Dugout Discussion

Walcott fit to start for Everton while Pellegrini rings the changes

Everton take on rock-bottom West Ham United in the penultimate match of Gameweek 5, with kick-off at Goodison Park at 16:00 BST.

Theo Walcott (£6.7m) was the second-most-sold Fantasy Premier League player of this round, with over a third of his owners ditching the Everton winger after he picked up an injury in the 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town a fortnight ago.

Walcott, however, has won his race to be fit for this afternoon’s match, along with defensive midfielder Idrissa Gueye (£4.9m).

Richarlison (£6.6m), still the most-owned Everton outfield player in FPL despite his recent ban, sits out the last match of his suspension, while the injured Seamus Coleman (£5.3m) joins the lengthy list of players unavailable to Marco Silva for this afternoon’s encounter.

Jonjoe Kenny (£4.3m) – who recorded a clean sheet and an assist in this fixture last season – comes into the Everton starting XI in place of Coleman, with Tom Davies (£5.4m) making way for Gueye in the double-pivot.

Everton have yet to keep a clean sheet this season, but Jordan Pickford (£5.4m) remains the fourth-most-popular goalkeeper in FPL in spite of this.

Marko Arnautovic (£7.0m) is the most-owned player on show on either side at Goodison, with the Austrian having scored both of West Ham’s Premier League goals this season.

The Hammers’ poor defensive record of ten goals conceded and no clean sheets has influenced over half a million FPL managers’ selections between the sticks: 70.8% of Lukasz Fabianski‘s (£4.5m) owners have benched the Polish shot-stopper this week.

Manuel Pellegrini has made six changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers two weeks ago, including the recall of Pablo Zabaleta (£4.3m) and Arthur Masuaku (£4.5m) at full-back.

Pellegrini has seemingly switched from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3, with Mark Noble (£4.9m), Declan Rice (£4.4m) and Pedro Obiang (£4.4m) the all-new central midfield three. The injured Jack Wilshere (£4.9m) is among those to make way.

Andriy Yarmolenko (£6.8m) gets his first Premier League start in a front three alongside Felipe Anderson (£6.9m) and Arnautovic.

Everton XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Digne, Zouma, Holgate, Kenny; Schneiderlin, Gueye; Calvert-Lewin, Sigurdsson, Walcott; Tosun.

West Ham United XI (4-3-3): Fabianski; Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Masuaku; Noble, Rice, Obiang; Yarmolenko, Arnautovic, Felipe Anderson

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3,573 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Superflymonk
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 7 months ago

    The scouts pick have been so spot on for this gameweek, it's surreal. Glad 80% of my team had those players hehehe

    1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      i had the 20% that did sh*te

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

    Just wandered in to see my Doherty/Jimenez combo did me proud!

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      You just wandered in to tell us about it 😉

      1. SPorting
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        You know me.

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

      Condolences!

      1. SPorting
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Makes me feel better about benching AWB

    3. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Ireland should play wings with three centre backs doherty can play left coleman right.
      Don't know why MON does not do it.

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Because that would only make sense!

        1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          Seems like the answer to Martin O'Niell's problems more defenders at the back and playing to the full backs strength's...

          Then today I heard that MON does not like doherty because he does not run foward enough and passes the ball inside.
          Doherty seemed surprised when he was told this by a reporter.

  3. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 7 months ago

    need a wally hatty to save my week 😕

  4. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 7 months ago

    Must be the first time in a while there is no Baines and Coleman?

  5. Four Hit Wonder
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 7 months ago

    Is Fraser really a good FPL asset? So many people own him. It's either common sense or everyone is mad. Which is it?

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Great stats, playing in an attacking team that looks good at the moment with good upcoming fixtures, is nailed on and cheap.

    2. MTPockets
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Good for his price

      • Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Has passed the eye test everytime he plays. A genuinely good player non-FPL wise.

      • Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I wouldn't call 7.8% high ownership at all.

        And no, he's an extremely good pick. But the injury doubt made me not take him.

      • Oven Glover
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        25% own Neves. I rest my case.

      • Woy of the Wovers
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Only owned by 300k

      • Superflymonk
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Nope, we're just all crazy managers who like owning 5.5 punts for sh!ts and giggles.

        1. Four Hit Wonder
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          That is indeed an option. That's why I asked for opinions on the matter.

