Say What

Possible DGW25 for Saints, why Lowton was benched and Salah’s penalty rival

The long-dormant ‘Say What?’ series is revived as we recap some key manager and player quotes from the weekend’s football, with the focus very much on what it means from a Fantasy Premier League (FPL) perspective.

A possible Double Gameweek 25 for Southampton, an explanation for Matthew Lowton‘s (£4.4m) benching, West Ham’s search for an alternative to Michail Antonio (£7.9m) and Liverpool’s penalty-taking pecking order are all discussed.

For a recap of the on-field action, check out our Scout Notes via the links below:

READ MORE: Dennis suspended for second Gameweek 23 fixture but Foster may return: Friday’s review
READ MORE: Broja dangerous despite blank as De Bruyne and Laporte continue fine FPL form: Saturday’s review
READ MORE: Alonso dropped as Tuchel opts for a back four: Sunday’s review

SOUTHAMPTON’S DOUBLE GAMEWEEK 25?

Having planted the seed that Southampton may have a Double Gameweek 25 in his pre-match press conference, Ralph Hasenhuttl teased us with the same thought when speaking after Saints’ 1-1 draw with Manchester City.

Asked whether Kyle Walker-Peters’ (£4.8m) excellent performance at right-back lessened the need to hasten the injured Tino Livramento‘s (£4.3m) return, Ralph Hasenhuttl dropped another hint.

 “No, I hope he is soon back because we need every player at the moment.

“We have after the break I think five games in two weeks so we need every player, especially when you want to switch and a little bit take care of the workload then you need to have an alternative.

“Can you imagine that we have only one right-back this season, say Tino, and he is out? Then you are struggling like we have done in the last year, it would be horrible.” – Ralph Hasenhuttl

Currently, Southampton have only four fixtures scheduled in league and cup immediately after the winter break. As we’re already down the rabbit hole of conjecture, Saints’ run could look something like this if there was any substance to their head coach’s comments – the Newcastle home game being their only outstanding match so far:

  • Feb 5: Coventry (FA Cup)
  • Feb 9: Spurs (GW24)
  • Feb 12: Man Utd (GW25)
  • Feb 16: (Newcastle in DGW25?)
  • Feb 19: Everton (GW26)

WHY WAS LOWTON BENCHED?

Such is the absurd nature of this FPL season, Sean Dyche chose a Double Gameweek to bench a player who had started the last 51 Premier League matches in a row.

Matthew Lowton (£4.4m) was Burnley’s most-owned defender heading into Friday’s deadline and a cheap target for FPL managers who were aware that this was the first Double Gameweek of at least five for the Clarets due to their backlog of fixtures.

Perhaps Lowton was one of the many Burnley players who was affected by Covid-19 and was struggling for match-fitness? If he was, there was no mention of it in Dyche’s post-match presser, with the gravel-voiced nickname-conferrer instead hailing the attributes of Connor Roberts (£4.5m).

“Connor has done well, he’s only had 60 minutes of an under-23 game in weeks but he is a very fit lad.

“We’ve got to look at what we’re doing as a staff. What can activate a change and give you something different. Connor was one of them, we have to start using him and looking at him.

“We want that demand from the group. Bardo is right in the hat as well but he’d only trained for a day this week because he’d had an injection in his lower back.” – Sean Dyche on his decision to start Connor Roberts at right-back

LAMPTEY STILL HANDLED CAREFULLY

Tariq Lamptey (£4.5m) returned from a lengthy hamstring injury as a substitute in Gameweek 8 and here we are, three months on, with Brighton and Hove Albion’s exciting but fragile right-back still having his minutes managed.

This was his third benching in four matches and Brighton coach Bjorn Hamberg, who was deputising for the Covid-hit Graham Potter, hinted that the careful handling would continue – something to bear in mind, as if we needed reminding, for Albion’s future Double Gameweeks.

“There is still a little bit of managing his minutes. And after Chelsea (last Tuesday), a high-intensity game, stretching the backline a lot, we needed a big effort to go again.

“Sometimes we try to see is it the start of the game or the back end. We chose this time for the back end and I thought he had a good impact coming on.” – Bjorn Hamberg

SALAH’S CHALLENGE FOR SPOT-KICK DUTIES

With first-choice penalty-taker James Milner (£4.9m) granted less and less game-time in his dotage, Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) has been chiefly responsible for Liverpool’s spot-kicks over the last few years.

