Dugout Discussion

Southampton make one change for trip to injury-stricken Burnley

Ralph Hasenhüttl has made just one change to his Southampton side as they travel to Burnley in Gameweek 3.

The Saints were opened up time and time again in a 5-2 home defeat to Spurs last Sunday but, despite that poor result, Jack Stephens (£5.0m) is the only player to lose his place.

Jannik Vestergaard (£4.5m) comes into the back-four as Stephens drops to the bench, while key Fantasy assets Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) and Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.5m) retain their starting berths in defence.

It is also an unchanged attacking setup for Southampton as Moussa Djenepo (£5.5m) and Stuart Armstrong (£5.5m) provide the width for Danny Ings (£8.4m) and Che Adams (£5.9m).

Meanwhile, Burnley are painfully short of key players once again, especially in defence. Sean Dyche is forced into pairing Jimmy Dunne (£4.0m) with Kevin Long (£4.5m) at centre-back.

Dale Stephens (£4.5m) makes his debut in central midfield, while a shortage of wider options pushes Josh Brownhill (£5.0m) onto the right.

Chris Wood (£6.5m) leads the line, as per usual, but injuries to his team-mates means a first Premier League start of the season for Matej Vydra (£5.0m).

Burnley XI (4-4-2): Pope; C Taylor, Dunne, K Long, Bardsley; McNeil, Westwood, D Stephens, Brownhill; Vydra, Wood.

Southampton XI (4-4-2): A McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Walker-Peters; Djenepo, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Armstrong; Adams, Ings.

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1,796 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Bram
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    And there's Chris Wood shouted commentary nearly jumped out of my skin reading the boards!!! Phew (McC and KWP here lol).

  2. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Lads what is better?

    A) Bruno and Brewster out for Barnes and Jimmy for a hit, play Timo and bench Mitrovic

    B) Werner to Jimmy and play Mitro (no hit)

    A has to be done tonight otherwise I will be priced out.

    If possible share why.

    Thanks

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      It is Timo and Barnes vs Bruno and Mitro hmmm....

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B

    3. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B easy

    4. Bram
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B - benching a penalty taking striker and paying 4pts for the privileged looks iffy.

      Brewster could be viable if he moves.

    5. The Sociologist
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      B) for sure. Need those pens.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Uh. That looked unanimous. Looks like I am the only one in love with Barnes who looks amazing.

        Cheers lads.

        I might sell Bruno to Sterling than

        1. joker14
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Isn't Werner on pens too if Jorginho doesnt play?
          Chelsea had 2 penalties so far this season 😡

          1. FPL Daniel
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            I think Werner should be on penalties. Havertz second

  3. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Bottomed.
    2FT. Werner and Mitro to Jiminez and DCL?

    McCarthy
    Trent • Taylor • Vinagre • Justin
    Salah • KDB • Mane
    Werner • Mitro • Adams
    (4.0 / Mitchell / 4.5 / 4.5)

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yes

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Mitro has decent fixtures and everything goes through him

  4. The New Chelsea
    Portsmouth Bubblejet
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    As I watch more Bundesliga matches than Premier League, a word in defence of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. Both are good players, but Chelsea currently don't seem to have planned how to use them properly, or to know exactly what they're trying to achieve in attack or defence.

    1. Werner isn't a number 9: he's a forward who plays best just behind and to the left of a number nine, such as Patrik Schick last year at Red Bull. The unlovable Leipzig team also played with two wide players (usually Nkunku and Olmo) and two defensive midfielders (4-2-2-2). Werner is best using his pace on the counter-attack, as his conversion rate is extremely good when running at defenders, and his shot selection and execution is strong. While he can play on the left of a front three, he isn't a wide player - and he's not really a lone target man either.

    2. Kai Havertz has played in a number of positions for Bayer Leverkusen, but was most effective as a number 10, behind Kevin Volland. He’s very good at unlocking defences with one-two combinations, but also has an eye for scoring scruffy goals. Havertz also played as an emergency number nine when Leverkusen were struck down by injuries, scoring twice in successive away matches at Bremen and Mönchengladbach in May.

    3. Where that leaves Chelsea is unclear, as the two formations that they are most used to are slightly different (4-2-2-2 for Werner, 4-2-3-1 for Havertz). With Chelsea keeping both Abraham and Giroud, it would appear that they have recognised that both need to play alongside or just behind a target-man, but it's only in the last two matches that they have tried this.

