Dugout Discussion
18 February 2023 1411 comments
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Arsenal are hoping to end a run of three Premier League games without a win as they face Aston Villa in the Gameweek 24 curtain-raiser.

Kick-off at Villa Park is at 12:30 GMT.

For the first time this season, rotation is now a threat with the long-time (but now deposed) league leaders.

Hitherto regular starter Ben White was dropped on Wednesday and now it’s Gabriel Martinelli‘s turn to warm the bench, with the Brazilian winger failing to start a Premier League game for the first time in 2022/23.

Leandro Trossard replaces Martinelli for the Gunners, while White immediately regains his place at the expense of Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Emile Smith Rowe is available again and among the substitutes, just to add to the medium-term worry.

While Fantasy Premier League (FPL) interest mostly centres around the visitors, Leon Bailey‘s benching is noteworthy given that Aston Villa play in Blank Gameweeks 25, 28 and 32 and are about to come back onto the Fantasy radar.

He is one of five players who make way from Unai Emery’s Gameweek 23 starting XI, as Bailey and Ashley Young, Calum Chambers, Lucas Digne and Jacob Ramsey all drop to the bench,

Matty Cash, a fit-again Tyrone Mings, Alex Moreno, John McGinn and Philippe Coutinho are all recalled.

GAMEWEEK 24 LINE-UPS

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Mings, Konsa, Moreno, McGinn, Kamara, Luiz, Buendia, Coutinho, Watkins

Subs: Sinisalo, Traore, Chambers, Young, Digne, Bailey, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Duran

Arsenal XI: Ramsdale, White,Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Jorginho, Xhaka, Saka, Nketiah, Trossard

Subs: Turner, Tierney, Smith Rowe, Martinelli, Kiwior, Holding, Tomiyasu, Vieira, Nelson



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

    What makes this even funnier; is that all week we’ve been talking about how likely it was for Martinelli to lose his spot to Trossard. But no, of course he’d be upfront and Nketiah benched instead. Glad I just watched the new South Park episode instead.

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

      I correctly predicted that Sinisalo would be benched….

  2. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What a load of Trossard…

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

    Moving on to GW25. Who's your captain?

    1. Shultan
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salah

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

        prefer Saka

        1. Shultan
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          So do I.

          But I can't get to saka without taking a hit to get rid of either white or nketiah.
          I've had 3 arsenal since GW17 & my team set up requires major surgery for Saka

      2. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Saka

    2. The Mentaculus
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Saka

    3. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Salad

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

      Salah

    5. Mirror Man
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Haaland

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

        Martinelli

      • Scalper
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Robson-Kanu

      • Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        The mighty Nunez!

        1. Heiro
          • 16 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Think I'm missing the Salah train and going Gakpo and Darwin instead.

          Can get Toney in again no problem

      • space mercenary
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nigel Quasie

      • out for a goalkick
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Akinbiyi

      • DycheDycheBaby
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Saka. But I will have Salah .

    6. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Glad for taking a -8 to get right Arsenal players 🙂

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        What happened?

        1. Baps Hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          White didn't start his previous match and Martinelli blanked and doesn't start today. Both Saka and Nketiah got more than enough points to cover that -8.

      2. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        For gw 23 that is... Nothing else to be glad about during the whole season though 🙁

    7. Shark Team
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Live HOF’s #1 benched Mitoma and Shaw for Odegaard and double Ars def.
      I’ve sold Ramsdale and benched Odegaard… ready for pain

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

      Martinelli now a dud for DGW25?

      Or is this his ‘rest’?

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        He ll be rotated I think

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

        Mate, you don’t still have him do you? He’s a very last year option.

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

          I still have Doherty who doesn’t even play in the PL lol….

      3. Shultan
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Depends how trossard performs today.

      4. FPL_trail_runner
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        This is a rest 100%

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

          I hope so, that way all my opponents will keep him and slip further down the ranks.

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

        Should start at least one.

      6. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        59 mins and 30 mins across the 2 matches. Almost a whole game.

    9. GoonerByron
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Now to decide who to downgrade of KDB and Kane to get Salah in….

      1. Scalper
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        KDB no doubt.

    10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Luckily I wasn't here to go through the fake tweets, set my team up early and then go out so miss the madness. I may continue in this fashion

      However it's somewhat sinister and shows the power of false information and how easily it can spread particularly on social media. This is small scale and only related to FPL but it's scary in any case that false information is taken as gospel without any research etc.

      Now imagine all the other lies which have spread over social media relating to more important issues like wars, natural disasters, crime news...

      1. Shultan
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I know its scary how people get sulked in by info without a reliable source

        1. Shultan
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          *sacked in

          1. The Fantastic Mr Fox
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            try again

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

              *spanked?

