Dugout Discussion

Dugout Discussion – Southampton vs Arsenal

The first of three Sunday matches gets underway at 12pm as Southampton welcome Arsenal to St Mary’s Stadium.

Charlie Austin retains his role on the hosts’ teamsheet after netting three times in his first two starts under Manuel Pellegrino.

Drafted in by over 41,000 Fantasy Premier League managers for the Gunners’ encounter, the Saints’ frontman faces a defence that has claimed just two of their seven clean sheets on the road.

Priced at 6.1, Austin also has upcoming home encounters with Leicester and Huddersfield to strengthen his case as a budget striker, yet Southampton’s next three away matches (che tot mun) over the next month could barely be less appealing.

Up against a defence with one shutout in the previous ten Gameweeks, Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette is the most captained player for this one.

Yet only 2.2% of FPL managers have handed the Frenchman the armband, despite four sets of attacking returns in his last five outings.

At a cost of just 7.2, the consistent Aaron Ramsey’s popularity is on the rise. The Welshman was acquired by over 203,000 new owners, having delivered a goal or assist in six of the last seven Gameweeks.

Premium priced midfield pair Mesut Ozil (two goals and five assists in his last six) and Alexis Sanchez, with a goal in three of his last four, also boast some strong ahead of today’s encounter.

Paul Is certain he won't make the same mistakes next season. Follow them on Twitter

1,335 Comments Post a Comment
  1. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Trouble with Austin is that he is likely to be rested midweek v Leicester for Chelsea game then after Hudddersfield Southampton away to Spurs and then Man United. Otherwise would get him in for DCL by transferring Alonso to Christensen? Or are these good moves anyway

    1. barracuda
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Fixture looks bad.

    2. fiveyears
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      I got him in this week as a rotational player over the Christmas period, only really planning on playing him today and Hudds, maybe midweek if there are hints that he'll play

      Think he's a good option if you're a fan of form > fixtures

    3. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Why would Southampton be targeting Chelsea ? . Surely they will be targeting Leicester as an easier fixture to pick up three points and set up for the draw against Chelsea . Title contenders prepare for big games smaller teams play for the draw and look for points elsewhere .

  2. SpaceCadet
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Best defender for 5.8m?

    Ddg Elliot
    Alonso mee Duffy Moreno xxxx

  3. Patch
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    I need Cout to slip on ice and break his back, please let Man U keep a clean sheet, Silva to be YC blank.

    I am going to church later today, so will drop a few coins to cement the deal

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      😐

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Harsh.

      1. Patch
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        My GW is dead in the water otherwise, need some serious blankage by Man City and Liverpool...captained the Blue Donkey

    3. CtrlAltDelicious
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      What an idiot!

    4. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Could just wish him some man flu.

    5. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Sums up religion 🙁

      1. FC Lackless [BALEGIUM]
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        this

    6. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      can I have the exact opposites

      1. Patch
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        I sacrificed my captain a few weeks on the trot in trade off for Ageuro to blank - delivered.

        My Rival and Nemesis no longer own Kun so I am worried if he plays today...

        Pls Man U clean sheet!!!

    7. Sahil Yadav
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      You don't respect football if you pray for injuries.

      It's okay to pray for own goals, blanks etc for FPL but not injuries.

      1. Yozzer
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Where is this in the rule book? Although a broken back is a bit far and something id never do why is wishing an hammy or somthing on a player you despise in a team you hate a bad thing?

        1. CtrlAltDelicious
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          You're on a whole new level of idiocy.

          1. Yozzer
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 5 months ago

            Thanks. It means a lot 😀

      2. Yozzer
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Also have you ever not wanted a boxer to get knocked out. This is potentially worse but we all do it

        1. John t penguin
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          It's alsations I can't stand.

    8. Patch
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Just to clarify football for me is about to take a serious turn (involving money), hence my upping the Ante in real life injury wishes...TBD they always heal and given how much they earn it balances out in the grand scheme.

      On a serious note, does anyone use FootballIndex...if Cout sustains a back break then is this negative media GOOD or BAD for the stock price...I have started to invest some real money into Football!

      1. CtrlAltDelicious
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        I hope you lose all of it if that's how you look at justifying your stupid post.

      2. Patch
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        FPL scenario:

        Cout breaks his back, folks would ditch him and his price plummets.

        Football Index scenario:

        Cout breaks his back, negative media would raise his profile. His stock rises and you make profit.

        Believe that is how it potentially works...will report back home much money I make as a 2018 NY Resolution/ Investment.

        1. Patio Kev
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          Maybe you could spend some of your winnings to buy membership of this site to support it ? Just a thought.......

  4. EL tridente
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Abraham to Mounie? Huddersfield got some pretty decent fixtures coming up

  5. HD7
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Current team is:

    Fabianski
    Walker Mustafi Mee
    Sterling Richarlison Salah Hazard RLC
    Kane(C) Morata

    Subs: Elliot, DCL, Daniels, Mbemba

    Have 2FT: 0.2 ITB

    Any bright ideas?

    1. HD7
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Perhaps Sterling Mustafi to Coutinho and Kabasele? Or Elliot, Daniels replacements?

      Looking forward to ideas

  6. barracuda
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Kun's brace incoming.

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Leg or shoulder?

      1. barracuda
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        He is hitting form in 4 hrs 😉

    2. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Probably from a Rojo tackle.

    3. Grounderz
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Has he gone to see the dentist today?

  7. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    If you had to improve this team in 2-3 transfers, what would you do?

