Dugout Discussion

Alexander-Arnold absent as Martínez starts in goal for Arsenal

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.5m) remains absent for Liverpool as their preparations for the 2020/21 campaign continue with the Community Shield final.

The right-back has already missed two pre-season friendlies this summer and, even though Jurgen Klopp said there was a chance he could be involved at Wembley, Neco Williams (£4.0m) has been handed a third-successive start in his place.

It is difficult to be too downbeat regarding Alexander-Arnold’s fitness issues though, considering he is still set to report for England duty on Monday morning.

The rest of Liverpool’s Community Shield line-up is largely as expected with Andrew Robertson (£7.0m), Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) and Joe Gomez (£5.5m) completing the back-four.

And, of course, Mohamed Salah (£12.0m), Sadio Mané (£12.0m) and Roberto Firmino (£9.5m) comprise the front-three, although, based on Klopp’s pre-match press conference, we could see Rhian Brewster (£4.5m) feature from the bench.

Mikel Arteta may have potentially thrown Fantasy managers a bone with his team selection, handing a start to budget goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez (£4.5m).

The Spaniard has not featured in friendlies for the Gunners yet, Bernd Leno (£5.0m) starting the win at MK Dons, but, at the first chance of availability, he is back in the team following an excellent run of form during Project Restart.

If he were to hold onto the mantel of first-choice at Arsenal, that might ward off interest in William Saliba (£4.5m), who has been named among the substitutes today.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£12.0m) is stationed on the left-hand side of the Arsenal front-three, joined there by Bukayo Saka (£5.5m) and Eddie Nketiah (£6.0m).

Interestingly, after spending last season on loan in Turkey, Mohamed Elneny (yet to be priced) starts in central midfield alongside Granit Xhaka (£5.5m).

Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson, van Dijk, Gomez, N Williams; Wijnaldum, Milner, Fabinho; Mané, Firmino, Salah.

Arsenal XI (3-4-3): Martínez; Tierney, Holding, D Luiz; Maitland-Niles, Xhaka, Elneny, Bellerín; Aubameyang, Nketiah, Saka.

1,404 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 7 months ago

    Wembley double done. Bring on next season!!

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      You can take Wembley on rent tbh 😆

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

    Is Luke Thomas now first choice at LB/LWB with Chilwell gone?

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

      Expected to sign a replacement, Tagliafico linked.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Commentator's nightmare 😀

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

          Minute the camera panned to him, I knew...

    2. @persecuted_by_mods
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Leicester fans seem to think Justin who is currently covering on the right for Pereira will move across to the left when Pereira is back

        Or they might just sign an LB

    3. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Liverpool lost the game from two mistakes made by the academy lads. Tough pill to swallow.

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

        Making the mistakes on Tuesday and today is a good thing.

      2. WVA
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Hey!? They barely had a shot! Aubas goal was quality, Trent wouldn't have done anything different

    4. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Liverpool embarrassed time and again since wrapping up the title.

      City 4-0, Arsenal x2...

      1. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Aye, losing games that don't matter

        1. Cok3y5murf
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          That's the best excuse they can come up with 🙂

          1. goriuanx
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            That's all I can think of 😉

            We've been poor since Jan in my opinion. Very stale midfield, biggest issue

        2. Goonsquad245
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          The English football Grand Final doesn’t matter?!

          1. goriuanx
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            You stuck by your word haha what a fella

            1. Goonsquad245
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              😀

    5. Optimus.
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      I'm with Bobb, just null and void the season.

    6. WVA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Well it's quite clearly Mane over Salah on that performance

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        or neither

      2. Cok3y5murf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        I was thinking neither

      3. Amey
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Salah for one GW. Then sell 😉

      4. Goonsquad245
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Definitely mane or neither. Did Salah even have a shot?

        1. Cok3y5murf
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Wouldn't have mattered because he would've missed anyway

    7. SMOOTH
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      where can i find xg for this game

      1. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        understat

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Classic

    8. sergioaguero67
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Best 4.5m midfielder apart from Stephens?

      Best 4.0m defender

      Please help

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Bissouma and Johnson

      2. Silecro
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Bissouma
        Mitchell

      3. jimski
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Romeu or Bissouma (or Anguissa if he stays at Fulham).
        MItchell.

