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The FPL line-up lessons we learned from Gameweek 2

We again take a look back at the Premier League line-ups from the weekend just gone, analysing the systems and personnel used by the 20 top-flight clubs in Gameweek 2.

Arsenal v Burnley

Having not started any of his summer signings in Gameweek 1, Unai Emery brought in David Luiz and Dani Ceballos into his starting XI for the visit of Burnley. 

Luiz took the place of Calum Chambers at centre-back, while Ceballos effectively replaced the injured Granit Xhaka.

Starting as a number ten, Ceballos interchanged with Joe Willock throughout the game, with Emery saying afterwards:

With him, it’s for us to use his qualities in the best position in our team with our ideas. I spoke with him – before coming here – to play like an eight and a 10. Today he started like a 10, but a lot of times he was changing with Willock into the eight position, where he can feel better on the pitch.

Emery kept faith with a 4-2-3-1 and the only other change to the starting XI saw Alexandre Lacazette return up front, with Henrikh Mkhitaryan making way and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moving to the right flank.

The half-time introduction of Nicolas Pepe for Reiss Nelson saw Aubameyang switch to the left to accommodate Pepe on the opposite wing.

The Burnley team news was much more straightforward, with Sean Dyche unsurprisingly naming the same starting XI that defeated Southampton on the opening weekend.

Charlie Taylor was on the bench for the first time this season, while Jay Rodriguez replaced Chris Wood for the final half an hour.

Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Maitland-Niles, Luiz, Sokratis, Monreal; Ceballos (Torreira 83′), Guendouzi; Nelson (Pepe 45′), Willock, Aubameyang; Lacazette (Kolasinac 71′)

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; Gudmundsson (Lennon 72′), Cork, Westwood, McNeil; Wood (Rodriguez 61′), Barnes.

Aston Villa v Bournemouth

Dean Smith made just the one change from the defeat to Spurs, with Douglas Luiz replacing Conor Hourihane at the base of the midfield.

Villa were again in a 4-1-4-1 (or 4-3-3), with Jack Grealish and John McGinn getting well forward to support the front three.

Jota replaced Anwar El Ghazi late on, with Trezeguet switching flanks.

Eddie Howe ditched the wing-back system and went back to a tried-and-tested 4-4-2, with Chris Mepham the surplus centre-back to make way.

Harry Wilson came in on the opposite flank to Ryan Fraser, with Charlie Daniels replacing Diego Rico at left-back.

Aston Villa XI (4-1-4-1): Heaton; Elmohamady, Engels, Mings, Taylor; Douglas Luiz; Trezeguet (Davis 87′), McGinn, Grealish, El Ghazi (Jota 75′); Wesley.

Bournemouth XI (4-4-2): Ramsdale; Smith, Cook, Ake, Daniels; H. Wilson (Solanke 76′), Billing (Surman 46′), Lerma, Fraser; C. Wilson, King.

Brighton and Hove Albion v West Ham United

Brighton were again in the 3-4-3 formation that Graham Potter rolled out in Gameweek 1, with new signing Leandro Trossard coming in for Jurgen Locadia on the left flank.

New signings Neal Maupay and Aaron Mooy had to make do with substitute appearances, with Maupay replacing Pascal Gross on the right midway through the second half.

Manuel Pellegrini made five changes to the side that were beaten by Manchester City, the most surprising of which saw Angelo Ogbonna replace Fabian Balbuena at the heart of the defence.

Arthur Masuaku came in for Aaron Cresswell at left-back, while injured pair Felipe Anderson and Sebastien Haller were replaced by Robert Snodgrass and Javier Hernandez.

New signing Pablo Fornals made his first start, with Michail Antonio dropping out.

There was much rejigging of tactics from the Chilean during the game, with Snodgrass starting on the right and Fornals drifting in from the left.

The unimpressive Jack Wilshere, playing in between Declan Rice and the front four, was hooked at half-time, with Michail Antonio replacing him.

That change saw Antonio support Hernandez up top in what resembled a 4-4-2, with Fornals switching over to the right, Lanzini move to the left and Snodgrass pushed infield.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI (3-4-3): Ryan; Burn, Dunk, Duffy; March, D Stephens, Pröpper, Montoya; Trossard (Mooy 85′), Murray (Andone 74′), Groß (Maupay 67′).

West Ham United XI (4-2-3-1): Fabianski; Masuaku, Ogbonna, Diop, Fredericks; Rice, Wilshere (Antonio 45′); Fornals (Yarmolenko 77′), Lanzini, Snodgrass; Chicharito (Sánchez 83′).

