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

    Bamford benched by 15% of owners

    1. Harn1
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Hi.

    2. Party time
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Hello

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

      Ummmm what is this

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

        Madness

    4. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Jiminez to Bamford

    5. Nice to Finally Michu
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Oh Dallas lad you have to do better there

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

      Skill game

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

      Can’t believe I started Targett over Mitchell

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

      HATRICK BAMFORD

    9. denial
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Don't understand it anymore

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

      WOWSERS

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

      They said he couldn't finish lmao. He's played brilliantly this game.

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

        6 goals in 5 games... I think he's doing more than OK

    12. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Patrick hattrick

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

        Hatrick Bamford

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

      Hattie!

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

      and it's patrick bamford fc

      we're by faaar the greatest, the world has ever seen

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

      What is this

    16. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Mark is never catching Granville

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

      OMG BAM BAM BAM

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        BAM BAM BAM

    18. Party time
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Bamford on my damn bench. Feck this game

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

          15% of owners did the same

      • HuttonDressedasLahm
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Jesus 🙄

      • Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        So... Bamford essential?

      • g40steve
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Villa defence is gash

      • The Frenchie
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Sale Bamford to get Kane...

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

        I don’t believe this

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

        That defending!! Hahaha

      • Dr. Ante Pavlovic
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        This game is stupid as hell

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

        What the!!!!!

      • ivantys
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Villa new whipping boys?

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

        Bam Bam Bam

        We want 4

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

          Damn straight we do.

      • Niho992
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Bamford killing my rank in mini league.

      • Pedram
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        This is going to be one of those weeks isn't it?

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

          Mate this whole season so far has been "one of those weeks" for me..!

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

        But how