Scout Notes

Latest on Neto as injury forces Wolves into back-three at Fulham

Fulham 0-1 Wolves

  • Goals: Adama Traoré (£6.0m)
  • Assists: Fábio Silva (£5.2m)
  • Bonus points: Nélson Semedo x3 (£5.2m), Rui Patrício x2 (£5.3m), Rayan Aït-Nouri x1 (£5.0m)

FEED THE PACK

Fantasy Premier League managers prepared to back Wolves’ appealing run of fixtures were rewarded by Friday night’s 1-0 win at Fulham.

A switch to a three-man defence played an important role in the clean sheet although it took an injury to Pedro Neto (£5.7m) to bring it about.

So, yet again, Fantasy managers may need to pay attention to Nuno Espirito Santo’s next press conference if they want to predict Wolves’ defensive shape for Double Gameweek 32.

“Let’s see how he is. Let’s assess. It’s been tough moments not able to settle down the team. Always players with knocks going out. Let’s see how he is then let’s try to recover him.” – Nuno Espirito Santo

The Molineux side has been at the heart of transfer and Wildcard squads for some time with Monday’s 3-2 defeat against West Ham causing potential suitors for Conor Coady (£4.8m) to look elsewhere.

Without Jonny (£5.4m) and Willy Boly (£5.4m), the Hammers created serious problems for Wolves’ back-four but even before an enforced formational change, they went largely untested at Craven Cottage.

Such an outcome will certainly chalk one up for the fixture-over-form school of thought and is one that suggests Wolves defenders can still offer some value between now and the end of the season, possibly even regardless of shape.

THREE’S A CROWD

Despite Monday’s poor defensive showing, Nuno opted to go with the exact same back-four against Fulham, rather than revert to his side’s tried-and-tested three-man defence.

That meant back-to-back starts for Rayan Aït-Nouri (£5.0m) at left-back, while Nélson Semedo (£5.2m) operated on the other side of Romain Saïss (£4.9m) and Coady.

However, when Wolves gained greater control of their defensive third came in the 32nd minute when Neto, operating on the right-hand side of attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1 formation, was forced off with an injury.

Central midfielder João Moutinho (£5.2m) replaced his compatriot, triggering a reshuffling of Nuno’s pack. 

Leander Dendoncker (£4.6m) dropped out of midfield to join Coady and Saïss in a back-three, pushing Aït-Nouri and Semedo forward as wing-backs.

“Fulham were very organised and intense. Both teams were very compact.” – Nuno Espirito Santo

Further up the pitch, Daniel Podence (£5.3m) held onto his number 10 role while Adama Traoré (£6.0m) tucked in from his left-winger role to join Willian José (£6.8m) in a two-man front-line.

As mentioned above, whether or not Nuno deploys a similar set-up against Sheffield United, could be dependent on what happens with Neto.

Meanwhile, Boly is expected back in training on Tuesday following his positive coronavirus (COVID-19) test and period of self-isolation. He has operated both in a two-man centre-back pairing and three-man defence this season.

CRY WOLF

Despite coming away from Fulham with all three points, Wolves’ Friday-night win did little to inspire investment in their attacking assets.

Neto is comfortably their best performer in that department this season with five goals and eight assists in the Premier League, so losing him for any length of time is sure to damage their goal-scoring potential, regardless of how appealing their fixtures look.

After Neto left the Craven Cottage field, Saïss’ league tally for the season (three) was equal to that of Wolves’ front-three (Podence, Traoré and José) and he even came close to finding an opener in the 68th minute when he shrugged off competition from Ruben Neves (£5.1m) for a wayward direct free-kick.

That rather damning statistic admittedly nearly changed in the first half when José nodded home a Podence cross, the effort ruled out only after the latest token contentious VAR call.

And Traoré finally dispelled the aforementioned statistical nugget with his impressive stoppage-time strike, assisted by Fábio Silva (£5.2m).

Still, despite appealing upcoming fixtures, the fact that it was his first goal since December 2019 shows just how unreliable an asset Traoré remains.

“I’ve been working hard on aspects with the manager, working on my feet and my runs in behind. If I can grow like a player it will help the team. I know the moment will come. I had one chance with my left in the first half and another chance in the second half. The final chance come and I take it.” – Adama Traoré

“Very pleased, very pleased. Adama is unique. He played in different positions. He started on the left and he go to striker. He worked very hard and with his speed and his talent he can really punish teams.” – Nuno Espirito Santo

Fulham XI (3-4-2-1): Areola; Kongolo, Andersen, Aina (Cavaleiro 84′); A Robinson, Lemina, Reed (Maja 74′), Tete; Loftus-Cheek (Zambo Anguissa 63′), De Cordova-Reid; Mitrovic.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI (4-2-3-1): Patrício; Aït-Nouri, Saïss, Coady, Semedo; Neves, Dendoncker; Neto (Moutinho 32′), Podence (Gibbs-White 74′), A Traoré; Willian J (F Silva 78′).

