Dugout Discussion
3 May 2025 329 comments
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A quieter-than-usual day of Premier League football concludes at the Emirates this evening.

Arsenal v Bournemouth gets underway at 17:30 BST.

Despite the Gunners’ UEFA Champions League semi-final being delicately poised, Mikel Arteta has named a strong side for tonight’s game.

Indeed, he’s only made two changes from the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

One of the players coming into the side today, Thomas Partey, almost certainly would have started in midweek had he not been suspended. He ousts Mikel Merino from the starting XI.

Ben White replaces Jurrien Timber in the other change. The Dutchman, unlike the benched Merino, is not in the squad at all.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli all start.

There are three changes for Bournemouth, the most surprising of which sees Antoine Semenyo drop down to the bench.

That’s the first time he’s been named among the substitutes this season.

Adam Smith and Alex Scott also make way as Julian Araujo, Lewis Cook and Marcus Tavernier come in.

Evanilson starts as expected, having had his Gameweek 34 red card rescinded earlier this week.

A win for the Gunners tonight all but assures a Champions League place for next season. The Cherries, meanwhile, will climb to eighth with a point or more.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Partey, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Trossard.

Subs: Setford, Tierney, Zinchenko, Clarke, Merino, Nwaneri, Butler-Oyedeji, Gower, Sterling.

Bournemouth XI: Arrizabalaga, Araujo, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez, Cook, Adams, Tavernier, Kluivert, Ouattara, Evanilson.

Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Smith, Soler, Hill, Brooks, Scott, Jebbison, Semenyo.


CHECK YOUR LIVE FPL RANK

If you haven’t seen it already, the beta version of our new Premium Members Area gives you a customised dashboard detailing your latest points and where you rank in the world.

You can find it via this link and you only have to type in your FPL ID number (so no password/email) to see the visuals.


329 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Benching Arsenal GK and DEF navigated.

  2. tbos83
    • 5 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Absolutely awful gw so far

  3. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    I knew double Ars def would be trouble. Nvm

    1. Effe
      • 15 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      I benched Saliba and played Konsa 🙂
      I also benched Martinez and played Raya 🙁

      1. Wolfman180
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        11 months, 7 days ago

        My other option was playing either of Sels or Milenkovic, but with triple Palace I thought risking the double Ars CS seemed the wiser choice

        1. Wolfman180
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          11 months, 7 days ago

          2-0 now... sigh

          1. Wolfman180
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            11 months, 7 days ago

            1-2 even

  4. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Never watched the film, but does Trossard look like a Lorf of the Rings character, or similar genre film?

    1. Mighty Duck
      • 1 Year
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Much more like a Trainspotting one

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        11 months, 7 days ago

        Ha, yeah maybe...or is it Debbie does Dalla....

        1. TOLV TUMS
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          11 months, 7 days ago

          I think he looks exactly like he will look in 50 years right now

          1. Jafooli
            • 14 Years
            11 months, 7 days ago

            Yeah, exactly, he looks 50+ right now, kinda weird look...

    2. Benedict_Alexander_Arnold
      • 1 Year
      11 months, 7 days ago

      He looks like a ring

  5. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    My triple defense wiped ouch

    #FPLRanOutOfLuckThisSeasonBringOnNextYearItWillBeTheOneWeMove

  6. putana
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    I will never rate shorter keepers. Half the goals Arsenal concede look preventable if Raya didnt look like a dwarf in net

  7. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Funnily enough only Kiwior in this match, the Bournemouth goal helped my rank in fpl

  8. Pep's Money Laundry
    • 10 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Arteta has reiterated to Arsenal fans to trust the process

    1. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Yeah!
      New an pool next, after psg!

    2. Benedict_Alexander_Arnold
      • 1 Year
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Did they bring their boots, per his request?

  9. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Evan G

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Raya error

  10. F4L
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    evanilson g maybe?

    1. F4L
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      *his goal

  11. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Evanilson goal

  12. el polako
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Arsenals solid defence is a myth.

