Dugout Discussion

Lacazette on the bench as Emery sticks with a three-man defence

Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur in a 14:05 GMT kick-off at the Emirates in what will be Unai Emery’s first taste of a north London derby.

The Gunners are unbeaten in the league since Gameweek 2, while Spurs are on a five-match winning run away from home in the top flight.

Alexandre Lacazette (£9.6m) – the most-sold FPL forward of this round of fixtures – has recovered from the groin injury that forced him to miss last Sunday’s win over Bournemouth but is only among the substitutes, with Emery naming the same team that defeated the Cherries on the south coast.

That means Arsenal will once again line up in a 3-4-2-1, with Hector Bellerin (£5.4m) and Sead Kolasinac (£4.9m) deployed as wing-backs, and Alex Iwobi (£5.5m) and Henrikh Mkhitaryan (£6.7m) supporting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) in attack.

Mesut Ozil (£8.2m) is not in the match-day squad, with Arsenal reporting that the German midfielder is suffering with a back spasm.

Mauricio Pochettino has made only one change from the side that defeated Chelsea in Gameweek 13, with Juan Foyth (£5.0m) replacing Jan Vertonghen (£5.9m) in defence.

That means starts for Dele Alli (£8.9m), Son Heung-min (£8.3m) and Christian Eriksen (£9.2m), as well as Harry Kane (£12.3m) in attack.

Kieran Trippier (£6.1m), as expected, is missing through injury.

Despite their unbeaten run, Arsenal haven’t kept a clean sheet since the 2-0 win over Watford in Gameweek 7.

Goals haven’t been a problem for the Gunners, though: Emery’s troops have scored at least two goals in ten of their 13 league fixtures this season.

This is Spurs’ ninth away league fixture of the season and most of Kane’s attacking returns (five goals, two assists) have come on the road.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Sokratis, Holding, Mustafi; Bellerin, Xhaka, Torreira, Kolasinac; Iwobi, Mkhitaryan; Aubameyang.

Spurs XI: Lloris; Aurier, Foyth, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Sissoko; Eriksen, Dele, Son; Kane.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £15.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

1,579 Comments Post a Comment
  1. jtreble
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Disagree with Vertonghen‘s second yellow.

    1. Fantastisk
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Haha what?! He stood on his ankle ffs.

    2. Podge
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Took his ankle with studs up. I disagree too it should have been a straight red.

    3. TAT
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Whaaat?!

    4. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I agree. Follow through part of a sliding tackle. Accidental. Won ball. No yellow card.

    5. the axolotl
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Not even a free imo

    6. Ross From Friends
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Disgrace it wasn't a straight red you mean

    7. Jack Frost
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      So you don't want any sliding tackles in the game, if you want a card for that.

    8. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Poor humour, sorry. That’s a yellow all day. Brutal day for Vertonghen.

  2. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Foyth 5.1m

    1. Fantastisk
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      5.1 too much.

    2. Ross From Friends
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I wouldn't get him if he was 3.9

  3. Lilac Breasted Roller
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Brace for disappointment when Auba is rotated

    1. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Yeah not like he's capable of scoring from the bench.

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Earlier this season he got 2 braces in under 30mins each...

    3. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      He's as good off the bench.

    4. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Which Manager will Rotate a player who scores 2 goals and 1 assist

      1. dvdguy
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Mou says hi

    5. Lilac Breasted Roller
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Fair points.

      Brace for a rollercoaster of emotions when Auba is rotated and scores as he comes on.

    6. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      With United next? Nope

  4. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Kane only 19 touches today

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Yet people will still pay £12.3m for him and spurn Auba because he’s not ‘nailed on’.

  5. Lucackadoodledoo
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Harry winks actin the hard man lol

    1. Paul Psychic Octopus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Bellerin also. Two handbag salesmen. Wouldn't want either of them next to me in the trenches.

