Dugout Discussion

Bale makes first league start of season alongside well-owned Kane and Son

After scoring a late winner against Brighton last Sunday, Gareth Bale (£9.5m) is set to make his first league start for Tottenham Hotspur since returning to north London.

The man on loan from Real Madrid will star in a fearsome front three alongside Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Son Heung-min (£9.6m) – the season’s two highest FPL scorers – with Matt Doherty (£5.8m) and Sergio Reguilon (£5.6m) retaining their spots at full-back.

Bale replaces Erik Lamela (£5.8m) in head coach Jose Mourinho’s only change from the 2-1 win over the Seagulls, which gave Spurs their first home win of the season.

It’s a different story for them on the road though, winning all three away matches at a combined score of 12-3. The many managers who have captained either Kane or Son this weekend will be expecting to repeat this 4-1 average against a winless side currently sat in 18th place.

Kane scored his 200th Spurs goal in Thursday night’s Europa League win over Ludogorets and has a superb record against today’s opponents West Bromwich Albion, netting seven times in seven matches.

This slow start to the season has put Slaven Bilic under pressure and his reaction is to make three changes from their 2-0 defeat at previously winless Fulham.

Matheus Pereira (£5.9m) and Grady Diangana (£5.5m) starred in the Baggies’ promotion push but both make way in an apparent switch to 5-4-1.

Branislav Ivanovic (£4.5m) is the third man to miss out, as he and Pereira have returned positive coronavirus tests ahead of the international break.

In their places come Callum Robinson (£5.5m), Kyle Bartley (£4.5m) and Dara O’Shea (£4.3m), with the latter two playing their first minutes since completing all of West Brom’s first four games.

Robinson scored twice in Gameweek 3’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Chelsea and Bilic is counting on both he and Karlan Grant (£5.9m) to provide the goals that could save his job.

West Brom are undefeated in their last three home clashes with Spurs.


WEST BROMWICH ALBION XI (5-4-1): Johnstone; Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea, Townsend; Krovinovic, Livermore, Gallagher, Robinson; Grant.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR XI (4-3-3): Lloris; Doherty, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon; Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Sissoko; Bale, Son, Kane

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FPLMarc Newcastle fan that spends far too much time thinking about FPL.

1,497 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Son made a shot 😮

  2. HollywoodXI
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Kane will score a penalty

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

    Lo Celso bringing the key for the lock...

    1. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He brought the wrong key the idiot

  4. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Ffs need a goal here Son

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

      Need a brace mate.
      Having a horror week so far.

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah that’d do too. Can’t have a third captain fail ina row

  5. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    This season is so random, can't follow form or fixtures... I'll still keep following fixtures, but not convinced it will work.

    1. Top Dog
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Feeling your pain, and similar mindset. Issue is trying to identify the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fixtures

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

    I captained Kane and actually want him to blank now. I deserve punishment for my ridiculous pick.

    1. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Mate

    2. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      As a Kane captainer I love this, love it.

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

      You deserve punishment for your ridiculous attitude

    4. Joey Tribbiani
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Season over?

    5. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Self-flagellation, save it for Easter 😉

  7. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Take Bale out, bring Moura or Alli in

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Defo Moura

    2. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      The curse of Gareth Bale

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

    Is it looking more like Kane or Son will score?

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Going to the wire

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

      Neither tbh

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

    I can't believe WBA might earn a CS

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Still a lot to play

  10. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    BARNES you absolute bum go jump off the Leicester pier... Tired of your useless presence

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

      I sold for Grealish

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He has FUL soon...

    3. Top Dog
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You do know he’s sub, and therefore not present

    4. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Only casuals would own Barnes

  11. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Bale wastes great counter attack opportunity with a silly pass

  12. james 101
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Spurs mainly score in the second half though right?

  13. Dr. Ante Pavlovic
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Was so close captaining Chilwell

    1. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah right!

      1. Dr. Ante Pavlovic
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah he's my vc really. Came here with that suggestion and everyone raged at me.

        1. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Fair enough - would have been a brave move. Yeah I can imagine the reaction on here 🙂 Who's your C?

  14. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    So Chillwell (C) really was the best option

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yep

    2. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ziyech would have been better for me

    3. Sad Pablo Arsecobar
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I had Bruno no captain. Sad face

  15. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Come on Baggies! Get the win and the clean sheet please boys..

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

    Bale is still in la liga pace

  17. Royal5
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    What the hell. He played it back to the keeper.

  18. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    There's bound to be a Kane penalty at some point. Keep the faith lads!

  19. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Podence goal and a Saiss cameo, 1-1FT would be lush

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Podence is so attacking, might keep him for the fixture swing.

      1. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        He's Hazard-lite

      2. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Man I’m tempted, but I’m looking at Robbo Podence Kane to Chilwell Bruno/KDB Antonio...

  20. Pedram
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    WBA's defense is underrated

    1. Clintymints
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      They can work as a unit unlike Fulham

      All these easy fixtures on paper such as WBA, Newcastle, Wham etc. all line up with 451 or 541 defensive units that cause frustration like this. Maybe the tougher fixtures are undervalued especially this season which is all over the place

  21. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Spurs getting closer ...

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yep encouraging

  22. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Diangana on, WBA could nick something

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

    Son not involved that much in attack.

    So much for so called fantasy experts.

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      WBA players listened to the casts

  24. jb1985
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Not sure which is better kane, Bowen, Bissouma to...

    Martinet, Steer
    Chilwell, R.James, Justin, Coufal, Mitchell
    Sterling, Salah, Son, *, *
    DCL, Brewster, *

    A) Jesus, Jota (if Jota starts today) & Grealish
    B) Martial, Ziyech, Bowen
    C) Antonio, Fernandes, Jota
    D) Richarlison, Bamford (Brewster & keep Bowen) Grealish

  25. Lovren an elevator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    How is Barnes dropped?! I just brought him in!

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

      Every team that plays wolves tend to go towards a diamond with a #10. It’s happened all season. That’s why De Bruyne played there, but people got excited thinking it’s his permanent position

    2. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Why did you do that?

      I sold him not long ago. Was frustrating to own

  26. Agger
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Sold Salah for Aubamayeng(C) so later is gonna be very interesting!

  27. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Kane crossing in then box while lo Celso and regullion have attempts in the box

  28. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    WBA almost score

  29. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Spurs should lose this one