Dugout Discussion

Dugout Discussion – Gameweek 38

Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers have one last chance for mini-league glory as the 2017/18 season comes to its conclusion this Sunday afternoon.

Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane, the top two players in our Captain Poll for Gameweek 38 and rivals for the Golden Boot, both start.

Three goals ahead of the Spurs striker, Salah seeks a tenth double-figure home haul as Liverpool welcome Brighton to Anfield.

Sadio Mane is passed fit to start for the Merseysiders, while Roberto Firmino and Dominic Solanke are also in the XI against a Seagulls’ side that they have already beaten 5-1 earlier in the season.

Meanwhile, Kane collides with a Leicester defence that he’s scored five goals against in their previous two league meetings. However, owners of Dele Alli, Son Heung-min and Ben Davies are left disappointed as all three are named on the bench at Wembley.

Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho is true to his word and makes numerous changes to the Man United teamsheet.

The likes of David De Gea and Chris Smalling are – as their manager suggested – both rested, though there’s no Anthony Martial in the squad to face Watford at Old Trafford, as the Frenchman misses out through injury.

In the blue half of Manchester, Gabriel Jesus is the man to miss out up front, with Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva all starting against a Southampton side with two clean sheets in 17 home matches. Ederson and Kyle Walker are named among the subs, while David Silva and Nicolas Otamendi miss out altogether at St Mary’s.

Arsene Wenger rolls out the big-hitters for his final match in charge of Arsenal, with Alexandre Lacazette flanked by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan for the trip to Huddersfield.

Eden Hazard and Olivier Giroud are named on the Chelsea teamsheet at Newcastle but there’s no place for Marcos Alonso, who drops to the bench. Eight goals in nine against the Magpies makes Giroud a potentially big differential today.

The most transferred in player for Gameweek 38, Wilfried Zaha is again named up front by Roy Hodgson for Crystal Palace’s clash with West Brom. The Ivory Coast international has delivered 14 points in each of his last two at Selhurst Park.

Finally, Marko Arnautovic is another out-of-position starter who could have a big impact in the final standings.

The Austrian has ten goals and six assists since being moved up front in Gameweek 16 and could prove the difference as David Moyes looks to get one over former club Everton at the London Stadium.

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

5,113 Comments Post a Comment
  1. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 day ago

    77 all out. No hits.

    Top 10k possible? Was 14k before GW.

    If only I got in PVA and not TAA. 🙁

    1. Az
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      I reckon you'll creep in, but don't blame me if you don't!

    2. Toby Lerone
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Have a look on ff fix

      1. Richd
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        It’s always so inaccurate imo.

        1. Jimmers
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Has my rank within a couple of hundred most weeks

    3. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Will be tight

    4. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Cheers all.

  2. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 1 day ago

    Who’s playing FPL next season?

    And when does FPL 18/19 open exactly, tired of waiting......

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      4am. Always 4am.

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        Tonight?

        *sets alarm clock*

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Maybe. Maybe.

    2. XabiAlonso
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Think il give it a miss

    3. Bartowski
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      I'm retiring....

  3. seewhyaxe
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 day ago

    great season guys, see you guys when WC starts!

  4. Point-one short
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 day ago

    Wbat a sh!t

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Don’t forget to flush

      1. Perthite
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        Maybe use a coat hanger

    2. Point-one short
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Thanks for the advice. Went down easily after breaking it's back with the coathanger

      1. Perthite
        • 13 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        The loch ness monster

  5. tricpic
    • 14 Years
    6 years, 1 day ago

    Anyone worked out who’s won overall yet?

    1. Richd
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      #6 wins

    2. J T
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      Yes

      1. pgeelufc
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        6 wins. Beats me by about 6 points. If i had triple captained Kane last week, i'd have won the lot!

        1. OldBenKenobi
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          🙁

        2. ZeBestee
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Congrats for the amazing season you have had.

        3. Planet Head
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          You won FFS at least

  6. BananaNose Maldonado
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 1 day ago

    The emotional highs and lows of FPL: pleased when the player I decided to transfer out for Salah (Silva) didn't make the squad, and the one I kept (Son) did, only to see that the (correct, in my estimation) decision cost me 13 points because Vardy doesn't get off my bench once Son comes on. Oof.

    95% skill and 5% luck this game. The luck part got me a bit today. Hope others did well.

