Dugout Discussion
14 March 2021 1772 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

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

Check your own rank and in-play FPL stats on LiveFPL.net every Gameweek

  1. _Ninja_
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Laca goal

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Deserved win

    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      This

    2. Captain Vantastic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      You love takin the pis Bemba lad don't you

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

        Nothing but negativity from him

  3. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Lacatalent is so bad it worked out...

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Just as planned

  4. FPL Scoop
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      Europa league best chance of CL for spurs.

  5. Arteta
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

    1. Debauchy
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Cmonnnnn

  6. Debauchy
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Get innnn

  7. Avery
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Ali service for Kane

  8. Isca Extremadura
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    3 ?

  9. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Oh here we go

  10. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Puke

  11. OverTinker
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Laca in FH 29

  12. @persecuted_by_mods
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Laca drama school

    • Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      All set for a Kane brace to win it now

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 15 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Lol

      2. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Hahahaha! It's not a video game.

    • Deulofail
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Wilhelm wins a pen

    • Paul Psychic Octopus
      • 15 Years
      5 years, 1 month 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
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Just a foul in the box

      2. Says
        • 15 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

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

      3. @persecuted_by_mods
          5 years, 1 month ago

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

        • _Ninja_
          • 15 Years
          5 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

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

        • Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

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

      4. Digital-Real
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

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

        1. Says
          • 15 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          by tackle you mean foul?

          1. BrockLanders
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            After the incident

        2. @persecuted_by_mods
            5 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

          Harry Kane 90

        4. fedolefan
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          God dammnit get Auba on.

        5. Says
          • 15 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

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

        6. BeaversWithAttitude
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

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

        7. Scots Gooner
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Yasss

        8. Botman and Robben
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          I never miss pens.

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Yeah just miss everything from open play

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

              Haa

        9. Steve The Spud
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Ali is useless, should genuinely be playing in the championship

        10. FPL Scoop
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

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

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

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

          2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
            • 15 Years
            5 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

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

        12. Free Hat
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month 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
            • 12 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Not his fault

            1. Free Hat
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Not saying its his fault. Rather Joses tactics again.

            2. JJO
              • 13 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Not Mous fault?
              Yeah right

              1. The Suspended One
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 12 Years
                5 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

          Get off the pitch kane you utter clown

        14. Duke Silver ☑
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Auba warming up. Better late than never.

        15. My heart goes Salalalalah
          • 9 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Missed it, sorry. Who came on for Bale?

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

            Sissoko

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

              Thanks

        16. Vamos Los Celeste
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Kill the game Auba