Fantasy Premier League managers are waiting on confirmations on several goalkeepers ahead of Gameweek 1
With the £4.5m bracket among shot-stoppers a tricky one this season, we are still hoping one standout option will emerge.
However, the latest pre-season friendlies have left plenty of uncertainty.
Wigan Athletic 2-2 Burnley
Goals: Jay Rodriguez (£6.0m), Dwight McNeil (£6.0m)
Assists: Johann Berg Gudmundsson x2 (£6.0m)
Despite playing seven pre-season friendlies this season, Burnley’s goalkeeper situation is still very much unclear.
As Nick Pope (£4.5m) remains out with a groin injury, Tom Heaton (£4.5m) got handed a whole 90-minute outing even though there is speculation.
Those minutes saw him match Pope’s pre-season minutes tally of 180 minutes but Joe Hart (£4.5m) remains the most used Burnley goalkeeper this summer with four appearances and 225 minutes.
As much as there is confusion between the sticks, there is also plenty of uncertainty about Burnley’s centre-forwards.
After Saturday’s match, Jay Rodriguez (£6.0m) now has more pre-season minutes than any of the Clarets’ strikers (349).
He played 79 minutes against Wigan and also added his third goal of pre-season.
Chris Wood (£6.5m) got 28 minutes as a substitute but remains the forward with the most attacking returns so far this summer.
Having played 298 minutes in pre-season, the second-most used forward behind Rodriguez, he has scored six times and assisted once.
Meanwhile, Matej Vydra (£5.5m) and Ashley Barnes (£6.5m) have registered 261 and 242 minutes respectively. They have been fairly extensively used, but Rodriguez and Wood are some way clear of these two.
“In my opinion, there are a few who are putting down real markers. I’m not going to tell you who though!” – Sean Dyche
Burnley’s midfield seems a little easier to predict ahead of the new season, with Jack Cork (£5.0m) and Johann Berg Gudmundsson (£6.0m) registering the most pre-season minutes in Sean Dyche’s squad.
The Iceland international got both assists in the Wigan game although they were his first of pre-season.
Dwight McNeil (£6.0m) and Ashley Westwood (£5.5m) have also been extensively used (341 minutes) and look likely to take up the other two spots in Burnley’s midfield.
Following his return from an injury earlier in pre-season, Charlie Taylor (£4.5m) started again at left-back, lasting 71 minutes before he was replaced by Erik Pieters (£4.5m).
Ben Gibson (£4.0m) missed a second game in a row with an ankle injury, while Robbie Brady (£5.5m) was absent again with his rib problem.
Burnley XI: Heaton; Taylor (Pieters 71′), Mee (Long 62′), Tarkowski, Lowton (Bardsley 62′); McNeil (Lennon 71′), Westwood (Hendrick 71′), Cork, Gudmundsson; Barnes (Wood 62′), Rodriguez (Vydra 79′).
Brentford 1-3 Bournemouth
Goals: Jordon Ibe (£5.0m), Dominic Solanke (£5.5m), Sam Surridge (£4.5m)
Assists: Jack Stacey (£4.5m), Ibe
Eddie Howe experimented with a 3-5-2 formation at Brentford on Saturday as Jordon Ibe (£5.0m) was deployed in a centre-forward’s role.
The former Liverpool man was quite a nuisance too, pouncing on a defensive error before converting from a tight angle and providing an assist for Sam Surridge (£4.5m) in the second half.
Whether Ibe can trouble Howe into a difficult decision about his forward line remains to be seen.
Callum Wilson (£8.0m) and Josh King (£6.5m) were both used in Friday’s 0-0 draw with West Bromwich Albion, hence their absence on Saturday.
“I was pleased with Jordon today, he worked hard for the team. He’s got undoubted ability and real talent. He took his goal really well and it was good to see him get an assist.” – Eddie Howe
Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke (£5.0m) and Surridge are more recognised centre-forwards than Ibe.
As Fantasy managers continue to search for £4.0m defenders, Diego Rico (£4.0m) was used as a left wing-back in this win. However, he still faces competition from former Bristol City left-back Lloyd Kelly (£4.5m) who started in Friday’s match.
At this stage, the two full-backs have played exactly 180 pre-season minutes each while Charlie Daniels (£4.5m) is yet to be involved.
Uncertainty still reigns over the Bournemouth goalkeeper situation too.
