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

    Clearly Guzan has captained Alexis in his FPL team 🙂

  2. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sanchez and Gibson owner.

    Will take Sanchez points anyday.

    Townsend who?

  3. jmcclory123
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Boro freekick

  4. Yellin' in my Ear
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Have Gibson and Sanchez so mixed feelings about the goal, but assume overall that's beneficial to my rank (beyond the extra net point)?

    1. Ryan Naysmith
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Y

  5. tm245
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    He should give that 7 shirt back.

  6. Judders
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Yeeeees Sanchez. This was the make or break game for most who held. Get a few more now lad!

  7. Adriano
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Any info on the Fabio sub?

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

      Injured.

    2. nkhoughton
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Hutt

  8. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Is George Friend suddenly an option for the double next week?

    1. Injury Prone o_O Gooner.
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Looking at him myself.

    2. FPLtfs
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Should be? If Fabio is out the next games. They might play 1 each though

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

    Sanchez stats interesting. Before tonight

    At home: 6 goals and 5 assists in 15 appearances
    Away: 12 goals and 4 assists in 15 appearances

    He had scored 10 of his away goals against teams currently in the bottom half of the table (9 games played).Plays away from home today against a team in the bottom half of the table.

    Now make that 13 goals and 4 assists and 11 goals against teams in the bottom half of the table. Still time for more too.

    1. Hibbo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Flat track bully.

      1. andymck
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        Like most of the heavy hitters then?

      2. Diva
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        No good for the double then?

  10. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Lol at Sanchez owning lurkers appearing like flies around Wenger 😀

  11. For Fuchs Sake
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    SANCHEZZZZ!!!!

  12. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Thanks for the hauls, Rom Rom! Cya next season 🙂

    1. barracuda
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Mistake

  13. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    All those Sanchez less teams panicking

    1. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      I'm Sanchez less and ditched him two weeks ago for Son and was able to buy Kane this week with the extra cash so not exactly panicking given returns so far...

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        Well if he goes West-Ham away form I will hear you 🙂

  14. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Need one more Alexis please

    1. dark91
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Why not more ? , lets be greedy now that he scored

    2. Diva
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Such low ambitions. 😉

  15. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Meltdown 😆

  16. Phil Dagger ⭐
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sanchezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Wooooohoooooo

  17. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    WENGER IN

  18. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Never doubt that man

  19. Sonic Huth
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Top of my ML. Thank u Sanchez. 🙂

    1. TLF
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Nice work, great feeling hitting top of your ML table at this stage of the season 🙂

  20. Smurf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Lol @ all the Sanchez lollers in the first half an hour.

  21. Alexis Nonsense
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Aside from free kick goal, how is Sanchez looking?

    1. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Dangerous to be fair. Arsenal not looking great but at least when they attack Alexis seems involved.

      1. Alexis Nonsense
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks

        Enough to make me get him in

  22. Danno - Emre Canada
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Something happened?

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      The doubters wept

  23. fedolefan
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    It's been so long that I keep thinking that a Sanchez cheer is for the second goal.

  24. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sanchez usually punishes sellers in style, so I expect another goal at least

  25. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sanchez is a great tackle from Barragan away from having a brace!

  26. Smurf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Xhaka Sanchez theory.

  27. Sergeant Garcia
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Is this the time we'll realise Boro is too crap for DGW investment?

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Attacking wise yes so completey avoid there. Look great for a clean sheet at home to Sunderland however.

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        7 years, 2 months ago

        But should we get Gibson for -4...that is the question 🙂

  28. Hibbo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Sanchez.

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

    Boro are such a rubbish team. Why would you want their players even if it is a DGW. Bournemouth could rip them apart.

    1. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Agreed. Not thought once about their team in all the weeks leading up to GW34. Waste of a spot.

    2. Pigeon
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      But Sunderland..

    3. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 15 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Pointless getting any of them. Worthless

    4. Injury Prone o_O Gooner.
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Make way to get big hitter in for one. 🙂

  30. tm245
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 2 months ago

    Ox had a rough start but was much more impactful in the last 15-20 minutes.

    1. willgriggsonfire
      • 7 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      He's been impactful...

    2. Dazzler365
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 2 months ago

      Impactful??