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INTRODUCING THE SCOUT SQUAD

Here, our resident EFL experts – Lewis, Sam Harding, Louis and Chris – get the chance to nominate a 12-man and four-team longlist for the upcoming Gameweek.

Our panel of experts share their Fantasy EFL picks. With no player prices or budgets to worry about, they’ve each selected:

• Three Goalkeepers (GKs)
• Three Defenders (Ds)
• Three Midfielders (Ms)
• Three Forwards (Fs)
• Four Winning Teams

SCOUT SQUAD: FANTASY EFL PLAYERS FOR GAMEWEEK 2

Most popular picks: James Trafford (three), Anthony Patterson (three), Anel Ahmedhodzic (two), Vitinho (two), Michal Helik (two), Lloyd Jones (two), Sammie Szmodics (three), Luke Molyneux (two), Alfie May (two), Jack Clarke (two), Oscar Estupinan (two) Hull City (three), Middlesbrough (two), Doncaster Rovers (two), MK Dons (two)

CHRIS SAID…

This week I’m trying to build in some learnings about point scoring with a little bit of early form bias, that’s hopefully not too knee-jerky. I was very impressed by some of the lower league sides, in particular Doncaster Rovers who I’ll be backing, and less impressed with a few Championship sides, e.g. Plymouth Argyle and Norwich City who I’ll be backing against!

Goal is the position I’m least clear on, I was initially tempted to stick with James Beadle as one of my options as he served me well in the first outing, but I think Sunderland are a different prospect, so I’m going to move elsewhere.

Burnley’s James Trafford looks a good option for a clean sheet in a pretty phenomenal-looking side, so he’ll definitely be one of my options in their first home game against Cardiff City.

My second selection goes to Sunderland’s Anthony Patterson, after a clean sheet in game one. A decent home fixture against the Owls in Gameweek 2, so he looks a solid option.

Out of pure recency bias, I’ll also go with Conor Ripley who notched nine points in Gameweek 1 (thanks to three saves and a clean sheet) and have a decent fixture at home to Tranmere. He notably didn’t play in the 3-2 cup defeat against Barrow in midweek.

Burnley’s Vitinho has emerged as a great out-of-position pick, classed as as defender but playing as a winger and already with a goal to his name in what should’ve been one of the Clarets’ tougher matches – I’m expecting points at both ends from him at home to Cardiff. #

Luke Ayling of Middlesbrough represents a solid pick from a team that look like they mean business and will be playing newly promoted Derby next – more points from tackles, clearances and blocks please to match (or beat) the 11-pointer of the first match.

Recency bias is playing something of a role in this final pick, with Charlton’s Lloyd Jones topping the defensive points charts in the first game via a massive 17-pointer offering a goal, clean sheet, seven clearances and a block point. A narrow EFL cup defeat to Birmingham wasn’t ideal, but I’m looking for the Addicks to bounce back against Orient at the weekend.

Luke Molyneux is my first pick in the middle of the park, as I look to take a stake in Doncaster Rovers’ success. Whilst I’m not expecting the top-scoring mid from GW1 to get a brace every match, his assist, key passes and shots on target points make it clear he’s an attack-minded player even without finding the net, and he did score once again in midweek EFL Cup action.

Having removed Sammie Szmodics from my line-up last week once I learned he was on the bench, I’m not going to be making the same mistake again – after a goal and assist in his 25-minute cameo, then another brace in the midweek EFL game, he’ll surely be starting the next one against a Norwich team who seem to be all over the place defensively. Although the Canaries did overcome Stevenage in the EFL cup, they conceded three goals in the process, so five in two games. The final pick refers to our GW1 research on bonus scorers and in particular interceptions, Callum Camps of Stockport scored a massive five interceptions (for 10 points) in GW1, so I’m going to give him a chance to do the same for me again against Blackpool.

