Scout Picks

Gameweek 23 Scout Picks built on Man United and West Ham assets

Manchester United and West Ham players form the spine of our Gameweek 23 Scout Picks XI.

In a side chosen by David, Neale, Tom and Andy, we have included five players from the two clubs ahead of this weekend’s fixtures.

We line up in a 3-4-3 formation this time, which comes in at £73.8m, a staggering £9.2m inside our budget of £83.0m.

GOALKEEPER

Salah and blanks again as Brighton defensive assets shine ahead of good run 3

Robert Sanchez (£4.4m) was a relatively simple inclusion in the Scout Picks this week as Brighton continue to prove the doubters wrong. They have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four matches, including against Liverpool and Spurs, while Gameweek 23 opponents Burnley are the lowest-scoring Premier League team this season (13 goals).

DEFENDERS

Salah and Fernandes blank again as focus shifts to defensive assets 8

Aaron Cresswell (£5.6m) is the first of our West Ham triple-up as they travel to face Fulham on Saturday afternoon. The left-back has created more chances than any other Hammers defender over the last four matches while six of his eight assists have come on the road this season. Meanwhile, Fulham have failed to score in three of their last five.

Long-term owners of Luke Shaw (£4.9m) were finally rewarded when the Manchester United full-back delivered two assists against Southampton, before being dragged off at half-time. After delivering the most crosses and creating the most chances out of all defenders in the last six Gameweeks, we are backing Shaw to deliver the goods again when Everton come to Old Trafford.

Antonio Rüdiger (£4.5m) has well and truly forced his way back into contention at Chelsea. After starting each of the last two league matches under Frank Lampard, the German international has played every minute of Thomas Tuchel’s reign as Blues manager. Chelsea are yet to concede since the appointment of their new boss and, in Gameweek 23, face a Sheffield United side second-bottom for goals scored this season (14).

MIDFIELDERS

In Gameweek 22, Bruno Fernandes (£11.4m) punished the majority of Fantasy Premier League’s top 10,000 players who chose to captain Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) with a 17-point haul, equalling his highest score this season. Even after a couple of blanks, Fernandes has had the most shots on target and created the most chances in the last six Gameweeks.

Son Heung-min (£9.7m) earns a place in the Scout Picks mostly on account of his favourable fixture in Gameweek 23. West Bromwich Albion have conceded at least twice in each of their last seven Premier League matches.

No Premier League midfielder can better Jack Grealish‘s (£7.8m) 10 assists this season, with one of those coming against Saturday’s opponents, Arsenal in Gameweek 8. After Bernd Leno’s (£5.0m) red card against Wolves, the Gunners could be forced to field their third choice keeper, Alex Rúnarsson (£4.4m).

It is getting harder and harder to ignore Tomas Soucek (£5.3m) after the big Czech international scored his eighth goal of the season against Aston Villa. Soucek has scored the most headed goals out of all midfielders this season and faces a Fulham team who have conceded 20 headed attempts in their last six.

FORWARDS

Newcastle stick with back five for relegation six-pointer against Sheffield United

Callum Wilson (£6.8m) has been the one shining light in an otherwise awful season for Newcastle. He comes up against Southampton on Saturday who, as well as just being hit for nine by Manchester United, also have an injury crisis at the back.

The in-form West Ham striker Michail Antonio (£6.6m) has hit attacking returns in four of his five last games. With the highest expected goals rating (xG) of any forward in the last six Gameweeks, we are backing Antonio to continue his impressive form against a Fulham side whose recent defensive improvements have stuttered.

Patrick Bamford (£6.6m) is becoming a very reliable Fantasy asset this season adding improved creativity to his goal threat of late. In the last four matches, only Fernandes has created a higher number of big chances than the Leeds’ centre-forward, who has produced three assists in that time.

Substitutes

  • Nick Pope (£5.5m)
  • Matt Lowton (£4.4m)
  • Dan Burn (£4.2m)
  • Raphinha (£5.3m)

THE CAPTAIN

Who are the best captain options for FPL Gameweek 36+?

We choose the Scout Picks captain using a four-way vote between our Scout Squad pundits.

Because we use Fantasy Football Scout data so heavily in this process, the skipper we choose each Gameweek is known only to those with a valid Fantasy Football Scout subscription and revealed to the public only when the deadline has passed.