Everton v Watford

Marco Silva’s only change was an enforced one, with Jean-Philippe Gbamin making his first start in place of the suspended Morgan Schneiderlin

Andre Gomes passed a fitness test to start alongside Gbamin in central midfield, with the Toffees again in a 4-2-3-1.

An injury to Lucas Digne saw Mason Holgate brought on at right-back and Seamus Coleman switch flanks to fill in for the departed Frenchman.

Javi Gracia also only made one change from the side that lost at home to Brighton, with Roberto Pereyra coming in for Andre Gray.

Pereyra was in his usual left-wing position as Gerard Deulofeu, who had occupied that role in the first half against the Seagulls, returned up front alongside Troy Deeney.

Danny Welbeck was thrown on midway through the second half for his first minutes in a Watford shirt.

Everton XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne (Holgate 73); Gomes, Gbamin; Richarlison (Walcott 63′), Sigurdsson, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin (Kean 72′).

Watford XI (4-4-2): Foster; Femenia, Dawson, Cathcart, Holebas; Pereyra, Doucoure, Capoue (Gray 83′), Hughes (Welbeck 67′); Deulofeu (Cleverley 78′), Deeney.

Norwich City v Newcastle United

Daniel Farke’s only change saw Moritz Leitner step in for Kenny McLean in central midfield, with the Scotsman only fit enough for a place on the bench after being a major doubt for this clash with Newcastle.

Todd Cantwell kept his place on the left flank with Onel Hernandez having been ruled out for three months with a knee injury.

Steve Bruce kept the 3-5-2 shape that he used against Arsenal in Gameweek 1 but made two changes to his starting XI, with Emil Krafth replacing Javier Manquillo at right wing-back and Ki Sung-yueng ousting Sean Longstaff in central midfield.

Allan Saint-Maximin missed out with a hamstring problem.

Norwich City XI (4-2-3-1): Krul; Lewis (Byram 90′), Godfrey, Hanley, Aarons; Leitner, Trybull (Tettey 87′); Cantwell, Stiepermann (Vrancic 84′), Buendía; Pukki.

Newcastle United XI (3-5-2): Dúbravka; Dummett, Lascelles, Schär; Ritchie, Ki (S Longstaff 74′), Shelvey, Hayden, Krafth; Joelinton (Muto 67′), Almirón.

Southampton v Liverpool

The exertions of the Super Cup evidently had a bearing on Jurgen Klopp’s team selection at Southampton, with Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Joe Gomez all dropping out after 120-minute run-outs in Istanbul.

Georginio Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold – who all started on the bench in that midweek match – returned to the starting XI.

Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were all in the starting line-up for the first time this season, as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain made his first league start since April 2018.

Ralph Hasenhuttl dropped a forward – namely Danny Ings – and brought in an extra central midfielder in the form of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as he switched from a 3-4-3 to a 3-5-2 in a bid to stifle their visitors; Hasenhuttl had used this system against the Reds at the back-end of 2018/19.

Maya Yoshida replaced Jack Stephens as the middle centre-half, meanwhile.

With the Saints trailing 1-0 midway through the second half, Oriel Romeu was sacrificed and Ings was thrown on up front as Hasenhuttl briefly reverted to his Gameweek 1 shape.

Summer signing Moussa Djenepo saw his first Premier League minutes as a late substitute.

Southampton XI (3-5-2): Gunn; Bednarek, Yoshida, Vestergaard; Valery, Ward-Prowse, Romeu (Ings 64′), Hojbjerg, Bertrand (Djenepo 77′); Adams (Armstrong 68′), Redmond.

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Adrian; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson; Oxlade-Chamberlain (Henderson 89′), Wijnaldum, Milner (Fabinho 74′); Salah (Origi 79′), Firmino, Mane.

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur

Pep Guardiola made four changes to the side that beat West Ham 5-0 last time out, with Sergio Aguero replacing Gabriel Jesus up top and Bernardo Silva – rested in Gameweek 1 as a precaution – ousting Riyad Mahrez on the right flank.

Nicolas Otamendi filled in for the injured John Stones at centre-half, with Ilkay Gundogan preferred to David Silva in central midfield.

City were in their usual 4-3-3, with all of Guardiola’s second-half changes like for like.

Mauricio Pochettino made only one alteration to his starting XI – Christian Eriksen in for Lucas Moura – but abandoned the diamond formation in favour of a more regimented 4-4-1-1.

Erik Lamela was the man tasked with supporting Harry Kane in attack, with Eriksen operating on the left flank and Moussa Sissoko on the right.

The introduction of Lucas for Harry Winks saw the Brazilian lead the line alongside Kane and Lamela move to the right wing.