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 day ago

      80% skill and 20% luck IMO

      1. stat
          6 years, 1 day ago

          This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
          Fifteen percent concentrated power of Will - ian
          Zero percent pleasure, a hundred percent pain
          And a hundred percent reason to never captain Kane

          1. squits
            • 14 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Love the Fort Minor reference

      2. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        95% skill? Behave.

      3. Pat Bonner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        Benching Vardy is nothing to do with luck I’m afraid

        1. BananaNose Maldonado
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Fair. Would you have benched Son instead? I had:

          Salah - Sterling - Arnie - Zaha - Son
          Kane - Giroud - Vardy

      4. Smurf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 1 day ago

        Benching Vardy was always a bad call.

        1. stat
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Started Vertonghen ahead of Vardy... I got lucky

          • squits
            • 14 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            I sold him : (

          • stat
              6 years, 1 day ago

              It's easy to say that in hindsight - Spurs had only conceded 1 goal in 3 games, and Leicester's form was dreadful (apart from the win against 10 man Arsenal).

              Also Spurs played with a very unusual backline since Vertonghen got injured in the warm up

          • andymck
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Luck in the short term, skill in the long term.

          • Cok3y5murf
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Lol the game is at least 50% luck.

            1. BananaNose Maldonado
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              How do you explain the players - like Jay and Ronke and Mark - who consistently do very well, then? They just happen to be very lucky?

              1. Cok3y5murf
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 1 day ago

                I can't because it's my first season as a non-casual so I wouldn't know how I would compare unless I keep playing.

                I don't think any of Mark's moves this season surprised or impressed me other than when he got Arnie on his GW32 wildcard. Some of his decisions were baffling like his first WC team.

                Ronka finished 22k last season, not that big a deal.

                If they're consistent, they're really good at the game, but getting a few more captaincy decisions right is the difference between 5k and 15-20k imo.

          • Now I'm Panicking
            • 9 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Not much skill at all for those that post 100 RMTs and questions on here every week

            1. BananaNose Maldonado
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              But their copy and paste abilities require some skill - just a different kind.

              1. Now I'm Panicking
                • 9 Years
                6 years, 1 day ago

                I'm surprised some of them manage it! 😉

        2. Superballzzz
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Early rough from smooth!

          Left my new ray bans at cinema yesterday!

          Won my mini league today - cash equivalents ffs... arrrgghhh

          1. J T
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Litrally just left my sunglasses at the pub after winning my ML.. pised.

        3. Aston-villain
          • 8 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          I'll take 71points with a smile since i only had 4 starters!

          1. Superflymonk
            • 9 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            with only four thats impresssive on 73 wrapped up most minileagues but lost to a guy who bench boosted today

        4. OldBenKenobi
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Dunno what to do with myself now....

        5. mgrea
          • 12 Years
          6 years, 1 day ago

          Finished 2nd in my ML by 1pt.

          Tarkowski and Lowton in my defence.

          They lost 1pt each with that late Bournemouth goal.

          1. diesel001
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Since the turn of the year - Burnley will screw you over.

            1. mgrea
              • 12 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              And they did!

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

          Looks like my best gw of the season.

          https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/152503/event/38

          1. stat
              6 years, 1 day ago

              Fabianski + PvA + Robertson

              Mental!

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

                Took a -12 aswel lol

          2. Richd
            • 11 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Did anyone lose their ML cos of Dusan Tadic posts ?

            1. Richd
              • 11 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              I would have lost mine if I’d listened to him

            2. SneakyPete
              • 12 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              What you mean ?

              1. Richd
                • 11 Years
                6 years, 1 day ago

                A lot of people didn’t get zaha as he said he wasn’t starting

            3. diesel001
              • 7 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              Some people have already posted that they did

              1. Richd
                • 11 Years
                6 years, 1 day ago

                Ouch. Well at least he apologised

            4. Planet Head
              • 7 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              Lost mine because of Sterling to Mahrez for -4 and the other guy captaining Auba. Was winning all season as well. FML

          3. Waylander
            • 7 Years
            6 years, 1 day ago

            Alonso, Vert, Morgan wish I’d had the guts to get rid of one for PVA 🙁

            1. Richd
              • 11 Years
              6 years, 1 day ago

              Same 3 here ha

              Cedric lost his CS late too. Lowton got 1 point in the last minute.

              They scored huge last week tho

              1. Planet Head
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 10 hours ago

                King Cedric - king of late CS and BP loss.

