Team News
12 August 2016 3369 comments
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Jan Vertonghen recovers from injury in time for Spurs’ trip to Goodison. Laurent Koscielny is still unavailable for Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool. Ashley Williams misses out for the Toffees, who have worries at both ends of the pitch, whilst Southampton have defensive concerns as Watford roll up to St Mary’s.

Burnley manager Sean Dyche is optimistic that left-back Stephen Ward will shrug off a hamstring problem in time for the home clash against Swansea. Jon Flanagan has stepped up his fitness in training, whilst Ashley Barnes (hamstring) is expected to miss out.

Alan Pardew was somewhat reluctant to give away any information for Palace’s clash against West Brom. The Eagles boss conceded he’s still trying to get one or two players “up to full speed”.

Laurent Koscielny is “not ready” to return for Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool, according to Arsene Wenger.

Ashley Williams misses his debut for Everton due to a lack of match fitness, according to Ronald Koeman. Seamus Coleman and Romelu Lukaku are doubtful for the visit of Tottenham, though Phil Jagielka has been passed fit.

Claudio Ranieri has no injury concerns for Leicester’s trip to Hull, though the champions are without Robert Huth due to suspension. The Foxes manager has admitted he doesn’t expect his side to reach last year’s fitness levels “until the fifth or sixth game”.

Aitor Karanka has revealed that Bernardo Espinoza, Daniel Ayala and Grant Leadbitter will all miss Middlesbrough’s home encounter against Stoke.

Southampton pair Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares will have their fitness assessed after a late return to training due to their exertions for Portugal in Euro 2016. Ryan Bertrand misses out with a knee injury.

Glen Johnson is Stoke’s only injury worry for their trip to the Riverside. Marko Arnautovic is expected to feature after stepping up his recovery from a minor hamstring issue, whilst Xherdan Shaqiri is available, having shrugged off a knock.

Jermain Defoe has declared himself available for Sunderland’s trip to Man City. Jan Kirchhoff, Billy Jones and Seb Larsson all remain doubts.

Francesco Guidolin has admitted that Swansea’s record signing Borja Baston is unlikely to be involved in the weekend trip to Burnley.

Jan Vertonghen has recovered from the ankle injury that forced him to miss Euro 2016 and is available for Tottenham’s trip to Goodison. Mousa Dembele serves the third of a six-match suspension.

Brice Dja Djedje has been ruled out of Watford’s trip to St Mary’s, whilst fellow new boy Isaac Success is almost certainly unavailable, too. Midfield duo Valon Behrami and Adlene Guedioura are set to have their fitness assessed.

Gokhan Tore has resumed training ahead of West Ham’s trip to Chelsea on Monday evening. Diafra Sakho is still sidelined with a back problem, whilst Cheikhou Kouyate, Pedro Obiang and Darren Randolph have all recovered from knocks. Slaven Bilic has admitted Dimitri Payet isn’t fit to play 90 minutes, though the Frenchman is expected to play some part in the Stamford Bridge showdown.

Junior Stanislas has been ruled out of Bournemouth’s clash against United on Sunday. Eddie Howe has admitted he has “one or two niggles” to contend with in the squad.

All this and more has now been updated in the Team News section ahead of tomorrow’s opening day deadline. Keep an eye on our official Twitter Stream for breaking news – as the day unfolds, we will issue updates from Friday’s press conferences and refresh our Team News tab accordingly to keep you informed.

J0E Podcaster and writer. Tweets stats and stuff via @FFScout_Joe Follow them on Twitter

  1. S.Agueroooooo
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Lamela or Townsend (+.5 elsewhere)?

    1. Stevee10001
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      I am also in this predicament

    2. Pub Crawl to the Townsend
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Townsend. Kane the long term Spurs option imo

  2. Viprin
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Carroll surely will be starting right?

    1. Bubz
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah

      1. Sjaugen
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        If only he had the pens down proper 🙁

    2. Super_Frank
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Yeah

  3. Daddycool
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Hi folks! So many unknown this season, it drives my nuts. I think United will do well over all, Hazard will impress us once again and Leicester will get of to a good start before rotation and CL takes its toll. A is pretty top heavy, B more balanced, but defence is pretty weak in both cases..?

