Scout Notes

FPL pre-season: Jesus hits hat-trick – and is Saka on pens?

Saturday’s pre-season friendlies continued at lunchtime with Arsenal’s thumping of Sevilla.

We’ve got the goals, assists, line-ups and Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from this match in our Scout Notes, with more reports on the day’s other games – including the Community Shield – to follow.

We’re also keeping tabs on the minutes played in all of these warm-up fixtures, with Premium Members of Fantasy Football Scout able to access this information at the bottom of this article.

ARSENAL 6-0 SEVILLA

  • Goals: Saka x2 (1 pen), Jesus x3, Nketiah
  • Assists: Martinelli x2, Gabriel

Gabriel Jesus (£8.0m) cemented his place in millions of FPL squads with a hat-trick in Arsenal’s final pre-season friendly.

The treble took his tally to seven for the summer and while pre-season form can sometimes not be worth the word processing software it’s typed on, a striker going into Gameweek 1 brimming with confidence and feeling good about his new surroundings is more often than not a good thing.

The question for those going without him is: how is your nerve? The Brazilian is now owned by more than two-thirds of Fantasy managers and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see that ownership figure pass 70% by the time we get to the Gameweek 1 deadline.

CLINICAL JESUS

Two of Jesus’s efforts were opportunistic rebounds after parries from the wobbly Sevilla goalkeeper Bono (insert joke about U2’s ‘Bad’ here), with his second strike a sliding effort from an inviting Gabriel Martinelli (£6.0m) cross.

Four of Jesus’s pre-season goals have been first-time efforts, while another two have been of the swift control-and-finish variety; some clinical execution from a striker whose conversion rate and xG delta wasn’t actually all that impressive at Manchester City. Perhaps being less pressured to impress in limited game-time will boost the Brazil international’s confidence in front of goal, or perhaps he’ll regress more to the mean when meaningful competitive action gets underway.

A Crystal Palace backline that was among the division’s best from an underlying stats perspective will certainly be a test this week.

“You are hoping that that is going to happen but obviously a player has to adapt to a new city, to a new club, new teammates and he’s done it in a really fast and natural way. You can see the way they look for him on the pitch, on and off the ball, and what he’s able to transmit as well on that pitch so I am really happy.

“What are seeing is that everybody, not just Gabby, plays at that intensity and that willingness to win the ball, to promote mistakes and to play in the opponent’s half as much as possible. You cannot do that if players at the front are walking, they are not tracking, they don’t have that instinct and that intention to provoke things that we want and Gabby is phenomenal at that.

“His versatility is well known. Now we are using him as a nine, he can play as a winger, off the left and the right. You can play with two strikes as we have done in pre-season as well and change the shape a little bit. He gives us a lot of flexibility.” – Mikel Arteta on Gabriel Jesus

STARTING XI CLUES

Arsenal’s win over Sevilla didn’t tell us too much new on the personnel front: this was the same starting XI that Arteta named in the previous friendly against Chelsea and it looks increasingly like the one that will take to the field against Crystal Palace on Friday.

Injury victims Takehiro Tomiyasu (£4.5m), Kieran Tierney (£5.0m), Emile Smith Rowe (£6.0m) and Fabio Vieira (£6.0m) are at least back in training and could be in contention for a place in the matchday squad but Arteta’s comments seem to suggest that quartet will be eased into first-team action in the coming weeks.

“I think that most of them will be [available], they’ll have to go through what they need to this week and then hopefully we’ll have them available. They are lacking minutes but we’ll have to build that up like any other injury that we get during the season.” – Mikel Arteta on whether his injured players will be ready for Friday

SAKA ON PENS?

Bukayo Saka (£8.0m) took and converted Arsenal’s spot-kick in Saturday’s win, seemingly rubber-stamping his position as the Gunners’ first-choice taker given that Jesus and Martinelli were on the pitch at the time.

It might not be that simple, however.

Saka was both the winner and taker of Saturday’s penalty, something that has been the case for the last three league spot-kicks that Arsenal have been awarded (two for Saka, one for Martinelli).

