Dugout Discussion

One change apiece for Villa and Southampton as Walcott starts over Redmond

Bertrand Traore (£5.9m) has been handed his first league start since signing for Aston Villa, replacing Trezeguet (£5.4m) for Sunday lunchtime’s hosting of Southampton.

Head coach Dean Smith had stuck with the same starting XI when facing Liverpool, Leicester and Leeds but has opted to select the summer arrival from Lyon.

The back five have kept three clean sheets from five matches, a total only passed by a Wolves side who have played seven times. Emiliano Martinez (£4.8m) is FPL’s highest-scoring and most-selected goalkeeper, boosted by his penalty save against Sheffield United.

Ahead of him, both Tyrone Mings (£5.2m) and Ezri Konsa (£4.7m) have already contributed a goal to Villa’s impressive start, whilst talisman Jack Grealish’s (£7.3m) 24-point haul against Liverpool has played him into almost 30% of teams.

That incredible 7-2 victory over the champions also brought a goal from Ross Barkley (£6.0m), who provides an interesting cheaper route into the Villans midfield. With consistent minutes and the possibility of penalty duty, the loanee could soon be an enticing option.

The big question is whether Patrick Bamford’s (£5.9m) hat-trick for Leeds last week has brought them back down to Earth after a 100% winning start.

Southampton’s only change is to replace Nathan Redmond (£6.4m) from the side which beat former leaders Everton 2-0 at St Mary’s. The winger missed earlier matches due to an ankle injury but remains on the bench here, with Theo Walcott (£5.8m) taking his place.

With knocks to only Moussa Djenepo (£5.4m) and Will Smallbone (£4.5m) and a lack of match fitness for new signing Mohammed Salisu (£4.3m), manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has also been able to name consistent line-ups.

The clean sheet against the Toffees was their third from four matches, responding brilliantly to their 5-2 collapse against Tottenham in Gameweek 2.

This has provided regular returns for the popular Alex McCarthy (£4.5m) and Kyle Walker-Peters (£4.5m), although the latter has already collected three yellow cards.

Up front, only a trio of strikers have amassed more points than Danny Ings (£8.5m). Despite a large pre-season price hike, he still provides a reliable option up front for Fantasy managers. His 22 goals of last season have been added to with four this time, taking a break last week to assist both goals against Everton.

ASTON VILLA XI (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Douglas Luiz, McGinn; Traore, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins

SOUTHAMPTON XI (4-4-2): McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Vestergaard, Bednarek, Bertrand; Armstrong, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Walcott; Adams, Ings

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FPLMarc Newcastle fan that spends far too much time thinking about FPL.

1,368 Comments Post a Comment
  1. andres
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Zouma or Chillwell?

    Creeswell or Coufal?

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Chilwell
      Coufal

  2. El Matador
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Unlucky Villa defence haters

    1. Lucky Z
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      This. Haha

    2. Pukki Blinders
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Only 4 minutes in mate settle

    3. Zalk
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Haha, love it when people celebrate others unfortune too early 😀

  3. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Relief Martinez owners

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

    Brought in Targett to cover Martinez clean sheets. Instead AVL turned into a pub team in defense.

    1. HVT
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Mendy so worth it IMO

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

    Jammy start

  6. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    At least my Martinez cleanie is wiped early

    1. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Not yet.

      1. THFC4LIFE
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Maybe not lol

  7. davies
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Could I get away with this defence?

    Zouma Lamptey Kilman Mitchell 3.9

    1. HVT
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No

  8. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Ings nearly through there

  9. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    VAR breaks my heart once again

    1. david31058
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Dodgy ticker if it gets broken as easily as that

  10. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Saints going to score still, I can feel it

  11. Cok3y5murf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    These jammy Martinez owners...

  12. Joey Tribbiani
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    wtf was that

  13. Hattrick Harry
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Despite VAR Villa will leak goals like one of the worst teams in Prem, absolutely terrible all over the pitch. I guess relegation for Villa.

  14. Miguel Sanchez
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    And there goes the clean sheet

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      ?

      1. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Disallowed

  15. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I have Ings Targett Martinez and Grealish in this game I’ve lost either way

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      What if Targett and Grealish scores and Martinez saves a Ings pen?

  16. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Armpit offside? Looked ridiculously close...

    1. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It was, and then the line was almost half a meter away.

      1. DycheDycheBaby
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        yeah wtf were those lines haha

    2. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Offside is offside. And as a Martinez owner who isn’t watching the game, that was definitely offside.

      1. Pariße
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        That’s the thing, offside shouldn’t be offside, if no advantage was gained from it. This is what should be put into the rules, because marginal offside can’t take away the fact that a defence was outplayed and a goal was scored.

  17. Shark Team
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Southampton on fire on the counter

  18. Pariße
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    They desperately need to update the offside rule. It was offside, but that line was drawn way off.

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I especially hate when it's marginal, and the attacker has his back to the goal.

      Like, how is 1mm an advantage when you aren't even facing the the goal?

    2. Zalk
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      No it wasn't

    3. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It wasn't offside at all I don't know about the new rules but the normal football it's not even a doubt clear goal

      1. Pariße
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Nevermind what happened now, generally speaking, if there was no significanz advantage gained from the “offside” position, then it shouldnt be offside.

  19. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    That's not offside. What are VAR looking at?????

    1. TomSaints
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You can't play it with your arm... urghhh

    2. david31058
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It's called the Firmino/Mane armpit law

  20. GOTHAM City F.C.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Starting Konsa and Martinez for the first time.. that was some start

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You are a very lucky person.

      1. GOTHAM City F.C.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Don't think it will last long...

  21. KGFC
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    What's wrong with Ings? Why doesn't he shoot much nowadays, almost seems like passing onto someone.

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

      Hes not the focal point up top, Adams is. Ings will more often be involved in build up, assisting Adams.

  22. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Villa back to factory settings

    1. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      yeah the default was crap

  23. Fantasy Gold
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who would’ve got the assist if that goal was given?

    1. GOTHAM City F.C.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ref

    2. Saka_me_sideways
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      VAR

  24. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I'm a general fan of VAR, but this is horrendous.

    1. Pariße
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      They’re doing a terrible job. Attacker advantage we used to say, that margin which is half of his shoulder didn’t help him score, and they’ll need to rethink the rules because they’re throwing away perfectl good goals.

      1. TomSaints
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        The problem with offside is it's binary. So there will always be a line.

        That said i'd like to see us go back to the linesmen calling it as they see it (as they're pretty good) and VAR be there for the absolute howlers. Maybe have a thick grey line (10 cm or something) where decision goes with what was called on pitch. We'll still get some marginal calls, but will speed everything up and give a slight advantage to attackers.

        1. Pariße
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Just no line drawing would be a good first step. You get another “natural” look at the situation and this one is too close to be offside.

        2. Pariße
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          But of course then it’s up to the ref, which is wh I’d add a clause of “significant advantage” gained from the offside position.

  25. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who would of got the G/A on disallowed goal?

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

      Konsa OG Adams A

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Che Adams owner 🙁

    2. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Seemed like Konsa OG

  26. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who would've scored?

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

    Barkley G Grealish A

    Denied for offside

    1. Shark Team
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Hahaha the game was off

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Lmao. For anyone reading this tripe, whistle went 5 seconds earlier every player on the pitch had stopped.

  28. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Last chance for Watkins today. Replacing him with Wilson if he blacks

  29. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    hello just log in.. how My double Villa defence working??

    1. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      will concede for sure.

  30. The Mighty Hippo
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    It'll be interesting to see how Villa's defence does today. If they look a bit fragile I may consider doing Martinez to Mendy,.