Here’s how we voted for Gameweek 23:

1,095 Comments Post a Comment
  1. choco27
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Please help me to pick 3 players to start this GW:
    A. Antonio
    B. Bamford
    C. C. Wilson
    D. Soucek
    Thanx before

    1. Super Sharpe Shooter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      ABC. Antonio looked really good at Villa, back to full fitness. Bamford undroppable right now and Wilson up against a Soton defence shot to pieces. Even if Soucek pops up he's unlikely to get more than one goal, which won't hurt you.

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

    Team:
    Mccarthy, coufal, Justin, dallas,
    Salah, son(c), Fernando's, soucek
    Antonio, Bamford
    Bench - gundogen, che Adams, dias.

    Have I got that bench right?

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

    1 ft
    I have cancelo, stones, Justin and chillwell at the back so need to change due to bench risk

    Thinking Chilwell out, but for who?

    A shaw
    B rudiger
    C alonso
    D Cresswell
    E any other suggestions

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mee. dgw 24 & good fixture this week

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

        Thanks hadn't thought of that!

    2. Super Sharpe Shooter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Build for the DGW and get a Burnley defender? If not then A

  4. Bookmark
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play two

    Gundogan
    Dallas
    Bamford
    Grealish
    Stones (have Cancelo)

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

      Bam and Grealish

  5. PScholes18
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG or moves needed?
    Meslier
    Tarkowski - Maguire - Coufal
    Bruno (C) - Salah - Sterling - Barnes Soucek
    Antonio - Bamford
    Ederson - DCL - Cancelo - Mitchell

  6. Suwoo
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who will score most
    A: Messier - Dias
    B: Martinez - Dallas
    C: messier - Dallas
    D: Martinez - Dias

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      d long run

    2. makivelja
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      D definetly.

  7. Etern007
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How does this look?

    Pope
    Dallas / Cancelo / Justin
    Salah / Bruno (c) / Grealish / Gundo / Soucek
    Antonio / Bamford

    Bench: Johnstone / Coufal / DCL / Stones

    Thinking 3-5-2 this week. Options:

    a) Stick and G2G with the above
    b) Gundo > Coufal (and go 4-4-2)

    Thoughts?

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

      Wouldn't change Gundo, they are in form, Liverpool are not + possible penalty.

  8. Rollercoaster
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Need advise, my team atm:
    Martinez (Johnstone)
    Stones-Cancelo-Cresswell (AWB-Mitchell)
    Bruno-Sterling-Barnes-Salah (Soucek)
    Wilson-Bamford-DCL

    If I bench one City-player, which one, or should I go with 4 def and bench DCL?
    is Soucek a better choice than Barnes?

    Any thoughts? Think I'm gonna roll

  9. ididnt
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench dilemma - bench one of:

    Cancelo
    Dias
    Rudiger
    Barnes
    Gundogan

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      1 of the city defenders

    2. makivelja
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Would bench Cancelo only cause Dias is more secure options. Dunno who is Gvardiola gonna start on the sides.

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

      Dias.

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

      Cancelo

  10. vova
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench 1:

    A) Mee
    B) Stones
    C) Dias

    Have Pope playing.

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

      Stones or dias

    2. Super Sharpe Shooter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I have Pope and Mee and I've benched Stones

  11. ididnt
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captain Antonio or Bruno?

    1. Etern007
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm going with Bruno (and I have both of those)

  12. The Ilfordian
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Root out 218!

  13. JenkoJunko
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Morning! Worried about how poorly Im set up for coming DGWs
    1FT 0.2ITB
    Martinez
    TAA Cresswell Cancelo
    Salah Sterling Bruno Soucek
    Antonio Wilson DCL

    Forster / Holding / Bissouma / Neco

    A. Hold and Roll and have 2FTs to sort for the double next GW
    B. Downgrade TAA - Dias, Mee, Lowton, Digne????
    C. B+ Upgrade Bissouma - Lookman, Gundo, Foden, Raphina???

  14. makivelja
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Hey all,

    So... Grealish and Firmino out
    Son and Watkins in for -4?

    Or should i go Dias > Rudiger now and Firmino > Kane next week?

    Cheers guys.

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

    Play 3 from these?

    Cancelo, Robertson, Mee, Coufal, White

  16. Sz21
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope, Soucek, Son, + 6.9m striker of choice for a -4.
    Is this bench good enough to activate the BB- yes or no we reckon?

    Thinking it could be good to get it done and build a WC team in 25 not too dependent on DGW 26.