Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice to FPL Gameweek 21

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 21 ahead of today’s 11:00 GMT deadline.

The headlines in this edition: Everton are discussed as key players return and the fixtures improve, Chelsea’s new manager Thomas Tuchel is put under the spotlight, Manchester City continue to excel, and Raphinha (£5.4m) stars for Leeds United with Patrick Bamford (£6.7m) in a slump.

Elsewhere, Pro Pundit Tom is excited about Wilfried Zaha (£7.2m) as he looks to target an easy run for Crystal Palace and a match against Newcastle United in particular. While Az suggests taking more risks with our armband choices – but does Captain Sensible writer Jan agree?

Couldn’t score for Toffees

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.6m) started the season in sensational form bagging 10 goals in the opening nine Gameweeks, but the Everton No 9 has since endured a barren spell, last scoring in Gameweek 11. 

However, with an appealing set of fixtures and key players returning, Joe asked the Scoutcast panel – can good fixtures breed good form?

For Ted the answer is an emphatic yes. The visual stats creator revealed that he has taken a minus eight to triple up on Carlo Ancelotti’s men:

What I really like about Everton is that you‘ve also got Lucas Digne as a ‘world class’ left-back, he’s just a sensational crosser of the ball, and you’ve got James Rodriguez on that other side, a perfect marriage of creativity on either flank. Dominic Calvert-Lewin just needs to get some form going, because he’s without a goal in seven matches, he’s underperforming his stats, and once he starts scoring in the league – he got one in the cup – if he starts scoring in the league I think he could really start firing with the fixtures.

In fact, Lucas Digne (£6.0m) played out-of-position on the left of midfield against Leicester City, further enhancing his prospects of attacking returns. 

Everton average positions vs Leicester City (FFS Match Data)

And with Abdoulaye Doucouré (£5.2m) returning from suspension to add thrust in midfield, could Everton be on the brink of a purple patch?

Ted is not the only one adding a Toffee to his selection with Az eyeing-up Digne and Calvert-Lewin.

Owners of Harry Kane (£11.2m) have an easy route to the Everton target man after the Tottenham Hotspur striker was ruled out by Jose Mourinho.

Bamford’s Pukki Moment

Another way to free up a slot in our forward lines is to sell Patrick Bamford, whose recent downturn in performance makes him a prime candidate for the chop. 

Joe described it as a ‘Pukki Moment’, which is defined as “a highly-owned-once-high-performing player, who you can hop-off for a player that you are assuming will be the next big thing.

Against Newcastle United, the Leeds striker managed just one attempt, an off-target header, and three penalty area touches. Instead it was left to Raphinha to write the headlines, the Brazilian now has three goals and as many assists from a season in which he only started his first match in Gameweek 10.

But questions are being asked about Bielsa’s side, who suffered recent defeats to Spurs and Brighton before the narrow win over the Magpies. 

The convenient narrative is that they are knackered, Bielsa is like this harsh taskmaster and these poor Leeds guys are all sitting in the Victorian orphanage, all like “oh I can’t move any more” – and I just don’t buy that myself because these are fit blokes.

– Joe

But how do we explain the recent performances – have they been found out?

I think these players are at the maximum level of their ability and they are, on average, Championship players.

– Seb

Speaking on the Scoutcast, Leeds fan Seb gave an insightful explanation about the problems his beloved team encountered against Newcastle, before outlining what needs to change:

The solution for us is a new left-back and a new centre-mid but until that happens if teams continue to put pressure on us in the right places, which is the midfield and not centre-back … and force us into pressing high up the field and then out-numbering us with quality one-on-one players … teams can beat us.

Not a particularly optimistic outlook.

Chelsea’s New Tuch 

However, things are decidedly more upbeat in affluent West London with the arrival of head coach Thomas Tuchel. His appointment has got Fantasy managers wondering which Chelsea players will thrive under his stewardship.

Jamie highlighted a possession style of football and a preference for a narrow 4-2-2-2 formation, as well as an impressive number of goals per game achieved at previous clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund.

It’s worth noting that Tuchel tends to use high possession as a means of defending rather than attacking. And Tom included cut-price centre-back Antonio Rüdiger (£4.5m) in his trio of differentials for Gameweek 21, the 27-year-old could prove to be a budget route into the Blues backline.

Tuchel’s teams also favour shot quality over shot quantity. Consequently they can be a little boring to watch, as the goalless draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers illustrated.

And there will be question marks over several players including Reece James (£5.1m), who may find himself marginalised under a manager whose previous teams have produced a very low number of crosses.

Instead, Kai Havertz (£8.2m) could become a key figure for Chelsea, thanks to his ability to get the ball into the penalty box from central areas. Pro Pundit Lateriser noted the German playing closer to goal in Tuchel’s first match.