Up front, I’m sticking with Alfie May. He may have squeaked it last time out with a penalty, but class is permanent and his pre-season form plus record season last time out lead me to believe he’ll come good. Not backing Middlesborough felt like a clear mistake last time, so I’m doubling up here with Latte Lath up front, who I fancy to get plenty of chances against a Derby County defence who’ve conceded five in their first two fixtures. His three key passes also suggest an assist or two could be imminent.
For my final slot, I’m targeting a side who just looked very poor in Gameweek 1, Plymouth Argyle fell apart against a Sheffield Wednesday team that finished alongside them near the bottom the year below, so the fixture ticker feels spot in in making Hull’s away game against the Pilgrims a green fixture. Oscar Estupinan already scored and got two shots on target in his first fixture against Bristol City, so I’m backing him to do the business again.

For my winning teams, I’m going to stick to the ‘green away’ option largely as well as take ‘form’ into account. Middlesbrough looked excellent last week defensively and up front and are away against a newly promoted Derby who shipped four in the first match, so even though I’d like to say Boro later, I fancy these for one of my options. Plymouth Argyle were just woeful in their first game, with Rooney’s team shipping four against last season’s fellow strugglers Sheffield United, and I don’t see them turning that around immediately, so I’m targeting them by going for their next opponents Hull City.

Newly promoted Crawley Town started their season very well with a 2-1 win at home to Blackpool, then followed it up with a 4-2 win at home against Swindon in the EFL Cup, so a tie away to a Cambridge United side who lost their first fixture 2-0 to Stockport and then got knocked out of the cup by QPR. Finally, I’m picking Doncaster Rovers away to Newport (even though it’s a ‘grey’ option on the ticker), as they’ve also started with two wins on the bounce and just looked very impressive in GW1 and midweek with a 2-0 against Salford, and I just fancy them).

LEWIS SAID…

My three goalkeepers are Anthony Patterson (Sunderland), James Trafford (Burnley) and Alex Bass (Notts County). I expect Patterson to return points against Sheffield Wednesday (H) following his nine-point return against Cardiff, including making four saves (+2 points). Equally, following their stellar performance at Luton, James Trafford makes my initial squad. Despite only scoring one point, I back a return for Scott Parker’s number one against Cardiff. Bass is my potential punt. He kept a clean sheet on the opening day against Tranmere and I expect save points at home against Fleetwood.

Gameweek 1 highlighted the potential of solid home defences, and two defenders stand out as particularly promising options. Sheffield United’s Anel Ahmedhodzic impressed with a seven-point return against Preston, including a perfect tackle success rate. Given QPR’s visit to Bramall Lane, another strong performance looks likely. Equally, Huddersfield’s Michal Helik was also impressive, contributing nine points against Peterborough, helping the Terriers keep a clean sheet, three clearances (+1 point) and two tackles (+1 point). With nine goals scored last season, Helik offers both defensive solidity and attacking threat, making him a tempting pick for a Huddersfield clean sheet. Charlton’s Lloyd Jones is my data-driven pick for this week. His impressive 17-point return in Gameweek 1 against Wigan, including a goal, seven clearances, two blocks, and a clean sheet, makes him the top-scoring defender so far. With a minuscule ownership of just 0.4%, Jones is a potential differential who could repeat his heroics against London rivals Leyton Orient.

It was a painful decision to drop Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics after his benching in Gameweek 1, but he emphatically proved his worth with a goal and assist in just 25 minutes against Derby. Those who stuck with him were handsomely rewarded with a 10-point haul. IF he starts against Norwich in Gameweek 2, he’s a guaranteed pick for my team. No tinkering…!

​​Marlon Pack was the standout performer for Portsmouth in their impressive draw against Leeds, proving they’re no pushovers in the Championship. His eight-point return, including an assist (+3 points), one interception (+2 points), and two key passes (+1 point) was crucial. With Luton struggling after their opening game, I’m backing Pack to help Portsmouth secure three points at Fratton Park. The midfielder is also a nice differential at 0.3% ownership! With countless midfield options to choose from, I opted for the high-risk, high-reward pick of Huddersfield’s Ben Wiles. His low ownership of just 0.2% made him a tempting differential. The risk paid off for managers as he delivered a stellar 13-point haul, including a goal (+6 points) and assist and one interception against Peterborough. Huddersfield have made a perfect start to the season, and I expect them to maintain their winning momentum against Stevenage.

