Dugout Discussion

Alli and Bale return to Spurs XI as Kane is widely backed with Gameweek 34 captaincy

Amid the chaos caused by the postponement of Manchester United v Liverpool, it’s easy to forget that there is another Premier League match still to come on Sunday evening.

Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United gets underway in north London at 19:15 BST.

It’s a significant match from a Fantasy Premier League perspective, too, with Harry Kane (£11.9m) widely backed with the armband.

Over 2.3 million FPL managers overall have captained the England international in Gameweek 34, with 88.62% of the top 10,000 doing likewise (see below).

Kane’s ‘effective ownership’ among this leading group is in excess of 181% as a result.

He and Son Heung-min (£9.6m) were among the top three most-bought players of Gameweek 34 ahead of last Friday’s deadline, attracting a combined c. 590,000 transfers in.

Any lingering concerns about the premium FPL forward’s fitness were assuaged by interim Spurs boss Ryan Mason in his pre-match press conference and Kane indeed starts this evening.

There are only two changes to the Lilywhites’ line-up from Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat at the hands of Manchester City.

Gareth Bale (£9.1m) and the long-overlooked Dele Alli (£7.4m) return to the starting XI, with Harry Winks (£5.1m) and Lucas Moura (£6.7m) making way.

Mason said of his team selection ahead of kick-off:

[Dele] had an excellent training week. The boys have been bright all week but I felt that Dele stood out and had to reward him for that.

Lucas missed training all week, only joined the squad yesterday. Gareth produced a moment for us against Southampton, he was unlucky at the weekend not to get the nod; he’s also had a good training week so we felt it was right to bring him back in.

As for Sheffield United, Paul Heckingbottom has made just the one alteration from the side that defeated Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 last weekend.

The fit-again Chris Basham (£4.6m) starts ahead of Kean Bryan (£3.9m), who is absent from the matchday squad altogether.

Sander Berge (£4.9m) is also back from injury after a lengthy absence but is only among the substitutes.

LINE-UPS

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Dier, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Lo Celso, Son, Alli, Bale, Kane.

Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale, Baldock, Basham, Egan, Bogle, Fleck, Norwood, Stevens, Osborn, McGoldrick, Brewster.


SUNDAY’S OTHER GAMEWEEK 34 ACTION

A match that had very little impact on the upper echelons of Fantasy Premier League went the way of the visitors at St James’ Park.

Thanks to a combination of injuries, rotation and general disinterest in either side, not a single player on show had an effective ownership of greater than 0.27% in the top 10k.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) was back in the starting XI after a spell out with malaria and continued his fine individual record against a listless and potentially ‘on the beach’ Newcastle United, scoring one and fortuitously assisting another en route to a first double-digit haul since Gameweek 24.

A third of his 12 attacking returns this season have come against the Magpies.

Budget FPL midfielder Gabriel Martinelli (£4.9m) set up the Gabon international’s goal, with the even-cheaper Mohamed Elneny (£4.2m) scoring the opener following an Aubameyang miscue.

Bernd Leno (£5.0m), Bukayo Saka (£5.1m), Emile Smith Rowe (£4.2m) and Rob Holding (£4.3m) were all either unused substitutes or not involved as Arteta once again ran wild with the rotation with one eye on Europe.

Arsenal were again without Kieran Tierney (£5.2m) and Alexandre Lacazette (£8.4m), with Arteta offering a pessimistic update ahead of kick-off.


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1,193 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sheffield Utd playing their part. Spurs just not doing their's yet.

  2. Qaiss
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    The Sheff Utd owner, also very good FPL player, captained Salah and vice captained Bruno as he never captains a player against his team.

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Can't be that good if he won't captain a player against Sheffield United 😆

      1. Qaiss
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        He’s had 4 top10k finishes tbf, knows his stuff

        1. Baps hunter
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Never C and VC players in same match though.

          1. 1justlookin
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            Why?

          2. F_Ivanovic
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 11 months ago

            How often is a game postponed because of reasons like this? If you look at it from a pure ev perspective, there's a very small chance that 2 players from the same team don't play due to a postponement. There's more of a chance that one player misses out through injury and then you'd rather the other good option you like in the same game to play.

            So a lot of it depends on your other captain options. If there's not much in it in terms of expected points from your vice captain in the same match and the next player you'd pick then yeah it might be reasonable to not go for the same game. Otherwise, it's fine to take that small tiny risk that neither player plays due to postponement

            1. F_Ivanovic
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 11 months ago

              over Christmas with weather considerations (in seasons gone by, not so much now with the pitches we have) and COVID this year it was a much more reasonable consideration to not captain a player from the same team.

    2. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Shouldn't play the game then. but I like the distraction from work also

  3. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Alli Marley is in the house!

  4. Dthinger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    My team includes Hamez, Bruno, Rudiger, gundo and Holding. I guess it could have been worse but I used my two transfers in Holding and Hamez so it feels particularly rough.

  5. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Just turn on the game and I thought Spurs just get a new player (Gervinho...), didnt realize Alii at first

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      That's Ali, the Spurs player. They found the key to the cupboard that Mourinho locked him in. Hopefully he can show what he's more than capable of.

      1. Dthinger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        You sure it’s not his brother?

  6. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Is it time to start complaining about C Kane and Son fail?

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      You're 10 minutes late probably

  7. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Kane and Son would have hauled by now if Jose was in charge.

  8. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    WTF

  9. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Harry Kane drop goal attempt

  10. Nimby
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Kane with the worst shot ever.

  11. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    kane c fail, I have had enough

  12. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Kane non owners unite!

    Party in about an hour and 30 mins when he blanks

    THEN we feast!

  13. FPL Alaska
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    This game is comical

  14. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    This team thought it was good enough for ESL, struggling against Sheffield!

  15. GreennRed
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    All the retired professional footballers in tonight.

  16. estheblessed
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Do we know if the United Pool game is going to be this GW?

    1. drughi
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      most likely not

      1. estheblessed
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I'm guessing it would have to be tomorrow if it was..

        1. GreennRed
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Yeah, because of Roma game. Very unlikely.

  17. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Kane will score

  18. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Unless injured, no way Kane blanks here...

    1. seanie3
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Famous last words

  19. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Dele Alli stinking the place out so far

  20. tbos83
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    If Liv did get a dgw in 35 that would be sweeet

  21. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Brewster close.

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      😆

    2. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Close by his standards

  22. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Pool utd confirmed off for tomorrow?

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Nothing official yet but it's very unlikely at this stage.

  23. Cantona's Kung Fu Kick
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    didn't think Spurs could be worse with Jose gone, but....

    1. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Well, Watkins finishes better than Kane. Never seen Kane to shoot that high.

  24. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    This site has really went downhill. Used to have some quality posters here before. Now we have the likes of Fudgy, Bemba and Nightcrawler...

    1. Digital-Real
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      i feel upset at being left out 🙁

    2. el polako
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Be the change you want to see in the world.
      Post something valuable and maybe you'll start interesting discussion.

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I just did.

  25. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mason gives all the Sunday league managers hope

  26. Kellz86
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Spurs gonna Spurs against SHU I take it then?

  27. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bale G
    Aurier A

  28. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    bale goal

  29. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Bale G

  30. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Onwards and upwards next season. This season, has been ... long suffering ... to the point of tedium now. Sooner it’s put out of its misery the better. Fingers crossed next season bring happier times and gets back to normal ... and for the love of god I hope they don’t decide staggering every single bloody game over the game week is a good idea.