Dugout Discussion

Llorente leads the line for Spurs as Pochettino deploys wing-backs

The final match of Gameweek 23 takes place this afternoon at Craven Cottage, as Fulham face injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur. Kick-off is at 16:00 GMT.

Spurs are, of course, without Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Moussa Sissoko, all of whom have played vital roles for the Lilywhites over the last couple of months.

Lucas Moura, meanwhile, isn’t fit to feature because of a knee injury.

Fernando Llorente is handed his first Premier League start of the season and only his second in a Spurs shirt, with Erik Lamela and Davinson Sanchez also given recalls as Mauricio Pochettino switches from a 4-4-2 diamond to what looks like a 3-4-2-1.

That system change would likely see Christian Eriksen – who was bought by over 100,000 FPL managers ahead of Gameweek 23 – drop back into a central midfield two alongside Harry Winks.

Danny Rose replaces Ben Davies on the left flank, meanwhile.

Claudio Ranieri’s only alteration sees Ryan Babel make his Fulham debut in place of Ryan Sessegnon.

As expected, Aboubakar Kamara isn’t involved in the Cottagers’ match-day squad after a reported training ground bust-up.

Spurs won the reverse fixture of this match 3-1 back in August, with Kieran Trippier the only one of the three Spurs goalscorers who lines up this afternoon.

Aleksandar Mitrovic was on target for Fulham at Wembley.

The Cottagers have conceded more goals, big chances and efforts on target than any other Premier League side in 2018/19 but Ranieri’s troops have only conceded four goals in their four most-recent top-flight fixtures at Craven Cottage.

Fulham XI (3-4-3): Rico, Odoi, Ream, Le Marchand, Christie, Seri, Chambers, Bryan, Babel, Schurrle, Mitrovic.

Spurs XI (3-4-2-1): Lloris, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Rose, Winks, Eriksen, Trippier, Dele, Lamela, Llorente.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £10.

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

1,895 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Alli 3',17',64�…
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    when poch is smart enuf to sub the donkey and shift alli into false nine the goals will come, how the game should have started...
    but poch leaves subs until like 84 minuets when its too late normally. So bodes well for fulham I guess

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

      Dare I say, Fulham might win?

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

      What chance do Fulham have of winning, at this point in time?

      1. Ambrosiana Inter
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Loool

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Llorente seems to look a year older as each minute passes 😀

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

    Harold must be turning in his grave.

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

    Who's worse:

    A. Llorente
    B. Morata

    1. Ode
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      B easily

    2. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Morata

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

      B

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

      If you combine their powers you get Morientes

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

    Best defender max 5.7m?

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

      Trent.

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Kiko

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

    Babel looking lively

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

    Come on Llorente, pretend they are Tranmere my son.

    1. NIKO.
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      😀

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

    Babel misses, no surprise there

  9. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Offside

  10. Fantastisk
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Babel gonna score here mark my words. Mods hulk this pls.

  11. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Mitro Offside lucky Spuds

  12. Ode
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Mitro offside goal

  13. bitars
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Richarlison to Sane for a hit?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Not today.

    2. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Not w Mendy lurking

  14. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    When the ball hits your own goal like a big pizza pie, that's Llorente ...

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      When you're sat in row z
      And the ball hits your head
      That's zamors

      1. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        *Zamora

        1. Hotdogs for Tea
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          🙂

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

    Babel is a nuisance

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

    OMG Ryan Babel looks fantastic. Bring him back to Liverpool !

  17. The Enlightener
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    99% of the crowd could step on the pitch and play better than Llorente today. Wait. It has been confirmed. Make that 100%.

  18. C'mon the Fylde
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Unless something happens in this game, I'll be thinking of ditching my Spurs asset until Kane and Son are back.

    They look awful without them.

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      At home will help.

      1. Hits from the Bong
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        What about Wembley?

  19. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I know this won't be popular, because he is young and English, but I don't see the point in winks. Just plays it sideways, seems a waste of a midfield slot to me.

    1. The Enlightener
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      I'm not seeing the point in Alli either anymore.

      1. Dannyb
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Alli is sheit as well imo.

      2. The Enlightener
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        Probs should bench Llorente and move him up top central and see if that stokes any flames.

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

      Agreed. He's a wasteman, a north London Henderson.

      1. No Professionals
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        At least Henderson is combative and can provide some leadership

    3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Him & Torreira are the same age, Winks is nothing special.

    4. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Too early to judge him. Hasn't even played a season's worth of football

    5. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      You couldn't make it up

    6. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Heh.

  20. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Mitro owner. Feel very unlucky with price drops and this.

  21. Rust Cohle
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Vertonghen in the BAPs? I guess a number of CBIs against Llorente?

  22. #FPLBhuna
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Wow we are fudging dire.

    How embarassing

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Tottenham Hotspur you’ll always be sh*t!

    2. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Is this sort of like when Gollum refers to himself as “we”?

  23. Ógie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I can not wait for Parrot to become an fpl option as i have a whole book of cheesy Parrot jokes.

    1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Yeah, Dads everywhere will rejoice.

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Something to wet the appetite.........

      A burglar got into a house one holiday night. Shining his flashlight on the floor in the dark, he heard a voice say, "Jesus is watching you." He looked around nervously, shook his head, and kept looking for valuables. He heard again, "Jesus is watching you." This time he shined his light all over, and it rested on a parrot. He asked, "Did you say that?" The parrot admitted that he had. "I'm just trying to warn you, is all." The burglar sad, "Warn me, huh? A parrot? Who are you? What's your name?" "Moses." "Well, what kind of stupid people would name a parrot Moses?" The bird answered, "I don't know; I guess the same folks who would name a Rottweiler "Jesus'"........

      source: http://www.jokes4us.com/animaljokes/parrotjokes.html

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

        Reported.

        1. Ógie
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          5 years, 3 months ago

          1 more surely wont hurt at this stage i guess.

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

        Parrots cant hold conversations like that. Ruined my immersion.

      3. JJO
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 3 months ago

        I dont get it

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

    I can not wait for Parrot to become an fpl option as i have a whole book of cheesy Parrot jokes.

  25. Fantastisk
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    I can not wait for Parrot to become an fpl option as i have a whole book of cheesy Parrot jokes.

  26. jblakes
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    what are ppl doing with Haz? another pap week for him and Chelsea look average at best at minute.

    1. DR0GBA
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      keeping for at least the next 2 fixtures since hopefully he'll be moved back to LW with Higuain as ST

    2. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      See what happens in the next 10 days.

      If we learned anything from this week, it was don’t rush transfers.

    3. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      Lots to happen before GW24.

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

      Keep him...Saari's public outrage at his players might get a reaction....monitor the Cup games

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

        cheers, i think ill give him 1-2 more weeks. Just alot of value tied up in him. Prolly move him to sterling unless something changes

  27. CRO KLOPP
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    My ML rival has Llorente,Lloris and Trippier, unbelievable moment for him
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/a/team/2281554/event/23

  28. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Let’s face it though, Llorente is a better man, lover and fighter than all on here slagging him off ... just a bit rusty at footy 🙂

  29. Deulofail
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Looking forward to getting Chambers back to Arsenal. Was surprised to see him loaned instead of Jenkinson or Holding, but could end up being a great move to prepare him for a good year next season. Equally could end up being sold for peanuts or loaned again, though 😀

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 3 months ago

      This!

  30. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 3 months ago

    Babel could have had a hattrick.