh what the stats are telling me. Memories of big hauls are rooted in my memory and I’m backing City to make a return to form in the run-in to Christmas.

– Darren

Darren is considering taking a leaf out of Lateriser’s book and committing to an uncharacteristic eight-point hit to triple up on City players. He’s looking to bring in both Raheem Sterling (£11.5m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£11.6m), with the former his choice for the armband.

Sterling has already scored twice against Burnley this season, both of his goals coming in the League Cup when Ferran Torres (£6.9m) assumed an unfamiliar centre-forward role. But with Sergio Aguero (£10.3m) and Gariel Jesus (£9.3m) back in contention, Sterling could once again take up his favoured position on the wing. 

Both strikers are now fit and available, which solves the other issue: Sterling’s role in the team. With the forwards out, he was shoehorned into a false-nine role and robbed of the penetration he offers in wide areas. For that reason, I believe Sterling to be an outstanding pick for the Gameweek 10 captaincy.

– Jan

Brave words from Jan Sienkiewicz in this week’s Captain Sensible article, and at just 4.6 per cent ownership Sterling is an unfamiliar differential. Something Pro Pundit Sam Bonfield, in her look at the best assets to help you climb the ranks between Gameweeks 10 and 14, and Tom Freeman both picked up on:

The likes of Sterling and Aguero seldom class as differentials and as such, there has never been a better time to invest in terms of the potential upside that they may yield.

– Sam

Writing in his Differentials piece, Tom added:

England forward Raheem Sterling has gone from strength-to-strength during his time at Manchester City, netting 31, 25 and 23 goals in his last three seasons. He is yet to hit those heights this term, but has enjoyed a reasonably productive start, scoring five times in all competitions despite the Citizens’ well documented troubles in front of goal.

– Tom

But as the Scoutcast highlighted, Kevin De Bruyne is performing best in terms of expected goal involvement among City players – and was rested in midweek for their Champions League trip to Greece. Joe is contemplating adding the Belgian alongside Sterling in his line-up.

To add to their appeal, Burnley ‘keeper Nick Pope (£5.4m) could miss out:

Target Fulham?

Leicester City host Fulham on Monday, handing Jamie Vardy (£10.2m) an opportunity to fill his boots. No team has conceded more goals than Scott Parker’s team this season. But David struck a cautious tone on the Captaincy Video:

The results haven’t been as good as away from home. If you compare [Vardy] home versus away this season, he’s had 1.7 shots per game at home versus 2.6 shots per game away from home… until the Wolves game, he hadn’t had a single shot on target at home yet. So the dynamic of Leicester being the home team, and being asked to break down a team that’s going to sit behind the ball, is more challenging for them.

– David

Jan, however, was more confident, citing Vardy’s appeal as an alternative to a Manchester City player:

Since James Maddison (£7.0m) returned in Gameweek 6, only Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Patrick Bamford (£6.1m) recorded more attempts on goal than Vardy. When it comes to the xG, only the Leeds man’s score of 4.72 tops Vardy’s 3.98 figure in that period of time too.

– Jan

Swap back?

Those who made the move from Mohamed Salah (£12.2m) to Bruno Fernandes (£10.8m) ahead of Gameweek 9 were justified in their decision, with the Portuguese producing his first double-figure haul at home this season. 

On the face of it, Manchester United’s quick counter-attack should do well against Southampton’s high defensive line this Gameweek. But the Saints have improved since their capitulation to Tottenham Hotspur, although the recent visitors to St Mary’s included West Bromwich Albion, an Everton short of key players and Newcastle.

Do we think that it’s the opposition that is the reason why they’ve done so well at home or is it because they are in fact much better at home now than we thought they were when they played Spurs?

– Joe

Joe and David debated the chances for Fernandes and co:

McCarthy’s performance against Wolves, it was epic, it was one of the great goalkeeping performances we’ve seen this season. To get eight saves in that game and come away with seven points. Even if Southampton concede a heck of a lot of shots, McCarthy is going to be right there, making things difficult for Man United.

– David

However, Pro Pundit Fábio Borges is set to hand his fellow countryman the armband for the second successive Gameweek, reasoning:

I expect Southampton to play an attacking style of football (as they always do), which hopefully will benefit Fernandes’ potential for points.

– Fábio

This means he will forgo Manchester City attacking players for now.

Meanwhile Pro Pundit Andy, who already owns both De Bruyne and Marcus Rashford (£9.5m), is considering an immediate return for Salah:

It’s important not to overthink sometimes, and a fit Salah really should be in my squad.

