Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice to FPL Gameweek 22

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 22 ahead of today’s 16:30 GMT deadline.

The January transfer window has now closed and Neale rounded-up the deadline-day deals including two new centre-halves joining Liverpool, and Takumi Minamino’s (£6.0m) switch to Southampton.

David examined how Gabriel Jesus (£9.2m) impacted Ilkay Gündogan (£5.8m) as the German didn’t manage a single shot on target against Sheffield United:

The return of Gabriel Jesus to the Manchester City team appeared to be a negative influence on Gündogan’s goal threat against Sheffield United … with a recognised centre-forward leading the line there were fewer opportunities for the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder to make dangerous runs into exposed pockets of space.

And Pep’s infamous roulette wheel struck again with John Stones (£5.2m) and João Cancelo (£6.0m) left out of the starting XI. David suspects this is just rotation and both players are in Neale’s predicted line-ups for the match against Burnley.

Are Newcastle not the pushovers we hoped they would be?

Last week Pro Pundit Tom thought the writing was on the wall for Newcastle United and suggested we target them when considering which players to buy. But the Magpies took everyone by surprise, including a lacklustre Everton, with a change of tactics.

In his Scout Notes, Colm Hayes included a revealing quote from manager Steve Bruce:

We’ve played a certain way for a long, long time – play a bit deeper, play on the counter attack. That’s something we’ve tried to work on and change. You hope you get a few results from it but that’s the way we want to go about our work. Over the last few weeks in particular we’ve tried to work on getting after the ball, pressing higher up the pitch and being more forward-thinking.

None were more disappointed than Ted, who had talked up the Toffees on the Scoutcast and tripled on Carlo Ancelotti’s side with a minus eight:

[Everton] showed signs of brilliance but the overwhelming thought was they struggled to create clear cut opportunities to score. I am hoping it’s just a matter of time before the key players start gelling again. Everton will need to get their mojo back fast ahead of the midweek clash with Leeds.

New Pro Pundit Seb Wassell will doubtless experience conflicting emotions tomorrow when his favourite football team comes up against his new centre-forward. A 4-3 Leeds win with a Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.6m) hat-trick the perfect result?

The actor and Leeds fan discussed his attempts at “dispassionate objectivity in his first Pro Pundit article. His decision to sell Patrick Bamford (£6.6m) for Calvert-Lewin had an element of overcompensating for a bias towards his own team:

Realistically, I do not believe my error was in interpreting the stats this way or that – plenty of people will have seen those and made their own, well-reasoned decisions – but rather in the fact that I am seemingly still looking for reasons to avoid Leeds, even now.

And Scout Network member El Statto isn’t quite ready to take the plunge on Everton players just yet:

The Toffees’ upcoming games are mixed so I’m not sure I would be rushing to bring in any of their assets. Lucas Digne could be a possible option due to the attacking threat he offers, but with everyone else averaging less than 4.0 points per game I feel there is much better value elsewhere.

Wasting Your Wildcard

David Wardale, the author of Wasting Your Wildcard, provided a typically informative and entertaining FPL round-up of the weekend’s matches. A formation switch for Crystal Palace and another blank for Bruno Fernandes (£11.4m) were discussed, and there was a game of contrasting 45 minutes for West Brom.

Matheus Pereira (£5.6m) was the star but could Mbaye Diagne (£6.0m), who emerged as a second-half sub, kickstart an unlikely revival?

David also reported on a resurgent Mohamed Salah (£12.6m), confirmed that Patrick Bamford might not be this season’s Teemu Pukki afterall, and found that Son Heung-min (£9.7m) struggles without Harry Kane (£11.1m). 

Salah is Jan‘s top pick for the captaincy this week:

With Liverpool’s Egyptian king ramping up back to his best, it is difficult to look past him, especially with increased goal-scoring responsibility if Mané is confirmed out for the visit of Brighton.

The Egyptian is included as part of a strong midfield three alongside Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) and Fernandes in the Scout Picks, with the selection panel hopeful the Portuguese can return to form:

Fernandes has still had the most shots, the most shots on target and has the highest expected goal involvement (xGI) of any midfielder over the last six Gameweeks, suggesting his good form should return soon.

Meanwhile, Marc Jobling reflected on Chelsea’s second match under new head coach Thomas Tuchel. The German is known to dislike his players crossing from wide positions and it was noticeable that the wing-backs, Marcos Alonso (£5.6m) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m), both drove inside towards the penalty area. A role Alonso is well suited to:

It’s the Alonso we remember from the past. His touches were in extraordinarily attacking positions and his 42 in the final third were ahead of everyone on the pitch, except for Mount.

One of Tom’s differentials this week, the Pro Pundit acknowledged the FPL legend comes with a health warning:

A move for Alonso this week does carry risk, knowing that Ben Chilwell is also pushing for a start, but there is a lot of upside too, given the Spaniard’s potential for big hauls. Will he now become first-choice? It’s impossible to say, but if Tuchel does opt to regularly use a back-three system, he’s certainly put forward a strong case.

