Dugout Discussion
18 February 2023 1411 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
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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. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Partey injury has derailed Arsenal. But it is a shame that Arteta didn't put Zinchenko into midfield and Tierney at LB to maintain the defensive balance. Can't trust Jorginho, Xhaka, and Odegaard as a combination to protect the back four.

    1. noissimbus
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Agreed, worth a try.

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

      Zinchencko plays mostly in midfield already. Wouldn't make sense to make that Zinchenko & Tierney in midfield.

      1. diesel001
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Zinchenko has better defensive instinct than Jorginho (and Xhaka). It is not with the ball that is the issue for Arsenal. It is the transition and defensive situations.

        A Zinchenko / Tierney combo would be better defensively than a Jorginho / Zinchenko combo.

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

          I guess just forget about being great in possession and using the system that's bought and trained for and has been working amazingly all season so far! Send Jorginho on loan, I say

  2. PartyTime
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ødegaard been poo for a while now

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

      Zinchenko's very sloppy as well

    2. Fred54
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Literally from when I brought him in.

  3. Old Wulfrunian
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best second gk along Kepa?

    1. FantasyTony
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ward

    2. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ward. Don't waste funds on a second GK when Kepa has good fixtures from GW26 onwards

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

      Pickford

    4. THE DRIBBLER
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mendy an able backup once injury returned

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

      Raya or Sanchez

    6. Old Wulfrunian
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      cheers all.

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

      Raya

  4. Hairy Potter
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Second half of the season, teams start to work out other team's tactics. Either you have a plan B, the best players so it doesn't matter or in the case of Pep, you have a deep squad and change match to match.

  5. villa_til_i_die
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone else noticed problem with live fpl?, says I have 80pts less than I actually have?

  6. Lord of Ings
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Any early city team news?

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

      Ederson starts

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

        Subscribe to my patreon for more such cool insights

    2. The Ilfordian
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pep’s on the bench

    3. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      11 confirmed starters

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

      Expect Vardy to be benched again..

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

      Ortega benched.

    6. Fred54
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They are playing Nottingham Forest away.

    7. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cancelo not in squad

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

    Martinelli warming up?

    1. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Trossard owners getting worried

  8. Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Zinchenko does my nut, cannot understand how he is keeping Tierney out of the team premanently.

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

      Right, Zinchenko is way too over confident right now

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

      You think there's a conspiracy in which everyone who watches him is only intended to be incredibly impressed?

  9. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Odegaard did well for me after the World Cup but his points have completely dried up. It may be time to move him on.

  10. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka limping all over the camp

    1. THE DRIBBLER
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Saka is so crucial for Arsenal attacks, should be a slight niggle that he could run off

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

    Saka limping

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

      Before or after that great cross just now?

  12. Bishopool
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka tired. Needs rest.

  13. Free Hat
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Rather take him off to be fit in dgw 25 then seeing him limping 90min here...

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

    Brighton request that Crystal Palace game is moved. #BHAFC

    https://twitter.com/AndyNaylorBHAFC/status/1626937741886775297?t=U3UfARS-iOpx0153AAvc1w&s=19

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

      Had a feeling this would happen. Game off again probably

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

        Moved to a different mid-week day is all.

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

    Nketiah get off the god damn pitch

  16. chocolove
    • 15 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Wheres saka Red card?
    Waiting patiently

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

    The short-termism/recency bias is incredible around here

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Always been that way

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

      You’re just happy seeing Arsenal bottle it again.

      The board cheaped it in Jan and now we’re stuck with Nketiah stinking up the team and no good back up for Partey.

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

        Go and troll Slouch instead pls

    3. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      It's actually comical, makes me smile sometimes

  18. Lieutenant Frank Columbo
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka dead

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

    Saka down again

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

      Timewasting

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

    Saka struggling

  21. ☈☾
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka down bad

  22. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka struggling

  23. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka off damn

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

      Ban please

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Looked like he signaled to the Arteta

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

    Good thing Arsenal didn't loan out their RW cover

  25. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka injured?

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

    Saka down again, looks like he gestured to come off

    1. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Achilles, not good

    2. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He’s my cap for gw25!
      Been the best Ars asset

  27. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Wrap that boy in cotton wool.
    ffs

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

      A week till Leicester. Rest up boy, and thanks for the goal at least.

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

    Saka looks like he is coming off

  29. SirWenger
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Saka (C) done

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

      Could have been worse, got a goal

  30. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Martinelli owners will be rewarded