FPL notes: Why Pep subbed Foden + Gundogan on, Odegaard missed

After covering the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from Tuesday’s EFL Cup and UEFA Champions League matches, we belatedly do the same with the cup ties on Wednesday and Thursday.

Five Premier League clubs were in action across those two days, be it at home or abroad.

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WEDNESDAY + THURSDAY’S RESULTS

TEAM SELECTION/ROTATION

INJURY LATEST

In case you missed them, our Thursday and Friday‘s team news articles followed up on any injury concerns from midweek.

RAYA SUPERB AGAIN, HAVERTZ IN MIDFIELD

David Raya (£5.5m) produced yet more heroics for Arsenal, keeping out a penalty and then the rebound in what Mikel Arteta called “two of the best saves I’ve probably ever seen in my career”.

Arsenal had otherwise kept their hosts at bay: the spot-kick incident accounted for all bar 0.31 of Atalanta’s expected goals (xG) tally. Gabriel Magalhaes (£6.0m) and William Saliba (£6.0m) were in mean mood ahead of Sunday’s clash with City.

On the ball, however, it was a different story. It’s all too easy to draw the parallels between Martin Odegaard‘s (£8.3m) and the lack of creativity but there was most definitely a lack of composure in possession, with Thomas Partey (£5.0m) the worst – but by no means the only – offender.

From the 17th minute onwards, the Gunners had only one shot: Gabriel Martinelli‘s (£6.9m) big chance in the second half.

The promotion of Gabriel Jesus (£6.8m) to the starting XI saw Kai Havertz (£8.1m) take on Odegaard’s right-sided central midfield role, although he did gravitate towards Jesus up top. An eighth-minute shot was Havertz’s only effort of the match.

CITY FRUSTRATED + WHY PEP MADE HIS HALF-TIME CHANGES

Arsenal don’t need any help with keeping clean sheets against Manchester City, having shut the champions out home and away last season.

But if they needed a reminder of how to do it, Inter showed them the way.

Stifling their hosts for much of the game, the Italian side posed a big threat on the break. The xG said 2.36-0.52 in City’s favour but it didn’t feel like that, with more of the heart-stopping moments coming from the visitors’ breakaways. Matteo Darmian’s failure to have a shot when clean on goal, for instance, isn’t reflected in the expected goals tally.

Of concern ahead of Sunday was how rusty Rodri (£6.4m) looked and how vulnerable City were to speed on the counter. Hope for Bukayo Saka (£10.0m) and co, then, in what was a low-scoring fixture in 2023/24.

As for the other end of the pitch, Pep Guardiola made half-time changes to address the shortage of quality chances. Kevin De Bruyne (£9.6m) made way because of injury but he, like Savinho (£6.5m) was, would have been hooked regardless.

Phil Foden (£9.3m) and Ilkay Gundogan (£6.5m) were brought on, players Guardiola has turned to so many times in the past when space is at a premium.

Might he do the same and start the pair in Gameweek 5 with Arsenal such a formidable foe at the back?

“Rico [Lewis], Phil [Foden] and Gundogan are the best players that we have in those positions, in the pockets and small spaces. Phil turning and shooting, the two crosses where Gundo was there. The other players don’t have this… they have other qualities. The way they defend, I was thinking after 35-40 minutes of making these substitutions.

“I was thinking of changing it anyway at half-time [even before De Bruyne got injured].” – Pep Guardiola

Foden and Gundogan had seven shots between them after the interval, including three huge ones: a Foden effort and two late Gundogan headers. The alterations worked, in that sense.

It might be something for Guardiola to consider this weekend. Erling Haaland (£15.2m) didn’t have a shot after the 35th minute but with him occupying the defence, Foden and Gundogan were able to pick up lots of space.

ROTATION IN THE EFL CUP

Of the 33 starters for Spurs, Wolves and Brighton on Wednesday, only seven kept their places from Gameweek 4.

Rests and managed minutes were the order of the day, with many of the regulars saved for the weekend.

It made Fabian Hurzeler’s decision to give Yankuba Minteh (£5.5m) 82 minutes all the more intriguing, then. With the winger muted in Gameweek 4 and in the EFL Cup, might his place be at risk on Sunday? Simon Adingra (£5.5m), who can operate on either flank, was excellent against Wolves and scored. Georginio Rutter (£5.5m) – cup-tied for this one – is able to play on the right, too.

We even saw the versatile Ferdi Kadioglu (£4.5m) used as a right winger upon his introduction. He promptly found the net from close range. The Turkey international is one to watch in the coming weeks, given his ‘out of position’ potential.

Ange Postecoglou meanwhile hooked Destiny Udogie (£5.0m), one of three starters in the north London derby not rested, at half-time in a pre-planned change. Dominic Solanke (£7.5m) was also given an hour to build rhythm although he might as well have not bothered, registering zero shots and just seven touches in the Coventry half. The service was non-existent but he didn’t help himself either.

Postecoglou had to turn to the cavalry in the end, with Son Heung-min (£10.0m) and co coming on, to salvage victory from what would have been a very embarrassing loss. Both Spurs goals came after the 88th minute.

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