Scout Notes

Which of Villa’s FPL assets impressed in their win over Vardy-less Leicester?

Leicester City 0-1 Aston Villa

  • Goals: Ross Barkley (£5.9m)
  • Assists: John McGinn (£5.5m)
  • Bonus: Barkley x3, Emiliano Martinez (£4.7m) x2, Tyrone Mings (£5.1m) x1, Matty Cash (£5.0m) x1

A 91st-minute winner from Ross Barkley (£5.9m) maintained Aston Villa’s perfect start to the season as Leicester lost at home for the second straight Gameweek.

The Chelsea loanee took John McGinn‘s (£5.5m) pass and drove towards the Foxes box before hitting a low shot past Kasper Schmeichel (£5.5m) into the bottom corner to make it four wins on the trot for Dean Smith’s side.

In a season of drama, controversy and so many goals, Sunday night’s encounter was of the old school – tight, cagey and, at times, rather dull.

But Villa’s win and Leicester’s woes ensured there was plenty of Fantasy interest.

Choices, Choices…

Last year’s main move by many in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) was a double-up on Liverpool defenders, with a third place in people’s squads for one of the Reds’ exalted front three.

Now, there’s a growing argument that a Villa triple-up is required.

Such is their strength at present, there are Fantasy contenders across the pitch.

Emiliano Martinez (£4.7m), who brought in save and bonus points on Sunday, is the leading FPL points scorer among goalkeepers, while Tyrone Mings (£5.1m) tops the defenders’ chart.

The team also has two midfielders – Jack Grealish (£7.2m) and McGinn – and striker Ollie Watkins (£6.0m) in their respective top tens.

Barkley, with 20 points overall, is close to joining that roll of honour, with 18 of those points having come from his two Villa games, both of which he’s scored in.

The key question is whether Villa’s form is sustainable.

Manager Smith is, as you’d expect, not getting carried away:

To come here, keep a clean sheet and play as well as we did is very pleasing. It’s important we keep our feet firmly on the ground and stay humble.

But with a fine fixture list all the way through to Boxing Day, the prospects of more of the same from Villa look very strong indeed.

McGinn The Groove

How to tap into all this is good stuff is tricky.

Grealish’s 24-point haul against Liverpool meant he went into the Leicester game with double the owners and his blank on Sunday hasn’t dampened managers’ enthusiasm – he’s again in the top five for transfers-in and his price has risen as a result.

The midfielder is all boom and bust so far. Other than his monster haul against Liverpool, he’s managed one eight-pointer and two blanks and he didn’t have a single shot at the King Power Stadium.

In fact, he had a poor game by his standards, with too many wrong choices made in the final third, mostly involving him holding on to the ball for far too long.

But his overall stats for the season – 14 chances created and nine attempts – are strong enough to ensure his 21% ownership will only rise at present.

The same cannot be said of Sunday’s assister, McGinn.

Five Villa players are currently in the top 30 for Gameweek 6 purchases. The 1.5%-owned McGinn is not one of them.

And yet the midfielder has been very consistent, with three straight returns, two of which were for double-digit hauls.

He now has a goal and four assists to his name this season and only Harry Kane (£10.7m) has set up more goals (seven).

Grealish is catching the eye and hoovering up the managers. McGinn remains the differential and currently frees up £1.7m in funds as well.

As for match-winner Barkley, Smith was generous with his praise:

We have seen Ross Barkley do that enough times for Everton and Chelsea so we are pleased he did it for us. It was touch and go whether he started. He had a knock to the knee, but a great goal and a real battling performance by the whole team.

But the midfielder’s previous record of burning brightly and then producing very little has clearly scarred FPL managers as he’s barely out-performing McGinn for purchases at present.

Pick A Defender, Any Defender

As well as being the leading FPL goalkeeper in terms of points, Martinez is also the most popular, with 21.6% ownership (and rising).

But you have to scroll a long way down the defenders list to find Villa names, with Mings (6.7%) and Ezri Konsa (£4.6m and 6.1%) the first to appear, even though the team has kept a league-leading three clean sheets.

The pair also lead the way among Villa’s backline for points – 30 and 28 respectively – with Matty Cash (18 points) and Matt Targett (£4.5m and 17pts) yet to produce attacking returns.

Targett, however, had two shots against the Foxes – no Villa player had more – while Cash has created four chances this season.

In terms of attacking points, the full-backs’ time will come, you feel, and Targett’s price tag could be a key factor for many.

