Scout Notes

Five FPL blanks in seven for Bruno as Greenwood’s fine late-season form continues

Manchester United 3-1 Burnley

  • Goals: Mason Greenwood (£7.0m) x2, Edinson Cavani (£7.9m) | James Tarkowski (£5.3m)
  • Assists: Marcus Rashford (£9.5m), Paul Pogba (£7.6m), Donny van de Beek (£6.6m) | Ashley Westwood (£5.3m)
  • Bonus: Greenwood x3, Rashford x2, Cavani x1

Manchester United’s win over Burnley on Sunday means that the Red Devils need just eight points from their final six games to secure a top-four spot.

The concerns from a Fantasy perspective are that Ole Gunnar Solksjaer may start preserving key individuals around their upcoming Europa League semi-final, particularly as there is little meaningful left to play for on the domestic front – assuming they have given up the ghost of catching their cross-city rivals.

But there was little evidence of minute-management in Gameweek 32, with United pretty much at full strength for the visit of the Clarets.

BLANK BRUNO

Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) may have swerved the kind of rotation that has plagued the popular FPL assets at Manchester City and Chelsea but there was little reward for those Fantasy managers who have kept faith with the Portuguese schemer, as he blanked for the fifth time in seven matches.

He averages just four points per match from Gameweek 26 onwards, a seven-game spell that represents his worst run as a Fantasy asset since his move to England.

In mitigation, there have been meetings with Chelsea, Manchester City, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur in a tricky-ish recent run – but blanks against the likes of Crystal Palace and Burnley have been more of a concern.

We’ll delve more into his recent output in a Members article this week.

RASH’S CHALLENGE

Rashford shrugged off an ongoing foot problem to feature in this encounter, beginning the game up front in a central role. That was a bit of a blow to owners of Edinson Cavani (£7.9m), who would have been expecting the veteran Uruguayan to start more games than not in the absence of Anthony Martial (£8.6m).

In the end, Cavani came off the bench to score; over half of his FPL attacking returns this season have come when he has been a substitute.

As for Rashford, his manager said of his fine display and ongoing fitness battle:

I asked him how he was because he played so well. And I think because he played so well and he felt good out there, he was trying to force a 90-minute out of him. But he said that he was too sore. So it’s just pain that comes after he’s played for 60-70 minutes. He lasted for 80 almost today, so that was progress.

GAMES MASON

Rashford and Fernandes have five attacking returns apiece in the last nine Gameweeks – a total that Greenwood has matched in his last three outings.

Following his 15-point haul against the Clarets, the teenage forward is the fourth-most bought FPL asset of Gameweek 33 at the time of writing.

His benching against Spurs was a prime example of how there’ll always be the threat of rotation hanging over his head, particularly as United reach the latter stages of the Europa League.

But at £7.0m, there’ll still be a few takers.

His second goal was fortuitously deflected in but the goal rush has been no fluke: when FPL assets are filtered by their last four matches, Greenwood is top of the pile for shots in the box.

POPE MOBILE

Fantasy community eyes Burnley clean sheet in first Double Gameweek match

Missing from the Burnley side again was Nick Pope (£5.5m), who is working his way back from a shoulder injury.

Sean Dyche said after full-time:

We had to make a judgement call. We think he’s got every chance to be fit for next week.

Not that Pope’s availability has made much of a difference, as the usually solid Clarets are on the division’s longest run without a clean sheet (seven games) and have kept just four shut-outs in their last 20 fixtures.

James Tarkowski (£5.3m) grabbed Burnley’s goal but the in-form Chris Wood (£6.3m) once again impressed, being denied a goal after 15 seconds by the offside flag and posing a nuisance the United backline.

He himself has had 16 shots in his last four matches, just one behind Greenwood.

Matej Vydra (£4.8m) was benched, meanwhile, with Dyche later confirming that he wanted an extra man in midfield to deal with United’s strength in central areas.

Tarkowski’s goal means that United have conceded to every team ranked 7th or below bar Wolves this season, with half of their 12 clean sheets coming against the top six.


Manchester United XI: Henderson, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Fred (Cavani 45), McTominay, Greenwood, Fernandes, Pogba, Rashford (van de Beek 84).

Burnley XI: Peacock-Farrell, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Taylor, Gudmundsson (Rodriguez 88), Cork, Brownhill (Vydra 88), McNeil, Westwood, Wood.

447 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    How’s it going chaps? 😎

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

      Don’t ask

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Any team news?

    2. Pulp Minion
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I played bench boost and already have 2 players not playing.
      *Facepalm*

  2. Free Hat
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Positive for Salahs benching could be a safer Cpt option vs New next gw.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Just said that above.

    2. OLD Rafiki
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      it's devastating

    3. Lemongrab
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Good point. Silver lining on an otherwise annoying benching

      1. PompeyUpNorth!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I’m well happy. Ditched him for Son to do the Hokey Cokey this week..

