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. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    27 shots by Leeds. Wow.

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

    Ideal start to the week all things considered

    13 from 2.

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

      Nice

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

    James to Ayling gone well for me.

    Not sure what the fuss is about with Villa attackers.

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

      They had one good game and people got a bit over excited

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

    In a head to head for £1 a point at end of season.

    He brought in Grealish and took out bamford for DCL.

    You love to see it

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

    This result really dents Aston Villa’s title chances.

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

      LOL

    2. Yankee Toffee
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Dbl lol

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

    Watkins owners who are you shipping him for?

    1. Quan MisTaka
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Bamford easy choice. Or Antonio

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

    -1 from 1

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

    Villa is rubbish

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

    Well done Dallas your beauty

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

      I have him last on bench. 🙁

  10. Yankee Toffee
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    The Spanish announcer just called him Marco Bamford by accident. The color commentator called him terrible lol

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

      😮

    2. Fantasy Gold
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      What has colour got to do with anything?

      1. Yankee Toffee
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_commentator

        If you mean race or culture, absolutely nothing. Be color blind. Talking sport here m8.

        1. Fantasy Gold
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 5 months ago

          Ahhh I see. My bad.

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

      sad

  11. Weasel Boy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    1pt from 2 players any good?

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

    Villa bandwagon over.

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

      Still good.

      Every team has nights like this.

  13. jdp219
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Extremely kneejerk here, but admittedly thought about it before this game and have 2FTs...

    Keinan Davis > Bamford?

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

      Look at their fixtures before that move

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

    First GW this season that I haven't made a transfer, and a Bamford owner and starter.

    Happy days.

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

      Enjoy!

  15. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Martínez still chipping in 3 points after conceding 3

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

      Set and forget

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

      I'll take that.

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

      Him and Meslier are this years Pope and Henderson

      Having any other keeper outside of this two now makes no sense.

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

    Beat the champion 7-2 then beaten 0-3 by a promoted team ... nice story

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

      That's why they play the games, Zico.

  17. Ligdon
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Hehe, bamford over watkins finally paying off >)

  18. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    72K net sales for Bamford before this GW, so many tears tonight...

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

      The amount of tears this season would fill a well, from players who sold Bamford, Son, Vardy, Wilson, Adams, Bruno right before mega-hauls

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

      And Werner!

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

    My h2h opponent have bamford and martinez while i have grealish. It is 1-20 against me, can't see how i can make a comeback

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

    Fantasy football doesn’t matter. Fantasy football doesn’t matter. Fantasy football doesn’t matter. Fantasy football doesn’t matter.

    Sold Bamford, Benched Ayling.

    Not going to let it ruin my weekend.

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

      Oof...

  21. FPL_trail_runner
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Leeds are in the top 3 now, albeit with an extra game played

    Have already played Liverpool , Man city , Wolves and now Villa away

    As i have said since week 1, they are massively underpriced and you need 3 players in your team ( have had 2 myself since the game opened) and may finally get Bamford since his value in that attacking unit despite the 5 misses per game will be value.

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

      You don't need 3 Leeds players in your team, let's be realistic. Points are spread.

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

      I sold both Harrison + Ayling on my WC and now have none. My worry is that the points would be too split up in attack so favoured Podence slightly over Harrison. And for Ayling I went for KWP as I thought there was slightly more attacking threat.

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

    No BAPs for Dallas, Dahell?

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

    Any chance to Ayling grab BAPS ?

  24. Hattrick Harry
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Shots 12-27 Leeds total dominance as expected, Hello Leeds fan here - thanks for points from Ayling, Klich and Bamford

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

    Leeds to finish top 10, guaranteed.

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

      Maybe even top 8*

      * This is not based on tonights result. Predicted them to be this years Wolves.

  26. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Surely nobody still has Bamford.

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

      Double pain tonight, villa stuffed and Bamford first on the bench!

      1. Do I Not Like Orange
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 5 months ago

        Ouch!

    2. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGenius…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 5 months ago

      Ummm ... 😉

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

    Dallas, Martinez and Grealish here. Quite the disappointment

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

    Is 70 pts too much of a gap to chase?

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

      Nope...

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

    Im sorry but this Villa result is hilarious, at the end of the day it is Villa after all. If something seems to good to be true, it normally is

  30. Mweene
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 5 months ago

    Took a -8 this week to get Kane so Bamford doing a good job of helping me overcome that.

    Great price for a striker in that team.