No Vardy, No Party

Leicester out-shot their visitors 11-10, but barely stretched Martinez, a Youri Tielemans (£6.4m) effort the toughest of the five saves he had to make.

Much of the reason for that was down to the absence, with a calf injury, of striker Jamie Vardy (£10.1m).

Leicester started the season by scoring 12 goals in their first three matches, with five of them coming from the forward.

A deep-lying West Ham foiled the Foxes in Gameweek 4, but with no Vardy on Sunday, Villa could keep a higher line and not worry about being hurt in behind by Leicester’s other strikers, Kelechi Iheanacho (£5.7m) and Islam Slimani (£5.0m), who managed just two shots between them.

Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers delivered the latest news on Vardy post-match.

Jamie will probably miss Thursday (Europa League). It’s a recurrence of a problem he’s had for a number of years with his calves. This isn’t serious, so we’re hopeful he’ll be ready for the next league game.

That will be music to the ears of his 22.5% ownership, although a trip to a defensively-improved Arsenal next week is not the fixture for forwards it was last season.

Leicester’s squad is fairly strong, which is just as well with a growing injury list for Rodgers to manage, but they are not the same threat without Vardy to lead the line and stretch defences.

Fofana Impresses

.

Another key man out injured, the 7.5%-owned Caglar Soyuncu (£5.5m), will not be returning any time soon, as Rodgers confirmed:

Caglar is more serious. The muscle has come right off the bone so he could be three months out.

His absence meant a debut for £32m Saint-Etienne signing Wesley Fofana (£5.0m), and the teenager was, generally, immaculate.

Rodgers was certainly a happy manager:

He was outstanding. Supporters will have great joy watching him. He’s got huge potential and he’ll be a big player for our future.

So while Vardy was sorely missed, Fofana ensured Soyuncu’s absence was fully covered – a welcome piece of news for the 20%+ of FPL managers hoping for future clean sheets from full-backs Timothy Castagne (£5.8m) and James Justin (£4.8m).


Leicester City XI (4-5-1): Schmeichel; Justin, Evans, Fofana, Castagne; Tielemans, Mendy (Choudhury 78′), Praet (Maddison 68′), Perez, Barnes, Iheanacho (Slimani 71′).

Aston Villa XI (4-5-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, McGinn, Trezeguet (Traore 81′), Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.

PREMIUM MEMBERS ANALYSIS

LESSONS LEARNED FROM FPL GAMEWEEK 5

2,009 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Christina.
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    86 pts

    Halved OR

    We move.

    1. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Nice one, good going! Crawled up a bit myself, nowhere near as good as that

    2. ALegendJ
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Nice, in the top million?

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        500k I think

        1. ALegendJ
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Top 10k coming easy

  2. jimmyabs1987
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    96 all out

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

      Unlucky.

    2. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Timo Kane double up?

      1. jimmyabs1987
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        No Timo!

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

      Your team says 52?

      1. jimmyabs1987
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Look again....

        Martinez
        TAA, Saiss, Lamptey
        Son, Salah, Zaha, Barnes,
        Jimi, Kane C, DCL

        = 96

      2. jimmyabs1987
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Sorted now

    4. ALegendJ
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      It's not a 100!

    5. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Sort your team link out, says 52

      1. jimmyabs1987
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        All sorted

  3. TheDragon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Semedo or Saiss?

    1. HD7
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Have Semedo mate. But from what I see last two GWs Saiss seems to get the bps...

    2. Reggie Nainggolan
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Saiss

    3. ALegendJ
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      For me, it is a coin flip

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

        Is Semedo showing any attacking threat and will saiss move back into central defence?

  4. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    And out come all the high scores out of the blocks like horses waiting to be unleashed once FT whistle was blown lol

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

      Is 90 a high score? 😉

      1. Riverside Red
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        No

      2. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Haha!

  5. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    3 clean sheets for me this week. Average cost of 4.6m

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

    A) Grealish
    B) James Rodriguez

    1. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      b

    2. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Got in both for the next gw

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

    Have exact money to do these. Worth it for -4?

    Justin, Coleman > Kilman, Robbo

    1. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      No

  8. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Is Either Neto or Podence nailed?

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

    Martinez. That's all you need on the list. Arteta is a fraud. Hugh Wizzy knew all along.

    1. R.C
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      What happened lol

      And I mean everyone knew Emi is a great keeper but Arsenal wanted to keep Leno for some reason lol

      Emi > Leno imo

  10. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    103 pts one blank from my starting 11 (gtfo Reece James) after a terrible first week of my wc. The highs and lows...loving it right now

    1. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Well done mate!

