Dugout Discussion

Traore and Moutinho drop to the bench as Gameweek 26 recommences at Molineux

After an interminable wait, Gameweek 26 gets back underway this evening at Molineux.

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City, which is only the fourth match to be contested in this round of fixtures, kicks off at 20:00 GMT.

There is no Adama Traore (£5.8m) in the hosts’ starting XI, with the well-owned winger amongst the substitutes for only the second time in the last 23 Gameweeks.

Joao Moutinho (£5.4m) is also on the bench, which brings to an end his run of 21 Premier League starts in a row.

Pedro Neto (£5.0m) and Leander Dendoncker (£4.4m) are the men to come in for that aforementioned pair.

The Athletic’s Wolves correspondent, Tim Spiers, suggests the two unexpected benchings are fitness-related:

The taciturn Nuno Espirito Santo added ahead of kick-off:

[Traore’s shoulder] has not settled down but he’s an option. He is playing the game, also, he’s on the bench.

Normally [Moutinho is a starter] but we have other options and we decided this way.

With Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m) still sidelined, Leicester are unchanged from their 2-2 draw with Chelsea at the beginning of the month.

Brendan Rodgers said of the Nigerian’s fitness:

It’s just too much of a risk for him, he still has that slight pain. But he’s got better as the week’s progressed and we’ll see how he is over the weekend.

Of those on show this evening, Jamie Vardy (£9.8m) is the most popular player in FPL terms – although his ownership is at its lowest since Gameweek 13.

The Leicester striker has only one attacking return to his name since Gameweek 18 and is goalless in almost two months.

Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) has registered three goals and an assist in his last three starts, with his FPL ownership quadrupling since Gameweek 23.

The reverse fixture of tonight’s game ended goalless back in August, with Ricardo Pereira (£6.3m) and Willy Boly (£4.7m) supplementing their clean sheets with maximum bonus points.

Boly has recorded shut-outs in four of his nine Premier League starts this season – Wolves have only one without him.


Wolves XI: Patrício, Coady, Boly, Saïss, Doherty, Dendoncker, Neves, Jonny, Jota, Neto, Jiménez.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Chilwell, Choudhury, Tielemans, Maddison, Perez, Vardy, Barnes.

670 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Maddison!

  2. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Is Vardy a differential now? 😎

    1. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      top 10k EO only 52% so becoming that way

  3. Don Van Vliet
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Doherty goal today, as much as it pains me.

  4. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Vardy Party!

  5. Sid1891
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Bugger
    Last post on previous article

    Firmino KDB > Jiménez Mane

    Silly?

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Silly until they play in Europe.

      1. Sid1891
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Thanks
        I was gonna wait anyway

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

    Traoré against tired Jevans legs

  7. Says
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Huge news this evening: Kyle Martino shaved off his hair.

    In other minor news Man City banned from next two champs leagues

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      About 5 people on here know who Kyle Martino is.

      1. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        One of the 5 o/

        1. AuFeld
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          #2

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Once they appeal and pay someone at Fifa that ban won’t stand imo

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

        PSG can spend £400 million in a season and get away with it

        1. tucaoneo
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Wrong. Mbappé was loaned from Monaco and bought in the following season.

          1. have you seen cyan
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Yep, incredibly smart abuse of the loan system. PSG just have better and smarter lawyers, thats what you get when a state runs a football club. The consolation is that PSG suck

            1. tucaoneo
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              UEFA should definitely go harder after PSG too. Personally don't mind Man City as a start lol.

              1. have you seen cyan
                • 4 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                PSG didnt actually break any rules, they found a loop hole and explited it. I assume that loop hole has now been tied off, you'd at leats hope. PSG always been a shady club, goign back to when they banend 20,000 supporters from ever attending a match again

                1. Yank Revolution
                  • 12 Years
                  4 years, 2 months ago

                  When did that ban happen? 20,000?

                  1. LE CHARO
                    • 4 Years
                    4 years, 2 months ago

                    It never happened but it seems customary around here to say ridiculous and fake statements about PSG.
                    What happened is that after the feud between the kops led to the death of a PSG fan in 2010, the hierarchy took very harsh measures and revoked some season tickets, but obviously it wasn't 20,000 fans, in a stadium with 55,000 seats.

          2. LE CHARO
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            That was the intended plan, but UEFA didn't accept it and Mbappé's transfer fee was taken into account from the first year.

        2. LE CHARO
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Except that they didn't. The way FFP works it that when a club buys a new player, the weight of the transfer fee in the financial result of the club is equal to that fee divided by the number of years remaining in the contract of that player. So PSG may have spent £400 million in 2017, but actually for FFP, it only counts as £80 million each year for five years, which the club can afford.

      2. Jarnathan
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        That will only send the message that you can get away with it

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

        Pep is gone if they lose tho

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

          Should liven things up

          1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            No more being Pepped, Aguero guarantees starts 🙂

      4. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        lol I thought you said play someone at FIFA 😀
        A very high stakes FIFA game to decide Man Citys fate

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

    Traore and Moutinho is bothersome. Have to think this is partly EL related -GW31 is potentially an EL week too if they go through

  9. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Hope Traore doesn’t come on, Lundstram first sub

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      He will

  10. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    1-1 with a couple own goals please

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

    Need goals nooooow

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      2 already in the Friday night match from Championship

  12. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Triple City essential next season with no Champs League

    1. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      And no Pep roulette once he quits.

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

      Yeah because they will have a manager that doesn't rotate as much.

    3. Fantasy Gold
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Not if Pep leaves.

    4. el polako
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Big Sam in for Pep.
      Priority will be league so they need someone who know how to do it in PL.

