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. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    No vert and Eriksen benched

  2. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Lamela 😎

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

      Could be a genius move...it is Lamela though.. injured or subbed off for being utter shite is as likely

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Booo

  3. In Like Flynn.
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Andone 3rd on my bench. 🙂

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

    No eriksen? Hmm

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      On his way to Madrid. Not needed now Lo Celso is in. Winks will get more game time too.

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

    Oof Gilbert not even in the squad.

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

      *Guilbert

    2. Bruce Lee
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      oh sugar

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

      lel

  6. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Spurs: Lloris (C), Walker-Peters, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Rose, Winks, Sissoko, Ndombele, Lamela, Lucas, Kane.

  7. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Lamela, Moura start

    1. rrcmc
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      No Erikson
      They / he are both seriously trying to off-load

  8. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Kean on

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

    No Targett or Guillbert in starting lineup

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      haha

    2. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm guessing this is part of a bus parking strategy...no attacking fullbacks needed

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

    Where is Lucas playing?

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

      White Hart Lane...
      Sorry :p

  11. The Big Fella
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    If I'd gone with Barnes, Wood would've scored a brace

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

    Brighton attacking genes

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

    Brighton 3-0 blimey

  14. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Maupay goal

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

      Any assist?

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Dunk

        1. luke
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Oh nice!

      2. La Roja
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Duffy or dunk

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

    Maupay goal on debut

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

      We said he'd be good, hopefully he gets a starting spot nailed.

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

    Maupay 0-3

  17. Pep's Money Laundry
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Guilbert, lol

  18. Bielsa's Bucket
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    King out
    Barnes in

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

      Tempts dunnit. Though I don’t have King

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

    Brighton G, Maupay.

  20. Lovren an elevator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone know where vertonghen has gone?

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

    Another non-goal involvement from Wood

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

    3-0 Burnley

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

    Cmon Siggy...

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

    Gudmondsson G

    I'm done, good night

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

      How’s Che Adams getting along? 🙂

  25. BigBillyBass
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Watford are the pits. So glad I avoided

  26. sambyy
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Looks like Everton will concede any minute now.

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

      Plz no

  27. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Du k over Montoya was the right call after all

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

    Dunk assist

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

    There is no way Bournemouth keep a clean sheet here.

  30. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Graham Potter showing that tactical nous that got him that win over Arsenal with Ostersund