    Courtois Elliott
    Kolasinac Otamendi Duffy Mee Hunemeier
    Hazard Salah Sterling Cork Carroll
    Kane Morata DCL
    1 Ft 1.5 ITB

    Thinking of Carroll > Gray & Hunemeir > Zanka/Kabasele over the next 2 weeks.

  8. Sims
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Kola has to go. 2 of the three home games vs liv and Che and ars poor away from home

    1. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      lol

  9. infamousprob
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Surely pellegrino can't rotate Austin! Nailed for midweek?

    2FT's to use

    Otamendi+abraham -> jones+austin looking good!

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Wouldn’t Lose ota

    2. fiveyears
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Really wouldn't bother - Jones certainly won't play midweek if he plays today, doubts over Austin too

      Otamendi should play, try and bench Abraham or get rid for someone else

      1. fiveyears
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers for posting that - interesting he suggests its about the type of game rather than gametime, increases chances of Long against Chelsea rather than Leicester for example

        1. Get up ya bum
          • 14 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          No problem. Yeah long at Chelsea makes sense. There will also be the protection factor, Austin is tactically limited and physically injury prone. He's bloody good at putting the ball in the net though

  10. Hansel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Daniels + Wilson -> Jones + Austin?

    1. Lone Wolf FPL
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      looks like a good plan

  11. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    The Utd v City game is so hard to predict

    1. barracuda
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Why? 0:2

      1. Bubz
        • 10 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Utd havn't lost at home for a year. They've been playing well, City haven't actually been playing that well recently

    2. Optimus.
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      1-3

      1. Optimus.
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        DDG made 15 saves vs this lot who are losing to Southampton 😉

        1. Bubz
          • 10 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          True..

    3. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      As much as I’d like the league to be more competitive than it is, I hope City absolutely batter them

      1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Otamendi x 6 ?

    4. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      2 - 1

    5. Yozzer
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      City by far the better team. 3 1 city imo

    6. Sahil Yadav
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      I've got DDG and no city cover as of now. So I want United to win 1-0 and a goal by a low owned player

    7. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Silva hat trick, Otamendi own goal

      1-3

    8. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      0-0 or 1-0 to either side. Prefer a 1-0 Utd win. Nice DDG clean sheet.

      1. Walcoff life
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        This

  12. Chandler Bing
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Which move looks the smartest?

    A. Mustafi -> Christensen
    B. Otamendi -> Christensen
    C. Save and play Mariappa against CPL away

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      C.

    2. fiveyears
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Can't do anything else? Christensen on thin ice I think after his last two performances, Mariappa not the best option.

      I would save over bringing Christensen in, put it that way.

    3. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      C

  13. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Wilson to Austin then?

  14. Live Lad
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Is Mariappa nailed? Kabasele better? Have 4.5 to spend. Thanks! He will be my 4th defender in my 3 men defense of Alonso, Kola and Mee.

    1. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      No he’s a terrible player, yes he’s better

  15. Sahil Yadav
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    This is the team as it stands for midweek. Who to lose.. Moreno or Francis?

    DDG
    Azpi, Moreno*, Mee*
    Hazard, Salah, Ramsey, Richo, RLC
    Kane, Morata

    Elliot, Duffy, Francis, Niasse

    1 FT, 0.2 itb

    1. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Francis - Bournemouth defence not a good investment atm

  16. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Pity Austin wont play Arsenal every week 🙁

    1. L'Aeroplanino
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      lol

  17. jackhammer1
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    A. Austin and Gray
    B. DCL and Richalison

    1. Lone Wolf FPL
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      B

    2. Rust Cohle
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      B

  18. Vlad Tepes
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Predictions for Manchester derby, I think 0-0

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Please

    2. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      0:1

    3. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      really hope not

    4. Puzzle
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      0-0

    5. Mika-eel
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      1-1. Young and Sterling goals.

  19. Lone Wolf FPL
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Which one this week and which next week?

    Niasse > Austin (bench Daniels and play Mee/Mariappa)

    Daniels > Jones (bench Niasse and play RLC)

    1. Get up ya bum
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      I don't expect either to start next game

      1. Lone Wolf FPL
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        both didnt play much this season. why rest?

        1. fiveyears
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          6 years, 5 months ago

          Jones I'm doubtful will play two games in a week given he didn't before his injury. Still potential for Niasse to start over DCL before GW18 too so I'd keep

  20. Optimus.
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    If Austin was in the 10.5m bracket I'd consider him

    1. Adam West - Team Serbia for…
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      If he was 10 million we would be captaining him every week

      1. Optimus.
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        Truth

  21. Mika-eel
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Such a nice feeling watching a game with no players involved.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Think you’re playing the wrong game mate x

      1. Mika-eel
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 5 months ago

        My rank will agree with you 🙂

  22. Wilshere Knowledge
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Sanchez is incapable of passing to a teammate.

    1. Optimus.
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Sondrome

  23. Sims
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Sanchshite

  24. El-Kloppico
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Redmond beats Bellerin in 100m race here

    1. soup natsi
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      Specsavers

    2. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      But can he beat Mertesacker?

  25. Boss Hogg
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Frantic football!
    Love this.

  26. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Forster doing a good job

  27. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Rambo close, forster great save

  28. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Ramsey close.

  29. the snazzy viking
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Who would you start out of these 3:

    A) Masuaku (ARS)
    B) Daniels (mun)
    C) Duffy (tot)

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      None but B

    2. Boss Hogg
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 5 months ago

      A

  30. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 5 months ago

    Really want Kola to blank, but given how much stick he is getting on here at the moment I can see him getting a goal to shut the haters up.