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

Check your own rank and in-play FPL stats on LiveFPL.net every Gameweek

602 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    There is no effing way he should reasonably be benching Gundogan again, wtffff

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      somewhat makes up for selling him for Neto (scandinavian for value)

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Netto supermarket, where you at?

        1. beric
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          I'm in London, but the jingle from the old advert from when they briefly graced our shores is engrained in my mind

    2. Tango74
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I sold Gundogan for jota so hoping he’s benched

    3. Cookie Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Also did that with Nacho first benched so hoping to only have a slight pts deficit and an injured player for next week BB 🙂

      Ah small, tiny mercies

  2. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Just need a low scoring game with no CS.

  3. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Piss of Gundo should’ve sold!!

    1. Tango74
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I sold for jota and kept trossard

  4. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Dias, KDB, Gundogan, Mahrez & Foden all have 1 thing in common @ rockstar

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yes, they've all been posted about already.

    2. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Shaw and Vydra off bench for me.
      Not sure how to feel.

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Same here, feels trash.

  5. hogree
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    As a KDB seller and Cancelo capper, nervy four minutes. Make or break

    1. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      You'll be grand.

  6. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Ahahaha. That is bloody brutal. You’ve gotta laugh.

  7. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Actually a joke. Gundo is fit as a fiddle these days - he only blood played on Tuesday, after a full rest last GW.

    Bugger off Pep

    1. Tango74
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Why u not sell him and he’s also missing from GW33

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

        It is pretty funny.

      2. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Because there was no way he should've been benched for this game. Any reasonable indication would've said he should start.

        Yes obviously he's missing 33. I was planning to bench him but may as well sell now.

        1. Tango74
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Next season, easy don’t pick any city, be less devastating

  8. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    As a KDB captainer I guess I’m hoping for a 20 minute haul off the bench 🙁

  9. JJO
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    So my Kun captain and Gundo are not playing but Raphinha will come in to try to ruin my Stones CS
    That should be fun to watch

  10. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Was always going to be the way. Pep roulette.

  11. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Big hits this week coming to remove City assets for Pool

    1. Tango74
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Cancelo going this week for me for Liverpool def or spurs DGW

      I did Dias to jota for this GW

      1. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Gundogan to jota even

  12. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Down to 10 this week then most likely, if Jota is benched too. Vydra and Shaw off the bench for Gundo and Dias, Johnson the other sub...

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      why Jota benched?

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Champs league I guess

        1. beric
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          pure speculation though?

          1. Top Lad Dakes.
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Atm yes.

            1. beric
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              Great

      2. Salan
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        why jota not benched?

  13. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Someone in top 10K would appear to have TC on KdB

    Anyone have link to see who his VC is?

  14. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    WCs are a curse

  15. aborg
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Please Gundo be in the starting lineup.
    Gundogan owes me big time for the times I’ve been trolled by him whenever I did not own and did. I’ve lost too many points in my ML when he especially got captained and hauled !

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

      Nah he won’t be.

  16. lewis274
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    sterling C lol

  17. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    scenes 🙂

  18. dark91
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Why are people complaining already? Is the City line-up leaked?

  19. Dynamic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Ake, Mendy, Fernandinho (C), Zinchenko, Bernardo, Torres, Sterling, Jesus

  20. hogree
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sold KDB and capped Cancelo lets gooooooooo

    1. beric
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      wow nice

  21. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    MAN CITY TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Leeds: Ederson, Mendy, Cancelo, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Bernardo, Torres, Sterling, Jesus

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Ake!!!!!!!!!

  22. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    MAN CITY TEAM NEWS

    Team to play Leeds: Ederson, Mendy, Cancelo, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Bernardo, Torres, Sterling, Jesus

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      LEEDS TEAM NEWS

      Team to play Man City: Meslier, Ayling, Cooper, Llorente, Alioski, Raphinha, Dallas, Phillips, Roberts, Bamford, Costa

  23. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mad rotation from Pep.. but expected

  24. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    KDB to Sterling(C) success! Come on Raz big haul needed

    1. Dannyb
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Same, gl

  25. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    AKE captain let’s go!!!

  26. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Pep is such an ass. If course he plays Zinchenko in midfield.

    1. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Lol

  27. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    LEEDS TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Man City: Meslier, Ayling, Cooper, Llorente, Alioski, Raphinha, Dallas, Phillips, Roberts, Bamford, Costa

  28. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Happy with that as a KDB & Gundo seller. Dallas coming in for Dias so can fully support Leeds in this one 😆

  29. ‘Tis the Season
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    COME ON STERLING (C) ❗

    1. lewis274
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      same here , need a massive haul

  30. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    That’s one of Pep’s more predictable lineups