Dugout Discussion

Injury latest as Tierney misses Arsenal’s Blank Gameweek 18 fixture

Kieran Tierney (£5.4m) has left his Fantasy Premier League owners with Blank Gameweek 18 frustration as he missed out on Arsenal’s Thursday-night meeting with Crystal Palace.

Fresh from an 18-point haul against West Bromwich Albion, the left-back was the most-selected defender by managers playing their Free Hit for this midweek round of fixtures (53.7%).

However, Mikel Arteta has taken the decision to leave Tierney out of his Arsenal squad to face the Eagles as a precaution due to “muscle tightness”.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.6m) comes in to the replace the Scottish international on the left-side of defence, allowing Hector Bellerín (£5.1m) to hold onto his right-back berth.

Tierney is not the only Arsenal defender to miss out due to muscle issues, as Pablo Mari (£4.4m) has also been rested for the same reason.

That means starts at centre-back for David Luiz (£5.4m) and Rob Holding (£4.5m), the latter now featuring from the beginning in 11 of the last 12 Premier League matches. Meanwhile, Gabriel (£5.0m) makes a return from self-isolation on Arsenal’s bench.

The Gunners line up in much more predictable fashion higher up the pitch, with Emile Smith Rowe (£4.5m) handed a fourth-straight start at number 10.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£5.3m) flank the budget midfielder behind Alexandre Lacazette (£8.3m) who has four goals in his last three Premier League appearances.

Tyrick Mitchell (£3.9m) is one of the main Fantasy interests in Crystal Palace’s team, owned by 16.1% of managers worldwide.

And Free Hitters were also a big fan of the Eagles’ left-back, Tierney and João Cancelo (£5.8m) the only defenders selected by more managers using that chip for Blank Gameweek 18.

Wilfried Zaha (£7.4m) has blanked in five of the last six Gameweeks but remains in 19.9% of Fantasy teams.

Arsenal v Crystal Palace – Starting Line-ups

Arsenal XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Maitland-Niles, Holding, D Luiz, Bellerín; Xhaka, Ceballos; Aubameyang, Smith Rowe, Saka; Lacazette.

Crystal Palace (4-4-2): Guaita; Mitchell, Kouyaté, Tomkins, Ward; Eze, McArthur, Milivojevic, Townsend; Benteke, Zaha.

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1,247 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Completely wasted my free hit and my rival hasn't used his.

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Fudgy my good man... may I ask you an honest question?

      1. Deulofail
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        15

        1. Forever In Our Shadow
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I’m sure he’s 13.

          1. Deulofail
            • 8 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Typo

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

            95.

        2. Duke Silver ☑
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Too high.

        3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          No more than 12

      2. Captain Vantastic™
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Virgin.

    2. Homer21
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      What did you expect?

      1. kennethrhcp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        No reply at all 🙂

    3. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not completely, you got 2 pts more than I without it. It could have been negative result (my brother missed deadline).

  2. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Oh god, dawning on me I’m stuck with triple arsenal after my workout, could be better just to delete my team

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Wildcard, not workout, workout enough watching this

  3. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Jeeeezzz. Arsenal are shyt

    1. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      What's new

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      You sound surprised

  4. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    GJ Leno lad

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Gooch job?

  5. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How do these moves sound then gents?

    Doing excellently recently so wanna keep it going! 🙂

    Martinez
    Robertson - Dallas - Dias
    Raphinha - Salah - KDB - Bruno - Son
    Bamford - Wilson
    _______________________________
    Forster: Holding: Lindelof: Brewster

    1FT, 0.1 ITB

    How does this sound for a -4?

    Lindelof + Raphinha > Coufal/Stones + Soucek

    Just can’t decide between Coufal and Stones. Feedback a

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Feedback appreciated*

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

      Looks like good moves. I like the City double def for the long term

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Cheers bud, yeah I do like the thought of double city defence, and people seem to think Stones will play both games also 🙂

  6. SilentLemonMan
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Watching this is making me want to do Saka > Soucek and Holding > Coufal for a hit

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I’d happily -8 to get rid.

