Dugout Discussion

Lacazette benched as Kolasnic misses out on Saints trip with injury

There was instant disappointment for owners of two Arsenal assets as team news for Sunday’s Gameweek 17 matches came out.

Alexandre Lacazette (£9.6m) is on the bench once again, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.5m) preferred as the lone striker for the Gunners.

Meanwhile, Sead Kolasinac (£5.1m) misses out on Arsenal’s trip to Southampton after picking up a thigh injury in training on Saturday.

He is replaced at left-back by the returning Nacho Monreal (£5.4m), making his first start since Gameweek 8. With Rob Holding (£4.4m) injured and Shkodran Mustafi (£5.4m) and Sokratis Papastathopoulous (£5.1m) suspended, Laurent Koscielny (£5.4m) and Stephan Lichtsteiner (£4.5m) line-up at centre-back.

Aaron Ramsey (£7.3m) and Mesut Özil (£8.1m) are named on the bench.

There is a third Premier League start for young Southampton defender Jan Valery (£4.0m) while Danny Ings (£5.4m) recovers from his recent hamstring injury to feature for the first time since Gameweek 12.

At Brighton, there is another game at false-nine for Eden Hazard (£10.9m) who leads the Chelsea line, flanked by Pedro (£6.3m) and Willian (£7.3m).

Alvaro Morata (£8.5m) was not considered fit enough for the bench, where Olivier Giroud (£7.7m) has been named.

Meanwhile, Mateo Kovacic (£5.8m) comes through his injury doubt to start the match in central midfield.

Glenn Murray (£6.6m) leads the Brighton line with Pascal Groß (£6.7m) operating as the number 10.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Bernardo, Dunk, Balogun, Montoya; March, Stephens, Pröpper, Knockaert; Groß; Murray.

Chelsea XI: Kepa; Alonso, Rudiger, Luiz, Azpilicueta; Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante; Pedro, Hazard, Willian.

Southampton XI: McCarthy; Targett, Yoshida, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Valery; Redmond, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Armstrong; Ings.

Arsenal XI: Leno; Monreal, Koscielny, Lichtsteiner, Bellerín; Xhaka, Guendouzi, Torreira; Mkhitaryan, Iwobi; Aubameyang.

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2,219 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Southampton to stop Arsenal undefeated streak, heard it here first!

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Not with that firepower off the bench.

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Bold statement as they’re 1 goal down to Soton

    3. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      What? When they are losing away? You're the Oracle for sure.

    4. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      And now?

  2. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Was going to bring in Pedro and Ings but my non-existing cat ate my internet cable.

    1. Cookie Kid
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Ings such a troll, I last owned him in 2015 and blanked grrr

      Knew he would score if I took him out

  3. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Emery and Poch 🙁

    Ozil and Eriksen

    Get a grip guys.

    1. Chirsbom
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Wut?

      1. Dynamic Duos
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        These two should be first on the team sheet.

  4. My Name Is Pepu
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    This game needs a bit of Mesut Ozil.

    1. teneighty
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      And Ramsey.

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Does it? Might leave Arsenal more open to concede another one. I would say it need Ramsey

  5. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard was clearly fouled there lol

  6. L'Aeroplanino
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    hazard foul not given just outside pen box

  7. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Now Laca will stop my AWB jam

  8. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    I hope Poch realized yesterday that he needs someone like Eriksen playing too to bring the best out of Kane. Prevents him dropping back as much too

  9. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Will you get bench VC points if your C and VC don't play.. i.e., first player to get subbed get double points?

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      nothing

    2. Teror
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      No. You don't get a captain that week.

      1. Chenku╰☆╮
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Not fair for having a good bench.

    3. Chirsbom
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      nope

    4. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      how would the game know which player to VC? a vice VC?

  10. Teror
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Kane > Ings ?

    1. Powers106
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Only for a hit

  11. Maddi Son
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Not long until the Salah show.

    1. Sasquatch Slayer
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      *no show

  12. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Emery always loves to look like a genius when he makes halftime changes and win the game.

  13. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Mkhi goal
    Monreal assist

    1. J T
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Iwobi

      1. J T
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        My bad monreal lol

      2. Collie01
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Listening on the radio, they made it seem like it was Monreal cross?

        1. TRIPOS TOPPER
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          probably because it was

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

    Arsenal GOAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Ah hell. Mkhi goal

  16. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    The gw1 wonder

    1. suddenorgan
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Mkhi and Pedro goals giving me nostalgia

  17. Sasquatch Slayer
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Would love a Saints win to nil here.

    1. Collie01
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Em...

    2. Sasquatch Slayer
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Jinxed

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

      😆

  18. Collie01
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Mkhi essential again

  19. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Monreal making that LB spot his own.

  20. Lord Flashheart
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    laca and fraser to ings and sane worth -4? assuming laca does not score today of course

  21. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Did auba assist atleast?

    1. SPorting
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Ings

  22. SPorting
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Mkhi.

    Just gets better. Couldn’t make it up.

  23. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Monreal assist 😀

  24. Cojones of Destiny
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    so happy kola not in squad:) long live bennet !

    1. J T
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Here here!

  25. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Nacho nacho man

  26. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Buying mkhi now..

  27. Sasquatch Slayer
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Mkhi approaching bargain status

  28. MTPockets
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Perfect

    • FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Mkhitaryan (TC) anyone?

    • palace ash
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      That was supposed to be Auba and Bellerin!