Dugout Discussion

Three £4.0m defenders start in Saturday’s 3pm matches

Three £4.0m defenders have earned Gameweek 1 starts, two of them coming in the same match.

As predicted from our research of pre-season, John Lundstram (£4.0m) is deployed in the central midfield trio of Sheffield United, while Diego Rico (£4.0m) starts at left wing-back for Bournemouth.

The match at the Vitality Stadium also includes a Premier League debut for Cherries goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale (£4.5m) who appears to have won the hotly contested race to start between the sticks.

Fantasy managers backing Ryan Fraser (£7.5m), Callum Wilson (£8.0m) and Josh King (£6.5m) will be happy to see them on the team sheet.

Callum Robinson (£5.5m) starts up front for Sheffield United alongside David McGoldrick (£5.5m).

Meanwhile, Martin Kelly (£4.0m) features at centre-back alongside Scott Dann (£4.5m) for Crystal Palace.

The Eagles are still without Wilfried Zaha (£7.0m), who sitds on the bench. Christian Benteke (£6.0m) and Jordan Ayew (£5.0m) lead the attack.

There are few surprises for visitors Everton as Seamus Coleman (£5.5m) holds onto his right-back berth for now and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m) starts up front with Moise Kean (£7.0m) on the bench,.

Those unfamiliar with Graham Potter’s version of Pep Roulette were given a harsh introduction to it on Saturday afternoon.

After naming an unchanged 3-4-3 line-up for the last two pre-season friendlies, which included starts for Leandro Trossard (£6.0m) in the front trio, he has gone with 3-5-2 for the trip to Watford and benched the new Belgian signing.

Glenn Murray (£6.0m) and Jurgen Locadia (£5.5m) start in the front two while Pascal Groß (£6.5m) comes into central midfield alongside Davy Pröpper (£5.0m) and Dale Stephens (£4.5m).

Dan Burn (£4.5m) joins Lewis Dunk (£4.5m) and Shane Duffy (£5.0m) in the three-man defence while Solly March (£5.0m) and Martin Montoya (£4.5m) are the wing-backs.

Hosts Watford have gone with a 4-4-2 formation but Gerard Deulofeu (£6.5m), reclassified as a forward for 2019/20, has been named on the left wing of midfield.

Troy Deeney (£6.5m) and Andre Gray (£6.0m) lead the Hornets’ line.

TEAMS IN FULL

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale; Aké, S Cook, Mepham; Rico, Billing, Lerman, Smith; Fraser, Wilson, King.

Sheffield United XI: Henderson; O’Connell, Egan, Basham; Stevens, Fleck, Norwood, Lundstram, Baldock; Robinson, McGoldrick.

Burnley XI: Pope; Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Gudmundsson; Wood, Barnes.

Southampton XI: Gunn; Bednarek, Stephens, Vestergaard; Valery, Ward-Prowse(C), Oriol Romeu, Bertrand; Adams, Redmond; Ings.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; van Aanholt, Dann, Kelly, Ward; Meyer, McArthur, Milivojevic, Townsend; Ayew, Benteke.

Everton XI: Pickford; Digne, Keane, Mina, Coleman; Schneiderlin, A Gomes; Bernard, Sigurdsson, Richarlison; Calvert-Lewin.

Watford XI: Foster; Kiko Femenía, Dawson, Cathcart, Holebas; Capoue, Doucouré; Hughes, Deulofeu; Deeney(C), Gray.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Duffy, Dunk(C), Burn; Montoya, Pröpper, Stephens, Groß, March; Locadia, Murray.

1,670 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    King is so bad. Not a PL level player. Bournemouth have no one linking between the holding midfielders and the attack.

    1. Gimli son of Gloin
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Looks a real weak link out there.

    2. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Could be missing Brooks.

    3. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Brooks injury probably a key reason

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Nah, they were like this last season as well. They cough up possession far too easily in midfield.

    4. CostaCoffee
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Not a PL level player but has scored 36 goals in the past 3 seasons. Ay mate

      1. jia you
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        exactly

    5. Simon69
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Managed 11 last season. Can't imagine that he's not PL standard.

    6. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He should be benched. Howe should have made H Wilson nailed on already.

      1. Greasy Grealish Gang
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Yes, please. I want my Double Wilson investment to flourish.

    7. FPLHaggis
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      More goals than Rashford

    8. jia you
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      yet another rubbish match day post...yawn

    9. Rains of Castamere
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Disagree. Deserves an England call up.

      1. Pap Le Cissier
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        😆

  2. Gimli son of Gloin
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    This Bournemouth game is a shocker. Sheffield look more solid than I expected them to be but nothing past the halfway line.

    1. circusmonkey
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It is windy. No surprise.

  3. Budweiser
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Woodman with a penalty save sitting on my bench

  4. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Lundstram shot off target

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Shows how bad this gw is when we getting SOT updates

      1. Yank Revolution
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Truth

      2. Mull
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Couldn't you have picked a grav with less Troy Deeney?

        1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          It's not Troy , it's an Armadillo mate

        2. Yank Revolution
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          He is the epitome of Pumpkinhead tho!

  5. HNI
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Is lundstram not nailed? Looked the best player of first half vs Bou. Completely blunted Bou attack which ran rampant vs Lyon 5 days back

    1. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      We don't know. He's no less or more nailed than their other CMs

    2. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He looks terrible and it looks like he knows it himself.

  6. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    YC for A Smith

    1. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      That all came from a bad touch, from a bad pass. He got so mad.

  7. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Bournemourh gonna concede?

