Scout Notes

Bamford’s colleagues on Fantasy radar as Southampton blank again

West Brom 0-5 Leeds

  • Goals: Ezgjan Alioski (£4.5m), Jack Harrison (£5.4m), Rodrigo (£5.7m), Raphinha (£5.4m)
  • Own goals: Romaine Sawyers (£4.8m)
  • Assists: Patrick Bamford x2 (£6.5m), Mateusz Klich (£5.5m), Stuart Dallas (£4.8m)
  • Bonus points: Dallas x3, Rodrigo x2, Alioski x1

Leeds United’s attack is starting to look very appealing from a Fantasy Premier League perspective as they put five goals past West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.

Fashionable striker Patrick Bamford (£6.5m) continues to tick along, registering an eight-point score in Gameweek 16, but his colleagues are increasingly playing their part.

In the last four Gameweeks, matches involving Leeds have featured an average of 5.3 goals, their own tally for the season already at 30. In fact, in netting five at West Bromwich Albion, the Whites became only the second newly-promoted Premier League side to score 30 times over their first 16 games, after Newcastle netted 31 in 1993/94.

Could such statistics suggest a double-up on Leeds’ attack is something Fantasy managers should consider in the coming weeks?

“It was a game where we defended well and we were efficient up-front. From eight chances we scored five and that helped the result. We played a serious game throughout and we managed the ball well.” – Marcelo Bielsa

Raphinha (£5.4m) was a constant threat at the Hawthorns on Tuesday night, his well-deserved 71st-minute effort his third attacking return since Gameweek 13.

Likewise, Rodrigo (£5.7m) and Jack Harrison‘s (£5.4m) first-half strikes were their third goal-involvements during the same period, each of them scoring and assisting in the 5-2 win over Newcastle.

But the exciting options are not limited to the midfield and forward positions as Stuart Dallas (£4.8m) demonstrated his Fantasy appeal once again in Gameweek 16.

Operating on the right-hand side of Leeds’ defence, the Northern Ireland international got forward often, making the most of Lee Peltier (£4.0m) having to cover for Kieran Gibbs (£4.3m) at left-back at short-notice.

As a result, Dallas added his second assist of the campaign and, like Raphinha, Harrison and Rodrigo, it was his third attacking return since Gameweek 13.

Crucially, Dallas benefitted from a second clean sheet in as many Premier League outings for the Whites – as did Ezgjan Alioski (£4.5m), whose first-half goal was his second in the last four Gameweeks

The question is, of course, can Leeds sustain this impressive run of form? After all, their last four matches have taken them through one of the easiest runs of games they have faced this season.

Their wins in that period came against Newcastle, Burnley and West Bromwich Albion but Gameweeks 17 and 18 hand Marcelo Bielsa’s men a trip to Spurs and a Blank.

Perhaps Double Gameweek 19 is the best time to consider making a move for more Leeds players considering they play two home fixtures against Brighton and Southampton that round.

With festive rotation especially rife in Gameweek 16, it is noteworthy from a Fantasy perspective that Bielsa named an unchanged side between Sunday’s win over Burnley and Tuesday’s trip to the Hawthorns – suggesting that Leeds assets will be more nailed-on to play twice in Double Gameweek 19 than those from other clubs.

West Bromwich Albion XI (4-1-4-1): Johnstone; Peltier, O’Shea, Ajayi, Furlong; Sawyers; Diangana (Krovinović 73′), Gallagher, M Phillips (Ivanović 46′), C Robinson; Grant (M Pereira 61′).

Leeds United XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Alioski, Struijk, Ayling, Dallas; K Phillips; Harrison, Klich (Shackleton 58′), Rodrigo (Hernández 70′), Raphinha (Costa 81′); Bamford.

Southampton 0-0 West Ham

  • Goals: None
  • Assists: None
  • Bonus points: Jack Stephens x3 (£4.6m), Alex McCarthy x2 (£4.7m), Jan Bednarek x1 (£4.8m), Ryan Fredericks (£4.2m)

It was a mixed Fantasy night for owners of Southampton and West Ham assets, especially considering the level of rotation on offer for the Tuesday’s visitors to St Mary’s Stadium.

