Scout Notes
15 September 2025 22 comments
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Just one goal was scored across the matches at Craven Cottage and Selhurst Park on Saturday – and it was a stoppage-time own-goal.

Fulham 1-0 Leeds United and Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland are the next two fixtures to get the Scout Notes treatment.

PINO BRIGHT AS PALACE MISS WHARTON + SARR

A fairly dull game at Selhurst Park saw Crystal Palace struggle to create, yet still miss enough gilt-edged chances to see off stubborn Sunderland.

After 71 minutes in south London, it was a miserable 5-6 on shots. The absence of Ismaila Sarr (£6.5m) and Adam Wharton (£5.0m) was being keenly felt by the hosts, while Oliver Glasner even cited the departure of Eberechi Eze (£7.5m) as an ongoing negative factor after full-time.

A late barrage of nine Palace efforts in the final 20-odd minutes saw the Black Cats clinging on, with Jean-Philippe Mateta (£7.6m) wasting the best of those openings when prodding Daniel Munoz‘s (£5.6m) deflected cross straight at the inspired Robin Roefs (£4.5m).

Earlier, though, the Eagles’ likely source of goals was full debutant Yeremy Pino (£6.0m).

Playing in Sarr’s vacated right-sided ’10’ role (Pino is expected to move over to the left when Sarr is fit), the promising Spain international had two excellent chances to score – the first a one-on-one that he sent narrowly wide and the second a goalbound effort blocked by the heel of Omar Alderete (£4.0m). Pino had earlier whistled a long-range attempt just off target.

“I’m very pleased with [Yeremy] Pino’s performance today. The cherry on top would have been that big chance in the first half. Then he was a little bit unlucky in the second half.

“But we could see where he will help us with his positioning between the lines, his understanding of the game. He will have to adapt to the physicality and the pace of the Premier League football. But he’s not the first one and he won’t be the last one who has to adapt.

“He was good, he was dangerous, he had chances and it gives me a good feeling that he will score goals for us.” – Oliver Glasner, via the Palace website

Christantus Uche (£5.5m) made his debut, meanwhile, replacing Pino late on and making an impression. A physical presence, he’s expected to be cover for Mateta, Sarr and Pino this season.

SOLID SUNDERLAND

While they do have five goals to their name (all at home), Sunderland look like being an obstinate, solid sort rather than a team that will play with attacking abandon.

After four Gameweeks, they are:

  • 19th for non-penalty expected goals (xG)
  • 5th for non-penalty expected goals conceded (xGC)

Their goal threat was minimal on a Saturday, with a blocked Chemsdine Talbi (£5.0m) effort their clearest opportunity.

Wilson Isidor (£5.5m) came in for Eliezer Mayenda (£5.5m) up top, later moving left to accommodate new signing Bryan Brobbey (£5.5m) through the middle. Gameweek 3’s penalty-taker, Enzo Le Fee (£4.9m), missed out with an injury.

At the back, the Mackems – with three £4.0m defenders in their side – seem to be a competent bunch, especially with Roefs behind them. In five combined starts this season, centre-half pair Alderete and Nordi Mukiele (£4.0m) have banked defensive contribution (DefCon) points in four of them. Both delivered the goods on Saturday.

Up next is an Aston Villa side yet to score this season…

KEVIN BRIGHT IN OTHERWISE DRAB FULHAM DISPLAY

It took Fulham until the 58th minute of Saturday’s game to register a single shot. Even that was a free-kick from Harry Wilson (£5.4m), rather than a well-fashioned open-play chance.

While Rodrigo Muniz (£5.5m) and Sasa Lukic (£5.0m) probably should have done better with their late openings, Fulham had just five efforts all game. Only Burnley had fewer in Gameweek 4. Josh King, the go-to £4.5m midfielder in FPL who had looked so lively in recent weeks, didn’t even make 60 minutes as Leeds successfully suffocated their hosts.

Only a freak Gabriel Gudmudsson (£4.0m) own-goal broke the Whites’ resistance.

But – a glimmer of Fulham hope for future weeks.

The mercurial Kevin (£6.0m) made his debut as a 76th-minute substitute for the Cottagers, and what an impression he made on the left wing.

Three crosses, three take-ons, a chance created for Adama Traore (£5.4m) and a superb long-range effort that Karl Darlow (£4.0m) brilliantly tipped over saw him immediately win over the Fulham faithful.

After arriving from Shakhtar, where he scored five goals in Europa/Conference League qualifying over the summer, the club-record signing is one to watch in the coming weeks.

“Massive impact from him.

“We don’t have any doubts about his quality; that was the reason why I pushed the club so hard to get him here, and his profile, of course, he’s an exciting, talented player.

