Dugout Discussion

Martinelli benched as Nketiah comes in for Arsenal

Gabriel Martinelli‘s (£4.5m) recent form was not enough for him to hold onto a place in the Arsenal starting line-up for Gameweek 26.

The centre-forward has averaged 4.75 points per game over his last four starts, better than any of his colleagues, but Mikel Arteta has seen fit to name the youngster on the bench.

Instead, the Arsenal manager has opted to hand Eddie Nketiah (£4.3m) a first start for the club since returning from a loan at Leeds United.

The young Englishman spearheads the Gunners’ attack, supported by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.8m) and Nicolas Pépé (£9.1m) in the wide areas and Mesut Ozil (£7.2m) in the number 10 role.

Meanwhile, there are several changes for Newcastle, as Steve Bruce names new signings Danny Rose (£5.3m) and Valentino Lazaro (£5.5m) at left and right-back respectively, the latter, an FPL midfielder, deployed in reverse-out-of-position.

The Fantasy interest in Newcastle’s defence remains largely on the low side but those discussed as budget differentials recently in Jamaal Lascelles (£4.2m) and Federico Fernández (£4.4m) are both in the starting line-up.

Arsenal XI: Leno; Saka, D Luiz, Mustafi, Bellerin; Ceballos, Xhaka; Aubameyang, Ozil, Pépé; Nketiah.

Newcastle United XI: Dubravka; Rose, Clark, Lascelles, Fernandez, Lazaro; Almirón, Bentaleb, S Longstaff, Saint-Maximin; Joelinton.

804 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FPL Daniel
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Laca owners are stunned

    1. Royal5
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Can't have a huge ownership surely?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Surely

  2. Brosstan
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Urgh....

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

      Blah blah blah, only casuals don't own Auba

    2. Brosstan
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Just turning off this game. Season over...

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

        That Pep goal too much?

  3. FPL Pillars
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Pepe haunts sellers!!!

    1. Majestic Chanka
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Nobody owned him to sell him though?

      1. FPL Pillars
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Net transfers: -7832 🙂

  4. FPL Daniel
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    We want more we want more. Come oooonnn Aubaaaaa!!!

  5. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Amazing Saka!

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He has talent undoubtedly

  6. Ady87
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Need more from Auba.

  7. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Damn you Son

  8. Nightcrawler
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Pepe HAUNTS Gw 4 sellers

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      😀

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Hahaha. Never gets old.

        Thank you Munday

    2. OverTinker
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      stop it 😀

  9. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Unreal striker, play him down the middle Mikel!

  10. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Pepe essential?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Son and Pepe and Auba all 3 are essential :)))

  11. diesel001
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Lazaro done twice now. Shouldn't be starting again anytime soon. Should be eased in.

  12. Brosstan
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Lazano at fault for both goals.

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

      Always captain Pepe against Lazano. Learnt my lesson now

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

    Pepe stuns haunted Lille!

  14. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Is Lascelles a good pick?

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

      Won’t play the mighty Arsenal again this season.

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I went Fernandez. He has bonus and goals in him

    3. FPL Pillars
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Not to play in XI

    4. COLLIN QUANER
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I was thinking of getting him. Won't play every week but good to have on the bench for emergencies

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        What I like about New defense that is kind of predictable. They deliver when you expect and can easily be benched when playing difficult game

        1. COLLIN QUANER
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          My thinking exactly, Daniel. I think I will get him when I play my wildcard, which will be quite soon.

          1. FPL Daniel
            • 15 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Go for it

    5. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Benched like a pro.

    6. Royal5
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Time will tell. Cheap and good on set pieces.

  15. Total Slotball
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Strong interest from Liverpool in Saka and you can see why.

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

      Would be a nice 3rd choice LB.

  16. TyroneGAA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    The commentator just said ‘ when Pépé scores arsenal win’ can someone confirm how many goals he has scored this season? Lmao

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

      United game...

      West Ham

      Maybe 1 more?

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Villa home too

        1. Nightcrawler
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Cant beleive this will only be 5th win all season

      2. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        He has scored 4 goals.

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

      Scored in every win except gw 1 vs newc

      1. TyroneGAA
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        you missed the point

    3. Hulk Smash
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      His celebration was him holding up one finger. I assumed that was a reference to his goal scoring record.

      1. TyroneGAA
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Lmao

    4. Pukki Party
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He has scored one PL goal per manager during his Arsenal spell, correct me if i'm wrong

  17. Agger
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Pepe triple captainers, where you at?

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

      Side splitter.

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      They are haunted by Mane since they sold him for Pepe :))))

  18. JRD
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    acting cool after a goal but what a poor poor team

    1. Brosstan
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Reminiscent of the west ham game. They were garbage but scored 2 goals within 10 minutes to mask the performance.

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

      Agreed, they shouldn’t be celebrating. They should be hanging their heads in shame

    3. Bushwhacker
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Arteta’s a fraud. Should have kept Emery another year and another summer window.

  19. selig
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    pepe (c) came through

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Link please

    2. ZeBestee
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Nicely done.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Bravo. Standing applause

  20. TorresMagic™
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 15 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    3 - Pépé (51)
    2 - Aubameyang (35)
    1 - Saka (28)

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Booooo. Auba owner. Pepe had goal and assist?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 15 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        He does. Just checked. Ignore me. Thanks

    1. FPL Pillars
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Next season

      1. ZeBestee
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah, hopefully they buy proper players to compete.

  21. Rainer
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Clark...

  22. Nightcrawler
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Only 4 teams have lost to arsenal this season and newcaslte about to achieve this feat twice. Deserve relegation just for this

  23. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Need a auba hatty to save my season

    1. Regin
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      I'm quite happy he scored 1

  24. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Hey, look at that. Some time in the past couple days, I must have hit my 3-yr anniversary on the site. Good times.

    You'd think I could pick a captain by now.

    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 15 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Late January.

  25. Royal5
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Clark. Would've been a thorow in if Luiz didn't get a touch 😆

  26. Rash
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Another aubameyang goal please

    1. TyroneGAA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Arsenal pen in 6 mins

      1. Royal5
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Auba is one of the worst in the league at pens

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Auba and grelaish i can ubderstand but son?

      1. Niho992
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Yup. Stupid move i know. I needed differential in my mini league and i downgrade Son to Bergwijn to get Aguero.

  27. Regin
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    I was just about to sell auba to Jimmy. Now I have to rethink.