Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for FPL Gameweek 17

Happy New Year and welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 17 ahead of today’s 16:00 GMT deadline.

As Fantasy managers, 2020 certainly kept us on our toes and its 366th day was no exception with the announcement of additional fixtures for Gameweeks 18 and 19.

Those with assets from both Manchester clubs, Aston Villa and Burnley now have more players available for the upcoming blank and double.

But are you leaping for joy or simply scratching your head wondering what to do?

As Pro Pundit Andy was at pains to point out when talking through the implications of the fixture changes yesterday, the ideal solution will depend on your team and chip situation.

Step forward the innovative FPL Community with two tailor-made graphics.

The first, by Legomané, helps us plan transfers by using a traffic-light colour code to highlight the rest periods between matches:

(click on graphic to enlarge)

And the second, by FPL Zh0u, is a handy flowchart on strategy, which can steer our teams in the right direction.

(click on graphic to enlarge)

Andy wondered if it was time to abandon our plans for Double Gameweek 19, especially with Manchester City now having arguably the most attractive fixtures, at home to Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

The Pro Pundit, who leads the Mods & Cons mini-league, originally wanted to play his Bench Boost chip but is debating whether targeting his transfers to bring back Kevin De Bruyne (£11.7m) is perhaps the better course of action.

Liverpool also enjoy two home fixtures in the upcoming Double Gameweek and Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) had been the default captain choice for many, however two frustrating blanks has dampened our enthusiasm.

But reporting on the match against his beloved Newcastle United, Neale emphasised that it could have been very different for those who backed the Egyptian:

This was one of those games when the margins between double-digit haul and a three-pointer were slim …  But Salah has historically had a profligate side to his game and occasional frustrating afternoons come with the territory.

– Neale

Something our Captain Sensible writer Jan Sienkiewicz does when making his recommendations for the armband, is to consider how the games will unfold.

Often Fantasy managers like to target teams thought of as ‘whipping boys’, but sides frequently adapt their approach based on the opposition – and Newcastle are no exception:

The Magpies resemble a solid outfit in a backs-to-the-wall 5-4-1 but look less so in a 4-4-2/4-2-3-1, conceding goals against the likes of Burnley, Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Brighton and Hove Albion – all at home – this season when playing without a third centre-half.

– Neale

Leeds United, however, take a different approach: employing the same style of play no matter who they are facing.

The open end-to-end nature of their games means that no team has conceded more big chances than the Whites this season and, at the same time, no team has taken more shots in the box. 

On the Scoutcast, Joe and Az both identified the trip to a rested Tottenham Hotspur as the standout fixture for captaincy. And Jan agreed, making Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Son Heung-min (£9.7m) his top candidates for the armband, despite their recent poor attacking form.

But it was the attacking displays of Marcelo Bielsa’s side that caught the attention of Pro Pundit Zophar. Considering their budget options, the seven-time top 10,000 manager noted:

Raphinha’s numbers, in particular, are excellent as he is second for shots in the box (nine) and joint-top for chances created (10).

– Zophar

And like Zophar in his column piece, David picked out a cheap midfielder whose displays have impressed recently for Aston Villa:

His total of 24 attempts on goal is the highest in the league between Gameweeks 12 and 16, at least 10 more than any other midfielder at the time of writing. El Ghazi is also top of the league for big chances (six) and shots on target (15)

– David

However, it remains to be seen if Ross Barkley (£5.9m), returned to fitness and available for selection, will dislodge El Ghazi from the starting XI.

Moving up in price, the recent performances of Christian Pulisic (£8.2m) have been encouraging. In his Scout Notes on the match at Stamford Bridge, David observed:

It was noteworthy to see Christian Pulisic start a second game in two days and manage to last 90 minutes each time – perhaps suggesting he can offer a robust route into Chelsea’s attack for matches against Fulham (away) and Leicester (away) in Double Gameweek 19.

– David

Finally, Harry Maguire (£5.4m) is the headline differential pick for the New Year. Pro Pundit Tom is impressed by his attacking threat with no defender having taken more shots in the box, and Manchester United sitting top of the ticker from a defensive perspective until Gameweek 25.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

RedLightning rounded-up the Community mini-leagues and competitions in a hot topic yesterday.

