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Dugout Discussion – West Ham vs Stoke City

Four nights of Gameweek 34 action begin at the London Stadium where West Ham United host Stoke City with both seeking to earn three points to ease relegation fears.

In truth, a victory for the Hammers tonight would surely seal mid-table safety, though, with a tortuous season run-in ahead of them, a win against the Potters looks vital.

In Fantasy terms, Marko Arnautovic is undoubtedly the key attacking asset on show. He heads into the contest against his former club with nine goals and five assists from his last 14 starts and, despite Chicharito’s equaliser at Chelsea, the Austrian remains the lone striker. Arnautovic scored in the reverse fixture at the bet365 Stadium and fired a brace and 16 points in his last home fixture against Southampton.

Chicharito is kept on the bench, alongside playmaker Manuel Lanzini who makes his return from injury.

Meanwhile, Stoke City’s players are auditioning for bit-part roles in our Gameweek 35 Free Hit squads with Shaqiri and Jack Butland the leading men.

Butland has just a single clean sheet in his last eight starts, though has returned 45 saves and 12 save points over that spell.

As for Shaqiri, his returns have dried up and have been reduced to just a single assist from the last four Gameweeks having struck three in three outings prior to that drought.

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

1,427 Comments Post a Comment
  1. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Lee Grant better than Jack Butland.

  2. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Gutted for Stoke. Wanted a Stoke win to really open things up at the bottom

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Yep.

    2. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Agree

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah and the Hammers run-in would have made it very interesting

    4. Yozzer
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I'm glad they down. Taking that fat little cigar stump bas*ard shaq with them

      1. the axolotl
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Lol at cigar stump bas*tard 🙂

    5. F4L
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      aye

  3. G-Whizz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Stoke get their first corner 93rd minute...

  4. OldBenKenobi
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    LIV, WBA, HUD the only teams with clean sheets this week 😆

    1. 1zverGGadeM
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Since Van Dijk, Pool are one of the best teams at the back in the league, so there no so much surprise

      1. OldBenKenobi
        • 7 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Totally agree

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Utd absolute crap. Jose has sucked the attacking play out of that team. Where is the swashbuckling play of the Fergie era gone?

      1. G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Probably killed by the 15 managers they've had since him...

      2. Zladan
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Second half v City last weekend already forgotten about?

    3. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Proof if ever it was needed we are at the mad end of the season where results could throw up anything!
      Clean sheet odds: Implied chance of a clean sheet
      LIV 2.10 48%
      HUD 2.87 35%
      WBA 11.0 9%

  5. Taking the Mkhitaryan
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Throw another one in Joe

  6. Rash
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Carroll has arsenal next.. likes a goal against them

    1. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Straight in my FH team!

  7. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    That was 2 points Stoke desperately needed. Championship next?

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I think so.

      Can’t see any of the current bottom 3 getting out of it now.

  8. Mysterion
    • 6 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Well done Jack Bauer owners

    1. That Was Easy!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Moritz?

      1. Mysterion
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Yup 6 pointer

        1. Slitherene
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          Plus a probable bonus of 1 point.

        2. G-Whizz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          6 pointer? 😆

  9. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Hilarious cameo from Cameron. Fouled everything in sight

  10. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Carroll all 3 bonus now

  11. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Great result for FPL.

    Dilly Dilly!

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Dilly Dilly!

  12. Waynoo
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    great game in the end

  13. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Butland will be where next season?

    1. OldBenKenobi
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      In goal

    2. makaveli123
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Stockport

    3. F4L
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      cant see many overpaying for average English talent

    4. Goalosaurus
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      West Ham

    5. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      If any in the Premier League:
      - Arsenal
      - Bournemouth
      - West Ham
      - Crystal Palace (meh)

    6. barracuda
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Palace

    7. the snazzy viking
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Dortmund perhaps

    8. 1zverGGadeM
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I hope Liverpool to sign him in

  14. arndff_
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    To pick or not to pick Arnie @FH team...

    1. OldBenKenobi
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I’d still pick him

    2. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Way down my list of potential GW35 players.

    3. MTPockets
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Nope

      • mdm
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        I would pick Carroll...

        1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
          • 7 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          MDM with kneejerk of the day

          1. arndff_
            • 12 Years
            6 years, 1 month ago

            😆

      • G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        For me Zaha > Arnie > Shaq 🙂

        1. arndff_
          • 12 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          Thanks, mate!

