Podcast

Scoutcast: Lessons learned from a tricky 2021/22 FPL season

Joe and Andy look back on a Covid-impacted 2021/22 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) season to see what lessons can be learned.

After 38, at times very challenging, Gameweeks, the season has finally drawn to a close. For many FPL managers, there have been extreme highs of huge returns from chips. Plenty of others have had to tackle tough weeks, when many of their players could not play due to the pandemic and postponements.

In some respects, the campaign was a one-off. Will we ever see the same number of Double and Blank Gameweeks again? Surely, there will be some forwards to interest us in the future?

But despite the uniqueness of the season, there are still plenty of lessons that Joe, Andy and the community have taken away from the challenges they faced.

A more aggressive, rather than defensive, use of chips is among the lessons Joe will take away from the season, in which he narrowly missed out on preserving his record of never finishing outside of the top 100k.

Keeping a closer eye on teams’ talismans is another piece of advice he will carry over into the next season.

Meanwhile, Andy is looking at a ‘less is more’ approach and to keep his management decisions simple.

There are plenty of other top tips from the community, too, especially around ignoring players from poor teams. It sounds simple but how many FPL managers transferred in strikers from shot-shy and relegated Burnley and Watford this season?

Our Scoutcast duo also look back on their Gameweek 38 moves and consider some mini-league ‘wooden spoon’ punishments for future campaigns.

The final standing of the community team, which the Scoutcast has been managing on behalf of a top manager, is also covered. Here Andy reveals some interesting plans for incorporating the community even more in a Scoutcast team for next season.

On behalf of Andy, Seb and myself, thanks so much for watching and listening over the season.

Armed with some great lessons from the community from this tricky campaign, we will be back ready and refreshed for Gameweek 1 in 2022/23. See you then!

Be sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel to get notified of future live episodes. The Scoutcast is also available as a podcast.

J0E Podcaster and writer. Tweets stats and stuff via @FFScout_Joe Follow them on Twitter

46 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Knights Template
    • 10 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Fodenfreude is the lesson!

    1. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      So is the trap of Weghorst of the Netherlands in the DGW

      1. Drexl Spivey
        • 5 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        I hope he enjoys playing Kenilworth Road on a miserable, rain-sodden Monday night. It's all he deserves.

  2. Gazwaz80
    • 4 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Pages are flying 😀

  3. Grande Tubarão
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Mane to make announcement on his future after the CL final. This is giving me Hazard to Chelsea flashbacks

    1. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Don't think anybody could begrudge him leaving and Liverpool would be fine without him. Selling probably makes sense for all involved (and would I assume increase chance of Salah staying).

      1. Grande Tubarão
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Yeah, agreed. The emergence of Diaz probably swings it for Liverpool coupled with having the likes of Salah, Jota, Firmino. If they get someone like a Bowen in then even if they’re maybe weakened slightly in the immediate term I think they end up strengthened for the longer term.

      2. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Salah has just confirmed he's staying with Liverpool for next season.
        https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61583621

        Haaland v Salah debate incoming...

    2. Philosopher's Stones
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Apparently Bayern are pretty interested to get him

  4. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Likely 3 more weeks till the game is released again!

  5. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Worst player for you this season?

    Broja for me. Not even a single return. Considering the amount of gw 's he's been in my team. Closely followed by king at least he got an assist. And sterling on both fh blanked.

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      2nd: Luke Shaw - 15 points in the 7 GWs I played him

      1st: Josh King - also 15 points in the 7GWs I played him, but this includes a DGW where I captained him :cry emoji:

    2. cutch
      • 9 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Vardy, only one return in the 8 GWs I owned him.

      DCL, no returns in 4 games, including his infamous missed penalty

      Special mention to Dennis because of THAT DGW when I captained him and he got sent off.

    3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Son for me, somehow missed all his returns! Got him back in on FH37 and blanked again haha

      1. cutch
        • 9 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        That's some bad luck. He saved my season.

    4. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Broja is definitely up there

      Gallagher for me. Was on my bench for all his hauls. Blanked whenever I played him.

      But missing out on Bruno DGW hauls was probably most damaging

    5. Grande Tubarão
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Dennis and King were both horrendous for me. As were Shaw and Bruno F. Coufal, Bamford and Toney get honourable mentions off the top of my head too.

    6. beerhockeyrock
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Martinelli
      3-0-0-2-0-3-0-0-2-7-8-0-1-2
      2 stints in team, 14 weeks' worth of 27 total points

    7. The Mentaculus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Lukaku. WCed him in GW4. Although I did have an awful starting team with Shaw, Barnes, Mahrez & Meslier

    8. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Dennis and King by a country mile for me.
      Antonio was good from the start but was held onto too long, but it was not that damaging.

    9. Forgetmeknot
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Broja good shout.

      For me personally, Doherty. Watched on painfully for weeks as he hauled for others - the week I finally got him he last 20 minutes before getting injured (hopefully he comes back as strong as was looking great).

