Dugout Discussion

Johnstone absent for West Brom after positive Covid-19 test as Boly returns for Wolves

West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone (£4.5m) misses the Baggies’ first DGW19 fixture following a positive Covid-19 test.

Ahead of the Black Country derby at Molineux, Sam Allardyce explained:

Covid has kept out Sam [Johnstone] and Matt Phillips for us, as well as one or two other Under-23s that would probably have been in the squad.

Grady [Diangana] pulled or tweaked a hamstring, so we had to make a change there.

Asked by BT Sport what he has been trying to fix in training, Allardyce responded:

I’ve tried to fix the fact that we’ve got to stop conceding goals that are avoidable. Our concentration levels sometimes lapse, in split seconds and moments. It only takes the opposition a few seconds to exploit that. That is the focus when we’re out of possession.

In possession, it’s really about trying to get more quality in the final third. Create more chances in open play, which has been extremely difficult for us.

Wolves boss Nuno, speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, said of his side’s recent leaky displays:

“We (have) made big mistakes, especially in defence. We must be compact and from there can grow positives. “We have to go back to our main foundation; a clean sheet.”

The Portuguese manager has duly reverted to a tried-and-tested back three. Nuno revealed in the embargoed section of his media offering that Willy Boly (£5.4m) would start for West Brom’s visit.

Boly is joined by Conor Coady (£4.9m) and Romain Saiss (£5.1m), while the Wolves teamsheet suggests that Pedro Neto (£6.0m) will operate at left wing-back.

The winger was a doubt for this afternoon’s kick-off, as was Adama Traoré (£6.1m). The latter also starts the match in a front two alongside Fabio Silva (£5.2m).

“Adama didn’t play the last game, he had a problem. He is better, so he is ready to go. Boly had an injury for some while and [now] he’s good.” – Nuno

Daniel Podence (£5.4m) remains sidelined, along with Jonny (£5.4m) and Marcal (£4.8m).

“Let’s see. We have Adama and Boly coming and joining (training). Let’s see how they are for tomorrow. We still have Daniel out. We have work to do. Jonny, Podence, Marcal are out.” – Nuno speaking on Friday

Wolves XI: Patricio; Saiss, Coady, Boly; Neto, Neves, Dendoncker, Semedo; Moutinho; Fabio Silva, A Traoré.

West Bromwich Albion XI: Button; Gibbs, Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea; Snodgrass, Livermore, Sawyers; Grosicki, C Robinson, M Pereira.

1,347 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Over 50% used a chip this week. Didn’t use a chip and on a (-8) so I’m guessing any green is a great result this week

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Yeah. Depends on your current rank though

    2. fr3d
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Hot take, green arrow is good

    3. Carefree Crew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Livefpl says only 25% used chips?

      Top 10k 50% did. Maybe you mean that?

  2. b91jh
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Pereira 15-pointer is a typical 2021 then.

  3. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What's up with Wolves' defence?

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Made of cheese

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Went from 5 to 4 at the back

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

    FFS Pereira, thought about him in GW3

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

      Had him gw 1-6

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

    Big sam like a PHOENIX FROM THE ASHES

  6. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What a derby!

  7. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Pereira M explosion.

    Az knew it

  8. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Just looked at the WBA player list on FPL transfer page for the first time this season.

    Doubt I’ll look at it again.

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I like to look at it, you can teleport to season 14/15 in fpl that way.

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

    There is always some random player getting monster haul in dgw.

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      It's every gw

  10. 272MK
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    I missed the deadljne because I was choosing my transfer. I missed transfering in KDB. Can this GW end ady. It feels like tortureee

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

      Just 7 days left to go

  11. MSTRKRFTSMN
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What a game

  12. Rochdale_Cowboy
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Wolves a poor without Jimmy, like a Portuguese version of West brom.

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

      Miss Jonny, Doherty and Jota too!

      1. Rochdale_Cowboy
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Yeah good point

  13. Party time
      3 years, 2 months ago

      😆

      Nuno’s at the wheel

      1. Rochdale_Cowboy
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Lol

    • Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      :/ that’s us definitely down hehe

      1. Rochdale_Cowboy
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Think that ship sailed many moo s ago

    • Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      https://twitter.com/Ross_FPL/status/1350422732803080192

      Unbelievable. Just unbelievable

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Scared to click

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

        How do you even make this kind of call haha.

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

          I don't know lmao, I don't think I've even thought, said, or heard Pereira's name since GW12 and this man is captaining him. Oof

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

        There’s always one.