“I think it’s not about the speed [of the game why he was only a substitute]. It’s the circumstances when you sign players on the last day of the market. If the players have pre-season, they have time to settle and understand what we want. If they arrive in the last days of the window, of course, it’s going to take more time.

“Right now, he’s a player who is trying to find a house, to settle in, to bring the family, all that important stuff, [as well as] the things that are very important to us, for him to understand his teammates, to create connections.” – Marco Silva on Kevin

LUCKLESS LEEDS

Leeds were only that comical Gudmundsson own-goal away from making it three clean sheets in four Gameweeks. None of the promoted clubs got more than three in the whole of 2024/25!

They were 8-0 up on shots before Wilson’s free-kick, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.5m) wasting an excellent headed chance, Brenden Aaronson (£5.4m) forcing a sharp save and Noah Okafor (£5.5m) denied by a last-ditch tackle.

Joe Rodon (£4.0m) was looking at a possible nine-point haul before the late winner, having banked DefCon points for the second time this season and eyeing up a bonus point to supplement it.

Much like Sunderland and Burnley, Daniel Farke’s side look more defensively competent than offensively thrilling.

You’d fancy them to go away to Molineux next weekend and get at least a draw, based on how they and Wolverhampton Wanderers have looked this season.

22 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Dynamic Duos
    • 12 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    Play KDH or Gudmundsson?

    1. The Night Trunker.
      • 2 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      Just play Kevin.
      Did you read the article?

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 12 Years
        2 months, 21 days ago

        Good one

  2. Jet5605
    • 11 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    Think I'm gonna captain Mateta next weekend. Soucek provides defensive cover for West Hams awful defence and will be suspended. Think it could be a pumping and likely Potter's last game.

    1. HurriKane
      • 13 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      Thoughts on Paqueta? although their defence is weak the attack looks decent.

      Fulkrug
      Summerville Paqueta Bowen

      1. Jet5605
        • 11 Years
        2 months, 21 days ago

        Keeping for a few weeks. Only subbed early because of Soucek red card. Should play 90, on pens and in advanced role. West Ham could have someone like Nuno in place for GW6

  3. HurriKane
    • 13 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    One has to go for Semenyo. Who would you take out?

    A) Wirtz: Team in form and scoring goals. Adapting to the league

    B) Rogers: Team struggling to score. fixtures great

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 12 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      B

    2. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      Wirtz. Too expensive with tricky games coming up. Villa poor but Rogers has a chance with better fixtures coming up

      1. HurriKane
        • 13 Years
        2 months, 21 days ago

        Actually both is going over the coming weeks.

        Wirtz will eventually make way for Gyokeres in gw7 ( with 2FT)

  4. Koflok
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    About to WC the week after, should I play BB this week?
    Dubravka (NFO)
    Esteve (NFO)
    Konsa (sun)
    Guiu (mun) - prob wont play

    Very boring but NFO vs BUR and SUN vs AVL has 0-0 written all over it.

  5. Dynamic Duos
    • 12 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    A or B?

    A) Wissa to Woltemade
    B) Salah and Wissa to Palmer and Gyokeres gwk6

  6. Kno
    • 14 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    Thoughts on bench boosting this lot next week just to get it out of the way?

    Dubravka (NFO)
    King (Bre)
    Guehi (whm)
    Gudmonnson (wolves)

    1. The Night Trunker.
      • 2 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      Yep.

  7. NZREDS
    • 12 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    Didn’t see the pool game with NZT and work this morning - both ekitike and gakpo (on WC) blanked for me. Did I have a complete mare in choosing them or did they look (at least half) decent?

    1. The Night Trunker.
      • 2 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      They played against a stoic defence.
      I think they lost a long record for the club being beaten at home for ages.
      Soul destroying that going in the death seconds of Pool....@gain..!

  8. The Night Trunker.
    • 2 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    Sometimes you just can't sleep , will try the last Blackbox video ; that should comatose me.

  9. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 9 Years
    2 months, 21 days ago

    Johnson to Semenyo the most sensible use of 1 FT here? Can bench Sarr.

    Sels
    DeCuyper Diouf Rodon Esteve
    Salah Gakpo Reijnders Johnson
    Haaland Watkins

    Dubravka Gulu DeCuyper Sarr*

    1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 9 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      The DeCuyper in the 11 is Diouf

      1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 9 Years
        2 months, 21 days ago

        Sorry VDV. Damn the hangover

    2. Dynamic Duos
      • 12 Years
      2 months, 21 days ago

      Yeah get Semenyo

    3. AAAFootball
        2 months, 21 days ago

        Yeah probably