Feature

Merry Christmas from Fantasy Football Scout

Christmas Day is finally upon us, although perhaps not in the form many of us expected.

In years gone by, I have written these Christmas messages with references to Fantasy Premier League managers pulling themselves away from FPL content to spend more time with their family and friends.

But it would be naive of me to assume all of you have the opportunity to do so today.

2020 has been a generation-defining year for the people of the United Kingdom and the wider world. The global pandemic has affected all of us in different ways with subtle, often unquantifiable, nuances.

The one feeling that unites us this Christmas is heartache, as we all strive to adapt to life in an ever-changing world.

Football has not gone unscathed, as we all know. Fantasy managers can consider themselves lucky to have the sport in our lives still, but it has been forced to endure most of the year without the presence of its most important component: the fans.

And, of course, due to recent changes, many of us are now unable to see our nearest and dearest on the most important day of the year.

So, to anyone who has not been able to enjoy a sorely-needed Christmas celebration with family and friends, I say this: We feel your pain. You are not alone in this fight.

I know these crumbs of comfort cannot replace the things many of you have lost this year, especially on Christmas Day. There is only so much Fantasy Football Scout can do to battle the ongoing crisis but, if providing a healthy distraction from all the doom and gloom makes a difference in your lives, then I will be very proud.

To business, then.

As you know, the Gameweek 15 deadline looms large on Boxing Day morning, which is why the full array of Fantasy content is already up on the site.

Make sure you head to the Complete Guide to Gameweek 15 tab at the top of the page to find everything you need.

It is not long until the first Wildcard deadline passes – and don’t forget to set your plans in place for Blank Gameweek 18, Double Gameweek 19 and your chip strategy.

That just leaves me to pass on my gratitude to some key individuals.

Once again, deputy editor Neale Rigg has been an invaluable resource. You are all probably tired of my comparing him to N’Golo Kanté, but until we get another Premier League player renowned for doing the dirty work and mopping up in midfield as well as the Chelsea man, you will all have to make do!

Commercial director Chris James and community manager Geoff Dance continue to help the site develop behind the scenes and push forward to bright new things in 2021.

Head of content, Paul McKinnon, Will Timbers (or TopMarx) and Ted (Rotation) are also key members of fulfilling a number of key Fantasy Football Scout responsibilities – who all have my thanks too.

We have also enjoyed the help of Sam Bonfield and Ian Archer in developing our presence on social media. The pair have taken our Twitter and Instagram accounts to new heights with their vision and execution in 2020.

Video manager Andy Mears has had the same effect on our YouTube content during his first full campaign at Fantasy Football Scout.

We should also thank Gianni Butticè for spearheading our Matchday Live content, with the help of Seb, Toby and Lee. And we cannot forget host of the Scoutcast and captaincy videos: the long-serving Joe Lepper.

The editorial output has grown this season too. Andy, Az, Holly, Luke, Sam, Simon, Tom, Pranil and Utkarsh have all continued to provide excellent Pro Pundits articles – and we are delighted to have added Fábio Borges, Darren Wiles and the great Mark Sutherns to that list in 2020/21.

David Wardale, Jan Sienkiewicz, Colm Hayes and Marc Jobling all deserve praise for ticking key editorial boxes while Karam Tayser has done a great job in helping us reach new audiences this year with his translation of our content into Arabic.

And, of course, I would like to express gratitude to the moderators, who all perform the thankless task of managing our community at ground level every day.

The list of people contributing to the site behind the scenes continues to grow. To these individuals, you know who are you and you have my thanks.

I hope you all have as Merry a Christmas as the current restrictions allow. Good luck in Gameweek 15!

1,786 Comments Post a Comment
  1. French Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    ignorant question - If you save an FT in GW17, play the FH in GW18, will you have 2 or 1 ft in GW19?

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      1

  2. AnfieldLad
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas !!

    Best defender under 6.3 for 1 week??

    1. Dennis System
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Douglas (depending on what we mean by 'best').

    2. Cookie Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      One week only and nailed I’d prob go Walker

      1. Cookie Kid
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Walker now tested positive for Covid so less nailed 🙂

        Cancelo in that case!

  3. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Interesting stats on no fans vs. fans in stadium in top 4 leagues.

    Home win-draw-away win

    No fans:
    33,7–26,8–39,5

    Resteicted amount of fans in stadium:
    41,4–27,3–31,3

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Liverpool and Everton the only PL teams allowed fans now.

    2. Cookie Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Interesting, what’s the source?

      1. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        It's an article from a finnish newspaper. Some guy collected these stats after covid restart. You can probably find similar articles in your own language.