      4. Legohair
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        If, i mean IF Emile Smith-Rowe gets loan move to fulham, then him

      5. pingissimus
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Could be a Palace double if McCarthy recovers - close to first choice central midfield

        Bissouma/McCarthy
        Mitchell

      6. KujaliaFC
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Gordon and Mitchell.

    9. yalala
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Messi plus:

      1. Salah
      2. Auba
      3. KDB

      ??

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Kdb

      2. Flair
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        KDB and that's it

    10. Right In The Stanchion
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 7 months ago

      Jay Rodriguez on pens at Everton? Expecting big things from the Burnley lad

      1. TheTruth
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Ok mate....we get the joke.

        1. Right In The Stanchion
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          What joke?

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

      Liverpool won’t bounce back from a Community Shield penalty loss, long season ahead!

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 7 months ago

          They haven't truly bounced back since the Watford loss which is more worrying

        • Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Klopp will go into shell and look to close games out to get some winning run back !

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

        We really need more info on the TAA situation. What is going on?

        1. Goonsquad245
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Sell

        2. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          I want THETRUTH

          1. TheTruth
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Lol

          2. KujaliaFC
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            I ORDERED the CODE RED!

      3. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Arsenal stalwart Mohamed Elneny carrying the prestigious charity shield around the Wembley turf

        Right up there with Tony Adams, Pat Viera & Thierry Henry in terms of his devotion to the club

        Brings a tear to the eye

      4. AK ⭐
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Following on from my previous hot topic on Chelsea's system in the new season, I have treid to analyse how Chelsea have played in their first game.

        Hot Topic

        https://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/2020/08/24/son-takes-advantage-of-kane-absence-to-brace-in-spurs-pre-season-opener/?hc_page=1&hc_sort_by=comment_date#hc_comment_22286328

        Analysis link

        https://twitter.com/AK_FPL1/status/1299740562493333505

        Key pointers :

        - Midfielders could be undervalued big time. Especially Pulisic.
        - Defence needs improvements still. Set pieces still weak.
        - Werner not a conventional #9
        - Ziyech crosses are a thing of beauty

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Ziyech Pulisc double up ? 😀

          1. ivantys
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Pulisic might not play for a couple of weeks but once he's back Chelsea will sure start firing in goals for fun.

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Yup

        2. Flair
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Werner was very interesting, unusual to see a forward drift so wide so that he's a second left winger. I noticed - as you did - that he linked up with CHO on the left quite a bit but it clearly didn't stop him from getting in the box and scoring! He already looks more than a decent fit for Chelsea, combines Giroud's hold up play with Abraham's poacher instincts (sort of), giving the best of both worlds at a high level.

          1. Cok3y5murf
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            It actually put me off him a bit. Also thought Brighton looked pretty solid. Don't see a haul in that game and then it's Liverpool

            1. Flair
              • 3 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Has West Brom and Palace after that so I'm happy with starting with him, my early prediction is he'll be 4 in 4 after those matches. Liverpool don't look great either, though I expect that will change if Henderson starts.

          2. ritzyd
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Was surprised how often he dropped deep too

          3. AK ⭐
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Yup, that's how he used to play at Leipzig so I am not actually surprised. You'd have also seen a 4-2-2-2 formation where he left striker and RLC right.

            Thing about Werner is he will do all these things, yet somehow manage to get into goalscoring positions. That's just how his positioning usually is.

            Pulisic and Havertz (if he signs) are going to be amazing because of this imo

        3. Goonsquad245
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Best potential treble up based on that AK?

          Pulisic and Havertz (price dependant) sounds good from what you’ve said. Then I guess it’s Werner or Ziyech?

          1. AK ⭐
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Yes, I'd say Werner, Pulisic, Havertz.

        4. ThisPostsOnFire
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          The thing is, those set-pieces aren't going to improve. They weren't addressed at all last season and that has nothing to do with players, that's the coaching staff somehow failing for an entire season to shut things down.

          Chelsea defence is a big fat NO for this reason as well as the fact that they play a Bayern height defensive line, without Bayern's ability with recovery runs.

          Werner will tear it up, as will havertz if he signs.

          We saw Willian perform as good if not better than ever after lockdown as far as returns go, and if he can do it then Werner, Pulisic and Havertz would be nuts.

          1. AK ⭐
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            On the flipside though, it's exactly what was bothering Liverpool before they signed VvD. They used to concede on set pieces just like us. That's why I'm just hoping that Thiago Silva has some influence on them.

