Dugout Discussion

Alli returns for Spurs as Bergwin drops to the bench

Dele Alli (£8.3m) is straight back in the Spurs line-up for Gameweek 31+ as Spurs host West Ham in a London derby.

The mid-priced midfielder missed Double Gameweek 30+ due to a social-media-related suspension but has no issues breaking back into Jose Mourinho’s team at the first time of asking.

Alli takes up the number 10 role, fulfilled by Erik Lamela (£5.7m) against Manchester United, hoping to get back to his pre-lockdown form, which yielded five attacking returns between Gameweeks 24 and 29.

The return of the England international sees Lamela drop to the bench, but Double Gameweek 30+ goalscorer Steven Bergwijn (£7.4m) suffers the same fate.

His wide-attacking midfield berth has been handed to the returning Lucas Moura (£7.1m), who missed the Manchester United game through injury.

While Alli poses some potential as a differential, the main Fantasy focus from this London derby will, of course, be on Son Heung-min (£9.7m).

The South Korean is owned by just 7.9% worldwide, but he still sits in 40% of squads inside the top 10,000 managers.

Furthermore, 6.7% of those at that level have handed him the armband for Gameweek 31+.

As ever, there is little interest in the West Ham assets, their 4-3-3 line-up probably more encouraging for the 6% invested in Serge Aurier (£4.9m) more than anything else.

Still without a recognised striker in the starting XI due to Sébastien Haller‘s (£6.8m) injury, David Moyes has named a front-three consisting of midfielders.

Pablo Fornals (£6.0m), typically deployed in the middle, sits on one side of Michail Antonio (£6.9m) with Jarrod Bowen (£6.4m) on the other.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski; Cresswell, Balbuena, Diop, Fredericks; Rice, Soucek, Noble; Fornals, Antonio, Bowen.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris; B Davies, D Sánchez, Dier, Aurier; Sissoko, Lo Celso; Son, Alli, Moura; Kane.

1,583 Comments Post a Comment
  1. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    0-1 West Ham written all over it

  2. The Mighty Hippo
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Regarding the Son offside. It's pretty clear that he was technically offside, by a couple of inches or so. However, looking at the replay it's also clear that he was closely watching the last defender and trying to ensure he stayed onside. The measurement of bum to toe distance between the two players takes away the subjective opinion of the VAR reviewer to conclude that on balance he was in line with the last defender.

    Hopefully VAR will allow a more subjective interpretation of this rule next season.

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      You're either onside or offside, agree with VAR even as a frustrated Son owner

      1. The Mighty Hippo
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        It's a fair point, but I think it should allow room for interpretation.

        1. goriuanx
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          There's no point of VAR if it goes to opinion.

          Offside is binary.

    2. CloudSky
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      There is nothing subjective about the offside rule. Where do you draw the line if its decided subjectively?

      1. The Mighty Hippo
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I'd say that if it was clear the player was consciously looking to stay onside and hold the line then an incremental measurement shouldn't be applied.

        1. CloudSky
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          So if hes closer than Son was but is looking the other way its offside? How do you decide if he was consciously looking to stay onside or if he was just looking at the pass from his teammate? So many ifs and buts.

        2. Scholes Out For Summer
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Then players would complain 100% of the time that they were consciously looking to stay onside.

          Where do you draw the line on a two footed challenge next? Are we going to debate on if it was 1.5 foot challenge or a 2 foot challenge?

    3. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      He was looking at the passer, not the def. Probably felt safe because Kane was even further offside

    4. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      That decision wasn't some borderline pixel splitting inconclusive call though. And the review was reasonably quick,

    5. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Key word is technically, which is what the ref is going for. The players know how marginal VAR is, so why not be safe and stay back a half meter?

      The rules need to be changed and the wording needs to be crystal clear so VAR can be used better

    6. ReindeerHotdog
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      There's nothing to debate. An offside isn't subjective. It either is offside or it's not.
      This one was. The video footage showed us it was. VAR did it's job in preventing a illegitimate goal being given.

