Dugout Discussion

Vardy and Ings start in Sunday’s early Gameweek 4 kick-offs

Jamie Vardy (£10.1m) starts for Leicester at home to West Ham this afternoon, with Brendan Rodgers having stated on Friday that the striker’s ongoing hip issue is nothing to worry about.

At his pre-match press conference, the Foxes chief explained:

Jonny [Evans] is fine. Thankfully he just felt it a little tight but it was more having played his first game, so he was okay.

And like I said afterwards, Jamie is absolutely fine. He has this little something in his hip which takes a few days to settle down and he’s fine, he’s okay.

Dennis [Praet], we’ll see how he is. He’s trained but we just need to see what the reaction is for that. Obviously, he came off but that wasn’t as serious as what we thought.

Dennis Praet (£5.5m) does not make the squad despite featuring in training, though Jonny Evans (£5.5m) is fit to start. James Maddison (£7.0m) is the other notable absentee from the Leicester 18, with Rodgers stating that the midfielder is sidelined due to a calf injury.

Evans is joined in a three-man central defence by Caglar Soyuncu (£5.5m) and Daniel Amartey (£4.0m). New Leicester centre-back Wesley Fofana (not yet priced) is on the bench, along with on-loan winger Cengiz Ünder (£6.0m).

Rodgers set his team up in a 5-4-1 formation away to Manchester City in Gameweek 3, though it seems likely that James Justin (£4.7m) and Timothy Castagne (£5.7m) will be operating as wing-backs from kick off today.

That will match up with West Ham’s system, which will be overseen remotely by David Moyes.

New signing Vladimir Coufal (£4.5m) appears to have already ended any hopes of Ben Johnson (£4.0m) nailing down the right wing-back role in the enforced absence of Ryan Fredericks (£4.5m).

On Coufal, stand-in West Ham boss Alan Irvine commented:

He’s certainly ready in terms of the match preparation because of the level he’s been playing at. Physically, he’s ready.

The one thing you would’ve liked was a little bit more time with the group of players so he understood the role that we’re looking for from him.

But he’s an experienced player, from the signs in the couple of training sessions he’s had with us I’d expect him to cope.

The Hammers are otherwise unchanged from their 4-0 victory at home to Wolves last weekend.

Danny Ings (£8.5m) continues his strike partnership with Che Adams (£5.9m) for Southampton, who welcome Nathan Redmond (£6.4m) back to their matchday squad following a minor injury.

Jannik Vestergaard (£4.5m) keeps his place at centre-back in an unchanged XI for Ralph Hasenhuttl, meaning Jack Stephens (£4.9m) must make do with a place on the bench.

Pre-match, the Southampton boss remarked:

Our pre-season was everything but not perfect. We did not have time to work with the players and we have had a few injuries. Those games at the beginning, not fit players. You had to find the right solutions. Tough work at the moment.

Danny Ings is working like the other guys are working. He gets in a position where he can score and when he is in the box he is very good.

I liked to play in this kind of weather when I was a player, it will be a good battle I think.

West Brom are the visitors to St. Mary’s, with Slaven Bilic make one change to the side which began the 3-3 draw at Chelsea in GW3.

Midfielder Kyle Edwards (£4.9m) replaces Darnell Furlong (£4.5m) at right wing-back.

Former Fantasy Premier League legend Branislav Ivanovic (£4.5m) is part of the Baggies’ matchday squad along with Filip Krovinovic (£5.0m), who has rejoined the club on another season-long loan.

There is no place in the 18 for Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher (£5.5m).

Leicester XI (5-4-1/3-4-3): Schmeichel; Justin, Soyuncu, Evans, Amartey, Castagne; Barnes, Tielemans, Mendy, Perez; Vardy.

West Ham XI (3-4-3): Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Balbuena; Masuaku, Soucek, Rice, Coufal; Fornals, Antonio, Bowen.

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

West Brom XI (3-4-3): Johnstone; O’Shea, Bartley, Ajayi; C Townsend, Sawyers, Livermore, Edwards; Diangana, C Robinson, M Pereira.

1,300 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JBG
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Great, another Adams 2 pts to add to the collection.

    1. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Cant wait to ditch him.

    2. Gooner Kebab
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Better than having Ings' 2 pts

    3. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Having Adams and Vinagre but no cash and just one FT. -8 looming

  2. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    West Ham looking composed and playing some lovely stuff.

    Rice looks good too.

  3. Zilla
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    West Ham fixtures though..

  4. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Had Bowen for first two GWs... It's a crazy season 😆

  5. NULL-X-VOID
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Adams out

  6. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    1 more week of full throttle WOOD action before Antonio comes in

  7. riot
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bowen again

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

    Apologies Leicester fans. I transferred in Barnes which means instant catastrophic performance

  9. Says
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    West Ham rolling. Moyes being out is addition by subtraction .