However, the premium FPL midfielder missed two of his last four penalties – against AC Milan and Leicester City – before departing for AFCON duty with Egypt earlier this month.

Fabinho (£5.4m) has been on penalties in Salah’s absence, scoring twice from 12 yards in cup and league over the last fortnight and taking his excellent historic conversion record to 95.8% (23 out of 24 scored).

“He works on them a lot and he’s good at them. Millie was stood on the sideline as well, probably eyeing it up ready to come on! But Fab did really well there. He’s scored a few now and he seems to have moved into that penalty spot.

“It will be interesting to see when Mo comes back if he’s still got that number two spot on pens! We’ll see. It was good, though, and we needed that from him.” – Alex Oxlade Chamberlain on Fabinho’s penalties

MOYES LOOKING FOR ANTONIO COMPETITION?

Owners of Michail Antonio (£7.9m) face a slightly nervy time over the next week or so – and not just because the West Ham forward has three stabs at picking up a muscle injury while he is on international duty with Jamaica.

David Moyes said after Saturday’s loss to Manchester United, a game in which Antonio again laboured up top, that the Hammers are once again renewing their so-far-fruitless search for competition in attack.

“I think in a perfect world that is what we would try and do. We have been trying for a couple of years to add a striker to the group but we have not been able to. We have had quite a few offers for players at different times that have not been accepted or we could not get or [they] have been too expensive.

“So it is not for the want of trying and not like we are not seeing the same things that others are seeing. It is trying to get in players that I think can help us and make a difference but we will continue trying to look. With a week or so to go [in the transfer window] we will keep looking.” – David Moyes on West Ham’s search for a striker

ZIYECH BENEFITS FROM CHELSEA’S TACTICAL SHIFT

Thomas Tuchel went with a back four for the fourth time in six matches in league and cup in Sunday’s win over Spurs.

Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) was benched as Malang Sarr (£4.9m) again started at left-back, as he had done against the Lilywhites in the mid-January EFL Cup semi-final.

“It’s one way forward. We tried a 4-1-4-1 formation today because we tried a 4-4-2 against them in the first match and that gave us an advantage but then they reacted to it in the second match.

“We thought maybe it could be an approach to give the players a solution after the last matches and we had the players for the formation, players in shape, players who wanted and should be on the pitch, and good positions for them.

“It gives us more options than only playing a 3-4-3 and we don’t decide now, but it was well done.

T”revoh [Chalobah] had only one training session and Andreas Christensen, a key player, was not available. For a back three, you need three central defenders and two wings backs.

“We thought today that we could play in a 4-1-4-1 to cause them problems. The deal did well and it gives us another option so well done.”

Hakim Ziyech (£7.3m) has been a beneficiary of this tactical shift and has scored twice in successive matches, which is no surprise given that he has been playing in his favoured right-wing position – a role that doesn’t exist in Tuchel’s usual 3-4-3.

“It was also maybe his best position to be on the wing. We had the wide position on the right wing, that position does not normally exist in that particular manner when we play 3-4-3, it is more of a wing-back.”

Chelsea now take a backseat in FPL with three blanks in four Gameweeks but it’s worth monitoring the Blues’ tactics at home and abroad over the coming weeks to see if Ziyech can remain on the radar for an excellent run of matches from Gameweek 28 onwards.

BAMFORD RETURN

Another Gameweek, another Patrick Bamford (£7.7m) absence through injury – and the chances of him making his first start since Gameweek 5 after the winter break still look in doubt.

“I have my doubts. I’m not sure. It’s not just about being able to count on him, it’s that he arrives in conditions to develop his game and a player who’s gone so long without playing, it opens up a question mark, after he is healthy, how long he needs to show his regularity.” – Marcelo Bielsa on Patrick Bamford’s chances of being back in Gameweek 24

GREALISH THROUGH THE MIDDLE

Lauded one week, benched the next: we’ve learned the hard way to take quite literally everything that spews out of Pep Guardiola’s mouth with a pinch of salt.

His latest with-a-side-of-sodium comments concerned his decision to play Jack Grealish (£7.6m) through the middle against Southampton, describing him as “the perfect player to play between the lines”.

The former Villa man is still on a poor four attacking returns from 15 starts this season and an FPL footnote right now but his starting position does have an impact on other City assets, with the more widely owned Phil Foden (£8.0m) stationed on the left at St Mary’s.

“At Aston Villa, he played wide and after he moved wherever he wants and came inside. I think he’s the perfect player to play between the lines.