            But yes, I wouldn't go near the Chelsea defence right now.

      5. I Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Will still start with Salah but an immediate swap to Bruno Fernandes in GW2 looks tempting.

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Yup

        2. ivantys
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Yeah bruno and martial are must haves in manu team, although I'm worried about GW3's transfer if I skip KDB that week his price might just go up more.

          1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Hardly 'must haves' loads of decent options at those prices and down.

      6. goriuanx
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Prediction: Liverpool play awful and get off to a long winning run

        1. Nanoelektronicar
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          But defending has to be on the top top level for those kind of wins.

          1. goriuanx
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Did it all last season with the likes of Adrian conceding every week

            1. Nanoelektronicar
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Mentality monsters. But still it will be hard to break defenses that sit deep.

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

            No just need the var luck

      7. Jensen Luiz Coleman
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Salah very poor today and Alisson never looked as if he was going to save a penalty.

        Only good news from a Liverpool viewpoint is that Minamino seems to have some fire in his belly at last.

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

          Shame he'll never play

      8. mgilbert86
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Thinking Auba - Fernandes - Sterling

        Too much money in midfield?

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

          Not necessarily - depends who else you have to start to accommodate this

        2. Z
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Noup

        3. Jullepuu
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Nope

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

          Not at all that looks perfect and easily affordable

          McCarthy Nyland
          TAA Dier Egan Vinagre Taylor
          Auba Sterling Fernandes ASM Soucek
          Werner Mitrovic Brewster

          Still 0.5 ITB

      9. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Arsenal have scalped Man City, Chelsea and now Liverpool in the last few months.

        Impressive.

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

          Already did it in july

        2. Siva Mohan
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          July & August belong to Arsenal every season .. they stay top of the table for 1.5 to 2 months 😀

          sorry Gunners!

          1. KujaliaFC
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Arsenal always starts the season top.

            Only Accrington Stanley can stop them.

      10. Cruz88
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Ziyech flagged...

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

          Came off injured

      11. KGFC
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Any update on Ziyech's injury?

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          As per the the official Chelsea website: "After the game Lampard described it as a little twist to the knee that will be looked at."

          1. Z
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            S*it

          2. KGFC
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Ah ok, thanks Siva!
            Something to monitor along with TAA

          3. Bun Rab
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Also in that report Chelsea say "Reece James at right-back had a shot across goal in the opening few seconds and it did not take much longer for Chelsea to take the lead. Ziyech sent a long, diagonal ball into the penalty area where Callum Hudson-Odoi chested it back and Werner had a simple task to score from close-range." Lies I tell you! I don't trust them! 😀

            1. KGFC
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              So you think the injury is nothing or worse off?

              1. Bun Rab
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Not at all. I was just reading the same report and noticed that and had to laugh.

      12. Red Red Robins
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Would Henderson and TAA both starting made a difference?

        1. xHaTr
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Liverpool are always substantially worse when Henderson doesnt play. Sounds strange but his influence cant be underestimated

        2. Nanoelektronicar
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Massive imo. Liverpool would be more dangerous from the right and centre. Attacks went mostly through Robertson and Mane.

        3. Red Red Robins
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Agree with you both, Robertson was great, but if they had TAA on the other flank as well would be an improvement.
          My thoughts are to stick with both TAA and Robertson and not panic. Not transfering either out.

        4. mgilbert86
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          TAA wouldn't have made the right hand side more solid, thought klopp should have played gomez there from the start if trent was not fit

          1. Red Red Robins
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Im more thinking about going TAA forward tbh.
            Hope they really start well 1st game, got both TAA and Robbo in

          2. ThisPostsOnFire
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            He wouldn't necessarily make the side more solid in the defensive phase, but as the sides main playmaker, he does bring solidity with his distribution; where he intermittently picks out killer passes and passes maintaing progression up the field and through opposing lines.

        5. Bushwhacker
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Finishing chances would have made a difference. Bit rusty, outplayed Arsenal, should've won. Happens.

      13. mgilbert86
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Seems popular opinion is Liverpool Mid and Son or Ziyech to immediate transfer to Man City and Man Utd midfielder?

      14. Flynny
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Who are the 4.5m defenders who can be considered medium to long term picks who are nailed and have favourable games in gw1 and gw2?

        Want to hang onto the wildcard. Don't want to waste transfers on short term 4.5s like Justin really....

