Dugout Discussion

Lacazette and Luiz benched as budget FPL forward Martinelli gets first start

The final match of Gameweek 16 takes place this evening, as West Ham United take on managerless Arsenal.

Kick-off at the London Stadium is at 20:00 GMT.

Interim boss Freddie Ljungberg takes charge of the Gunners for the third time and has made a big call with his team selection, dropping Alexandre Lacazette (£9.3m) and David Luiz (£5.8m) to the bench.

Nicolas Pepe (£9.1m) and Calum Chambers (£4.4m) come into the side, as does Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) at left-back.

Budget Fantasy Premier League forward Gabriel Martinelli (£4.5m) is handed his first-ever start in the English top flight, meanwhile.

Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m) and Joe Willock (£4.9m) are also cut from the starting XI, with the latter failing to make the matchday squad.

Hector Bellerin (£5.4m) was injured in the warm-up, meanwhile, so Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.6m) comes in at right-back.

The West Ham United team news is far more straightforward: Manuel Pellegrini’s only change sees the fit-again Michail Antonio (£6.9m) replace Sebastien Haller (£7.0m) in attack.

Robert Snodgrass (£5.2m) recovers from a minor knock to start, while there is no place for Andriy Yarmolenko (£5.6m) even among the substitutes.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) is by some distance the most-selected player on show this evening and the only FPL asset from either side who can boast a double-digit ownership.

The Gabon international sits in more than one in five Fantasy squads and in 8.59% of the teams who were in the top 10,000 at the point of the Gameweek 16 deadline.

Aubameyang has scored 50 FPL points on the road this season, compared to just 39 at the Emirates – and has played one fewer away fixture.

FPL’s cheapest playing goalkeeper, David Martin (£4.0m), gets his third straight start for the hosts.

Martin has already banked one clean sheet, three save points and two bonus points in his two appearances so far.


West Ham United XI: Martin, Fredericks, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Cresswell, Rice, Noble, Snodgrass, Fornals, Anderson, Antonio.

Arsenal XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Chambers, Sokratis, Tierney, Torreira, Xhaka, Pepe, Ozil, Martinelli, Aubameyang.

1,065 Comments Post a Comment
  1. BobbyV
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Here here

  2. Arse Craic
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pepe time to shine?

  3. MFFista
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Couldn’t hold the trigger. Rarely felt this good about a team.

    Gazza
    TAA-Peireira-Lundstram
    Mané-Pulisic-Alli-Maddison
    Rash-Vardy-Abraham
    (Grealish-Kelly-Rico)

    Need a boost, is it a 10/10?

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Very nice but not a 10 for Pulisic. Love Pereira TAA combo. Think City against Arsenal could be a fest.

      1. MFFista
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers. Time for Pulisic to explode!

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

      Bench headache of the tallest order.

      But nothing wrong with each of your picks. Probably would pick someone else over Pulisic because he's a one GW left type of player.

      1. MFFista
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        There will be rotation over Christmas and Pool blanks 18, will need Grealish :). Thanks!

        1. HashAttack
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          I was the very happy to have Mount as my 8th forward even if it meant benching him most weeks ... it's not really a headache. Unfortunately I had to downgrade to Fleck so that I could do Pulisic > Alli but I think the potential extra points is well worth it. Would still like to find 0.2m to upgrade Fleck to Shelvey

          1. MFFista
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 4 months ago

            Especially while going into the Christmas rotation! I had 6,3 in the while choosing the 5th midfielder. Rather spend it on rising player value then keep it itb.

            Going for top 10k this year!

            1. HashAttack
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 4 months ago

              Have you got a lot of value tied up in players (Abraham, Mane etc.)

              Our teams are very similar but I've spent out now (107.7 TV / 104.8 SV) - I bought Mane late at 11.9 and have re-bought Tammy at 7.9

              1. MFFista
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 4 months ago

                Team value 105.4. Most value in Mane, Vardy. I did a silly mistake by shipping Abraham for Jimenez due to his injury.

