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

    Has British Pirlo scored his hatty yet?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      no, but the British Inzaghi is warming up for a brace later this afternoon 😉

  2. aborg
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    JWP single handedly ruining my defense points !

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

    The signs were there. Against Leeds, Villa were really poor as well. Time to ditch Villa assets?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      They're back to form it seems!

  4. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Grealish has to go. And Martinez.

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

    Jwp with his annual haul

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Tbf he hauled last week too

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      He he he...

  6. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    villa are so trash

  7. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    JWP owners show yourselves !!!

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Shame he doesn’t have penalties

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        if he continues like this he will

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          Can’t see Ings not having them

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

    James Ward-Prowse hates Cazoo.

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

    Hard-ass and bullying Mings can't even be bothered to jump in the wall

    absolute idiot

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

      He bullies smaller guys

  10. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    It's still hard to believe that Aston Villa managed to beat Liverpool 7:2. So crazy!

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

      Match fixing

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

        🙂

    2. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      fluke result, they are terrible

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

    No Adams assist?

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

      Should be 🙂 (Adams owner)

  12. Bubi
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Adams assist?

  13. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Good chance Martinez gets a pen save today?

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

      how on earth is anybody supposed to predict this?

  14. Dacra
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    This sucks as Martinez / Ings owner!

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

      This

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

    Imagine have played your wc and enduring another 15 weeks + or Martinez

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

    wow nice fk

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

    Triple Villa finished

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

    Adams assist given

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

    Lol people asking for Adams assist from a Cash handball. Clueless

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

      just give it to them, noone serious player has Adams

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

    Tempted to keep Martinez vs Arsenal for the 'old-club' factor

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

      And after that fixtures are a dream. I wouldn’t be selling.

  21. Wheyyyy
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Damn.. JWP was my initial GW1 punt, had him for 4 weeks and booted him on my GW5 WC.. Ah well!

    1. camarozz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah me too. Nothing for 4 wks till I wildcarded.

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

    Martinez & Podence > Mendy & JWP?

    Think i'm about to hit the trigger...

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

    Podence / Foden -> JWP would be popular now

  24. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who triple captained James Ward-Prosse?

    Eschewing Greslish and Barkely?

    I bet a few FF 'players' in Africa and the Gulf did!

  25. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    grealish looks lazy

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

      I’m just embarrassed!!

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Almost assisted then almost scored.

      Villa have woken up!

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

    Watkins for Wilson if no injuries this week is a done deal 🙂

    1. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Bad transfer

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

        Why ?

  27. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Stupid play from Matty Cash for that free kick. Can't have realised that Walcott was where the ball was heading towards

  28. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Was nice while it lasted Martinez. Mendy in.

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

      Martinez's fixtures after Arsenal..

  29. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hmm JWP does mean I can get Chilwell and still keep TAA....

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

    Last 90min Villa 0-6 at home