Two days after Sunday’s draw at Brighton, David Moyes took Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m), Fabian Balbuena (£4.4m), Issa Diop (£4.3m) and Ben Johnson (£3.9m) out of his defence for Gameweek 16, ensuring none of them could benefit from the Hammers’ first clean sheet since Gameweek 9.

The silver lining to that frustrating development was a surprise return for Michail Antonio (£6.2m), named on the bench and featuring for the last 13 minutes ahead of West Ham’s encouraging Double Gameweek 19 fixtures (home matches against Burnley and West Brom).

Thankfully, he came through his first minutes since Gameweek 10 without further damage and is certainly one to watch if he can get back into the starting XI in time for January’s chip season.

“Yes he has (come through the match unscathed), that’s a big boost. We’ve missed him, we’ve been muddling through a bit without him, trying to find ways of getting goals from other sources. We have to tread carefully with him, be patient with him.” – David Moyes

Similarly, Danny Ings (£8.3m) was a surprise injury-returnee, starting for Southampton and lasting 90 minutes.

However, there was nothing the striker could do to stop Southampton going goalless for a third successive Premier League match.

Ings did not register a single shot or touch in West Ham’s box on Tuesday, the first time he failed to do either in any of his 54 90-minute Premier League outings.

VAR played a cruel part in that particular statistic, considering he had a first-half goal ruled out for an offside against Che Adams (£6.1m), who went off in the 57th minute – but Southampton have generally struggled to offer much going forward recently.

They are winless in their last four league games, their longest run since going eight without a Premier League victory from September to November 2019.

Still, silver linings remain for Fantasy managers, not least those invested in either Alex McCarthy (£4.7m) or Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.8m) as Southampton registered a seventh clean sheet of the campaign, playing out back-to-back Premier League goalless draws for the first time since October 2018, when Mark Hughes was in charge.

The fact that both of those shutouts have occurred without first-choice centre-back Jannik Vestergaard (£4.9m) is to the Saints’ credit, although McCarthy was called into action a few times to keep them in the game as Jack Stephens (£4.6m) strives to get back up to speed having started just twice between Gameweeks 8 and 15 before Tuesday night.

Fredericks got up for a header at the near post in the first half, calling Southampton’s goalkeeper into action.

And a poor Stephens clearance in the closing stages, which sent the ball on an unhelpful vertical trajectory, was nearly pounced upon by substitute Saïd Benrahma (£6.0m) before McCarthy smothered the close-range effort.

Such incidents indicate the defensive returns might not last for Southampton, especially knowing that Vestergaard could be out until the end of January.

And, of course, the Saints’ fixtures hardly look encouraging from a clean sheet perspective, Liverpool (away), Blank, Leicester (away) and Leeds (away) their fixtures for the next three Gameweeks.

Southampton XI (4-4-2): A McCarthy; Bertrand, J Stephens, Bednarek, Walker-Peters; Djenepo (Armstrong 78′), Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Walcott; Adams (S Long 58′), Ings.

West Ham United XI (4-1-4-1): Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Dawson, Fredericks; Rice; Fornals, Souček, Lanzini (Benrahma 60′), Yarmolenko (Bowen 72′); Haller (Antonio 77′).

1,763 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Whazza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Wolves appear to be interested in free agent Diego Costa. Would love that!

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      That would be very interesting

    2. Alisson WondHaaland
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Impossible. He's not Portugese

      1. El Presidente
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        But speaks Portuguese...

        1. Alisson WondHaaland
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Just because you speak the language, doesnt mean you play for the national team 😉

          1. El Presidente
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            True, Portuguese is spoken outside Portugal as an official national language in other countries, but for Wolves national team is more than enough required

      2. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        speaks it tho

      3. Whazza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        😆

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

        Brazilian, so close enough! Lol.

    3. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He would fit in well at Wolves

  2. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Did Woy play Mitchell this week to throw us beleaguered fantasy managers a little morsel of comfort?

    If so, thank you Roy. You are a true gent!

    1. Whazza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Mitchell should play every week, their best defender

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

    Postponements aside the extra rotation makes this season a complete lottery, little skill involved.

