Dugout Discussion

Out-of-position £4.0m defender Struijk starts in midfield for Leeds

Fantasy Premier League managers have confirmation of the latest starting £4.0m defender as Pascal Struijk (£4.0m) features in midfield for Leeds United tonight.

In his pre-match press conference, Marcelo Bielsa promised the budget option would be the replacement for Kalvin Phillips (£5.0m), who is out for up to six weeks with a shoulder injury.

While most of the FPL attention will be on Jack Grealish (£7.2m) and Emiliano Martínez (£4.8m) tonight, each owned by roughly 25% of managers, it will be worth assessing Struijk’s credentials, especially with Max Kilman (£4.1m) turning heads at Wolves.

The omens initially look relatively strong for Grealish and his differential team-mates Ollie Watkins (£6.0m), Ross Barkley (£6.0m) and John McGinn (£5.5m) though.

Not only are Leeds without their key defensive midfield Phillips, club captain and first-choice centre-back Liam Cooper (£4.4m) could not overcome his groin injury.

That has forced Marcelo Bielsa to put together something of a makeshift back-four, especially with back-up centre-back Struijk playing in midfield.

The tweak sees right-back Luke Ayling (£4.5m) join Robin Koch (£4.5m) in the middle, Stuart Dallas (£4.5m) switching flanks to fill the gap there and Ezgjan Alioski (£4.4m) comes in at left-back.

The Aston Villa defence, which has kept three clean sheets from a possible four so far, remains unchanged.

That means another start for Emiliano Martínez (£4.8m), Matt Targett (£4.5m), Ezri Konsa (£4.6m), Tyrone Mings (£5.2m) and Matty Cash (£5.0m).

After five Gameweeks this season, Villa’s two centre-backs are in the top three for most points per million spent among defenders.

Aston Villa XI (4-3-3): Martínez; Targett, Mings, Konsa, Cash; Barkley, D Luiz, McGinn; Grealish, Watkins, Trézéguet.

Leeds United XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Alioski, Koch, Ayling, Dallas; Struijk; Harrison, Rodrigo, Klich, Costa; Bamford.

1,443 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    And breathe

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

    lol

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

    Form is dead, fixture is dead
    What now?

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

      players with good haircuts

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

        So avoid the Leeds man bun crew yeah

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Leeds was always going to tear them up

  4. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mings with a YC and loss of cs in 30 seconds. No need to watch anymore. Goodnight folks.

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

    Bumford

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

      bums out ford

  6. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Just need a grealish goal now.

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

    Is there another player as unlikeable as Grealish in the league?

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

      rashford

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

        this was a joke im not a tory

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

          You did the right thing by clarifying

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

      No, hes the worst

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

      Pogba

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

      Sterling

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

        Don't think I've seen Sterling complain anywhere near the levels that Grealish does, nor talk back to the ref and try and get anyone near him booked.

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

          Ok, Grealish is worse

    5. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Yes, Nick Pope

    6. dark91
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Robertson

    7. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bamford

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

      Zaha, maybe.

      Personally find Pickford yappy.

  8. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Selling Rodrigo was a bad move

  9. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Sums it up this season so far hhaha, Grealish asssit and Konsa goal denied. 1 min later the cleanie is wiped 🙂

  10. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Well done Leeds defence owners

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

      Even if I benched?

      1. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Me too. Attempting a jinx.

  11. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Grealish still has 30 minutes to deliver something

  12. FC Hakkebøf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Villa bandwagon is over 🙂

  13. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Dallas is a joy to watch, what a player

  14. Granville
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    I want the rest of the season to consist of Bamford goals and Bruno penalties and watch this place spontaneously combust. 😎

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

      One of those you'll get...

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

        No prizes for guessing which one, either.

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

      You on Black Box next week rubbing this in will be fun.

    3. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Everyone will own them soon!

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

    Absolutely nothing suggested a Leeds win here.

    Villa are managed by a milkman

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

      Why? Two attacking teams with bang average defenses.

  16. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Wow Bamford is seriously highly owned

  17. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Sold Castagne and Barnes to Mings and Rodriguez for a hit. 1pointer for Mings locked in and Rodriguez may not play. Another fantastic set of transfers gw 😆

  18. Pep Roulette
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Where did the Kings YC go?

    1. Pep Roulette
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mings*

  19. Warbling Wendy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    So glad I kept the faith with Bamford - yes he is a terrible finisher, but Leeds will make chances and he is the striker, that's enough for him to justify his price tag

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

      hefty price tag

  20. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mings 😀

  21. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mings may get a Red for that

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

    Has Barkley even had a shot today?

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

    Mings potential red?

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

      No Bamford yellow more likely

    2. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      You crazy?

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

    Penalty?

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

      Nah

    2. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      No

  25. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mings vs Bamford - Hell in a Cell

  26. Royal5
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Lol wtf bamford. Pathetic.

  27. The Suspended One
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Mings poor sportsmanship there

  28. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bamford deserves to be sent off for that. Joke.

  29. Utopsis
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Bamford with 4 goals in 6 for a newly promoted side, not good enough for most on here

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

      Sent off for stamp? Or penalty to Manchester United?

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      5*

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

        Incredible return

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

    Has to be Bamford yellow, that's ridiculous diving