    1. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Has been yeah, went back to double def gw 30 w/c
      1 cs v Ipswich !

  13. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Raya’s not good enough

  14. FPL Virgin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    2 shots on target. 2 goals conceded.

    Vintage Raya.

  15. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Disgrace if this is overturned

  16. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Time to sell all Arsenal assets & just get Saka in GW38.

  17. TOLV TUMS
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Oh Arsenal.

  18. JBG
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Might get called off this

  19. Sailboats
    • 10 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Scenes when Arsenal drops out of the top 4

    1. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Top 5 this season. They could easily lose the next 2 games. Then they are in trouble.
      Finishing 6th in a 2 horse race

  20. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Might be scubbed

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Stands

      1. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        11 months, 7 days ago

        Wasn’t clear cut

    2. JBG
      • 7 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Raya finally getting his will by gifting them a goal

  21. Shark Team
    • 8 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    There's a wild scenario.
    Gw38 comes and if all the rest 4 teams challenging for UCL along with Arsenal win their games till then and Chelsea beat Newcastle away, the standings before the start of gw38 will be:
    ManCity 70
    Chelsea 69
    Forest 69
    Newcastle 68
    Arsenal 67

    1. Sailboats
      • 10 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Fingers crossed for this

    2. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      What about Villa?

      1. Shark Team
        • 8 Years
        11 months, 7 days ago

        66

        1. Defcons are for Kinnear
          • 12 Years
          11 months, 7 days ago

          They are in this race for me

  22. Nightcrawler
    • 6 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    That's shd be an own goal

    Raya saves it then kicks it in

    1. JBG
      • 7 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      I agree

  23. Quality Quality Qualit
    • 16 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    No arm in it

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      I see what you did

  24. Evasivo
    • 15 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Clearly elbowed the ball in but hey

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Bro must have a 16K telly to be saying “clearly”

      1. Evasivo
        • 15 Years
        11 months, 7 days ago

        That final angle showed it clearly. What part of the body do you think he used?

        1. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          11 months, 7 days ago

          Odegaard’s veneers

          1. Evasivo
            • 15 Years
            11 months, 7 days ago

            Bro needs a new TV or Glasses

    2. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Yeah it doesn't go that smoothly if it's not the forearm

    3. Defcons are for Kinnear
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      AFTV need the traffic

  25. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Evanilson on for a classic Emirates hatrick - right foot, left foot, old fella...

  26. Goodfeathers
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Arsenal to finish 3rd in a two horse race?

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 6 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      There was only a one horse race

    2. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Maybe even lower?

  27. putana
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    assenal blowing top 5 would be amazing

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Bottlers

      1. Shark Team
        • 8 Years
        11 months, 7 days ago

        Very samll chance, but possible. They need 3pts max and they can get them vs Southampton last gw

        1. Shark Team
          • 8 Years
          11 months, 7 days ago

          small*

    2. Mr. Eko
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      A Dream

    3. grooveymatt65
      • 12 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      as a saints fan there's no way we are winning another game this season, they have a safe 3 points! we made Leicester look like prime Barcelona

  28. F4L
    • 11 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    why even bother to sub merino in just to put him in midfield

  29. keefy59
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    Some would have sold Evanilson after his "red card" last week before it was rescinded .

    1. Mr. Eko
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Ouch !!!

    2. Sun God Nika
      • 5 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      I benched him but tbf there was no way I could play him

  30. WiredWeasel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    11 months, 7 days ago

    I'd love to see a Premier League club with the Champions League, but I had a horrible feeling that Real Madrid would be Arsenal's "Final" and nothing I've seen since suggests they are going further. Good effort getting to the semi-finals, but they seem to either dominate entirely and play fantastic football, or look weak and prone to silly errors but not much in between!

    1. Shark Team
      • 8 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      Let's be honest, they achieved to many already with this squad. The other teams have much better finishers.

    2. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      11 months, 7 days ago

      I think PSG will beat them easily on Wednesday.