Dugout Discussion

The Dugout Discussion – Middlesbrough vs Manchester United

We drop by the Riverside in the first of three Sunday fixtures before yet another international break is thrust upon us.

Middlesbrough attempt to regroup after parting company with Aitor Karanka, as the Teesside team look to improve a dire run of form that has harvested two goals in their previous eight Premier League matches.

United are, of course, without the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with Marcus Rashford leading the line as the big Swede serves the second of a three-match ban.

Despite being without Paul Pogba due to a hamstring problem, Jose Mourinho has opted to bench Henrikh Mkhitaryan for today’s clash, frustrating the 17,000+ who drafted in the Armenian for this one.

Juan Mata – with two goals in his last three league appearances – potentially has the chance to play his way into Fantasy managers’ plans as United prepare to face 11 league matches in the remaining nine rounds of fixtures.

At the back, Antonio Valencia has been transferred in by over 57,000 FPL managers this week – three assists and a trio of clean sheets in United’s last six league matches highlight the Ecuadorian’s points potential at both ends of the pitch.

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959 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Lav
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Alright Eriksen add to my 71 point GW please 🙂

  2. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    It's official, Valencia is the new McAuley!! Immortals, these 2.

  3. Firminooooo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Now I dont want Valencia anymore. There must be something wrong with me.

  4. Numb
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    No baps for Valencia?? This game is broken! I quit

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Man in the stand would have given him MOTM for the way he took that goal

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

      People complain about lucky goals gifting people baps the complain about players not getting baps for lucky goals

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

        Not really talking about the goal

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

      BPS should get some remake

  5. Sims
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 1 month ago

    Didn't watch the game

    What was lucky about the goal?

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

      Nothing, solo goal from his own half

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

      Valdes doing his best Stevie G impression

    3. Lawrø
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Take a fracking look

      https://u.nya.is/amlopi.mp4

    4. F4L
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      luck doesn't even do it justice

    5. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      valdes doing moonwalk

    6. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Valdes was supposed to clear the ball, took a step back instead to probably get better weight but lost his feet instead. Valencia ran inside the empty goal with a FIFA-esque goal 🙂

    7. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Nothing lucky about it. Valencia didn't give up the chase and got the rewards for a slip by Valdez.

      Even I as a junior manager send my lads out to never give up a ball and keep the pressure up. You make your own luck at football usually.

      1. MTPockets
          7 years, 1 month ago

          'Nothing lucky' is obviously false.

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

          errr

          1. Dr Dream
            • 11 Years
            7 years, 1 month ago

            Pundits just agreed with everything I said.

            1. Lawrø
              • 12 Years
              7 years, 1 month ago

              I agree that Valencia did everything correctly but that's not the "lucky'' or "unlikely'' thing that people are aggrieved about... The goal would never of occurred if Valdes didn't make a huge, rare, individual error and these things can't really be predicted from an FPL point of view...

      2. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Just UTD being UTD. Goalkeeper slipped

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

      Big score game mci liv should work this gameweek out..

      1. F4L
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        it better be. Bloody Coutinho has to deliver

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

          Definitely. After all the trust I gave him.. he better not blank

      2. Scholes Balls
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        4-4 sounds about right

    9. F4L
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Alli hattie coming up. Prepare

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

        Son Hattie*

    10. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Will Gestede play from the off every week now?

      I have no understanding why Villa didn't set up to play to his strengths or why Boro haven't done the same. Having watched him dozens of times at Blackburn he has more than enough in his locker to scare every defence in the prem. He's unplayable when you just punt cross after cross at him.

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

        Premier league clubs should not adapt their style from the fort min to suit one player

        In the last 30 mons sure

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

          First min.*

          Last 30 mins *

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

        I don't think so because he was struggling with a hammy injury when he came on. He had it strapped up bad. I think he would be really good if Prem teams used him right

        1. Dr Dream
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          He's like a one man hurricane.

      3. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Downing could combine with him like Downing combined with Carroll at Liverpool.

