Dugout Discussion

Dugout Discussion – Boxing Day

Gameweek 18 continues in some style, with half a dozen three o’clock kick-offs boasting a strong cast of leading Fantasy assets.

All the top captaincy options are in action, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic carrying huge expectations into Manchester United’s Old Trafford meeting with Sunderland – he is the top choice for skipper, backed by 25% of Fantasy Premier League managers.

Equally, Arsenal pair Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott promise attacking returns of their own at the Emirates, though the latter misses out – he is suffering a calf complaint which allows Olivier Giroud to earn a recall up front. Sanchez is backed by 14.6% for the captaincy but finds himself deployed on the right flank today.

Stamford Bridge will also be a major focus.

Without the suspended Diego Costa against visitors Bournemouth, manager Antonio Conte deploys Eden Hazard as his central attacker, with Michy Batshuayi kept on the bench. Hazard has returned six of his eight goals at home but has recorded just a single strike in his last five Gameweek starts.

Elsewhere, Swansea City’s meeting with West Ham in South Wales also promises goals and returns, with Gylfi Sigurdsson the star turn on show.

Burnley’s meeting with Middlesbrough is, on paper at least, likely to be a far more dour affair, while Everton’s visit to Leicester City pairs two unpredictable sides.

Romelu Lukaku is by far the most popular asset on show as he seeks to exploit a Foxes defence without the suspended Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs. However, the Belgian has scored in just one of his last seven Gameweeks.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

3,348 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Decision made! Wildcard next GW for Aguero in. Siggy wally Negredo out Aguero in gives front 6: Sanch, Haz, Puncheon, Aguero, Costa, Ibra

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Is Puncheon suspended? Think Phillips is better than Puncheon

      1. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        No

    2. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      next gameweek comes before 1st Jan

      1. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Wrong. GW 19 is the deadline for wildcard 1.

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Well done on keeping WC so long.

          1. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
            • 8 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Haha I wish! WC 2 for Aguero Costa Ibra up front seems worth it

  2. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Heaton, Foster
    Alonso, PJones, Pieters, Amat, Love
    Hazard, Sanchez, Eriksen, Siggy, Allen
    Ibra, Costa, Anichebe
    2FT 0.6ITB

    A)GW19 Coutinho for Eriksen later if he's fit to play. Next gw(or in the same gw?), Siggy to Walcott.
    B)Still Cout for Erik, but Siggy to Valencia. Free up fund to upgrade Love for 5.0 def(Chamber, Ake, Funes Mori, etc?).
    C)Just upgrade Love to someone 4.6(Chamber, Ake, Funes Mori, etc?).

  3. Cocky Spaniel Alves
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Best mid for up to 7.0?

  4. Canadian Football
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    for the mid to long term cheap striker slot.

    Rondon or Negredo?

    1. CloudSky
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Id go Rondon.

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Rondon

    3. Gargamel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Be careful with planning long term for cheap/mid-priced strikers imo.

      But if you want to then I'd pick Rondon!

      1. Canadian Football
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        thanks Garg, No planning on rotating him. 3-4-3 for me.

    4. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      keeping carroll this week to have more gw to decide ... leaning towards Rondon

  5. Bruno Bruno!!
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    62 points (-8) with one player left, looking like an average GW

    1. Burger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      I'd say below average, I'm 64, no hits and 4 left. Good luck though.

  6. rohan
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Early captain thoughts for the next Gw? Thinking Costa personally

    1. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      on bobby atm 😎

      1. Neeskens Under Matip
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Bobby, the drunken, potential child murderer?

    2. *sigh*
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      On Kane but subject to change!

    3. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      On Costa too, Ibra vice

    4. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      San(c)hez vs dat palace defence.

      1. KUNingas
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        This

  7. rdamjan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Wenger on Theo…
    Theo has a small calf problem, but a very small one.

    Playing next?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Cotton wool probably.

    2. Jamin
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      I reckon he maybe rested for 1 of the next 2, or maybe only 30mins against Palace

  8. Too Mane Men
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 3 months ago

    Love getting KOed in the first round of the cup by a player who triple captained Costa last week.

    1. MTPockets
        7 years, 3 months ago

        At least you made it to round 1.

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

      Bonus added.

    3. Super-Hans
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Why is Pedro red in my team? Surely he is not due a suspension? He has only four yellow cards?!

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        One in EFL Cup

        1. Super-Hans
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Ah, boll*cks. Cheers, though.

    4. Greenbackbøøg…
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Hazard 1 away from 3 bonus screw you jammy Pedro

    5. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      Do we have an avg?

