Dugout Discussion
21 August 2026 882 comments
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It’s finally here.

Champions Arsenal get the 2026/27 Premier League season underway against new boys Coventry City.

Kick-off is at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

William Saliba and Jurrien Timber remain out for Arsenal.

Bruno Guimaraes is also on the sidelines. He came off injured at half-time in Sunday’s Community Shield.

Declan Rice subsequently starts in central midfield, while Bukayo Saka, late back from World Cup duty, also comes into the starting XI.

They replace Guimaraes and the benched Noni Madueke, in Arsenal’s only two alterations from last weekend’s win over Manchester City.

Kai Havertz is again preferred to Viktor Gyokeres up top.

New arrival Christos Tzolis, owned by 25.0% of FPL squads, starts off the left.

As for Coventry City, they include five new players in their starting lineup: Carl Rushworth, who was on loan last season, along with Aurele Amenda, Frank Onyeka, Caleb Yirenkyi and Loum Tchaouna.

Fellow new arrivals Gustavo Hamer and Taiwo Awoniyi are both on the bench.

Ellis Simms spearheads the Coventry attack.

LINE-UPS

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Calafiori, Odegaard, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Tzolis, Havertz

Subs: Kepa, Hincapie, Eze, Gyokeres, Madueke, Nwaneri, Merino, Zubimendi, Dowman

Coventry City XI: Rushworth, van Ewijk, Thomas, Amenda, Dasilva, Onyeka, Yirenkyi, Grimes, Tchaouna, Thomas-Asante, Simms

Subs: Wilson, Rudoni, Sakamoto, Awoniyi, Kitching, Latibeaudiere, Eccles, Torp, Hamer


882 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Moon Dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 1 Year
    2 days, 22 hours ago

    The most Madueke cross I've ever seen

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 22 hours ago

      Can’t cross his legs

  2. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Madueke on and first thing he does is the worst involvement any Arsenal player has made all day, crossing to no one and overhitting it as well

    1. Zoostation
      • 12 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Lmao was dreadful

    2. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Positive for bench fodder

    3. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Should be thanking Wirtz every day for letting him go under the radar as the worst signing last summer

      1. TheBiffas
        • 5 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        Delap, Garnacho, Gittens, Wissa, Elanga ?

        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          2 days, 21 hours ago

          Isak huffs and puffs in disbelief….

          1. Brosstan
            • 12 Years
            2 days, 20 hours ago

            Definitely the worst of last season by some distance

        2. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 21 hours ago

          All stinkers but none of them were over £100m

          1. TheBiffas
            • 5 Years
            2 days, 20 hours ago

            If that's the rule then Isak was ten times worse

            1. x.jim.x
              • 11 Years
              2 days, 20 hours ago

              He was injured tbf, Wirtz just played like it

              1. Pariße
                • 11 Years
                2 days, 20 hours ago

                Isak’s body was sabotaged by Newcastle, I’d put Gyokeres in the mix with those. He still hasn’t adapted with his awful technique. That Alvarez exchange might end up happening.

                1. x.jim.x
                  • 11 Years
                  2 days, 20 hours ago

                  I think Gyokeres is woeful but he gets away with it for winning the title. Like how everyone used to let City off for their flops

      2. Pariße
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        Tbf he’s been an okay substitute for Saka, that’s what he came for. Most PL wingers do just about whatever these days anyway.

      3. Herger
        • 4 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        Absolutely clueless

  3. Nomar
    • 16 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    A Tzolis goal would be nice.

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      94th min

      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        Jinxed it

    2. AAAFootball
      • 1 Year
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Would be lovely but I'm honestly happy with my calafiori and odegaard points already

  4. FPL_trail_runner
    • 6 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Unless Chelsea suddenly turn into Bayer Leverkusen under Alonso then Arsenal are winning this league by close to 10 points. Massive gap in quality to the others.

    1. x.jim.x
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Think Chelsea will run them close just due to no Europe

      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        I dunno, not a fan of top teams playing back 5s.

        Marco Silva:
        "We knew how they defend and we know they like to squeeze from the back five. And if you don’t give bodies for them to squeeze from the back five you can create superiority in the middle."