  3. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Please let me practice for later on.

    Jootaaaaa juuuuhuuuu you beauty brace and double digit score juuhuu

    Feel free to practice\for your player in the comments 😉 too

    Cheers,

    1. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      What is Juuhuu?

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

        International celebration "phrase/word" in many languages.

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

          Yippee in English?

          1. FPL Daniel
            • 14 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            it's woooohooooo - international version. Baps is right.

      2. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        It's so annoying

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      You doing it is more than enough.

    3. OLD Rafiki
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      you have to stop

    4. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      both CS gone - yessssssssss

  4. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    No relegation in PL this season?!? Instead 6 teams going up? I wonder if PL has guts to do it.

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

    MNF being streamed live on YouTube if it hasn’t been said.

    Neville and Carra been very good

  6. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I had no players from the previous 3 fixtures(Wolves, SHU, M Utd, Burnley, Arsenal and Fulham). Needed Salah to start.

    Hope Jota and TAA deliver.

  7. Krafty Werks
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Post wildcard and it feels weird to be watching Leeds play without cheering on the likes of Bamford, Raphinha & Dallas, they've been a staple for me this season and scored me a hatful!! Now we can't even cheer Mo on either? Oh well, it's over to you Trent & Jota...do your worst!! (P.S - expect a Salah brace off the bench around the 65th minute, you heard it here first?!!).

  8. Oggle22
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Last time Salah was benched when I owned him Palace away think he payed about 30 mins was it hopefully the same outcome again tonight!

  9. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I am a little late but European Super League? Is it official? Any good links to read about it?

    So basically no FPL anymore?

    1. BobB
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      FPL will be different. No premium players from "Big 6". But it will carry on.

    2. djman102
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I've been following the BBC Live text reactions all day. https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/56797739

      The announcement has been made and the clubs involved have left UEFA. If it's a bluff, they're going pretty far on it.

  10. BobB
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Salah dropped/rested. Would have been unthinkable last year, let alone the year before.

    1. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      He was rested last year too

  11. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Also late but the Spurs made the right call to sack Jose. Son crying was the final nail in the coffin.

  12. MIGHTY JOE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Oh ok Salah benched?? This is to much for me

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

      Try having Phillips injured with Dawson’s -3 coming off the bench.

  13. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Any talk of when this ESL will be starting?

    1. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      As soon as this August. But, that seems optimistic on their part.

  14. OLD Rafiki
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    is it just me or after ESL story made me lose the vibe for fpl

    1. mr messi
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yes me too. I played my bb and have Phillips and Salah and I don't even care.

  15. BobB
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Could understand "resting" Salah if they were still in the CL. But why now?

    1. ZAMUNDA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Playing Man Utd later maybe?

    2. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Dont panic, Leeds will be up 1-0 with 30mins to go and on comes Salah for Firmino and scores a hat trick.............

    3. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Rested for the ESL season opener may be?

  16. jammie26
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Any news on kane injury?

  17. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    My VC Salah is benched and I don't seem to care. ESL news has really sucked the joy out of me.

  18. djman102
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Loving the Leeds' t-shirts in the warmup:

    "UEFA Champions' League. EARN IT"

    1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Yeah me too mate!!! Big applause to them!!!

    2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      It was a nice touch

    3. JuJuGuru
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Imagine the irony if the 'biig 6' expulsion means Leeds qualify for the CL next season.

  19. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Nev bang on as usual

    The likes of Man Utd, Arsenal, spurs have had the shock of their lives over the last 5+ seasons with how they’re no longer entitled to automatic top 3/4 finishes

    The sense of entitlement

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

      tottenham almost never got to 3rd or fourth before 5 years ago

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

        they came 4th twice between 5 years ago and 1990

    2. djman102
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I'm a City fan and it's laughable to think we are entitled to European football given where we were just 15 years ago. Without the oil money, City wouldn't be anywhere close to the "elite", and to deny any other team the chance is ridiculous.

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

    So they waited for me to play my WC few gws away and now have 5 injuries every gw
    F off

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

      Few gw ago*

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

    Not that Mourinho doesn't cause problems (I'm a Chelsea fan, I know!) - but it sure tells a story when the players who were actually playing (well) for Spurs come out and wish him luck. The ones putting in a real shift.

    I know every Spurs fan is sick of him, and in some cases for good reason, but the fact so much of the squad is not up to par is also on the players & that issue will stick with the team.

    Saw the same happen at Chelsea (twice), and also at United too. There are of course some outliers (e.g. Shaw).

  22. sminkypinky
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Tough old game this fantasy malarkey...

  23. Pulp Minion
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    I am now the proud owner of a 4 point bench boost ( to go with last year's 3 point triple captain )