Dugout Discussion
23 August 2025 766 comments
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Rounding off the day’s Premier League action, it’s the Gameweek 2 fixture that may have persuaded 150,000+ Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers to deploy their Free Hit.

Arsenal v Leeds United kicks off at 17:30 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has made two changes from the team that beat Manchester United last Sunday.

Noni Madueke gets his first Arsenal start, while Jurrien Timber comes back in at right-back.

Gabriel Martinelli is demoted to substitute duty, with Ben White – who was an injury doubt for Gameweek 2 – missing out entirely.

Joining a stacked bench is 15-year-old Max Dowman, who impressed in pre-season.

Leeds head coach Daniel Farke, meanwhile, makes one change from the team that beat Everton on Monday.

It’s an enforced alteration, too, as Ethan Ampadu is out until after the international break with a knee injury he picked up against the Toffees.

Ilia Gruev replaces Ampadu in the centre of midfield.

Timber aside, each member of the hosts’ backline, including David Raya, was bought by 300,000+ FPL managers this week.

Indeed, of the 20 most-purchased players of Gameweek 2, six start for the Gunners tonight.

Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres are among that number.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Gyokeres, Madueke.

Subs: Arrizabalaga, Mosquera, Martinelli, Kiwior, Trossard, Nwaneri, Merino, Lewis-Skelly, Dowman.

Leeds United XI: Perri, Bogle, Struijk, Rodon, Gudmundsson, Stach, Gruev, Tanaka, James, Piroe, Gnonto.

Subs: Darlow, Longstaff, Aaronson, Nmecha, Bijol, Okafor, Harrison, Bornauw, Byram.

NEW: LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE

New to Fantasy Football Scout this week is the Live Gameweek page, which you can see on the side menu.

Here you can follow the scores, watch the defensive contribution (DC) points roll in, see who the leading players are for xG and more as the games play out, as seen below:


Dango debut

price change predictions
766 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. tangtastic
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Aston villa were so poor. Jesus h Christ, the game could've gone on for another 90 minutes and they wouldn't have scored

    1. PartyTime
      1 year, 2 months ago

      😆 almost captd Watkins but…

      1. Atimis
        1 year, 2 months ago

        me too

    2. FPLCEO
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Very surprised by them so far I have to say. Felt that Watkins and Rogers were the safest of bets!

    3. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I don't think Kelleher would have made a third save either. Just completely toothless.

  2. Atimis
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Can't decide between Mateta and Wood as Watkins replacement, there's Richarlison as well

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I am watching Sesko and Gyokeres

  3. tim_oriordan
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Palmer + Guiu > Semenyo + Wood

    Yay or nay?

    1. GunnerStorm
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Positive moves but don't you want to wait and see the extent of Palmer's injury?

    2. Rico123
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I like it. I already have Wood (and Guiu) but I’m going to do the Palmer > Semenyo move if he’s likely to be out, and then probably use the funds to upgrade Guiu too

  4. Bod
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Watkins and palmer to Haaland and who?

    1. Firminooooo
      1 year, 2 months ago

      How much. 5.4?

      1. Bod
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Unfortunately yeah, maybe 5.3 if I wait until tomorrow

    2. Bod
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Semenyo and Wood or Pedro might be better actually

    3. oi no professionals
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Gutted I didn’t move last night now

    4. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Brooks?

    5. yousunkmybattleship
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      This is why I did to Haaland and Anderson last night

  5. henrysquire
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Says something of how poor my start has been that I've had to captain Gyokeres this week. Let's hope he can't be worse than last week...

    1. F4L
      1 year, 2 months ago

      fingers crossed he can get a brace. should get the service today

  6. Thanos
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Need a Saka cap masterclass to save this GW!

    1. Sun God Nika
      1 year, 2 months ago

      This game will define my week

      1. Thanos
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Same

    2. Peteex
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Same here. Good luck to us!

    3. The Mentaculus
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Same boat again my friend 🙂

  7. Brosstan
    1 year, 2 months ago

    I tried to warn people not to cap Watkins over Salah..

    1. tangtastic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I don't have Salah (or haaland) and I did captain Watkins. It was either him or Pedro.

      I'm in so much pain right now

      1. Thanos
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Fine margins, massive impact

    2. fantasyfog
      1 year, 2 months ago

      I only capped him as an incentive to drop him if he blanked, mission accomplished

      1. Brosstan
        1 year, 2 months ago

        😀

    3. have you seen cyan
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Watkins and Villa did look class last week tbf

  8. Radulfo28773
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Wait until Salah plays

  9. Thicksolidtight
    1 year, 2 months ago

    The wild boys are calling
    On their way back from the fire
    In august moon's surrender to
    A dust cloud on the rise
    Wild boys fallen far from glory
    Reckless and so hungered
    On the razors edge you trail

    They tried to break us
    Looks like they'll try again

    1. fantasyfog
      1 year, 2 months ago

      That is a tune

  10. TafOnTour1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Gotta love all the experts and content creators gaslighting us into thinking Watkins was the best option at striker.