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    What was Che Adams’ xG today?

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Enough to hold for another week

    2. Alnair
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      0 because it's Che Adams

    3. Whiskerz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      -2

    4. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      He could have an xG of 20 and still end up not scoring

  11. WVA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Why don't any of my players do anything except get booked?

  12. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bowen Fornals looking tempting as well now!

  13. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Adams to which player for most likely 1 week?
    A) Brewster
    B) Bamford
    C) Maupay
    D) Wilson

    1. Gooner Kebab
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Wilson for his fixtures

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

        He has Utd?

        1. Limbo
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Exactly

    2. OptimusBlack
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      B

    3. Forever In Our Shadow
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Brewster for a debut brace against the whipping boys.

      1. Hulk Smash
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        He just signed for the whipping boys

        1. Forever In Our Shadow
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Sorry. The promoted whipping boys.

    4. OptimusBlack
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Doing it now or wait after fifa break ?

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

        Have Adams with 0.6itb which means I need to be careful with price drops

  14. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bowen's an option now?

  15. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Glad I didn't go for the hit of Vardy and Barnes in for Rodriguez and Timo

  16. Forever In Our Shadow
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Wow. Yet another poor start to a gw. Only 4 games left to save me from complete embarrassment again. Anyone else suffering?

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yup, only scorer is McCarthy atm

    2. El Magico5
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Think we all are.

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

      11 from 6 including captain... Joke of a season

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I did. Minus 12. Silkyy thy no know. So I am 1 from 5. 😀

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

      Of course here

    5. Je suis le chat
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      8 from 5, rank increased by 1.1m, but enjoying the ride and hoping Mo captain saves me.

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Mo has to save us.

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

      Yes. Having an absolutely turgid start. Almost every bit of luck going against me.

      Even the team the 'needed a WC' ended up outscoring the new one.

      The worst thing is my team isn't even bad. Just missed points returns when the players are sitting in my team.

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

        Absolutely same. I'm looking at my team and I have 2FTs and there's really nothing that needs drastic changing. And at the same time I'm on 11 from 6 incl (c)...

    7. fantasyfog
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      38 with 3 including cap left, first week I'm actually not fuming

      1. Forever In Our Shadow
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        I’d give my left testicle to have 38.

      2. villa_til_i_die
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Nice score, 38 is the new 78!

        1. fantasyfog
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Seems that way, was tempted by vardy and co, glad I held out, cap jimmy to score a brace would be lovely, only disappointing was benching podence for foden

  17. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    This is just too unpredictable!

    1. Gazza2000
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Since when was football predictable?

      1. Ajax Hamsterdam
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        True but winning 5 2 at city and losing 3 0 home to w ham is a bit mental 🙂

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

      WHU on the moon 4-0 3-0 WOL LEI, TOT next

  18. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bloody hell

  19. Sherif halawa
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Praying for kilman excellence to bring him for saliba

  20. Andy_Social
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Baggies don't concede less than 3. Still due an Ings goal before full time

  21. farmerfat
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Played WC last week. Between last game week and this I've manage to amass a whopping 48 points so far ! I LOVE THIS GAME

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

      Exactly same situation and points over the last 2 weeks lol

  22. Basil1977
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    ref blow for full time!!
    double saints defence

    1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Two weeks in a row for the saints double up......over 25pts......thanks

      1. Corgz Dark side of the Loon
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Bonus to come too

  23. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    It might be time to lose Justin after the next game..
    Bad fixtures after that and Periera looks and ofcourse Leicester look poor defensively

  24. ClassiX
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    KWP should have had about 4 assists by now - really playing well.

  25. NULL-X-VOID
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Joshua Bull: "When in Doubt, captain Salah"

    should've believed in this guy's intuition

  26. Old Man
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    How are we doing?
    5 million OR and 16 from 5 inc (c)
    Anyone worse?

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

      Not worse but not far off

    2. Flair
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mate 🙁

    3. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      10 from 6 Inc captain, but I'm 3m places higher.

      1. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Subtle brag

    4. Top Dog
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Don’t like to brag but I’m 17 from 6 including Captain (providing McCarthy keeps CS) I’m a lofty 4.5m

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        You have my total respect as a high achiever!

    5. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Last time I checked I was 2.6m or and 10 PTS from 4 with c

    6. fantasyfog
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Er no

  27. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    WHERE ARE THE PENALTIES??

  28. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    McCarthy and KWP please hold...

  29. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    As a non owner, I'm incredibly relieved to have escaped these two matches with just a Southampton CS as the only significant return

    1. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yea Vardy and Ings that was close

  30. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Podence better get that brace!