Mark Travers (£4.5m) got the full 90 minutes at Griffin Park while Aaron Ramsdale, not yet in FPL, managed the same against West Brom.
The two shot-stoppers have now managed 135 minutes across two pre-season matches, the joint highest of any goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, Asmir Begovic (£4.5m) and Artur Boruc (£4.5m) both have just 45 minutes each to their name, from a possible 360.
Finally, there was a slight injury concern as David Brooks (£6.5m) had to go off with a knock to the ankle.
“David Brooks took a slight twist to his ankle I think but hopefully he’s okay. Other than that, I think we’re fine.” – Eddie Howe
Bournemouth XI (3-5-2): Travers; Aké, Butcher (Cordner 77′), Mepham; Rico, Brooks (Surridge 71′), Kilkenny (Sherring 85′), Lerma (Anthony 85′), Stacey; Solanke, Ibe.
Charlton 1-4 Aston Villa
Goals: Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m), Andre Green (£5.0m), John McGinn x2 (£5.5m)
Assists: Jack Grealish x2 (£6.0m), Frederic Guilbert (£4.5m)
Aston Villa recorded another big pre-season win as they scored four against Championship side Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
The quality of opposition has not been particularly high for Dean Smith’s men of late, with Shrewsbury and Walsall the other Football League sides Villa have pitted themselves against.
However, we have still been able to learn a few lessons about their team ahead of the new season, most notably that predicting their starting line-up may be hard at the start of 2019/20.
Frederic Guilbert (£4.5m) has been exciting Fantasy managers with his pre-season performances and he contributed another assist at the Valley on Saturday, his third of the summer.
We already mentioned in our report on Villa’s win over Walsall that the right-back has the potential to excel both for attacking involvement and bonus points, but we still have to keep an eye on his competition.
Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.5m) was the first-choice right-back last season and has only missed the first three matches of pre-season because of his involvement in the African Cup of Nations with Egpyt.
He made his first Villa appearance of the summer against Charlton after enjoying a spell of international leave.
Which of the two full-backs will start on the right in Gameweek 1 is now hard to call and may depend on who Smith selects in Saturday’s trip to face RB Leipzig.
However, even if Guilbert gets the nod at the start of the campaign, that might be because he had the benefit of more pre-season involvement for Villa than El Mohamady.
We might have to wait a little longer to see which of them can hold down the spot permanently once the Egyptian is back up to full speed.
Matt Targett (£4.5m) is probably the favourite to start at left-back considering Smith went to the trouble of signing him from Southampton, but last season’s first-choice in this position Neil Taylor (£4.5m) has still had his fair share of pre-season game-time.
He started the win at Charlton and his minutes tally so far (177) is just six short of Targett’s (183).
With Axel Tuanzebe spending pre-season at Manchester United, the centre-back slot alongside Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) is very much up for grabs
Ezri Konsa (£4.5m) has spent the most time there outside of the former Bournemouth man so far, but it’s hard to guarantee he will start Gameweek 1.
With just three appearances out of a possible four and just 157 minutes, 13 of Konza’s club-mates have been more involved.
Kortney Hause (£4.5m) is not far behind the former Brentford man on 133 minutes.
Bjorn Engels (£4.5m) has been involved just twice but will fancy his chances of challenging for a start after his transfer delayed his participation.
“Fitness-wise, I’m getting there and trying to get to the levels required as soon as possible. I’ve had some good minutes this week. It was complicated when I joined, having to go over to the USA while waiting for paperwork to be completed. It meant I didn’t train a lot over there. But now, I’m training every day and soon I’ll be match fit again.” – Bjorn Engels
With new players all across the Villa squad this summer, Smith is making sure everyone gets their chance in pre-season.
Jed Steer (£4.5m), the man who helped the club to that impressive promotion push towards the end of last season, appears to have surfaced as the number one once again.
Despite some appearances for Lovre Kalinic, Steer now has the most outings and minutes of any other Villa goalkeeper (three and 225 respectively).
Meanwhile, Ørjan Nyland (£4.5m) is yet to be involved in any of Villa’s pre-season matches.
The centre-forward slot and flanks of attacking midfield could also be tough to predict ahead of Gameweek 1.
Wesley (£6.0m) had been brought to Villa Park to replace Chelsea loanee Tammy Abraham (£7.0m) but he was missing from the Charlton game.
