Dugout Discussion
3 January 2026 926 comments
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A chilly Vitality Stadium plays host to the final Premier League match of the day: Bournemouth v Arsenal.

Kick-off on the south coast is at 5.30pm GMT.

TEAM NEWS

Andoni Iraola continues to eke out the services of the exit-bound Antoine Semenyo, starting the winger against the Gunners this evening.

It may not even be the Ghanaian international’s swansong in a Bournemouth shirt, with his manager confident, or at least hopeful, of another appearance in Gameweek 21.

Semenyo is part of an unchanged XI following the 2-2 draw at Chelsea.

New signing Fraser Forster, snapped up following Will Dennis‘s injury, is among the substitutes.

Mikel Arteta has sprung a few surprises with his teamsheet, making three alterations.

One sees Declan Rice return from a knee injury and take the place of Mikel Merino in midfield.

The big calls are in attack, with Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard dropping to the bench.

In come Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli for starts alongside Viktor Gyokeres, who continues to see off the challenge of Gabriel Jesus.

Gabriel Magalhaes starts again at centre-half, fresh from his 15-pointer on Tuesday night. That appearance against Aston Villa marked his first start since Gameweek 11.

LINE-UPS

Bournemouth XI: Petrovic, Jimenez, Hill, Senesi, Truffert, Scott, Tavernier, Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo, Evanilson.

Subs: Forster, Cook, Soler, Smith, Diakite, Adli, Kroupi, Unal, Rees-Dottin.

Arsenal XI: Raya, Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie, Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard, Madueke, Martinelli, Gyokeres.

Subs: Kepa, White, Saka, Jesus, Eze, Norgaard, Trossard. Merino, Lewis-Skelly.


LIVE GAMEWEEK PAGE!

New to Fantasy Football Scout this season 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:


Introducing The Eye Test 2
926 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. SalahFingers
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Ignoring money and todays result, would you rather Saka or Rice going forward?

    I assume Saka was benched just because of a rest? seeing as there's a bunch of games in quick succession.

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      If money no problem I would go for both plus Gabriel

      1. SalahFingers
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        yeah but saka was benched this game, so are you trying to say he's gonna play next game?

        Either way, he seems to score just fine from the bench. Not amazing, but certainly not bad either.

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      That’s correct but he is still not scoring the points you’d expect for that price.

      1. SalahFingers
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        Agreed, but 1 goal 7 assists in the past 8 games is still not bad and most midfielders aren't so consistent right now. He's more expensive than most, but at least he's getting consistent points.

        The problem with Rice was his potential injury but that's obviously not an issue anymore.

    3. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      I sold Saka and kept Rice a few weeks back because Saka just isn't justifying the extra cost over Rice. He's a great player but the £3m difference can mean a lot more points.

      Some weeks Saka will haul, but so far Rice is matching him for points so why use up the extra cash?

      1. SalahFingers
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        Good logic. I might switch saka to rice if I can find elsewhere to spend the money on.

    4. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      I assume it will be Rice + Palmer in few GW instead of (for example) Saka and Enzo

      1. SalahFingers
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        Probably yeah.

    5. terranullius
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 19 days ago

      How about Gabriel, Rice and Odegaard?

    6. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Sticking with both Rice/Saka (and Gab) here.

  2. FCSB
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Only have myself to blame, Rice should’ve been first sub ahead of Wilson and O’Reilly regardless of the injury… then he’d be coming on for Minteh

    Sad times 🙁

  3. KeanosMagic
    • 4 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rice Rice Gabi

  4. tutankamun
    • 16 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rice DEFCON

    1. Firminooooo
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Yeeeeeeeesssss

    2. Biggsy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      BOOM!

    3. Make United Great Again
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      COME ONNNNNN

    4. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      YESSS, lovely

    5. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Pleased for owners. If more so if you own Gabriel too.

      1. tutankamun
        • 16 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        Own both. Raya just the let down but who cares?

      2. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        Yep, own both 🙂

    6. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Gabriel tooo

  5. MikeS
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rice showing 14 PTS now on fpl

    1. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      +3 bonus

    2. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Its what we like to see 🙂

  6. El Copo
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Swap Timber, O’Reilly or Chalobah for Gabriel?

    1. Snoop Udogie Dogg
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Or

    2. Make United Great Again
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Chabolah

    3. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      OReilley

    4. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Timber

  7. el polako
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Aldi closed down.

    1. Yes Ndidi
      • 6 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Of Lidl interest on here

      1. Free Hat
        • 7 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        😀

  8. MikeS
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rice going to rocket in price now with all them fools buying him back! 17 PTS!!

