Pep Guardiola continues to tinker as he rests Raheem Sterling, Burnley revert to a one-man attack, while Everton are the latest to dabble, unsuccessfully, with a three-man defence.
Here’s part one of lessons learned from the Gameweek 11 teamsheets.
Arsenal
Starting XI: Cech; Bellerin, Mustafi, Koscielny, Monreal; Coquelin (Ramsey 65), Xhaka; Walcott (Oxlade-Chamberlain 71), Ozil, Iwobi (Giroud 70); Sanchez.
- Arsene Wenger made three changes from the side that beat Sunderland 4-1 for the north London derby, with the fit-again Nacho Monreal and Theo Walcott replacing Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, while Granit Xhaka returned from suspension to replace Mohamed Elneny.
- Xhaka partnered Francis Coquelin at the base of midfield for the Gunners in Wenger’s standard 4-2-3-1 formation, with Walcott returning on the right of the attacking midfield trio.
- Wenger made an attacking first substitution with the match evenly poised at 1-1, with Aaron Ramsey coming on in place of Coquelin in a straight swap just after the hour-mark. Then, with 20 minutes remaining, he introduced Olivier Giroud and Oxlade-Chamberlain in place of Walcott and Alex Iwobi. Notably, Alexis Sanchez shifted to the left flank to allow Giroud to take over as the lone striker.
- Arsenal once again missed the craft of Santi Cazorla in the middle of the park, so Wenger will be desperate for the Spaniard to fully recover from an Achilles injury to face Man United after the international break. Xhaka’s place appears the most at risk, while a quiet performance from Iwobi means he could come under pressure from the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey and Giroud, with Sanchez a possibility to then start out on the left wing should Giroud be handed a starting berth.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Lone Striker
Bournemouth
Starting XI: Boruc; Smith, Cook, Francis, Daniels; Gosling, Arter (Mousset 77), Stanislas (Fraser 82), Wilshere, Ibe (Afobe 46); King.
- Eddie Howe was forced into making two changes for the visit of Sunderland to the Vitality Stadium, with Dan Gosling and the fit-again Junior Stanislas earning recalls in place of the injured Andrew Surman and Callum Wilson.
- Gosling started next to Harry Arter in central midfield in the 4-2-3-1 formation, while Stanislas returned on the right of the attacking midfield trio. That meant it was Josh King who operated as the lone striker for the Cherries.
- With the score level at 1-1, Howe decided to make a change at half-time, with Benik Afobe introduced in place of Jordon Ibe. That substitution forced a reshuffle in attack, with King moving to the right wing, and Stanislas to the left, allowing Afobe to lead the line. After falling 2-1 behind, Howe turned to Lys Mousset and Ryan Fraser, with Arter and Stanislas making way. Fraser played on the left wing, with Mousset on the right, seeing King move alongside Afobe up front in a 4-4-2, leaving Gosling and Jack Wilshere in central midfield.
- Bournemouth will be without the suspended Adam Smith for the trip to Stoke City following the international break after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season. Howe may use either Nathan Ake or Tyrone Mings to replace Smith, then, or perhaps consider moving Simon Francis to right-back, with one of that pair drafted in at centre-back. Surman’s hamstring injury means he’s likely to still be out for Gameweek 12, so Gosling may keep his place in the side, while Afobe could push for a start if Wilson (knock) remains unavailable. Ibe’s starting spot appears to be the most at risk.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Right-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Lone Striker
Burnley
Starting XI: Heaton; Lowton, Keane, Mee, Flanagan; Marney, Defour (Tarkowski 74); Gudmundsson, Hendrick (Barnes 85), Arfield (Boyd 65); Vokes.
- Sean Dyche made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 against Man United for the home fixture against Crystal Palace, with Jon Flanagan coming in for the injured Stephen Ward, while the fit-again Steven Defour earned a recall in place of Andre Gray.
- Defour’s inclusion meant Dyche switched from the 4-4-2 to a 4-2-3-1, with Jeff Hendrick stationed in the central attacking midfield role behind lone striker Sam Vokes. Defour partnered Dean Marney in the double-pivot, while Flanagan slotted in at left-back for the Clarets.