Target Teams Playing Newcastle

Tom signed midfielder Wilfried Zaha ahead of Gameweek 20 and is another looking to incorporate Calvert-Lewin. 

Part of his thinking behind those moves is a good run of immediate fixtures for both sides, especially upcoming matches against Newcastle. The Aston Villa fan noted:

Towards the end of Steve Bruce’s reign at Aston Villa, they were lacking any kind of structure with the same approach in every game, and there are a lot of similarities at Newcastle now.

– Tom

Az is even considering handing Calvert-Lewin the armband for Everton’s home encounter with Newcastle. Reflecting on a failed captaincy pick, the co-host of FPL Black Box wondered if we should start taking risks:

The logic of Fernandes was completely sound of course, but there is huge potential to get ahead if you can get the captaincy call right. The captaincy allows us to roll the dice for one week and if we want to elevate our seasons to the next level, getting on the right end of some of these calls could be a great way to rise up the ranks.

However Jan is not ready to trust Calvert-Lewin with the armband just yet:

Over the last six matches, only three teams have registered fewer goal attempts than Carlo Ancelotti’s men. While Everton are expected to win this match, it is probably a step too far to trust any of their attacking assets with an armband, especially as Newcastle and Steve Bruce will be “fighting for their lives”.

Instead, the double-points maestro turns to Pep Guardiola’s troops for his preferred armband picks.

Manchester City’s impressive form continued with lkay Gündogan (£5.8m) and João Cancelo (£6.0m) thriving against West Brom as Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) posted impressive stats and Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) put pressure on John Stones (£5.2m).

And, courtesy of G-Whizz, the clean sheet odds favour returns at both ends of the pitch, with City most likely to record a shutout (61 per cent) and Sheffield United least likely (nine per cent).

Sterling, Gündogan, and Cancelo all have their merits. But if you are struggling to decide between them, or suffering from ‘decision fatigue’, Seb has some advice:

There are too many variables to consider them all, you’ve got to make a decision that you can explain and then be happy with, and move on.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

RedLightning rounded-up the latest Community mini-leagues and competitions

The FFScout Community Members mini-league remains the Best League in FPL just ahead of Andy‘s youtube channel with the open-to-all league in fifth.

In the Head-to-Head Leagues, the fixtures have been generated for the second half of the season. The main page includes links for each Gameweek, while the fixtures for Gameweek 21 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

3,029 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Fishy billy
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    And is it to late to play this week, read theres an 11 am deadline, do I have to wait till next week to pick an 11 man team now ?

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      What on earth are you talking about?

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He's new. Starting now.

    2. Miguel Sanchez
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      For FPL yes deadline has passed. Not sure about Fantasy 5 - I imagine that is until kick off of first game

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I’ve just played it at 1208.

    3. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah too late for this week. Go to fantasy.premierleague.com and register your team there.

    4. Don Rogers FC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Take care of yourself

    5. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The game is for the season, not just the week. But you could start a new league with friends and start the scoring from next week if you like. You have time to figure that one out now

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

    People taking hits this week? Second GWs in a row I didn't, feels weird 😆

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes, a lot of people have. I did a -4

    2. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      It feels like a season of hits

      I’ve taken way more than in previous seasons but this season they’ve largely all worked out

    3. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Just checked your team - we're very similar - nice set up imo

      Also cool to drop so little after 6 consecutive red arrows a while back.

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

        Made lots of mistakes earlier in the season switching premiums captaincy in wrong times 🙁 bit lucky bouncing back capitalising BGW DGW hope to get ok-ish rank end of season 😆

  3. Im New Here
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ive gone mad and done Salah -> JRod

    Good luck everyone!

    1. Don Rogers FC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I thought about it, for a hit, bottled it. Good Luck!

  4. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Got lots of popular captain picks, cancelo, dcl, gundo, son but maybe wimped out with Salah captain.
    Fingers crossed!

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Unless Pool have proper CBs, too risky capping their players

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

        Absolutely. Don’t function at all with out at least one.

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

      Why Salah of all people?

  5. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I've absolutely bottled it and captained Gundogan F***!!!

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’m Gundo captain too Fudgy.

      You are having a great season aren’t you?

      1. Fudgy
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Half decent. I'm 190k. Definitely can push for another top 10k.

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

      Bottled on whom.

    3. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The real question is did you get DCL?

      Very attacking starting XI

      1. Fudgy
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Already own him

    4. SM001
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      How is that bottling it? Gundo could easily blank.

      1. Fudgy
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Because I wanted to captain DCL but bottled it out of fear

        1. La Roja
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          P*ssy

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

            Ha. Truly is.

    5. STEP rOVERS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fudge packet at it again

    6. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Your post do make me laugh with your sarcastic doom and gloom wit, to me a while to work that out 🙂

  6. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Scared not owning DCL now

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

      Why?

