The Rounded Keeper - FPL Pub Talk & Matchday Banter 2018-19

[Aldershot Rejects]

Mendy, gives me my 4th defensive assist this week

[Pirlo's Beard]

Mendy, gives me my 4th defensive assist this week

Mendy, Robertson, Van Aanholt.... they're all going to be beastly this season.

[Pirlo's Beard]

That would have been the best own goal ever.

[swadd1er]

Mendy looking shaky defensively. Makes up for it attacking though.

[Aldershot Rejects]

Mendy, gives me my 4th defensive assist this week

Mendy, Robertson, Van Aanholt.... they're all going to be beastly this season.

Yep and Alonso

[S_sutton87]

Mendy looking shaky defensively. Makes up for it attacking though.

Definitely got a mistake in him bombs on like a train tho

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[Pirlo's Beard]

Yep and Alonso

Hmmm, I had thought the back four would hurt Alonso but he still seemed to be getting into the box a lot yesterday, so maybe my assessment was wrong.

I do expect Chelsea to concede more goals this season though, so I think Alonso will find it hard to compete value-wise with the three guys I mentioned.

[tommygun25]

Arsenal look awful.

[Resonare]

Mendy looking shaky defensively. Makes up for it attacking though.

Looks very nervous, think he's just not settled yet.

[Pirlo's Beard]

Arsenal look awful.

Yeah, who would have thought a midfield of Guendouzi-Ramsey-Xhaka would be getting so comprehensively outplayed by the midfield of Manchester City?

I do think Arsenal have the right coach now, but he's got a big job on his hands. I hope he's given time.

[Aldershot Rejects]

Yep and Alonso

Hmmm, I had thought the back four would hurt Alonso but he still seemed to be getting into the box a lot yesterday, so maybe my assessment was wrong.

I do expect Chelsea to concede more goals this season though, so I think Alonso will find it hard to compete value-wise with the three guys I mentioned.

With the midfield they are building, I'm not sure about that. I think they may well be very solid (at least against the non-top 6 sides)

[tommygun25]

Mendy looking shaky defensively. Makes up for it attacking though.

Looks very nervous, think he's just not settled yet.

Think he's done well occupying that inside space - Im looking at getting Walker in as well

[carver]

Mendy, gives me my 4th defensive assist this week

Mendy, Robertson, Van Aanholt.... they're all going to be beastly this season.

Yep and Alonso

And holebas

[Pirlo's Beard]

I do expect Chelsea to concede more goals this season though, so I think Alonso will find it hard to compete value-wise with the three guys I mentioned.

With the midfield they are building, I'm not sure about that. I think they may well be very solid (at least against the non-top 6 sides)

The midfield is certainly taking shape impressively, but it's more the defence itself that I'd have reservations about, with Alonso back there now (not really a fullback, pretty average defensively) and the walking disaster zone that is David Luiz. Add that to a more expansive attacking approach which Sarri is trying to implement (and which is bound to take a bit of time to implement) and I can still see them shipping more goals than we're used to seeing from them.

Huddersfield were the width of a post away from going 1-0 up against them yesterday.

[Aldershot Rejects]

Mendy, gives me my 4th defensive assist this week

Mendy, Robertson, Van Aanholt.... they're all going to be beastly this season.

Yep and Alonso

And holebas

Yeah, sadly FPL wouldn't let me play 6 defenders

[dino1980]

Yep and Alonso

Hmmm, I had thought the back four would hurt Alonso but he still seemed to be getting into the box a lot yesterday, so maybe my assessment was wrong.

I do expect Chelsea to concede more goals this season though, so I think Alonso will find it hard to compete value-wise with the three guys I mentioned.

I had a quick look at his heatmap and average position for yesterday's game, compared to all away league matches in the 2017/18 season. Obviously, it's only one game, but his heatmap was significantly different. The concentration of touches yesterday was mainly the 10 yards closest to the halfway line in the Chelsea half and the 20-25 yards in the opponent's half, by the left-hand touchline. Last season the red part of his touchmap extended all the way to the penalty area.
His average position was deeper than all but four of last season's away games (Spurs, Stoke, Brighton, Man City and the same as WBA). It doesn't seem to have affected his penalty area touches or shots in the box though. His passes received in the final third was down about 15%. Cliffs: too early to tell, offensively if/how his output will suffer.

