Dugout Discussion
31 December 2016 2216 comments
Mark Mark
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Six afternoon kick-offs get Gameweek 19 back underway, with our attention fixated on a cast of key assets.

More than 27% of FPL managers go into these matches with Zlatan Ibrahimovic as their captain.

The Swede needs two goals to surpass Lionel Messi as Europe’s top goalscorer in 2016 across the top flight leagues, with the Middlesbrough defence in his way at Old Trafford.

Diego Costa ranks next in terms of armband popularity, claiming the support of 15% of FPL managers ahead of a meeting with Stoke City at Stamford Bridge.

The striker is recalled following a one-match suspension and is part of a reassuringly familiar Blues line-up that also includes Eden Hazard, backed by 6.7% of FPL managers.

There are teamsheet changes elsewhere, however, with Southampton innevitably shuffling the pack for their St Mary’s meeting with West Brom. Jay Rodriguez, Cedric Soares, Jose Fonte and Ryan Bertrand are among the notable names omitted from today’s Saints line-up.

Tony Pulis also makes a key change to his Baggies starting XI for the south coast clash – Salomon Rondon is benched with Hal Robson-Kanu earning a first Premier League start for West Brom.

Meanwhile, Alan Curtis takes the temporary reins for Swansea City against Bournemouth and makes no less than seven changes, recalling Fantasy favourites Jordi Amat and Leroy Fer, along with Fernando Llorente up front.

Elsewhere, Burnley host Sunderland and Leicester City take on West Ham at the King Power Stadium, as they attempt to end the visitors run of three successive wins.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

  1. Rainer
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Siggys 13 vs Sunderland feels soooooooooooo long ago 🙁 time to say goodbye!

    1. fatherted
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      +1

    2. Harper_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Good player, crap team, shame really.

    3. fatherted
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      In fact, to help other owners I'll sell him. He will get a Hattie next gw.!!

    4. Vlad
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      i let him last night for sterling... swansea is hopeless..

  2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    anichebe injured

    1. Rains of Castamere
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Coming off?

      1. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        he signalled to the bench. Might go off

  3. diesel001
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Blankety Blank.....

  4. Les Bleus
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Swansea are terrible.

  5. JJO
    • 13 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Fak dgw
    Its wc time
    Had to clean this mess

    1. sminkypinky
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      I'm thinking a fair few will feel similar...

      Still the wrong way to go imo.

    2. *sigh*
      • 14 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      What's ya team looking like?

  6. Kaneyonero
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Still no Ake ffs

    1. MTPockets
        8 years, 11 months ago

        ?

    2. Rains of Castamere
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      That Lee Mason decision really was horrific. Astonishingly bad.

    3. Niemi
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      So Stanislas involved in another goal. On my watch list, it's either him or Cabaye/Townsend if I go for Aguero. Already got Phillips.

    4. Greenbackbøøg…
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Any chance Coutinho's back for GW20?

      1. Les Bleus
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Doubt it according to Klopp.

    5. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      7/7 blanks today

    6. Somalion
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Swansea are thundering out of the PL.

      I won't miss them.

    7. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Anichibe looks like his hamstring has gone!

      1. Garlana
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        He's dead?

    8. greghammer95
      • 16 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Phillips will be rested next gw possibly. I look forward to everyone bringing his price up though.

      Leko is the differential you need next week.

    9. Lav
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Anichebe goal
      Friend clean sheet
      Costa brace

      Please football and fantasy gods.

      1. greghammer95
        • 16 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        I'd take that even as an ibra owner. Need to abloish that Burnley cleanie

        1. Lav
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Ibra owner here to but Costa(c) Friend off bench for Cedric

      2. boc610
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        anichibes hammy just popped

        1. Lav
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Damn well thank god I saved my FT this week

    10. The Royal Robin
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      7 goals and not a single player involved in one of them 😐

    11. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Considered both Stan and Phillips. Went with Allen. Lol.

      1. Whats the Huth
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        That's cruel

        1. O Fenomeno
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Snap 🙂

      2. O Fenomeno
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        That's.. Cruel

      3. Limited & Mediocre Mana…
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Why

    12. rivercityransom
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      yay stanislas

    13. Numb
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Normal FPL service is resumed

    14. UnitednationsXI
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      shocking first half for the team...
      - naylor sub coming on
      - zlat goal disallowed
      - carroll and siggy stinking up my team

    15. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Snoddy and Phillips are making a mockery of those playing the team value game.

      Me included.

