Dugout Discussion

Bamford, Bale, Aguero and Forster on the bench for Gameweek 38 matches

Patrick Bamford is on the Leeds bench for their Gameweek 38 meeting with West Bromwich Albion.

Ahead of facing the Premier League worst defence this season, Marcelo Bielsa’s number-one forward was the most-bought player for the final round of matches.

But the Leeds boss has taken the return of Leeds fans to a home top-flight game for 17 years to offer farewell starts to Gaetano Berardi and Pablo Hernandez.

The latter starts at number 10, pushing Rodrigo into Bamford’s centre-forward berth with Raphinha and Jack Harrison on the flanks of what appears to be a 3-3-3-1 formation.

As promised, Kiko Casilla starts in goal ahead of Illan Meslier while Fantasy favourite Stuart Dallas keeps his place on the right-hand side of Leeds’ second bank of three.

Ryan Mason’s two alterations are both at the back, with Matt Doherty and Davinson Sanchez in for Japhet Tanganga and Eric Dier.

Gareth Bale is benched again.

If Sergio Aguero is to sign off his Manchester City Premier League career with a goal, he will have to do it from the bench where he is named alongside Ilkay Gundogan and Ferran Torres.

Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden appear to be either side of Gabriel Jesus while Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne look set for slightly deeper midfield roles.

Liverpool are as to be expected with Diogo Jota only fit enough for a bench role and Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah either side of Roberto Firmino in the front-three.

Crystal Palace have opted for a more robust set-up than their usual 4-4-2 set-up in what appears to be a 4-3-3 system featuring Cheikhou Kouyate, Jairo Riedewald and James McCarthy protecting a back-four of Tyrick Mitchell, James Tomkins, Gary Cahill and Joel Ward.

David Moyes has made two changes to the West Ham United side that beat West Bromwich Albion on Wednesday.

Lukasz Fabianski has passed a late fitness test on a knee injury and replaces Darren Randolph between the posts, while Jarrod Bowen comes in for Said Benrahma down the right flank.

Southampton make five alterations to the team beaten by Leeds United in Gameweek 37.

The return of Danny Ings to the starting XI is the headline news, with Ibrahima Diallo, Nathan Redmond, Takumi Minamino and Jan Bednarek also recalled.

Alex McCarthy keeps his place, with Fraser Forster only along the substitutes.

The injured Che Adams misses out, with Oriol Romeu back on the bench after three months out.

Moussa Djenepo, Theo Walcott, Nathan Tella and Jack Stephens make way.

Dean Smith has named an unchanged team, with Jack Grealish handed another start.

There’s only one tweak to Thomas Tuchel’s line-up, with the injured N’Golo Kante replaced by Mateo Kovacic.

The fit-again Kai Havertz has to make do with a place on the bench.

Arsenal have made two changes to the side that won 3-1 at Crystal Palace on Wednesday.

Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka are back in midfield, with Mohamed Elneny and Bukayo Saka dropped.

Brighton also make a pair of alterations.

Lewis Dunk and Leandro Trossard start, with the injured Danny Welbeck and the benched Steven Alzate missing out.

Martin Dubravka, Joe Willock and Allan Saint-Maximin are deemed fit to start for Newcastle, with Sean Longstaff in for the injured Joelinton the only change that Steve Bruce has made.

Alphonse Areola, Mario Lemina and Harrison Reed make way from Scott Parker’s first XI, with Marek Rodak, Kenny Tete and Josh Onomah brought into the fold.

Burnley are in 4-5-1 for their trip toSheffield United, featuring Chris Wood as a lone centre-forward. Ben Mee and Nick Pope both miss out due to injury, replaced by Will Norris and Jimmy Dunne.

As expected, Manchester United are heavily rotated for Gameweek 38. Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are on the bench but Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Edinson Cavani are all absent.