            2. MTPockets
                6 years, 1 day ago

                hindsight though

                1. stat
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    Morgan -> PvA would have made sense even without hindsight

                    1. Planet Head
                      • 7 Years
                      6 years, 10 hours ago

                      I did Cedric to PVA and then forgot to take PVA off third sub!

                      Thankfully Smalling and Naughton didn't play. When I saw Swansea made that third sub and it was Clucas not Naughton I... smiled a little bit. Nothing makes up for surrendering a 70 point mini league lead :,(

              • Point-one short
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 1 day ago

                What a sh!t gameweek. 40 all out, and a slip from 7902 OR to probably ~15k.

                3 of my first 11 started, and my bench got me 3 points. The game didn't save my sterling to kane captain change either.

                Bring on Fantasy WC!

              • diesel001
                • 7 Years
                6 years, 1 day ago

                So how did everyone do in FPL compared to what they wanted to achieve?

                I wanted Top 10k and I managed it.

                1. badgerboy
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 8 Years
                  6 years, 1 day ago

                  Same. Content with that.

                  1. sunzip14
                    • 7 Years
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    Wanted top 10K, got top4K. Quite happy!

                2. Pat Bonner
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 12 Years
                  6 years, 1 day ago

                  Won my mini league again and £400 prize

                3. squits
                  • 14 Years
                  6 years, 1 day ago

                  I wanted top 5k like last season but only managed 10k.

                  Mainly because of my trust in Kane (c) in august

                4. stat
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    I wanted Top 10K for the third season in a row but I'll be closer to Top 30K.
                    Disappointing, but I had a horrible start to the season and it took me 19 weeks to break into the Top 100K, and I wasted TC on Sterling in DGW 37 and BB only got me 8 points - so it could have gone much, much worse.

                  • Superflymonk
                    • 9 Years
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    Had no real targets this season other than winning minileagues. Made it to the top 100k won 5/7 minileagues and got my highest points ever. So I guess I'm kind of making progress. I'll aim for top 50 k next season but it gets harder and harder with more players playing

                5. Az
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 14 Years
                  6 years, 1 day ago

                  Most important thing of all.
                  I've beaten Jonty.
                  😀

                  1. Richd
                    • 11 Years
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    Congrats !

                  2. Point-one short
                    • 7 Years
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    Slow and steady loses to Az.

                    Congrats!

                    1. Az
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • Has Moderation Rights
                      • 14 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      this is my new motto

                    2. J0E
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • Has Moderation Rights
                      • 14 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      77 pts today though for third top 2k finish. Not too shabby 🙂

                      Congrats to Az tho - been a great season for The Scoutcast’s Brighton contingent.

                      1. J0E
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • Has Moderation Rights
                        • 14 Years
                        6 years, 1 day ago

                        And our team plays in the top flight again! 🙂

                  3. stat
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      Well done to both of you 🙂

                  4. Mike82
                    • 7 Years
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    So I’ve won 3/4 ML, one by 8 points, was 9k rank pre today, not sure 55 points will keep me top 10k

                    1. diesel001
                      • 7 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      Unlikely

                      1. Mike82
                        • 7 Years
                        6 years, 1 day ago

                        Gutted

                    2. Point-one short
                      • 7 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      Probably just outside - guessing you were about 4 points inside top 10k going into this gw.

                  5. Bartowski
                    • 13 Years
                    6 years, 1 day ago

                    Won my mini league, went to the cinema then the pub and came home with two fancy new sunglasses some numpty's had left on the seats!

                    1. J T
                      • 6 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      Lol.

                    2. Nascimento
                      • 8 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      Reported (to police)

                    3. Ógie
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • 11 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      Congratulations 😎

                    1. Mike82
                      • 7 Years
                      6 years, 1 day ago

                      You’ll get fabs points

                    2. MTPockets
                        6 years, 1 day ago

                        autosubs haven't happened yet

                      • Jairzinho
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 13 Years
                        6 years, 1 day ago

                        He didn’t play. You’ll get Fab’s 7.

                        1. stat
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            9 (he got 2 BP)

                      • Mattias
                        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                        • 11 Years
                        6 years, 1 day ago

                        My smoothest moves of the season...
                        DDG, Valenica & Lingard > Romero, PVA & Zaha.

                        Best 8points I probably ever spent.