Unless we get explicit confirmation from Arteta, a bit of uncertainty remains about the pecking order.

ADVANCED XHAKA
FPL pre-season: Jesus hat-trick and Saka on pens 1

Above images from Sofascore

We saw plenty of full-backs Oleksandr Zinchenko‘s (£5.0m) and Ben White (£4.5m) ‘inverting’ on Saturday, forming a three-man midfield with anchor Thomas Partey (£5.0m) whenever Arsenal bombed forward in a 2-3-5.

That meant that we were treated to the sight of Granit Xhaka (£5.0m) joining the usual foursome in the attack, the Swiss registering two shots and creating three chances.

We’re not suggesting yellow card magnet Xhaka is any sort of FPL target, of course, more that he is likely going to be a placeholder for whichever ‘number eight’ Arsenal recruit.

The tactics also put Zinchenko’s appeal in some perspective, with his attacking threat limited.

It was only a few days ago that we were highlighting his penalty box occupancy against Chelsea, however, so different approaches for different games or periods of matches will probably be the case – something Arteta implied after full-time.

“He gives us a different option to play within the role in different spaces, and I’m really happy to have him.” – Mikel Arteta on Oleksandr Zinchenko

Arsenal XI (4-3-3): Ramsdale, White, Gabriel, Saliba, Zinchenko (Soares 79), Xhaka (Lokonga 90), Partey (Elneny 79), Saka (Nketiah 79), Odegaard, Martinelli (Nelson 90), Jesus (Pepe 79)

PRE-SEASON MINUTES TRACKER



2,893 Comments Post a Comment
  1. aapoman
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 3 months ago

    So if Kane blanks against Roma people will go back to Haaland? 😉

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Nah because most of them aren't watching it

      • Differentiator
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Jesus, Undav, Antonio frontline

      • Herger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        No because then he’s a donkey too.

        1. Herger
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 3 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          This post makes literally zero sense

    2. R.C.
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      Great game by Mou so far

      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        Boring game, classic Mourinho.

    3. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      I feel like a lot of people are sleeping on Ighalo this season

    4. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 3 months ago

      A. Robertson + Wilson

      Or

      B. VVD + Mount

      1. Differentiator
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        B

        1. pundit of punts
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Ta

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

        B

        1. pundit of punts
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Ta

      3. @persecuted_by_mods
          2 years, 3 months ago

          B

          1. pundit of punts
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Ta

        • Dubem_FC
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          A

      4. R.C.
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 3 months ago

        It's clear these will be the top 4 - Arsenal City Liverpool Spurs and United & Chelsea are still way behind (still a long way for the window to close though)

        So for first 4 GWs best to pick 2 players from these sides and fill the rest with enablers?

        1. Well you know, Triffic
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Haha good joke.

          1. R.C.
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            ?

          2. Scots Gooner
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            It’s true. According to preseason form, Arsenal are uncrowned champions.

          3. @persecuted_by_mods
              2 years, 3 months ago

              I don't think he meant in that order in his defence

              1. R.C.
                • 7 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Lol yea

          4. Ingstagram
            • 2 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Lol

        2. Andy_Social
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          4m keeper sighted!

          1. R.C.
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Ward?

            1. Andy_Social
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              No, Forster's on

            2. Avery
              • 4 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Forster

          2. FPL Brains
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 13 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Who who?

        3. Differentiator
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Perisic absolutely class interception to block 1 vs 1

          1. Wild Rover
            • 14 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            No points for that

            1. Differentiator
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              he almost scored just now but no points yet again. Best Spurs player today

            2. Andy_Social
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              A bit bappy though

        4. Firminooooo
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 3 months ago

          Doherty, Son and Kulusevski off at 65min. Perisic still on.

          1. @persecuted_by_mods
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Wtf I was convinced he was a fat old man that would barely last 40 minutes

            • Firminooooo
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Moura, Richarlison and Emerson on.