Gameweek 38 Line-ups

Arsenal XI: Leno, Chambers, Holding, Gabriel, Tierney, Xhaka, Partey, Ødegaard, Pepe, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang.

Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Sánchez, White, Webster, Dunk, Burn, Jahanbakhsh, Groß, Bissouma, Trossard, Moder, Mac Allister.

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Konsa, Mings, Targett, Hause, McGinn, Nakamba, Grealish, Traore, El Ghazi, Watkins.

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Rudiger, Silva, Azpilicueta, Chilwell, Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount, Werner, Pulisic.

Fulham XI: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Adarabioyo, Bryan, Anguissa, Onomah, Cavaleiro, Carvalho, Lookman, De Cordova-Reid.

Newcastle United XI: Dubravka, Krafth, Fernandez, Dummett, Murphy, Willock, S Longstaff, Shelvey, Ritchie, Almiron, Saint-Maximin.

Leeds United XI: Casilla; Berardi, Cooper, Ayling; Alioski, K Phillips, Dallas; Harrison, Hernández, Raphinha; Rodrigo.

West Bromwich Albion XI: Johnstone; Bartley, Ajayi, O’Shea; C Townsend, Gallagher, Yokuslu, Maitland-Niles, Furlong; M Phillips; Robinson.

Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Thomas, Fofana, Soyuncu, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Maddison, Albrighton, Vardy, Iheanacho.

Tottenham Hotspur XI: Lloris, Doherty, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Reguilon, Hojbjerg, Winks, Alli, Kane, Son, Bergwijn.

Liverpool XI: Alisson; Robertson, N Phillips, R Williams, Alexander-Arnold; Thiago, Fabinho, Wijnaldum; Mané, Firmino, Salah.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; Mitchell, Tomkins, Cahill, J Ward; McCarthy, Riedewald, Kouyaté; Zaha, Ayew, Townsend.

Manchester City XI: Ederson; Zinchenko, Stones, Dias, Walker; Mahrez, Fernandinho, De Bruyne; Foden, Jesus, Sterling.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Godfrey, Keane, Holgate; Doucouré, T Davies, Allan; Sigurdsson; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.

Sheffield United XI: Ramsdale; Robinson, Egan, Basham; Stevens, Fleck, Norwood, Osborn, Baldock; Jebbison, McGoldrick.

Burnley XI: Norris; C Taylor, Dunne, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Cork, Westwood, Brownhill, Gudmundsson; Wood.

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Lingard, Fornals, Antonio.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Salisu, Diallo, Armstrong, Minamino, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, Ings.

Wolverhampton Wanderers XI: Patrício; Saïss, Coady, Boly; Aït-Nouri, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Semedo; F Silva, A Traoré.

Manchester United XI: D Henderson; Telles, Bailly, Tuanzebe, B Williams; Matic, van de Beek; D James, Mata, A Diallo; Elanga.

2,075 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Sounds a bit like Bielsa might be off "I have a lot of gratitude for the moments I've been here and I'm very grateful. As soon as it's resolved the club will announce it."

    Surely this is someone Spurs should be looking at.

    1. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Hmm not sure. Spurs is a poison chalice. Not surprised no one wants to go there

    2. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Taking over Spurs without Kane would be a step down in his career.

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        A fat transfer budget from the Kane sale to bring in the type of players he wants might appeal to him. Would be a superb capture for Spurs...

    3. Kodap
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      He isn’t leaving!

    4. HammersXI
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      One of the most deluded thinking I've ever seen. lol. He is waiting for the season to end to resume his contract talks. He already said he isn't joining another club.

  2. Surfeit of Lampteys
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    That azpilicueta red at the end there summed up my season pretty well. Load of crap.

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

    High scoring season. I’m around 2400 points and only 130k.

    2329 got me 25k last year =[

    1. Sgt Frank Drebin
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      There were so many goals scored at the beginning of the season. No wonder

    2. djman102
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      The winner averaged over 70 PPGW!