Considering the competition for left wing-back berth, Antonio Rüdiger (£4.5m) could be a safer – and cheaper – route into the Chelsea backline. Picked out by Tom as one of his three differentials last week, as Marc noted, “the German has taken Zouma’s place in five of the last six matches and seems to be a Tuchel favourite”.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

The latest Community mini-leagues and competitions round-up from RedLightning will be published shortly after the deadline. It will include the winner of the January Manager of the Month award for the Community Members mini-league.

In the Head-to-Head Leagues, the fixtures have been generated for the second half of the season. The main page includes links to each Gameweek and can be linked to here. The fixtures for Gameweek 22 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

1,174 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Backed Antonio over TAA Alonso or Son. Hope he destroys Villa on the counter.

    1. Dele
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Haha! See below 😀

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

    Benched Antonio, full faith in the ability of Martinez.

    1. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Did the same.

    2. Firminooooo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Benched Martinez and played Antonio.

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

    Captained Cancelo.

    Oh dear

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

      Oh yes

    2. FatmanAndRobin
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I feel the same with Sterling... who knows who plays

    3. Cojones of Destiny
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      same here GL!

  4. Ibralicious
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Benching decision was easier this week as I just had to pick the one the scout picks put in the first team.

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

      Johnstone benched I hope. Brewster's time to shine...

  5. Kasper the ghost keeper
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Chances Gundogan benched and Cancelo starts cm?

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      what do you wanna hear?

      1. Kasper the ghost keeper
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        100%

        1. GOTHAM City F.C.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          60%

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

      Cancelo plays CM regardless of the scenario.

      1. Kasper the ghost keeper
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        True but if Gundo gets rested someone needs to step in to his place. Zinchenko and Walker at full back

    3. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I think he plays, and rested for Swansea fa cup, no one else to cover his role with Kev out..

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

    The first time I missed a deadline this season. It certainly saved my booty from really bad last minute transfers.

    Meslier
    Holding - TAA - Creswell
    Salah (C) - Bruno (VC) - Son (blank) - Gündo - Maddison
    Bamford - DCL

  7. MidTableFantasy
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Can't believe I actually brought in Firmino

    1. Firminooooo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lovely

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

      Oh Crap!!
      But hopefully it will teach you a lesson at least.

    3. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He’s playing Brighton not a bad fixture

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

    I need the Zambian bloke to go find the witch doctor and curse DCL

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

      He probably did some weeks back.

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

      and Martinez and Justin - I am ready to fund

    3. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Already paid him to curse Gundo ... sorry dude.

  9. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I think this week, certainly for me, and judging by the chat on here, is a benching nightmare for many .... and there will be orgasmic highs for some and brutal frustration and self recriminations for most ... tears of joy or tears doom .... all we know sure is there will be tears.

    Good luck everyone!

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      You too 🙂

  10. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Logs on.

    See Fudgy.

    Logs off.

    1. fedolefan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Respect.

  11. Here's Tom with the We…
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    With all the benching headache posts this gw, I for one, can’t wait for all the “argh, I knew I should’ve gone with my gut, and not followed the crowd” posts on here

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

      There will be plenty of those.

      1. Here's Tom with the We…
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Which game is favourite to get the first? Arsenal?

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

      As long as people followed my advice they ll be fine 😉

      1. Here's Tom with the We…
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Did you give any?? Lol

  12. FPL price manipulators are …
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    He's on the bench!!

    1. Il Capitano
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Robson-Kanu fail

  13. Debauchy
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Just saw the news the meaningful news Captain Tom has passed , what a special man he was , an inspiration to so many in the UK and indeed worldwide , RIP soldier

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Rip indeed he sure has done his bit for humanity before passing away.

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

      Yeah what a great man. So much respect for him.

      1. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Hey Rupe , yeah I followed his story like many at the time . Such a humble man just doing his bit and yet he was so much more than that.

  14. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    ⚽ Team News 📰
    SHU: Ramsdale, Baldock, Ampadu, Bogle, Egan, Basham, Lundstram, Fleck, Norwood, Sharp, McGoldrick
    Subs: Foderingham, Jagielka, Bryan, Lowe, Burke, Zak Brunt, Iliman Ndiaye, McBurnie, Brewster

    WBA: Johnstone, Townsend, Bartley, O'Shea, Ajayi, Snodgrass, Livermore, Pereira, Phillips, Diagne, Callum Robinson
    Subs: Button, Peltier, Gibbs, Furlong, Ivanovic, Sawyers, Gallagher, Grant, Robson-Kanu

    WOL: Patrício, Coady, Boly, Semedo, Kilman, Moutinho, Podence, Neves, Neto, Traoré, Willian José
    Subs: Ruddy, Richards, Hoever, Gibbs-White, Vitinha, Otasowie, Dendoncker, Fabio Silva

    ARS: Leno, Bellerín, Holding, David Luiz, Cédric, Xhaka, Pépé, Partey, Smith Rowe, Saka, Lacazette
    Subs: Rúnarsson, Gabriel, Chambers, Ceballos, Elneny, Ødegaard, Willian, Aubameyang, Martinelli

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Kilman!

