Scout Notes

Budget midfielder Gundogan a goal threat in new role as De Bruyne stars as a striker

Chelsea 1-3 Manchester City

  • Goals: Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) | Ilkay Gundogan (£5.4m), Phil Foden (£6.2m), Kevin De Bruyne (£11.6m)
  • Assists: Kai Havertz (£8.2m) | Foden, De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling (£11.4m)
  • Bonus: Foden x3, De Bruyne x2, Gundogan, Foden x1

Manchester City chose an opportune time to deliver what was arguably their best Premier League performance of the season.

One of 12 top-flight clubs in action in Blank Gameweek 18 and then among a dozen teams who enjoy two fixtures in Double Gameweek 19, City are high on the Fantasy Premier League watchlist in early January.

And if their clash with Chelsea on Sunday was an audition of sorts, then Pep Guardiola’s troops passed it with flying colours.


Pepped Up

Manchester City’s defensive aptitude hasn’t been in doubt for some time.

Callum Hudson-Odoi‘s (£5.7m) late, late consolation goal for Chelsea on Sunday was the first time that an opposition player had scored against the Citizens since Gameweek 9 and ruined what would have been a sixth clean sheet in seven.

What has been called into question is their attacking prowess and the lack of value for money being provided by their FPL forwards and midfielders.

From Gameweeks 4 to 15, City scored one goal or fewer in nine of their 12 matches.

Even plum home fixtures against Fulham and Newcastle United returned only 2-0 wins; these were games in which City would have traditionally run riot and matches in which Fantasy managers would expect hauls from.

At Stamford Bridge, we saw the City of old return.

First-half goals from Ilkay Gundogan (£5.4m), Phil Foden (£6.2m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£11.6m) saw City sail into an unassailable 3-0 lead, while there were other chances beyond those strikes: De Bruyne spurned a one-on-one opportunity after a quarter of an hour, Gundogan flicked an effort wide from six yards just before the break and Rodri (£5.4m) wasted a De Bruyne assist with a 53rd-minute header.

Guardiola agreed that this display was more reminiscent of City of yesteryear:

We had a plan, we tried to play in a certain way that we did in the past and it worked. The players were incredible, fantastic in all departments.

We are a team that has to play in one certain rhythm. A lot of passes and, in the right moment, attack. We won Premier Leagues in that way, and we miss a little bit for many reasons this tempo, and today we got it. The way we won the League titles, it was because we were like today.

The question now, of course, is whether the “tempo” is here to stay and whether it can be as effective against teams who won’t employ Chelsea’s high, aggressive press.

Brighton, a more possession-based team who are not renowned for their backs-to-the-wall approach, might just well be the ideal Gameweek 18 opponents – Graham Potter’s troops lost by an aggregate score of 9-0 in their two league meetings with City last season.

Belgian Waffle

With City unable to call upon Gabriel Jesus (£9.1m) and Ferran Torres (£6.9m), and with Sergio Aguero‘s (£10.3m) game-time being carefully handled, Guardiola turned to De Bruyne to lead the line in west London.

We have seen the Belgian playing in a more advanced position anyway this season but this was a step beyond a number 10 role, with De Bruyne veering between ‘false nine’ and outright centre-forward.

Explaining his tactical decision after full-time, Guardiola said:

Kevin can play in many positions. We wanted more solid players in the midfield and Bernardo is more solid in those areas.

[De Bruyne] is so good, with his energy to run in behind. He did it really well. He can play there, as a winger, attacking midfielder. There is no doubt about this.

De Bruyne himself said of Sunday’s role:

A little bit bizarre in the beginning. I’ve done it a couple of times in my career. Obviously, there are lot of strikers, forward players who are out. The coach asked me to do this job, so I tried to do it the best as possible.

We have different players, so we play a little bit different this year and we adjust to the personnel we have. The team is finding the rhythm in the last month so we’re playing better and the difference today when we have the chance we took them.

In Formation, Entertainment

It should be pointed out, of course, that the deployment of De Bruyne as a striker may just have been a needs-must, one-off experiment.

