Dugout Discussion
5 February 2018 3583 comments
Mark Mark
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Gameweek 26 draws to a conclusion this evening as Watford welcome Chelsea to Vicarage Road.

Although the Hornets boast the league’s worst home defensive record, conceding 25 times in front of their own fans, the arrival of new manager Javi Gracia has hinted at an improvement at the back.

Watford have conceded just one goal in their subsequent two matches across all competitions, though on the downside, they have yet to find the net since the Spaniard was appointed.

But their previous lack of resilience bodes well for the visitors’ Eden Hazard tonight.

The Belgian has served up double-digits in each of his last two road trips, producing a total of three goals and 26 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) points over visits to Arsenal and Brighton.

Indeed, with four of his five double-figure tallies delivered on the road, Hazard is the ninth top captaincy pick for Gameweek 26, handed the armband by 2.1% of FPL managers and nine of the top 100.

Hazard is joined in a front three by the fit-again Willian, who has collected three lots of 10+ points returns in his last five league starts.

Elsewhere for Antonio Conte’s side, new arrival Olivier Giroud could get the opportunity to play his way into contention among the mid-price frontman.

Costing 8.2 in FPL, the Frenchman is named on the bench in the continued absence of Alvaro Morata.

But the big team news involves Marcos Alonso, who misses his first game of the season for the Blues as a “precautionary” measure. His absence is a major blow, with the top scoring defender owned by over 1.5 million managers.

Victor Moses looks set to play on the left tonight, with Davide Zappacosta on the right and new signing Emerson named on the bench.

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

  1. Pep Roulette
    • 8 Years
    8 years, 1 month ago

    Hazard - Hold or Ditch?

    1. Big_Andy_GAWA
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Ahead of WBA?!

    2. Norman Conquest
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      hodor

      1. tiger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 1 month ago

        Hoditch 😉

    3. Numb
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      I think he'll do well with Giroud

    4. Railwayman
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Ditch

    5. the snazzy viking
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Everyone will say don't sell him until at least WBA, but say you have 2FT, it doesn't seem that much of a bad idea to downgrade Haz and use the cash to upgrade the rest of your squad elsewhere

      Hazard can deliver hauls, but he's not consistent enough to produce big scores week in week out, and if you're paying 10.7m for a midfielder, then given those fixtures he just isn't good enough value considering the options around his price. KDB, Salah, Sanchez, etc. all better options imo.

      1. gunner 2727
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 1 month ago

        Exactly my issue. 2FT and need the money to make the changes I want. Kdb fits nicely but whenever I sell haz he trolls immediately

  2. Les Bleus
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 1 month ago

    Week after week I still somehow manage to get double West ham defense in my lineup

  3. Gooner97
    • 12 Years
    8 years, 1 month ago

    Time to sell Alonso?

    1. Superflymonk
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Just bought him

    2. Rainer
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      3 hours late

      1. kennethrhcp
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 1 month ago

        *days

  4. Superflymonk
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 1 month ago

    Well, the torture is finally over. No more fixtures to torment us.

    1. MTPockets
        8 years, 1 month ago

        Quite. Thank god that's over.

    2. jdp219
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Really wish that Azpi no-pointer meant he didn't play. Mili is first bench spot. 🙁

    3. Davido989
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Odds on Jonty calling Mark 'jammy' on this weeks scoutcast?

      1. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 1 month ago

        Is it that time of the month?

      2. Mark
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 19 Years
        8 years, 1 month ago

        He hasn't been jammy, though (apart from with Fab a couple of times).

        Milo was a fantastic shout.

        It's been my lack of jam.

      3. Yozzer
        • 8 Years
        8 years, 1 month ago

        If he was my FPL rival id be fuming with that to be fair. Luckily people in my ml saw the light weeks ago and got rid

    4. McNulty
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 1 month ago

      Can anyone beat a defence of Alonso, Jones, Chilwell, Kenny and Otamendi?