Manchester City XI (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Zinchenko; Gundogan, Rodri (D. Silva 78), De Bruyne; Bernardo Silva (Mahrez 80′), Aguero (Gabriel Jesus 65′), Sterling.

Tottenham Hotspur XI (4-4-1-1): Lloris; Walker-Peters, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Rose; Sissoko, Winks (Lucas Moura 56′), Ndombele, Eriksen (Skipp 90); Lamela (Lo Celso 85); Kane.

Sheffield United v Crystal Palace

There were no surprises with the line-ups at Bramall Lane, with Chris Wilder sending the same 11 players out in the 3-5-2 system he used at Bournemouth.

In-game injuries to John Fleck and Callum Robinson saw Luke Freeman and Oli McBurnie replace them directly as the Blades kept their shape.

Roy Hodgson’s one alteration to his starting XI saw ‘out of position’ midfielder Wilfried Zaha come in for Andre Ayew up front, while Jeffrey Schlupp made his comeback from injury when replacing Max Meyer on the left midway through the second half.

Palace were again in a 4-4-2.

Sheffield United XI (3-5-2): Henderson; Basham, Egan, O’Connell; Baldock, Norwood, Fleck (Freeman 29′), Lundstram, Stevens; McGoldrick (Jagielka 89′), Robinson (McBurnie 56′).

Crystal Palace XI (4-4-2): Guaita; Ward, Dann, Kelly, van Aanholt; Townsend (McCarthy 70), McArthur (Wickham 82′), Milivojevic, Meyer (Schlupp 65′); Zaha, Benteke.

Chelsea v Leicester City

The Chelsea starting XI showed only one change from the side that took on Liverpool in midweek, with Mason Mount replacing Mateo Kovacic in midfield.

Pedro and Christian Pulisic flanked Olivier Giroud in the Blues’ attack, with Mount starting the match as a ‘number ten’ in a 4-2-3-1 but gravitating towards the left of midfield as Chelsea occasionally resembled a 4-3-3.

Ben Chilwell missed out with a hip injury, with his place at left-back being taken by Christian Fuchs.

That was Brendan Rodgers’ only change to the side that drew 0-0 with Wolves in Gameweek 1, so Ayoze Perez and James Maddison again supported Jamie Vardy in a 4-3-3.

Wilfred Ndidi was at the base of the midfield three, with Hamza Choudhury and especially Youri Tielemans more advanced.

Dennis Praet replaced Choudhury in the middle of the park in the final 20 minutes.

Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1) Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Zouma, Emerson; Jorginho (Kovacic 70′), Kante; Pedro, Mount, Pulisic (Willian 70′), Giroud (Abraham 61′).

Leicester City XI (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Pereira, Evans, Soyuncu, Fuchs; Choudhury (Praet 73′), Ndidi, Tielemans; Perez (Albrighton 79′), Maddison, Vardy.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester United

Having made nine changes for the second leg of Wolves’ Europa League tie against FC Pyunik, Nuno Espirito Santo reverted to the familiar-looking starting XI and 3-5-2 that drew 0-0 with Leicester.

Illness saw Matt Doherty replaced at wing-back by Adama Traore at half-time.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s only change saw Daniel James replace Andreas Pereira on the right flank.

Anthony Martial again led the line, with Marcus Rashford stationed out wide on the left of a 4-2-3-1.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI (3-5-2): Patrício; Boly, Coady, Bennett; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Doherty (Traoré 46′); D Jota (Neto 86′), Jiménez (Cutrone 90+1′).

Manchester United XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Shaw, Maguire, Lindelöf, Wan-Bissaka; McTominay, Pogba; Rashford (A Pereira 89′), Lingard (Mata 80′), D James (Greenwood 89′); Martial.


Lessons learned from Gameweek 2

3,049 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How do we think Citys game vs bournmouth wud pan out...

    Last season they had a narrow 1-0 win, so wondering if sterling is a better captaincy choice than someone like mane or aub

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Bournemouth set up to not lose that much from memory at Goldsands Stadium. If I remember correctly they didn’t have a single shot on target and only lost 1-0 due to a late Mahrez strike. This season Bournemouth have conceded 6 big chances, more than any other club aside from West Ham. I’m not sure they will be up to prohibit a battering, especially if City score early on.

      That being said, this week the best captain choice on paper is Kane

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        yeah thats true...also i think last seasons game was on the back of a CL or PL game just a few days before.

    2. jia you
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Thinking something like 1-3 or 0-2

      1. Andy_Social
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Cherries have not clicked into place. Pep will be fuming that City were not clinical enough and threw 2 points away v Spuds. Can see Cherries being chopped into little pieces. At least 4-0. I'm more than happy to not have Kane as captain as I have Sterling.