- After Connor Wickham pulled a goal back to reduce Burnley’s lead, Dyche turned to George Boyd off the bench, with the energetic midfielder brought on in place of Scott Arfield in a straight swap. With Defour not ready to complete 90 minutes, the Belgian was taken off with 16 minutes remaining, with James Tarkowski brought on to sit in front of the back four alongside Marney to help preserve Burnley’s 2-1 lead. But after Palace equalised, Dyche threw on striker Ashley Barnes in place of Hendrick, ending the match in a 4-4-2.
- Dyche’s selection for the trip to West Brom in Gameweek 12 will largely depend on whether he looks to hand a recall to Gray up front, and move back to a 4-4-2. Given the performance on Saturday, he may choose to stick with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1, with Defour and Hendrick both likely to keep their starting roles. Boyd may push Arfield for a berth on the left wing, while should Ward recover from a hamstring problem, he could return in place of Flanagan.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Strikers
Chelsea
Starting XI: Courtois; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Cahill (Terry 84); Moses, Kante, Matic, Alonso; Pedro (Oscar 71), Costa, Hazard (Batshuayi 80).
- Chelsea manager Antonio Conte once again named an unchanged starting XI for the home clash against Everton.
- The Italian rolled out the 3-4-3 formation once more, with Pedro and Eden Hazard again flanking central striker Diego Costa.
- With the Blues holding a 5-0 lead, Conte took off Pedro, Hazard and Gary Cahill during the final 20 minutes, with Oscar, Michy Batshuayi and John Terry coming on in straight swaps.
- Providing none of his starting XI pick up any injuries over the international break, Conte is likely to name the same side for the trip to Middlesbrough. Willian missed out due to illness on Saturday but appears unlikely to usurp Pedro for the starting role on the right wing. Kurt Zouma and Cesc Fabregas will be available to return after the international break, but neither player is expected to force their way into the starting XI just yet.
Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Right Wing
Crystal Palace
Starting XI: Mandanda; Ward, Dann, Delaney, Kelly (Fryers 59); Cabaye, McArthur (Ledley 87); Townsend, Puncheon (Wickham 59), Zaha; Benteke.
- Alan Pardew made three changes for the trip to Turf Moor, with Damien Delaney, Jason Puncheon and Andros Townsend earning recalls in place of James Tomkins, Joe Ledley and Lee Chung-yong.
- Those changes saw Pardew change from his favoured 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 system, with Puncheon starting alongside James McArthur and Yohan Cabaye in central midfield. Townsend and Wilfried Zaha flanked central striker Christian Benteke, while Delaney partnered Scott Dann in central defence. Pardew interestingly swapped his full-backs around for Saturday’s match, with Martin Kelly starting at right-back, and Joel Ward at left-back.
- After falling 2-0 behind, Pardew made a double substitution, with Zeki Fryers and Connor Wickham coming on for Kelly and Puncheon. Fryers slotted in at left-back for the Eagles, with Ward shifting over to the right, while Wickham joined Benteke in attack, forming more of a 4-4-2. Ledley was handed a brief run-out late on to provide some fresh legs in place of McArthur in the engine room.
- Given Palace shipped another three goals on Saturday, Pardew may again make changes at the back, with Fryers and Tomkins options to replace Delaney and Kelly. Wickham’s performance off the bench could mean that Pardew even considers starting with a 4-4-2 in Gameweek 12, though that remains unlikely given the quality of the City midfield. Ledley could push for a recall as a more defensive midfield option, perhaps in place of Puncheon.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Central Defence, Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks, Strikers
Everton
Starting XI: Stekelenburg; Williams, Jagielka, Funes Mori; Coleman, Barry (Davies 66), Barkley, Cleverley, Oviedo (Mirallas 36); Bolasie (Lennon 60), Lukaku.
- Ronald Koeman made three changes for the trip to Stamford Bridge, with Phil Jagielka earning a recall in place of the suspended Idrissa Gueye, while the fit-again Maarten Stekelenburg and Tom Cleverley started in place of Joel Robles and Kevin Mirallas.