    1. Hughes Your Daddy
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      I was so surprised to see his price drop overnight, he was never red/injured.

  9. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Surely Rice grabs DC points with that final header

    1. Tonyawesome69
      • 7 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      He's on 14 defcons...

  10. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    blow the whistle straight away with all the time wasting? bantz. only bournemouth though innit

  11. The Philosopher
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Gonna take some doing from City to stop Arsenal winning the league this season.

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Arsenal will stop themselves. You'll see in April.

    2. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Usually, Arsenal bottles it…more than City wining it…just saying.

  12. Jet5605
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    I hate hoping for (Rice) bench jam even though I know deep down it ain't happening.

  13. Dannyb
    • 9 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Is Saka and Tete to Gabriel and Rogers a no brainer yeah? Then Mount to Rice the week after?

  14. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Timber 9 defcon 🙁

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      GOAT

    2. Mr. O'Connell
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Think that's a season high for him, so we'll take it and run.

    3. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      1 more maybe for the block before the long throw

    4. fedolefan
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Oh come on, stop posting that. Now you've given me hope.

  15. chaser123
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Knee jerk or good transfers for a -4?

    Raya > Sanchez
    VVD > Gabriel
    Wirtz > Rice
    Potts > Cherki

    1. Snoop Udogie Dogg
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Yeah good

  16. Jet5605
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Safe to do Chalobah to Gab now? No sign of any limping or any other issue for Gab?

  17. el polako
    • 8 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rice played well with swollen knee…

    Arteta you absolute liar.

  18. F4L
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    damn senesi didnt even get defcon for once

    1. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      He only had 1 at half time. Remarkable.

      1. F4L
        • 11 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        hill hogging them all today

  19. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Timber 9 defcons 🙁

    Well, can't win them all

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      they took one away from him.

      I noticed he had 6 at one point which went down to 5

      1. NABIL - FPL otai
        • 13 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        That's scandalous!

  20. Khalico
    • 10 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Bowen or Watkins going forward? Already have Rogers

    1. terranullius
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Watkins

  21. Snoop Udogie Dogg
    • 5 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Only rice owner in my ml

    1. Babit1967
      • 9 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Monster score, glad I kept.

  22. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    What a difference to a shocking gameweek last week. Looking like 50 points including bonus from 6 players played today. (Plus an extra +8 potential bench jam from Van Hecke)

  23. The Knights Template
    • 12 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rumours of a Foden benching?

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Ah here, really? Wouldn’t be at all surprised though, it’s due. Makes the Rice transfer all the more infuriating

    2. Jet5605
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Please let it be so and for him not to come on at all. Rice first on my bench

    3. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 15 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Then I get a tiny 17 points off my bench

    4. Captain Mal
      • 1 Year
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Was it Sir Fabricator from the House of Scaremongers who started the rumour?

    5. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      I’d take it, Rice 1st bench 🙁

      1. Mother Farke
        • 2 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        You need Wilson to slip on a bar of soap or something akin 😀

        1. g40steve
          • 8 Years
          3 months, 19 days ago

          That as well 🙂

  24. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Absolutely sickening monster score from Rice. I deserve it, just too stubborn and panicked to get Gabriel before more price changes.

    If he wasn’t a doubt I might’ve just done Saka. Still fuming though. Massive swing for my ML leader, gonna be a real struggle to catch up now. Only hope is to stick it out a Saka to get a haul next week.

    Waiting for that is just asking for misery

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Ah man it’s gonna be over 40pt to first after tonight’s results, fecking sick of this game

  25. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 15 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Need one of these horses to come up lame
    Foden-Cherki-Ekitiké-Woltemade
    or Rice dies on my bench

    1. MikeS
      • 11 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Wolt your best chance

      1. g40steve
        • 8 Years
        3 months, 19 days ago

        Foden due a sit down

  26. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Raya absolutely useless pick and horrendous waste of money.

  27. OneTeamInBristol
    • 2 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Rice, saka and gab triple up. Up to 8k overall. Thank you very much

    1. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 13 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Nicely played. Well done

  28. RoyaleBlue
    • 14 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Sold rice to rogers for a -4, this is an FPL low for me. After two weeks of not taking a hit and it biting me, I figured I should finally go for it…

  29. MikeS
    • 11 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    Anyone selling ekitike? Tempted to get Watkins in for him

    1. Eightball
      • 5 Years
      3 months, 19 days ago

      Maybe in a few weeks to fund Palmer.

  30. Mr. O'Connell
    • 13 Years
    3 months, 19 days ago

    #justicefortimber