– Andy

Although how will he feel after watching Liverpool’s below-par performance in their midweek Champions League defeat to Atalanta?

Get him while he’s hot

Diogo Jota (£6.7m) is the form Liverpool attacker: 10 attempts on goal, eight shots in the box, four big chances and six efforts on target over the last four Gameweeks – all totals that neither Sadio Mane (£12.1m) nor Mohamed Salah can better in that time.

Get him while he’s hot” was Lateriser’s advice. On the FPL Wire this week, Zophar, Neale and Lateriser sensed an opportunity for the former Wolves player, with midfielder Fabinho (£5.4m) set to deputise at centre-back for the foreseeable future:

To circumvent the lack of central midfielders, there’s going to be a lot more of the 4-2-3-1 formation, and I can see Jota getting a lot of game time over Christmas.

– Neale

Neale gave a wide-ranging interview discussing his role at Fantasy Football Scout and his FPL career. The Newcastle fan’s excellent work covering the press conferences and putting together the predicted line-ups has not gone unnoticed:

Fantasy Football Scout’s site they go into some depth on the latest news and manager news conferences which is a clear indication of the time and attention to detail that they put into their predictions and this is paying off with their results.

– Footstock

Finally, Patrick Bamford (£6.1m) appears to have seduced Lateriser, with the upside chasing manager considering selling Timo Werner (£9.5m) for the Leeds forward. 

Neale mentioned that goal conversion is an often overlooked statistic and it’s one that suggests Bamford’s form is sustainable: 

[Bamford’s] goal conversion rate is at approximately 20% right now which doesn’t seem very unsustainable to m.e

– Lateriser

Encouragingly Bamford is top for expected goals over the last four Gameweeks, and their attack continues to create chances:

97 attempts on goal and 70 shots in the box recorded by Leeds United over the last six Gameweeks, more than any other side has registered over the same period.

– Neale

And an injury to Lucas Digne (£6.1m) only heightens his appeal ahead of the trip to Goodison Park.

Community latest

For those interested in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. The fixtures for Gameweek 10 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.

And 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

987 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Cak Juris
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    No KDB pics during Man City training?

    1. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Where’s the lamb SAUCE?

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

      stop it

    3. Bobby Reds
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      OH NO! *sarcasm*

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

    So...we won't be getting any official barkley news then?

  3. JY84
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Should I start Clyne or Coufal???

    1. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Clyne

  4. The Senate
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Start one:
    Justin
    Chilwell
    Mitchell

    1. Cak Juris
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Justin

    2. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Justin

    3. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Justin

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

    Can't decide if Son > KDB is worth a - 4?

    1. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No. Son could easily outscore him

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

      So not worth it

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

      Nope. Def not on current for. KdB hold for another week

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

        Current form*

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

    Zaha to
    A. Jota
    B. Foden

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

      Or Maddison?

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

      A

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

        A

  7. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bench 1
    A. Kane
    B. Son
    C. Ziyech
    D. Grealish
    I am currently on Greaslish

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Surely there's another option, what the hell is your team? Wouldn't wanna bench any

      1. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Jota Son Salah Ziyech Grealish
        Bamford Kane DCL

        1. Third Eye Vision
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          I would bench Grealish out of that front 8.

  8. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Good to go? Any hits or just keep my 2.6m ITB? Thanks all, and good luck!!

    Martinez (Steer)
    Robbo Cancelo Coufal (Mitchell Lamptey)
    Bruno(c) Son Ziyech JRodriguez Podence
    Kane DCL (Davis)

    Worried without City/Leicester attack, I won't lie

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

    Guaita
    Chilwell / R James / Kilman
    KDB / Fernandes / Son / Grealish / Jota
    Kane / DCL

    Forster // Coufal / Brewster / Lamptey

    I'm probably getting Vardy & likely to captain. Regarding the defence however :

    A) Keep as-is
    B) Play Coufal over Kilman
    C) Play Coufal over James

  10. In a Rush
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    So team news on here predicting zinchenko over Cancelo, I’ve brought in Cancelo as my free transfer any thoughts?

    Good luck all

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

      FFS team news have got it wrong before dont worry.

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

      I hope Zinchenko gets diarrhoea on matchday so cancelo starts

    3. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I did as well. Not stressing, all part of pep roulette

      1. In a Rush
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers all I hope he bloody starts!

    4. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I did the exact same, so wtf I hope Cancelo starts

    5. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I brought him in too mate, immediately thinking I would have gone for Dias, but hay ho we never no(with Pep) haha

      1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        *should

      2. In a Rush
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        No very true no one knows what pep will do just got to go with it I guess!

