Dugout Discussion

Rodríguez returns on Everton bench as West Ham recall Coufal

Everton and West Ham’s matchday squads are beginning to edge closer to full-strength as of their Gameweek 17 teamsheets.

James Rodríguez (£7.7m) returns for the first time since Gameweek 11 although is only fit enough for a place on the Toffees’ bench.

For now, Bernard (£5.8m) occupies his slot on the right-hand side of Everton’s attacking midfield, joined there by Gylfi Sigurdsson (£6.8m) and Richarlison (£7.8m).

How long until Rodríguez will be ready to start games regularly again remains unclear but Fantasy managers will certainly have him on their radars.

However, anyone invested in Michael Keane (£5.1m) will be disappointed by Carlo Ancelotti’s team selection in Gameweek 17, with the centre-back named on the bench for the first time this season.

Mason Holgate (£4.8m) tucks inside from his recent right-back role to staff the heart of the defence with Yerry Mina (£5.6m) with Seamus Coleman (£4.8m) making his first start since Gameweek 8.

It is a similar story with West Ham who, once again, feature Michail Antonio (£6.2m) on the bench, which makes for a seventh successive start for Sebastien Haller (£6.1m), but suggests they could be back to full-strength soon.

Fantasy managers will certainly have their eye on that situation, especially with West Ham’s appealing fixtures in Double Gameweek 19, where they host Burnley and West Bromwich Albion.

David Moyes has recalled Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m) to the line-up, having rested him against Southampton but Issa Diop (£4.3m) and Fabian Balbuena (£4.4m) remain out of the starting XI, Craig Dawson (£4.5m) impressing enough in his Gameweek 16 audition to keep his place.

Everton XI: Pickford; Godfrey, Mina, Holgate, Coleman; Doucouré, T Davies; Richarlison, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Calvert-Lewin.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Dawson, Coufal; Rice, Soucek; Benrahma, Fornals, Bowen; Haller.

1,770 Comments Post a Comment
  1. denial
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Got Johnstone and Soucek in for a hit. Lol.

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

      Top of the page too.

      1. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        late christmas presents

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Love it when a plan comes together

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

        Ha. Exactly. I need a bit of luck tbf

  2. antis0cial
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Played dcl, benched Soucek and coufal... good start!

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

      Lol same here. Strong squads

  3. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    I brought soucek in this gw ...oh my

  4. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cresswell first on bench... maybe I won’t mind if Cancelo has covid afterall 😆

    1. Parsnips
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Same here haha

  5. Roy Hudd
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    2 deflections and it's a Cresswell assist? Wtf?! Hahaha. What a joke.

    1. Sterling Malory
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Of course it's a Cresswell assist.

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

      His shot was off target and cross was deflected as well.

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

      Surely removed later on?

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

    Why tf did I play DCL and bench Soucek.

    1. Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Cause you love DCL :p I remember you bantering off the people who were selling him a few weeks ago lol.

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

      As if you were ever going to start Soucek over DCL.

  7. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Now hold Coufal! It'll be beautiful!

  8. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Just had to be Soucek didn’t it, god I hate that guy

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I don't 😀

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I do, despise him, never did anything when I owned him, absolute troll

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

      This! Ridiculous, I went KDB over him and he's destroyed me

  9. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Sou and Cresser sharing the 3 baps

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

    Soucek the new Lundstram

    1. Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Perfect comparison.

  11. Sean
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Che Adams take the weekend off please

  12. Pacer.
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Hands up who has never benched Soucek... whooooooo!

    1. EmreCan Hustle
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      o/

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

      Here I am only own him 3 weeks aswell! 10 points 3 points and 11/10 tonight

      Get in!

      1. Pacer.
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        9,2,2,10,3...11 for me!

  13. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Would have bought Soucek this week, but bl00dy Taylor had to go and get injured 🙁

  14. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Didn't realise Soucek was so low owned. Glad I have him 🙂

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

    Soucek! This time not on bench!

  16. Messiah Hazard
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Cresswell to Holding to be able to afford KDB later not going so well at the moment.

  17. jonnybhoy
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    My transfers this year have been so on point this year. Soucek in just before the deadline to continue the form 🙂

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

    Starting Dallas or Dias over Coufal went bad

    1. Lev Yashin
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Because they've lost their CS already?

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

    Literally ANYONE but Soucek FFS it is becoming an absolute joke now, started the season with him in my team, sold on a WC to go five in midfield and no he scores every week

    1. Jersey Boy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Moaning again?

    2. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      To be fair you did start with him ahead of a Terrible run of fixtures

    3. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yep, did eff all when I had him, I won’t be bringing the troll back in

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

      Same

    5. Karan14
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Now he'll blank twice in the double once everyone gets him.

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

      Moan moan moan

  20. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    If you benched Soucek against Everton you don’t deserve his points

    1. Steve Chance
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I know, but hopefully I'll get them!

  21. Party time
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Dammit

    • Jersey Boy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Was late to the Soucek party but boy does it feel good to be here

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

        This !

    • Parsnips
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Why do I have to Bench Soucek and Coufal!!

      1. Colonel Shoe 肝池
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        ouch

    • OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      I Hate Everton and soucek so much!!!!!!!

    • SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Soucek 1st bench and played Taylor. Hope he's not fit now lol

    • Salan
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Soucek is not a 5th mid sitting bench.

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Exactly this!
        You have to play him as a 4th in 3-4-3 or 5th in 3-5-2

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

          Exactly

        2. Lev Yashin
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          In a 5-3-2 he is your 5th mid

    • Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      would you lose kane for rashford on wc ? thanks and gl

    • Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Hopefully Wilson repays my faith of starting him and benching Soucek!

    • Pedram
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Moyes is a genius

    • Tommy Tynans Left Shin Pad
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Would you play 7 next GW, or FH?

      Already planned to FH GW18 and TC in GW19, but doubting my plan now