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Last week’s thread started off promisingly with returns from Ortega, Huijsen, Bailey, Savio, and Wilson. Then the Liverpool game happened, with Quansah benched and Szoboszlai out due to illness, which took away some (or all?) of my pride. 😅 Unlucky with the last pair.

Both Cups have had matches since the last gameweek, and we've seen some impactful injuries. Both Bournemouth strikers managed to get injured within a day of each other but still dominated West Brom with Ouattara leading the line.

Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus, who had just returned to the Arsenal lineup, had to be carried off, it didn’t look good.
Another "newish" forward option, Fullkrug, also picked up an injury and will be sidelined for weeks.
Great, four fewer forwards in a draft world that already lacks options! 😅

Transfer window update:
So far, no standout options have emerged.

• Echeverri (MCI): An 18-year-old talent for the future.
• Diego Gomez (BRI): A young central midfielder from MLS. Not an FPL option looking at his stats.
• Welington/Sanda (SOU): Defenders brought in for Southampton, nope not going there.
• Kinsky (TOT): Two clean sheets in cup games for the new Spurs keeper. Likely to start until Vicario returns, but can you really trust Spurs’ defense? Go pick up if you’re in need of a keeper.

Let’s dive into this Gameweek:

Defenders

Ibrahima Konaté (LIV) vs Nottingham
Returned against Man United after missing six games. Could (should?) be available in some leagues. While Nottingham away is tricky, getting a defender from a top team is a solid long-term investment.

Matthijs de Ligt (MUN) vs Southampton
Man United had positive results against Liverpool and Arsenal, and now face Southampton. After Brentford’s demolition of Southampton last week, this looks like a comfortable win for United. Both de Ligt and Maguire are good picks, with their set-piece threat.

Tyrick Mitchell (CRY) vs Leicester
Mitchell and Munoz are very involved in Crystal Palace’s attack. Leicester have lost five straight games, scoring only twice. With a decent shot at a clean sheet and attacking potential, Mitchell is a solid choice.

Sven Botman (NEW) vs Wolves
His minutes might be limited, but he’s worth picking up regardless for the long term. Two wins against Spurs and Arsenal since his return from injury and I'm sure he will end up first choice over time. With Pope also returning soon, their defense will only get better.

Midfielders

Mikel Merino (ARS) vs Spurs
Saka, Jesus, and Nwaneri are out, making Merino almost certain to start. Spurs kept a clean sheet against Liverpool in the cup, but this won’t be a 0-0 game. Merino has 1 goal and 1 assist in his last two matches.

Dango Ouattara (BOU) vs Chelsea
With both Bournemouth strikers injured, Ouattara might playi up top. The upcoming fixtures (Chelsea, Newcastle, Nottingham) aren’t great on paper, but i can see Bournemouth getting a results in all these games, they are just that soild this season.

Mohammed Kudus (WHU) vs Fulham
Potter effect maybe? With Bowen and Fullkrug out, Kudus will need to step up as the main man. He could even start as the striker against Fulham.

Joelinton (NEW) vs Wolves
Newcastle are on a five-game winning streak in the Premier League and look fantastic. Joelinton and Guimarães have been freed to attack more, thanks to Tonali’s defensive work in midfield. Wolves’ defense is shaky and also Semedo and Dawson flagged. I expect another big Newcastle win.

Strikers

Danny Ings (WHU) vs Fulham
It’s unclear how Potter will set up the team, but if you’re desperate for a third striker, gambling on Ings getting a run of games might pay off.

Striker options are scarce. Southampton and Everton strikers are available in our pool but uninspiring. I’d rather take a punt on Ings who has the potential to deliver, than settle for a predictable two-pointer.

Good luck!