        Can't find many / any that fit the bill. Will need to be playable gw1 and 2.

        Thanks

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          KWP

          1. Flynny
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Yup.....but have Mccarthy in goal...

            Worth swapping Mccarthy to Ryan so I can have kwp??? Not sure....

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              I'm doing exactly that mate

              1. Flynny
                • 9 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Interesting. Cheers

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

        Ill still have Salah for GW1

        But if he still plays this way vs leeds definitely selling him for bruno/city before Aubameyang

        1. mgilbert86
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          seems a good shield for any huge GW1 points and since City/utd don't have a game its fairly safe

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

            Yes exactly. No matter how bad he looks an explosion is never too far away so too risky to go without for a n easy home game and a placeholder for others if it fails

        2. KujaliaFC
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          I've swapped mine out for Mane.

        3. Amey
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          I'm going to sell even if he scores a hattrick.
          Flat track bully !
          Don't need till GW 6

      16. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 7 months ago

        Maybe wise for the mods to go on a course to learn how to deal with accusations of racism. Seems to me jumping in two-footed saying something is not racist when it turns out it was means something went awry somewhere 🙂

        1. Siva Mohan
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          jumping in two-footed is a straight red card (for anyone)

        2. Ginkapo FPL
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 7 months ago

          Let them discuss it behind the scenes. Work with them not against them.

          1. Now I'm Panicking
            • 9 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Just trying to be my usual helpful self 🙂

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

          If youre talking about the username that certianly wasnt racist and isnt considered in my country where the language is the one used in the username. Thats like calling black panther a racist movie title

          1. Fudgy
            • 4 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Thanks for the insight. The overly sensitive/triggered lot won't listen to you though.

          2. Siva Mohan
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            right.. what he meant was dining with Kante by sharing his fav Kaali Dal. I get it.

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

              What exactly was racist about it in your opinion? Would like to know maybe im being ignorant about it. I dont think associating the word black with a black person makes it racist but maybe concepts are changing

              1. Siva Mohan
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                would you be OK if I use 'Black Dog' next to Sterling pic?

                It's only Scotch Whisky anyway

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

                  Dog is a degradery term

                  1. Siva Mohan
                    • 11 Years
                    3 years, 7 months ago

                    come on .. it's whiskey, consumable

                    how about BLACK PEPPER?

              2. Cok3y5murf
                • 7 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                Black isn't a racist term. But that's not what he was doing. He was associating a food that's black in color with the skin color of Kante in his grav. That's very inappropriate. I'm Indian myself, but Hindi isn't my first language, so I didn't notice it at first.

          3. @persecuted_by_mods
              3 years, 7 months ago

              How are you ignoring the grav in combination with the words, don't be deliberately obtuse

            • Now I'm Panicking
              • 9 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              I have absolutely no idea myself, but the action that has been taken seems to suggest otherwise.

              I'm talking about how it was handled in any case.

          4. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            I assume the mod 'took a knee'? And all is now right with the world? 😉

          5. MTPockets
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Indeed. Otherwise just seems tolerated until simply deleted and pretend it never happened. Probably putting others off, because it's turning me off.

            • Rainer
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Certainly not their area of expertise.

              Was accused of being racist recently and just told to let it go and carry on as normal. 🙂

            • Amey
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              If this is going with Kaali Dal username it's not about Racism.

              It's a hindi saying means there's something wrong.

              If the poster said something I don't know

            • George Sillett
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Actually I spoke out on here against blatant racist comments and was informed that it was wrong for me to do so. Apparently you are not permitted to accuse anyone of racism on here - the modds will deal with it themselves. Total bollox.

          6. Siva Mohan
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Mane not good at penos?

            1. Amey
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Nope
              Bad actually

              1. Siva Mohan
                • 11 Years
                3 years, 7 months ago

                poor guy

            2. Greek Freak
              • 8 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              Let's just say he's missed twice as many penalties as he's scored!

          7. Z
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            Any comments for Ziyech and Werner today????

          8. mgilbert86
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            I'm not freaking out about Salah, TAA out really hurts him I would imagine

            1. Z
              • 6 Years
              3 years, 7 months ago

              If TAA is out from all preseason game, he is out of my squad...but then i need to think about Salah

          9. KGFC
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 7 months ago

            So who all have now swapped their captain option for GW1 from Salah to Auba.