[Aldershot Rejects]

I do expect Chelsea to concede more goals this season though, so I think Alonso will find it hard to compete value-wise with the three guys I mentioned.

With the midfield they are building, I'm not sure about that. I think they may well be very solid (at least against the non-top 6 sides)

The midfield is certainly taking shape impressively, but it's more the defence itself that I'd have reservations about, with Alonso back there now (not really a fullback, pretty average defensively) and the walking disaster zone that is David Luiz. Add that to a more expansive attacking approach which Sarri is trying to implement (and which is bound to take a bit of time to implement) and I can still see them shipping more goals than we're used to seeing from them.

Huddersfield were the width of a post away from going 1-0 up against them yesterday.

It will be interesting to see which way it goes. As I said, I think they will struggle against the top sides but they will dominate possession against others. Only 0.4 xGA yesterday (which is about what I would have hoped for against Huddersfield).

[ZeroRemorse]

Sane looking unhappy on the bench, hard to see a regular starting spot for him in this squad.

[wizardoffire]

for all his attacking prowess, I wonder how Pep will view Mendys defensive work... most of Arsenals chances have come down his side

[bigcliff2]

They seem to have removed Milner's second assist

[ZeroRemorse]

for all his attacking prowess, I wonder how Pep will view Mendys defensive work... most of Arsenals chances have come down his side

He's still returning from a major injury, he'll give him a good chance I think.

[blahblah]

Arsenal look awful.

Yeah, who would have thought a midfield of Guendouzi-Ramsey-Xhaka would be getting so comprehensively outplayed by the midfield of Manchester City?

I do think Arsenal have the right coach now, but he's got a big job on his hands. I hope he's given time.

They are doing better than I expected after watching both preseason. Next week vs Chelsea will be interesting, and a more relevant test.

[tommygun25]

Sane looking unhappy on the bench, hard to see a regular starting spot for him in this squad.

He managed to get great returns regardless of having a starting birth - I think you need to except rotation in the high scoring City midfield

[ZeroRemorse]

Sane looking unhappy on the bench, hard to see a regular starting spot for him in this squad.

He managed to get great returns regardless of having a starting birth - I think you need to except rotation in the high scoring City midfield

Bar Sterling and KDB, it's hard to see any other City mids outscoring Mane (if he stays fit) and Salah.

I think Sterling and KDB will be worth their price this season - Mahrez, DSilva and Sane, less so - still not bad options but Mane over Sane is an easy choice for before the season and now since it has started it's even more obvious.

[tommygun25]

for all his attacking prowess, I wonder how Pep will view Mendys defensive work... most of Arsenals chances have come down his side

His movement made the first goal looking forward to seeing him over the next 6GWs locked in now.

[blahblah]

I think Sterling and KDB will be worth their price this season - Mahrez, DSilva and Sane, less so - still not bad options but Mane over Sane is an easy choice for before the season and now since it has started it's even more obvious.

It would be interesting to see what the the Geeks (whoops maffs bods) think about him and Salah in the same FPL Squad.

[swadd1er]

Come on Bernardo and Aguero let’s have some returns

[tommygun25]

Sane looking unhappy on the bench, hard to see a regular starting spot for him in this squad.

He managed to get great returns regardless of having a starting birth - I think you need to except rotation in the high scoring City midfield

Bar Sterling and KDB, it's hard to see any other City mids outscoring Mane (if he stays fit) and Salah.

I think Sterling and KDB will be worth their price this season - Mahrez, DSilva and Sane, less so - still not bad options but Mane over Sane is an easy choice for before the season and now since it has started it's even more obvious.

Agree M over S for a season long pick.

I think the Man City squad is so strong and picks are transient so there are no season long picks.

[tommygun25]

Come on Bernardo and Aguero let’s have some returns

Patience next 6GWs

[nufctoon]

Come on Bernardo and Aguero let’s have some returns

Tbf, Silva has been pretty invisible. Mahrez and Sterling much more involved.