    Thanks for all replies!

    a)
    Foster / Jaku
    Valencia / Friend / Stones / Paredes / Evans
    Ayew / Lamela / Hazard / Højberg / Fletcher
    Vardy / Kun / Zlatan

    or
    b)
    Foster / Jaku
    Valencia / Friend / Stones / Paredes / Evans
    Ayew / Mahrez / Hazard / Dier / Fletcher
    Gray / Kun / Zlatan

    1. AJ24
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      B
      But, there are better options than Dier as a 5.5m midfielder

      1. Daddycool
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks! Any suggestions?

    2. Kane Toads
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Go with B). I would think Ayew > Tadic (just my opinion). A good team however Paredes could prove a worry if a non starter and price dropper...I started with a similar team however have Gray/Kun/Vardy - it gives a better balance to the mids and Defs" ie:

      Foster
      Valencia / Terry / Friend
      Haz /Tadic / Lamela / Firmino
      Aguero / Vardy / Gray
      Jaku / Kone / Mee/ Fletcher

      all the best..
      Peter.

      1. Daddycool
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Thanks Peter. Paredes is a bit of a worry... I will look in to replacing him. Good luck with your team.

        1. Kane Toads
          • 13 Years
          9 years, 6 months ago

          If you plan to wildcard early probably best to leave him on the bench 'til then...

  4. Chrissy Waddle - 2025/26
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Start with Baines/Coleman or Terry...?

    1. jackjones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Baines. Coleman not certain to start tomorrow

  5. DV8R
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Am I all set? Not sure what else to do

    Courtois, Jak
    Valencia, Stones, McAuley, Friend, Amat
    Hazard, Firmino, Lamela, Redmond, Capoue
    Kun, Ibra, Gray

    0.0 itb

    1. An Púca
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Personally, I'd downgrade Ibra and upgrade Lamela

    2. Stevee10001
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Nice team

    3. RyanC
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Downgrad Courtois, upgrade McAuley. Otherwise very good.

    4. Sandy Ravage
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      downgrade Stones + Courtois and upgrade Capoue > Townsend / Deulofeu to rotate with Gray & Redmond

  6. baraka1670
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Am i the only 1 who is having Carzola in his team???
    I still think he is more imp to Arsenal than Ozil

    1. DAV087
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Should be on Pens to. I have considered him but going Oscar instead as I have Sanchez

      1. baraka1670
        • 12 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Oscar is nailed????

  7. TheBusDriver
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Latest bandwagon?

    1. S.Agueroooooo
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Aguero

      1. Slartibartfast
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        The Busdriver's favourite player

    2. Costa's Counsellor
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      I think Lamela is the latest.

  8. Francescoli
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    How will Swansea line up at the back now that Williams has left?

    1. An Púca
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      See Team News tab above

  9. DAV087
    • 15 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Thoughts on my side? Planning early wc once everything has settled and everyone back.

    Foster Jakupovic
    Valencia Stones Friend Amat Smith
    Sanchez Firmino Tadic Oscar Capoue
    Aguero Vardy Gray

    Cheers

    1. ACCOUNTING ON CHRIS
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Don't plan for an early WC.

      Team looks fine.

      1. DAV087
        • 15 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        May not be planning but always occurs. Last yr after gw2 2 previous yrs during the international break

  10. ACCOUNTING ON CHRIS
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Foster / Jaku

    Valencia / Friend / Stones / Pieters / Koné

    Hazard / Eriksen / Firmino / Redmond / Capoue

    Vardy / Aguero (c - 25pts) / Gray

    0.5 ITB, should make getting Ibra easier if he goes berserk.

    Anything you gents would change :)?

    1. Badger Badger Mushroom Mush…
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      You have the exact same team as me, but I have Amat and not Kone.

      Could swap Vardy to Kane next week if required.

  11. JackG55
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    1) Is Townsend worth the 0.5m extra then Cabaye?
    2) Tadic or Sigurddson?

    1. Pub Crawl to the Townsend
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Yes and tadic

  12. siunt1
    • 12 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Join my league guys...

    161373-52529

  13. Rains of Castamere
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Will Alli play in no.10 again or could he be moved deeper to cover Dembele's absence?

    1. Sess!
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      They have wanyama now so imagine he and dier will be deep and alli, eriksen, lamella front three behind kane.

      1. Rains of Castamere
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Hope so. Cheers Sess.

  14. LewanGOALski
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    A. DDG & Terry
    or
    B. Courtois & Shaw

    ??

    1. S.Agueroooooo
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Think A would get more points. Terry more of a goal threat, DDG a better keeper.

  15. Coco Umbongo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    A) Hazard & Musa
    B) Vardy & Tadic

    ???

    1. Slartibartfast
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      a

    2. UshFPL
      • 9 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      B

  16. Valar(Keith)
    • 16 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    So many people new to the game on here.. word of advice.. the urge to kneejerk tomorrow will be strong and will likely lead to a hit in the first week if you are not careful. leave 0.5 or a million in the bank just in case. Can see a lot of newbies heads exploding tmrw. they've no idea what they are in for 🙂 ..