  2. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Would you prefer

    A. Ceballos KWP
    B. Mount Montoya/Dunk

    1. mookie
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

    2. Mrcjcullen
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Also A

    3. SALVA
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Mount looking reeally good and attacking. B for me.

    4. Markus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A is nice for rotation. Close call...

    5. The Bad Seed
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B.

      Montoya looks very good. So does Mount

      We dont know how ceballos will fair. KWP almost set to lose his place. im offloading him next week

  3. navyadav
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Which team would you prefer ....

    A) Pope
    AWB Soyuncu Zinc Lund Kelly
    Sterling(C) KDB Mane Lanzini Trossard
    Kane Pukki Wickham

    B) Pope
    AWB Digne Soyuncu Zinc Lund
    Sterling(C) KDB Mane Cantwell Trossard
    Kane Pukki Wickham

    1. Mrcjcullen
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

    2. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      so its basically lanzini or zivchenko 🙂

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        digne

      2. navyadav
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Its more to do with the balance of the team . Its Lanzini vs Digne.

        1. Eleven Hag
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          i wud go with B

  4. Ci Siamo
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Bottomed...

    Does anyone know what the following FPL IDs are?

    -Who Got the Assist boys
    -Planet FPL boys

  5. SpaceCadet
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Seems like transfers are sorted for this gw.

    Perez Barkley King > Martial cantwell Pukki -4

    Feel dirty getting in 2 Nor players tho.

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      For -4 I think that was a good move.

      I still hope Perez proves me wrong but keeping him did not feel right. Can always get him later again if he is returning points. Getting KDB in for him was an easy choice.

      1. The Bad Seed
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Nah Perez isnt fully prepared for Roger's plan.

        he is being subbed off always, and barely has a touch on goal.

        The aggressive transitional play of leicester is still to fast for him.

        add to that the crap fixtures.

        Maddy is the current leicester powerhouse.

      2. SpaceCadet
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Thanks Dave

  6. mik-hail-tal
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wildcard team including all the big ones except Salah but Mané in his place. Any thoughts ?

    Ryan
    WB - KWP - Coleman
    Mané - KDB - Sterling(vc) - Ceballos - Cantwell
    Kane (c) - Rashford
    (Button-Lundo-Kelly-Greenwood)

    1. Eleven Hag
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      ceballos rashford to martial pukki

  7. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Am already on -4 for this week..

    Is it worth to bring in Kane for auba for the captaincy when sterling is my current captain

    1. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Rarely a good idea unless you'll be keeping him and captaining him for a few GWs.

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        He didnt look at his best in first two game though he scored a brace...my original plan was to get Son for cover after the arsenal game...so u think i should stick to this? 🙂

        1. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          I can't say as I don't know your whole squad. But I think Sterling could do as well as Kane this weekend.

          1. Eleven Hag
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            Adrian
            VVD AWB Digne Zin
            Mane Ster (C) Martial NDombele
            Aub Pukki

    2. Saint & Reevesy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Personally i would ignore the stigma about taking a hit.

      The question really is will Kane score 4 or more points than Auba this week?

      I think there is a good chance that will happen given the opposition both face.

      1. Eleven Hag
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        I agree with you...but if our long term plan is to get son over kane, is it worth taking a hit just for the captaincy for 2 or 3 GWs?

  8. Markus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone going planned wildcard tomorrow? I'd earmarked it preseason to catch maximum double risers (Friday deadline, reckon I can catch 3-4=about 6-8 points value over season), potentially downgrade Salah as sterling better captain for most of the next 8 and bring in some Chelsea.

    Unsure now as team's not in dire position after surgery this week, son needs to be more nailed/Kane in serious form to make Salah downgrade worthwhile, but never not wildcarded early so don't really know when I'd do it if not this week...any other recommendations?

    1. Swanremainsthesame
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      How many 0.2 risers this week? & how many of those would keep out some one you want who rises .1?
      I used to wildcard early , midnight sat if I saw enough risers. But got burned with 0.1ers & deadwood too much. So now I WC when my team needs it, not in the hope of grabbing some TV.

  9. Carefree Crew
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Live FPL question: Threats section lists Sterling even though he's in my team & is displayed on this site. Any ideas why? Anyone else have a player listed as a threat that's actually in their team?

    1. fc_skrald
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Same for me with Sterling...

    2. Carefree Crew
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Thanks for replying mate

  10. And nothing else Mata'…
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Play one:

    A) Van Dijk
    B) Dendocker

    1. And nothing else Mata'…
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      C) Moura

  11. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    bit different to the wc template, any thoughts?
    Pope
    Digne - Mina - AWB
    Son - KDB - Sterling - Martial - Trossard
    Pukki - Firmino