              1. Deulofail
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                😮

            2. Deulofail
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              *I know its scary how people get spanked in a ufo without a reliable source

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

                😮

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

        I mean the two tweets claiming the wrong info were accounts who had never proven any correct info before

        And one known source which had been correct until now said Martinelli was benched

        It was a clearly logically choice which to go with for me

      3. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        OmG…

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

        May I ask, are you really Millhouse?

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

          I dough think so

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

        OMG Demba

      6. Hy liverpool
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        As a muslim i can relate... But it is actually all depends on who is listening and keep repeating what media is telling them.

        1. Scalper
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Everybody has their own views and perspectives in the world, whether they are conscious of being influenced by others or not. Your best weapon is to always ask yourself why you have a certain opinion/think this way. For some it is too difficult to think about such things because it can make you ask uncomfortable questions of yourself, and people don't like being uncomfortable.

          1. Scalper
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            ......... Which is why I captained Rashford this week

    11. ☈☾
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Who to play?

      1. Kepa v TOT (A)
      2. Forster v CHE (H)

      Reece James my other Chelsea defender

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

        Kepa, easily.

      2. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        2?!? Just look how tight he has been and getting all the points while Kepa has only blanks in his last five(?)

    12. Heiro
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Thoughts on the below?

      Bruno & Toney ---> Gakpo & Darwin for free.

      Can't afford Salah

      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Well, appearance points probably justify that if your team is in good condition.

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

        Would prefer Salah Gnonto ...

    13. dshv
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Guys

      Wc bb and fre hit to go

      When is the best gw’s by schedule?

    14. kempc23
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Go full aggressive with Kane, Rashford and Mee to Darwin, Salah and Tark for -4? Will get Rashford back later

      1. Heiro
        • 16 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Feels a bit mad.
        Any other kids you can use to get Salah in?

        1. kempc23
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Not really. All my mids are mid-priced, so Kane has to go to get the funds.

      2. Scalper
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I wouldn't. Giving up long term reliable players for short term gain (not guaranteed either) and a -4. Maybe just Kane and Mee to Tark and Darwin is enough. Rashford too valuable.

    15. Touré De Force
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Cue Martinelli 20 mins and a brace. We've seen this before.

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Have we?

        1. Touré De Force
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Son is one in recent memory that springs to mind

          1. Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Oh right, you meant in general. Yeah can happen. Martinelli not in that league, though.

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

        Pffff. Not a chance. Can’t believe people still have him tbh.

        1. Baps Hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          They fear hits and sold player scoring. The most certain way to avoid any move to backfire is to sell only injured players. Many here play with that strategy. Haven't you noticed?

      3. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Mahrez loves a burst of points to prove a point

    16. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Defence looks good next week

      Ward
      Bueno

      1. Gooner97
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Looks bueno

    17. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Anyone here seen a ghost? Or what they thought was a ghost?

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

        I have and it’s a pretty mad experience….was in a wood in winter, nearly soiled my pants

      2. Stamford B
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I once saw a ghost but it turned out to be a horse.

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

          Rupert?!

          1. Deulofail
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Yes it was!

      3. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I once saw a ghost but it turned out to be my patronus

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

        Was he called van de Beek?

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

        I once saw a ghost but it turned out to be a false Nketiah benching tweet.

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I don't get it 🙁

      6. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nope, but I've seen my beautiful nice blonde girlfriend becoming a white dog who jumped over me just when I opened my eyes.

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Imagine being a non-blonde woman reading this and realising that she'll never be your dream gurl 🙁

    18. Gazzpfc
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      1. Trent and Gakpo
      2 Kilman and Salah

      ???

    19. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Would you rather have Salah or Saka DGW25, if can't have both?

      1. Touré De Force
        • 15 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Saka

      2. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Saka easily

    20. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Team is not looking great for next week haha.

      Need to take a -4 just to field 10.

      1. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Fortunately you can bring dgw players and minimise the damage

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Not sure that that makes sense, Alan, but I did enjoy your role in White Noise

          1. Eat my goal!
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Straight up copycat!

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

        Surely you could have planned better given we knew about the blank 1 month ago?

        I can play 11 with 0 transfers because ive slowly removed blankers over the past weeks and targeted doublers - Bruno Schar etc

        1. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I chose short term gain over long term planning by going Saka + Nketiah last week instead of Odegaard and Ake.

          So far it's been worth it. But yeah I'm not gonna be in great shape this week with the upside being that I'll be in decent shape in 28 with lots of Newcastle still.

