Dugout Discussion

Dugout Discussion – Middlesbrough vs Arsenal

After Diego Costa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic managed a single point between them at Old Trafford yesterday, all eyes are on Alexis Sanchez as Arsenal roll up to the Riverside in tonight’s final Gameweek fixture.

Recently shuffled onto the left flank, a run of three matches without a goal has knocked our confidence in the Chilean ahead of the Gunners’ double Gameweeks 36 and 37.

Indeed, only 5.9% have handed Sanchez the armband as he attempts to reclaim his spot as top scoring player in Fantasy Premier League, having been knocked off his perch by Romelu Lukaku at the weekend.

Tonight’s team selection looks to have handed Sanchez a change of role. To everyone’s surprise, Arsene Wenger appears to have set up with a 3-4-2-1 formation or even a 3-4-1-2, with Sanchez perhaps joining Olivier Giroud up front – a concern perhaps for the 91,000+ who sold the Chilean ahead of Gameweek 33.

Tonight’s encounter also gives us the chance to run the rule over the hosts as they prepare for a potentially profitable double Gameweek 34 against Bournemouth and Sunderland.

Both Victor Valdes and Ben Gibson currently sit second for transfers in among keepers and defenders since Saturday’s deadline, though in the four matches under new manager Steve Agnew, Boro have been somewhat hot and cold – keeping two clean sheets and conceding at least three times in the other two.

Valdes misses out this evening with a rib problem sustained at Burnley last time out – an injury kept under wraps until tonight: Brad Guzan claims the keeper’s jersey.

Sitting six points from safety, the Teesside team are in desperate need of wins now. Having failed to score in six of their last eight, though, most will likely steer clear of the hosts’ attack unless they can punish the Gunners this evening.

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

4,192 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    What happened to the penalties from the first days of the premier league..holding onto players ... Refs have chickened out

    1. JÆKS ⭐
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Good times, trying to get the penalty taker from each team in your fpl side!

      1. JÆKS ⭐
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        And also going with Vardy over Mahrez because Vardy was supposed to be on penalties...

  2. Speédy
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    No friend cs fiasco this time, clean 72 mins

  3. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Sanchez fail!

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      19 mins played.......

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        21 mins now

  4. GE
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Plan 1) or 2)? 🙂

    1)
    GW34: Walcott and Diomande -> Towsend and Benteke (-4)
    GW35: Siggy -> Sane
    GW36: Benteke -> Gabbiadini

    (0.8 itb after these moves)

    2)
    GW34: Save
    GW35: Siggy -> Sane
    GW36: Baines and Diomande -> Yoshida and Gabbiadini

    (0.4 itb after these moves)

    Current team:

    (1FT, 1.4 itb)

    Heaton
    Valencia/Baines/Gibson
    Sanchez/Alli/Siggy/Walcott/Tadic
    Ibra/Kane

    Bench: Jaku, Chambers, Robertson, Diomande

  5. jmcclory123
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    This is miserable to watch as an Arsenal fan

    1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      And wonderful for everyone else

      Wenger in

      1. jmcclory123
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        The actual football being played isn't enjoyable for anyone to watch

        1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          I'm loving it

          Cmon Boro

  6. Kalou
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Played wc this gw ....Stones,Fabio, Valdes, Ibrahimovic....Love this game!

    1. Oven Glover
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      World record WC fail

    2. vectorman
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Unlucky though you'll be told you're a rubbish FPL manager any minute now..

      1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        *crap

        1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          😆

        2. vectorman
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          There's going to be a lot of this sadly going forward..

          1. Old Schoolᴼˢ “disa…
            • 12 Years
            7 years, 1 month ago

            Only messing

            1. vectorman
              • 8 Years
              7 years, 1 month ago

              No probs, I was a pee'd off initially with the Walcott Mustafi situation but what can you do hey. Happens to us all

      2. Kalou
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Am not great like you guys but not bad either between 10k and 20k last 5 years!

        1. vectorman
          • 8 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          Yeah don't worry about it, really nothing you can do about it really.. And that's a decent record

  7. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    It feels like the Arsenal players kind of want to lose. A la Chelsea last season and Leicester this season

    1. jmcclory123
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Definitely feels like it

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Sanchez watched too much of Hazard yesterday!

