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. ZimZalabim
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Liverpool should bring Coady back to the club

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Can’t think where you got that idea from

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

      Wash your mouth with soap and water!

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

        Its fine u can always bring Pepe in to replace him

        he ticks all the boxes hes from Portugal and hes bald perfect replacement for you lot

  2. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    wtf I thought Nyland was injured, contract terminated lol. My bench is shoddy

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

      he would have been 4th choice in a few weeks anyway so no difference

  3. Dont give a fuchs
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Kdb and Adams to foden and kane? (-4)

    Yay or nay?

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Not sure I’d bring Foden in. Would prefer Grealish

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

      Yes from me

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

    Leeds really dependant on having better endurance than their opponents. They are going to run out of steam a lot earlier than in the championship against the higher quality and physical fitness of the PL

  5. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Jimenez + TAA --> Kane + Mings (-4) Yay/Nay

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

      no

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

      no

    3. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Not this week

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

        Why not...Kane hauls, Liverpool on UCL duty?

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

      No

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

      Nope

  6. bench boost for every gamew…
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    When you have 3 players and rank er hen 0-0 is 980k and then one player you own score, you are doen to 1.1m. Jimenez actually Hurt my rank..

    1. Clam. ☘️
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      autosubs?

    2. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      And yes i know the logic in that he is high owned and Leeds defs not.

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

    R.James, KDB, Brewster —> Bellerin, Son, Wilson for -4?

  8. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Killman. 4.0m Wolves defender. 21pts over last 2 games. Mmm.

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

    What’s a reasonable overall rank currently if you have ambitions of top 10k? Or is it still pretty much irrelevant still?

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

      Still irrelevant.

    2. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Completely irrelevant

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

        No need for you to worry about top10k

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

      4.5m

    4. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      3million

    5. ZimZalabim
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      top 50%

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

        Up this week from a misserable 3.3 Million to 1.2 Million, happy days, at last a decent G.W. :). Still have genuine hopes of getting into the top 10k once again.

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

      I jumped from 3.2m to 1.2m this week. It was a good week. But ranks are still too close for it to matter much.

    7. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Rank could be important not points wise but plays a part in the mental aspects of this game.

  10. M00N
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Kilman everything Semedo owners hoped for at a fraction of the cost.

    1. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Truth hurts

  11. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Cresswell or Bellerin?

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bellerin - some nice fixtures coming

  12. Werner Bremen
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Podence to JRodriguez for a hit?

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

      Yes

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

      He did well without Richardson playing last time.

    3. F_Ivanovic
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      no

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

    McCarthy ¦
    TAA - Coady - Ward
    KdB* - Salah - Jorginho - Son
    Kane - Maupay - Wilson*
    ¦ Bissouma - Justin* - Taylor

    A) Justin -> Fernandes + Reguilon
    B) Wilson -> Grealish + Aguero

    Which option seems best?

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

      A for the pens.

    2. Geriatric Unathletic
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      B from me.

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

    In my dreams I will add a goal and assist +3 bps for saiss and a goal plus 2bps for Podence.

    What a great gw I will think
    , before I wake up.

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Was there much attacking threat from Saiss tonight?

      1. BENOIT
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Goal disallowed

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

        Besides one potential assist and one hell of a goal not really.
        But Wolves had it difficult to get into Leeds half. Only 20min in 2nd H where they dominated.
        So you could say he did well for the little chances he d got.

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

    What do people think of March as a 5.0m option? Stats look good.

    Shopping for a possible 5.6m mid

    1. Volley127
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Would probably look at McGinn

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

        Hmm possible

    2. Meinhoff
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Podence, Soucek and a couple more mids all better options.

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

        Based on what? Just the eye test?

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

          Yes. If you want Brighton full back get Lamptey, he can also get you clean sheets

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

      I'll be honest, Rafa, I have 0% interest in Solly personally

    4. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Lookman 5.0m with a couple of decent fixtures next and better quality around him after transfers in.

  16. Mr. Mystic
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Worth doing Jiminez to Kane for free transfer? Already have Son & Podence...

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

      I would, when Kane is hot he's hot.

    2. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I’d take podence out for a -12

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

      I'm in the same dilemma. I think if you're going to Captain Kane then get him in. Jimenez represents good value for the long haul.

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

    Repost - bottom comment twice..

    Just checking I haven't missed any double gameweek chat. 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?

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      17 maybe, 19 more likely.

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

        Thanks for that.
        Talked myself in to the wildacard while reposting.

  18. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    For anyone who still has there wilcard has anyone spotted any potential fixture swings to wildcard in the next few weeks?

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Game week 10 is aguero time

    2. IRBOX ⚽
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      9-10

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

      Around that time with Antonio fixture swing sounds sensible

    4. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Good question...was looking GW10 when City and Pool are having easier games vs. Spurs much tougher

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

      Cheers. I'm thinking of riding the next few weeks out the possibly tripling up on city in gw10 with a view to bringing KDB and Sergio in. West ham are a good shout from gw8.

  19. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Rank more than halved, sadly I was 3.3m before the gw...

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Better than mine by a long way. Fair play.

      1. No Professionals
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers, first time I’ve got some of the marginal decisions right.

  20. ivantys
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Wolves scored just 5 goals and have 9 points, nice!

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

      They haven't forgotten how to defend every other PL club did so they deserve it.

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

        Efficiency at its best

  21. lordkippe
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Is it worth spending FT on goalkeepers?. Thinking about Mccarthy > Martinez

  22. Gandalf
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    1. Havertz > Rodriguez
    2. Havertz + Wilson > Rodriguez + DCL -4
    3. Wilson > Maupay

    Another option Jiménez > DCL for free but want to see how he gets on home to Newcastle

    Attack currently
    Salah Son Havertz Soucek 4.5
    Kane Jiménez Wilson

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I’d keep Havertz personally. He’s slowly but surely improving and starting to get returns. Not keen on 3 either.

      Save perhaps?

  23. Warby84
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Digne and Jimi to 3.9 and Kane leaves me with a back 4 of Ayling Trent Saiss and Lamptey..

    1. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      I wouldn’t do that this week, digne and Jimenez could do well

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

      Nothing wrong with that

    3. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Wait one week more

      1. Warby84
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Priced out after Kane goes up..

  24. Right In The Stanchion
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bamford > Mitrovic
    Hudson Odoi > Barkley
    Justin > Killman -4

    Fixtures are excellent

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Stay clear of Mitro /Mitro owner

      1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Should say /Ex Mitro owner thankfully

        1. Right In The Stanchion
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Fixtures couldn’t be better, have semi happy memories of owning last time Fulham were up.

    2. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      In Mitro we trust. Good fixtures and eager to score

  25. Number 5
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Would you WC this -

    Mcarthy Nyland
    Mithchell TAA Egan Davies KWP
    Soucek Salah Son Bruno ASM
    Mitrovic Jiminez Davis

  26. Captain Vantastic™
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Captain poll is up guys

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

    Really pissing me off that clueless pundits are using the word quarterback on Kane's role... Theres a perfectly fitting word in football for his role already...no point using handegg terms

    1. Bruce Lee
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      playmaker?

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

        Yes that better as well. But trequartista is exactly his role

  28. bruuuno
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Was planning for A but how important is Kane?

    A. Havertz > Salah
    B. Starling Jimenez > Salah Kane (-4)

  29. Kristobal
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Michy Batshuayi nailed on for Palace from now on?

    A) TAA & Batshuayi
    B) Bellerin & Ings

  30. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Illan Meslier - Future GOAT