With so many Fantasy Premier League managers planning a Gameweek 31 Wildcard, there is a lot of freedom from Gameweek 30.
For some, it provides the opportunity for a one-week punt, so we’ve asked the Scout Network to pick out their favourite options based on the fixtures this weekend.
El Statto
Clean sheets are the best starting point for an FPL defender’s value and, at home to West Bromwich Albion, I am expecting another one for Chelsea this weekend. With Reece James (£5.0m) there is always the option of attacking returns thanks to his impressive delivery from wide, so he would be a good pick this week for points possibilities at both ends.
A home game against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 30 should result in a comfortable home win for Everton. With four goals in his last six games Richarlison (£8.0m) goes into the game with some for form behind him. Palace are averaging 1.9 goals against in their away games so every chance there will be a few goals for Everton and Richarlison in this one.
El Statto
FF Titan
Jesse Lingard (£6.2m) has been in sensational form since joining West Ham and is showing no sign of slowing down. He made his away back into the England team and that can only do great things for his confidence. With returns in six of his seven starts he looks a great pick for Gameweek 30.
Chelsea have been rock solid under new management and play a West Brom side who have only scored twice in their last seven games. Chelsea look destined for a clean sheet and no Blues defender is as nailed on as club captain Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.8m). He has started every game under Tuchel and is currently enjoying a two-week break because of his non-involvement with the Spanish national team.
FF Titan
FPL Family
Newcastle have only kept one clean sheet in their last four Premier League matches and they are top for defensive tackles lost across the same period. In contrast, Spurs have scored eight goals in the same period, the fourth-best in the league. Harry Kane (£11.6m) is top for goals scored among forwards this season (17) and with the likely return of Son Heung-min (£9.4m) he will have his supply line reopened.
There are not many opponents more appealing than Sheffield United this season, especially since Chris Wilder left the club. The Blades have conceded 50 goals over the course of the season and lost 23 matches. Leeds should be able to capitalise on this and, if he recovers from the knock, I expect Patrick Bamford (£6.7m) to have plenty of opportunities to add to the 14 goals and six assists he has registered in the Premier League this season.
FPL Family
Ted Talks FPL
Operation ‘Target Sheffield United‘ should be on everyone’s radars. The Blades have the highest figure for expected goals conceded (xGC) over the last six matches and are still without a replacement for Wilder. Leeds host Sheffield United in Gameweek 30 and will look to put as many past Ramsdale as they can. Bamford could be one to fear this week and even a captain contender. He suffered a knock against Fulham but is likely to recover over the international break.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.6m) must relishing the prospect of facing a Crystal Palace side who have conceded 59 shots in the box in the last six Gameweeks; only Sheffield United and Wolves have conceded more. Calvert-Lewin scored against Burnley in Gameweek 28, and has added a further two to his season tally during the international break. Among forwards over the last four Gameweeks, only Kelechi Iheanacho (£5.7m) and Kane have recorded more big chances than the Everton frontman.
Ted Talks FPL
FPL Experiment Podcast
Raphinha (£5.7m) has the perfect combination of going into Gameweek 30 with excellent form and a great fixture. Leeds are flat-track bullies, with their performances against the bottom seven teams seeing them take 24 points from a possible 27. And Raphinha’s recent form would suggest if Leeds score he will be involved. Since Gameweek 22, the Brazilian leads the way in the league for chances created and big chances created. He looks primed to perform this week.
Despite Tuchel’s Chelsea being a force to be reckoned with defensively (11 clean sheets from 14 games), they are yet to set the world alight from an attacking perspective. There are few more prime opportunities to change that than a visit from West Brom, who have conceded 57 goals this season, more than any other side. Looking at the Chelsea attacking prospects who are statistically less immune to rotation, Mason Mount (£7.0m) looks like the standout option. Mount has racked up nine goal attempts over the last four games (scoring once),he has also created seven chances for his team mates over the same period.
FPL Experiment Podcast
Bendito Fantasy
Después de un bien merecido descanso en nuestro querido FPL, estamos listos para el regreso del futbol de cara a la Jornada 30. En esta ocasión hay dos escuadras que llaman la atención, la primera es Chelsea, que se ha convertido en una de las mejores defensas de la liga y enfrenta al débil ataque de West Brom. Antonio Rudiger (£4.7m) ha sido pieza clave en el esquema de Tuchel para este resurgimiento defensivo y es uno de los jugadores con mejor precio y partido para esta jornada.
Muchos nos preparamos para la Jornada 29 con jugadores de Leeds, y su enfrentamiento de la Jornada 30 se presta para mantenerlos en nuestros equipos, ya que se verán las caras con un débil Sheffield United. En el papel este partido es muy atractivo para una escuadra tan agresiva al ataque como Leeds, particularmente para Raphinha que se ha convertido en el generador de futbol de la escuadra entera. Ya sea por pases clave, oportunidades creadas o intentos directos a gol. Raphinha siempre está entre los mejores en la liga.
Bendito Fantasy
What’s happening in the Scout Network?
On this week’s Scout the Gameweek Sam will be joined by Greg, Nick and Adam from the FPL Experiment Podcast. They will look back over Gameweek 29 and the international break and ahead to Gameweek 30.
El Statto
The first week of the International break has been busy behind the scenes. A new member has joined the team at Jumpersforgoalposts.info over the international break and he has so refreshed the homepage imagery. The second week of the break, will see a return of FPL content and articles ahead of the Gameweek 30 deadline.
FF Titans
FF Titans have produced two feature pieces on two FPL managers still in the FPL Cup. During this second part of the international break they will also be rounding-up the the top FPL players and how they played for their countries.
Bendito Fantasy
Bendito Fantasy tuvo una pequeña reunión en la semana para platicar de un tema que se hizo muy popular en la semana, el “effective ownership” y los riesgos a tomar en la capitanía de cara al final del torneo. Esta semana estaremos de regreso tanto en youtube como podcasts para desglosar la J30 y la capitanía.
FPL Family
Over the last couple of weeks Lee and Sam have been realising Sam’s Women in FPL series over on their YouTube channel. This week saw the release of the final part of the content with the PLP presenters ahead of content with some of the female content creators in the community. They also reached the 9k followers milestone over on Instagram and will be appearing this week on both the Official FPL Podcast and the FPLShow.
Ted Talks FPL
Ted has continued to release new content on his social media channels over the course of the international break. This week he will busy with FFScout activity answering your questions over on the FFScout Community twitter page on Wednesday evening, taking part in Saturday morning’s Breakfast Club and producing his weekly Gameweek round up video on Monday.
3 years, 21 days agoWill Lingard keep his form? Fixtures are decent.