Jesus ought to be back from self-isolation by Gameweek 18, with Torres likely available for Double Gameweek 19. Aguero may also be closer to a start himself by the time next Wednesday’s clash with Brighton comes around.

So long as the attacking swagger is here to stay, then starting positions might be less of a concern for Fantasy managers.

Indeed, De Bruyne had three fewer big chances in the whole of 2019/20 than he has managed in Gameweeks 2-17 of the current campaign, yet still found the net on 13 occasions, with five of his goals coming from outside the box.

What is worth keeping an eye on is Gundogan’s role within Guardiola’s team.

Part of the double pivot with Rodri for months in the more conservative 4-2-3-1, we have seen the German allowed a bit more attacking freedom of late.

Gundogan and the excellent Bernardo Silva (£7.4m) were the two number eights stationed either side of Rodri on Sunday, registering six shots in the box between them.

After the match on Sunday, Gundogan said of his more advanced role:

To be honest, in the last few games where I scored, I played more of a number eight than a number six. Before that, I played more of a holding midfielder role together with Rodri.

It is different and every position needs a little bit of adaptation. I think I am a player that can adapt quickly and well into a system and the manager knows I am quite flexible.

Also, me personally, even though I like to be included in rotating the ball, when I am playing as a number eight and more offensive position, I try to put myself in the spaces where I think something could happen or I feel like the space is not occupied by a player of ours or the opponent.

Both goals I scored in the last games were similar in the way they were from the right side and Raheem assisted me both goals and I tried to be in a space where I am free and able to get the ball and finish with one touch. It worked out quite well and as long as I am playing in that position I try to continue like that.

The Self-Isolating Six

The visitors were missing six of their squad because of positive COVID-19 tests.

The unavailability of Kyle Walker (£6.1m) and Jesus we were already aware of, while social media posts from Ederson (£6.0m) and Tommy Doyle (£4.4m) all but confirmed that they too were among those self-isolating.

Torres and Eric Garcia (£4.7m) have reportedly been added to that list, with the latter still struggling with injury, too.

Nathan Ake (£5.4m) was absent on Sunday because of “fitness issues”, while Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) missed out because of a tight hamstring.

All of that meant a start for reserve goalkeeper Zack Steffen (£4.4m), who will drop to the bench once Ederson is fit again, and Foden, who featured in Guardiola’s XI for only the second time in 11 league matches.

Foden produced a superb display from the left flank, leading the way for chances created in Sunday’s game and having three shots in the box of his own.

The hard work starts now with players expected back from illness and Riyad Mahrez (£8.1m) waiting in the wings but Guardiola was enthused by the youngster’s display:

So proud. He never dropped one, nothing for his energy, how he helps. He can play up front in all four positions and again he has a sensational goal, he scored a fantastic goal. He is a guy, we rely on him incredibly, national team for England will be a top player because he’s so clever, so calm, he did a good performance today.

Got the Blues

While the wheels haven’t completely come off, the Chelsea bandwagon has been seriously derailed in recent weeks.

One clean sheet in seven, and four defeats in six, has seen FPL managers slowly drift away from previous high-achievers like Ben Chilwell (£6.1m) and completely desert the misfiring Timo Werner (£9.2m).

A bright start against City couldn’t be sustained and they had managed only one effort on target until second-half injury time, when substitute Hudson-Odoi popped up to ruin a clean sheet for Joao Cancelo (£5.7m) and Ruben Dias (£5.8m) – the former also seeing a projected bonus point go up in smoke.

A run-out in a central position couldn’t end an eight-match goal drought for Werner, while a hitherto solid backline – who were again missing the injured Reece James (£5.2m) – has now shipped seven goals in three matches.

Easier tests await, of course, starting with a Double Gameweek 19 home fixture against a Fulham side who have scored just two goals in their last five matches, which should provide encouragement for Fantasy managers still sitting on Chilwell.