      1. rivercityransom
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        it's not mockery if nobody has them in their team

        1. Camp No No
          • 12 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Snoddy ownership 5.5%, Phillips 8.8%. And the Phillips teams at least are mostly alive and kicking. He was owned by 4800 teams back in GW11, now by 375000.

    16. andy85wsm
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      I can see why this was given out but what a finish - https://twitter.com/sema_nare/status/815222461235101697

      1. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Yeah valdes did us proud cheating lol

      2. Wilshere Knowledge
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        6ft5 with the agility of a panther, at 35. Superhuman. 😀

        1. boc610
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          the agility of a man with a black belt. its still a high foot as nice a finish as it was

      3. Somalion
        • 15 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        They need to start disallowing overhead kicks for high feet as well. If you think about it, had that exact same situation occurred but Ibra overhead kicked it, that goal would have stood. Either both are dangerous or neither are...

        1. andy85wsm
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Good point

        2. boc610
          • 13 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          yup, its as clear as mud. one difference might be that ibras stud are showing with a kick like that and could cause more damage than top of a boot

          1. Somalion
            • 15 Years
            8 years, 11 months ago

            Possibly the stud argument is fair, but the counter might be that an overhead would have more force behind it, therefore more likely to cause a concussion?

            It just seems entirely inconsistent that a certain type of high foot is allowed because it looks cool.

        3. Camp No No
          • 12 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Wouldn't have necessarily. I've seen overhead kick goals refused for the same reason.

          You can use them, if you have clear space. If it comes so close that other players must avoid competing for the ball with head because of you kicking it, then it's disallowed and possible yellow/red card.

          In this case, the rationale would have to be that my dear boy Victor Valdes would have dived for and got the ball, if not for threatened by Zlatan's kick. That is an acceptable interpretation, although imo wrong: Zlatan didn't risk to kick him. If it was refused basically because of the way he kicked the ball as such, it means that this would be a "illegal" way to kick the ball in general, which imo is a dead wrong interpretation. Zlatan has had finishes like this accepted everywhere else with no complaints.

          1. Somalion
            • 15 Years
            8 years, 11 months ago

            Interesting point, taken on board. Your last part on Zlatan having them accepted elsewhere, I've seen him score some like that before as well and they've stood no problem. Just seems like a rule that is inconsistent in its application.

    17. O Fenomeno
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Pogba has hit the post 5 times this season

      1. Wilshere Knowledge
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        KDB has managed 8. 🙂

        1. O Fenomeno
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          And a miss from a yard out !

    18. Godot - Fashanu Zealand
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Jeff keeps making mistakes today

      1. The 12th Man
        • 12 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Hartlepool win gone to his head.

    19. thep025
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      TIme to sell Siggy?

      1. WVA
        • 9 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        100%

      2. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        ...has already elapsed

      3. dhamphiir
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        If he doesn't get points in second half. I am planning to sell Siggy

    20. Eden ACCOUNT CLOSED
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      5 points from 7 players including captain OH MY

      1. Ha.
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        It's a game of two halves

    21. Kaneyonero
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Gw fail none of my players scored and all cs gone

      1. Conk
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Good

    22. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Come on Hazard, don't make me transfer you out for Phillips.

      1. Fred54
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Ha.

        1. Ha.
          • 10 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Deadly serious!

      2. boc610
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        who has more points this season?

    23. Speédy
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      8 blanks with a -4,perfect week

    24. Whats the Huth
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Gutted smith isn't playing.

      Likely to be rotated due to Stan's return? Seeing as Ake is on form

    25. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      These decent mid to cheap mids are making me start to think about getting Ibra, Aguero and Costa

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        aye....already on it now

      2. greghammer95
        • 16 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        If it's sacrificing hazard then do it. But surely you want alexis too?

        1. The Bandit
          • 15 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Can keep Sanchez and poss even Alonso as I have a good team value

          1. greghammer95
            • 16 Years
            8 years, 11 months ago

            Jeeez. Do it then.

          2. Lawrø
            • 13 Years
            8 years, 11 months ago

            Same! 😀

            and it would need a ridiculous point hit to do it either as I need to ship Mane and Sigurdsson anyway

      3. Dušan Citizen
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        That's what I am doing. Kun, Cabaye and Phillips in for -4. Hazard, Carroll, Siggy out.

        Sanchez Eriksen Cabaye Phillips Can
        Kun Costa Ibra

      4. Lawrø
        • 13 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        I was just looking at a tasty hit myself!

      5. tm245
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        So much value in Antonio Phillips Zaha when he returns.