      Nothing more needs to be said unless people want to whine/moan about it, which, er, seems to be case.

      1. The Mighty Hippo
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        I'm not whining about it. I just think it would actually be good to provide some latitude for interpretation.

      2. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Subjective isn't entirely wrong. Maybe "manual" might be a better term, but that involves subjectivity. We pretend that it is automated technology and foolproof, but someone is deciding where parts of the body begin and end, and I don't know how the distance to the floor is calculated.

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 10 months ago

          Not to mention that there's no margin for error given based on the frame rate which can obscure the moment the ball was struck as well as the position of the player at that time.

          I'm pro VAR, but we should be honest about the foibles

    7. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Definitely

  3. yakirh
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Any chance Rico starts against Newcastle?

  4. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Kane earns a yellow card that was never a yellow card. Typical.

  5. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Keeping vardy another game then switching to Jesus might be a good idea

    1. Nightf0x
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Yes thats what im going to do, or go to ings and upgrade elsewhere

  6. POLSKA GOLA
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Ben Davis destined for 3 baps if Spurs keep a clean sheet

  7. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Come back on West Ham! Destroy that CS

  8. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Drama in this game would mean nothing if the score remains 0-0. This is still boring.

  9. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Kane pinging shots towards the goal now. A good sign

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Kane growing into it.

  11. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Major fail picking Son.

    1. Arctic monkeys
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Cry me a river

    2. Annie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      He’ll come good

    3. Nightf0x
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Didnt like his positioning very wide

  12. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    This is vintage Mourinho

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Signature moan coming up

  13. Budweiser
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Kane just doesn't score from open play anymore

  14. Rains of Castamere
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Dele Alli more like Ali Dia.

  15. gers23
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Any bonus for Ryan?

  16. Riverside Red
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Kane starting to improve

  17. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    I think everyone is giving VAR a bashing for making the game boring because of the circumstances, the players being rusty and out of shape is a big factor too. On VAR however, yes it definitely needs to be tweaked and the offsides need to be analyzed faster. Why do I need to wait to then watch some guy on a computer Draw two arbitrary lines which may or may not be at the exact moment the ball left the passers foot. We need a better system (thicker lines or something) that allows some range of error. As for penalties and everything else...I dunno what to say, it’s all over the place and so arbitrary. If they don’t want to make people angry by making the wrong decisions they need to start reffing with only AI and that’s not going to happen

    1. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Love the thicker lines idea

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Thicker lines would may it even more confusing for the audience. It's one of the most opaque aspects of VAR right now imo. Lines should be thin for accuracy. Why go thick except to introduce confusion and excuses?

      If there's a margin given for whatever reason, you could depict this with a thicker line, but that would need to be communicated clearly to the audience, and preferably in the graphical depiction of the line itself.

  18. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Game opening up now

  19. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Game's starting to open up!

    What are you all going to whine about now?! 😉

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Son failing surely

  20. 420king
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Selfish Harry, Aurier was open 🙂

    1. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      I think he made the right decision, just not accurate enough.

    2. Legendary!
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      That was Sissoko. Guaranteed to balloon it over

      1. 420king
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 10 months ago

        Ooops. I swear I'm not racist! 🙂

  21. Magic Hamster
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Safest Man City Mid for the rest of the season? (well as safe as it can get with pep's love for rotation)

    I'm thinking Mahrez - also form is in his favor.

    Or is it just Russian roulette - pick one and accept the disappointment that will inevitably follow?

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      Roulette

  22. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Great break..

  23. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    More like Haha Kane 😆

  24. POLSKA GOLA
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    What a miss from Kane

  25. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Dele off lamela on

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 10 months ago

      59mins

  26. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Alli off Lamela on 58'

  27. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Lamela already had his shirt off expecting Kane to score

  28. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Alli 58

  29. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Dele world class performance

  30. Silecro
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 10 months ago

    Dele off before 60