Lampard cited youth and unavailability as mitigating excuses when interviewed after the match:

One month ago people were asking when I’m signing a new contract, and now people will be saying different things because in a tight, busy period we have lost four games of football in quick succession. The pressure remains constant in this job.

The reality is a lot of the players who have come in are new, are young, have been injured, haven’t played together. It was the first time I’ve been able to play Ziyech, Pulisic and Werner in the same team.

Without a doubt, we have the character to get out of it, because we went 16 games unbeaten. What we can control is what we do tonight and tomorrow and the next day and what we do against Morecambe and what we do against Fulham.


Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Mendy; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Silva, Chilwell; Kante (Gilmour 64), Kovacic (Havertz 77), Mount; Pulisic, Werner, Ziyech (Hudson-Odoi 64).

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Steffen; Cancelo, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko; Gundogan (Fernandinho 75), Rodri, Bernardo; Foden (Mahrez 86), De Bruyne (Aguero 86), Sterling.

Lessons learned from FPL Gameweek 17

867 Comments Post a Comment
  1. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Mitchel in for Che Adams lovely

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

      Jam jammy jam.

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

      Soucek in for Adams.

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

    No Che has ruined my game week, ML rival has got Soucek, KWP, Dallas and Soucek points from the bench last four game weeks, pathetic

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

      Though you could say he has a string bench so well done

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

        Doesnt make the right decisions and benches the wrong player every week more like

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

      Gotta own them to get the points...

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

        Got to play them when you should to deserve their points. He played them over Coufal Wilson etc and they got no minutes completely randomly, complete luck.

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

    Klich in for Adams
    No Jam for me 🙁
    Meh

  4. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I get Raphinha 2 points for Che. Meh...

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

    Absolutely sickened at those getting Soucek off the bench for Adams. I've written a strongly worded email to FPL to possibly change the bench system for this gameweek to avoid owners being rewarded for failure.

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

      That was quick

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

      Ots not failure having a string bench. Its failure on players who don't.

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

        Its not failure having a strong bench. Its failure on players who haven't #

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

      Not sure if serious.

    4. Ci Siamo
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      So you want FPL to change the benching system just this week to suit your needs? Sounds legit

  6. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Pool going to struggle tonight

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

    That's the most points Adams has got me all year.

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

      Have owned 2 GWs
      1, 0.

      Pffffft

    2. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Haha me too mate

    3. Bolivian Seaman
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yep, haha

    4. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Haha me too

  8. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    expecting 10 pages of posts before kick off on jammy bench points.

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

      Soucek in for Adams gives me 82 pts plus salah to play. Hopefully I'll increase my 40,000 rank.

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

    Anyone jammy enough to get Forester off the bench for Pope?

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

      No

      Forster for Fabianski however...

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

      Forster for McC

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

      Forster will come in for no McCarthy for me. Not jammy though - strategic 😉

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

        This is fair

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

      Yup.

    5. 2999 - Lady of Legend
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Forster for Fab, will probably end on a minus score though!

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

      If McC misses out in the double too I have Forester on my bench could trigger my BB as I didn't want to take a hit for a 2nd keeper.

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

        That never happened !!!
        Good for you and bad for me as a pool fan. When I said jammy earlier I didn’t mean ye were jammy having a bench it was just meant in the context of an unexpected start.

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

    No Romeu, no McCarthy. Early congrats to Salah captainers

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      reckon gundogan a better option than foden ? more nailed maybe ?

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

        Definitely more nailed, so yeah a better option for me

        1. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          sorry for hijacking the post oops 🙂

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

            Nothing wrong with that, not like it was a productive one anyways 😆

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

    Anyone know of Adams is getting a rest or injured?

    1. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Rest I believe

    2. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      injured, why would he not be on the bench if fit.

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

        To get a rest

      2. Plant Based FPLer
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        A turtle crossing the road on his way to stadium?

    3. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Talk about a rest but not in the squad at all indicates an injury, took a kick to the head from Dawson too.

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

      Might be head injury precaution. We'll find out...