    1. Party time
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Fpl is full of luck. You are either lucky or not.

        Yes skill & all that also important but luck is the main thing

        1. Whazza
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Do you believe in luck? It's all probabilities imo

      • Canadian Football
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        actually this is when it takes the most sound decisions to succeed. Staying informed by following this site and others will give you an advantage navigating the chaos and should translate into success.

      • Whazza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        We have barely seen any rotation til now...

    2. Winston.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      What about GW17? Starting on Friday...will probably be played, but Che-City game moved ?

    3. ShaunGoater123
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Afternoon all,

      Does anyone have the link for the Liverpool team leak Twitter post please

      1. FER FUSCH AKE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Milner at LB

        1. Balls of Steel
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Yep looks like he gets a game and Robbo owners miss out 🙁

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

      I'm looking at my WC16 Excel spreadsheet and just laughing at how utterly massacred it has been

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

      So they didn't hold on to the playing your u23's rule... Shocker.

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

        They’ll either have to hold onto it going forward or accept that season won’t be completed before the Euros. Soon there won’t be enough time to reschedule the games in remaning timeslots.

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

        Their ultimate concern is an on field transmission occurring as that would likely mean a suspension of the league and potentially being sued down the line.

        For this reason I see why they erred on caution even though the teams had the players to play and were both at grounds that were not effected meaning arguably both should have gone ahead by their own protocols.

        3 City & 2 Spurs here though - gutting.

        1. F_Ivanovic
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I get this, but why not make this clear? What was all the BS about not suspending games providing they had enough people fit.

      3. St Pauli Walnuts
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        It's not a rule.

    6. Alisson WondHaaland
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Who doesnt own Salah? Pretty surprised that his ownership is so much lower than Son and DCL despite literally everyone in my leagues owning him

      1. Jordan.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        9/20 my league ,7 (c), fair reflection overall id say ,mo hauling tonight is huge if youve (c) him

        1. Alisson WondHaaland
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Fair. In my 2 main mini leagues, everyone above me owns Salah (C).

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

        142.79% EO and that doesn't include vice captains

      3. F_Ivanovic
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I didn't own him up until last week. Got rid when he had CoVid, didn't find the time to bring him back as didn't want to lose KDB, Bruno or Kane.

    7. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      21 with C Salah and my "secret weapon" Jamal Lewis to go. Can anyone beat that?!?

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

        Got the same two coming.. Good luck!

        1. Baps hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I am beyond the help of good luck 😉

    8. lordkippe
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Is 22 with Salah left a total disaster? At least got 2FT

      1. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nope, you have one more point than me and Lewis can get me negative pts.

      2. Balls of Steel
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        You're 2 up on me with Salah also

    9. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Guys, what are the FPL pundits going to say to deal with this situation (and probably continues for a while)? Telling people that this will be more lottery involved? What else?

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

        Lessons.
        1. No triple ups
        2. Don't C and VC from same team
        3. Stock your bench
        4. Don't take hits, on hopes of returns the same week, play long term
        5. use FTs in response to injuries or crises.

        1. Muchentuchel
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          "no triple ups" I call bs.

          You could even profit massively by tripling up.
          It's like choosing a captain. You can play it safe or you can gamble and then win or lose.

          1. F_Ivanovic
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            FPL is about taking the most +ev line. Tripling up is not +ev - it's an un-necessary risk when you can often get a player of equal likelyhood to score points over a certain time period without having to triple up.

            1. Esalman
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              It's a massive risk but might be worth it if your rank is in the millions.

        2. TRIPOS TOPPER
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          6. No goalies from same team

        3. DickFranDyke
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Discount 1 & 4. Leeds triple up worked and 8 point hit worked in favour for me this week and sets me up for GW19.

      2. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Have a strong bench

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

        Have a strong bench, don’t triple up on any team and don’t bring in players from teams with positive cases or teams playing them within the next 2 weeks. Wait till deadline for transfers.

        Nothing else that you can do about it.

      4. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        do nothing and wait. which is the right thing to do

    10. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      So what’s everyone doing with their teams? Seems impossible to play FPL at this point..

      1. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Just clicked x on the FPL website and will re-assess on Thursday

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

        Keeping it simple by doing nothing for now.

      3. FER FUSCH AKE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Will just ditch man shitty players and hope for the best.

      4. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Let it play as it is, mid-long term plan is irrelevant. Last min news last min transfers ...

