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Dugout Discussion – Sunday

A sunny Sunday afternoon provides a perfect backdrop for a day of Premier League football and, hopefully, ample returns in Fantasy.

We start with two lunchtime encounters, with most attention drawn to the Emirates Stadium where Arsenal will host West Ham United.

Arsene Wenger’s announcement that he is to leave the club in the summer has undoubtedly given this encounter a new perspective, with the atmosphere and perhaps even team performance likely to be affected by that revelation today.

Fantasy interest is certainly high, with strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacaszette demanding huge attention prior to Saturday’s deadline.

The big team news is that Wenger delivers on his threat to manage Aubameyang’s minutes as he prepares his side for Thursday’s Europa League semi-final with Atletico.

Aubameyang starts on the bench today, despite having scored four goals in his last three home matches, with six in eight Gameweeek appearances overall. He was brought in by over 201,000 for Gameweek 35 as the third most signed, while he sports over 221,000 armbands in this match.

Wenger’s press conference, hinting at Aubameyang’s rotation, created huge late interest in Lacazette and he starts today.

The Frenchman is undoubtedly a key asset for those managers with the Free Hit chip active, with Ragabolly’s article revealing last night that 63.9% of the top 10,000 managers playing the chip elected to recruit Lacazette. He has two goals from his last three Gameweek appearances, including his strike at Newcastle United last weekend.

Elsewhere for Arsenal, Aaron Ramsey earns a recall to a strong starting XI and could prove a key differential for Gameweek 35. But Mesut Ozil, signed by 24,000 prior to yesterday’s deadline, misses out through illness, along with goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Elsewhere this lunchtime, Stoke City host Gameweek 34 favourites Burnley at the bet365 Stadium for what is a crunch encounter for the Potters.

The Clarets assets go into this contest well supported, particularly by managers without the Free Hit active.

Stoke’s asset remain differentials, though, with Xherdan Shaqiri their most popular target prior to Saturday’s deadline; he commanded a modest 51,000+ transfers in, with goalkeeper Jack Butland – back on 7700 – ranking next.

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

2,727 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Godot - Fashanu Zealand
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Is there anyway to see league standings at different points in the season? There is a new entrant in my mini-league of 300+ participants this week and he's just entered at first with a gap of 30 points. I am furious as I have followed it all season, but the team running it obviously did not close entries to new participants. Is there anything I can do?

  2. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes on 10 yellow cards. Match ban?

    1. Volley127
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Deadline gone. No.

      1. Weasel Boy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Ah ok

  3. Give The Todd Some Love
    • 12 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    The lack of Ozil is killing Arsenal today

    1. DAZZ
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Somehow i dont think it's ozil they're missing..

    2. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Lol. It's more a lack of decent players.

  4. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Ramsey is nailed on to score with all the celeb casualties over the last few days.

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Must have been smashing it in training that they've counted as actual goals...

  5. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Laca shouldn't be playing ...period

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

      Salty Auba owner?

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

      Why not? Is he carrying an injury?

    3. Rik Waller
      • 6 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      That time of the month for him?

    4. Give The Todd Some Love
      • 12 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I find it amazing that people can watch 40 minutes of this and think he is the problem

  6. 007 [RoboKlopp]
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Christensen owner, what will you do?

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

      Keeping. More likely to play DGWs if he misses the big matches.

    2. Sánchez
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I'm resting him next week so he's fresh for the dgw

  7. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    wouldn't surprise me if Barnes sees a red card in this match

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

    Should have kept Kane instead of getting Laca on Free Hit!

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

      Still plenty of time left for Laca to score, Rainer.

  9. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Welcrap off at HT for Auba

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

      *Laca rest ahead of EL

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

    Aubameyang to
    A. Kane
    B. Lukaku

    Or

    Firmino to
    A. Kane
    B. Lukaku

    For a hit

    1. Volley127
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Firm to Kane

  11. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    what the f is this. laca fail

  12. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Declan Rice is world class

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      I prefer Basmati rice.

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

        I like Domingos Quinoa

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

      Quality oozing from every post.

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

        🙂

    3. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      said something similar to Doos after his cameo against Utd 1st game of season. Going to be a very good player.

  13. Optic1
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Prediction. Arsenal will go 1-0 down before or shortly after the break. Aubameyang will come on the pitch 55/60min and score 2 goals, 1 of which will be a penalty.

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

      Nah, Bellerin will score hatty meaning Auba can stay on bench.

    2. Duffy Dunk
      • 7 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      He'll give it to Laca.

  14. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    ElNeny injured

  15. Gruu
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Iwobi & Welbeck

    The worst duo i've ever seen

  16. red devil 7
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Why has The Senile One dropped my Auba?

    1. Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      In preparation for Athletico.

      1. Vinyl78LP
        • 14 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Other top mangers rest players for big games, Wenger rests players that are ineligible for big games ...

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

          It is quite bizarre.

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

      He’s giving the EL team a dress rehearsal match.

      He did say this before the deadline too, so that’s why most people chose Lacazette.

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

    Get iwobi off

    1. Bun Rab
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Pervert.

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

    GET.AUBA.ON

    1. Debauchy
      • 11 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      NOW

  19. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    ElNeny in some serious pain

  20. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Xhaka total donkey standard YC, fraud of a player

  21. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Arsenal well prepared for Atletico now

  22. Hy liverpool
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    WTF we are watching ?
    yesterday f-cking crystal palace vs watford and today that game ..

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

      Best league in the world they tell us, best league in the world........

      1. Bleach †
        • 8 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        Lol, some people still telling that?

      2. Bun Rab
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        6 years, 1 month ago

        *competitive

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

    Arsenal trying to play passing football with two players in their attack (Iwobi and Welbeck) who can't pass. Even Joao Mario and Arnie do a better job of passing the ball.

  24. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Not really looking good as a double Arsenal defense owner, looks shaky 😮

    If only Stoke game was televised...

  25. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    No Auba yet

  26. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Drop Rambo deep bring Auba on

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      6 years, 1 month ago

      Ban

  27. Guy Demel
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    What a tedious game.

  28. Sánchez
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    I'm barely outscoring the people with half a team this week in my ML despite being on FH

  29. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Who the hell is this guy?

  30. CloudSky
    • 7 Years
    6 years, 1 month ago

    Egyptian teams in tatters as Elneny makes way.