Dugout Discussion

Rodríguez returns on Everton bench as West Ham recall Coufal

Everton and West Ham’s matchday squads are beginning to edge closer to full-strength as of their Gameweek 17 teamsheets.

James Rodríguez (£7.7m) returns for the first time since Gameweek 11 although is only fit enough for a place on the Toffees’ bench.

For now, Bernard (£5.8m) occupies his slot on the right-hand side of Everton’s attacking midfield, joined there by Gylfi Sigurdsson (£6.8m) and Richarlison (£7.8m).

How long until Rodríguez will be ready to start games regularly again remains unclear but Fantasy managers will certainly have him on their radars.

However, anyone invested in Michael Keane (£5.1m) will be disappointed by Carlo Ancelotti’s team selection in Gameweek 17, with the centre-back named on the bench for the first time this season.

Mason Holgate (£4.8m) tucks inside from his recent right-back role to staff the heart of the defence with Yerry Mina (£5.6m) with Seamus Coleman (£4.8m) making his first start since Gameweek 8.

It is a similar story with West Ham who, once again, feature Michail Antonio (£6.2m) on the bench, which makes for a seventh successive start for Sebastien Haller (£6.1m), but suggests they could be back to full-strength soon.

Fantasy managers will certainly have their eye on that situation, especially with West Ham’s appealing fixtures in Double Gameweek 19, where they host Burnley and West Bromwich Albion.

David Moyes has recalled Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m) to the line-up, having rested him against Southampton but Issa Diop (£4.3m) and Fabian Balbuena (£4.4m) remain out of the starting XI, Craig Dawson (£4.5m) impressing enough in his Gameweek 16 audition to keep his place.

Everton XI: Pickford; Godfrey, Mina, Holgate, Coleman; Doucouré, T Davies; Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Dawson, Coufal; Rice, Soucek; Benrahma, Fornals, Bowen; Haller.

1,770 Comments Post a Comment
  1. KEN YA DIG IT
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Whenever I bench soucek he scores, cant believe this

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

      Same. I don’t like owning him - he’s gone after the double

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Remember to put him on bench for 19 if you use BB

  2. Cruyff Turn
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek 1st sub, chances of Burnley game being postponed?

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

    Cresswell on track for 12 pointer

    1. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Soucek will get the 3 bonus, 11 pointer will do nicely though!

  4. ZLNR
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Hahaha first time playing Soucek

  5. Drogo
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Hands up if you got Soucek playing!

    o/

    1. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yes sir!

  6. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    3 yummy baps for Cresser? This totally negates the -4 hit!

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      For now

      1. Milk, 1 Šuker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Fingers crossed!

  7. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Has to be Soucek of all ppl tapping in there lol

  8. Il Capitano
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek hero!

  9. FPL_Motty
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    I still can't understand why theres comments on here saying oh crap soucek on my bench, blah. Its been like this for like 5 /6 weeks, you want soucek points you play him every single week.

    1. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      The paradox is this season is showing you need a bench. So who knows it might come in handy.

      also this is by far the tightest defence he has scored against

    2. FourLokoLeipzig
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      He’s not good enough to play every week though. That’s what’s so annoying about him

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

        Lol this is what makes me laugh. Why so many people are still stuck believing hes not worth playing. 5 goals in 10 games says otherwise, its not a fluke. Smh

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

          So you think his scoring a goal every other game is sustainable? There’s a reason the RMT tool is telling me to bench him every week for the next 6 weeks except the double

          1. Baines on Toast...
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            RMT is...not good...

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

              It’s generally been pretty good for me over the years. I mean, it’s not even like it was a close decision this week - he’s the lowest scoring attacker in my squad by a distance, and none of the others had a bad fixture

    3. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Guilty of this but first on bench, hopeful of him coming on, 8 players all need to play to keep him there, including 3 City.

  10. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cressy holllldddddd

  11. faux_C
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    ROFL, Soucek on my bench.

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

    How long Soucek owners are gonna be this lucky ? Boring.

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

      He had only one attacking return when I had to choose between him and Podence 🙁 I was stupid, I admit.

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

    Actually got Soucek’s points, for once 😀

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I've got him playing for all his returns

  14. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cresswell assists Soucek. Beautiful.

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

    I can't believe it.

  16. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek will be in all teams now for Double Gameweeks

  17. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Benched Soucek. For DCL. FML.

  18. Oggle22
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Had Soucek for 3 weeks in prep for DGW benched him every week lost out on two 10 point hauls!

  19. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Good to know Soucek can score with his feet too, even more valuable now.

  20. Lubic87
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Knew benching Cresswell for Mitchell at the last minute was going to come back and bite me!

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

      Whaaaa?!?!

      1. Lubic87
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Good fixture for Palace, and wanted DCL to score v West Ham. Made sense to me at the time...

  21. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    3 - Cresswell (34)
    2 - Soucek (33)
    1 - Ogbonna (27)

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Winning goal bonus for Soucek?

  22. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek the magnificent!

  23. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Was set to sell Soucek for Raphinha in my wildcard team

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

      I've got both currently

  24. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Coufal and Soucek owner here. Did not expect such a haul from this game

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

      Neither did Mark

    2. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Number 1 and 2 benched lol

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

      Ultimate jam!

  25. Saka_me_sideways
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek and Cresswell on the bench... cool cool cool

  26. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Couldn't be any better for a Soucek + Cresswell holder:

    Cresswell (33)
    Soucek (33)
    Ogbonna (27)

  27. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Played Soucek over Raphinia 😎

  28. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    would you lose kane for rashford on wc ? thanks

  29. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek is infuriating, much less frustrating before I owned him. Might just get Brewster or some other dross so I have to play him every game.

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

      This

  30. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Soucek with his 3rd goal on my bench, have Cresswell in the XI at least!