    2. FatmanAndRobin
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Saka back.. lovely

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

      Pretty attacking Wolves line-up.

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

      Absolutely no one

    5. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bellerin holding David Luiz

      Ahhhh, that’s sweet.

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

        2nd best defence in league currently?

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Credit Partey

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

            Of course

  15. wulfrunian
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone else who benched Gundogan?

    1. Party time
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Pep will bench Gündoğan.

        Hope not tho

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

          Then I will need Thong Song to do something

          Prolly a nice and quiet 2 point game waiting for Lamela to pass him the ball

      • Eh, just one more thing ...
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yup ... first sub .... think the benching nightmare this week meant a fair few did the same ... GUNDO BENCHERS UNITE!!!

    2. fedolefan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Brewster on the bench. Haul incoming.

    3. FatmanAndRobin
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Brewster benched... few

    4. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Only Bruno for me today

      1. RamaJama
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bruno, Rashford, DDG here, expecting 6 points in total

      2. dshv
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Bruno johnstone for me

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

      Billy Sharp haul incoming

    6. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sold Bamford for Willian Jose last gameweek. And brought in Stones and benched Soucek the week before.

      Wonder how I’ve sabotaged my team this week?

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

      LETS GO LACA!

      1. Saka Punch
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Good pick

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

          had him since gw 18 WC, he's ticked over and I'm hoping he can continue to do so, do you think he is a better pick with auba in the team or not?

          1. Saka Punch
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            I think he might be at risk of a rest for next game with Auba able to come in at cf. I guess if he comes off around 60/70mins that'll be ideal for you

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

        Laca sounds like a Latin dance.

    8. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Forgot about deadline but thankfully team locked in fine, and able to roll FT and 4.8 ITB:

      Martinez (Areola)
      Cancelo Stones Digne (Dallas Coufal)
      Salah(c) Son Bruno Gundogan (Soucek)
      Antonio Watkins Bamford

      Only one playing today!

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

        That's my XI fella wish u luck!

        Just got (C)ancelo instead

    9. BrockLanders
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Willy Jose haul incoming

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        If there’s a god.

        1. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          What, have you got him TS?!

          1. Twisted Saltergater
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            might have 😉

            1. Top Lad Dakes.
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              Wow, now that’s a punt! Could pay dividends if he adapts quickly though, solid player

              1. Twisted Saltergater
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 1 month ago

                He’s got to do better than that waste of space Bamford.

                That was my thinking this time last week lol.

    10. Peter Ouch
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I honestly can't believe that I've managed to bank a transfer.

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

        It’s one of the great feelings in FPL

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

          Doesn't happen often to me haha

      2. FPL price manipulators are …
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I banked two

      3. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Same!

        1. Here's Tom with the We…
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Wish I had done last week

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

            Bam to dcl as well?
            I wish that too

      4. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Same. And I still own Kane.

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

          That's an achievement

      5. mrelpea
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        same! It was hard, my fingers were itching, but i pulled away as wouldve been doing it for the sake of it

    11. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Wish I had Saka this GW!

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Wish I didn't bench..

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

          Playing against Neto at LWB!

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

        Really loving watching him.

      3. BrockLanders
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This

    12. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Oh dear, thought Saka would start on bench... so, did Saka-> Grealish.

      Com'on Wolves!

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Saka is best Arsenal player atm, but no worries Grealish is a wonderful fpl asset

    13. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      10 minute till update me thinks.

      You?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        *months

      2. mookie
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I think I'll stop playing this game next season.

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

          Why?

          1. mookie
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            No transparency on price changes and now this. What's next? Won't be able to see our rivals teams?

        2. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Minutes gets autocorected to months hahahaha hahahah

          Unbelievable

    14. mookie
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The game hasn't updated yet. What a fecking joke!

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

        Been taking a lot longer than this lately.

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

        Always at least 40-45 minutes these days.

      3. Party time
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Fpl tower

        • Fudgy
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          It's a disgrace tbh the money they have

          1. Granville
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            What money? And how does money equate to dealing with 7 million players?

            1. Party time
                3 years, 1 month ago

                He is right

          2. Peter Ouch
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            That's not what I am not paying for

          3. RamaJama
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            It’s the main reason deadline was moved to 1.5 hours before kickoff - be sure game is updated before kickoff

          4. Camino Aleatorio
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Relax

        • Hybrid.power
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Saka first sub for me. If he hauls tonight that will be week 3 of my first sub doing the business. Just thought you should know.

        • Eh, just one more thing ...
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          GUNDO BENCHERS UNITE!

          1. Granville
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Pep joins in.