Dugout Discussion
14 March 2021 1772 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur is the third of four Premier League matches to take place on Sunday.

Kick-off in the north London derby is at 16:30 GMT.

Much of the pre-match coverage has centred around Mikel Arteta’s surprise decision to omit Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.4m) from his starting XI.

We have seen the Gabon international, among others, rested after his exertions in Europe in recent weeks but today’s benching is instead for “disciplinary reasons”, rather than influenced by fatigue.

Mikel Arteta said ahead of kick-off:

He was going to start the game. We had a disciplinary issue, we have drawn the line and we move on. He’s on the bench.

We have a process that we have to respect for every game, and that’s it.

Aubameyang is one of four changes that Arteta has made from the side that drew 1-1 with Burnley last weekend.

Calum Chambers (£4.5m), Willian (£7.5m) and Pablo Mari (£4.4m) also make way, as Alexandre Lacazette (£8.1m), Cedric (£4.6m), Emile Smith Rowe (£4.2m) and Gabriel (£4.9m) are recalled.

As for Spurs, Tanguy Ndombele (£5.9m) in for Harry Winks (£5.1m) is the only change that Jose Mourinho has made from the Gameweek 27 win over Crystal Palace.

That means that Harry Kane (£11.4m) has recovered from the knock to the knee he took in Thursday’s win over Dinamo Zagreb.

The England international is reunited with Son Heung-min (£9.6m), Lucas Moura (£6.6m) and Gareth Bale (£9.5m) in a front four that looked potent against the Eagles last weekend.

Kane and Bale were the top two most popular purchases of Gameweek 28, following their double-digit hauls in the Lilywhites’ previous league outing.

The Spurs duo were transferred in by over one million managers combined in the run-up to Friday’s deadline.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Leno, Cedric, Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Partey, Saka, Odegaard, Smith-Rowe, Lacazette.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Doherty, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Reguilon, Højbjerg, Ndombele, Lucas, Bale, Son, Kane.

GAMEWEEK 28 SO FAR…

.

Kelechi Iheanacho‘s (£5.6m) superb Fantasy Premier League form continued on Sunday as Leicester City thumped a Sheffield United side marooned at the foot of the Premier League table and starting life without Chris Wilder.

The Nigeria international hit a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over the managerless Blades, taking his total to five goals and 35 FPL points in his last three appearances.

Iheanacho has been flourishing alongside Jamie Vardy (£10.2m) since the budget FPL forward’s return to the Leicester starting XI in Gameweek 26, and has had over twice as many shots as the long-serving striker in that time.

No Fantasy forward has registered as many shots in the box or big chances as Iheanacho over the last three Gameweeks.

Vardy again failed to find the target on Sunday but was as much a part of the Foxes’ victory as his strike partner, supplying three assists – two of them sublime passes for Iheanacho before Ethan Ampadu (£4.3m) deflected in his off-target effort – en route to his first double-digit haul since Gameweek 14.

The fit-again Ayoze Perez (£6.0m) also got in on the act by finding the net on his return from injury.

This was not a match to gauge the offensive threat or defensive competence of Brendan Rodgers’ troops, however, as Sheffield United turned in a thoroughly abject display under caretaker boss Paul Heckingbottom.

The Blades managed just one shot on goal as the hosts cruised to what was their first clean sheet in six matches.

Owners of Ricardo Pereira (£5.9m) couldn’t enjoy the routine shut-out, however, as the Portuguese full-back was withdrawn at half-time because of “tightness in his hamstring”.

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

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

    Laca goal

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Deserved win

    1. JBG
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This

    2. Captain Vantastic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      You love takin the pis Bemba lad don't you

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

        Nothing but negativity from him

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

    Lacatalent is so bad it worked out...

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Just as planned

  4. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Mourinho is an idiot. Game is all square and he subs Bale for Sissoko? Joke of a manager these days.

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

      Europa league best chance of CL for spurs.

  5. Arteta
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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

      Cmonnnnn

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

    Get innnn

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

    Ali service for Kane

  8. Isca Extremadura
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    3 ?

  9. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Oh here we go

  10. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Puke

  11. OverTinker
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Laca in FH 29

  12. @persecuted_by_mods
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Laca drama school

    • Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      All set for a Kane brace to win it now

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 16 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Lol

      2. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Hahahaha! It's not a video game.

    • Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Wilhelm wins a pen

    • Paul Psychic Octopus
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I thought the penalty law was where a foul 'denied a goalscoring opportunity'?

      Lacazette had already lost the opportunity by that pathetic slice.

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Just a foul in the box

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

        It's any foul in the box... which is in my opinion way too broad.

      3. @persecuted_by_mods
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Me and Hazz can explain the rules, everyone stop talking and give us 5 pages alone

        • _Ninja_
          • 15 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Laca slices the ball and it landed near him. the defender took him out before he could get to the ball.

        • Debauchy
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Yeah thought the same tbh. But will take it been denied 2 or 3 stonewalls this season

        • Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Huh? People have upvoted this? A penalty is a foul in the box.

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

        no way a pen, tackle after Laca miss kicked the shot

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

          by tackle you mean foul?

          1. BrockLanders
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            After the incident

        2. @persecuted_by_mods
            5 years, 3 months ago

            That itself doesn't make it not a pen but it was soft as lacas wild shot was at least 50% part of the collision

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

          Harry Kane 90

        4. fedolefan
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          God dammnit get Auba on.

        5. Says
          • 15 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Laca really showing what a man who turns up on time for work can do

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

          Var Paul Tierney, eh? Any relation to Kieran? Lol.

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

          Yasss

        8. Botman and Robben
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          I never miss pens.

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Yeah just miss everything from open play

            1. Botman and Robben
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 3 months ago

              Haa

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

          Ali is useless, should genuinely be playing in the championship

        10. FPL Scoop
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Just score some effing goals Kane you loser. It’s Arsenal.

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            He can’t defend, advance the ball, create chances and finish them

          2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 16 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Defensive tactics have hurt spurs

            Always the risk with mourinho. Hard then to switch to attacking

        11. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          People who tripled up on Spurs: they are not playing Burnley or Palace!

        12. Free Hat
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Kane and Son owner, but well deserved for Arsenal.

          Has Kane even touched the ball?
          Back to Joses best this game.

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Not his fault

            1. Free Hat
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 3 months ago

              Not saying its his fault. Rather Joses tactics again.

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

              Not Mous fault?
              Yeah right

              1. The Suspended One
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 13 Years
                5 years, 3 months ago

                Is he the one walking around the pitch? Is he the one who can’t complete a pass or defend 1 on 1?

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

          Get off the pitch kane you utter clown

        14. Duke Silver ☑
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Auba warming up. Better late than never.

        15. My heart goes Salalalalah
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Missed it, sorry. Who came on for Bale?

          1. Duke Silver ☑
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 3 months ago

            Sissoko

            1. My heart goes Salalalalah
              • 9 Years
              5 years, 3 months ago

              Thanks

        16. Vamos Los Celeste
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Kill the game Auba