            • NATSTER
              • 14 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              That's probably one good reason for Kane over Son.

          2. dshv
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            1. Sanchez James
            2. Ramsdale Perisic
            3. Ederson zinchenko
            4. Other

            ***
            Taa Cancelo **** trippier
            Salah diaz rashford martinelli
            Haaaland jesus

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

              2

          3. Z
            • 7 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Cancelo + Dalot
            Tripper + Perisic

            ?

            1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              I moved to B + 1M

          4. adstomko
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Worried that I don't have Cancelo, but here we are:

            Meslier
            Trent, Robertson, Gabriel, Doherty
            Salah (C), Maddison, Mount, Bailey
            Kane, Jesus
            (Klaesson, N.Williams, Andreas, Archer) (0.5m ITB)

          5. TheSteel
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Perisic is a nice player if nailed

          6. JShopov
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            4.5
            TAA-Robbo-Cancelo-Walker (Neco)
            Salah-Saka-Rashford-Bailey (Andreas)
            Kane-Jesus (4.5)

            Thoughts , TIA ?

          7. The Mandalorian
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Son replaced by Richarlison. Kulu off and Kane survives.

            1. Herman Toothrot
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              That is the way

          8. Avery
            • 4 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Was that Richarlison in for Son and Moura in for Kulu? As in their positions

            1. Avery
              • 4 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Ahh yeah can see was now

          9. FISSH
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            A) mitrovic and martinelli with Bailey rotating with them

            B) or Diaz and have Bailey playing every game with Greenwood bench fodder

          10. Reckoner.
            • 13 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            Happier with this defense compared to my last draft:

            Meslier
            TAA | Perisic | Gabriel | Walker
            Salah | Son | Martinelli | Bailey
            Kane | Jesus

            Ward | N.Williams | Andreas | Archer

            1. TheSteel
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              What do you like about Meslier over Raya?

              1. Reckoner.
                • 13 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Fixtures + likely early WC. Second part also the reason why I'm more open to starting with 3 premiums + Jesus.

                1. TheSteel
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  2 years, 3 months ago

                  Ty

            2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Wonder where you got the inspiration...
              Solid.

          11. outernational
            • 10 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            A: Neto + 0.5 ITB for price changes
            B: Martinelli

            1. pundit of punts
              • 11 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              B

            2. trick9
              • 2 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              B

            3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              B

            4. krzys
              • 11 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              B

          12. pundit of punts
            • 11 Years
            2 years, 3 months ago

            A. Haaland + Walker + Doherty

            B. Mount + Cancelo + VVD

            C. Wilson + Cancelo + Robertson

            Rest of the spots are sealed in my team.

            1. g40steve
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              C

            2. trick9
              • 2 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              A

            3. outernational
              • 10 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              C

            4. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              C

            5. @persecuted_by_mods
                2 years, 3 months ago

                B

              • krzys
                • 11 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                C

              • pundit of punts
                • 11 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Cheers all

            6. I Member
              • 9 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Good to go?

              Sanchez
              TAA, Cancelo, Robertson, Trippier
              Salah, Mount, Martinelli, Neto
              Kane, Jesus

              Steele; N Williams, Andreas, Greenwood.

              1. George Sillett
                • 9 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Virtually identical to mine . I have Saka for Mount , Bailey for Neto and 0.5M ITB. Not going to come out with the usual " similar to mine so it's great " nonsense but it's pretty good.

            7. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Perisic out
              Sessegnon in

            8. g40steve
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              A or B?

              A
              4.5
              Trent, Saliba, Walker,
              Salah, Son, Bowen, Martinelli, Bailey
              Jesus, Darwin

              4, Alt N, Neco, Taylor

              B
              Sa,
              Trent, Walker, Docherty
              Salah, Mahrez, Mount, Bowen, Martineli
              Jesus, Darwin

              4, Saliba, Neco, Taylor

              1. outernational
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                A

              2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                A

              3. g40steve
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Cheers 🙂

              4. g40steve
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Which 4.5 keeper or drop AltN to Patterson (Everton) gives me 5m keeper?