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Strong starting XI with attacking fullbacks in the team

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

          That is true. But he rarely goes big. Probs gets 9

  7. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Updated.

  8. 3 A
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I hope the result at fulltime is 1-0. DCL scores.

    I mean score own goal. Tq. Hehe

  9. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I've cracked it..

    Number of days in GW = Time takes for site to be updated

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

    My word benching is tough these days.

  11. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Very strong Everton team with attacking power. Expecting they will score 3+ goals.

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

      1 goal thriller incoming.

  12. ‘Tis the Season
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    All my mini league opponents played Soucek instead of Bam. I think I made the wrong call

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

      Have more self confidence.

  13. Bonus magnet
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    this is Hamez`s week

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

      Great player to own. I went Digne instead

  14. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Antonio & Soucek - please bully the Liverpool CBs.

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

      Benrahma vs. Rhys Williams might be fun to see.

    2. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Liverpool don't concede more than 1 anyway no matter how bad their defence.

    3. Crunchie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah too late know but went Soucek over Bamford as 1st sub? Good choice Hazz?

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

        Don't ask me, I brought in Kane early this week & benched Soucek last week.

        I sold Bamford & played Soucek today, so it's probably a fail for you.

        1. Crunchie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          lol thanks cheers Bud. Was going to do Soucek to Grealish for a -4 but bottled it 🙂

  15. xlvxr0
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Choose one for this gameweek:
    A) Werner
    B) Mahrez

    1. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Can choose 3?

      1. xlvxr0
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        hahaha extreme situation here bro

        1. ivantys
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          haha I think B has more chance of just starting alone.

          1. xlvxr0
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            thanks bro

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

      1. xlvxr0
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        thanks acdc

  16. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Big day of football today so I’ve decided to put a suit on and make notes on each game

  17. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I elected to sell Bamford for Richarlison instead of Mitchell for Digne. I do hope this was the correct hit to take.

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

      For a hit too. What a little b*tch.

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Felt the need to steal a march and remain ahead of the curve and other idioms

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

          I felt the week to Simon March. I’ll get my saddle.

  18. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Fudgy with Gundogan captain is guaranteed to fail the amount he whinges on here.

    FFS going to be fire around 16.17pm when he’s subbed off early.

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

      As much as Fudgy moans, he always does quite well.

      He knows this & laments his choices to failure each time so he can feel better about himself when they do pay off.

      It's a bit sad really, seeing it week-in, week-out.

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He just has a winning attitude

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          whining*

      2. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        What's even sadder is commenting on and being drawn into said sadness...

      3. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I think it is a front mate. Very sarcastic humour with a sad-sack face put on, on purpose

    2. Qaiss
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A week to be a little different due to the number of injuries or tricky fixtures and people captained Gündo. Lol.

  19. umerlfc
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cup opponent is a punter with Werner(c)

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Game week 21 and it pays off again with another 16 point haul?!

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

      You know what happens next.

      1. umerlfc
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah this might be the week I go out, the main concern is he has a fantastic team outside of this punt
        He's a Chelsea fan

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

    I’m watching Sharpe. I used to watch it in the 90’s, the image quality is so bad I can here that one of the characters is played by Daniel Craig. But I can’t actually see his face.

  21. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    DCL is now 80% in ML set up from here for top 10k wannabes

    Pretty sure I was just about the only one who played him last week.

  22. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    My mate somehow managed to get a bet on DCL to have a shot on traget in today's game at even money. Can't be right surely!

    That's a cracking bet!

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

      That’s pretty mad.

  23. alsybach
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I missed the deadline!
    Check to see who I captained.......Harry Kane!
    God I’m good at this..........

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

      Who’s your vice?

      1. alsybach
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Salah!

        1. 3 A
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Gdluck

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

          Good luck

    2. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He’ll probably start anyway

  24. xlvxr0
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Someone else here keeping faith on Mason Mount or i'm alone?

  25. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ryiad Mahrez
    Raheem Sterling
    Phil Foden

    .... time to perform big?

    Or the likes of

    Matheus Pereira
    Saka
    Soucek

    Continue to return points?

  26. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Cup opponent has benched souceck for salah

    I’ll start preparing for the next round

  27. highsguy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Me: Areola, Dias, Salah, Son(C), Raph, Watkins, DCL
    vs
    Cup opponent: Martinez, Robbo, Salah(C), Grealish, Son, Gundo, Bamford +4

    Think I might be out on this one... it was a good run

  28. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Grealish and DCL (c) in -4. Just fancy Everton to pick up their goal tally today.

  29. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Me template rating has gone from 81% to 64% with doing nothing, strange.

    Nice 100+ rank rise with no hit 🙂