- Those changes saw Koeman switch from his usual 4-2-3-1 to a 3-5-2, with Jagielka joining Ashley Williams and Ramiro Funes Mori in a three-man backline. Seamus Coleman and Bryan Oviedo operated as wing-backs, with Cleverley starting alongside Gareth Barry and Ross Barkley in central midfield. Yannick Bolasie started next to Romelu Lukaku in attack for the Toffees.
- But having seen his Everton side run ragged during the opening half-hour, Koeman decided to make a change, with Mirallas introduced in place of Oviedo. That substitution saw Everton switch to a 4-3-3, with Funes Mori moving to left-back, while Mirallas and Bolasie flanked central striker Lukaku in attack. Bolasie was the next player to make way, with Aaron Lennon replacing the DR Congo international on the hour in a straight swap. Minutes later, Koeman brought on youngster Tom Davies in place of Barry to try and provide some fresh legs in the middle of the park.
- Koeman’s decision to change formations due to the absence of Gueye backfired dramatically on Saturday, but with the midfielder back for the home encounter against Swansea City, Koeman should return to either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation. Barry will miss that match due to suspension, though, so Gueye and Cleverley may combine, with Mirallas earning a recall in the attacking midfield positions. The likes of Lennon and Davies provide further options, while James McCarthy would also come into contention should he recover from injury. Funes Mori looks set to drop back to the bench, while Koeman will hope Leighton Baines can return from a hamstring injury to replace Oviedo at left-back. After being partially at fault for a couple of the goals, and given Robles kept a clean sheet in the previous match against West Ham, Stekelenburg’s starting berth is now under threat.
Current Status: Slightly Unsettled
Risk Areas: Goalkeeper, Left-Back, Central Midfield, Flanks
Hull City
Starting XI: Marshall; Dawson, Maguire (Huddlestone 74), Davies; Elmohamady, Henriksen, Livermore, Mason, Clucas; Keane (Snodgrass 29) Hernandez (Mbokani 8).
- Mike Phelan named an unchanged side from the one that lost 1-0 at Watford for the home clash against Southampton.
- Phelan stuck with the 3-5-2 once again, then, with Abel Hernandez and Will Keane combining in attack for the Tigers.
- Hull were forced into making an early change, with Hernandez forced off with a groin strain. The Uruguayan was replaced by the returning Dieumerci Mbokani in a straight swap. But the Tigers suffered further misfortune after Keane had to be replaced with a knee injury. The fit-again Robert Snodgrass was introduced, a change which saw the home side move to more of a 3-4-3, with Snodgrass (right) and Markus Henriksen (left) flanking central striker Mbokani. Phelan’s final substitution saw Tom Huddlestone replace Harry Maguire and stationed in a defensive midfield role next to Jake Livermore, as Hull closed the match off in more of a 4-5-1 system.
- After a stirring comeback, Phelan would seem likely to opt for a similar side to the one that finished the match, with both Hernandez and Keane struggling to be available for the trip to Sunderland. If he goes with a 3-4-3, Snodgrass and Mbokani appear likely starters, with Henriksen or perhaps Shaun Maloney playing on the left. That would leave Ryan Mason and Livermore to patrol central midfield.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Strikers
Leicester City
Starting XI: Zieler; Simpson, Morgan, Huth (Ulloa 87), Fuchs; Mahrez, Drinkwater, King, Musa (Gray 67); Okazaki (Vardy 46), Slimani.
- Claudio Ranieri made two changes for the home encounter against West Bromwich Albion, with Ron-Robert Zieler replacing the injured Kasper Schmeichel in goal, while the fit-again Islam Slimani earned a recall in place of Jamie Vardy.
- Slimani led the line for the Foxes, then, with Riyad Mahrez (right), Shinji Okazaki (No 10) and Ahmed Musa (left) forming the attacking midfield trio in the 4-2-3-1 formation.
