Dugout Discussion

New dad Coufal starts alongside Soucek and Cresswell, as Lamptey misses out for Brighton

Owners of Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m) will be delighted that the arrival of a new child has not stopped the Czech right-back from starting against Brighton and Hove Albion.

David Moyes has seemingly reverted to the wing-back system that was previously halted by Arthur Masuaku’s (£4.4m) knee surgery, with the cheap Ben Johnson (£3.9m) in his place.

Johnson for Pablo Fornals (£6.2m) is the only change from last week’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, as Michail Antonio (£6.2m) is still not back from the hamstring injury picked up against Aston Villa in Gameweek 10. Asked about his return, Moyes said he “can’t say exactly when. Hopefully it’ll not be too long.” Tomas Soucek (£5.1m), Aaron Cresswell (£5.3m) and Jarrod Bowen (£6.4m) all start.

The Hammers have not yet beaten Brighton in the Premier League, drawing the last three of their six meetings. Cresswell is well-owned, providing four assists and creating more chances than any other defender except Andrew Robertson (£7.3m), whilst Bowen ranks seventh for midfielder shots. The under-priced Soucek has already scored three times, adding to a trio from the second half of last season.

Brighton head coach Graham Potter has swapped two players from the disappointing 1-1 draw with Sheffield United. Out goes Joel Veltman (£4.3m) and Aaron Connolly (£5.3m); in comes Dan Burn (£4.3m) and the man who came off the bench to equalise, Danny Welbeck (£5.5m).

Injured Tariq Lamptey (£4.8m) has frustrated his ownership by playing just twice in six gameweeks, again missing out because of his hamstring. FPL managers will ditch the flying wing-back, especially as the relegation battlers’ defence continues to defy their strong underlying statistics, keeping only three clean sheets despite conceding the second fewest shots in the league.

In fact, no team’s conceded goals tally exceeds their xGC (expected goals conceded) by more than the Seagulls, letting in 22 goals despite an xGC of just 14.69.

However, the Seagulls travel quite well, as their last four league wins have all been away from home. The free transfer of Welbeck has been one of their few bright sparks of the season, bagging two goals and two assists since first starting in Gameweek 8.

Mathew Ryan’s (£4.4m) time in goal appears to be over, not making the bench as Robert Sanchez (£4.4m) is handed a third consecutive start. Potter has also favoured Leandro Trossard (£5.7m) over Pascal Gross (£5.8m).

West Ham United XI: Fabianski; Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Johnson; Rice, Soucek, Noble; Bowen, Haller

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Sanchez; Dunk, Webster, White, Burn; Bissouma, Lallana, March; Trossard, Maupay, Welbeck

FPLMarc Newcastle fan that spends far too much time thinking about FPL.

1,971 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Begbie.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    This rule is disgusting. Change it asap.

  2. ragsyboys
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    DCL to Watkins (has tough fixtures)? Can see him getting points .. I could use the fund for strengthening the defense

    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yup, makes sense

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        How does it make sense? We’re you being sarcastic? Hehe

    2. Jimmy Boy
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Got a similar problem, Watkins form vs Wood's fixtures for me

      1. Begbie.
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Watkins doesn't have form. He has one game where he fluked an assist haul because his finishing was so bad. Look at his returns the weeks before.

        1. Tony Moon
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          I'll take three assists per game. Only three points less than a hattrick!

      2. seewhyaxe
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        He has blanked for 4-5 games in a row before yesterday. I'm an owner and I'm thinking to ship.

    3. Z
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Nope

    4. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Villa have hard fixtures now?

    5. Big Hands Barry
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Villa have worse fixtures

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        This! Confused why anyone would bring Trash Watkins in Now lol

  3. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Was planning on getting some West Ham defenders for DGW but so turned off

  4. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Clearly handball

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

    VAR is a joke

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Why ?

  6. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Nowhere to hide for Coufal owners. He was always going to have an awful game after 0 hours of sleep the last week..

    1. Bennyboy1907
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Jus shut up man

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      LOL. You were the one saying to play him.

    3. Joey Tribbiani
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      😀

    4. Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Never change Brosstan 🙂

    5. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      He’ll be grand

      How you doing these days Brosstan?

      It seems like ages since we’ve had an argument 🙂

      How’s your season going mate?

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Welcome back 🙂 . I have stopped going into long arguments, Im just calling out casual moves these days.

        My season is over.

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Fcking casuals

          Ruining the game for years now

          They get points for Soucek goal too the absolutes barstards

  7. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Really need WBA to score

    1. Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Me too. Let's speak it into existence bud 🙂

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Fuming I got Cresswell instead of selling DCL and getting TAA

    2. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      This

    3. Rhodes your boat
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      This

    4. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Definitely

    5. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No thanks

  8. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Chilwell, James and Coufal all returning 1 point lmao

    1. Sloane426
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Nice comment idiot

  9. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Getting a bit sick of starting Coufal and Soucek these last few games...

    1. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Missed this train and not regretting muchly

  10. Begbie.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek assist at least 😆

  11. Z
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Bottomed

    Whos is thos Jonhson guy? And is there any chance that he will start any next game?

  12. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Goal stands

  13. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    After KDB fail I need Robbo to match son and Kane points 🙁
    Else it's a fail even though I am at 55 points with Sala(c) and robo to go

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

    Dunk finally returns on his underlying statistics.

  15. el polako
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    VAR is a joke, this was handball.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 3 months ago

        It was but no way to be 100% on it so should stand

        1. The Train Driver
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          It was pretty obvious...

        2. el polako
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Wouldn't control it without hand so go should be choked off.

    2. L'Aeroplanino
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Dunk 20 GWs late

    3. Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Very unhappy with my Czeck beauties.

      GTFO of my team

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Stupid comment

    4. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Surprised Dunk is so low owned actually

      1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I’m not

    5. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Wtf, clear handball, so inconsistent....

    6. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I'm thousands of miles away and could see that was a hand ball. Ridiculous.

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

      Clear handball, VAR is useless if refs are blind

    8. The Head-Ake
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Any WC templates to prepare for DGW19?

      1. Big Hands Barry
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        No

    9. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      There was a tall mid named Soucek
      Whose favourite top was a turtle neck
      His neck was so long
      As long as his schlong
      That he used it to take a weather check.

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Yep, I’m passing the time until the Liverpool game 😀

      2. Debauchy
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        😆

    10. Tabbara
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Thoughts on this WC draft

      Fabianski McCarthy
      Taylor Matip Robertson Dallas Coufal
      Salah Fernandes Son Raphinha Soucek
      Vardy Adams Bamford

      Thx

    11. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Double West Ham defence looking questionable

      1. Z
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Lol

    12. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      If it counts people complain if its ruled out people complain

    13. FPL Alaska
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      That was a pretty clear handball. Comes up off the new and elbow controls it back down.

    14. DycheDycheBaby
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I'm very surprised they allowed that. Clearly they are being a lot more lenient with handballs now.

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        The rule is clear, if there's any handball contact at all and it's a goal then it shouldn't be allowed.

    15. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      People want Fabianski for the double? Double the misery is all you will get, AVOID

    16. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      That was no handball.

      1. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Definitely no handball

        Coufal owner here