          I’ve already made 2 drafts, here’s the current one:

          Ederson
          VvD Baines Mustafi
          KdB Salah Sterling Arnie Zaha
          Auba Firmino

          Hennessey Perez Kiko Long

          0.5M ITB

          1. G-Whizz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • Has Moderation Rights
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 1 month ago

            Looks strong on paper!

      • arndff_
        • 12 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Thank you all!

        It’s going to be a long week. 🙂

    4. the axolotl
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Shaqiri on a bap now all the defenders lost out

    5. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Worst GW of the season getting terrible now. Arnie fail.

      1. Zladan
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        How he made the Scout Picks over some DGW options still baffles me.

        1. G-Whizz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 6 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          Midfielder playing OOP against Stoke, what's not to like?

          1. Zladan
            • 6 Years
            6 years, 1 month ago

            I’d rather Willian or downgrade Arnie to upgrade defence. It seems such a strange Scout Pick to me this week, especially with it being a DGW.

            If Scout Picks is supposed to be offering advice, it was not good advice.

            1. Zladan
              • 6 Years
              6 years, 1 month ago

              I see Willian there already actually. But you get my point. He was a potential differential at a push. Even still, there are DGW differentials instead.

            2. G-Whizz
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              • 6 Years
              6 years, 1 month ago

              A player shouldn't be overlooked in a DGW if they have a SGW imo...

              1. Zladan
                • 6 Years
                6 years, 1 month ago

                I do. It’s not done me so well this week in all honesty. 36 points from 15, with 15 to go.

                But, no offence, West Ham are hardly a team you’d trust in a SGW to outscore any team with a DGW.

                1. G-Whizz
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • Has Moderation Rights
                  • 6 Years
                  6 years, 1 month ago

                  VVD, Robertson, Karius, Salah, Firmino, Mané etc. all have returned this week and all had a SGW and that's not even mentioning Zaha, Tompkins, Milli...

                  1. Zladan
                    • 6 Years
                    6 years, 1 month ago

                    You’re absolutely right, but let’s not forget all the DGWers still have a game to play. The reason the DGWers should be chosen over the SGWers is the higher upside.

                    1. G-Whizz
                      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                      • Has Moderation Rights
                      • 6 Years
                      6 years, 1 month ago

                      I'm not seeing much of that upside at the moment :/

                      1. Zladan
                        • 6 Years
                        6 years, 1 month ago

                        Keep the faith.

    6. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Carroll (26)
      Crouch (24)
      Shaqiri (23)
      Bauer (23)

      Need Shaqiri to lose his BAP.....

    7. COLLIN QUANER
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Shaqiri assist, Bauer clean sheet as he was subbed before the goal. Bench boost working nicely

    8. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      LOL Carroll comes on foe five minutes and cleans up the BAPS.

    9. OldBenKenobi
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Couldn’t have got a better result tonight. This GW goes on being abysmal 😆

      1. G-Whizz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 6 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        This! 😆

    10. COLLIN QUANER
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Dream gameweek so far. Bring on the remaining games

    11. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      My FH team is going to be an abomination of heart over head choices!

      Carroll & Milner incoming!

    12. OldBenKenobi
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Bauer and Lossl on my bench.
      Not BBing this week 😆

    13. Toblerone52 - Zlatan Ibra-H…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      So proud of my single gameweek 'assets' returns from shaq, Zaha, VVD, pickford and Auba with only kenedy letting me down! Counting myself very lucky for a change 🙂

    14. Leaf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Shaqiri Shaqiri

      Just moved on to 2 baps now , feels massive in a week like this

      Why is Shaqiri not at a decent club ? , seems to have the lot to me

      1. Leaf
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        I’d take him at Arsenal

      2. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Looks like he's eaten the lot.

    15. Taking the Mkhitaryan
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Tinman you should have listened to me with both teams to score

    16. pjomara
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      which players from bottom 3 likely to move when relegated?
      Butland to Liverpool
      Bauer to man u

    17. FPL ZB
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Just realised I have 4 defenders in Burnley Chelsea. 3-3 incoming

      1. Monkey Hanger
        • 10 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        I have two, and that's the score I'm hoping for.

    18. Monkey Hanger
      • 10 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      BB the chip that keeps on giving. Up to a humongous 7pts now. 🙂

    19. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Kane tomorrow. How many pts.?

      1. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        1

      2. MTPockets
          6 years, 1 month ago

          2

        • JabbaWookiee
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          1 - come on for the last 15, do nothing

        • Burger
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          6 years, 1 month ago

          38pts