  8. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    If Sanchez fails I'm selling him for Towsend lol.

    1. Guvnor
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Ramirez is looking good too

    2. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Mental move. Can't imagine anyone making it.

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      A bit too much don't ya think

    4. tm245
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      This is the least appealing GW he has for the rest of the season, imo. Wouldn't read much into it.

      1. Fred54
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Have WC.

        Performances and under lying stats are barely acceptable for his price. FPL output none existent.

  9. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    The Ox has the ability to be a proper right wing back

    1. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      at Liverpool

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        he can do a good job at a team like Chelsea

    2. Oven Glover
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Navas rb over Ox rb any day

    3. Woy of the Wovers
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Not too right wing...

    4. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      He's no Kyle Walker

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Sanchez next foul is a YC

  11. rivercityransom
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    arsenal players look like they just realized that a 3-5-2 formation is actually a thing

    1. JÆKS ⭐
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Funny actually, their 2 CB are out, and then Wenger decides to play with 3 CB 😀

      1. The Rock
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Only really Mustafi that's missing. You're hardly counting Mertesacker?

        1. JÆKS ⭐
          • 9 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          Oh yea didn't notice Koscielny was playing 😀

  12. My Name Is Prince
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    What's with Valdes?

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

      Training injury.

    2. Konig Luther
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      didn't recovery from injury

  13. Mr Arsenal
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Arsenal used to play such good football.

    I'd rather watch West Brom these days, much better technically.

  14. George James
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    If Arsenal and Sanchez continue to look poor....

    Sanchez / Barnes / Brunt ➡️ Ibra / Townsend / Friend -8

    Have exact funds for this

    1. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Rashford instead of Ibra?

    2. Ospina Colada
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Sanchez out when Leicester (H) next game?

  15. Sergeant Garcia
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Barragan outsprinted Sanchez there

  16. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Why is Sanchez playing so wide? Monreal should be providing the width.

    1. nkhoughton
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      3-4-3

  17. Ed
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    What does Xhaka actually do?

    1. Speédy
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Red cards

    2. The Rock
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Passes to the other team.

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

    de Roon disallowed offside goal.

  19. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Unlucky De Roon owners

  20. Jigger & Pony
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    De Roon goal

    disallowed

  21. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    De Roon was a few feet away from being essential

  22. Sterling is £11Mill..…
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Oh I just saw Giroud he is on the pitch

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Was technically off the pitch when they zoomed in on him.

  23. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Half these Arsenal players are definitely just going through the motions

  24. jmcclory123
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Boro goal...

    Offside

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

    Arsenal are terrible.

  26. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    What are de Roon owners doing in the double? Playing him?

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

      Might buy him and play. Should score within 2 games.

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Really TM? How many he scored this season?

      2. Garfield1001
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Seriously? Should score? I'd be over the moon with one assist!

    2. Sjaugen
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Still haven't decided

  27. tm245
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    If you're not watching, everyone knew he was offside and gave up marking him. Nothing play.

  28. Diva
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Sanchez -> De Roon for free?

    😉 😀

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

      I might for funds.

  29. jmcclory123
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Oxlade Chamberlain is one of the only players trying, pity he's lacking a little in actual quality

  30. Danno - Emre Canada
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Streaming failure in the hills of Sri Lanka so relying on you guys for commentary, be a bit more professional please

    1. dark91
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Boro are wearing red and Arsenal yellow, and there are 22 players on the pitch

    2. JJO
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Oh my God what a chance that was...
      Great chance for Arsenal players to complete 3 passes in a row was ruined by that interception...

      1. Danno - Emre Canada
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Hahaha I'll change the channel please

      1. Danno - Emre Canada
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        I've actually just watched the first minute of that

    3. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Goal kick to Arsenal, Cech taking.

      1. Danno - Emre Canada
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Cheers. Far too serious though

    4. Sterling is £11Mill..…
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      This so lame, whenever I make a point of watching teams like Arsenal or Liverpool its always an incredibly boring game. Feel so sorry for their fans having to put up with this, week in week out.