Dugout Discussion

Arsenal and Leicester retain three-man backlines for Emirates clash

Mikel Arteta and Brendan Rodgers have kept faith in their respective clubs’ recent switches to a three-man defence for their Emirates Stadium meeting on Tuesday evening.

Arsenal have now been operating in 3-4-3 since Gameweek 31+ winning every match since then without conceding a goal.

As has been the case throughout that run, Sead Kolasinac (£5.2m) sits in the back-three, joined there by David Luiz (£5.7m) and Shkodran Mustafi (£5.1m).

That means Kieran Tierney (£5.3m) and Hector Bellerín (£5.3m) are handed wing-back roles one again, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) and Bukayo Saka (£4.7m) flank Alexandre Lacazette (£9.2m) in the front-three.

As Mason Greenwood‘s (£4.6m) stock continues to rise, Eddie Nketiah (£4.4m) Fantasy credentials are still travelling in the opposite direction. After blanking in the Gameweek 33+ win over Wolves, the former Leeds loanee has been named on the bench for the second time in three matches.

Leicester’s back-three is the foundation for a slightly different shape, featuring Jamie Vardy (£9.7m) and Kelechi Iheanacho (£5.7m) at the front of a 3-4-1-2 formation.

Changing to this system played a big part in the Foxes’ 3-0 win over Crystal Palace last time out, a game in which both of their centre-forwards found the back of the net.

Ayoze Pérez (£6.1m) supports them in a number 10 role tonight with James Justin (£4.7m) and Marc Albrighton (£5.1m) acting as the left and right wing-backs respectively.

That means Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) and James Maddison (£7.4m) have not passed their fitness tests in time, while Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) is named among the substitutes for the fourth match in a row, despite his two assists against Palace.

Arsenal XI: Martínez; Kolasinac, D Luiz, Mustafi; Tierney, Xhaka, Ceballos, Bellerín; Aubameyang, Lacazette, Saka.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel; Söyüncü, Evans, Bennett; Justin, Tielemans, Ndidi, Albrighton; Pérez; Vardy, Iheanacho.

1,215 Comments Post a Comment
  1. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I still think they do better with 10 and more space than laca

    1. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Laca start v tot confirmed

  2. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Dropped him this week for Greenwood. Phew!

  3. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    hmmm, maybe they listened to Jose. That the ref isnt the guy on the pitch, well done that ref

  4. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Seriously, what is the point of VAR if they cannot make that decision, so so obviously a red

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Wut

    2. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      It's literally worked perfectly there

      1. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        They had to watch it 74 times!?

  5. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    That's a harsh red card.

    1. Brehmeren
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      lol

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Nah. When you look at Justin's leg cave inwards on contact, that is a bad tackle. If Justin had his leg in an extended position then his leg would have been broken.

    3. Predator
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Ok

  6. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Why don’t the refs just check the screen straight away! Would be much better than standing around waiting for someone in the office to make a call.

    1. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I keep saying I really liked the Russia (?) World Cup where they did excatly that. Four things to check for, never more than a couple of minutes. Never any armpits or other bollocks.

    2. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I know. Utterly farcical.

  7. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Laca bandwagon

    1. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      They have Tottenham Away and Pool next so doubt it, as much as I like laca

    2. zotter
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bad fixtures

  8. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Alan Smith doing his best to justify it.

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Kasper close

  10. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Emi Martinez is a legend

    1. sandman58
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      You've just jinxed it now ffs

  11. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Nketiah 1st sub

    Plzzzz no rotation

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      2nd sub here, thankfully!

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Same here lol

  12. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Well that’s my first sub in a hideous place. Next week is a mess too. Ah.

    Please don’t rest anyone Jurgen/Pep

  13. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Had to be really

  14. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Arsenal should have gotten 2-0 and 3-0 while they could in the first half.

    1. zotter
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      This

  15. Paul Psychic Octopus
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Alan Smith so biased. Why doesn't he just say "I'm a blinkered Arsenal fan".

    Clearly a red card.

    1. Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      He also played for Leicester. So maybe it’s you who’s biased

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Not sure if the logic works there

        • George Sillett
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Spot on. The psychic one obviously has little recollection of the past.

          1. @persecuted_by_mods
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Playing for two teams doesn't mean you can't favour or prefer one

      2. Gudjohnsen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Did Nketiah to Greenwood for -4

      3. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Young man, don't think was intentional yet it's reckless

      4. Hybrid.power
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Devastated with Martinez on the bench

      5. BobbyDoesNotLook
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Clear red. Could have ended much worse.

      6. Right In The Stanchion
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Arsenal going to throw this away now 🙁

      7. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Alan Smith so biased, yes we know he went for the ball and never had any intent but look at the outcome horrendous dangerous tackle and definite red

          1. Zilla
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Yeah 99% of red card are not with ill intent anyway

        • SackWenger
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Should have kept Laca on

        • TomSaints
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Ok maybe it was...

          I want vardy pen miss

        • Niho992
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Nketiah 1st on the bench ffs. I hope Salah will play

          1. JonSnow
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            He will

        • Camzy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Well everyone better freaking play... Nketiah is my first sub lol.

        • Kodap
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          So good for my ML, guy in second had Saka first sub and Nketiah on starting 11, 1 minute, 1 red card -2, love to see it.

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            That would make my week

        • POLSKA GOLA
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          EPL referee mafia strike again

        • Gudjohnsen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Was it a foul inside the box?

        • FPL ZB
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Had Nketiah starting until this morning. Still terrified he’s about to make his way on

        • Duke Silver ☑
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Was that the first time this season that a ref has used the monitor on the side of the pitch?

          1. DandyDon
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            Maybe one other time. Ridiculous it’s not the norm in my opinion.

          2. Hulk Smash
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            They should do it more often. The whole system has more credibility if the ref on the pitch is given the chance to make or reverse his own decisions.

          3. Forza
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 8 months ago

            I think they used it for the Auba RC.

            1. Forza
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 8 months ago

              Actually it doesn't look like they did, but they apparently did for a Milivojevic RC.