Scout Notes

Can we trust Gareth Bale as an FPL asset after his Double Gameweek 26 haul?

Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 Burnley

  • Goals: Gareth Bale (£9.3m) x2, Harry Kane (£11.1m), Lucas Moura (£6.6m)
  • Assists: Son Heung-min (£9.5m) x2, Bale, Sergio Reguilon (£5.5m)
  • Bonus: Bale x3, Son x2, Reguilon x1

The signs were there in the second-half showing against West Ham United last weekend, along with Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League ties either side of Gameweek 25.

And Gareth Bale (£9.3m) finally, belatedly, reemerged onto the Fantasy Premier League scene in spectacular fashion on Sunday, almost eight years after his first heyday ended.

The winger’s 19-point haul included two goals of his own, both set up by Son Heung-min (£9.5m), with the Welshman claiming the assist for Harry Kane‘s (£11.1m) strike with a raking 50-yard pass.

The least-selected FPL asset in the Spurs starting XI on Sunday, Bale’s ownership has, unsurprisingly, doubled overnight.

#9 DREAM

£9.3m is a significant sum of money to spend on what is still a bit of an FPL gamble, particularly when proven performers – and more secure starters – like Son are available for a very similar price.

For the small minority who already own Bale, they will feel quietly confident of another start in the second instalment of Spurs’ Gameweek 26 double-header.

The Wales international was taken off after 69 minutes of Sunday’s thrashing of Burnley, perhaps with one eye on the trip to Fulham on Thursday.

The question for prospective new owners in Gameweek 27 is this: if he does start at Craven Cottage, will he then be asked to go again 72 hours later against Crystal Palace on Sunday given his patchy track record with fitness and injury problems?

Jose Mourinho’s post-match comments yesterday do cast doubt on that happening:

A player that gives me this kind of performance of course I want to play him on Thursday and on Sunday, and I want to play him next week against Dinamo Zagreb but I don’t think I can. I don’t think I can.

So this is a process that we have to manage day by day and see how he feels tomorrow and see how he feels after tomorrow. He’s a very important part of this decision-making because he has a lot of experience.

DEEP KANE SON FOCUS

FULL-BACK ATTACK

With talk of Bale dominating, slightly going under the radar is the return to fitness of Sergio Reguilon (£5.5m).

Reguilon’s recent injury and Serge Aurier‘s (£5.2m) mid-season dip in form has deprived the Lilywhites of the on-song full-back pairing that started the bulk of the games during their autumnal purple patch.

Both were reunited in the same starting XI for the first time since Gameweek 19 and, unsurprisingly, gave Spurs more of an attacking impetus than the more defence-first Japhet Tanganga (£4.9m) and Ben Davies (£4.6m).

While far from Luke Shaw‘s (£5.1m) levels of creativity, the pair do sit in the top ten for ‘big chances created per 90 minutes’ among FPL defenders.

DAT GUY

Kane and Son deliver again as Spurs prepare for appealing fixture swing

Also to be noted is the recent redeployment of Tanguy Ndombele (£5.9m) as a deeper midfielder alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (£4.9m).

Operating as a number ten for much of the season, Mourinho’s decision to shift Ndombele back is an attacking move on two fronts. One, it frees up an extra spot for a Lucas or an Erik Lamela (£5.7m) behind Kane. And two, Ndombele is simply better on the ball than Moussa Sissoko (£4.7m) or Harry Winks (£5.1m) in the double-pivot.

A whopping 92% of his passes in the opposition half were successful against Burnley, with his total of 29 successful passes forward (ie not meaningless, crab-like distribution) the best of any midfielder or forward on show in north London.

So with Bale’s renaissance, the return of two offensive full-backs and a change of role for Ndombele, is this a new attack-minded Spurs we Fantasy managers can get excited about in the run-in?

The Fulham test on Thursday will perhaps be a better gauge of that, as the Cottagers are one of the division’s most in-form defences.

POPE FALLIBLE AFTER ALL

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As for Burnley, this was a rare day to forget defensively and the first time that Nick Pope (£5.6m) has shipped more than two goals in a single match since Gameweek 7.

Despite the paragraph title, the England international wasn’t really to be blamed for any of Spurs’ four strikes and actually kept the score down with two excellent second-half saves from Kane and Son.

It was a performance in reverse of what we would expect from the Clarets, in that they looked suspect at the back and offered quite a bit of threat going in the opposite direction – only to be undone by the profligacy or poor touch of Matej Vydra (£4.8m), in particular.

The midweek visit of a tired-looking Leicester side set to be without creative sparks James Maddison (£7.3m) and Harvey Barnes (£6.9m) should give Sean Dyche’s side the perfect chance to bounce back from a defensive perspective, while Chris Wood (£6.2m) could be fit enough to lead the line for the first time since January.