      1. Licious Lizard (delete acc)
          8 years, 1 month ago

          There must be some Stones, Jones, Alonso owners out there

        • Forza Papac
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 1 month ago

          Alonso, Jones, Simpson, Masuaku, Mbemba

        • Kiwivillan
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          8 years, 1 month ago

          Otamendi was my top scoring defender

        • DA Minnion (Former great)
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 1 month ago

          Alonso Jones Mbemba mariappa and got Daniels in for Danilo . Pretty good.

        • MTPockets
            8 years, 1 month ago

            Alonso, Jones, Dunk, Naughton (Masuaku) wasn't great.

          • Essem
            • 8 Years
            8 years, 1 month ago

            Azpi, Alonso, Jones, Kenny, Masuaku, Pickford. ZERO points. Hits incoming.

            1. McNulty
              • 16 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              We have a winner!

            2. DA Minnion (Former great)
              • 13 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Well played sir.

          • Dr Van Nostrand
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            8 years, 1 month ago

            Not quite. Ota Jones Kaba Zanka Ogbonna but took a hit to get Jones in so minus points

          • RESULT
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 15 Years
            8 years, 1 month ago

            Alonso Jones otamendi vertongen mee

        • Stimps
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          8 years, 1 month ago

          42 all out... any worse?

          1. Norman Conquest
            • 12 Years
            8 years, 1 month ago

            36

          2. McNulty
            • 16 Years
            8 years, 1 month ago

            37 here

          3. CloudSky
            • 9 Years
            8 years, 1 month ago

            42 (-12) for me.

            1. MTPockets
                8 years, 1 month ago

                aka 30

                1. Werkself
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  🙂

              • Stimps
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Ouch!

            2. MTPockets
                8 years, 1 month ago

                35

              • SAY MY NAME
                • 8 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                40 (-4) Really bad couple of weeks

              • Werkself
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                41 - Fingers crossed to survive in LMS

            3. Essem
              • 8 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Is VVD nailed?

              1. Numb
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Might get the odd rest with CL coming back

                1. Numb
                  • 11 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  Otherwise yes

            4. It’s gonna Ben Mee
              • 12 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Thank fool this GW is over. 38 (-8!) after this absolute joy quenching horror show.

            5. CelticBhoy1
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 12 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Diouf > ?

              A) Wilson

              B) Ayew

              C) Other

              1. Patch
                • 8 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Ayew has gorgeous fixtures for quite a while

              2. Planet Jo
                • 13 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                A. Bournemouth fixtures look decent. Difference in price though.

            6. Patch
              • 8 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Wow Newcastle next...are folks really getting rid of Lingard before his two assists (unfortunately no goals)

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

                Executive decision?

                1. Patch
                  • 8 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  Yep sticking with him thru thick and thin...well he is dead to me after Newcastle.

                  The FPL god's told me to keep Kun next week and not to ship Ota...I guess if he plays then a home match against Leicester may be ok...

                  Otherwise my gut feeling is telling me to get a Burnley defender

              2. Clintymints
                • 16 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Conte in his interview sounds like a man who's about to get sacked

              3. Railwayman
                • 13 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Only matter of time when he will be benched.

                1. Patch
                  • 8 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  The Alonso situation tonight made me rethink Ota...he could be next benching incident

                  Really want to gamble on a Burnley defender

            7. DA Minnion (Former great)
              • 13 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Conte s getting ratty.

            8. Rainer
              • 9 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              Conte is gone

              1. Toffeeman (A retired FPL ma…
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                And Hiddink back yet?

            9. Toffeeman (A retired FPL ma…
              • 11 Years
              8 years, 1 month ago

              No Alonso pts, but no pts for AZP & Courtois too! 😉

              1. Licious Lizard (delete acc)
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  Courtois save point, so 1. But yeah ;?

                  1. Toffeeman (A retired FPL ma…
                    • 11 Years
                    8 years, 1 month ago

                    Grrrr. That's 1 more save point than Courtois has earned while I owned him for 5 GWs.

              2. OldBenKenobi
                • 9 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Post match interview with Conte not going great

                1. Mark
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 19 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  Awful. Very unsettling.

