Dugout Discussion

Spurs roll out a 3-5-2 as Mourinho ditches the wing-back system

After a barnstorming match between Cardiff City and Arsenal on Sunday lunchtime, the two 16:00 BST kick-offs at Vicarage Road and Turf Moor bring Gameweek 4 to an end.

Tottenham Hotspur have made three changes to the side that beat Manchester United last Monday, with Ben Davies (£5.8m), Davinson Sanchez (£5.9m) and Michel Vorm (£4.9m) – in for the injured Hugo Lloris (£5.5m) – the men to come in. Danny Rose (£5.9m) and Eric Dier (£4.9m) drop to the bench.

Sanchez’s inclusion means that Mauricio Pochettino’s side are set to employ a 3-5-2 formation this afternoon, with Lucas Moura (£7.2m) possibly set to join Harry Kane (£12.5m) in attack – as the Brazilian did in the 3-1 win over Fulham. Moura was the second-most-bought player of Gameweek 4, being drafted in by more than half a million Fantasy Premier League managers.

Watford, meanwhile, are unchanged for the fourth successive league match.

The injured Phil Jones (£5.2m) is one of three players to drop out of Jose Mourinho’s starting XI, with Fred (£5.8m) and Ander Herrera (£5.0m) forced to watch on from the bench.

Alexis Sanchez (£10.2m), Marouane Fellaini (£5.0m) and Victor Lindelof (£4.9m) earn a reprieve to the United first team, which looks on paper to be a 4-3-3 following the wing-back experiment of Gameweek 3.

United are yet to keep a clean sheet this season (having recorded a league-high 19 in 2017/18) and David De Gea (£5.9m) – the most-sold goalkeeper of this round – has the worst save percentage of all the Premier League shot-stoppers this campaign.

Having naming an unchanged team for his side’s first three league matches, Sean Dyche has rotated his full-backs, with Charlie Taylor (£4.5m) and Phil Bardsley (£4.4m) replacing Stephen Ward (£4.9m) and Matthew Lowton (£4.9m).

An injury to Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£5.9m) means that 18-year-old Dwight McNeil gets a start on the left flank.

Burnley XI: Hart; Taylor, Tarkowski, Mee, Bardsley; Cork, Hendrick, Westwood, Lennon, McNeil; Wood.

Manchester United XI: De Gea; Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling, Shaw; Fellaini, Matic, Pogba; Lingard, Lukaku, Sanchez.

Watford XI: Foster; Janmaat, Cathcart, Kabasele, Holebas; Hughes, Capoue, Doucoure, Pereyra; Deeney, Gray.

Spurs XI: Vorm; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Sanchez, Davies; Dembele, Eriksen, Dele; Lucas, Kane.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £15.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

3,734 Comments Post a Comment
  1. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Stay quiet Spurs lads.

    1. Chandler Bing
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      This. Would take a 0-0 here.

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    No players in either game 🙁

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Me neither, but Man U fans on here will provide suitable entertainment

  3. MITRAKADABRA
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Lacazette

    1. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Three weeks of patience paid off. Still not 100%on him long term if he drops to bench again, mind.

  4. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Going to need a haul from Davies to survive the LMS league..

  5. davewg59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Fraser, Seri or Milner..... who is best to go with please?

    1. CloudSky
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Fraser

    2. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Fraser

    3. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      not Seri.

    4. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Fraser

  6. ★Kuntheman★
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    0-0 MUN v BUR
    1-1 TOT v WAT

    Make it happen lads

    1. athreya
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Amen. With Holebas goal.

  7. athreya
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    We think Laca will start regularly now?

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      I hope so.

    2. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Had him for the first 3 gws, so hopefully!

    3. Deus
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Don’t think so, Iwobi caught illness

    4. Klein
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Should definately. Em was already under huge pressure from everyone to play laca and now with winning goal and assist if he dosnt start its byebye for em

  8. #FPLBhuna
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Premature I know but If kane does well today

    Is auba and mkhi > kane + fraser worth a -8?

    Im not concerned about the hit paying off in one week - generally yes or no?

    1. Demí
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      No

      1. OPTA FPL
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        thought you stop playing this game, rarely seen you on this site lately?

        1. Demí
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          More of a lurker now

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Are Arsenal that bad?

      1. #FPLBhuna
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        With mikhi no longer a sure starter and, up until his goal, auba looking like a passenger, yes..

  9. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Just got up, checked the score. Super disappointing with Mkhi not being involved. Guessing most will be shipping him out then? Best replacement? Sterling?

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Fraser

    2. Klein
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      If you have the funds why not?

  10. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Which game I should watch?

    1. Oven Glover
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Spurs

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Dublin vs Tyrone

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Dion v the bloke from Corrie?

    3. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      This can't be a real question. One has Utd in and one doesn't. Easy choice.

      1. nelluckram
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        So...the other one?