        1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Yeah absolutely mate!!! Haha

  11. Slim25
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hi guys, can anyone suggest what the best option would be?
    A) Digne & Kane > Cancelo/Dias & Vardy (-4, play Brewster/Mitchell)
    B) Digne, Zaha & Brewster > Cancelo/Dias, 4.5m & Vardy (-8)
    C) Digne, Zaha & Kane > Lewis, KDB & Vardy (-8, would look at Swapping Semedo for Cancelo wk 12)

    Martinez,
    **Digne**, Chilwell, Semedo
    **Zaha**, Bruno, Ziyech, Rodriquez, Grealish
    Kane, DCL
    (Button, Mitchell, Brewster, *Lamptey*)

  12. Punty McPuntface
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Is Torres worth a 2 week punt?

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

    Rodriguez to Jota - madness? 2FTs...

    Martinez
    Robbo Chilwell Creswell
    Son Bruno(c) Grealish JRod
    Kane DCL Watkins

    1.3itb

  14. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who to Captain:
    A) Bruno
    B) DCL
    C) Jota

    1. Third Eye Vision
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I’ve got all 3 and I’m captaining Dominic for the first time ever.

  15. Teahupo'o
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Ziyech to Jota -4 or log off?

    1. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Stop it

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

      Go for a jog

    3. Teahupo'o
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Cheers 😀

      *logs off*

  16. E25
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    On Wildcard:
    A) Bamford
    B) Wilson

    1. For Fuchs Sake
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Watkins

    2. Third Eye Vision
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      A

  17. In a Rush
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Captain?

    A salah
    B Bruno

    1. FPL ElasticO
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Bruno

      1. In a Rush
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Ooh on salah at the minute

    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Bruno.

  18. Futureform
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Grealish > Jota

    Would you?......

    1. FPL ElasticO
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No

    2. In a Rush
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No

  19. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Martinez or Guaita for this week? Was set on Martinez all week but Newcastle missing ASM, Wilson only back and they've been pretty poor in general so I'm thinking Guaita now

  20. FPL ElasticO
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    G2g ??

    McCarthy
    Justin/ Dias/ Chilwell
    KDB(c)/ Bruno/ Grealish/ Ziyech
    Kane/ DCL/ Bamford

    Bench:: Ryan/ Coufal/ KWP/ Burke

  21. Releasebreaks
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Foden to Jota for -4 ?

    My Bench is all injured and Foden currently o my lineup

    1. FPL ElasticO
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah..... if you have no bench available

  22. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Guaita
    Robertson kilman zouma
    Son Fernandes Ziyech grealish
    Watkins DCL Vardy

    Nyland Taylor burke dunne
    0 FT 3.8 ITB

    Currently on C

    A- son to kdb (-4)
    B- Ziyech to kdb (-4)
    C- None

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      C

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

    Ok Bruno captain locked in. I mean Salah. I mean Bruno.

  24. Feed tha Sheep
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Which one to get in?

    A. Cancelo
    B. Robertson

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

      Robbie. Cancelo isn't listed to start on team news, no time to learn why.

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Robbo
      Cancelo benched

  25. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Would you start Mitchell over Taylor?

    Know M probably won’t start, but better fixture in case. And maby not so big chance for A cameo?

  26. Pariße
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Random stats to boggle your mind before pressing confirm.

    Vardy's shots per game: 2.1
    Kane: 4.3

    Vardy's scored 8 goals, 5 were from penalties

    Brighton are second best for shots conceded, just behind Man City.

    Calvert-Lewin has only blanked once this season.

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Vardy has had 13 shots on target this season
      But 6 of those came from penalties
      So he has had 7 non-penalty SoT in 8 appearances

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

        Just read an article on Sky, statistically, Leicester were very lucky to have been awarded so many penalties

        They're 9th for touches in the opposition box, and the open play chances are down to 5.1 from last year's 8.2. We can reasonably expect to see Vardy blank more than last season.

  27. King Kun Ta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bruno or Vardy for captain?

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Vardy

  28. KAALI_DAAL
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Play Lewis ahead of Chilwell?

    1. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ummm no

  29. AnfieldLad
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    If Cancelo doesn’t start is he likely to miss out completely? I have no bench defenders

    Should I do Shaw -> Cresswell (-4) and play over Kilman?

    And then I have Kilman as Cancelo back up

  30. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hamez/Podence to Jota worth a -4?

    Would prefer losing Podence if any, though that does block my direct route of Son to KDB (funds-wise)

    1. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      nope