Dugout Discussion
27 December 2020 1971 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
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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

FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

  1. Uncle Gamst
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Blank GW18 FH team. Your constructive criticism most welcome, thanks 🙂

    Captain options; Aguero if he's playing 60 majority of the games or Kane.

    Darlow (shu)
    Dias (BHA), Dier (avl), Fernandez (shu)
    Son (avl), Kdb (BHA), Neto (EVE), Zaha (ars)
    Kane (avl), Aguero (BHA), Wilson (shu)
    Sanchez (mci), Holgate (wol), Elneny (CRY), Douglas

  2. Pukki Blinders
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    The dad curse hit Vardy last season and is about to hit Coufal starting now

    1. BenDavies
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Don't think he's played that badly really, can't blame him for the goal

  3. Bruce Lee
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Have you ever seen 2 best friends have a foot race and both of them lose?

  4. Fulchester's New Centr…
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Asked this yesterday or day before, but new crowd.

    Michael Caine film?

    1. Ron_Swanson
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Get Carter probably

    2. Fred54
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Maybe I'm forgetting others but only really seen The Italian Job properly.

    3. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Zulu.

    4. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Harry Brown 100%

      1. Fulchester's New Centr…
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Good differential

    5. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Muppet's Christmas Carol.

      1. Do I Not Like Orange
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        This

      2. Marvin.
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Good one!

    6. Marvin.
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Another vote for the Italian job. However as random as it seems, his small roll in Goldmember is exceptional.

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        'There's only two things I hate in this world. People who are intolerant of other people's cultures and the Dutch.'

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

      The Dark Knight 2

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Christian Bale’s rise out of the pit with the score - goosebumps!

    1. Bruce Lee
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      mom's spaghetti

    2. Digital-Real
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      It's OK

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

      Hilarious! Pep is really unprofessional wearing this kind of stuff to games imo

    4. Dynamic Duos
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Mega

  5. Zinedine Kilbane
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    KDB, Grealish, Watkins to Vardy, Son and Rafina for -4?

    1. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      No

    2. Ron_Swanson
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      No

  6. have you seen cyan
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I fell for the Soucek trap hook line and sinker. "You can play him every week", "he is an enabler".
    You guys got me good, the only thing Soucek enables is a rank of 3mil, now im stuck with this guy til the double

    1. Konstaapeli
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      😆

    2. BenDavies
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      guessing you didnt have him for his goals against united and leeds?

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        No I havent had anything, and here scratching my ass wondering why I have a defensive mid from West Ham. A poor mans Fellaini if you will

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

      Lmaoo

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

      He’ll be fine - he’s only 5.0 FFS

    5. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Haha, so true as well

    6. Weeb Kakashi
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      You are a Noob for listening to others. Open your eyes and for once watch the game.

      1. markus808
        • 15 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Try bending some spoons

    7. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Better points per million than Bruno

  7. JBG
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    West Ham are so bad... Regret bringing in Bowen.

    1. Digital-Real
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Avoid them until Antonio returns

    2. AzzaroMax99
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I have both Bowen and Cresswell. Very disappointed.

  8. Ha.
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Kane (c) against Fulham?

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Probably a Liverpool attacker vs Newcastle. Fulham are much improved.

      1. Digital-Real
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        This

    2. Konstaapeli
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Think so.

  9. Twisted Saltergater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Let’s pause for a second. West Ham’s midfield is Noble, Rice and Soucek.

    Benched
    Lanzini
    Fornals
    Benrahma
    Yarmolenko

    To play defensive without attacking talent is one thing. To choose to play that way, against a bottom half of the table team, with international caliber attackers available to you... Moyes deserves sacking for that alone.

    1. BenDavies
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Completely agree. It's baffling. Has to start one of the above ahead of Noble.
      Rice and Soucek have been good as a midfield duo.

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

      I can’t understand playing Noble

      Freaks my nut in completely

      At least he’s binned him at halftime

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

        Then again, this was the managerial deity that decided it would be a good idea to show Rio Ferdinand videos of Phil Jagielka to help improve his game...