  4. Bennyboy1907
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas everyone
    BIG DILEMMA!
    Pretty set on FH18, now it’s TC or BB19. Pick A or B please.

    A) BB with 1 hit GW19
    Martinez (Johnstone*)
    Robbo*,Dallas*,Coufal*, (KWP*, Zouma*)
    Son, Salah*, Grealish, Bruno* (Soucek*)
    Adams*, DCL, Bamford*

    11DGW + Son, Grealish, DCL, Martinez

    B) TC Salah no hits GW19
    Martinez (Forster)
    Robbo*, Coufal*, Dallas* TAA* (Mitchell)
    Son, Bruno*, Salah*, Soucek* (Grealish)
    Bamford*, Adams*, (DCL)

    9DGW + Son and Martinez

    1. Cookie Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      For me it’s TC Salah as I really like the fixtures, good home ones and with fans. TC can always go wrong but he seems as nailed as possible, and when TC’ing it’s always hard to get two ideal fixtures in a week

  5. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Any chance of Burnley vs united moving to BGW 18?

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

      There's a chance

      1. pundit of punts
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        When is the latest that they can announce?

        1. Karan14
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Probably anytime before New Year.

          1. pundit of punts
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Cheers

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

      There is, but we won’t know until we know

      1. pundit of punts
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Ta

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

      I hope we know before gw16 starts. My transfer plans change course depending on what happens with this match

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

        Mine too, with Bruno and Taylor, would already have 9 players for GW 18 and use FH in GW 19 instead

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

    Merry Christmas all!
    Pick one for GW15 only:
    (A) Stones
    (B) Coufal
    (C) Matip
    (D) Mina

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

      D

    2. beetlejuice
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Stones or Matip

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

      A

    4. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      A

  7. ididnt
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Happy Xmas everyone.

    A. Matip & DCL
    B. Robertson & Adams/Wood

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

      B

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

      B - Robbo and Adams

  8. Karan14
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone planning a WC25, BB26 & FH29 strategy?

    I can have about 8 players in BGW18 and 6 main DGW assets (Salah, Bruno, Robbo, Coufal, Bamford & Raphinha) in DGW19 with Salah TC.

    Quite tempted to save the other chips for the blanks & doubles later which could be as big or bigger than GW18/19.

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

      I reckon so. I’m wildcarding in 16 so should be able to plan decently for 18-19, and I think there’ll be bigger returns for the chips later on!

      1. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        It's a differential strategy too. I expect lots will blow their chips on these two gameweeks and be stuck for the ones later.

    2. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Me

    3. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Read Ben Crellin's thoughts:

      https://twitter.com/BenCrellin/status/1342129892142538752?s=20

      1. Karan14
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Yes I went through this. It's practically impossible for me to BB in DGW19 as I'll have to take too many hits.

        So I'm tempted to go for the 2nd strategy.

        1. diesel001
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          How about:

          BGW18: Free Hit
          DGW19: Triple Captain

          GW25: Wildcard 2
          GW26: Bench Boost

          1. Karan14
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Will be very tough to navigate BGW29 imo.

            Plus the only player I gain on FH18 is Harry Kane. Rest will be fillers like Newcastle defenders, Neto etc.

    4. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Me FH18 & BB19, cannot see the later ones bringing as many points.
      My team is already full of wk19 players just need to decide which additional players I need.

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

    Guys Happy Xmas I have Watkins and James, both to drop today?

    If so I will be priced out of kdb James watkins to robbo son adams..initial plan was to save ft this gw and do that in next week.

    But now Adams rose and Watkins and Justin to fall is it wise to do Watkins to Adams this gw and James kdb to robbo son Next week for -4???

  10. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas everybody 🙂

  11. Flynny
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Xmas all! Coufals wife has had a baby! Placing a slight question mark on his involvement this weekend I guess.....

    I have no defensive cover this weekend. 0ft. Omitb

    A....stick as below

    B....lamptey to balbuenna - 4. Another in for dgw19 bench boost and bringing forward a move I may make for a hit in a week or 2 in any case

    Martinez
    Robbo dallas coufal (lamptey james)
    Salah kdb Bruno grealish (soucek)
    Dcl watkins bamford

    Thanks!

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

      B

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

    Matip / DCL or Robbo / Adams ?

  13. beetlejuice
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    A) Neto vs mun
    B) Saka vs bha

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

      A

    2. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      A

  14. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas ya filthy manimals and fannimals!

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

    Is Cancelo likely to play? I know it's Pep and stuff ...