                        1. Ghost Gooner
                          • 10 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          You knew they wouldn't play though

                      • beso
                        • 7 Years
                        6 years, 1 day ago

                        No one in the world wants to be in Bharat Dhody's situation at the moment
                        #1 since GW21 then boom fall to #3 in the final GW

                        1. mgrea
                          • 12 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          Awful situation that

                        2. Point-one short
                          • 7 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          Ouch.

                        3. stat
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Terrible - he got absolutely destroyed by rotation this GW, and his defence let him down again.
                            A couple of GWs ago the 5 defenders in his team got him 0 pts - and it happened again this GW.
                            Also, Chambers and Alonso didn't play, and Alli and Son came off the bench - no points from autosubs either.

                        4. Jairzinho
                          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                          • 13 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          Decent gameweek. 53 after bonus. Might creep into the top 3 million after today. Aiming for top 2 million next year. Thanks for all your advice, everyone.

                        5. Zilla
                          • 6 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          What is the "skill" in choosing a player?

                          1. Richd
                            • 11 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            It’s not skill.

                            And it’s not one move.

                            It’s consistent moves that are +EV

                            1. Zilla
                              • 6 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              Agreed.

                          2. Jairzinho
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 13 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Picking the ones that score lots of points.

                            1. Zilla
                              • 6 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              That's not down to you

                              1. Jairzinho
                                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                                • 13 Years
                                6 years, 1 day ago

                                Yeah it is. It’s called foresight.

                          3. QPRUTD
                            • 8 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Decision making

                          4. diesel001
                            • 7 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Loads of 'skill'. Choosing Ayoze Perez for the last 6 GWs would have been skill (some guy in my ML did this). Or dumping Hazard. Or going Arnautovic and Zaha instead of Alli and Willian

                            1. Zilla
                              • 6 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              It's still it's down to luck, would you say the same thing if Perez blanked, Hazard scored a hatty and Arnie & Zaha did f all?

                              You make the move and the rest depends on luck.

                        6. Now I'm Panicking
                          • 9 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          I won £10million in my ML, sack my cook.

                          1. Ógie
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 11 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Who are you bringing in for a new cook Ramsey?

                            1. Now I'm Panicking
                              • 9 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              Ha 🙂

                        7. Pat Bonner
                          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                          • 12 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          Looks like I’ll end up with 74pts. Ranked 15k, any chance of top 10k?

                          1. diesel001
                            • 7 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Unlikely IMO

                          2. TorresMagic™
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • Has Moderation Rights
                            • 14 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            How far were you from top 10K before today?

                            1. Pat Bonner
                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                              • 12 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              14 I think

                          3. Point-one short
                            • 7 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Probably not unfortunately.

                          4. squits
                            • 14 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Unlikely

                            I started 12k got 73 and now am still 12k (according to FFfix)

                            1. Pat Bonner
                              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                              • 12 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              Surely be a bigger green arrow. Just checked and average in 10k was 67

                          5. J T
                            • 6 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            No

                        8. Mike82
                          • 7 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          Was there a league for posters on here? Lol

                          1. Nascimento
                            • 8 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            lmao

                          2. Ógie
                            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                            • 11 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Frequent posters leagues are held through out the season otherwise the members league but lots of lurkers in that one.

                          3. QPRUTD
                            • 8 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            There was one for off season posters which I was running
                            Some big names like Jonty greenwindmill zoumasbloomers in it.
                            It seems i have won it on the final day

                            1. Now I'm Panicking
                              • 9 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              Subtle little end to that post there 😉

                        9. wulfrunian
                          • 7 Years
                          6 years, 1 day ago

                          Mohamed Salah 303 Fpl points!Legend!

                          1. Whitetiger14
                            • 9 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Is that the highest ever?

                            1. stat
                                6 years, 1 day ago

                                Yep. 8 ahead of Suarez' 295 pts in 13/14

                            2. pundit of punts
                              • 11 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              14m next season.

                          2. barracuda
                            • 7 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            82. Wanted Robertson but was advised to go with TAA. Nevermind

                          3. Pocky
                            • 14 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            Wow...world Number 1 Bharat's entire back 5 blanked again, could cost him.

                            1. Nascimento
                              • 8 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              It did

                              1. Pocky
                                • 14 Years
                                6 years, 1 day ago

                                Oh really...by what margin??

                                1. Nascimento
                                  • 8 Years
                                  6 years, 1 day ago

                                  Not sure but I think he finished 3rd in the end.

                          4. Jimmy Boy
                            • 7 Years
                            6 years, 1 day ago

                            When will BPS be added?

                            1. Mike82
                              • 7 Years
                              6 years, 1 day ago

                              Couple hours yet, patience my friend