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

            Oh FFS next thing you’ll be telling me Santa Claus isn’t real

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

            And tbf I’m being a bit tongue in cheek

            Say what you want about Moyes, he knows how to manage a mid table team - in all seriousness that puts him in about the top 0.01% of people in the world at football management

            Fair dues to him

            Just the wrong man for Utd - more Fergies fault that Moyes

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 16 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          He’s so functional, it’s untrue. Would be better off at a club where their only ambition is to stay up.

  10. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I’m going to a fancy dress party on NY Eve.

    Thinking of wearing clogs, pop socks, jock strap (with cricket box), light blue Pringle tank top and a Rod Stewart wig. Oh and a medical mask.

    Anything else worth adding?

    1. Bruce Lee
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      strap on

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Condom. You can’t not pull with that clobber on.

    3. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Trousers made out of streaky bacon

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Don’t want to cover my pins, got a good set for an old fella...

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Fair. Waxing them as smooth as a seal?

          1. Jafooli
            • 14 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Actually prefer a bit of stubble, especially on the inner thigh...

            1. badgerboy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 10 Years
              5 years, 3 months ago

              Give em something to grip onto

  11. Chalobah's Witness
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    best replacement for Creswell?

  12. WVA
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Absolutely disgusting game week yet again!

    Lamptey 0
    Brewster 2
    Lewis 1
    Coufal 2
    Taylor 2
    Wilson 0
    DCL 1
    Grealish 2
    KDB 3

    Hate fantasy football lol!

    1. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Really unlucky. Keep your head up.

      Anyone on your bench who can come in for Lamp/Wilson? Hopefuly Salah (c) can get you a bit of respite.

      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Taylor in for Lamptey, Brewster in for Wilson

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Putrid

    3. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Damn.

    4. Scapegoat Salah
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      You really are unfortunate! I say go all out in the DGW!

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

      Tf

    6. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Awful team on paper too.

      Haha sorry, couldn’t resist 😉 Next week you’ll be partying.

    7. Fudgy
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Why are you starting Brewster, Lewis and Lamptey lmao

      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        I didn't they are on my bench

  13. The Count of Monte Cristo
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    McCarthy owners who have WC, will you keep him or move him to Martinez?

    1. waltzingmatildas
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Think I'm going to keep

  14. hogree
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Planning to FH in 18
    KDB to Bruno on a free? Yay or Nay

    1. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Yay

    2. waltzingmatildas
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Y

    3. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Yes of course, bruno on fire

  15. Kodap
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Could do with Soucek or Coufal doing something in this game, please.

  16. Begbie.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Bowen off. Ooft.

  17. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Noble and Bowen off
    Lanzini and Yarmolenko on

  18. bruuuno
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    On WC

    A. Firmino Lowton
    B. Wood TAA

  19. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Yarmolenko and Fornals on for Noble and Bowen

    1. STEP rOVERS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Try again

      1. Scapegoat Salah
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Oops, Lanzini not Fornals

  20. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Brian Kerr - West Ham looked like they were setup to play Bayern Munich and not Brighton!

    1. Plant Based FPLer
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      How to even describe the looks on the West Ham players faces...

      They don't know what to do with Moyes's instructions they're so far from basic reality.

    2. Debauchy
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This , ridiculous from Moyes

  21. Fulchester's New Centr…
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Noble & Bowen > Yarmolenko and Lanzini (-1)?

  22. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Lallana off
    Alzate on

  23. Twisted Saltergater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Lallana made it to half time. What do I win with my 42 mins guess?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 16 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Should have guessed half time.

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Harsh

  24. Flair
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Noble off, absolutely miraculous

  25. Plant Based FPLer
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    So I WC'd GW 15, and my next three transfers will be Fabianski, Coufal and Booby Reid out.

    Research is underrated.

  26. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Noble and Bowen hooked.

  27. JONALDINHO
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    West Ham defence double up for DGW19. Not going near their attack

    1. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I wouldn’t go near their defence either

    2. Flair
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Fabianski + Coufal and that's it unless Antonio looks amazing

  28. Flair
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Noble taken off 45 minutes too late

  29. BenDavies
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    West Ham to go for it 2nd half. Good. Soucek header incoming