“(He is) so aggressive, he made incredible runners, he dropped the Southampton team to the byline, his decision making is excellent.

“He had two almost clear chances to dribble and shoot that were blocked so I think he played really well. I was so satisfied today for the performance that Jack has done.” – Pep Guardiola

RASHFORD IN, ELANGA OUT?

Anthony Elanga (£4.9m) was handed his third successive league start in Gameweek 23 but had a quiet time of it against West Ham.

Were it not for the woeful form of his more senior positional rivals, and Marcus Rashford (£9.4m) in particular, Elanga may not have even had a chance at staking such a first-team claim.

Rashford has responded with two goals in as many substitute appearances and he may well have played himself back into contention ahead of Gameweek 24, with a possible Double Gameweek 25 to come for the Red Devils.

“We have a lot of wingers, we have a lot of outstanding players in that position. Jadon (Sancho) was not available today but we have a lot of players for those two positions (striker and winger) and Marcus is one of them.

“Right now, yes, he has scored twice in consecutive games when he came from the bench but, of course, his ambition is to play regularly from the start again.

“It is up to him. If he continually plays on a high level and keeps scoring goals, of course, this is the best way to get back into the team and play from the beginning.”

“We all know what kind of quality he has. He has got almost everything that a modern striker needs. He has got the pace, the skills, he has got the size, the physicality of the striker and in the end it is all about confidence for strikers.

“I am pretty sure that those two goals have raised the level of confidence within Marcus. Now it is about taking the next steps and showing that on a regular basis. It is about continuity now. I think he can play a very important role for the rest of the season for us.” – Ralf Rangnick on Marcus Rashford

217 Comments Post a Comment
  1. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    My WC front line would be King Pukki Broja but looking at forwards this season spending as little on them as possible makes sense? The only one I'd be tempted on is Watkins.

    1. SINGH
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Why Pukki and King? You need to spread a bit more money upfront. Watkins would be a start.

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

        Pukki and King are nailed and get the odd assist or goal which is exactly the same as Watkins for 2m less.

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

      Not a bad idea, I have tried to make a team with the same upfront

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

        What do you think?

        DDG
        TAA Cancelo Digne White
        Salah KDB Son Bowen Gallagher
        Pukki
        Dubravka King Guehi Broja

    3. Ian J
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      If investing so little in your forwards, I assume you will have 5 expensive mids, so will be playing 4-5-1 most games, so just a case of picking the right forward each time.
      Could be a good strategy as this season you are getting more points per million in defence & midfield

  2. RWB_1991
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Is now a good time to wildcard? Increase team value over the next 2 weeks? Would also allow me to get Kane in ahead of 2 nice home fixtures… thoughts appreciated

    1. SINGH
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      I am considering. Issue is maybe DGW later so I can use bench boost then otherwise it will be tricky for me to use it.

    2. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Those are hard games, Saints not so bad, but Wolves wont be exactly free scoring. I wouldnt captain Kane in either (i own him).
      Checking now:
      Kane has 11 goals and 6 assists vs Saints in 13 FPL appearances :o. What a run of games this was for Kane.. Arsenal, Leicester and Saints (his favourite teams to play). But nothing really came of it, mad...
      Kane could have had 10+ goals over those fixtures in another season

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

      Yeah I am tempted.
      You wont increase TV though, I've fallen for that before, will be barely any price changes during a break.
      I would much rather Son than Kane

  3. Zenith UK
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Thoughts please?

    DDG, Steele
    Trent, Robbo, Cancelo, KEANE, JOHNSON
    De Bruyne, JOTA, BERNARDO, Bowen, Gray
    Antonio, Dennis, Gelhardt

    -12 (leaves 0.4 ITB) for;
    Keane > Laporte
    Johnson > Digne
    Jota > Salah
    Bernardo > Gallagher

    Playing 5-4-1?

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Not a -12, did you see what happened this week, you'd be on like 12 points.

      1. Zenith UK
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        Got 49 this week...?

        1. have you seen cyan
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 2 months ago

          well you can field 10 players right at least. You wont like my answer but, I'd probably think about Gray>Elanga and Dennis>Edouard, like an hour before the deadline depending on whats happening, and Manu double confirmed.
          You have 2 City attackers vs Brentford and Jota still, Salah can wait a week, maybe he isnt ready anyway and this is a pointless headache for you.

