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, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      I correctly predicted that Sinisalo would be benched….

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

    What a load of Trossard…

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

    Moving on to GW25. Who's your captain?

    1. Shultan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah

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

        prefer Saka

        1. Shultan
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Saka

    2. The Mentaculus
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Saka

    3. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salad

    4. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Salah

    5. Mirror Man
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Haaland

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

        Martinelli

      • Scalper
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Robson-Kanu

      • Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        The mighty Nunez!

        1. Heiro
          • 16 Years
          3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Nigel Quasie

      • out for a goalkick
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Akinbiyi

      • DycheDycheBaby
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Saka. But I will have Salah .

    6. Baps Hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        What happened?

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

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

    7. Shark Team
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      Martinelli now a dud for DGW25?

      Or is this his ‘rest’?

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        He ll be rotated I think

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

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

        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

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

      3. Shultan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Depends how trossard performs today.

      4. FPL_trail_runner
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This is a rest 100%

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

        Should start at least one.

      6. Mr. O'Connell
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

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

    9. GoonerByron
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

      1. Scalper
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        KDB no doubt.

    10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

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

        1. Shultan
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          *sacked in

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

            try again

            1. Jafooli
              • 14 Years
              3 years, 1 month ago

              *spanked?

              1. Deulofail
                • 10 Years
                3 years, 1 month ago

                😮

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

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

              1. Jafooli
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 1 month ago

                😮

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

        OmG…

      4. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        May I ask, are you really Millhouse?

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

          I dough think so

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

        OMG Demba

      6. Hy liverpool
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

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

    11. ☈☾
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Kepa, easily.

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

        Would prefer Salah Gnonto ...

    13. dshv
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Guys

      Wc bb and fre hit to go

      When is the best gw’s by schedule?

    14. kempc23
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

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

        1. kempc23
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

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

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

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

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

        Have we?

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

          Son is one in recent memory that springs to mind

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

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

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

        Mahrez loves a burst of points to prove a point

    16. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Defence looks good next week

      Ward
      Bueno

      1. Gooner97
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Looks bueno

    17. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

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

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

          Rupert?!

          1. Deulofail
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Yes it was!

      3. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

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

      4. Gooner97
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Was he called van de Beek?

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

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

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I don't get it 🙁

      6. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      1. Trent and Gakpo
      2 Kilman and Salah

      ???

    19. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

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

        Saka

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

        Saka easily

    20. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Fortunately you can bring dgw players and minimise the damage

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

            Straight up copycat!

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

        The "cost of owning Kane" is the reason?

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

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

    21. Gooner97
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ederson & Bruno --> Pickford & Salah for free

      Y/N?

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

        Yes

    22. Touré De Force
      • 15 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        *dropped

        1. FPL_trail_runner
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Further evidence Martinelli is an xMins issue

        1. Deulofail
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          It's just called mins

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

        Need to see how Bueno plays first.

    25. JBG
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      For next GW:

      A) Tarkowski+Salah
      B) Robbo+Gakpo

      Which duo to bring in for 2 fts?

      1. Gooner97
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        A

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

        A

      3. Tonyawesome69
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Salah has to come in to cover captaincy and EO

    26. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      Hopefully Trossard gets injured today.

      1. La Roja
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Uncool post alert

        1. Epic Fail
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          No posts on here are cool.

      2. Stamford B
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lol

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

        Epic fail

      4. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Ban

      5. Deulofail
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Anyone else?

        1. Epic Fail
          • 15 Years
          3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Epic fail if he doesn't

    28. Ginkapo FPL
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

        Marty & Jesus combo where the points mainly came from

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

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

    29. alsybach
      • 16 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I captained Harry Kane

      A) Genius
      or
      B) suicide?

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

        Only time will tell!

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

        Time will tell but my money is a narrow escape

    30. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Trossard is scoring today

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

        2 or 3 points

    31. Eightball
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      Sush now, the games about to start