Dugout Discussion

Lacazette among the substitutes as Aubameyang leads the line for Arsenal

The final match of Gameweek 9 takes place this evening, as Sheffield United host Arsenal.

Kick-off at Bramall Lane is at 20:00 BST.

There were no major shocks upon the release of the two teamsheets, with Alexandre Lacazette (£9.3m) only among the substitutes after his return from a seven-week absence.

Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) has to be patient for his first Arsenal league start, too, as Sead Kolasinac (£5.4m) keeps his place at left-back.

In fact, Unai Emery has made only one change to the Gunners’ starting XI from the side that defeated Bournemouth a fortnight ago: Joe Willock (£5.0m) replacing Dani Ceballos (£5.5m) in midfield.

Lacazette’s benching means that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.1m) will again lead the line for Arsenal, flanked by Nicolas Pepe (£9.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£4.5m) in attack.

Aubameyang has yet to blank in an away fixture this season and averages 8.25 points on the road.

John Lundstram (£4.6m) is the most-owned player in this fixture and he features in more Fantasy teams than the rest of the Sheffield United squad put together.

Over 40% of his owners have benched him for this match but it’s probably fair to say that he’ll be an ‘auto-sub’ for many of us, given the high-profile no-shows over the weekend.

His 14-point haul against Crystal Palace at Bramall Lane in August has been followed by three blanks at home but he remains the best-value FPL asset in the game, based on points per million spent.

There are no surprises that Chris Wilder’s only two changes for this fixture come up front, an area in which he has regularly rotated over the past two months.

Lys Mousset (£4.9m) and David McGoldrick (£5.4m) are the strike pairing this evening, replacing Callum Robinson (£5.3m) and Oli McBurnie (£5.9m).

Sheffield United’s four home games this season have only seen six goals scored: only St James’ Park and Selhurst Park average fewer goals per fixture than Bramall Lane in 2019/20.

Sheffield United XI: Henderson; Basham, Egan, O’Connell, Stevens; Baldock, Norwood, Lundstram, Fleck; Mousset, McGoldrick.

Arsenal XI: Leno; Chambers, Sokratis, Luiz, Kolasinac; Xhaka, Guendouzi, Willock; Pepe, Aubameyang, Saka.

Lessons learned from Gameweek 9

1,292 Comments Post a Comment
  1. wulfrunian
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Patricio/Button or Ramsdale/Henderson?

  2. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    well i havent a clue...
    think ill let the cat pick my teams

  3. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    You know, for all talk of Spurs' collapse, they're what, 3 points off Arsenal?

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

    Thinking Pool will thrash Spurs next weekend?

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      no way, tight game might even be a draw