Up front, I’ve selected Wilson Odobert, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan and Jodi Jones. Odobert was instrumental in Burnley’s victory over Luton, scoring their second goal and delivering a standout performance in his seven-point return. His impressive contribution makes him a top pick for their next match against Cardiff. Ehibhatiomhan was a standout performer as Reading produced a dominant display against Birmingham. The forward’s goal and two shots on target (+1 point) earned him an impressive eight-point return. Building on this momentum, Reading will be looking to secure their first win of the season against Wigan. Despite a two-point return in his last match, Jones remains a key player for Notts County and could be instrumental in securing their first win of the season against Fleetwood at home. His impressive record of 28 goal involvements last season makes him hard to ignore!

Sticking to my ‘tried-and-tested’ approach of one home and one away pick, I’m leaning towards Burnley and AFC Wimbledon in Gameweek 2. Burnley are fresh off an impressive away win and I expect them to capitalise at Turf Moor against Cardiff. AFC Wimbledon’s impressive 4-2 victory over Colchester has set a high bar for the season. Despite the challenges of a London derby, their current form suggests they’re capable of securing a positive result away against Bromley and maintaining their unbeaten start. Hull City and MK Dons are my other picks for the Gameweek. Both sides have favourable fixtures, facing Plymouth Argyle and Colchester United away from home.

SAM H SAID…

Sunderland keeper Anthony Patterson (G) started his campaign in excellent style with a clean sheet and four saves made against Cardiff away from home. The Black Cats host Sheffield Wednesday where they will be looking to secure consecutive league wins. Port Vale were another side that dominated in Gameweek 1. They earned a convincing away win against Salford City, with Connor Ripley (G) managing to make 3 saves and gain a clean sheet. In the first week, he returned nine points, and I can see this happening again in a favourable fixture against Tranmere Rovers at home. Adam Davies (G) earned Sheffield United a clean sheet in their opening fixture away to Preston and will be eager to continue this form in his first home fixture at Bramall Lane against QPR. He returned seven points in the first match, but with more shots likely to be tested from this QPR side, if he can hold strong then he is certainly a favourable candidate to fill my goalkeeper spot this week.

Anel Ahmedhodzic (D) was another player who stood out for Sheffield United in their opening game. He returned an impressive seven points including a clean sheet. He is likely to earn another clean sheet as they face a mediocre QPR side, who are unlikely to fully test the defender. As he operates as a forward-thinking centre back he may even contribute to the scoresheet and will certainly pose a threat from set-pieces against this QPR side. Dara O’Shea (D) may be an obvious option, but his outstanding performance against Luton Town justifies this pick. Although Burnley did not get the clean sheet against the Hatters, O’Shea still managed to pick up an impressive 11 points. This was through his aerial threat where he managed to score with an excellent header from a Burnley set-piece. Furthermore, he managed eight clearances which added two additional points to his tally. Micheal Helik (D) is a huge asset to Huddersfield Town and is likely to be one of the reasons they make an immediate return to the Championship. In their opening match against a strong Peterborough side, Helik managed three clearances and two tackles and contributed to earn his side a clean sheet. Overall, he earned nine points and with the Terriers’ next match at home to Stevenage, he is certainly likely to return a significant number of points.

One of the standouts for Watford against Millwall was Giorgi Chakvetadze (M). He impressed massively throughout the Euros with Georgia and has continued in fine form up to now. In his first match, he returned nine points through one goal and three key passes. At 0.4% ownership, he’s a strong differential for Gameweek 2! With a lot of deliberation, I have decided against the in-demand Sammie Szmodics (M) for Gameweek 2. They have a tough away fixture to Norwich, who will need to perform to a much higher standard to earn their first victory. I may live to regret this one, but I think more of a differential option could prove beneficial. Therefore, my second midfielder option is Alex Gilbey (M). Gilbey was a huge threat for the Dons last season and will likely continue this on Saturday with a favourable fixture away to Colchester United. Marvin Mehlem (M) is another option for this Gameweek that I like the look of. Hull City were held to a 1-1 draw in their opening match, so will be eager to pick up three points when they visit Plymouth in Gameweek 2. Mehlem contributed with an assist and two interceptions – scoring nine overall points.