      1. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Poch has to be a favorite if Pep left.

        1. Chenku╰☆╮
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          He doesn't even need to win anything then.

          1. Yank Revolution
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Did he not guide Spurs to a CL final? Pretty impressive if you ask me, despite no trophy

        2. el polako
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Poch is "I'm happy to be in top 4" manager, City will need someone who can win domestic trophies to soften the lack of european cups blow.

          1. badgerboy
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Wenger.

    5. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      And no Pep

  13. el polako
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Are Vardy owners ready for another Barnes to Perez goal ?

    I own Vardy btw, sold Maddison so expecting him to get some returns.

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Wouldn’t mind Grealish to Perez is my planned gw28 transfer

  14. tm245
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Get out of Jimi's way, please.

  15. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Poch to City?

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

      I think utd would be fighting them for him

    2. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      If Pep does go, I think City will go after a manager who has a track record of winning league titles. Probably Allegri.

      Poch is a very good development coach but yet to prove he is anywhere close to winning the biggest trophies.

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Manuel in 😀 Kun starts every week 😀 😀

  16. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Hopefully Chequebook Pep gets his comeuppance.

  17. el polako
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    City can appeal, surely they will so anything can still happen.

  18. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Cmon Maddy grab a goal yah complete waste of space..

  19. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Imagine not having Champions League football let alone European competition for two whole seasons. Who's going to want to go there? More to the point, who's going to want to stay! I know Liverpool are better in this moment in time, but doesn't this improve their chances of winning more domestic honours?

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      City need Pep if they're to challenge Liverpool next year in my opinion. Liverpool's best players are reaching their prime now, so while they're there, it will take a manager of Pep's quality to stop them from winning multiple leagues.

      1. Milk, 1 Šuker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Fair point

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      It won’t improve it if they can’t hold the manager or the players

      1. Milk, 1 Šuker
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Yes, this is true. My last point was made on the basis that they hold onto everyone!

        1. have you seen cyan
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          some players surely have stipulations in their contracts that if CL participatio isnt secured then they can possibly walk? IDK you'd think a player of KDB's stature would have some form of clause, even Peps contract potentially. I doubt it would allow anyone to walk, but something

      2. Tinkermania
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Are we talking about the same Pep who hasn't improved on last season? What is he supposed to do different?

  20. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Has Vardy had a touch yet?

    1. JBG
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Think he saved the ball from going out one time.

  21. Sharkytect
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    The bbc article doesn't appear to mention it, but does this mean 5th place will be a champions league slot?

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      If Ban remains despite CAS appeal. The decision may not come before the start of next season though!

      1. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        I dont see how they can slow it down and delay a decision until after the season starts. Expect this appeal to get fast-tracked

    2. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Correct

  22. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Maddison sweating out those Jägerbombs

  23. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    It’s already difficult predicting who will start for City in PL despite them being in UCL. With fewer matches, won’t it be even more difficult to guess the team? Don’t understand why ppl are excited for 3 city next season.

    Conditions apply:
    1) Pep stays
    2) Ban remains
    3) Main players stay

  24. Chenku╰☆╮
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    How is adama doing. Looking like getting some points?

    1. villa_til_i_die
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Not doing a great deal from the bench!

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

      Looks to be warming the bench just fine

    3. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      1 juicy point

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

      From ze bench

  25. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    City hit with a big blow, but what about other clubs? I am sure UEFA is biased towards City as not all FC's competing in the Europa competitions are clean. Few teams will follow suit of the ban goes ahead I reckon.

  26. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Come to Utd pep lol

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Poch is 105% going to Man U, bet your house on it

      1. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Id prefer Pep

        1. have you seen cyan
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          You need Poch not Pep, it pains me to say it but Poch will make Man U great again.

          1. have you seen cyan
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Peps heart would never truly be in it other than for his own gains, Poch would live and breathe that club.

          2. UTD - HATED, ADORED, BUT NE…
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            I’m just not convinced Poch can cut it at a top club tbh

            1. have you seen cyan
              • 4 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              He will stabilise ManU, get the best out of what you have and get you back to being a top 4 club every season, whether he can take you further and win a big title is questionable.
              Most likely is Poch does 5 years at Man U, takes you to that level then someone like Pep comes in and wins you titles. But you never know, maybe Poch will evolve and be a winner and will have learnt from the CL final

              1. have you seen cyan
                • 4 Years
                4 years, 2 months ago

                The other thing to add as well is everyone wants a quick fix at Man U. You tried it with the likes of Sanchez, Pogna and Jose. It didn’t work, the sooner everyone at ManU swallows some prides and accepts that they aren’t the force they once were the quicker they will move forward. Reach that acceptance stage and blue sky’s will come.

                That’s my motivation speech over 😀

      2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Porch would straight away love the opportunity to frantically rotate AWB, Dalot, Williams & Shaw for the fullback slots

        1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          He might also bring along such (expensive!) luminaries as Davinson Sanchez, Serge Aurier, Tangy Ndombele, Giovanni Lo Celso, Eric Lamela, Victor Wanyama, Moussa Sissoko...

          That lot must have been the guts of €250m between them

          I do wonder a little bit about his judgement in the transfer market

  27. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    I dropped Lundstram and Soyuncu this week. Am I going to be punished twice?

    1. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I benched both so yes

  28. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Vardy 3 touches in 30 mins. Which pretty much guarantees he will score a goal in the clinical way he always does.

  29. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Pass the damn ball Vardy.

  30. el polako
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Willy going low.