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

        Not even TC? Rookie mistake

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

        expected TC. Weak

      6. Forza
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I hate to be that guy, but I wonder what his OR and rank history looks like.

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      2 best players are not playing, Jota and Jimmy.

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

        Johnny too

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

        3 with Doherty...

        Nuno the absolute clueless fraud with his bum beard

        1. FPL Daniel
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Yeah, forgot the Doherty. Agree

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

        Doherty and Jonny. Neves and Moutinho dropped off too

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

        That guy probably has about 20 teams, all with obscure captaincy picks just waiting to be posted on twitter if he somehow nails one.

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

          Sorry, reply fail for the above post

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

      Werner (c) locked

    • Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Meslier not in sight

      https://twitter.com/BerenCross/status/1350438594368974850

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        So no Leeds cleanie if their Cup keeper plays, surely.

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

          Kiko is pretty crap so yeah probably.

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

        Saw a post the other day about Bamford and Messlier isolating.

        Maybe this could part confirm it.

    • Atimis
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      As per FPL Live Rank people really went hit crazy for that DGW!

      Will see whether my no hits/no chips tactic will pay off. Have 10 DGWs and 1 SGW players with KDB (c).

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

        No players in this game and I'm up 23k places thanks to no hits 😀

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

          Wow. You must have a crappy overall rank 😉

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

        I also played no chips either (having originally planned to use TC)

        9DGWers + Kane and Bamford for me.

        I reckon we'll do just fine. And, I was well chuffed to get a green arrow last week having not played any chips either

      3. Carefree Crew
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Top 10k average (-3.43)
        Overall (-1.44)

        Is that "hit crazy" in comparison to other DGWs?

        I haven't tracked it before, maybe with covid you'd expect it to be higher than normal?

    • FPL Theorist
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Time to start targeting Wolves as whipping boys for captaincy?

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

        Werner comes in next week then if he turns up today

    • CRAZY TRAIN
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      This wolves baggies game sounds a cracker.....

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

        Great way to start the gameweek tbh especially b/c of fantasy irrelevance (for the most part)

    • tokara
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Big sam delivers

    • Zladan
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      There must be some Johnstone Meslier Bench boosters round these parts?

      Rotten luck.

      1. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Not a bench booster but that is my GK combination. Very, very annoying.

      2. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        FPL_General

    • Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      This week could easily make me rage quit fpl for the rest of the season. Gone for Salah TC, could easily be outscored by KDB (C)

    • Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Nearly got Robinson for my BB

      1. JONALDINHO
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nearly triple captained pereira myself

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

          I think this is a lie

      2. BenDavies
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Nearly married Angelina Jolie

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

          dodged a bullet there..

          1. BenDavies
            • 11 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            she's hot

        2. Ha.
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I know this is a lie

    • Surfeit of Lampteys
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Bad miss Robinson but brilliantly found by Pereira

    • MSTRKRFTSMN
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      F*** my cup opponent who has not only wild carded but gone triple captain on KDB, who I also have as captain

      1. Thomas Shelby from Birmingh…
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Will you take a -1?

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

        Can't use 2 chips in the same week

      3. Surfeit of Lampteys
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        You can't do both in one GW

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

        You can't WC and TC in the same week???

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

        I beat my cup opponent who wildcarded last week without using my FH

      6. Pukki Party
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        That's not true

      7. MSTRKRFTSMN
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Well he’s got a ridiculous team if he hasn’t wildcarded:

        https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/2337243/event/19

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

          I like the team name too. Well played by him

          1. MSTRKRFTSMN
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 2 months ago

            Annoyingly so. Don’t give myself much hope this year now

      8. MSTRKRFTSMN
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        You’re right he hasn’t wildcarded - ridiculous team he’s built up. But he’s ranked way below me

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

      Starting to look like Nuno has taken Wolves as far as he can.

      1. Surfeit of Lampteys
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Well maybe but clearly Jimenez is profound loss

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

          Definitely, but they've been poor all season. Nuno messed around with their system and can't hasn't found anything thats worked.

    • Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      WBA have just scored 3 goals in 60min, double WHU defence in trouble!

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

        Or they don’t score again for weeks

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      is Antonio starting?

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

        Come back in 10 minutes

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

        Hope not. I chickened out of a Bamford > Antonio (-4) move.

        It'll affcet my happiness if he now goes mental in DGW. A benching would be excellent!

      3. Carefree Crew
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Yes Antonio starts.