Dugout Discussion

Flores back in the Watford hot seat as Ceballos and Ozil return for Arsenal

The penultimate match of Gameweek 5 sees Watford take on Arsenal at Vicarage Road. Kick-off is at 16:30 BST.

This is returning head coach Quique Sanchez Flores’ first Watford match in charge since departing the Hornets at the end of the 2015/16 season.

Flores has made three changes to the starting XI that drew 1-1 at Newcastle a fortnight ago, with Jose Holebas (£4.8m), Gerard Deulofeu (£6.2m) and the fit-again Etienne Capoue (£4.9m) replacing Daryl Janmaat (£4.4m), the injured Craig Cathcart (£4.4m) and Roberto Pereyra (£5.8m).

The release of the teamsheet had the Hornets lining up in a 4-2-3-1, a formation Flores had favoured on and off during his managerial career.

Andre Gray (£5.9m) leads the line, with Ismaila Sarr (£6.4m) among the substitutes.

There is no place in the matchday squad for Danny Welbeck (£6.0m), however.

Unai Emery has made two changes to the side that rescued a point in the north London derby.

The injured Alexandre Lacazette (£9.4m) is replaced by Mesut Ozil (£7.3m), while Dani Ceballos (£5.7m) returns to the side in place of Lucas Torreira (£4.9m).

The Gunners may well be playing in a 4-4-2 diamond, given the number of central midfielders in the starting XI.

This corresponding fixture last season saw the Gunners keep their only clean sheet of 2018/19.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) scored the only goal of that match.

The Gabon international is the sixth most-popular captaincy choice of Gameweek 5.

Aubameyang starts up front with Nicolas Pepe (£9.4m) this afternoon.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Dawson, Kabasele, Holebas, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes, Cleverley, Deulofeu, Gray.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac, Ceballos, Guendouzi, Xhaka, Ozil, Aubameyang, Pepe.

1,887 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Albrightondknight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So ghost ship / ultra casual who have played no transfers and left C on Salah is still 10 points ahead of me in a mini league.
    I should finally pass him tomorrow but it's kinda annoying. I know I beat him by at least 300 points by season end but jeez it's annoying. Oh and I played a WC and have take 2 hits. Maybe it doesn't have to be as complicated as we think 🙂

    1. The Overthinker
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      We know this since some years now, still we decide to Overthink, over analyse, go deep into it

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

        Well it is simple you can only have 15 🙂

  2. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How do we see the South coast derby on Friday night panning out?

    Goals in it or a cagey affair?

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

      Would look like goals for sure 2-3 maybe

  3. The Overthinker
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Which pair is more pathetic?
    A)luiz and sokratis
    B) stones and Otamendi

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

      A for consistency

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

      Why not go for that amazing back 4 - don't make a choice have all those beauties.

  4. Feed tha Sheep
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Get Aguero or Aubameyang in for Kane?

    1. The Overthinker
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Aguero

  5. New Post
  6. The Sociologist
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Which switcheroo to make in the near future...

    A) Zinchenko > Rico
    B) Digne > Mings

    Both facilitate Greenwood > Abraham.

    Can be more patient with B), but A) only needs 0.2 of a rise and I'm priced out.

    Any thoughts? Not sure which way I'm leaning right now, but price rises might end up making the decision for me, although I'd rather not lose Digne of the two...

    1. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      MCI more likely to keep CS imo, Digne will get assists, but cs is 4 pts and assist only 3.

      1. The Sociologist
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Even with Stones & Otamendi running around you'd back them to keep more CS over the next 4/5 than Everton?

  7. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Heaton*/McGovern
    TAA, Coleman*, VvD*, Zinchenko*, Lund
    Sterling, Son, KdB, Hayden Dendo*
    Abraham, Haller, Pukki

    -4 now, 1.6 itb. After Dendo > Cantwell -8

    The plan has been to wc after 3rd ib and to get Salah + Robbo back. Downgrading defenders looks like a good idea now, but is getting Mane with wc to midfield worth it? Or has this just been awful week and I shouldn't knee jerk? Coleman to Digne and Heaton to Pope should be decent WC moves?

    1. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Still planning the WC after 3rd IB? I'd be happy enough bringing in Digne and Pope otherwise.

  8. Old Gregg
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Heaton
    Vvd-zinc-Coleman-Lundstram
    Salah-Sterling-KDB-Mount
    Pukki-Wilson

    4m-Rico-Greenwood-Dendonck

    2FT. 1.8 ITB

    Struggling to see what to do. Any recommendations appreciated?

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Zinchenko must be a risk after how abysmal he was at Norwich.
      TAA would be a far superior option.

  9. Johnmph
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Kane & Jota -> Auba & King for no hit the right call? Or is there a better sub 6.5 forward instead of King?

  10. Raging wildcard
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Fraser + Greenwood to Pukki + Cantwell for -4?

  11. Rowsdower
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I know the positions don't match, but I need to figure out the best way forward

    A. Aurier, Mount, Haller

    Or

    B. Digne, Son, Cantwell

  12. nn11
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Thoughts on how to improve this team?

    Adrian button
    Pieters Lund Vesta digne rico
    Mane son sterling cantwell dedon
    Pukki Abraham rash

    Wildcard active!
    Thanks

    1. nn11
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sorry should add £2m in the bank

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

      Sterling rash to KDB aguero?

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

        Sorry KDB auba

  13. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Kwp to Maitland Niles
    B) Dendo to Cantwell (exact money, cannot wait)
    C) wait till Friday and do 1 or something else

    Pope Button
    Taa Vvd Digne Kwp Lund
    Salah Sterling Kdb Mount Dendo
    Pukki Barnes Greenwood

    1. popstar7
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I was wavering over Maitland-Niles at HT today. Second half knocked that thought out of my head. An improvement on KWP, sure, but there must be better options.

  14. popstar7
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wildcarding from

    Pope
    VVD Digne Robertson
    Salah KDB Mount Sterling Cantwell
    Pukki King

    Button Lundstram Chambers Greenwood

    to

    Pope
    Robertson Alderweireld Matip
    Mane KDB Mount Sterling
    Pukki Abraham Haller

    Button Cantwell Lundstram Rico

    Three £6m-7.5m lone strikers seems better value than similar priced defenders when no one is keeping clean sheets.

  15. Kryptonite666
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Guys should I take a hit for James - Mount as the latter is going up to sight. have taken a -4 already from Salah to Mane and Barnes to Abraham.

    Current team

    Pope
    TAA Digne Lowton
    Mane Sterling KDB James
    Pukki Haller Abraham

    (Button Cantwell Kelly Lundstram)

  16. rodragon
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pickford+jota to Pope+pukki? I already have digne