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. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    How come Pepe has 50+ BPS...

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

      Goal assist cleanie

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

      G A CS

    3. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      G, A, CC, PC.

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

      Doing stuff.

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

      cheers all... need Auba brace badly...

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

    2 more Auba please

  3. yalala
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 2 months ago

    Auba (c) vs eve

    1. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Hard to look past Salah v WHU

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

        Yup

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

      Are you joking?!?

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

    Dean Smith is coming across as way out of his depth in the PL. Time for him and Villa to return to the Championship and let Grealish leave.

    Starting Drinkwater ahead of Nakamba is criminal. And too often, Villa players are shooting or trying to run with the ball instead of getting it to Grealish.

    If Villa want to stay up, only two players can save them - Grealish and Mings. And it means Villa feeding Grealish and Grealish being even more selfish. As El-Ghazi, Trezeguet, Wesley, Samatta and Jota have proved they are not up to the task.

    1. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Kiwivillan in tears.

      1. Party time
          4 years, 2 months ago

          😆

      2. david31058
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Grealish in your team I take it?

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

          No. Looking to get him in, but wary now. Watching Villa, it is so poor. The players lack humility. You have El-Ghazi and Trezeguet thinking they are as good as Grealish. They are not.

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

        Respect your points. You are right about Drinkwater, he ain’t good enough for Sunday league, what Smith sees in him is beyond me. Personally I rate Trezuget, don’t know why he never starts, Hourihane also. Early to judge Sammatta, but he’s far better than Wesley, he holds the ball well. Hause is poor, Targett so so, Engels poor. We’ve had it I’m afraid, losing mc Ginn was key, Grealish will be gone. 150 mil wasted by Smith, he’s accountable.

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

          Hourihane should be playing. I agree on losing McGinn, but Nakamba and Luiz do a good job in central midfield. But when I watch El-Ghazi and Trezeguet, it dumbfounds me that these guys believe they are *that* good.

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

            Fair enough, again, personally I rate El Ghazi & Trez, don’t think they are pretending they are great, they’re good players. Nakamba getting better. Luiz average. I actually rated Jota, don’t know what happened to him. I knew this season would be tough, but as I said Smith wasted the money, only good player he bought was Heaton & now Pépé.

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

      Wat to do with auba ??

      Thinking to downgrade him to son

      Thoughts ??

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        What other transfers will you make to do that?

        1. Akshatjazz
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Auba > DCL / wood and then

          Fleck > son

          1. Epic Fail
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            4 years, 2 months ago

            Looks decent to be fair. DCL fixtures turn bad.

            1. Akshatjazz
              • 4 Years
              4 years, 2 months ago

              Apart frm DCL there r no good strikers

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

              So wat do you suggest ??

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

        Get rid

      3. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Good fixture, keep for 1 GW

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

        At HT everyone was selling.

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

        You think son is a downgrade to Auba!, son is 20 times the player auba is, most overrated player ever!

        1. Nightcrawler
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Lol

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

          Don't you think, now son at bay due to kanes injury is going to boost his performance ???

    3. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Sociopath Saka not too injured.

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

      I hate Arteta already !!
      You play Nkietah when Martinelli played so well in the past 3 games ?? Just Why???

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

        Arsenal's best team IMO (4-3-3):

        Leno
        Bellerin Holding Luiz Tierney
        Torreira Ceballos Guendouzi
        Pepe Aubamayang Martinelli

        1. aborg
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Exactly

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

          Leno
          Bellarin Holding Chambers Saka
          Torreira Ceballos
          Pepe Ozil Auba
          Laca

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

        Arteta is a great manager and arsenal gonna finally turn the corner with him. If he played Nkietah over martinelli ...there must be a good reason.
        They winning 4-0 after so long.

        1. aborg
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          They surely did not score 4 because of Nkietah!! He even missed a sitter !

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

      Auba has got to go. Cannot justify him in my team when he’s effectively playing in the crowd

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        He scored and has 2 BP

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

          He’s had 1 chance the whole game

    6. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Laca back for next match in order for Auba to play out wide again...

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

      Really confused by all this Auba talk.

      Has he scored a brace or just the 1?

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

        3

      2. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Soon a brace soon 😉

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

      Lacazette runs like he’s stuck in mud. So slow, man’s barely been on the pitch.

      1. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Classic example of the french Lihue making a player look better than he is.

    9. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Top 30K for the first time. Come oooonnn Auba one more !!!

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

        Truly the year of the casual...

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

          lol

        2. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Overwhelming evidence at this point....

    10. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Wonder what Vardy's ownership would look like after he drops later on?

    11. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil G
      Laca A

      Dubravka match fixing.

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

      Top 25k for the first time since 2011/12 season. Cmon Auba one more 😀

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Come oooonnn. Let's do it Chucky !!!

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

          😎

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

        LOL. Such a lie. You finished Top 20k last season.

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

          lol no I didn't.. 29k...

    13. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      I’ll take Auba 16 points for captaincy. I didn’t even mean to switch from Salah.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        16 is huge unless Kun explodes

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 2 months ago

          Yep. I was quite happy when City match was cancelled.

          Now I miss out on a City DGW and have the fear of Kun midweek.

    14. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil leave that to Auba!!!! Ozil robbed Auba a goal

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

      Ozil has scored a goal

      Apocalypse officially confirmed

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        It's new decade

    16. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil exactly where Auba should have been positioned.

    17. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Øzil tries to pass it to Dubravka who fumbles it into the goal

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Oh my

    18. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Who is worse? Kepa or Dubravka ?

      1. The 12th Man
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Pickford

    19. BigBillyBass
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      We are an absolute embarrassment

      1. Epic Fail
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        We as in posters on here?

        Agreed.

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

          Toon

      2. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Wont be relegated. Be happy. If sheik Salman buys you you'll beat City

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

          That will not happen

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

        If you mean Newcastle, then you should not be playing Rose and Lozaro. They are going to need a lot of time to bed in.

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

          What’s the point in benching them when we have them on loan? Ridiculous comment

    20. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Özil robbing some baps of Auba?

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 2 months ago

        Naaah

    21. Arteta
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      ÖZILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

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

      Arsenal finally out of Negative goal difference for the season

    23. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil haunts doubters

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

      Ozil ..... really
      What a time to be alive

    25. david31058
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Yes, martinelli stays on the bench - doucoure 9 pts incoming!

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

      Green arrow confirmed this GW 🙂

    27. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 2 months ago

      Ozil HAUNTS 2016 sellers