    3. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Agree very much with Pellgrini's starting 11 and formation. He needs to beef up that midfield, which has been so porous and consistently exposing that back line week in week out. Now up for those on the pitch to step up.

      1. Amsterhammer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Yeah our mid is always overrun this season. Hopefully we can hold it together today.

      2. Ghost Gooner
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        That and playing Yarmalenko. They've been toothless so far

    4. J T
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Fabianski to put the cherry on the cake?

      1. Chandler Bing
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        He is the cake tonight.

      2. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Benched him for Henny, probably will have about 20 saves + peno save.

      3. kalmoffit
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I need him to put a melon on it.

    5. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Fabianski CS and pen save, por favor!

    6. 420king
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Useless!

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

      was there a throw in in the first minute or two?

    8. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      I choose Bennet instead of Doherty 🙁

      But still happy 🙂 Patricio + Bennet Cleanie combo 🙂

    9. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Wally hattie incoming as I took him out

      1. Farke in hell
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        How can he score a hattrick when he has under 2 shots per game

    10. Effe
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      I would love a Tosun goal assisted by Walcott here.

    11. Zlat-man
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      "but Jordan Pickford (£5.4m) ! remains the fourth-most-popular goalkeeper in FPL"

      5.4?!
      He is 5.0

    12. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Next week is gonna be tough captaincy wise. My only Pool player is Milner lol

      1. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I thought milner was your only player discussion 😛

      2. lin
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Unless One of Salah or Mane is rested in midweek UCL game, it is hard to give the armband to one of those. They could be used only 10 min or so. Even Milner may score more haha

    13. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Camzy Lukaku + Jimenez pick was absolute spot on

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        I went Mitro not Jim but kudos if you had those two.

        1. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          It was in my WC , but gone to Lacazeete and Wilson last min .

          1. Emiliano Sala
            • 7 Years
            5 years, 7 months ago

            Better combo

    14. Farke in hell
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Anyone see the Douglas Costa incident in the Juventus match? Should result in a ban.

      1. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Disgusting behavior. Match ban definitely imo.

        1. Ghost Gooner
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          I'd give him 10 games, that whole sequence was just vile

      2. Ghost Gooner
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Ref needs a demotion as well. Should have sent him off for the headbutt and the spitting was just vile. 10 games seems appropriate

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 7 months ago

          Nice and fresh for when he joins Arsenal in January then 😀

    15. camarozz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      75 + 9 from AWB not bad .

      Doherty 12 sitting in bench also. Joys of a strong bench on a WC.

    16. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Worrying moment for Walcott

      Looks like a bird has begun nesting on the back of his head

      1. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        That proverb 😀

    17. Homo Neanderthalensis
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Everton 3-1 Tosun first goal scorer... come onnnn toffeeees

    18. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Bright from walcott there

      1. Eddie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Yep, final pass was a bit rubbish though.

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

          Nothing ever changes with Theo.

    19. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Bennett great for savings funds but on my WC I was adamant that and extra 0.4m for Doherty’s security of starts and attacking threat was worth the layout. Very happy to be repaid in the first week of ownership.

      Had and still have Patricio + 4.0 from the start too so nice to see back to back cleanies.

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Funny that people were spending their FTs on selling Patricio after the first 2-3 GWs. Saw some people wanting to take hits to make it happen - just to buy another 4.5 GK. Suddenly Pats the preferred 4.5 keeper. Funny old game 😀

      2. kalmoffit
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Wouldn't like to predict when Burnley will next score
        Looked better with Vydra and Wood but too little threat

    20. The Head-Ake
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Am I stupid to have lost Maddison?

      1. S.Kuqi
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        Yes if you have already done it.

    21. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      what happendee to Walcott hair

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        He’s a samurai FPL warrior

    22. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      What a ball from Gueye to DCL! Shame wasnt a goal

    23. The Yorkshire Pirlo
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Soooooo frustrating having Chilwell’s big fat 0 coming on for Mendy rather than Wan-B’s 9 🙁

      Just looked wrong having Chilwell second sub.

    24. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Salah dropping before Southampton at home!

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 7 months ago

        good.....man i hope he scores a haul and haz blanks

    25. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Early captain thoughts for those without Salah? My optioms are Haz, Mane and Aguero.

      Atm I think I'll captain Mane.

    26. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      Yamolenko G
      Arnie A

    27. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 7 months ago

      His first touch was too soon....