  4. Sad Pablo Arsecobar
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pepe Brace incoming

  5. Ginkapo FPL
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Auba central...

    Tactical revolution perhaps

  6. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Bellerin injured in warm up, AMN starts

    1. Arse Craic
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Nightmare for Bellerin 🙁

    2. Woy_is_back
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Perfect. Vardy of my bench yas

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

        Nice jam

    3. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      🙄 Oh my

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

    Views on this WC squad? Possibly will wait until week 18 as under plan TAA and Chelsea players out for now

    Guaita Martin
    Aurier Guilbert Cahill Dunk Chilwell
    Mané Son KDB Alli Shelvey
    Vardy Rashford Martinelli

    1. theodosios
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Beautiful! If you can only swap Guilbert for Mings, that would be awsome

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

        Thanks! 4.4 max- only issue with Guilbert is whether ElMo got place back

        1. Veezeeboy
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Targett should be fit i suppose

      2. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Mings hammy?

    2. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Keep Trent

  8. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Martin and Martinelli

    Bargain and Bargainelli

    1. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I have Martin 8)

      1. Ginkapo FPL
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        😎

        1. Limbo
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Brave. WHM fan? 😉

          1. Ginkapo FPL
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 4 months ago

            He is 4.0 and I have Deano at #1

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      The worst brand of pasta

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah, not a patch on Ravanelli

  9. Don Kloppeone
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    My hands are starting to hurt from weighing up the options!

    A) Save FT this week, Jimi > Rash next week
    B) Jimi > Tammy this week

    In both options I’ll be moving Mount > Son and upgrading Dendo as GW18 cover next week.

    Rash is clearly in blistering form but we haven’t seen what he can do vs teams that are happy to sit back.

    Tammy (if he stays fit) is likely to be a better overall pick longer term imo.

    1FT 6.3itb
    Guaita
    TAA, Lunds, Willems
    Mané, Alli, Maddison, Mount
    Vardy (C), Jimi*, Ings
    (McGovern) (Soy, Dendo, Rico)

    Your thoughts are much appreciated!

    1. theodosios
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      If you go with Son instead of Mount, then B

      1. Don Kloppeone
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        You mean do both this week for -4?

        Mount, Jimi > Son, Tammy

    2. Buck The Trent
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      B, just

      1. Don Kloppeone
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        It’s really tough!!

        Definitely prefer Tammy generally but Rash is putting up performances that are v hard to ignore!

        Regardless I have to wait for CL lineups and performances to decide. Maybe that will make the decision clearer!?

  10. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Only casuals have West Ham and Arsenal players so dont really care about the score. Wont affect my rank.

    1. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      You'd have to think. A few in top in 10k with Auba perhaps.

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      But auto subs and scabby Vardy vice Captains will

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Not to mention Son/Alli & Kane (vc)

    3. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Season of the casual so no doubt Auba gets another jammy non penalty given

    4. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      10% for arsenal strikers in the top 10k

  11. aapoman
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Coady to Kelly/Cahill or Mount to Grealish to fund Jimenez to Rashford for a -4? Or just Jimenez to Tammy?

    1. Buck The Trent
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Do it

      1. Buck The Trent
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        *With Kelly

    2. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I’d do Grealish - just the bother about 4 yellows. Brighton at home and Newcastle away aren’t very suspicious fixtures for Palace

  12. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Interesting to see Haller out of it and Antonio up front. Sea of changes tonight.

    1. tucaoneo
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      It's funny to think I wasn't really convinced when I did a casual move Haller > Abraham two months ago.

    2. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Same as last week

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah. Antonio is class.

        1. Limbo
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Hmn...

  13. pingissimus
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    It’ll be a minus 4 but it feels good. Just SU gamble is a bother but dubious about Palace defence in next two

    Henderson
    TAA Soy Lund
    Mane KdB Son Maddison
    Vardy Rashford Ings

    Grealish Guilbert Rico

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      What’s the -4?

      1. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Pulisic to Grealish and Jim to Rashford. I’ve had a nightmare front 8 benching nightmare for 2 weeks in expectation of benchings.