      1. Joey Tribbiani
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        wow

  4. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Keeping Son and JWP instead of doing -4 to Mane and Willock killed me. Lost one of my mini leagues 🙁

  5. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Very happy won everything today! 5 pts ahead winning ML, £200 on 2 competitions, avoiding worst OR in 10 years and 27% final day increase of rank! Can't ask for more ...

  6. No Kane No Gain
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    And thank god for free will and ignored many of you shooting down my aguero (c) comments all week!

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Well done - him, Pepe and Bale were the flavour of the final GW!

    2. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      It was a great choice by us. The legend came through.

      But I would have gone mane (c) otherwise...

    3. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Well done

    4. Surfeit of Lampteys
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Wish we could down vote a comment for this tripe.

      1. No Kane No Gain
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        What tripe?! Check my previous comments, all I’ve been saying is his name lol

  7. The Mandalorian
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Teddy Bears Utd has won FPL.

    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/3010405/event/38

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Woah, well done to him. Mane C worked!

    2. Westfield Irons ⭐️
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Well done to Michael! He has beaten my 11 year record for the highest score in FPL when I got 2668 points winning the 09/10 season. WELL DONE FELLA! Records are there to be broken!

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Nice.

      2. GOTHAM City F.C.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        well said

    3. Bartowski
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Congrats to him. Interesting to look at his previous finishes.

    4. Spab
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      He and I both started GW1 with McCarthy in goal. After that, our seasons went in quite different directions.

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

      Well done Teddy Bears!

      Taking the title back to Ireland 🙂

    6. The Ilfordian
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Well done Michael. Brilliant result and brave captain decision at the end

  8. sk24
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    After struggling for the most part of the season, finished with 9 green arrows in a row. On to the next one!

  9. yer old da
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Final rank of 2,332nd. 8 top 5k’s in 13 seasons, and never finished lower than 39k. I’ll take that and happily retire from FPL now.

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Enjoy your retirement!

      Perhaps share some tips on how you are so good though!

    2. DF
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Hat tip to ya. Bravo.

    3. Well you know, Triffic
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Should still play. Just don't join any leagues. It's the league's aspect which causes people to take this game too seriously. Playing in no leagues means no pressure.

  10. Rasping Drive
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Rolled the dice with a -8, brought in Mané (c) and Pepe. There is a fantasy God after all 😀

    1. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      I went for a minus four, Shaw and Greenwood to Cresswell and Mané (c), and I think it’s won me my minileague by six. Bale’s two goals for my rival made it closer than I’d have liked there though.

  11. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Think there’ll be any adjustments to bonus points still to come? Fplgameweek is showing me as having won my minileague by six points (fifteen behind going into today) but I don’t want to celebrate until I know for sure. Meslier lost a bonus point two hours after final whistle a couple of weeks ago.

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Uggh ... will not celebrate as yet then. Only 5 pts ahead atm.

    2. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      4 points ahead here, im gonna wait.

    3. Samwise the Brave
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Any chance of a Willock 1 pt?

      1. Geriatric Unathletic
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        I hope so. Winning goal bonus to be added??

        1. Samwise the Brave
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Added in game now I think.

          1. Cilly Bonnolly
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 10 months ago

            Yeah I think they are. Not sure why the Meslier one happened the other week but it’s got me hesitant to get too excited yet. It’s like waiting for a VAR check! 😆

  12. 20LEGEND
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    https://www.premierleague.com/news/685640 says if it's a ML tie sort it out yourselves, I am one point ahead at the mo

  13. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Red arrow and 10 pts below top 10k average, but I was below top 100k at ht, so inside top 90k now (prolly) and inside top 100k anyway, I take it 🙂

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Same. Had a crap gameweek but stayed in top 50k so I'm content. Knew my team wasn't up to scratch this week tbf.