                  1. Toffeeman (A retired FPL ma…
                    • 11 Years
                    8 years, 1 month ago

                    The buck stops with him, said Chelsea FC Chairman Bruce Buck? Too early for an Interim Hiddink comeback since Chelsea are still in the Champions League (though it's vs Barca).

              3. jdp219
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 9 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Earlier this week I was going back and forth on whether to start Mustafi or Mili. Whodathunk I should have been focused on Azpi or Mili instead?

              4. SuperMane Returns
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 9 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Conte looks a beaten man

                1. Railwayman
                  • 13 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  😀

                2. Planet Jo
                  • 13 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  To be fair, Pickford started...

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

                    So did Cresswell.

                3. Werkself
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  To be fair, he's getting Niasse's pts. off the bench.

              5. ᶠᶦˡᵗʰʸLucre $$$
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Conte gonna tell this interviewer to f off in a minute

                1. Monkey Hanger
                  • 12 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  I would have.

              6. Monkey Hanger
                • 12 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                I brought in Hazard 4 GWago. Tbh I have been disappointed with his returns. But looking at the form stats he lies third averaging 7ppg, with only JWP and Salah ahead of him. Doing surprisingly well in a team not performing.

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

                We got a benching problem this week TM

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

                  Solved it already.

                  1. Numb
                    • 11 Years
                    8 years, 1 month ago

                    You've sold someone? Who for who? So I can copy 😉

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

                      I'll email you later.

                      1. Numb
                        • 11 Years
                        8 years, 1 month ago

                        Cool. I'm saving this week anyway (hopefully)

                      2. Hibbo
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 13 Years
                        8 years, 1 month ago

                        Yous boys better not be swapping nudes again I warned you both about that last time.

                        1. Numb
                          • 11 Years
                          8 years, 1 month ago

                          Ha ha, busted.

                  2. BananaNose Maldonado
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 11 Years
                    8 years, 1 month ago

                    Already took a hit for next week? Interesting. Good luck to ya.

              8. Planet Jo
                • 13 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Conte thinks he may have got the starting line-up wrong. No kidding. Bakayoko useless. Pedro useless.

              9. Piggs Boson
                • 14 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Conte knows. Really doesn't give a shit!

              10. Kiwivillan
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Is Smalling nailed? I thought Maureen would make example of him but for Jones being sick

                1. Planet Jo
                  • 13 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  I think at the moment it is Smalling+Jones when Jones recovered from illness

                2. TallestJohn
                  • 9 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  I think he's pretty much nailed until Bailly gets back bar fixture congestion.

              11. Forza Papac
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 10 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Conte definitely uses Just For Men

                1. Pacer.
                  • 11 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  I don't think he needs to, it's not his hair

              12. Krafty Werks
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Time to move Alonso on? With next 3 of...WBA (if he is back?), then away to Utd and then away to City. Could it be time to bring in Coleman and maybe Van Dijk thinking ahead to GW31?

                Alonso & Gomez > Coleman & Van Dijk?

                Yay or nay? Thanks.

                1. Concrete
                  • 11 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  Too early for Coleman

                2. Kiwivillan
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 11 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  I don't like Coleman price and prone to rotation minutes managed after injury and Everton not as attacking under Sam and VVD plays for a team that are allergic to away CS. No to both for me

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

                  I might bring VVD in for Alonso. Liverpool have three good fixtures coming up starting with his former club this weekend. Plus they don’t have a blank in 31. Worried a little about rotation but just have to make sure I have decent back-up.

              13. We Will Klopp you
                • 9 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Alonso owners can just pretend that he played

                1. The Polymath
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 10 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  I'm pretending but can't see the 14 points he got for scoring a brace.

              14. Pacer.
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                doucoure you beautiful benchwarmer

                10 points!

                1. TLF
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 9 Years
                  8 years, 1 month ago

                  Nice work

              15. Concrete
                • 11 Years
                8 years, 1 month ago

                Lingard to Shaqiri?
                Y or N