        Reliquishes control. Fine for lower-table teams, but a bit passive for teams that need to win every week.

        1. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 21 hours ago

          Won them the league last time tbf

          1. Moon Dog
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 1 Year
            2 days, 21 hours ago

            Different era. We'll see, Alonso seems flexible in his approach. I'm sure it won't be as rigid as Amorim's system.

      2. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        From no. 10 to title challengers? At best top 5

        1. x.jim.x
          • 11 Years
          2 days, 20 hours ago

          We went from 15th to third

    2. Winging it
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      They'll be Arsenal's closet challengers, I've gone with the bold prediction of them winning the league.

    3. pundit of punts
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Wait till City are done in the transfer window

      1. x.jim.x
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        Why, are there few more rats looking to jump off that sinking ship?

  5. Brosstan
    • 12 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Tzolis non owners very lucky... now they will all buy him and get minimal punishment

    1. Pinnochio
      • 16 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Transfer used is still a dose this early

      1. Brosstan
        • 12 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        It is at most 4 points

  6. fantasyfog
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Tzolis and Ødegaard, someone called it....

    1. TheBiffas
      • 5 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Sorry I was sceptical before but there's obviously a future teller in our midst

      1. Winging it
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        No there isn't a "future teller" anywhere, it's called selecting players which everyone can do.

        1. TheBiffas
          • 5 Years
          2 days, 20 hours ago

          Talking about the subs

    2. Babit1967
      • 10 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Me

    3. AAAFootball
      • 1 Year
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      & calafiori as well, dream start to the year so far

  7. Royal5
    • 15 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    I’ll take that Tzolis. Just enough to let us, owners have him for ourselves for a week or two more

  8. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Thomas one away from DCs

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      I have Van Ewick ahead of him on my bench of course. Didn’t look at that

  9. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    I know it’s only Cov but Mosquera will be really unlucky to lose his place which seems inevitable

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      I'm not sure Konsa will walk straight into this team, especially with the lack of preseason

    2. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Konsa is not straight in quality

  10. oi no professionals
    • 15 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    RIP LiveFPL

    1. Woking Wanderers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      LiveFPL reckon Tzolis is a FLOP! 🙂

  11. Raoul Nogues
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Hincapie in to prevent Gabriel red card ?

    1. Raoul Nogues
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      No it's Calaf out

  12. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Cala off

  13. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    That'll do Cala

  14. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Calafiori CS locked…

    1. Fifa las vegas
      • 14 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Time for a consolation

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Hamertime

    3. Gizzachance
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Nice, need the white cs to go with it !

    4. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      My only player in this game so an unlikely Coventry goal would be nice

  15. TheTinman
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    You know what to do Coventry

    1. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Hopefully Gab will do it for them

  16. Feanor
    • 17 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Gabriel still can't keep the ball down

  17. Offsider Slater
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Calafiori CS bonus fixed.

    Come on Coventry!
    Now score....please!

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      It won’t matter, Saka, Odegaard and Havertz all ahead of him. How much bps will they lose for conceding?

      1. ProfessorM
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        it's not about BPS
        it's about CS for White, Gabriel, and Raya

        1. FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 days, 21 hours ago

          The OP implies it would benefit Calafioris bonus

          Calafiori CA “bonus” fixed

          1. FPL Blow-In
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            2 days, 21 hours ago

            *CS

            1. ProfessorM
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              2 days, 20 hours ago

              see your point

  18. Zimo
    • 8 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Now concede haha

  19. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Gustavo Hamer thunder*nt please

  20. TheTinman
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Radoni should score there

  21. Vazza
    • 6 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Did Calafiori go off injured?

    1. Royal5
      • 15 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Stretcher

      1. TheTinman
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        Looked bad

      2. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        😆 dear

      3. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        Really? Not watching

    2. tutankamun
      • 17 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      No injury

    3. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      salty 😆

    4. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      euthanized

    5. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Decapitation. His head rolled off and knocked over the drinks bottles.

      1. TMERC187
        • 13 Years
        2 days, 18 hours ago

        Lucozade splashed so hard it hit a supporter in his left eye.