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

      Then don't waste our time ssking ha ha ha ha ho ho ho

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

        No answer then 😛

    2. L'Aeroplanino
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      If he doesn't play vs Newcastle then he will play vs everton

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

        Need him for this week 😉

  16. Chandler Bing
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Which duo for the long run?

    A. Zaha/Grealish + Matip
    B. Neto + Trent

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

      B

    2. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      B

  17. Muscout
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    McCarthy
    Chilwell Cancelo Coufal
    Salah KDB Bruno JWP Soucek
    Kane DCL

    Steer Brewster J.Lewis Branthwaite

    0.2 itb, no FT, Preparing for DGW19 so want to keep Chilwell

    A) save and hope for a starting 11
    B) make a transfer ASAP (who to get?)

    I don’t really want to take a -4 for a defender
    Cancelo has played midweek games before and started on the weekend
    J Lewis is hopefully back in the team

    Am I hoping for too much??

  18. Weerman
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Wilson to Adams for -4

    Yes or No?

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

      No

    2. Pitch Perfect
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Do you need Wilson this week? I'm just benching. No imminent price change.

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

        Could bench him for Soucek this week, but Adams has Fulham, could get big points

        1. Pitch Perfect
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Would rather 4 in the bag and see if Soucek bags, it is Brighton after all... but I guess I'm conservative.

    3. Davros
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I have done, but not for a hit

  19. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Bargain hunting. Who do you think is likely to play and get more points this GW:

    A) Ampadu
    B) Holding

    1. Chandler Bing
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      B imo

  20. Matteera
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas all!

    Just for one week for wc..

    Lamptey / James out for?

    Thinking Matip / Stones but as always worried about city rotation.

    11.1m to spend!
    Thanks

  21. We ain't got no histor…
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    KDB -> Salah for a hit?

    Mccarthy
    Robbo Coufal Taylor
    Bruno KDB Soucek Son
    Vardy Adams DCL

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

      Only for this week NO, part of BGW DGW plan YES

  22. French Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    When is the West Ham presser? Any updates on Balbuena?

  23. Bouncebackability
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas to one and all.

  24. The White Pele
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Watkins to Adams or save FT?

    1. waltzingmatildas
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Depends on plans for 18/19

      1. The White Pele
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        FH18 BB19

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

      save FT this week

    3. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I did that move, think Adams will bag a few

    4. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I did that last night. Didn't plan it until next week but Watkins has had his chances in my team.

  25. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    How does this gw16 wc look? Don't have a second playing keeper but might be OK.
    Mccarthy button
    TAA Robbo dias coufal taylor
    Salah Bruno son raphina soucek
    DCL Bamford adams

    Would love martial and obviously a risk without kdb and Kane but can't have them all!

    1. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I think that looks good

      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Cheers mate

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

      Johnstone instead of McCarthy? Unless you planning to BB in double GW you don't need second playing GK. If you are can downgrade TAA to someone like Balbuena for doubles

  26. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    The DGW19 enablers are:

    WHM: Coufal, Soucek, Antonio(?)
    LEE: Dallas, Raphinha, Bamford
    BUR: Taylor
    SOU: KWP, Walcott(?), Adams

    Of those focusing on WHM and LEE with Taylor as a bench player looks the best option because of the GW20+ fixtures.

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

    Play Wilson or Coufal?!
    Merry x-mas!!

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

      Coufal

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

        Cheerios!

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

      Wilson

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

        Thanks!

    3. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Wilson

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

        Merci!

  28. Rinseboy
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Merry Christmas gang! hope everyone is well and healthy!
    Thanks to anyone that has replied to me this year!

    Team gtg this week? any transfers needed?

    Meslier
    Targett Coufal Dias
    Salah(c) KDB(vc) Son Grealish Bruno
    DCL Bamford
    Taylor Brewster Mitchell
    1.5 ITB

    1. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      G2G buddy

  29. Stockport Hatter
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    What are those who have no free hit chip doing in 18 and 19?

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

      Riding GW18 out fixtures dont look all that . Dont anticipate many returns. 19 possibly FH depends on team structure at tme

    2. Pitch Perfect
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Praying.

  30. xpointgamma
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez (Ryan)
    Coufal - Dallas - Robertson - (James - Lamptey)
    KDB - Bruno - Grealish - Neto (Gross)
    DCL - Werner - Bamford

    Want to bring Salah for a -8 but is it worth it?

    James - Gross - Werner > Taylor - Salah - Webster

    1. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      If it’s for the long term I’d say yes.

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

      Those moves look good long term will pay off