    4. Chandler Bing
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Toluca U20 v Santos Laguna U20

    5. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      I'm watching both. Action's at Turf Moor.

  11. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Let's go Kane, Moura and Shaw!

  12. Gringo Kid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Patricio/Hamer
    Alonso/Mendy/TAA/AWB/Bednarek
    Salah/Hazard/Mkhi/Walcott/Hojberg
    Kun/Zaha/Mitrovic

    1FT 0.0 ITB

    What would be your next step here?

    1. Eddie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      WC

  13. ★Kuntheman★
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Any moves worth making for this lot? Monitoring taking Salah out, but it seems everyone is taking him out for Hazard, who I already have,,,any other players worth taking him out for? I think not at the moment.

    Hart (Hamer)
    Alonso Mendy Robertson Shaw (Wan-Bissaka)
    Salah Hazard Mane Fraser (Guendouzi)
    Aguero Ings (Kamara)
    0.0 ITB

  14. Zebrahimović
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    On WC. Recon it’s worth doing Robbo—>TAA to free up 1.1 to make the 4th place midfield position a 6.7 allowing Pedro as a placeholder for Richarlison?

    1. Point-one short
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Both will probably be rotated around CL, with TAA mpre at risk.

      1. Zebrahimović
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        I think Robbo will be more at risk. Otherwise should I find some other decent 5.0 def?

  15. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Lingard close

  16. Chandler Bing
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    If you had to remove one of Salah and Mane, who would you remove?

    1. DR0GBA
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      I removed Mane last week and instantly regretted it yesterday.... Stat-wise Salah has just been unlucky whilst Mane has been lucky

    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Salah

    3. Zebrahimović
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Neither

  17. BON
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    I'd like to receive an apology from the moderator who banned me for 24 hours.

    Yesterday during the 3 o'clock games someone asked "How's Walcott looking?" to which I replied "Black".

    The purpose of that comment was to make a joke which points out something obvious about how he looks.

    If stating another person's race (i.e. saying someone is black, white, Asian, hispanic etc.) is considered racist in this community I am completely appalled.

    1. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Twas harsh if this is accurate

    2. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Are you for real??

    3. Zebrahimović
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Why bring attention to his race? It’s not like someone would ask ‘How’s Jones looking’? White.

      1. Pierce34
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Yep, exactly. Ban warranted.

    4. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      The real question is why are you bringing his race into it anyway?

      1. Differentiator
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Does anyone seriously get offended by this though?

        1. Zebrahimović
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Na, but it’s like the sort of thing Jim Davidson would say

    5. El Lobito 10
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Re-ban.

    6. Podge
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Idiot

    7. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      This shouldn’t have got a ban. Ridiculous.

    8. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      The name's Bon, Dick Bon.

    9. Siggy in the Middle
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      This is really dividing opinion. I'll get the popcorn

      1. Pierce34
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        I think it's more like everyone thinks the ban was warranted and then there are 2-3 people who want to make racist comments in the name of 'free speech' 😛

        1. Cok3y5murf
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 9 months ago

          Black is not a racist term. We know which term is. Simple facts.

          1. Pierce34
            • 8 Years
            5 years, 9 months ago

            In the context that he brought it up - yes, it was. It's not the word itself, it's the context.

            1. Cok3y5murf
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 9 months ago

              Lol there was no racist context, but I don’t want to argue about this further.

              1. Pierce34
                • 8 Years
                5 years, 9 months ago

                Neither do I - it's not my job to educate you. Maybe one day you'll understand, or maybe you'll yearn for the good old days when it was ok to make openly racist comments. It's up to you.

      2. Oven Glover
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Bon appetite.

    10. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      You must be over 40 or something. Remember this generation is PC, no longer can one state jokes like that and conform. Pay respect and be sensitive to surroundings or get out.

  18. Siggy in the Middle
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Should I pick Vardy and Fraser or Wilson and Maddison plus £1.7?

    1. El Lobito 10
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Tough choice. If it has to be these, I'd go the latter for value.

      1. Siggy in the Middle
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Cheers

  19. El Lobito 10
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Hopefully people keep buying Moura. His game time will inevitably be curtailed soon and we shall then see panic selling, much like the Mkhitaryan bandwagon which is now derailed.

    1. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Exactly... Son is better than Moura

    2. BON
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      So Moura, Mkhitaryan and Pedro should never be bought by anyone for the entire season because they're rotation risks lol?

    3. Pierce34
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Moura will be what Son was two years ago - very exciting to own, threatening, attacking etc. But ultimately a rotation nightmare sooner or later.

  20. Rust Cohle
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Looks like the United kit manager washed the reds with the whites.

  21. Ghost Gooner
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    FYI for those looking at Lacazette just keep in mind he might be the one to start EL games

    1. Siggy in the Middle
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Or it could be Welbz if Emery decides he dgaf about Europa League

      1. Point-one short
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        The same Emery that won 3 consecutive EL victories with Sevilla?