As mentioned, the Manager of the Month in the Community Members mini-league is Josh Paulin. Josh wins a £50 Amazon voucher. Josh, please contact Geoff (geoff@fantasyfootballscout.co.uk) to claim your prize.

The Manager of the Month winners in 2020 were:

SeptemberHamdy Sameeh
OctoberEmmanuel Oloche
NovemberJames Frimpong
DecemberJosh Paulin

And for those interested in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. The fixtures for Gameweek 17 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.

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

2,511 Comments Post a Comment
  1. stu92
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Who to start? Have Martinez in goals

    Alioski, Zouma, or Targett?

    1. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Zouma then Alioski

  2. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    If I sell Grealish but want him for FH18, he would cost a lot more, right?

    1. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Depends when you bought him

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

      Depends when you got him?

    3. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      yes

    4. rokonto
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Right

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

    Just one quick question:
    Start Stones or Bowen? Have Dias too

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Play the attacker.

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

        Cheers

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

    Play one :

    A) Coufal
    B) F.Silva
    C) Soucek

    1. Johnny 8
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      c

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

    Start one:
    a) Konsa
    b) Kilman
    c) Alioski

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

    Start Raphina or Soucek?
    RMT tool says Soucek!

    1. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Raphina

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

      I’d go against the RMT on this one.

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

      Raph

  7. Weilong7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    cpt son kane bruno salah?
    thanks

    1. FPLtfs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kane for me.

      1. Weilong7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        thanks

    2. Jimbo-Jones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Same.
      On Son atm with Salah vice.

      1. Weilong7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        im more like son and kane.. bruno vice

  8. Simon69
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Much risk to captaining Son over Fernandes and Salah? Has taken me this long to claw my way into the hundred thousand ranks after a dreadful start to the season.

    1. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Same here, capping Son

      1. Simon69
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Best of luck!

    2. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I'd captain someone vs Leeds any time.

      1. Simon69
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I'm going for it

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

    Last min advice: armband to Bruno or Kane?

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

      Kane

    2. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kane

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

      Brunooo

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

      Kane

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

      Bruno.

  10. Dele
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start Soucek or Watkins?

    1. CheesyZoot
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Soucek

    2. FDMS All Starz
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Watkins, could be a open game

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

    Any late cancellation or benching rumors before I lock it in?

  12. Khalico
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    start dallas, coufal or kwp?

    1. G Banger
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Have same choice, and currently on Dallas

  13. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is Hause nailed?

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

      No

  14. lankdog
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Benteke and Sterling or Kane and Zaha, for the next two GWs only? Have Son and KDB already

  15. pol
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Who to play and first bench?
    A- soucek
    B- watkins
    C- targett
    D- Dallas

    1. CheesyZoot
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Play Soucek, Watkins 1st bench

  16. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I might just leave the armband on Salah. No way he blanks 3 times in a row!!!

    1. Mweene
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Same reason I'm capping Andy Carroll

    2. Tambling5
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Have you ever played heads and tails!?

  17. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start Coufal or Alioski??

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

      Coufal

  18. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Captain-
    Son
    Kane
    Taylor to holding or save FT??

  19. Hazardous1983
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start soucek.or podence

  20. HNI
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Who would u put first on bench, Coufal or Dallas. Dallas has better attacking upside but Coufal better cleanie chance

  21. Runaway
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start 1

    A) Raphinha
    B) Wilson

  22. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Who To Play ??
    A- Soucek
    B- Adams

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

      Soucek

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

      A

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

      Thxxx

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

    McCarthy
    Cancelo Chilwell Coufal Dallas
    Salah KDB Bruno Soucek
    Kane (c) Bamford

    Steer JWP Brewster J.Lewis

    G2G? Bench correct order?

  24. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I'm gonna regret capping son over Bruno I know it

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

      Still time to change.

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Change it.

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

      Better swap then

  25. Gunners in Haaland
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start Cresswell or Coufal?

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

      Cresswell

      1. Gunners in Haaland
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers

  26. Hazardous1983
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    start soucek.podence or watkins

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

      Socek

  27. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start
    a) Soucek
    b) Alioski
    c) Coufal

  28. FDMS All Starz
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Start 2

    Alioski / Balbuena / Coufal

  29. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Sounds like Fulham & Burnley is a no go.

  30. ooooo
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Son or Kane cap?