    4. Even if Chelsea play a target man, where do the rest of the strike force fit in behind them? If it’s 4-2-3-1, then you’re wasting Werner on the wing, and putting him in direct competition with Pulisic.

    -----------------Abraham (Giroud)------------------
    Werner/Pulisic---------Havertz----------Ziyech (Hudson-Odoi)

    If it’s 4-2-2-2, then where does Havertz go?

    ------------Werner----Abraham (Giroud)---------
    Pulisic-------------------------------------------Ziyech (Hudson-Odoi)

    5. It's worth noting too that Havertz and Werner are both players who are ambitious and willing to learn, but they’re not the type of player who can come straight into a new league in a different country and immediately grab It by the scruff of the neck. Werner had initial problems at Stuttgart in an unsympathetic environment, and Havertz isn’t a self-confident extrovert such as (say) Aubameyang or Lewandowski.

    6. So Werner and Havertz will need good coaching – which they won’t get from Frank Lampard. They’ll also need consistency of team position and players around them – which they won’t get from Frank Lampard, who is always going to try to shoehorn Mason Mount and Hudson-Odoi into an already over-staffed front four. They’ll also need two solid defensive midfielders – which they won’t get if Lampard insists on playing Kante and Kovačić together. They’ll also need a reliable and consistently selected back four – and you know that you’ll never get that from Lampard either.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Hulk it. The best Bundesliga poster here. Thanks PBj

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        So basically Havertz and Timo both up top would be the best

        1. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          No it wouldn't, they both need a main presence up front to work their play around. That's what he was explaining the whole time. Maybe if he could make a 4-3-1-2 work, which I highly doubt.

    2. luk46
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      wie läufts bei TeBe?

    3. MSTRKRFTSMN
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not really a defence of these players in FPL terms. More of a detailed analysis of why you shouldn’t touch them

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        True. I think he meant defence in the sense that it's not their fault they aren't returning

    4. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Great stuff, PB. Bang on.

    5. The Mandalorian
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Thanks man for your thoughts great stuff

    6. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Legend of the site. Welcome back PM.

      Werner sounds like Rashford! Strong on the counter-attack, but not suited to a lone striker role.

      Good to hear Chelsea are as screwed as United...

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        PB*

    7. tiger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Excellent.

      Makes sense and shows how waiting on new players can be helpful...so many factors going into how they will settle.

    8. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Classic Chelsea recruitment. So badly ran

    9. Das Boot
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Cheers BBJ

      1. Gnu
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Portsmouth, not Bournemouth.
        Dumb Burger.

    10. MrZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Nice analysis PB.

      What i think the best formation in Chelsea team now is 4222 with havertz & mount on AMC ( no wide players).
      This will make wingbacks very important as they will provide width. Dave at LB & James at RB is perfect.
      But Frank has shown us that he's not flexible at tactic. Until.we have puli & ziyech available, we may just have to see the irritating view of werner & havertz playing.on the wing.

    11. Yank Revolution
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Frank is horrible at playing his players where they can thrive...see Pulisic until finally, Lamps adjusted his role, gave him time to adjust then he started scoring like mad.

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Hes always played the same position, they switched systems...

    12. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      We should just sell them and pack up and go home then..

      Bit harsh on Frank, he’s been coaching for two seasons and has dramatically out performed his squad. He doesn’t want to play a static formation; he wants a front four capable of playing any formation and to change it up during matches; you are going to see all of Werner, puli, ziyech and havertz playing wide sometimes and all of puli ziyech havertz playing the 10. It’s going to take time but it’s unfair to compare their previous teams with a totally different setup in a totally different league. Cho Tammy and Giroud are squad players and Mason is going to be a deeper lying mf when all are healthy.

      I don’t think anything you said was wrong except the assumption that they can’t improve at Chelsea or that they can’t adapt to be different positions as the team gels. Lots of wishful thinking going on there.

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Just a question; after watching all these matches how can you question a Kai/Timo partnership up front? I’ll take them over any strike partnership in the league atm

        1. cravencottage
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Are you trolling?

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Considering KDB and sterling wouldn’t qualify as a strike partnership, no not in the least. Salah and mane would be close, but I don’t expect either to continue at this level for long.

        2. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 6 months ago

          Probably because they've both performed best as second strikers in the past with someone to play around/off of, he's just explained this... I think it's wishful thinking that Werner will be able to change his game to become an effective lone 9 as well, he has always had this issue.