Pompey’s talisman, Callum Lang (F), secured his fantasy backers 12 huge points against Leeds. In his first home match of the Championship campaign, Despite a tricky game against Luton at Fratton Park, after such a positive showing away to one of the title favourites, I can see Portsmouth doing well in this one and Lang is more than likely to be involved. This is certainly more of a differential option, but Huddersfield’s Rhys Healey (F) has proven his ability at this level during his time at MK Dons. The forward certainly has an eye for goal but is yet to get amongst the goals for Huddersfield. I can see him opening his account for the season at John Smith’s Stadium in front of the Terriers faithful! Sunderland’s Jack Clarke (F) is an extremely talented player. In his opening fixture, he provided a goal and three key passes, which saw him return eight points. He’ll be desperate to maintain his form and stay on the radar of Premier League clubs linked with him. A favourable match against Sheffield Wednesday at the Stadium of Light could be perfect for him.

In terms of my team selections: Hull City take on a struggling Plymouth Argyle team who were extremely poor against Sheffield Wednesday. I’m sure the Tigers will be too strong for them in this one! MK Dons have a favourable match away to Colchester United who struggled in their opening match. If they want to challenge again for promotion, the Dons need to get points on the board immediately! Huddersfield take on Stevenage in their first home match of the season. The Terriers are more than likely to secure victory in this one! Middlesbrough face a tricky test away at Derby County, who displayed a solid performance against Blackburn Rovers. However, if you want to take a chance on an away side, then this is certainly a good option.

LOUIS SAID…

James Trafford should be top of everyone’s list after Burnley’s dominant display away from home against Luton. I also think both Sheffield United’s Adam Davies and Doncaster’s Teddy Sharman-Lowe have excellent opportunities to pick up clean sheets.

Vitinho is another player who should be in everyone’s team this week. Although categorised in-game as a defender he plays on the right wing for an evidently ruthless Burnley frontline. He also scored in his opener against Luton. I would go as far as saying Vitinho is essential! Joining him I have Wycombe Wanderers defender Luke Leahy, Leahy takes his side’s penalties but also played in a central midfield role in the first Gameweek. Although officially blanking, he picked up five points for his defensive actions and should have been awarded assist points for one of the goals. Luke Ayling completes the trio. Middlesbrough proved once again how strong they are defensively so combined with his attacking potential Ayling could be set for another successful week.

In midfield, I have decided to back Burnley’s Josh Brownhill. As well as having potential for defensive points, Brownhill has both assist and goal-scoring potential, we saw this in his latest Championship campaign where he scored eight goals and created seven assists. Brownhill also scored in Gameweek 1 against Luton.

Doncaster’s emphatic 4-1 victory over Accrington in the season opener sets them up nicely for a clash against a defensively vulnerable Newport side. Given their recent struggles, I’m backing Luke Molyneux to continue his hot streak. His three goals and assist in the last two games earned him a massive 19-point haul in Gameweek 1 – a performance that’s hard to ignore

I’m not quite sure how Sammie Szmodics hasn’t been snapped up by a Premier League club yet, or even a Championship side aiming to challenge for promotion, but until that happens I will continue to pick him. Three goals and one assist in his last two matches suggests that he has no plans to slow down in terms of output and against.

In my forward line, I plan to back Alfie May again. Birmingham may not have won in Gameweek 1 but they should have and spearheading their frontline is May who also takes their penalties. I am expecting another woeful season from Plymouth definitely and thats where Hull City’s Oscar Estupinan comes in. Estupinan leads his frontline and takes penalties, delivering a similar performance to May in Gameweek 1. Another player who I’m surprised hasn’t joined a Premier League side is Jack Clarke. Sundaerland’s number 20 takes penalties and got on the score sheet for the Black Cats in their Gameweek 1 fixture against Cardiff.

When it comes to the clubs I think could win, they are very reflective of some of the assets I have picked. Burnley should beat Cardiff at home and beat them well so the additional points from goals and very likely a clean sheet are also welcome.

Sheffield United are another team I feel confident with this week. I would back the Blades to win and keep a clean sheet against QPR.

Middlesborough play away from home but I think if I was to back an away team it would be them. They performed very well against Swansea in Gameeweek 1 and I expect to see a similar scoreline this week. One lower-league side I would back this week is Doncaster Rovers. As well as putting in some convincing performances recently they also face a side who have lost their last nine league matches.

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