This week’s picks feature a Celtic triple-up ahead of some favourable fixtures for last season’s Top Six sides.

As previously, the Scout Picks consists of 11 players only, but has a restricted total spend of £50.0m to account for a notional bench worth £10.0m, and to ensure that that the team is reflective of each manager’s budgetary concerns. This allowance will increase over the season in line with our collective transfer values.

This week’s team lines up in an unorthodox 5-2-3 formation and comes in slightly under the budget at £49.7m.

GOALKEEPER

Matt Macey (£2.8m) is handed the gloves despite Motherwell breaching the Hibernian defence twice at the weekend, but the shot-stopper was blameless on goals and at hand to deliver 3 key saves, scooping a bonus save point in the process. Visitors Ross County travel to Edinburgh having failed to create a big chance or muster a shot on target at the weekend, and will need to improve if they are to better their record of 0.84 goals per game on the road last year.

DEFENDERS

Death, Taxes and “Always Captain Tav”; normal service was resumed within the opening 8 minutes of the season as James Tavernier’s (£6.5m) early assist for Ianis Hagi’s (£5.9m) opening goal set the Englishman on his way towards a 15 point haul and a return to the top of the scoring charts. Will he be dethroned at any point this season? The brave souls who bet against his monster 62.8% ownership in the opening round will certainly hope so.

With the omnipresence of the Rangers’ captain in evidence once again, a defensive double up with again be the de facto method to gain something of an edge over the crowd. Leon Balogun (£2.8) is the partner of choice this week, appearing to be the current holder of the centre half spot next to Connor Goldson (£5.2m), a shirt which possession of has been akin to a game of pass the parcel in recent times. Balogun missed the midweek Champions League qualifier due to a one-match ban, but could return at the weekend to build fitness ahead of the second leg.

A second defender retains his spot in the Scout Picks; as GW1’s budget enabler of choice Calvin Ramsay (£2.0m) returned 11 points by virtue of a clean sheet and assist in round one. The youngster played the full 90 minutes, creating 3 chances through a continued share of set pieces and firing in 7 crosses. This weekend’s opponents Livingston averaged just 1.05 goals per game at The Toni Macaroni stadium (affectionately dubbed The Spaghettihad by opposing fans) and games on their plastic surface tend to be low scoring affairs. 

Buoyed by a rare goal at the weekend, and a competent performance in the prior midweek fixture, the much-maligned Anthony Ralston (£2.2m) provides a cut-price entry point to the Celtic back line ahead of an enticing home game against newly-promoted Dundee. Whilst the Hoops’ early season exploits have demonstrated the familiar defensive failings which dogged their campaign last time, it should be noted that they still scooped 19 clean sheets over the course of the campaign.

If the selection of one Celtic Defender is enough to raise eyebrows, then a second should result in a full DIY brow lift. But with Greg Taylor (£3.4m) completing our defence the cosmetics are on the house. However, when on the field last season the left back tallied 0.23 assists per 90 (26 apps), a figure bettered by only one defender in James Tavernier. Visitors Dundee allowed a staggering 45 crosses against St. Mirren, 16 of which were delivered by the Paisley side’s left wing back counterpart Scott Tanser (£2.4m).

MIDFIELDERS

Scott Wright (£4.7m) owed his early 31st minute appearance from the bench to the unfortunate Hagi’s injury, but the replacement delivered an impressive, incisive performance and scored the host’s second goal of the day with a tremendous volley from one of his three shots. The Scot has since started the midweek tie against Malmo and could provide a value offensive Rangers option for their visit to Tannadice. Aberdeen’s quick passing triangles in the wide areas exploited the Dundee United defence and allowed the aforementioned Ramsay ample opportunities to deliver into the box – and a Wright/Tavernier combination could find similar success from the same side. 

The second midfield selection this week is Martin Boyle (£6.0), fresh from confirming that he has penalty kicks in his armoury by converting the weekend winner from the spot with aplomb. Visitors Ross County were fortunate to secure a clean sheet versus St. Johnstone last time out, allowing 10 shots, 5 of which were within the box, and critically requiring a penalty miss from Ali McCann (£4.2m) to claim a clean sheet.

FORWARDS

Hibernian’s Kevin Nisbet (£6.2m) is the most owned forward in the game and was unlucky not to get on the score sheet against Motherwell, with his well worked strike coming back off the inside of the post before teammate Christian Doidge (£5.7m) tucked away the rebound, earning Nisbet a fantasy assist in the process. It was also his shot blocked by a handball that won the winning penalty, although this time not credited with a fantasy assist. An offensive double up looks appealing against a Staggies side who conceded 1.65 goals per game last season.

Whist the Celtic frontline continues to rotate in the opening stages of the season, one constant remains in the form of wantaway forward Odsonne Edouard (£8.0) being asked to deliver the goals to get Ange Postecoglu’s regime underway. The opening day defeat to Hearts will further increase the need for a good performance in front of the home fans in round 2 and Dundee offer welcoming opponents – the newly promoted side conceded 1.81 goals per game in the second tier, securing only 6 cleans sheets from 27 games. Notably they conceded a staggering 45 crosses in total to St. Mirren on the opening day and the big Frenchman will hope to be the beneficiary of similar service this week.

Liam Boyce (£5.1m) completes the line up this week following Hearts’ memorable win against Celtic. The Northern Irishman managed 3 shots and secured a fantasy assist for teammate Gary Mackay-Steven (£4.4m), but it was the manner of the performance that suggests there is more to come from Hearts against a St. Mirren side who were twice breached in an open game against Dundee. Boyce has 50 goals in 108 appearances at this level and is also in possession of penalty duties for the Jam Tarts.

Captain: James Tavernier

Vice: Odsonne Edouard