Dugout Discussion

King, Son and Doherty benched as Gameweek 9 continues

Fantasy Premier League managers who took the cheaper route into Bournemouth’s attack for Gameweek 9 were left disappointed on Saturday afternoon.

Ahead of a plum home clash with an out-of-form Norwich City side, Josh King (£6.3m) has been named on the bench – after picking up 100,000+ new owners this week.

The Norwegian international has largely operated from the left-flank of midfield in a 4-4-2 system this season but Ryan Fraser (£7.1m) reclaims his berth for a first start since Gameweek 4.

This news is potentially massive for those who possess Callum Wilson (£8.0m) this weekend as King’s absence might see the England centre-forward take over penalty kick duties for Gameweek 9.

Meanwhile, Lewis Cook (£5.0m) and Adam Smith (£4.3m) return to the starting line-up for Bournemouth.

Opponents Norwich look to have altered their system after running into a poor patch of form in 4-2-3-1 before the international break.

Marco Stiepermann (£5.4m) drops to the bench to potentially facilitate a 4-1-4-1 formation with Alex Tettey (£4.5m) at the base of midfield.

Meanwhile, Kenny McLean (£4.9m) and Moritz Leitner (£4.5m) take up the central roles in the main midfield quartet, flanked by Todd Cantwell (£4.9m) and Emi Buendía (£6.0m).

Naturally, Teemu Pukki (£7.1m) retains his place up-front.

Also causing Fantasy managers frustration on Saturday afternoon is Son Heung-min (£9.8m) who finds himself on the Spurs bench for a favourable home meeting with Watford.

Mauricio Pochettino has handed a recall to Dele Alli (£8.4m) and Lucas Moura (£7.1m) in support of centre-forward Harry Kane (£10.9m).

Meanwhile, Watford go for a back-three for the second match in a row as Quique Sanchez Flores tries a 3-5-2 formation which features Roberto Pereyra (£5.7m) in a strike pairing with Danny Welbeck (£5.9m).

Suggestions of a return to FPL viability for Matt Doherty (£6.0m) were quashed by a second successive benching.

Adama Traoré (£5.1m) gets a second start in a row in place of the Irish international.

Aston Villa line-up as expected for the visit of Brighton, with John McGinn (£5.9m) in the central midfield trio and Jack Grealish (£5.9m) in the front-three.

Meanwhile, Graham Potter’s men are led in attack by Aaron Connolly (£4.5m) and Neal Maupay (£6.0m), while Pascal Groß (£6.4m) and Aaron Mooy (£4.8m) provide the width.

After missing the last four Premier League matches with injury, Leandro Trossard (£5.8m) has been named on the Brighton bench.

Chelsea line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation against Newcastle, with Fikayo Tomori (£4.7m) alongside Kurt Zouma (£4.7m) in defence.

Mason Mount (£6.8m) and Tammy Abraham (£7.7m) come into Gameweek 9 both owned by more than 35% of Fantasy managers.

It will be interesting to see how the Chelsea attack fares against Newcastle’s back-five, as Steve Bruce goes for the usual 5-3-2 system.

Both Longstaff brothers feature in midfield while Miguel Almirón (£5.8m) continues to be used out of position in the front-two.

Jay Rodriguez (£5.7m) comes in for the injured Ashley Barnes (£6.4m) as Burnley travel to face Leicester.

The Foxes are led by Jamie Vardy (£9.0m) while James Maddison (£7.2m) looks set for a central role in the 4-1-4-1 system.

The Starting XIs

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Targett, Mings, Engels, Guilbert; McGinn, Hourihane, Nakamba; El Ghazi, Wesley, Grealish.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Burn, Webster, Dunk, Montoya; Groß, Pröpper, D Stephens, Mooy; Connolly, Maupay.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale; Rico, Ake, S Cook, Smith; Fraser, Billing, L Cook, H Wilson; Solanke, C Wilson.

Norwich XI: Krul; Lewis, Godfrey, Amadou, Aarons; Tettey; Cantwell, McLean, Leitner, Buendía; Pukki.

Chelsea XI: Kepa; Alonso, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta; Jorginho, Barkley; Hudson-Odoi, Mount, Willian; Abraham.

Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Willems, Clark, Lascelles, Schär, Yedlin; Saint-Maximin, M Longstaff, S Longstaff; Almirón, Joelinton.

Leicester XI: Schmeichel; Chilwell, Söyüncü, Evans, R Pereira; Ndidi; Barnes, Pérez, Maddison, Tielemans; Vardy.

Burnley XI: Pope; Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Westwood, Hendrick, Brady; Rodriguez, Wood.

Spurs XI: Gazzaniga; Rose, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Aurier; Winks, Sissoko; Moura, Alli; Kane

Watford XI: Foster; Kabasele, Dawson, Cathcart; Holebas, Chalobah, Cleverley, Doucouré, Janmaat; Welbeck, Pereyra.

Wolves XI: Patrício; Boly, Coady, Bennett; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Traoré; Cutrone, Jiménez.

Southampton XI: Gunn; Bertrand, Yoshida, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Valery; Ward-Prowse, Højbjerg, Romeu; Redmond, Ings.

1,961 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Spurs play like this again next week, will be goal fest for Liverpool

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      *Oops horrible first liner

  2. SADIO SANÉ
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    why would a player start after being involved in a car crash a couple of days before?

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Cause he may not have been hurt or anything.

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        psychological trauma

        1. Epic Fail
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          He may not have trauma.

    2. Bruce Lee
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      who?

    3. FPL.team
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Seriously?

      1. SADIO SANÉ
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        nah not really

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

    Pereyra been pissing off Spurs the whole match.

  4. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Pukki reminds me of Capoue from a few seasons ago. Started so well then just fell off the map.

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

      Hes this season's Mitrovic. Been saying it all season.

  5. Hect.OR 98th
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    On days like this I'm glad I only waste time on FPL and not real money on real PL. What a thoroughly dull Saturday so far.

    I'm doing quite well this year but there have been too many boring weeks. Might be my last year if this carries on, there's very little excitement either way.

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Might need to try Joe's ear test. Can listen while doing other things...

      1. Hect.OR 98th
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        That's what I do. I'm a R5L listener.

  6. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    This gw has been shocking so far... my team for next gw doesn't look great too

    Thank God I have 2 fts

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

      2ft’s will do nothing, every week needs a -8 at least

      1. Bruce Lee
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        lol true

  7. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Rico my only returning player so far and Agüero (c) to come. Quality GW

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Congrats, I've got none and he's my first bench

    2. TAT
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      First on bench here…

  8. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Rico out off the BAPS

    1. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Still on 2 for me

  9. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    So looking forward to my -20 🙂

  10. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    What a shocking week

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

      Every GW

  11. PogChamp
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Six blank captain weeks on the bounce. I feel sick.

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

      Consistency is key in FPL!

      1. Pedram
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        At least you're consistent.

    2. AzzaroMax99
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      3 in a row for me.

    3. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      7 from 9. Beat that 😉

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

    Tomori shook

  13. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Getting really sick of Pope. Anyone ditching him? Nice fixtures after Chelsea but he just doesn't get any save points..

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

      I ditched him on WC last week

  14. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Tot golazo

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

    OMG ALLI

  16. Hy liverpool
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Alli goal

  17. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Alli G, respek

  18. Hy liverpool
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Oh wait VAR

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

    Poch in

  20. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Kepa has taken out both Zouma & Tomori

    The City 0 CB special.

  21. Bees4Lyf
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Tammy just needed to put one away, Just one.

  22. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Alli goal but VAR check

  23. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    18 ptts from 7 so far

    Poised to beat 36 points from last gw. And it couldnt go worse than last gw

  24. The Enlightener
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Handball

  25. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    goal disallowed

    poch out

    1. Hy liverpool
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Allowed

    2. Hect.OR 98th
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      What?

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

    Goal given despite handball

    1. Vlad Tepes
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      R u high?

  27. The Enlightener
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Crap call

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

    Alli goal awarded

  29. Epic Fail
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    "VAR will mean more goals..."

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Shite introduction, was supposed to aid the game not hide ref mistakes.

  30. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    goal given?

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

      Yes