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. Dream Killers 2.0
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What to do with Bowen...? Keep or sell.

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

    Captain Bruno Son or Salah?

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

      Salah

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

      Sonny

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

      Son

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

      Bruno

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

        Oh didn't see Son, captain Son

    5. Bollard
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I would for sure 🙂

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

    Start 1

    A Mitchell
    B Dallas
    C Coufal

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

      A

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

      A

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

    Choose 1 to bench:

    A - Zouma (MCI)
    B - Dier (LEE)
    C - Justin (new)
    D - Bellerin (wba)

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

      A

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

      Zouma

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

      A or B

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

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

    1. 1984 TC
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Well...

  6. Tango74
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Has anyone transferred wrong player ever lol

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Loads, with the benefit of hindsight

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

      Gedson Fernandes 😀

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Taylor from Villa

      2. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Was meant to sell Lewis and keep Taylor for GW 19 and saw Lewis in pick team

        Punted on slab head as city @ Chelsea

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

      Yep I did earlier in the week and had to fix it. Oof

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

      Arsenal & Ozil?

    5. 1984 TC
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bailey, just now.

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

      I did transfer McArthur instead of McCarthy
      I messed up the names, that was pain in the ass

      1. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        That made me chuckle sry

  7. Letsgo!
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Vice capt salah or bruno?

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

      Im on salah vc

    2. JBG
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bruno

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

      Bruno

  8. Luton_Fan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Mccarthy
    Dias, kilman, robbo
    Salah, bruno, son, raph, souc
    Kane, bamford

    Need spurs v leeds to finish 3-3

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

    Good luck everyone! 🙂

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

      You too

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

      You too!

  10. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    johsmtome to leno or next gw ?

  11. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Screw it. Switched from Bruno to Salah to Bruno. Anything can happen between now and Monday evening so Bruno it is.

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

    Ffs keeping it on son

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

      Oh no

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

        Don't feel good about it lol

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

          Still hasn't updated. Quick!

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

            I'm taking the risk lol f it. My captain always blanks anyway

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

      Yeh i did. Come on sonny lad

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

        He's been horrendous recently but maybe it changes this week

  13. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Good luck everyone.

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

    (V)ardy because the Vice looks good on him.

  15. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    PANTS DOWN!! Good luck all X

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      zip

  16. JollyGoodYellows
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I'm going to regret bringing in AWB.

    1. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Crazy move.

      1. JollyGoodYellows
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Zouma + Mccarthy > AWB + Martinez.

        Preparing for the blank and couldn't afford Maguire.

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

      United fan here and you've only got yourself to blame.

    3. Thomas Shelby from Birmingh…
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I've got Bailly in that too for Robbo

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

    god the pressure...

    1. 1984 TC
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Handling pressure is a virtue

      1. 1984 TC
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        or is it patience? Who knows these days

  18. Tango74
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I chose son capt , Bruno be

    Eeek

    What did you do ??

    1. Pinturicchio10
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Vardy

        1. Party time
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Sweet Toddy 🙂

        2. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Same 🙂

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

        Pants 2021

      • Luton_Fan
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Update already!!!

        1. 1984 TC
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Lol

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

          Still not updated

          1. 1984 TC
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            It will take like another 30 min or so.

            1. 1984 TC
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Or you talking about your changes?

      • Party time
          3 years, 2 months ago

          All balls out,

          Salah(C). You can’t stop me now!!

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

            Thiago's return is a major boost

            1. Party time
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Yeaaahhh. Salah(C) we feast!

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

            Let's go!!!

          3. Orion
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Went with Salah C in the end

            1. Rupert The Horse
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              Hes so disappointing.

              1. Now I'm Panicking
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Poor Mrs Salah

              2. Orion
                • 13 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                As is Son or Kane imo

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

              Yup me too

            3. Party time
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Salah is a very strong captain pick this gw. Same here. Good Luck!!!

                1. Blue Moon Rising
                  • 12 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Why? Slightly out of form against a good saints defence. I've stayed clear.

                  1. Party time
                      3 years, 2 months ago

                      Just what I think. I mean, he surely has to score now because he is due & I believe Salah = Fpl

              • umerlfc
                • 8 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Last minute changed Kane(c) to Son(c)

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

                  you will regret it.

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

                    righty-o...

                2. COLLIN QUANER
                  • 7 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Unlucky

              • Scotch Jock
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Game still open?

                1. Right In The Stanchion
                  • 4 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Yes

                2. Scotch Jock
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 13 Years
                  3 years, 2 months ago

                  Not any more 🙁

              • Botman and Robben
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Firecrackers down. Good luck all.

              • Brosstan
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                WOw, deadline done!

              • COLLIN QUANER
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                Still able to make changes lol???? It's 1 minute past????

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

                Bowen OOP in goal. Fabs up front

              • Luton_Fan
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                There we go. Finally