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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1,368 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Henning
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Is Vestergaard a good option to get in for Saiss?

    1. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes he is an option regardless of the goal today

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

      Looking at next 5 and way saints are playing. There is a good chance of a few clean sheets, plus 2 goals so far and seems to have nailed a cb spot.

  2. Simon69
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I've had enough of being patient. I'm hitting Grealish out for Rashford or Bruno.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Next week, Grealish haul, Rashfird Bruno blank.

      If only I’d been patient.......

      ;D

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

    Maybe i was too hasty in abandoning McCarthy.
    3 clean sheets in 4 and still ok fixtures.

    I was just jealous of all the Martinez returns haha

    1. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Planned to get rid but points ticking over atm

  4. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Is Grealish no longer on any set pieces?

    1. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Corners for sure

      1. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Barkley has taken everything, and poorly taken eveyrbring

          1. Dennis System
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            An average player in a poor team. Never gonna work out well

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Aston Villa back to being a relegation team.

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

      Ings playing RB

    4. seewhyaxe
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      is villa playing poorly or Saints being too good?

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

        No one is stopping that free kick tbf

    5. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Martinez to Mendy done

      1. Dokdok666
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        a bit late isn't it? Could've done it before kickoff

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

        lol

        1. Steve The Spud
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 4 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          12/15 in my ML have Martinez and a 4.0 - genuinely a nice differential, until next week anyway

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

      The small sample size data screwed everyone over when it came to Villa. They are still well and truly awful

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

        They’re not that bad. They look dangerous going forward when they break

    7. There Can Be Only One
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      My WC is line gents need some help from the great and the good

      GK: Martinez, Forster
      DF: Cancelo, Zouma, Semdo, Dallas KWP
      MF: Salah, Jota, Grealish, Ziyech, ZAHA
      FWD: Kane, Ings, Bamford

      iTb: 0.5m

      Problem, I'm point 0.1m from getting being to get Rodriguez in place of Zaha.

      Obvious Options I see right now
      Grealish/Zaha up in price and make the change
      Rodrigues decreases 0.1m
      Downgrade Dallas/KWP to Killman

      Anything else? Or other suggestions?

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

      Barkley has ruined Villa. Thats what you get for buying a trash player and instantly putting him in your first 11.

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

        Ruined? Seriously?

        Stop being a drama queen

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

          Villa were a lot better before that big headed bum came in hogging set pieces and a central attacking position.

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

            So you own Grealish.

            Gotcha.

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

              Yea.. do you think Barkley is better at taking set pieces?

              Also Ive been saying Barkley is trash on here for literal years.

      2. Ron_Swanson
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Fishing

      3. Simon69
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        He's never a "trash" player.

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

          He is though

      4. Dennis System
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Villa stayed up due to a VAR error. Barkley + Watkins + Martinez does not improve a bad team

        1. grumpyman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Better players improve bad teams and they are better players.

        2. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          So buying better players than the ones you had doesn’t improve you as a team?

          Okay......

    9. Sandy Ravage
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      The legend of King Ralph continues

    10. Kodap
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Anyone think this is a decent move?

      Podence > JWP for free lol?

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

        Amazing foresight.

        Go for it.

    11. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Not bothered about Villa conceding so much (Martinez owner), as long as Grealish bangs in a goal and an assist minimum

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

        Does it look like Grealish can do that today.

      2. Botman and Robben
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Would you bet even a 10 on that?

      3. Murder on Zidane's Flo…
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Not much signs of this being very likely unfortunately. Grealish continuing to disappoint

      4. @persecuted_by_mods
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Might manage that in the next 7 games

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

        Ward Prowse on fire lmao

      6. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Don't mean to be reactionary, but could Villa return to being the whipping boys they were last season kinda?
        I mean we can atleast captain our premiums against them now if they play like this?

      7. Kodap
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Martinez & Podence > Mendy & Podence looking tempting...

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

          Whyd u add podence to podence

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

          I wouldn’t do Podence > Podence for a hit.

          Sideways.

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

            Podence will more than make up for that hit.

        3. MarcusAurelius
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Podence to Podence is a bit sideway

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

          Only if you do Podence to Podence for -4

        5. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Keep Martinez, just do the second part

        6. Sandy Ravage
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          GW6 Podence > GW7 Podence

          1. Kodap
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 4 months ago

            loool oops

            meant Podence & Martinez > JWP & Mendy

      8. adstomko
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Southampton to win this crazy season at 500/1. Worth a quid?

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

          no

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

          Not crazy enough, my friend.

        3. Jordan.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          make it 2 quid

      9. JJO
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        What a redneck this Mings is

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

        Another free kick

      11. thegaffer82
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        This season is funny, bordering on farcical.

        We all start the season thinking Villa are a potential relegation team. Then they come out of the blocks playing like the footy version of Harlem Globetrotters

        1. thegaffer82
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Now, they are awful again.

          What are we fantasy managers supposed to do?

      12. Ha.
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Getting Martinez and Ryan on WC in for McCarthy was a poor decision

        1. Magic Zico
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Talking about me?

        2. thegaffer82
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Making that move NOW would be poor.

          Back then, it wasn’t a bad decision.

          How were we to know?

        3. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Been that kind of season.

          Better to be lucky than good this year.

      13. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        About to be 3-0

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

        Cash comical handball

      15. Rains of Castamere
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        3-0 incoming

      16. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Jwp goal incoming

      17. Mr. O'Connell
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Goal

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

        Villa falling apart

      19. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Wooooooow

      20. FFSbet.com
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Wow WP