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

        Waiting till the last minute for news... So same same basically.

      6. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Remain calm, wait for the premier League and government to advise us. It's easy to ramp up into hysteria but how many games have actually been called off so for 16 or so weeks in? Like 7?

          1. Bram
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            3

        • IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Nothing, yet

        • acidicleo
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Fill team with assets from teams with postponed games..
          Leave as dead team and change cap based on covid news..

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

          well clearly the 2 fixtures in doubt must be
          chelsea/city
          burnley/fulham
          with only city atm playing gw18
          its a bit of a pickle

        • Baps hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Nothing. Just wait and try to check rumours before next deadline.

        • PogChamp
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Nothing for now. Is there any chance this GW will be voided?

          1. The Ejiptian King
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Of course not.

        • The Train Driver
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Lewis or Ayling > Holding probably. Will wait.

      7. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Rival in my mini league got 19 points from DDG and Holding this week

        Vomits

        1. FER FUSCH AKE
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I got 9 from holding.

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

          Got Holding in for James last week. Benched him then and played him this week, not that it would've mattered. McCarthy scoring a monster 9 too.

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

          Holding

      8. Bounce
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        4 people at my work tested positive for covid-19 just before Christmas but, but everyone else still had to go in like normal (and we work in an office). Why is it different for footballers?

        1. TOPCAT1960
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Easier to socially distance in an office and not breathing heavy.....lol

        2. Whazza
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Because you can wear masks and keep the distance I assume

        3. FER FUSCH AKE
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Your place of work is run haphazardly.

          1. Esalman
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            This lol.

        4. Bruce Lee
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Managers at your work are donks

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

          Because they don't want to risk positive players/staff playing games, causing outbreaks with other teams, and risk shutting down the league. Not too difficult if you apply some critical thinking.

      9. Whazza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Got to love some absolute FPL chaos! Don't beat yourselves up if you've made good decisions 🙂

        1. Je suis le chat
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Despite my assets Son and Lookman missing out, I'm relieved Kane won't wreck my gw.

        2. Gudjohnsen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Was Chilwell to Dier a good move before this gw?

          1. Whazza
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Tough one, wasn't expected to start I guess so yes

          2. TRIPOS TOPPER
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            not really since Chill had the double ahead

        3. Esalman
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          There's always chaos around Christmas time. It just so happens to be covid this year.

        4. The Polymath
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Too late, I've got a black eye and a split lip.

      10. Manani
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        felt just like last season, where I spent a few FT just to shape my team up for the blank and dgw, then the league calls to a halt lol

        1. The Ejiptian King
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I played my WC then, half my team didn't play and everyone got unlimited transfers when the league returned anyway, pretty sweet.

      11. Whazza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Sorry if posted but a little Crellin update:

        "If the current schedule stays the same then the earliest date that Spurs vs Fulham could move to is the midweek in GW26"

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

          BB26 looking better now. Shame about the UCL fixtures just in advance of that...

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

          GW26 would mean a Burnley + Fulham DGW
          Could be perfect for TC Kane or Son!

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

        Kane was captained by 1976 managers - 484 of these have Son VC.

        Son was captained by 1350 managers - 175 of these have Kane VC.

        659 managers have no playing captain based alone on #TOTFUL - that number increases when factoring in #EVEMCI.

        More to come.

        #FPL

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

          Kane was triple captained by 17 managers - 5 of these have Son as vice triple captain.

          Son was triple captained by 9 mangers in - 3 of these have Kane as vice triple captain.

          8 managers have played their triple captain chip which will return 0 points.

          (top 10k only)

          #FPL

        2. St Pauli Walnuts
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Out of 7.5 million, Kane was only captained by 2000 people when home against Fulham. That can't be right? Is this just the top 10K?

          Loved you at City btw Sun! (season ticket holder)

      13. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I wish Sky would stop broadcasting the views of people with hidden agendas like Allardyce. What did you expect, the longer he gets with his players between the games the better for him.

        1. St Pauli Walnuts
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I'm not big on baseless conspiracy theories, but I have to admit I have serious doubts that he'd have said that if they hadn't have just been whacked 5-0, especially when you throw in his dodgy history on the integrity front!