            9. mdm
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Which one?

              A. Trippier
              B. Walker
              C. Zinc

              1. trick9
                • 2 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                A

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

                A

              3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                A or C

            10. Firminooooo
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Perisic off at 74.

              1. Differentiator
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Not very telling as Doherty, Son, Kulu etc have all been hooked

            11. AlleRed
              • 7 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              Bench one, thank you:

              A. Bailey (bou)
              B. Trippier (NFO)
              C. Neto (lee)
              D. James (eve)

              1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                C

              2. trick9
                • 2 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                C

              3. sirmorbach
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Neto.

              4. outernational
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                B or C

              5. Deulofail
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Not B or D. So I'd sell downgrade A or C personally

                1. AlleRed
                  • 7 Years
                  2 years, 3 months ago

                  Thanks - yeah I appreciate if I'm even considering benching Trippier home to Forest that he might not be a great fit. And I may be overreacting to the strange vibes at Chelsea in even including James. The consensus seems to be Neto here - the rationale must be Wolves don't score much, may be a little off without Jiminez, and Leeds may tighten up further under Marsch. I can't choose between the 8m mids at the moment so I was initially just going to fade them, but it does create benching headaches:

                  Ramsdale, 4.0
                  TAA, Robbo, Cancelo, James, Trippier
                  Salah, Martinelli, Neto, Bailey, Andreas
                  Kane, Jesus, 4.5

              6. krzys
                • 11 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                C

              7. AlleRed
                • 7 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Looks like Neto's the consensus. Must be the loss of Jimi, a historically weak attack, and perhaps Leeds tightening up. I wonder if I should just downgrade him?

                Ramsdale, 4.0
                TAA, Robbo, Cancelo, James, Trippier
                Salah, Martinelli, Neto, Bailey, Andreas
                Kane, Jesus, 4.5
                0.5 itb

                Downgrading Neto alone doesn't get me anywhere. And I like a lot of the 8m mids but am torn between a number of them

            12. YoungPretender
              • 10 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              How’s this?

              Sanchez
              TAA Cancelo Dalot Saliba
              Salah Son Bailey Neto
              Haaland Jesus

              4.0 Neco Andreas Archer

              Thanks

              1. thegaffer82
                • 13 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Three premiums is in my experience not a good idea - at least in GW1 anyway.
                You can only captain 1 of them, the other 2 won’t be getting you great points for their cost.
                And you’ve missed out on all those 5-6 mil DFers and don’t have any of the 8 mil MFers.
                Haaland > Kane
                Son > 8mil MFer of your choice
                And then you can make massive upgrades to Df and Bailey

            13. FFFoxy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              2 years, 3 months ago

              A) Diaz & Dalot
              B) Neto & Robertson
              ?

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  2 years, 3 months ago

                  B

                • krzys
                  • 11 Years
                  2 years, 3 months ago

                  B

              2. Avery
                • 4 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Perisic subbed off 75mins and right into my team

              3. sirmorbach
                • 8 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                Team A or Team B?

                A:
                Ederson
                TAA, Robertson, Cancelo, Trippier (Neco)
                Salah, Bowen, Bruno Guimarães, Martinelli (Andreas)
                Haaland, Brennan Johnson (4.5)

                B:
                Ramsdale
                TAA, Cancelo, Doherty, Trippier (Neco)
                Salah, Son, Díaz, Bruno Guimarães, Bailey
                Jesus (Brennan Johnson, 4.5)

                1. aapoman
                  • 10 Years
                  2 years, 3 months ago

                  Think you really need Saka or Jesus. I'd say B from those teams

                  1. sirmorbach
                    • 8 Years
                    2 years, 3 months ago

                    Many thanks, really appreciate it.

              4. FISSH
                • 11 Years
                2 years, 3 months ago

                A) mitrovic and martinelli with Bailey rotating with them

                OR

                B) or Diaz and have Bailey playing every game with Greenwood bench fodder