    5. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Rested.

    6. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He had a head injury

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

    Henderson as CB? Is that right?

    1. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yep

    2. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      yes

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

      Yep seems so. Can't agree with this at all. Phillips played centre back last game and they didn't concede. Henderson is not a CB! Robbo clean sheet more than likely not happening I would suggest.

  13. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Forster clean sheet 6 saves and 3 bonus. It's coming.

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

      salah deffo in pennos

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

        ffs on

    2. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Would be nice but I'd happily take 3 points from him tonight.

  14. Jebiga
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Henderson CB, now please let it be 7-1 again, no 9-1

    1. Party time
        3 years, 2 months ago

        9-1 imo

      • bitm2007
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Saints weaken as well. 4-3

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

      More lucky Soucek bench points with Adams no show. Sigh.

    3. Plant Based FPLer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      The chance of Robertson not starting, after being named in the starting lineup?

      I'll go first: 1%.

    4. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      So many jam doughnut bednarek owners in my mini league

      Hope they get punished tonight with a 0-4

    5. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Need Salah and Mane to go big tonight!

    6. Bolivian Seaman
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Foden in for adams 🙂

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        no. way.

      2. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I still feel sorry for you as you own him

        1. Bolivian Seaman
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          yep my team is rubbish and I'm 1 millionth

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

        That's more bench points than I've had in my whole life. If one of my players misses out all of my bench get 0 or 1 point

    7. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Alcántara or Henderson at CB ?

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

        Hendo. Thiago will play in front of the centre backs with Gini and Ox in front of Thiago. 433

      2. Party time
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Henderson

        • BenDavies
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          hendo.

        • Meinhoff
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Lol even Mane would be a better defender than Alcantara

      3. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        All those bragging about getting jammy che points are only showing their ineptitude by having him in the first place. Nothing to boast about.

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          salty mcsaltface

        2. Ajax Hamsterdam
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          bit sour

        3. Bolivian Seaman
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          a dagger through the heart

        4. Shineonme
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Sour grapes I think

      4. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Sold Che Adams this week!

        For Aguero.

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

          Aguero not been fit for months. Maverick

          1. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            or foolish. take your pick!

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

          You won.
          Maths says 1 > 0

          1. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            thanks for that, cheered me up 🙂

          2. richarlison2348
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            He speaks the truth.

      5. Buck The Trent
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Pick one?

        A Rashford (bur liv ful) + Vardy (CHE SOT)
        B Sterling (BHA AVL CPL) + Martial (liv ful)

      6. Messiah Hazard
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Salah (me) vs JWP+Bedarnek+1 point (opp)

        Who wins the Fantasy Cup?

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

          you probably

      7. Steve The Spud
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        People spending weeks telling people to have a strong bench over festive period

        To then return to post about jammy people getting points off their bench

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

          I wouldn’t consider Mitchell(3.9) a strong bench

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

          I'm a strong believer of people getting punished for making poor starting XI decisions in FPL

        3. Pukki Party
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          FFS posters aee different personalities before and after deadline

        4. Shineonme
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          ^^ exactly ^^

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

        I congratulate my honourable fellow players on their strong benches and wish them well with their 6-11 pointers from their first sub

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

          Said no one ever lol

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

          person in first and third place in my ML have had money spread through squad the whole season

      9. JOELIO8701
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I watched Da Vinci Code last night. It got me thinking.. maybe Jesus wasn't;t divine? I just checked Southampton line up. No Adams. I BELIEVE in Jesus! He heard my prayers, he responded (Both Che prayer and the one about city conceding last minute). Oh hi Soucek, thanks for the points buddy. Love FPL!

        1. JOELIO8701
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Bellerin has already p****d on my chips this week, but they'll still taste good with all of the Soucek salt due to come tonight from non-owners!

      10. fedolefan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Useless Che Adams. Getting a Brewster haul off the bench.

      11. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Ayling coming on from bench :8

      12. R.C
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        No Romeu is worrying. Salah might run riot here today.