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        ?

        1. PvA
          • 7 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Help innit

          1. TorresMagic™
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 14 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            I'd wait a day.

            1. PvA
              • 7 Years
              7 years, 3 months ago

              Cool

    6. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      If you have a high TV (105m+) then you could afford:

      Pickford - Hennessey
      Jones - Evans - Luiz - Chambers - Amat
      Hazard - Sanchez - Phillips - Capoue - De Roon
      Ibrahimovic - Costa - Aguero

      Then you would rotate between Capoue and De Roon as your 4th midfielder.

      The defence looks okay - probably missing Arsenal, but you would need a very high TV to switch Chambers for Monreal etc.

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Midfield stinks

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Defence looks a hospital waiting room 😀

          1. rjcv177
            • 8 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            one of best comments ever 😉

          2. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Don't know. Pickford is a season keeper. Hennessey - gambling on Big Sam's impact on Palace. Jones is a solid Man Utd pick. Evans a solid WBA pick. Luiz a solid Chelsea pick. Chambers a solid Boro pick. Amat is just a cheap filler. Those teams have good fixtures from now until GW 28ish.

            If you had a £107m+ team value then you could upgrade Capoue and Chambers.

            1. Wild Rover
              • 13 Years
              7 years, 3 months ago

              Jones, Evans and Chambers have lifetime sick notes 🙂

        2. Parm
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          ^ Don't think there's enough value in cheap midfielder to justify the big three.

      2. JustPark
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Stopped reading at if.

      3. *sigh*
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Wouldn't want to rotate those two.Id rather have Anichibe with someone like Alli or Coutinho when he returns.

      4. Kiwivillan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        So ugly. You don't need Costa if rest of team good

      5. Shultan
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        I would downgrade hazard to walcott/lallana then upgrade capoue to moses & amat to ake. Also evans to brunt

        1. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Wasting trades fiddling with defence is pointless. Get 2 premium and 1 or 2 cheap as like Love or Amat. Just leave them and worry about rest of team

      6. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        No thanks.

      7. _Freddo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        That midfield don't look great tbh, think I'd rather lose one striker and reinvest the funds.

        You can only captain one player a week, having 5 captains is good if the rest of your team don't stink but if it does what's the point?

    7. Scratch
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 3 months ago

      I've been playing this game far too long to not remember the answer to this but...

      Are Costa and Aguero price protected for... 3? days once their red flags are removed?

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        yes, about a week

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

        7 days

      3. Scratch
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Much obliged!

      4. MTPockets
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Until 3rd Jan
          http://fplstatistics.com/ - seach for name - click green drop down.

      5. PvA
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Ohhh Sergio is back

        Will he go straight into the team?

        1. Je suis le chat
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Be great if Pep eases him in. Nacho looked sharp today.

          1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 13 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            eased in from what? he was suspended not injured

            1. Je suis le chat
              • 10 Years
              7 years, 3 months ago

              Kun did get sent off twice so maybe needs a few benchings!

          2. Epic Fail
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Eased in 😀

        2. Les Bleus
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Does a bear sh*t in the woods?

        3. rjcv177
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          he'll propably start at Anfield. Does Pep risk him to play 2 days later against the mighty Burnley?

          He had his rest, but 1 day rest between them?

          1. _Freddo
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            People shouldn't think Burnley will be a formaility, Heaton is more than capable of spoiling the party, he's done so already this season.

      6. rjcv177
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        From GW20.

        A) Kun + Townsend + Philips
        B) Tekkers + Siggy + Philips
        C) Rondon + SIggy + Townsend
        D) Forget about Kun, only GOOD game is Burnley and probably benched after playing Liv 2 days before

        1. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Kun or nothing

        2. ANON.
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          How are they comparable options? Prices are way different

          1. rjcv177
            • 8 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            this my front 7 now
            Sxz, Haz, Wally, Siggy
            Ibra, Costa, Llorente

            i'm selling llorente no matter on GW20 and open to downgrade Haz to get Kun.

            That's why the question.
            Thkx anyway

      7. Je suis le chat
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Involved in a good tustle in the cup; both of us on 54 points. Hope my Walker, Eriksen, Kane and Original can beat his VDV, Milner and Allen.

        1. PvA
          • 7 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Keep your hands up and circle away from his power shot

      8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 13 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Disappointed to see no post from Deano about walcott on this page

      9. TaiwanHC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        I hope Firmino will fail to score tomorrow so I can finally get rid of him and feel extremely good!