    1. ACCOUNTING ON CHRIS
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Yep.

      I took 5 hits in the first 5 GW's last year sorting out my mess of a team, then wildcarded GW6. Finished 296th though, so wasn't too bad haha

    2. Viprin
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      gameweek 2-4 wildcards are coming

  17. Wajidiqbal
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Is anything needs to be change...?

    GK: Courtois. Heaton.
    DEF: Sagna. Bailly. Lovren. Cedric. Lowton.
    MID: Henderson. Hazard. Oscar. Shaqiri. Lee Chung Yong.
    FWD: Aguero. Vardy. Long.

    1. Coco Umbongo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Heaton > Jaku
      Sagna > Stones
      Bailly > Shaw
      Henderson > Anybody else, 7m is crazy for him
      Lee Chung Yong > a 4.5m at will actually start eg. Fletcher, Højbjerg, Capoue

      Hope this helps

  18. Teddy Brewski
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Right - here goes. Feel free to rip it to shreds....

    Foster Jaku
    Valencia Dann Stones Kone Amat
    Hazard Firmino Tadic Lamela Capoue
    Kun Vardy Gray
    0.0 ITB

    Tadic & Lamela could easily be Redmond & Alli/Eriksen. Like Lamela's pre-season form though and Tadic's consistency

    Hoping the Kone situation is sorted one way or another by GW2. Happy to play him whether he is at SUN or EVE

    1. ACCOUNTING ON CHRIS
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Looks fairly template so good to go,

      Flip a coin on Tadic + Lam or Red + Alli/Erik, at the end of the day they will probably be equal to one another!

      1. Teddy Brewski
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        I think long term i'll have Kane so Lamela will probably turn into someone else after a few weeks anyway

    2. jackjones
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      You're looking good. Although Kone not certain to start at Everton (unless they play 3 CBs), I swapped him for that reason. Can you RMT below please?

  19. RyanC
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Final decision

    A) Azpi + Redmond
    B) Terry (or another 5.5 not incl Shaw) + and Lamela?

    1. An Púca
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      A

      1. RyanC
        • 11 Years
        9 years, 6 months ago

        Sorry, I meant to ask Azpi + Townsend, not Redmond. Same answer?

  20. gaurava1216
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    I m done! 🙂 Please RMT... I am top Heavy but this is the best i can do..... Please let me know thoughts?

    Foster Heaton
    Shaw Stones Morgan Friend Amat
    Hazard Townsend Redmond Gaston Capoue
    Kun Zlatan Vardy

    Out of 10?

    1. RyanC
      • 11 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Solid defence, but I think you could downgrade an attacker to bolster your midfield.

    2. aehii
      • 12 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      I think midfield is too weak.

  21. Mean Gaals
    • 9 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    A) Sanchez and Costa
    B)Hazard and Vardy

    1. An Púca
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      A

  22. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    GW1 & 2 transfers planned already.

    Geez, when will I learn.

    1. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Will never happen.

  23. RustyBz
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Lamela, Eriksen or Alli?

    1. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Lamela +1.5M

  24. Whazza
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone else going AOA gameweek 1? Rubbish chip anyway, but now you can plan it (same as week after wc).

    Valencia Stones
    Haz Firmino Lamela Redmond Ramirez
    Kun Ibra Gray

  25. NielsYBFC
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    So a lot of people are saying KDB is overpriced but for me Vardy seems too expensive, can't see him having an excellent season again. Any thoughts on that?

    1. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      You're wrong.

    2. Whazza
      • 13 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Agreed, Musa will steal some FPL points this season too, not only points for Vardy and Mahrez this season

    3. ekul the lokonga enthusiast
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      KDB is fairly priced i think. I feared he'd be a bit more if im honest

  26. ekul the lokonga enthusiast
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Quick question

    A) firmino, negredo

    Or

    B) townsend, vardy

    ??

  27. Henryyy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    RMT PLEASE

    Foster

    Friend - Valencia - Stones

    Hazard - Alli - Firmino - Redmond

    Kun - Ibra - Gray

    Jak - Capou - Smith - Amat

  28. Coco Umbongo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Is placing Musa as captain GW1 versus Hull mental? (I have Aguero)

    1. An Púca
      • 14 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Yes considering he mightn't play

    2. Sess!
      • 15 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      Pure coco loco (not really tho, might be worth a punt)

  29. El Copo
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Hazard + Tadic or Sanchez + Redmond?

    Hazard/Tadic seems the more sensible option, but Sanchez as a striker is tempting and Hazard tends to start slow.

    1. Henryyy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      you know if you pick sanhcez hazard will start with a brace

  30. tissae
    • 11 Years
    9 years, 6 months ago

    Are we sure Williams is fit for gw2 ?

    1. Sylas
      • 10 Years
      9 years, 6 months ago

      We're not sure of anything. Koeman said that he will need 10 days.