        Either Puli or Maddison was out this week anyway for my sanity. Jim to Rashford is the hit tonight if I want to afford it

        1. Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Same, probably continue to have one through Christmas too.

          Not sure the jimmi to rash pays off this weekend but defo makes sense long run

          1. pingissimus
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 4 months ago

            That’s my reasoning

            But last season is a worry. Jim just kept on providing while Rash dried up. Fear I may be duped

        2. PogChamp
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          I'm thinking about Jimenez > Rashford for a hit too. Probably gunna hold off though. I fancy Jimenez to do ok against Spurs.

  14. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Just got hit with with a wave of Sanchez(c) hat-trick and assist nostalgia

  15. Monkey Hanger
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Antonio will out muscle this Arsenal backline.

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      They have a backline?

  16. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Arsenal have had about 100 passes and haven't been out of their own half

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

      If David Luiz can't progress the ball from the back, why is he even starting?! 😯

      1. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        He on the bench

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

          I was wondering why nobody was calling me out on this mistake 😆

  17. el polako
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Have to say I feel bit sorry for Arsenal - Monday night footie in PL and then almost no rest before CL Tue\Wed.

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Fishing convention on here tonight?

  18. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Anyone know how celeb ‘expert’ Nick Tanner is doing now?

    1. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Never heard of him

    2. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Still first

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Surprised tbf. Won’t be when everyone else plays chips

        1. Top Lad Dakes.
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Yeah I was surprised too. 21 points ahead of 2nd as of right now in fact.

          But yeah agreed

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

      Full for eating chips.

    4. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      You got to give him credit given he only has one other season under his belt (on his account) and that was a 2.5m season.

    5. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Plus he played a ballsy line-up at the weekend

  19. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Is Saliba 1st team quality? Or will Arsenal still need to spend big on a new CB?

  20. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pls keep Auba quiet so Lacacrap has to come on and equalise from 2-0 down late on? 🙂

    1. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      No one owns him. Don't stress it bud

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        My brother does lol. And some ML people

  21. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    H2H opponent in Draft has Laca and Bellerin. Freddie to hand me the win.

  22. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Antonio could have scored there. Arsenal just ignored everything Rafa said about being compact.

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Doubt they were watching.

  23. MSTRKRFTSMN
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Martinelli gamble looks like it might pay off tonight. C’mon lad

    1. Syd.
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Has he touched the ball yet?

      1. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Nay

        1. MSTRKRFTSMN
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 4 months ago

          Boom!

  24. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Sniper in the stands

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Already got Bellerin, it seems 🙁

  25. el polako
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Really curious about that Tierney lad, if you listen to some Arsenal fans he is the best left back in PL.

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

      Wasn't he the lad that kept Robertson out of the Scotland team for a while?

      I heard he was good, but not seen it at Arsenal yet.

      1. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Only Scotland could produce two top class players and they're both left backs

      2. Syd.
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        To be fair it doesn't take much to keep Robertson out of the Scotland squad

        Dental appointment
        Allergic reaction to Hampden Park
        Down ate his boots
        Had a dodgy curry

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Have they ever seen him?

      1. Forza Papac
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        I think they're going on what they've heard from Scottish football fans tbh

  26. Ginkapo FPL
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Leno has never struck me as the most commanding keeper. Part of the issue.

  27. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    West Ham away will always remind me of Sanchez (C) getting a hattie

  28. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Is pepe still alive?

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

      Just got brushed went down like he was shot.

  29. jb1985
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    2FT 0.0itb not sure what to do with this as don't want to burn a transfer.

    Hendo,
    TAA, Robbo, Lund, Soy
    Mane, Son, KDB,
    Vardy, Tammy, Rashford

    Button, Dendo, Rico, Hayden

    Hold for this week or downgrade Robbo in preparation for GW18 blank? Obvious choice would be for Kelly and then use the money to upgrade the bench.

  30. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Lol remember when Haller was all the rage?

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Filled me with rage when I owned him!

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Bit like Zaha & Pulisic

    3. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah pre season we were told he was some kind of god by west ham fans. Loads better than arnautovic.

      Still waiting for che Adams to explode too...