The striker picked up a knock in the week and while Smith is confident he should be okay, it does make us look at some alternatives in his position.
“Wesley played well on Wednesday and scored two goals. He also played 20 minutes against Kuwait in the week but suffered a small knock. It wasn’t worth the risk bringing him down today. He’s fine, though. He should be back training on Tuesday or Wednesday.” – Dean Smith
FPL midfielder Keinan Davis (£4.5m) started the Charlton game up front and last 67 minutes. In fact, the budget option has led the Villa line at some stage in every match of pre-season so far and no forward colleague has more minutes there than him so far (177).
As we mentioned in our recent Scout Report on Trezeguet (£5.5m), the flanks of Villa’s attacking trio is hard to call right now.
Andre Green (£5.0m) and Jota (£6.0m) have registered 205 minutes there in pre-season, the joint-highest of any Villa winger.
However, Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m), one of last season’s play-off final heroes, started against Charlton and scored in the first half.
Thankfully, Villa’s central midfield is a lot easier to call than other areas of the team.
None of Smith’s players has registered more pre-season minutes so far than club captain Jack Grealish (£6.0m).
After an impressive display against Walsall, in which he was often one pass away from goal involvement, the win over Charlton saw Grealish come away with two assists.
The midfielder has now been involved in four goals this summer, the joint highest among Villa players.
Meanwhile, Conor Hourihane (£5.5m) ranks third for pre-season minutes so far, which should lead to him holding down his regular spot in Villa’s midfield.
The final member of that trio is likely to be John McGinn (£5.5m) given what he achieved last season and the brace scored at Charlton.
“It was nice to see John McGinn get two goals – it was what his performance deserved.” – Dean Smith
Aston Villa XI (4-3-3): Steer; Taylor (Targett 67’), Mings (Engels 85’), Konsa (Hause 67’), El Mohamady (Guilbert 45’); Grealish, McGinn, Hourihane (Lansbury 67′); El Ghazi (Jota 46’), Davis (Hogan 67’), Trezeguet (Green 46’)
Birmingham City 0-4 Brighton
Goals: Glenn Murray (£6.0m), Jurgen Locadia (£5.5m), Shane Duffy x2 (£5.0m)
Assists: Locadia, Leandro Trossard x3 (£6.0m)
Graham Potter’s experiment with a 3-4-3 formation paid dividends on Saturday as Brighton thrashed Birmingham 4-0.
As we highlighted in our Scout Report on the former Swansea City manager earlier in the summer, tactical changes are to be expected under Potter this season, and this friendly demonstrated that to perfection.
All three members of the attacking trio, Leandro Trossard (£6.0m), Glenn Murray (£6.0m) and Jurgen Locadia (£5.5m), were in scintillating form at St Andrew’s as they linked up very well and all came away with attacking returns.
Operating in support to Murray, Trossard was involved in three goals as he provided a hat-trick of assists.
The first came from a brilliant piece of intercepting play before sliding the ball into the path of Locadia who worked hard to get the ball into the net.
The second and third came from Trossard’s involvement in set-pieces as Shane Duffy (£5.0m) nodded home two of his crosses in the second half.
Locadia was deployed just behind Murray which helped him score not only the aforementioned goal but also to provide an assist for Murray’s strike.
“I feel good and the team are playing well. I played in a new role behind Glenn Murray against Birmingham, and it allows me to run into the channels more and use my long-distance shooting. That gave me more space and more freedom to move, and I think it suits me better. I definitely prefer playing behind the striker.” – Jurgen Locadia
The four-man midfield featured Solly March (£5.0m) and Martín Montoya (£4.5m) as the wing-backs either side of usual suspects in the middle Dale Stephens (£4.5m) and Davy Pröpper (£5.0m).
With Leon Balogun (£4.5m) yet to be involved this summer, following his African Cup of Nations campaign, Dan Burn was used as the third centre-back alongside Lewis Dunk (£4.5m) and Duffy.
Matthew Clarke (£4.5m), Bernardo (£4.5m), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (£6.0m) and Pascal Groß (£6.5m) were all among the unused substitutes.
Brighton and Hove Albion XI (3-4-3): Ryan; Burn, Dunk, Duffy; March, Pröpper (Alzate 67′), D Stephens, Montoya; Trossard, Murray (Andone 67′), Locadia.
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