    Got Rico

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yeah, come on, someone must have seen this match before.

    2. Gimli son of Gloin
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sheffield not up to much. They'll run out McBurnie in the second half, might give them some juice.

  8. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What a terrific save by Pope from Redmond's whipping shot!

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      The resulting corner is headed terribly by Romeu. Jeez

  9. SirStevieG
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    No way can you play two Bournemouth attackers in two weeks time, one has to go by then.

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Fraser will be gone come GW3, Son will come in.

      1. Budweiser
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        This. Can't wait already

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A lot of teams have King and Wilson.

    3. jia you
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Will hopefully be plenty of options to swap King out for by then!

    4. Jack Burton
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Wait until villa out the way prob both of mine be gone then

    5. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yep, 1 will go. Likely an underperforming King.

  10. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Behind the couch time later for me with no Spurs 🙁

    1. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I found a way to squeeze Sir Harold in...I had to have a premium F in my team.

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

      I'll join you and bring the m&ms

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Thanks lad

  11. Sif
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Redmond SOT, Pope Save

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      There’s a good pope

  12. jomikijiq
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Gomes injured

    1. jomikijiq
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Gbamin coming on

    2. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Damn. Big loss.

    3. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Damn there goes my Coleman CS. Hopefully not too serious Gomes is a really important player

    4. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Interesting. Not sure whether this is good for clean sheets

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        It’s not. Pivotal

  13. jaybradlights
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone remember John Fleck from Football Manager days? That's a blast from the past, welcome to the Premier League

    1. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yeah, good potential when he was like 15?

  14. Limbo
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    “Proper Pope save”

    Fanks mers

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A great one handed save tbf. Proper save.

  15. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    King/Wilson are donkeys. One is becoming Pukki soon

    1. Limbo
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Jota was my placeholder... Might switch Wilson to Kean while I’m there!

    2. jia you
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      The great thing is Pukki, Wesley, Kean and a few others could be easy swaps for our BOU strikers, lots of choice up front this season hopefully!

  16. Siggy in the Middle
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pope saves. Hopeful he can pull off more of those

  17. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Gomes out..

  18. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Are any of the games NOT on sky?

    My grandparents don’t have it

    1. Zladan
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sky aren’t showing any 3pm games as per the law.

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Oh. Sorry I’m not in the UK usually (until next yr for uni).

        Who shows em normally?

        1. Zladan
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          This morning City was on BT, I believe.

          Spurs is on Sky later and that’s the way it usually goes, one or the other.

          Amazon are allegedly showing some games this year too.

          1. Epic Fail
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            Amazon are showing every single game of 2 GWs worth of matches over Christmas.

        2. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          BT Sports and Sky but Saturday 3pm games are not shown. You can walk into bars around the world that show all of the 3pm matches on every screen but not in the UK.

        3. The Ejiptian King
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          You aren't?!

    2. Respect My Authoritah
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Most of them are not on Sky

    3. Mull
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Great Britain is the only country where you can't watch the 3pm games.

      1. Limbo
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        To elaborate - it’s an FA rule to encourage fans to go to matches on Saturday.

        And long May it last.

        1. Dr Van Nostrand
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Doesn't work tho just another old fashioned norm this country refuses to move on from

      2. Dr Van Nostrand
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Archaic law from the 60s. Euro Commission has studied it and has no effect on attendances.

        1. Limbo
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Surely it’s impossible to measure without changing it (and televising every game)

    4. just a man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      If you just mean today / this weekend, then no, think any live games are just Sky

  19. Zladan
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I’m glad Sterling got most of today’s goals, but it’s pretty boring when nobody scores.

  20. Yank Revolution
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    HT in Bournemouth

  21. barracuda
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Need a better second half from Bou

  22. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Wasn't expecting Ryan to get to half time with vs intact

    Will still concede but no minus points hopefully

    1. fclackless [Brazil Nuts]
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      clean sheet absolutely nailed

  23. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How Ben Mee has not gotten a senior England cap is insane.

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      True. Better than stones

  24. Sandy Ravage
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How are Che Adams & Ings looking?

    1. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Tarkowski and Mee holding very strong. We need a better creator, someone like Hojbjerg to put the ball into the channels.

      1. Differential C (Mark)
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Adams the more impressive than Ings. Had a decent chance in the opneing second, and Adams has caused problems, but not enough to force an error,

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

      Adams looked alright, Ing's has been contained. Redmond looking most lively.

    3. Sandy Ravage
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      thanks fellas

  25. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    This match is screaming for Harry Wilson

    1. Greasy Grealish Gang
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yes please!

  26. The Chosen One...
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    looks like you need 3 City 3 Pool for the whole season

    1. Epic Fail
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      So 3 of each no matter who they are?

      1. The Chosen One...
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        yeah mate don't need Sterling and Salah

  27. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Goals galore second half please!

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Wilson Digne Siggy the scorers, to make us all happy

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        I have none of those!

  28. Eytexi
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Need Bournemouth & Burnley to wake up in the second half. Hopefully drain the goals out of the weekend as my FPL weekend only has 45 minutes left - 11 played.

  29. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Robinson looks quite dangerous. I would be quite happy as an owner. 5.5m for an OoP forward.

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Definitely one to keep an eye on

    2. SB8
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Happy as I have him.

    3. Oooof
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Thanks for the update.

    4. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      You said Trossard is a bad pick because he plays for Brighton and has no history in the PL. But Robinson is a good pick, even though he plays for Sheff Utd with no history in the PL?

      Okay.

  30. TheGambler
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Shout to all those who captained 'Own Goal' over Salah.