        1. Dr Dream
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          Aye. Gestede is even harder to play against than Carroll. I bet he's in the top five strikers that defenders don't want to play against....or at least those that have played against him.

          Even Jose knew how hard he is to play against.

      4. KingNidge
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        First touch of a brick wall

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

      I'm gonna cry if Sterling scores tonight, still fretting over why I took him out for a hit for Deadwood Walcott.

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

      Pogba, who?

      1. F4L
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Paul Pogba

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

        Why was he out today?

    13. Numb
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Fellaini is surprisingly softly spoken, Its not right

    14. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      We have new 6th Gods. Come out wherever you are.

      1. Somalion
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        😆

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

          It's class isn't it ? lol

      2. Numb
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Brilliant

    15. Bruno Bruno!!
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      1-0 southampton win please even 1-1 with any southampton player and wanyama scoring would be good

    16. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Coleman > Valencia a good move?

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        The team:

        Heaton (Jaku)
        Walker Alonso Coleman (Pieters Evans)
        Siggy J. King Mane Antonio (Capoue)
        Costa Aguero Lukaku

    17. The special 5
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Valencia a must have

      1. F4L
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        if they're playing Boro every week, yeh

    18. GoonerByron
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Good week for me to get rid of AOA next GW?

      Heaton
      Jones - Alonso
      Coutinho - Firmino - Walcott - Lanzini - Siggy
      Lukaku - Llorente - Aguero

      Foster - Coleman - Baines - Nyom

      1. The special 5
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        You need Valencia

      2. The Tinkerman
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Sure, lovely team, don't fancy Walcott but that's just personal preference

    19. slippers
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Hoping Pep drops Kun, freeing Dawson's points from my bench. Could happen!

    20. Junior ⚽
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Crapping myself at the end as I took a hit for Valencia instead of starting Smith.
      3 point loss but will gain that back in no time.

    21. My Name Is Pepu
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Valdes: I've always looked up to Steven Gerrard 🙂

    22. F4L
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      United to carry on with wingbacks?

      1. Grounderz
        • 12 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Did they start with 3 CBs and 2 WBs? Didn't watch the game.

        1. FPL Blow-In
          • 11 Years
          7 years, 1 month ago

          Yeah Valencia and Young as WBs

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

      Cannot believe Mark bought Valencia. LOL.

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

        I can.

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

          I guess I can too. Fortunately I don't let things like that bother me anymore.

      2. ⚽️ Dingo ⚽️
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Lol

    24. PvA
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Got both Valdes and Valencia... don't know how I feel

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

        I'd WC to get Valdes out

      2. Pariße
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        Valdes was doomed already. Your FPL players are cooperating, you feel happy.

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

        Valdes didn't lose a single point for that slip

        U sure u don't know how to feel?

    25. Game of Throw_ins
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Mourinho.. someone teach him alphabets.. LMN"S"OP 😀

    26. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      How many points for Stones today? 🙂

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

        1 if he's lucky

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

          The last defender in bench order and will come in against Liverpool if he plays. I've had luck this gameweek already 🙂

    27. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Walker, Son, Mane and Aguero to go!

      1. FER FUSCH AKE
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 1 month ago

        10 from 4 looool

    28. Sponge-worthy
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      No spurs or soton players in my team. I tried to explain it to my son but the kid still insists that we must watch the game..

    29. F4L
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      Man u obviously payed off Valdez today. Corruption at its finest

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

      Man Utd have now picked up 25 pts from a possible 30 pts away from home against teams outside the Top 7. #flattrackbullies

      Middlesbrough have not won a game at home against teams in the Top 10 (3 draws, 4 losses) #relegationform

    31. Bruno Bruno!!
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 1 month ago

      77 (-4) with Sterling and Mane to go. Hopefully I can make the FFS Cup