Dugout Discussion

Digne starts for Everton as Guilbert finally earns place in Villa team

Lucas Digne (£6.0m) came through his fitness doubts this week to keep hold of his starting place at left-back for Everton.

He makes a third successive start of the season as the Toffees travel to Aston Villa for the latest edition of Friday Night Football.

Despite the summer signing of Djibril Sidibé (£5.5m), Seamus Coleman (£5.5m) still starts at right-back.

Everton manager Marco Silva continues to delay Moise Kean‘s (£6.9m) first Premier League start, leaving him on the bench once again.

In his place is Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.0m), who has not particularly impressed going forward in 2019/20, with just one effort on goal in two matches.

Judging by Silva’s pre-match comments, it does seem as if we’ll have to wait before Kean is the established number one centre-forward at Everton.

“(He will start games) when he shows me in training sessions he is ready to. He needs a better moment than the others. 19-years-old player, we have to give him enough time to perform in the way we want. Now we start with Dominic up-front with a solution from the bench and Moise is one of them.” – Marco Silva

Meanwhile, Silva was enforced into one change from the side that beat Watford in Gameweek 2.

Jean-Philippe Gbamin (£5.0m) misses out, which sees Morgan Schneiderlin (£4.5m) make an immediate return from suspension in central midfield.

There are just two changes for Aston Villa following their defeat to Bournemouth in Gameweek 2.

Frederic Guilbert (£4.4m) makes a first appearance of the season, which is good news for his ownership both in FPL and the Sky Sports Fantasy game.

The right-back comes in for Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.5m) having not been involved in either of the first two matches of the season.

However, Dean Smith’s pre-match quotes don’t particularly inspire confience that he will be in the side regularly though, as it sounds as if he has been thrown in to provide something different.

“I’ve always said you always have to earn the right to get into the team. You know, Elmohamady’s done okay but Fred’s been knocking on the door, working hard in training. I just felt after his performances in pre-season he might give us a different dynamic.” – Dean Smith

The other alteration is further up the field where Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m) drops out for Jota (£5.9m).

“El Ghazi’s not really been at his best in the final third for us and I just felt Jota, who also had a really good pre-season, can create a little bit down that side.” – Dean Smith

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Taylor, Mings, Engels, Guilbert; McGinn, D Luiz, Grealish; Trezeguet, Wesley, Jota.

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

1,909 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Valar(Keith)
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    15 points in 3 games from the pope/Heaton rotation. Keep it going boys.

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

      Good start, the tears of bench points still yet to come 😉

      1. Valar(Keith)
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Haha. I've grown immune to those after 10 years and just play the odds now

      2. Valar(Keith)
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Plus it was a close class for me between pope and Heaton.. So I may have gone with Heaton and missed popes points. Couldn't choose so chose both. Happy days

    2. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Pope by himself is on 11 with a (tough-ish) game to come though...

  2. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So Everton with the superior xG and xA (not surprising watching the match), but awful finishing and awful substitutions/tactics. Got what they deserved

  3. Jolly Good
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I’m still laughing at the hot topic from yesterday about doubling up on Everton defence. I think they are ok... but the hype early in the season when you keep 2 CS is insane...

    1. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      10 clean sheets in their last 14 premier league matches. 5 clean sheets in 6 pre-season friendlies. And not a huge xGc today.. still a solid option

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

      The old one on Liverpool double up will be pasted up later

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Will be worth it once Alison returns.

    3. Demí
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Nobody likes an after timer. Why didn't you comment on it then?

    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      To only concede 2 today with Andre Gomes playing how he did was a testament to their defensive strength

      It was like being down to 7 men the way he was giving away possession, conceding silly fouls etc - how silva didn’t hook him I’ll never know

    5. noquarternt
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      You must be a great FPL player. Piling on the glee after something has happened.

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

    Currently sitting 2,654th in the world going into tmw, very pleased 🙂

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

    Spotted this stat on Sky;

    "Tottenham's Harry Kane has scored in just two of his eight Premier League appearances versus Newcastle, converting only two of his 23 shots against the Magpies (8.7 per cent conversion rate)."

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

      Until this weekend...

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Not with Bruce in charge

      1. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        If Bruce doesn't pick up points in next 3 or 4 games he's gone. He knows a bit about organising a defence. Will have a double decker and more to stop Spurs.

    3. Mr. Grv
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      time to change that..

    4. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      How many has he scored against the travelling circus that is Steve Bruce’s Newcastle? And at their new stadium?

    5. Hairy Potter
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      The git has also nobbled a few of our defenders the last few seasons with late challenges that went unpunished. I expect him to score on Sunday.

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

    Mings has turned into a fantastic centre back.

    1. Poseidon.
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He turned into a fantastic centre back years ago

  7. Jonty Rhodes
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Yeah - What a goal by El Ghazi! Faith in him paid off - last minute - what happiness FPL gives you 🙂

  8. C'mon the Fylde
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I notice that many are contemplating on shipping Digne.

    My suggestion is... go on... do it... do it now.... hahaha!!

  9. Jonty Rhodes
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Quick help - its 2 am here and I need to sleep before making a move. Is king going down tonight for sure?

    King for:
    A) Barnes
    B) Wesley
    C) Jota (going down as well)
    D) Other?

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hold.

    2. C'mon the Fylde
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      King hasn't played yet.

      Make your changes after Monday.

  10. Jay Jay Okocha
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Imagine watching that game and deciding to ship out Digne. Good lord

    1. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Nice to know he created chances. Missed game but he’s a season keeper for me

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

        If only Everton could put away chances!

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

          Coleman created one that was big in my eyes, but DCL failed.

  11. CroatianHammer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    While a great many likely had Digne, Coleman, maybe Kean, etc. and while many others surely had various Villa options such as McGinn, Grealish, even Wesley, I have to think that this scoreline ultimately favours those who had neither teams' players.

    Super psyched by the possibility of Morrison starting instead of Freeman tomorrow. All the talk in-house has been of him playing a part in a hyper aggressive midfield trio, and right now with Norwood and Lundy I think the Blades might have that and more. Trying hard to liken them to teams of years past, since they clearly don't have the technical skills of title winners... perhaps they're akin to the Crazy Gang of Robbie Earle et al?

    1. Bojan Horsemack
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm sure Wesley + McGinn owners will be satisfied

  12. abaalan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How did Moise Kean look when he came on ?

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

      Not good enough (to transfer in) imo, not bad either though. One to watch.

    2. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      What the feck am I doing here kinda vibe.

  13. @FPL_Chess
      4 years, 7 months ago

      One point from Digne means I've slipped to 276K overall. Tom Campbell from @UtterlyTC said Everton defenders were consistent threats, so no panic selling here.
      ~~~~~
      Joining code cmoq01 for FPL Chess Grandmaster Edition. 750+ players for third season running. Everyone welcome.