          1. The Suspended One
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 10 Years
            3 years, 6 months ago

            Werner is the 9, Kai is the 10, Kai played all of 2 matches there, not sure how they play same position.. We don’t need a “target man” in this league

    13. dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Great analysis

    14. Witty Pun: Not good at this…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Thank you so much, felt I was suffering whiplash seeing all the Chelsea assets here on pre-season. I had no idea how all their new signings were going to play together effectively.

    15. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      4231 with Timo as an IF makes the most sense but would probably need a better LB than the one they just spent 50m on - basically Chelsea are shite

    16. FPL price manipulators are …
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      So Chelsea should've signed either one of Werner or Havertz. Both currently prefer to play in systems that obstruct the other

    17. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Lamps to be sacked, unfortunately. Not the first time I said it.

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Wow LOL the outside is definitely overreacting to the few results that haven’t gone our way in 2020. Not a single Chelsea fan is calling for that, and we are a volatile bunch.

        He isn’t getting sacked bar losing 10 in a row; stay away from that punt.

    18. Kroos Kontrol
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I agree with the positional analysis but this seems to not give Lampard credit. This is a manager who took 4-5 Championship youngsters and got his team to the top 4. Loads of players look a lot better under than him than they did previously, just look at Pulisic. 4 goals max in 30+ Bundesliga games per season for Dortmund, yet he made him look like a 20-goal-season winger after just 7-8 months in a new league.

      Havertz looked incredibly good in a 4-3-3 at the start of second half (Kante lone DM), something Lampard used to great success in the restart until Kante got injured. I feel we move to that eventually. You can easily see Havertz as an #8, and Werner LW (or an ST for the high-line games where we may not need a focal point as much).

      I also disagree with "always going to try to shoehorn Mount and Hudson-Odoi". He got an incredibly consistent front 3 towards the end of last season (Pulisic-Giroud-Willian), and made no attempts to disrupt it by giving Hudson-Odoi or Abraham minutes.

      Mason Mount and CHO are starting on merit as of now, their places may come under threat when Ziyech/Pulisic return.

    19. Pacer.
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Great name great post. And has sparked some good and lively debate about the content

      Pretty much the only thing I've got right this year is to avoid CHE assets as it looked clear that it would take 5-10 games for Lampard to work out what to do with these players.

      THIS IS THE NEWS

    20. GreenWindmill
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Great to see you still posting quality content PB, always one of my favourites (although I wish you’d posted this a few weeks ago!)

    21. The Overthinker
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      This is brilliant
      I've been in discussion with my friends regarding werner, that he plays very good with a striking partner and why he isn't a good option if Lampard continues to play him at wing or lone striker.

    22. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      so best policy for FPL is Chelsea aren't essential atm and to wait and see how quickly Lampard figures out what he's doing?
      Plenty of talent there but even with the 3 2nd half goals yesterday they looked scruffy in attack. Can see them being a side (for the time being) where points are spread around rather than concentrated in 1or 2 players.

    23. The Rumour Mill
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Thank you for this excellent analysis. I think Lampard did reasonably well last year given the transfer ban etc but I think his tactics have been absolutely awful this year. He's slowly learning that Havertz is best as a 10 but I knew that and I'm not paid to be a football manager. You're bang on about him always trying to shoehorn mason mount into the front 3 aswell,which is baffling as he's far better in midfield and especially given the alternatives he can play in the front 3. It's no wonder he's conceding goals either with the ludicrously attacking full backs of James and Alonso, coupled with a 36 year old centre back and Christensen who is made of glass.

      You would have thought a man who suffered through the England teams of the mid 2000's , with the constant shoe horning of players on the left hand side of midfield who weren't suited to it (Paul scholes as a winger anyone?) , and of course the most famous failed partnership of all, which actually featured himself (and Gerrard), should have learnt something about putting round pegs in round holes. But it appears he hasn't.

    24. Simon March
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Bit harsh - all 3 Chelsea goalscorers yesterday were young players coached by Frank Lampard and they seem to be doing okay.

    25. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      He’s a ginger from my team now.

