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

    Time to score Leicester

  2. Karhumies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Arsenal top of the league with red cards.

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

      Again

    2. SAY MY NAME
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      well we've gotta win something 🙂

  3. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Martinez owners fair play jesus

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

      Can't make a keeper call to save my life, but his 9 points are staring at me on the bench. Hopefully Pope can do his thing.

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

    Auba gonna lose one bap?

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

      With more easy saves, yes.

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

    Feels make or break for Leicester’s top 4 hopes.

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

      Let’s hope so

  6. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Think I'll keep Eddie, will be well rested for avl + WAT 😎

    Thankfully I have PVA ahead of him on the bench in case of Pep roulette or Bruno training ground injury

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

      Serious foul play, no?

      3 game ban.

      1. Team Cruel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        tot LIV mci 😎

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

          FACing hell.

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

          This !

    2. Utopsis
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      You think he starts after his conduct?

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

    Martinez yellow for time wasting coming up

  8. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    No chance that Arsenal keep CS after RC

    1. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      They used to be the masters of it young one.

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

        Surely arsenal can’t win 1-nil?!??

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

    To be fair, Arteta has just got done telling him to press that MF hard, slapped his hand hree times to drive home the point

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

    Next save is worth 2 points for Martinez.

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

      Maybe 3

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

    My planned transfer was Nketiah to Vardy. Might as well make it tonight now.

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

    Pep's gonna keep Sterling rooted to the bench so I get Nketiah first sub points isn't he?

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

      He usually sits the whole game out if he doesn’t start.

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

      Sterling up front. Complementing Jesus in public for the inevitable benching tomorrow.

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

      Nah, Sterling will start up front. Jesus to be benched.

  13. Fred54
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Need cheering up, someone admit to playing Eddie on the phone.

  14. Champions united
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    On wc y/n
    Auba or vardy
    Sell salah+,son to get pulisic +mahreZ

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

    Is Torriera above 5 foot? Looks like Ronnie Corbet in midfield

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

      He’s a roomba

  16. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Rest Martinez now Mikel !!

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

    Vardy pre-Bournemouth audition about as convincing as kane's was

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

      Still getting
      Still capping

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

      Timing

  18. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Get Auba or Vardy for the run in?

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Auba

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

    Will Alisson get rotated? Foster has got to go, can't even keep out Norwich.

  20. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    FFS Martinez on bench again
    .
    damn you Pope

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

      Yup Pope 2 pointer coming up.

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

      I get it wrong every time!

  21. Nomar
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    One more save for Martinez please.

    1. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Why? He is on 4

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I thought he was on 5

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

    One more goal for Leicester, please

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

    Martinez and Ings on bench, Vardy playing.

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

      Timing

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

    Vardy goal

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

    Martinez deducted a save.

    Presumably the Kasper ‘shot’.

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

    FFS NOOOO

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

    Vardy G

    Subject to VAR

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

    Leicester look a bit lost without Maddison.

  29. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Vardinhooooooooooooo

  30. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Vardy goal. Right he’s in for Bournemouth

    1. Vazza
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yesssss