      10. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        So pleased I went ahead Andrew brought Yaya in. No net gain (or loss) over Antonio as it was for a hit, but it's great when a hunch pays off 🙂

      11. ANON.
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        1ft, 0.4 in the bank. Thinking about Mane + Origi to Phillips + Costa at some point before Mane leaves for afcon. Worth a hit now or just save?

        Heaton, Pickford
        Alonso, Cedric, Holebas, Evans, Amat
        Sanchez, Hazard, Mane, Walcott, Fletcher
        Ibra, Benteke, Origi

        1. Je suis le chat
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Chelsea fixtures are patchy for a bit. I might live without Costa.

          1. ANON.
            • 10 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Can't really afford Aguero and don't want him at that price so what frontline would you aim for with my team?

      12. BLANKET DEFENCE
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        62 with 5 left to play ( Kane, Firmino, Clyne, Toby A, Pieters)

        What are others on

        1. Annie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          65 with Kane, Eriksen and Allen.

        2. Je suis le chat
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          54 with 4 left. Need a solid green after sliding for a few weeks.

        3. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          62 -4 Walker Eriksen Kane Can

          Very happy with that score as anything from Spurs is a bonus as the disappointed last week

      13. PvA
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Take one out for Aguero (c):

        A) Ibra
        B) Costa

        1. ANON.
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Neither

        2. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          B. You can get Costa scores from Azpi most weeks

      14. FPL_Hazards
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        After 7 red arrows in a row will I get a green with 65 pts with Walker, Allen and Kane to go?

        1. Annie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          of course

        2. Epic Fail
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          No, sorry.

        3. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Pretty unlucky if you didn't.

        4. Je suis le chat
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Definitely, well scored.

        5. Over Midwicket
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          You'll get one tonight, yes.

      15. Legomane
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Yes! should be safely through the the 2nd round of the cup for the first time ever....barring a miraculous comeback.

        53(-4) v 18, with
        Kane, Eriksen, (Origi, Mané) v Firmino, Cedric, (Origi, Mané)
        Left to go.

        1. Over Midwicket
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Shockingly bad opponent, nice draw there

        2. Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          When the players are the same in a match up you can just leave them out

      16. MafioSol
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Happy Holidays.
        For GW19 I have three Liverpool players (Mane, Llana, Origi) and two Chelsea (Alonso, Costa - transferred in).
        I'm tempted to transfer in Hazard (next games STOKE, spurs, leicester) for Mane (next games: MAN CITY, sunderland, man utd) for a 4 pt hit.
        Considering the upcoming games above should I make the transfer or should I abstain/be patient?
        Pro Hazard: Next fixture home against weaker opposition, can make captain.
        Pro Mane: Could exploit over-idealistic opponents, save points.
        Cheers. M

      17. Jam0sh
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        I'm on wildcard this week. Thinking about going without Kun for now with Hazard, Costa, Sanchez, Ibra in team. Struggling with ideas what to even change in my team with wildcard. Have had Foster/Heaton combo the whole season and reluctant to let go of neither. Same goes to Walker whom I've had from the beginning. Here's team as it stands:

        Foster, Heaton
        Walker, Jones, Alonso, Nyom, Amat
        Hazard, Sanchez, Sigurdsson, Antonio, Capoue
        Ibrahimovic, Origi, Costa

        0.3 ITB. Thoughts about going with Origi as third forward for now?

        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          See how tomorrow goes.

          1. Jam0sh
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            7 years, 3 months ago

            Sure, will do that. Any other thoughts of my team? Haven't yet changed anything and 1st wildcard seems now little useless. Siggy, Capoue, Antonio and Origi could be possibly axed.

        2. MafioSol
          • 10 Years
          7 years, 3 months ago

          Origi great current option.
          However with Sturridge and Coutinho returning it'll be difficult to assess/predict how often he will play in the upcoming weeks and medium term.

      18. The Overthinker
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Siggy captain turned out to be a disaster
        Majority had hazard and ibra and one of them captain.
        I only had ibra .
        Out of the cup.

        First thing to do is kick holebas out for a united defender.
        Maybe Defoe/Walcott too gets the boot.

        How was your day people?

      19. PapsH
        • 11 Years
        7 years, 3 months ago

        Gonna try life without aguero and stick with ibra & costa

        Who's the best 3rd striker to go with sub 8mil?