    2. Chrisitis
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Are they really that bad?

      1. SilentLemonMan
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I was on the fence but this is convincing me to make moves

      2. Baps hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Quite close 😉

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

        Not really. Saka has had a few crosses and is on set pieces. For his price he's a ddcent option.

        Holding currently on a CS after 45 minutes.

        It's standard BS comments on here, that's all it is.

        1. Chrisitis
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Thanks

  7. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Arsenal making benteke look good.

  8. WE GO FOR IT
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Mitchell almost A

  9. The Frenchie
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Aston villa will face Manchester City and Newcastle in this DGW19 but what was initially planned?

    It was already a DGW with City and Everton?

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

      Yep

      1. The Frenchie
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        So Newcastle « earn » a DGW?

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

          Yep.

          Leeds, Southampton, Everton lose a game.

          Newcastle gain a game.

          1. The Frenchie
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Thanks bro. So many change so it’s sometimes difficult to follow. It’s clear now ;-).

        2. Brehmeren
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Correct

  10. Reeker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Martinez
    Dias - James - Robertson - Coufal
    Soucek - Son - Grealish - Salah - Fernandes
    Bamford
    (Peacock-Farrell) (DCL - Dallas - Brewster)

    1 FT - 2.3 million ITB

    What should I prioritise?

    I can do
    1. Brewster to Antonio
    2. Try and get in KDB (0.1 away from Son to KDB)
    3. Try to get in a City defender (James to Cancelo or Stones?)

    Don't like the idea of losing Salah or Fernandes for De Bruyne

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

    Auba off and Tierney on is what is required. Auba a passenger. Shame Tierney is not available.

    1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Tierney is not even on the bench

      1. _Ninja_
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        "Shame Tierney is not available." is the hint here.

  12. Mikha In A Tutu
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Bamford to Antonio
    Klich to Lookman
    Son to KDB
    Worth a -8?

    1. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      No

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

      No

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

      Yes

  13. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Opta must have a direct vs. short corner conversion rate. I'm betting good money the latter is higher. But why is the former so, so, so very popular?

  14. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    SO unfair if Sharteta gets rewarded with a win here

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      String a few lucky wins together and people ignore how bad you actually still are. Ask Ole.

    2. Do I Not Like Orange
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Same with Holding/Bellerin cheapskates being rewarded over those of us who stumped for their best defender.

  15. FPL Doctor
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any suggestions? 1FT 0.2 ITB
    Players with * have DGW.

    Martinez*
    Dias* Justin* Coufal*
    Salah* KDB* Son Bruno* Soucek*
    Bamford Wood*

    Steer R James* Dallas Adams

    A) Adams to Antonio ( ? To bench)
    B) Son + Adams + Steer —> Foden + Antonio / Cavani + GK with DGW (-8)

    Thought?

    1. SilentLemonMan
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      C - get rid of Wood

  16. ABCDEFC
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    LEE vs SOU being postponed has ruined my BB, but still looking at using it.
    Used FH in GW18.

    McCarthy (Johnstone)
    Justin - Robbo - Coufal (Balbuena - Dallas)
    Bruno - Salah - Son - Raphinha (Soucek)
    Kane - Bamford - Adams

    Is it crazy to do this for -16 and BB?
    McCarthy, Balbuena, Son, Kane, Adams to Martinez, Stones, KDB, Antonio, Watkins

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Hmm but too much that for my liking, could work, but I’d side with no

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      DGW madness

    3. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      How many points do expect from bench boost?

      1. Here's Tom with the We…
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Son and Kane out as part of a -16? Wow!

    4. djman102
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      If you're a gambler by nature. You're buying extra tickets to the lottery basically. I personally don't think in general the new players will outscore the old by more than 16 points.

    5. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Too many hits

    6. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yes, thats crazy

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

      The only thinking I have behind this is that getting 5 DGW players is an extra 2 points each, so it comes down to a -6, with 5 players having an extra game.