    26. PatrickYF
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      this is an 'analysis' that serves more of a purpose to degrade the club's signing and everything lampard has done than actually providing a thoughtful neutral look the entire sixth paragraph should be scraped u are writing based on pure speculation and agenda rather than facts to fully discount lampard's coaching abilities and predicting the continued disorganisation of the team at this stage is simply laughable and naive the team will not be as it is now when the dust has settled but u seem to have been convinced that is the best it gets and that the players do not have the ability to improve or settle in over time and pardon me but i dont think u have the means to judge a player's attitude towards improving themselves and adapting to a new environment 3 games into a season if u truely think so lowly of this chelsea team i expect u to resist efforts to bring them in when they inevitably start clicking

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

    C'mon Burnley!

  6. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone seen the Anelka documentary on Netflix? Any good?

    1. JBG
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Not really.

    2. Babelcopter
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      rubbish

    3. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Released? Heard it's good

      1. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        It’s available

  7. abhirup780
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Does anyone have a Werner heatmap for today? He was running all over the field today.

    1. Check out my Umtiti's
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Yep, I heard the heat map looks like a Jackson Pollack

      1. JohnnyRev7
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Though if you really analysis the painting/heat map you might spot a headless chicken running at warp-speed into brick walls.

  8. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Manchester City close to signing Ruben Diaz

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Scored today for benfica

    2. All de Gea no iDier
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Another disposable defender?

      1. JBG
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        A great talent.. Hopefully doesn't go to City. Will probably be wasted.

    3. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Garcia will finally get the move he wants then.

  9. Hulk Smash
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Anyone know how long it takes after a match for player and team stats to be updated in the members area?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Within 5 mins.

  10. Buck The Trent
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Best replacement for Werner?

    A Ings
    B Mitro
    C Wood
    D Richa (have DCL, jrod)
    E Brewster

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      A

    2. abhirup780
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      E

    3. Check out my Umtiti's
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      F. Joe Linton

  11. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    That wasnt offside

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Some horrific goalkeeping mind.

  12. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Wood pleaseeeee

  13. Lucky Z
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Ryan
    TAA | KWP | Lascelles
    KDB | Son | Salah | JRod
    Jimenez | DCL | Mitrovic

    Button | Vinagre | Soucek | Mitchell

    Anything worth a hit here?

  14. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Who to target - DCL, richarlison or ings?

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Ings

      GI and Southampton probs looked the equal to Everton in attack against Palace. On the basis of today don't see Everton as a must have attack so just go for better player. Ings is a much better player than either of course.

    2. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Dcl, best value for money

  15. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Calamity defending

  16. Babelcopter
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    McCarthy so bad. Terrible goalkeeping that.

  17. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    God... McSharty better not actually keep a CS after I removed on WC. Fuming...

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      I benched him and Bertrand !

  18. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Weirdest offside ever

    1. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      There wasn't a var check

    2. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Close but marginally off, but very close.

  19. Carlton P
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Chris Wood will get goals this season. He’s an absolute unit and suits Burnley perfectly. McNeil and Taylor assists galore

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Well thanks for that, now if he could get a return tonight it would be brilliant

    2. ivantys
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      He's better when Jay plays

  20. adstomko
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    As a Wood owner, I've been robbed.
    Clearly onside.

    1. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Seriously

    2. Gobigorgohome
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      agreed

    3. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      My luck has been horrid so far this season

  21. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Wow world class save from Mccarthy

  22. Ser Davos
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Just in the midst of drafting an apology for all the abuse I've been giving the Soton defence

  23. R.C
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Wood was onside, wtf

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Almost glad I’m not watching as I would be even more angry

  24. UshFPL
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    One more save please Alex

  25. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Tayyylooor

  26. Danstoke82
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Dumped Taylor on my WC for Lamptey. Nearly bloody scored then

  27. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    That Bardsley cross, wow.

    35-years-old and going strong.

  28. Carlton P
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 6 months ago

    Also Lamptey and C.Taylor are easily the beat 4.5s, Shane about the Burnley injuries

    1. Carlton P
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Best...shame!!

  29. Vlekz
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Wilson has Burnley next but bad fixtures after that.
      He is falling tonight and I have exact money for Wilson to DCL. Is it worth it for -4?
      Had to sort Davies with my ft

      1. Carlton P
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 6 months ago

        Tough one. I would do if you intend on getting rid of him anyway. You may have DCL for a while (likely won’t)

    • FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 6 months ago

      Just checked Havertz stats. Impressive for me

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

        He'll come good. Just need the rest of the team to tick too.