    2. Fantastisk
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      The irony of Winks moaning about an Arsenal player diving hahaha

  6. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Lads, it's Tottenham

  7. TaiwanHC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Thoughts on what to do with this team? 2 FTs, 1.5 ITB and will WC in GW16

    Fabianski - 4.0
    Alonso - TAA - Doherty - Digne - AWB
    Salah - Hazard - Richarlison - Maddison - 4.3
    Aguero - Arnautovic - Wilson

    Thanks guys!

    1. The Head-Ake
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I did Aguero and Haz to Sterling and Auba

      1. TaiwanHC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Rumors say that sterling will be benched next GW

        1. The Head-Ake
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          I haven't done the Sterling move yet but lost Kun for sure. Wait for confirmation on his status

  8. french holiday
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Kane is too soft...

    1. Podge
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Way overrated

  9. Fantastisk
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    How do spurs fans collectively look so sickly and unwell? Always amazes me.

  10. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone planning on keeping Kun one more GW? If not, Auba or Kane, and why?

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Kun for one more week then Auba

      1. french holiday
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Kun wont be available next week...see pep comments ...Jesus was subbed out for that reason

    2. Numb
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Maybe one more week

    3. french holiday
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Aguero even if fit has 2 away fixtures and we know his form.
      Auba looks like he is in a rich vein of form with fixtures.
      Kane too exp and too soft.

    4. MTPockets
        5 years, 3 months ago

        If he's fit yeah

      • Lilac Breasted Roller
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Probably going for Auba right away

    5. The Red Devil
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      & a new template team emerges with city mids, Aubameyang & possibly Kane

    6. The Big Fella
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Want to wildcard but really not sure who to bring in now..........

    7. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Arsenal has been missing an intimidator like Kolasinac for years.

    8. jtreble
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Xhaka dive. It’s contagious.

    9. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Who to get, Kane or Auba?

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Auba

    10. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      What a great game. Best PL derby Ive seen in a long time. Good to see the players actually care for once. Happens rarely these days.

    11. Steinburg FC
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      not a yellow but doesn't excuse the second half performance, let the arsenal fans have their day its been a while...

      1. CaTriEm
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        It was a poor challenge.

    12. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Tottenham vs Soton with bounce back ? Harry Kane hattie incoming ?

      Auba vs United blank 1-0 Felle

    13. Differentiator
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Every Arsenal shot goes in lol

      1. Fantastisk
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        About ten mins ago we had had 18 shots so no.

    14. FFSbet.com
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Why players dont fight 1 vs 1 after game outside of stadium,what is this circus hold me i will punch him.

    15. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Strange season, Auba now top scoring striker but his price dropped 0.1M since the start lol

    16. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      WTF 6 mins injury time when score is 4-2 ???

      Zzzzzzzzzzzzz

    17. 1justlookin
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Hard to fit kane, sterling and auba without the midfield being too weak dont you think?

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Don’t bother with Kane then.

        Simples.

        1. 1justlookin
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Not really. Im going kane over auba.

      2. Digital-Real
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Ssssh. let them all tear up their teams.

      3. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Son Richarlsion Fraser aint to bad

      4. Podge
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Think Kane is a bit too dear

    18. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      No one owns Auba and Sterling. What a ticket that has been towards top 5K

    19. KingOllie
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Where are all the fools who were laughing when i said Arsenal were gonna spank spurs????

      1. Nabs Kebabs
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        nothing better than seeing these tossers get flogged

        1. KingOllie
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          Not even Mike dean can help these dossers

      2. jtreble
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        To be fair Arsenal have looked poor in many games. Wasn’t expecting this.

    20. LǝgleSs e|even
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      EVE 4 - LIV 2 incoming..

    21. El Lobito 10
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Anyone see if Alli, Eriksen or Son played well?

      1. Fantastisk
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Son better at diving than football.

    22. tm245
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Is it
      Kane and Aguero 15
      Kane and Auba 16?

    23. Indpush
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Fun game!

    24. Maddamotha
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Are baps for the Chelsea game final?