  14. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Fair play to you Mane punters, you have pulled off one of the most unlikeliest hauls I’ve ever seen.
    Literally couldn’t hit a barn door past 4 weeks

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Yea go me! 😛

    2. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Only brought him in and captained him because I was trailing in my minileague and needed a differential. I think it’s won me it.

    3. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Incredible really. I thought it was "let's go Mane just because Salah's EO", and it worked, but I thought there's no substance in it really. But it was Mane against Palace one more time.

    4. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      It was a huge gamble, some might say a stupid one. But sometimes stupid gambles pay off

    5. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Slightly better than punting on Kun :p

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Haha imagine had Kun had started! Plus it was an nostalgia with Aguero

  15. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Thank you everyone for the advice and feedback. Won my cash ML and finished just inside top 25K.

    1. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Nice, well done

      1. sunzip14
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Thank you Holmes. Your comments have been helpful throughout the season! Slipped out from 7k to 25k in the last 3 gws but still happy with how it has ended.

  16. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Rodgers getting a lot of stick, but Hasenhuttl has presided over a Southampton team that are the worst team in the PL if you look at results of matches played since 1 Jan 2021. They have performed worse than Fulham, WBA, Sheff Utd etc.

    1. Surfeit of Lampteys
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      *No correlation*

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Yeah but he built up credit from being one of the best for the previous 12 months

    3. tambourineman
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Focused more on the cup run than the league, many other mid-table teams who are safe in January could take that approach as it's there only chance of silverware but chose not to.

  17. Surfeit of Lampteys
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    You lot are unbearable when you do well. Can't read more than about two comments without feeling queasy.

    1. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Aww

  18. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    32k finish, not bad. Thanks everyone on here for the helpful articles and videos all season, looking forward to the break now!

  19. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Last 3 seasons

    18/19 2341 27k
    19/20 2358 10k
    20/21 2348 199k

    Didn't realise this season was so high scoring

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Yes, 2404 was my highest scoring season so far by 107 points, but I only achieved my 5th best OR out of 7 seasons.

  20. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    That Leeds clean sheet would have been handy, worth 9pts.

    1. el polako
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Complete brain fart from Kalvin Phillips.

      1. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Yeah, was so annoying

        Not gonna lie, but when he was holding his shoulder later on, deep inside, I was like "well deserved" *facepalm*

    2. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Just checked your team. Alioski and Mane in were nice transfers! Too bad the double CS got wiped.

      1. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Yeah, fine margin. Would have been better if they conceded early, atleast I wouldn't have started counting my CS points 😆

  21. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Is bonus final?

  22. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    What an epic final GW. Scored 99 points - went from 44k to 17k. Clawed back my ML rival 15 points and we're tied! Same amount of points, same amount of transfers across the season! Brilliant! 😆

  23. RooneyforLife
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Had a great last gw from 32k to 18k ,could've finished bit higher had Dallas kept his cs .

    Mane and pepe my gw heroes

  24. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Lost ML with 5p. Last bgw deadline missing nailed this but it was a good fight in the last gws so have to start looking at covid postpone free and full crowd next season!

  25. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Looks like top 50k was too much to ask in the end, sigh... Nevertheless, much better than being on 150k 😀

    1. Geriatric Unathletic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Not that i'm desperate, but 1 more point to get back inside top 10k, please ...

  26. The Ilfordian
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    I think I’m level on one of my minileagues. Does my 40 transfers beat their 50?

  27. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    2449 all out - highest point total ever = ~31k
    And a third consecutive ML win for me. City wins the league.
    This season didn't turn out so bad after all.

    And thanks to all for suggesting Bruno > Mane this week -- and for the rest of the feedback throughout the season!

  28. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Should have got Mané over Robertson- lost ML by 4 points- oh well roll on next year.

    1. xuwei
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Ditto. I talked myself out of mane at the 11th hour.

  29. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    DCL to Bamford, will he start,

  30. xuwei
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Is Bamford on 2 baps? Not sure what they do when 2 ties for 3 and 2