      Surprised Dennis hasn’t been mentioned more for his DGW red card heroics

    10. Josh.E
      • 2 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      broja, sanchez, Son (he burnt me all season)

    11. Arn De Gothia
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Digne

    12. lugs
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      everyone from Chelsea, timing is everything and every single time i brought a Chelsea in they got injured or dropped smh

    13. Jambot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Whichever Chelsea defender I had at exactly the wrong time

  6. reubster
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    Hugo Lloris (5.5m) - 158pts

    Cristiano Ronaldo (12.2m) - 159pts
    ... also outscored Lukaku, Vardy, Firmino, Jesus, Antonio...

    The game is weird.

    1. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Sicknote Welbeck outscored the early season train known as Lukaku had me chuckle a little

      1. Josh.E
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        didn't own him and werner all season

        1. Camino Aleatorio
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          Smart man, smarter than me

  7. mixology
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    At what point will premium defenders be priced out of the game?

    Bit of an exaggeration there, but it seems 5 premium defenders is no longer a shrewd strategy as it’s become mainstream.

    If the likes of premium defenders are:

    Trent: 8.5
    Robbo: 7.5
    Cancelo: 7.5
    James/Chilwell: 7

    Would it be better value looking for 6-6.5 mids or even 5.5-6 million defenders that’ll overperform?

    Obviously every season is different and we cannot know the answer until next season progresses but curious to hear opinions and speculation!

    1. TanN
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      I've raised this issue on a previous article on the final day of the season or the day after.

      The defenders you mentioned I have owned at least one (up to 3 at one time) throughout the season.

      Now with the likes of Haaland, Kane, Son, KDB, Salah, BrunoF, Mane, Sterling all premiums too I think there will be a shift away from the big backline next season. I think one or two premium defenders are still essential perhaps Robbo and one of James/Cancelo but these are likelier to be paired with KDB/Son and Kane/Haaland for example.

      I think players like sessegon, livramento and white will see a surge in popularity as well as mid priced defnedrs like Matip or stones

    2. Pascal
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      With Haaland up front I want Cancelo in my team, then a Liverpool defender and I'm also considering Trippier depending on Newcastle transfers during the summer.
      We will have some budget options in midfield I hope, maybe Sancho at Utd or Kulu at Spurs.

    3. lugs
      • 6 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      i don't think they will be priced out of the game, i mean if you want them in you'll get them and just make sacrifice's elsewhere, i was just thinking about this earlier and realized i would not be far off having the same team i finished the season with with just a few not too painful downgrades, i finished this season with a team value of 106m and out of my current team i'd just need to do Vardy, Ings, Bernardo ---> Wilson, Mitro, 4.5, and i'd be more than happy to start next season with this team

      Dubravka, 4.0
      Robbo, Matip, Cancelo, 4.5, 4.5
      Son, Maddison, Saka, Zaha, 4.5
      Kane, Wilson, Mitro

      1. Grande Tubarão
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 2 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        I don’t think that’s even remotely close to affordable based on what I expect everyone to be priced at next season, honestly.

        1. lugs
          • 6 Years
          1 year, 10 months ago

          you're right i added it up the first time and forgot to add the 4.0 keeper, a little bit of creative accounting with an extra downgrade and and change of formation and it can work

          my predicted prices for that team = 103.5

          5.0, 4.0
          7.5, 6, 7.5, 4.5, 4.5
          12, 8, 8, 7.5, 4.5
          11, 7, 6.5

          1. Grande Tubarão
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 2 Years
            1 year, 10 months ago

            Yeah, I think you’re about right

    4. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      If I have to experiment next season I'll aim for a nice spread of funds at the expense of premium forwards/mids. Risky, but it does open up the captaincy. Also more fun, which hasn't been the case for me this last year.

    5. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      Cheers for all the replies. I’ve loved playing with the big at the back strategy, but I suppose you always need to adapt based on player prices.

      Reading through the comments, not one mentioned owning TAA! He’ll still likely be the most owned, but perhaps it’ll be close. Will be nerve racking going without him, even if he’s the most expensive

    6. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      I think a Robbo and Chilwell combo will do well next season. And one of Contes cheaper fullbacks mixed in.

  8. Camino Aleatorio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    1 year, 10 months ago

    (1) Ferran Torres was a Trap
    (2) Weghorse was Wegdonkey
    (3) Avoid Wermholes (Werner)
    (4) Foden only score for other people - easy fixtures, ha!
    (5) Next time Tsmikas gets a month of playing time, get him
    (6) Matip was My Dog, My Boy
    (7) Toney had a quiet but nice season
    (8) Broja was the white Brewster of 2022
    (9) Getting Robbo for -4 would have been smart
    (10) I can't believe I had Lukaku for 6 weeks, OMG

    1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 3 Years
      1 year, 10 months ago

      White Brewster?

      1. KanuLenoMeeMoCash
        • 3 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        ya know, like Brewster(cheap, promising but not delivering) yet white

      2. Camino Aleatorio
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        1 year, 10 months ago

        Brew Dog!

        The great Sheffield Hope