Tottenham Hotspur XI (4-2-3-1): Lloris; Aurier (Doherty 81′), Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon; Ndombele, Hojbjerg; Bale (Lamela 70′), Lucas (Alli 66′), Son; Kane.

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor; Brownhill, Cork (Stephens 81′), Westwood, McNeil; Rodriguez (Richardson 88′), Vydra (Wood 73′).

272 Comments Post a Comment
  1. HashAttack
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Seen a lot of comments re like-for-like replacements for Barnes ... is that the right way to go?

    I've used my BB and currently my 7th and 8th ranked attackers are Raphinha and Watkins - I think it's time to have a 4.4m attacker (e.g. Jones), play Raphinha as my 7th attacker and upgrade somewhere else with the additional funds

    1. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Agree. I think of the cheapies Willock is best especially for those who need someone playing in 29 - solid stats since he moved and nailed.

      1. HashAttack
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        Thanks - the tricky thing is whether to commit to 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 ... planning on holding WC until gw34

  2. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Arsenal fans- presume Auba was rested as he played midweek, is he preferred to start league games over Laca?

    1. Parsnips
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Not sure now. As laca and others did well against Leicester I can see Arteta playing the same team against Burnley

  3. JELLYFISH
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Best replacement option for Lowton?

    a) Konsa
    b) Dawson
    c) Holding
    d) other (max 4.6 budget)

    1. CABAYE4
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I’m planning A as long as he doesn’t rise in price before Thursday.

      1. JELLYFISH
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        Spurs fixture in gw29 is putting me off him though

        1. CABAYE4
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 28 days ago

          Certainly not ideal but the fixtures around it (particularly GW30 as may BB) and the fact they have a game is enough for me.

          Wouldn’t surprise me if there were no CS’s at all GW29...

          1. JELLYFISH
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 28 days ago

            I think Brighton arguably have the best fixture in the round ... might consider carrying the FT over and monitor Lamptey's progress

    2. SallySlayer
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Thomas at Leicester (4.2) ?

      1. JELLYFISH
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        Want someone thats nailed

    3. MOTHRA
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Rudiger

      1. JELLYFISH
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        It would be a no brainer if he was playing gw29

        1. Men in green tights
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 28 days ago

          What about white or veltman

          1. JELLYFISH
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 28 days ago

            Yes certainly worth a look - cheers

  4. Trippier Hazard
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Haven't watched the game vs Arsenal but any thoughts on whether Luke Thomas will start next Leicester game?

    1. MOTHRA
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      If I’d played like that, I’d expect to be on the bench. It was rough on him.

  5. The Colonel
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Those that still have all your chips intact, what's the strategy?

    1. lindeg
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      If no obvious DGW candidate, ill TC in GW38 which usually is a goals galore. WC in GW30 and no idea about BB.

  6. lindeg
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    How likely is a DGW for Villa in GW28?

    1. PompeyUpNorth!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      75/25 likely imo

  7. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Who’s coming to the DCL party tonight then?

    1. JELLYFISH
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      like its 1999

    2. Boly Would
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Hopefully Digne

      1. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        +1

    3. PompeyUpNorth!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I’m there!!! Can’t wait... and Digne for some added garnish to the buffet..

    4. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Party cancelled due to COVID police raid.................

  8. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    I can field this team for gw27. Go ahead and replace Barnes, or save the FT?

    Martinez
    Cancelo, Stones, Coufal
    Bruno, Salah, Gundo, Raphinha
    DCL, Kane, Bamford
    (Pope; Mee, Kilman, Barnes*)

    1. lindeg
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Im saving it as i can field a decent team without, extra days of information is key.

      1. jdp219
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 28 days ago

        Yep. That's not a bad team above, but can't decide whether I really need to make the transfer.

  9. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Which is the better sub;

    A) Salah --> KDB(c)
    B) Barnes --> Lingard (Kane captain)

  10. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Will everton lose again when they are expected to sin easily?

    1. Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      *win

    2. MOTHRA
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      For a moment then I thought you’d come from the ‘Goodison Church’..

    3. PompeyUpNorth!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Nah...3.0... DCL n Digne combining 3 times.. lovely..

  11. Pepeye
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Is DCL fit and nailed on for tonight's match?

    1. PompeyUpNorth!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      I sincerely hope so...

  12. InterUranus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Anyone thinking Barnes > Soucek given how bad Leeds are at corners/set plays?

    1. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      Soucek is still great value, but you got to play him always or he will troll you with braces when he is on your bench.

  13. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 28 days ago

    Mee to?
    A. Dunk
    B. Targett

    1. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 28 days ago

      dunk