  22. Freshy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Bps
    Ødegaard (ARS) (41)
    White (ARS) (37)
    Saka (ARS) (36)
    Havertz (ARS) (33)
    Calafiori (ARS) (31)
    Tzolis (ARS) (30)
    Mosquera (ARS) (27)
    Gabriel (ARS) (21)

    Def. Contributions
    Amenda (COV) (9)
    Thomas (COV) (9)
    Ødegaard (ARS) (8)
    Tchaouna (COV) (8)
    Grimes (COV) (7)
    Lewis-Skelly (ARS) (7)
    Saka (ARS) (7)
    Dasilva (COV) (6)

  23. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Woop! Woop! Thats the sound of Tzolis!

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      haha very good

    2. BeaversWithAttitude
      • 8 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Lmao.

    3. Utopsis
      • 6 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Hahahaha

  24. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    So Madueke can pass the ball!

  25. 3 A
    • 10 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    So Tzolis got the assist... Cala got assist too and clean sheet. Minimum 15 points. Move.

  26. Gizzachance
    • 11 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Fair play to ml rival, no Haaland
    Has Bruno, also Saka and ode (c) !

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Wow.

    2. Klip Klopp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Haaland hasn’t even played yet lol. He only had Ode captain.

      1. Gizzachance
        • 11 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        True, but punty cap pick for a player been poor last couple seasons
        See how it pans out after the robot played !

    3. Dank Squid
      • 8 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Only 379 matches remaining, you have a chance

  27. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Well for all the tzolis hype, just 1 assist at the end. Not great for us 25% owners as now more will buy him

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Odegaard winning so far at the same price point

      1. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        Yeah. Still think long term tzolis better. If people played odegaard just for this gw, great short term decision

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 17 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Just relieved that Tzolis owners are unlikely to sell for Odegaard, and vice versa.

    3. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Those that didn’t watch will see Odegaard as a differential, lower ownership and goal scorer. Both look good picks but Tzolis could have had a lot more returns.

      1. tutankamun
        • 17 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        Tzolis definitely has a higher ceiling.

      2. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        Odeegard is traditionally the assister, plus injury issues recently.. too early to say. Once cl comes, probably more rotation for both

      3. Salarrivederci
        • 10 Years
        2 days, 21 hours ago

        But Ødegaard could have had more Goals and/or assists as well. Had quite a few chances from good positions in or around the box. Also close with some fast passes inside the box. Not much in it. This Ødegaard is not how he has looked last season. Also looks more nailed on for the number 10 spot and not the 8.

        1. FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 days, 21 hours ago

          I agree with this. I think Odegaard has looked great since the World Cup. Still feel Tzolis slightly edges it. No other signings of note. Eze won’t do anymore than sub appearances here and there and Martinelli wants a way out

  28. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 12 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    blimey the ranks are already updated!? that was quick

    1. tutankamun
      • 17 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      It’s a live update

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 12 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        was it the same last season?

        1. Dynamic Duos
          • 13 Years
          2 days, 20 hours ago

          New

        2. Twisted Saltergater
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 17 Years
          2 days, 20 hours ago

          no, they've found some money down the back of the sofa and upgraded everything!

    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Wow. I am 2.68m owning tzolis and calafioy

      1. Twisted Saltergater
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 17 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        There's people with triple Arsenal, and there'll be triple captains played with it being a single game on the Friday.

      2. ProfessorM
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 days, 20 hours ago

        you, me, and tens of thousands of others probably

    3. Royal5
      • 15 Years
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      Wow even the ML’s new times

  29. Capocannonieri
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    Wait, so it looks like everyone has Tzoly?

    I thought I was the special one. Boo

    Yall need to find your own gems

    1. Raoul Nogues
      2 days, 20 hours ago

      He was already in my watchlist when he played for Norwich !

  30. Count of Monte Hristo
    • 13 Years
    2 days, 21 hours ago

    25 points from Raya, Calafiori and Gabriel (c). Captaincy a bit of a fail but I took a chance. Hopefully BB1 yields a big score and potentially wildcarding this week to cheapen my bench and get a more realistic lineup for the long term.

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 days, 21 hours ago

      Annoying as a Gabriel owner when Eze does that crap