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

        Thanks chuffed, I'm now due a mare

    2. CroatianHammer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Great score. You'd be hard pressed to get that on an old DGW

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

        Yeh I know all my ducks lined up this week it would seem, bringing in Kane(c) helped too

  11. King Kohli
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    How do you fit in Kane here?

    Martinez Steer
    TAA Robbo Castagne Mitchell Johnson
    Salah Sterling Barnes Pereira Anguissa
    Ings DCL Maupay

    2 FT 0.1 ITB

    A. Barnes + Castagne > Hamez + Ayling
    B. TAA + Barnes + Ings > Ayling/Targett + Hamez + Kane (-4)

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I like A, but not really too keen on Ayling. Anyone else?

      1. King Kohli
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Can stretch upto 4.9 but need to play him each week.
        Can maybe double up on Villa defence.

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

    Lol @ Jimmy post match injury.

    "If he doesn't block it I think it's going to be a fantastic goal anyway"... pause.... *Cracks up*

  13. Stormbringer22
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Podence didn't get much love here today, but I am tempted to keep for the Newcastle game.

    1. Jdpz
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      me too

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I’m looking at him or Neto

      1. Christina.
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        neto is KAK

    3. Free Hat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Looked good. Better than traore either way.

    4. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      could have assist with Sais goal and nearly scored 2

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

      Looked good for a 5.5 mid, I'm keeping. Especially with Newcastle next.

    6. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Before the game was contemplating Jimi + Podence to Kane + Grealish. Will give both of them the Newcastle game though

    7. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Keeping Neto was gash

  14. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mccarthy
    TAA Mitchell Castagne Semedo
    Salah Son Zaha
    Ings Jimi DCL

    Button Bissouma Mendy Holding

    Ings to Kane best move?
    Anything else that makes better sense?

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

    If you got under 90 pts this week you’re a casual.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      So like 86% or something of all fpl’ers this gameweek

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

      *waves*

    3. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I am a casual then

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

    Which move?
    A. Podence to Hames
    B. Jiminez to Kane
    C. Both -4

    1. Hansel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      C

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

        Ok, cheers

  17. Will J 256
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Keep jimi for one more week or bring in Kane?

    1. pundit of punts
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I’m keeping

  18. pundit of punts
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Jimenez, Taylor, Coady and Podence bringing home the bacon tonight. 😀

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Podence?

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

    First green arrow of the season!

    Nothing out of this world (76 -4, and I benched Saiss, oops) and I’m only up to about 2m... but it’s a start!

  20. Hansel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    A) Jimi -> Kane
    B) Podence -> Geralish/barkley

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

      a

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

    On free transfer best option between

    A Jiménez to Kane
    B Podence to Rodriguez

    1. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      b

  22. ElliotJHP
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Conor Coady comes across so well

    1. Duke Silver ☑
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Very funny interview! Nice chap.

    2. Free Hat
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      He was very good tonight

  23. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Best move here? 3.3itb.

    A. Ings >> Kane tonight (play Bissouma & Mitch)
    B. Bissouma >> Grealish
    C. Davis >> Maupay

    McCarthy
    TAA, Mitchell, Saiss
    Pulisic, Salah, Rodríguez, Son, Biss
    DCL, Ings
    (Nyland, Davies, Mitchell, Davis)

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

    84 (-4), what a relief. Had forgotten what a good GW looks like!

    1. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Congrats mate, happy for you! GL next week as well 🙂

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

        Thanks!

  25. Genji3lade
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Worth a -4 to get Hamez?

    Barnes >> Rodriguez
    Castagne >> any 5.4m defender?

    Martinez
    Saiss Mitchell ???
    Foden Sterling Salah Son *Rodriguez
    Kane DCL

  26. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Will TAA drop in price today? Sell him now or wait for tommorow?

    1. brianutd-why always we? 20
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Not tonight

  27. The_Fish
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    How long is Kilman likely to start for?

  28. El_Gigante
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    2FTs

    Werner or Jiminez to Kane?
    Podence to Rodriguez? (also have DCL)

  29. Dynamo Chicken
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Has there been any speculation about when the double gameweek for the GW1 games will take place?

    Trying to work out if I should stick or twist with my wildcard?

  30. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Finally, off to a start. Benched Saiss, but got lucky with Jimenez so luck evens out.

    70 (-8) up from 3.9m to 3.5m

    Need to build from this.