        2. Ian J
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 2 months ago

          If you got 49 then you have a great team, so why so many changes?
          If you transfer in Laporte & Digne you’ll have 5 serious defenders so will be playing 5 at the back most games. Then you’ll need less up front

    2. SINGH
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Dude just WC

      1. Zenith UK
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        I can -8 and forget the Keane to > Laporte or I -4 and forget Keane & Bernardo > Laporte & Gallagher

  4. SINGH
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Just noticed from the article that Rashford is £9.4! How is that possible, the guy is not prolific and is not always in the team. Surely he should be around the £7.5 to £8mil mark?

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

      Kane has to be the most overpriced player this season

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

        Yep

      2. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        Have you seen Rashfords price?

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

      Price was set at the start of the season. The hypothesis was that Rashford should be a MUN 'prolific enough starter' ... for today's value then yes he's overpriced

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        not even worth 7.5, funny how things change.

        1. Bielsa's Blue Bucket
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 2 months ago

          That's the beauty of fpl. We're all looking for 150m for gw1 to fit in the must have big hitters and now we're chatting about maybe 1 up front for 7m etc

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

      Scored 11 goals last season. Nobody knew manu would be this shite this season.

  5. SKENG
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Any early ideas for this team with 1 FT and 0.4M itb?

    Ramsdale
    TAA Cancelo Tierney
    Foden Jota Bowen Son
    Ronaldo Antonio Dennis

    Foster Williams Mbeumo Alonso

    Salah will come in for Ronaldo at some point, but with likely United DGW25 I'm not in a rush.
    Son I think is a keep if he looks like returning after IB.
    Looks an easy save this?

  6. banskt
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Got myself a shiny squad with WC.

    de Gea | Foster
    Alexander-Arnold | Cancelo | Laporte | Digne | Ait Nouri
    Salah | Jota | de Bruyne | Bowen | Gallagher
    Watkins | Dennis | Broja

    But that leaves 0m itb, whom shall I downgrade to get some money in the bank?
    a. Broja -> Idah
    b. Foster -> 3.9m
    c. Digne -> Lamptey / White / any other 4.5m
    d. Keep as it is.

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Edouard, is everyone blind? why have you got dennis is that a sophisticated troll or something?

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        oh you have gallagher, replace gallagher with buendia and do watkins>edouard. And do something with Dennis
        something like that anyway, its like you started making a wc team then fall asleep when you got to the forwards.

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

        Thanks. Edouard is a great suggestion!

        (I kept Dennis purely from a price perspective. Selling price of Dennis is 5.6m, and there's no one else better than Dennis at that price.)

        One option is to downgrade Gallagher to Ramsey and upgrade Dennis to Edouard. (Gallagher, Dennis) gives me two starters; and I think they will score more points than (Ramsey, Edouard).

        Second option is Watkins -> Edouard.

        1. have you seen cyan
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 2 months ago

          sorry im blunt 😛

          1. have you seen cyan
            • 4 Years
            2 years, 2 months ago

            Olise has looked good as well btw

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

              Looks like a lot of options from Crystal Palace

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

            It was helpful. Maybe I will try to get in Edouard somehow. Maybe going for Mahrez instead of de Bruyne will give a better squad.

    2. Zenith UK
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      Jota downgrade to upgrade Ait Nouri to Robertson?

  7. Esalman
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Eriksen to Brentford.. anyone willing to jump on him if true?

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      crazy rumour, think he just trying to remind premier league clubs he is here.

  8. HD7
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Because I see a lot of us here are in the situation where we will need to use a WC right now. Do you think we will be able to make plans for the BB in weeks time and still be able to use it optimally?

    1. The FPL Units
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 2 months ago

      BB is operated. Just have 15 players that get on the pitch so you can go any week.

      1. The FPL Units
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 2 months ago

        *over rated

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

      I have 19 points on bench this week (Dalot, Rudiger, Gallagher, Lloris), and 25 points on the pitch.

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

        I didn't BB though, should have done it this week instead of last week, where I got only 15 points (Gallagher, Dalot and Bernardo)

  9. The FPL Units
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 2 months ago

    Thinking WC this week and this is it current.

    DDG Foster
    TAA Robbo Canelo Laporte Ait Nouri
    Salah Maddison Bowen Cout Gray
    Watkins Edourd Broja

    Thoughts?

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

      Nice team. Don't you want to wait for Coutinho for a few more weeks before buying? I get that he is an enviable record in the PL, but I would like to see how he adapts to Villa.