- Following a lacklustre first-half display, Ranieri made a change at the break, with Vardy coming on for Okazaki, seeing the home side switch to a 4-4-2. Demarai Gray was then introduced for Musa in a straight swap midway through the second-half, and with West Brom leading 2-1, Ranieri threw on Leonardo Ulloa in place of Robert Huth as a final roll of the dice, ending the match in a 3-4-3.
- After a disappointing home defeat, Ranieri may consider recalling the likes of Daniel Amartey and Vardy for the trip to Watford after the international break. Amartey could replace Andy King in central midfield, while Vardy may come in at the expense of Okazaki. Gray and Albrighton are also viable alternatives to Musa on the left flank. Zieler looks set to be the starter in goal for the next few matches after Schmeichel underwent surgery on a broken hand.
Current Status: Fairly Settled
Risk Areas: Central Midfield, Flanks, Strikers
Liverpool
Starting XI: Karius: Clyne, Lucas, Matip, Milner: Henderson, Emre Can, Lallana (Sturridge 70): Mane (Wijnaldum 63), Firmino, Coutinho (Ejaria 86).
- Jurgen Klopp made two changes for the visit of Watford to Anfield, with James Milner returning from illness to replace Alberto Moreno, while Lucas Leiva started in place of Dejan Lovren, who himself missed out due to a virus.
- Lucas partnered Joel Matip in central defence for the Reds, then, while Milner returned at left-back in what was once again a 4-3-3 formation used by Klopp.
- With the match won, Klopp firstly brought on Georginio Wijnaldum in place of Sadio Mane. Minutes later, Daniel Sturridge then replaced Adam Lallana, seeing Roberto Firmino move to the right of the front three, with Sturridge taking over as the lone striker. Wijnaldum joined Jordan Henderson and Emre Can in central midfield. Klopp’s final change saw youngster Ovie Ejaria get a brief run-out in place of Philippe Coutinho.
- With the international break now upon us, Lovren should be fit to return to the starting XI in place of Lucas for the trip to Southampton in 12 days’ time. Otherwise, Klopp will probably look to name an unchanged side, unless he decides to rest Coutinho given that Brazil play in the early hours of Wednesday morning ahead of the trip to St Mary’s on Saturday. Firmino could also be rested, although he is less likely to earn minutes for Brazil.
Current Status: Very Settled
Risk Areas: Central Defence
Man City
Starting XI: Bravo; Zabaleta, Stones, Kolarov, Clichy; Fernandinho; Navas (Garcia 86), Gundogan (Nolito 75), De Bruyne, Silva; Aguero (Iheanacho 90).
- Pep Guardiola made four changes for the home clash against Middlesbrough, with Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy, Jesus Navas and Kevin De Bruyne coming in for Fernando, Nicolas Otamendi, Raheem Sterling and Nolito.
- Zabaleta and Clichy started at right-back and left-back respectively, with Aleksandar Kolarov partnering John Stones in central defence. De Bruyne started alongside Ilkay Gundogan in central midfield in the 4-1-4-1 formation, with David Silva (left) and Navas (right) stationed out wide.
- Guardiola made his first substitution with 15 minutes remaining, with Nolito brought on for Gundogan. Nolito played on the left wing for the home side, with Silva moving into central midfield. Aleix Garcia was then introduced for Jesus Navas, with Guardiola handing Kelechi Iheanacho a brief run-out at the death in place of Sergio Aguero.
- The numerous options that Guardiola has at his disposal means that rotation looks set to be a constant issue for Fantasy managers. In defence, Otamendi may come back in against Crystal Palace after he was rested at the weekend, with Kolarov perhaps taking over from Clichy at left-back. Vincent Kompany provides another option, though, while Bacary Sagna should also be back from a hamstring injury to offer an alternative to Zabaleta at right-back. Likewise in midfield, Sterling should return after he was rested against ‘Boro, while Sane and Nolito provide further options in the wide areas.
Current Status: Unsettled
Risk Areas: Defence, Midfield, Flanks
The second part of Line-up Lessons, assessing the final 10 teams, will be published tomorrow.