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

    Got 0-1 Zaha (89 mins) written all over this!

    1. Here's Tom with the We…
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Not sure Arsenal will keep it down to 1.

  18. DARE TO BISCAN
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Am I going too far (-12)?
    DCL, Raphinha, Dallas, Kane > Antonio, Foden, Diaz/Cancelo, Vardy
    Was all set up for a tasty benchboost DGW

  19. MMN
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    1 FT 1.2m ITB. Any suggestions? Would you take a hit or two and BB?

    Potentially Zaha & Kane > Bruno & Watkins/Antonio or Zaha & Son to Soucek & Bruno ...

    McCarthy
    Zouma*, Cancelo*, Stones*, Robbo*
    KDB*, Son, El Ghazi*
    Kane, Wilson*, Bamford

    Forster, Holding, ESR, Zaha

  20. AIRMILES
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Is anyone playing their Triple Cap this weekend, or is it too much of a risk, all things considered?

    1. John Terry’s dog
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I might.
      Playing chips is highlight of my year

    2. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Considering kdb but can see a fixture pile up later in season so will probably hold it

    3. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Maybe on Salah

    4. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Don't trust anyone atm. KdB and Salah have form issues, Bruno has 4 yellows and TC Rashford vs Liv doesn't sound sound.

  21. acidicleo
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How did arsenal manage to con lot of seasoned fpl players??

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

      Cant believe someone was advocating aubameyang

      Anyone who has watched him this season wouldnt even think about it

    2. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Was about to ask the same. Got two of them. Happy to keep Holding but Lacazette...

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

    The arsenal attack is just atrocious

    Just bang average players. No amount of tactics can make them score regularly

    Anyone who sratrted their mids or fwds Free hit or Not is getting deservedly punished

  23. OneDennisBergkamp
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    KDB or Kane for rest of season?

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      KdB

    2. yanky
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      silly if you commit to just one but KDB i guess

      1. OneDennisBergkamp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        general question to see whos preferred, am not saying its what im doing for the rest of the season..

    3. Park the bus
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Mate there’s 20 game weeks left chill

      1. OneDennisBergkamp
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        general question to see whos preferred, am not saying its what im doing for the rest of the season..

  24. yanky
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    not going to BB, but are any of these transfers worth -4 pt hit? I'm bloody 0.1m short of Son > KDB!!

    a) Son Raphinha > KDB Saka (could bench Saka and play James instead)
    b) Son Dias/Cancelo > KDB Stones
    c) Son TAA > KDB Chilwell
    d) Son James > KDB Justin
    e) Son Fabianski > KDB Areola

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Just raph to foden/mahrez and pray kdb doesnt do wreck?

      1. yanky
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        no kdb is bold but i did think about son > sterling for free LOL too crazy??

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

      I like D

  25. Chrisitis
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How bad is WBA?
    Arsenal had 21 goal attempts and 12 SOT.

  26. Pringle
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    McCarthy and Martinez as a rotation pair? Or are you all dumping McCarthy and thinking Martinez as the only playing gk?

    1. Park the bus
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I would only have 1 of those 2.

  27. Kiwivillan
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Want to play BB so looking at McCarthy you GK with DGW. Fabianski should be back?

  28. Az
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    FPL BlackBox is live in 10 mins

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxzR4cxKst0

    1. Salarrivederci
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Nice! 🙂

    2. yanky
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      sterling staying in the garbage? nows the time to back him over kdb az, itll backfire if you dont double down!!

  29. Park the bus
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Anyone able to explain how Mitchell is only on 7 bps after that first half despite creating a big chance and another chance ?

    1. _Ninja_
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Big chance created os 3, key pass is 1.

      He'll score anyway.

    2. FPL_Motty
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah seems weird. Arsenal players all getting more baps, I guess because of passing for passing sake? Not actually doing anything with it. Baps system never makes sense

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

      Wow and Bellerin bossing the bps when no-one has him, classic

  30. acidicleo
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Guys.
    A) cancelo /dias - minus 4
    B) stones - no hit

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      B