Dugout Discussion

Traoré benched again as Aston Villa start two strikers against Wolves

Adama Traoré (£5.8m) finds himself on the Wolves bench for the second tie in three matches since the Premier League restart.

Nuno Espirito Santo has gone with a 3-5-2 formation for the tip to Aston Villa, the same system used for the last away match at West Ham.

For that Gameweek 30+ encounter, the Wolves manager used Traoré as an impact substitute, to good effect, and it appears that will be his plan again today.

Raúl Jiménez (£8.3m) owners and captainers will be pleased to see the Mexican in the starting line-up although may be a little disappointed by Traoré’s benching.

The two players form the most productive pairing in the Premier League this season, seven of Jiménez’s goals coming from Traoré assists.

Diogo Jota (£6.3m) gets his third successive start since the restart, joining Jiménez in the front-two.

Leander Dendoncker (£4.4m) is the man coming in for Traoré, sitting in a three-man central-midfield unit alongside Ruben Neves (£5.2m) and Joao Moutinho (£5.4m).

Meanwhile, popular Wolves defenders Matt Doherty (£6.4m) and Romain Saïss (£4.6m) both keep their starts once again.

They will have to handle a new-look Aston Villa attack this afternoon, with Dean Smith making the decision to go with a front-pairing of his own.

Rather than choose between Keinan Davis (£4.3m) and Mbwana Samatta (£5.6m), the Villa manager has started them together, supported by Jack Grealish (£6.4m) in what appears to be a central role.

Smith’s decision to go with a more conversative back-four has produced improved defensive showings since the restart, so he hands starts to Matt Targett (£4.4m), Tyrone Mings (£4.4m), Kortney Hause (£4.4m) and Ezri Konsa (£4.3m) once again.

Despite the tweaks to the front-three, Smith keeps faith in a three-man screening for the defence, deploying Marvelous Nakamba (£4.4m), Douglas Luiz (£4.4m) and Conor Hourihane (£5.7m) in central midfield.

Aston Villa XI (4-3-1-2): Nyland; Targett, Hause, Mings, Konsa; Nakamba, D Luiz, Hourihane; Grealish; Davis, Samatta.

Wolves XI (3-5-2): Patrício; Saïss, Coady, Boly; Jonny, Neves, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Doherty; D Jota, Jiménez.

1,481 Comments Post a Comment
  1. N00B
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pick 2:
    - Martial
    - Bruno
    - Rashford

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      1 and 2

    2. Kellz86
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Martial/Bruno for me

    3. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      B
      R

    4. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Not Bruno

  2. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Play 1:

    A) Cantwell (BHA)
    B) Sarr (che)

  3. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Jota benched

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      😮

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      For you maybe.

    3. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Correct, there he is on the Villa bench again

  4. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Son(c) Jimenez(vc)

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Same! Had that last GW too, hoping Sonny does better!

  5. RubeRx
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Going to be a long week for Jimenez (c) if he blanks

    1. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Hope so

    2. melvinmbabazi
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      hope so

  6. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Adama on at 55 minutes to assist Jimenez for the winner

    1. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Adams on at 59 minutes for jimmy.

      This place goes to sht

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        lol

  7. Bees4Lyf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Have a cheeky Saturday acca on, let’s see how this turns out!

  8. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    What would you do with this lot? 2FT 2.0 in the bank

    McCarthy

    Trent Doherty Lascelles

    KDB Bruno Martial Son

    DCL Jimenez Vardy

    Leno Justin D.Luiz Lund.

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I'd wait for the games to finish first...

  9. super zlatan
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Ended up captaining Salah.
    Hope I don’t regret it.

  10. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Off Targett?

  11. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Targett down

  12. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Doherty and Patricio, make me proud!!!

    1. super zlatan
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Love this wolves team. So talented.

  13. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Targett finished

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

      Not yet

  14. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Targett down

  15. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Targett hammy

  16. Sandy Ravage
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    was Targett taken out?

    1. Annie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      No

  17. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Similar injury to Targett in the reverse fixture...

    Must have nightmares of Adama.

    1. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      #Adama2020

  18. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Moving targett

  19. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Flipping heck. Both ML leaders have captained Martial and I don't even own the guy.

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      He had his week last GW vs Jagielka. Back to normal soon.

    2. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      They are chasing last week's captain points.

    3. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Could be ideal if he blanks - kill two birds with one stone.

  20. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Taylor wagon warming up

  21. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Targett 🙁 Doherty advantage?

  22. Bielsa's Bucket
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    F for Targett

  23. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Magnus has Targett starting

  24. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Doherty against a weak Targett is a dream.

  25. Tinkermania
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Jimmy owner here but want him to blank as 2 rivals have him, one of them captained. I didn't.

    1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      You should never want a player you own to blank

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        That's definitely not true

      2. Tinkermania
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        If he gets 10 points, opponent goes 10 points clear. Don't want that. Special circumstances.

  26. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Grealish fouled shocker

  27. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Tweaks like that never last - get him off

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      no way can he run that off

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        And there it goes. Probably made it worse. Happens every time.

  28. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    I think I'm gunna have to bring in Salah for Mane for the next GW.

    I can't watch Salah have another home game against one of the worst DF's in the league.

    Mane is looking good as well, but no pens and Salah's home form this season means I will make the switch I think.

    1. super zlatan
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Could back fire to be honest. If I had mané I would keep him.

  29. super zlatan
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Grealish to United if villa get relegated ?

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      It depends on Pogba more than whether Villa get relegated or not (...which they will!).

      If Pogba stays, I don't see Grealish at Utd. If Pogba goes, then he'll be a top target for Utd

      1. Mambino
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        this - otherwise they're looking for a better winger than James as a priority

  30. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    on WC - Martial or Bruno?

    1. super zlatan
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Martial given he is a differential. Everyone has Bruno.
      You may as well go for it.