Dugout Discussion
15 December 2021 2020 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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We were meant to be enjoying four Premier League matches this evening but Burnley v Watford has become the second Gameweek 17 fixture to be postponed, leaving us a game short.

Brighton and Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Crystal Palace v Southampton and Arsenal v West Ham United do go ahead, however, with the match at the Emirates getting underway half an hour after the two 19:30 GMT kick-offs.

As for the team news, all eyes were on the Brighton starting XI after a number of players tested positive for Covid-19 in the run-up to tonight’s fixture.

It’s not a bad-looking line-up despite the raft of injuries and illnesses, with Neal Maupay, Pascal Gross, Jurgen Locadia and Jason Steele among the previously undeclared absentees.

Robert Sanchez is available and starts, despite rumours suggesting he was one of those affected by coronavirus.

Graham Potter has actually only made three changes to his team from Gameweek 15, with Maupay, Gross and the suspended Shane Duffy dropping out.

In come Jakub Moder, Solly March and Aaron Connolly.

Potter’s opposite number, Wolves boss Bruno Lage, has made four alterations from his side’s last outing.

Raul Jimenez is suspended after his red card at the Etihad, while Leander Dendoncker and Adama Traore drop to the bench.

Daniel Podence, Hwang Hee-chan and Francisco Trincao come in to make it an all-new front three.

The fourth change wasn’t planned as Rayan Ait-Nouri injured himself in the warm-up, with his place taken by Marcal.

As for the match at Selhurst Park, Patrick Vieira’s only change is an interesting one: Vicente Guaita drops to the bench and is replaced by Jack Butland between the posts.

Joachim Andersen is among the substitutes after recovering from injury, while Christian Benteke is on the bench too.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has made four changes from Southampton’s 3-0 defeat at Arsenal, with Lyanco, Oriol Romeu, Will Smallbone and Mohammed Salisu brought into the side.

Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Ibrahima Diallo and the injured Adam Armstrong drop out.

In the 8pm kick-off, Arsenal are unchanged from Gameweek 16, so that means another benching for Emile Smith Rowe. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is, of course, absent from the squad for disciplinary reasons.

David Moyes has made just one change to the West Ham side from the 0-0 draw with Burnley, with Pablo Fornals brought in for Said Benrahma. There’s again no Aaron Cresswell among the Hammers’ squad.

GAMEWEEK 17 LINE-UPS

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Sanchez, Burn, Moder, Veltman, Cucurella, Mwepu, Bissouma, Lamptey, March, Connolly, Trossard.

Subs: Scherpen, Lallana, Roberts, Alzate, Leonard, Mac Allister, Richards, Turns, Ferguson.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Sa, Saiss, Coady, Kilman, Marcal, Moutinho, Neves, Hwang, Semedo, Trincao, Podence.

Subs: Ruddy, Hoever, Boly, Cundle, Moulden, Traore, Silva, Dendoncker.


Crystal Palace XI: Butland, Ward, Guehi, Tomkins, Mitchell, Kouyate, Hughes, Gallagher, Zaha, Ayew, Edouard.

Subs: Benteke, Andersen, Riedewald, Olise, Guaita, Milivojevic, Schlupp, Clyne, Eze.

Southampton XI: Caballero, Walker-Peters, Lyanco, Salisu, Livramento, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Smallbone, Redmond, Tella, Broja.

Subs: Bednarek, Djenepo, Diallo, Long, Perraud, Lewis, Valery, Walcott, Elyounoussi,


Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, Tierney, White, Partey, Gabriel, Saka, Odegaard, Lacazette, Tomiyasu, Xhaka, Martinelli.

Subs: Okonkwo, Smith Rowe, Maitland-Niles, Holding, Pepe, Tavares, Lokonga, Elneny, Nketiah.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Fornals, Antonio, Lanzini, Dawson, Bowen, Diop, Masuaku, Soucek, Rice.

Subs: Areola, Yarmolenko, Vlasic, Noble, Benrahma, Kral, Oko-Flex, Alese, Ashby.

  1. HonestBlatter
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    I'll quit

  2. Debauchy
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Oh yes !

  3. Nate(U)dog(ie)
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    This is what I get for laughing at Ramsdale getting booked

  4. WVA
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    West Ham always seem to have their players the wrong way round.
    Soucek crossing it
    Antonio taking the throw ins

  5. DropkickMurphys
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Oh geeezzzzz

  6. TomSaints
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Ok that’s pretty much the worst goal scorer

  7. Fish up a tree
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    ESR doubles points tally

  8. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    ESR goal 😎

  9. Randaxus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bet money Tottenham finish 4th

  10. JUNITED
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Smith Rowe scored!!

  11. Duke Silver ☑
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Inject that red arrow straight into my veins.

  12. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Brilliant! Now Antonio.

  13. Gooner97
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    TAKE THAT YOU MUPPET SELLERS

    1. ZimZalabim
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I deserved that Sold him over brownhill for Bilva because I didnt want a benching headache next few weeks

      Big fat joke on me

  14. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    How can you not own Smith Rowe?

    1. HD7
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Have Saka

  15. DycheDycheBaby
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    YESSSSSSS Smith ROWEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. FFSbet.com
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Ohhh yeahhh ESR

  17. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    ESR has been so lucky.

    Love it but that's ridiculous 🙂

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Off to the shower again….

  18. MIGHTY JOE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    ESR U LEGEND

  19. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Jammy ESR owners!

  20. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    That's my boy! Get in ESR!

  21. BeWater
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Was nearly getting away with 7 players then Smith-Rowe had to do that.

  22. ZimZalabim
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Sold ESR for a hit this week

    Super Saints please tell me u held him ?

    1. WVA
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Yesssssssssss of course I did, I had 6 player's not playing, couldn't sell anyone that might get minutes!

      1. ZimZalabim
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        well done I sold him over brownhill to avoid a benching headache next few weeks what a horrendous decision

  23. BrockLanders
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    YAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSS ESR GOAL!!!

  24. Rupert The Horse
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Oh my god, points. Actual points

  25. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    You’ve got to be kidding me

  26. DropkickMurphys
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Antonio out of RB and they concede right away…

  27. kysersosa
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Me : ‘this will be a set and forget transfer’

    Covid: ‘mwoaaa ha ha ha haaaaaa’

  28. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bollocks. Didn't want to hit double figures.

  29. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    The value in FPL this season is generally in the young English players. TAA, ESR, Saka, Mount, Foden, Gallagher, Ramsdale, R.James etc.

    Yes, there is the odd guy like Dennis, but the young English players doing well.

  30. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Any chance the Chelsea games will be postponed?