    1. el polako
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Selling him and never getting back again.
      9m for this?
      Couldn’t get a single shot past a defender.

    2. tangtastic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      How are they gaslighting anyone?

      They had a good season, Watkins had a great preseason, and they have great fixtures. The case for Watkins was incredibly strong, and he may still be decent given their run. Its still only been 2 gws.

      Reactionary captain hindsights like you are just as bad as the knee jerkists

  11. Konstaapeli
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Gyökeres (C) home debut hattrick loading!

  12. Mother Farke
    1 year, 2 months ago

    34 with Ekitike, Wirtz, Dorgu and De Cuyper to go.

    Flat average.

    1. fantasyfog
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Bang average, welcome to my world

    2. tangtastic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      43 with ekitike, wirtz, bruno and williams for me.

      after (c) failiure i'll take it.

      just praying for salah missed pen and red card

  13. BeaversWithAttitude
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Omg, for a second I thought Eze was suited & booted and ready to go! He's third on my bench this week, lol.

    1. GENERATION X
      1 year, 2 months ago

      With jeans on

  14. el polako
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Leeds to score first please.

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Unlikely

      But ...

  15. Eightball
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Oh the chopping block:
    A) Fulkrug
    B) Watkins
    C) Palmers
    D) Wirtz

    I feel like A & B are the priority sells. That gives me 15 million to spend on two forwards. I really want Chris Wood though for the upcoming fixtures and he is annoyingly 7.6m. Worth a -4 to downgrade one of the mids as well? or just ignore wood and go JP + Mateta?

    1. bialk
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Wood has the best fixture. If Palmer is injured, you may downgrade him to Mbeumo.

  16. Stranger Mings
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Rage ttansfer watkins & palmer to haaland & 5.0m mid worth it? Thanks

  17. bialk
    1 year, 2 months ago

    My front line is Watkins, Fülkrug and Guiu.

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      *vomits in mouth a little*

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        1 year, 2 months ago

        All popular picks 1 week and 1 day ago

    2. Royal5
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Blood bath

    3. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      There is something called Wildcard

  18. Make FPL Casual Again
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Ok Haaland to Wood, enables King to Boomo/Bruno, and bench Aiiiight for -4 looking good...

  19. BeaversWithAttitude
    1 year, 2 months ago

    The clip I saw was a close-up of Eze broadly smiling, clapping to the crowd with a Gunners' jersey on.

    1. BeaversWithAttitude
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Oops, posted in the wrong spot – whatever.

  20. Football is home
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Cranky Stan watching the game today

  21. JBG
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Need 3 goals from Saliba, Calafiori and Saka

    1. More Tragic
      1 year, 2 months ago

      each?

      1. JBG
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Yes

    2. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Raya wants one

  22. el polako
    1 year, 2 months ago

    If I only see a glimpse of hope then Watkins to Sesko will be my move.

  23. JBG
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Leeds going for the "kick the players if we can't kick the ball" approach.

  24. martynteresa
    1 year, 2 months ago

    I fancy Leeds to win this

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Almost 10 to 1

  25. OneTeamInBristol
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Glad I pulled the trigger and did watkins and Palmer to Anderson and haaland before the price changes. Something terribly wrong with Villa.

    I know Haaland blanked today, but he will score more over the season than Watkins.

  26. g40steve
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Calif get up you wuss

    1. JBG
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Should've been a pen.. and I'm saying that as a Calafiori owner.

      1. g40steve
        1 year, 2 months ago

        🙂

    2. el polako
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Italian…
      They made art of diving, dirty fouls and referee pressure.

  27. Tonyawesome69
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Just catching up with the 3pm games, double Burnley CS! Nice to see Kelleher CS as well albeit on my bench.

    1. Tonyawesome69
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Another Watkins and Evanilson blank. May have to use a FT there... (haven't watched the games yet)

      1. g40steve
        1 year, 2 months ago

        You didn’t miss anything

      2. el polako
        1 year, 2 months ago

        Evanilson was unlucky - he got taken out when 1 on 1 with a keeper.

        Watkins looked like a prime donkey.

        1. Tonyawesome69
          1 year, 2 months ago

          Was that the Wolves RC?

          Watkins with 4 shots (2 blocked and 2 off target) - 0.42xG. Doesn't look too bad but not great either haha

          1. el polako
            1 year, 2 months ago

            Yes.

  28. g40steve
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Gyok lol

  29. F4L
    1 year, 2 months ago

    what the hell was that finish gyokeres

    1. have you seen cyan
      1 year, 2 months ago

      Jokeres

  30. chocolove
    1 year, 2 months ago

    Wtf gyokeres