      2. Ghost Gooner
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Emery can't afford to take the EL lightly as Arsenal won't make the top four.

      3. Podge
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Premier league he will rest, EL the target

  22. 3-4-3
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Where can I find the percentage of players captained for GW4?
    Cheers

  23. Aubamazette
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Mane or Lacazette who will get more points over next 5 weeks, say Lacazette will keep his place up front

  24. Recoba
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Mkhi & Bailly > Haz & 3.9

    Worth a hit or too jerky and early on a break? Alonso Mendy Rob AWB the rest

    1. Rusty71
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Who you gonna get for 3.9?

  25. Desperately Seeking Dusan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Is Trollkaku still alive? I could swear that at this stage last season he’d gotten me a load of points. Seems to have been in Mourinho’s dungeon and an imposter in his place since January this year.

    1. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      next bandwagon.

  26. WE ARE RANGERS
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Smoooooth big balls move paid off, was at 46k and wilcarded, removed Salah and now sitting at 3k
    I am on 72 points with Bellerin and Trippier still to play.

    Fabianski
    Trippier Bellerin Alonso Mendy
    Sterling Mane Hazard (c)
    Wilson Aguero Mitrovic

    Hamer Bissaka Guendouzi Gunnarsson
    Thinking I should have gone Bennet instead of Wan biz and I actually had McCarthy in goal but changed to Fabianski but small problems.

    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Em

    2. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      You posted this hours ago. Bellerin has since played. Still hoping for a response saying how good you are?

      1. Helder's Left Foot
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Haha.

    3. Point-one short
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Thanks for the repost. Like you you literally just copy-pasted it.

  27. Mortal.Swinbat
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Hey everyone,

    I’m thinking of wildcarding and was wondering if I could have some general tips on picking a team:

    -How to build a team (formation and price allocations)
    -What players are ‘essential’
    -strong bench or all out starting 11?
    -load up on big hitters or spread funds

    I’ve always done above average over the last 8 years or but last season and this I’m struggling so want to go back to the basics.

    Thanks in advance for any advice

    1. Les Bleus
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      So basically you want us to pick the team for you?

      1. Desperately Seeking Dusan
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        This. There’s spoon feeding and then there’s drip feeding...

    2. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      You’ve been a member for 7 years and you’re only “above average” which means median in this case, surely, so the ~2,499,999th ranked player.

      I’ll pick your team if you pay me a monthly subscription.

    3. Malcolm Tucker for England …
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      handy guide:

      remove all players
      click "auto complete"
      save
      give up for good

    4. Mortal.Swinbat
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Thanks for the advice 🙂

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

      There are some good articles and podcasts on all this. Trawl back through articles on here and you'll get some good advice.

    6. firetog
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Essential: None
      Desireable: Mendy Alonso AWB Aguero
      Big hitting midfielder: Salah or Hazard (or both)
      Cheap strikers: Ings Mitrovic Zaha (if recovers from injury)

      Liverpool about to go on poor run of fixtures so Salah Mane Robertson are all desirable but may not continue at current excellent pace for next 5 games (but will likely still return good points)

      Spend
      Gk 9-9.5
      Def 2 elite 12 - 13
      2 average 9-10
      AWB 4

      Mids
      1 elite 10.5-13
      3 mid priced mids 6.5-8.5
      1 cheap 4.5-5.5 Fraser good option or Hughes

      Striker 1 Elite 11
      2 low priced 12.5-14

      City, Arsenal crystal palace Everton have nice fixtures

  28. EMERGING STAR
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    EricaMaximoChupoMotto.
    Where is he playing now?

    1. Chandler Bing
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Moved to PSG last night.

    2. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      PSG

    3. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      PSG

      Yeah, really.

      1. El Lobito 10
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        That guy is playing with Neymar? LOL

    4. EMERGING STAR
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Wow.. That's great

    5. Desperately Seeking Dusan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 9 months ago

      Not good enough for Stoke, PSG his level.

      1. Point-one short
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 9 months ago

        Neymar insisted they transfer him in as his back-up.

  29. SirT83
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    Possible WC team. I know its half thin in the back, but those player seem to be getting some points all the same.

    Hennessey- Fabianski

    Ake- Mendy- Bennett- WB- Boly

    Mane- Hazard- Maddisson- Fraser- Jorginho

    Mitrovic- Kane- Aguero

    Have 0.5 itb, any other suggestions?

  30. Boomerang V
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 9 months ago

    What is more urgent in my team with 1 FT and .6 itb

    Fabri: dropped
    Salah: Worried about loosing .2 TV in IB.
    Walcott: injured / big mistake?
    Mkhi: Annoyed to death

    At the moment I am thinking to get a -4:
    Salah -> Hazard
    Walcott -> Dilva

    What do you think?

    Hen - Fabri
    Alonso - Mendy - Robbo - AWB - Bennett
    Salah - Mané - Mkhi - Walcott - Fraser
    Kun - Wilson - Ings