          1. FPL_trail_runner
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            I see, still though again seems rather late to get Saka who is a super option, ive been on him and triple Arsenal since week 18 + double Newcastle defence

            I made the decision to sell schar since the poor fixtures and holding him for 4 more weeks seems sub optimal when i was able to get a dgw player in early this week and gain 2 extra fixtures

            Can easily get him back for 28

            1. Camzy
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 15 Years
              3 years, 2 months ago

              I'm not late. I got Saka last week for a hit to replace Martinelli.

              I'm very happy with my team this week. Let's see how it does. And I have 2 FTs for 25 so I have a lot of options to fix it up.

              1. FPL_trail_runner
                • 5 Years
                3 years, 2 months ago

                I mean late in the since that Saka is been one of the top 3 midfield options since the restart. Ive always been surprised people only got him recently when everyone had the option to have him since the restart and not have to use transfers later to get him

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

        I'm practically playing with no defence and keeper. Think my FT are best spent moving on Martinelli as well.

      4. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        The "cost of owning Kane" is the reason?

        1. Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Nah not really. I'm leaning towards selling Kane this week to fund Salah though.

    21. Gooner97
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Ederson & Bruno --> Pickford & Salah for free

      Y/N?

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

        Yes

    22. Touré De Force
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      8 of the top 10 captained Halaand. Interesting, not really representative of what's happened in my MLs

    23. FPL_trail_runner
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Arteta confirms Trossard is playing due to deserving a chance to start and the quick turnover of games and they need freshness

      So as expected Martinelli given a rest

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        *dropped

        1. FPL_trail_runner
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Its perfect as a Martinelli owner

          I benched in with this expectation and would be 90% confident he gets two starts in the dgw

          1. Mr. O'Connell
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Might get 2 starts, but he's a pre-60 mins sub waiting to happen every time he does start.

      2. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Further evidence Martinelli is an xMins issue

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          It's just called mins

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

          Yep but i only need him 1 more week which is a dgw

          Selling after the dgw for a Brighton midfielder

      3. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        When someone gets a start "due to deserving a chance to start" it means that the other player is dropped. Naturally not certainly for forever, but anyway.

        1. FPL_trail_runner
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          well yes for sure - if we ignore the next 1 minute where he said they have lots of games in close time, need fresh legs and rest the front 3 players who need to be able to be fresh to press.

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

      Have Bueno, Digne and Bailey as three of my players next week. How many minutes do we think each one of them gets?

      1. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Digne and Moreno is a clear rotation issue. Surprised with Coutinho over Bailey today so need to see why.

      2. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Need to see how Bueno plays first.

    25. JBG
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      For next GW:

      A) Tarkowski+Salah
      B) Robbo+Gakpo

      Which duo to bring in for 2 fts?

      1. Gooner97
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        A

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

        A

      3. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Salah has to come in to cover captaincy and EO

    26. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      A reminder when it comes to Arsenal leaked lineups

      https://twitter.com/Teamnewsandtix/status/1626674079980740634?t=2URiC8y9wMm2AgJT2iin3w&s=19

    27. Epic Fail
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Hopefully Trossard gets injured today.

      1. La Roja
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Uncool post alert

        1. Epic Fail
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          No posts on here are cool.

      2. Stamford B
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Lol

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

        Epic fail

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

        Ban

      5. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Anyone else?

        1. Epic Fail
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Anyone that benefits my team. They're gonna get injured anyway so may as well time it to suit me.

      6. Sun God Nika
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Epic fail if he doesn't

    28. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Why would you sell Martinelli now? He quite clearly needs the constantly drifting left Jesus to create space at the back post. Jesus is shortly returning.

      Nothing is surprising here. Eddie plays a lot more centrally which attracts defenders creating room for Saka to attack.

      Stats match eyesight

      1. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Marty & Jesus combo where the points mainly came from

      2. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Still a sell imo. "Shortly" is still a few GWs away

    29. alsybach
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I captained Harry Kane

      A) Genius
      or
      B) suicide?

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 15 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Only time will tell!

      2. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Time will tell but my money is a narrow escape

    30. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Trossard is scoring today

      1. Eat my goal!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        2 or 3 points

    31. Eightball
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Kepa
      Gabriel Lewis Castagne
      Salah Saka Martinelli Mahrez
      Felix Gnonto Haaland

      Trippier Rashford Shaw

      1FT 1.5m ITB

      The obvious problem players here are Lewis and Martinelli (Will they start!).

      A) Martineli > Odegaard (thought about doing this last double gameweek for a hit and Martineli ended up scoring 1 point more...)
      B) Lewis > Tarkowski
      C) Trippier > TAA (dont have much money tied up in Trippier so would likely reverse the transfer after the city game)
      D) Take a -4 and do two of these moves

    32. Stamford B
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Sush now, the games about to start