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

    How much is Olsen?

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

      Please do not respond to check by myself, I have a superstition I don't log in in my FPL team during the games.

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

        Time for counselling?

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

      Not sure, any way to check?

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

      4.5 with three sweet fixtures

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

      Did a little research and found out he's 4.5

    5. Ginkapo FPL
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Wait half hour for Munday to tell us?

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

        Boom. Well said Ginkapo

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

          Thanks all

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

    Only 1 goal here would be a massive fail for Ings...

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

    Martinez get out of my team man

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

    This season is starting to wind me up now

  5. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    That is some goal from the Dings. Great hit

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

    No saves for Martinez

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

      His luck was never going to last.

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

      All been great shots to be fair.

  7. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Do I want KWP to keep the clean sheet or Grealish to get a goal?

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

      Grealish to get a goal, because the McCarthy owners.

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

      CS is better as Grealish is higher owned. I have both and hoping for CS

    3. HippY
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      KWP, because you are keeping him and shipping Grealish out with the other 1million managers

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

      Well I jinxed it

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

    This sure is one crazy season.

    1. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Nuts

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

    Ings and Werner owners Unite!

  10. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Surprised to see Ings is still owned by less than 100%

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

    Maybe I won't get Grealish.

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

    Ings is so good

  13. Jimmy Boy
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Would having Werner, Ziyech and Chilwell be a bit Chelsea overkill? Already got Werner but thinking of bringing in the other two with my 2FT this week

  14. sully29
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I'm still happy with Grealish. The good fixtures are a fact, his impressive stats up til now are a fact, his FPL pedigree from last year is a fact.

    Villa defence I'm much less sure about as there were already indications statistically that they were overperforming. But then you don't bring in Villa defenders expecting much beyond being a rotation option.

    This game is bad. But if you pick Villa players, you expect bad weeks. And you'll always have some players in your team from the likes of Villa.

    We've been talking about Villa's great run of fixtures for the rest of the year. That hasn't changed. Wouldn't overreact to bad weeks from a team who we should all have expected to have bad weeks.

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

      Boooo 😀

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

    Don't own any Saints players, Grealish and Martinez failing epically. But just got to sit back and enjoy this.

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

    Only casuals don't have Ings so the points don't matter too much but I'll still take them.

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

      This is true unfortunately

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

    I'm gonna end up making some angry transfers soon

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

    DCL to Ings and Mahrez to a £7.3m pick?

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

    Lord Ings delivers again! What a brilliant goal

  20. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    changed McCarthy to Martinez in my GW5 WC 😐

    1. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      school boy error

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

      oh, and also JWP to Grealish, seriously 😀

  21. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    come on Oriol Romeu Vidal, do something ya lumox

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

    Grealish juuhuuuuuu. Mings goal Grealish assist (I think)

  23. Tcheco
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Grealish & Ings combo firing

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

    Ings is excellent at those types of finishes

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

    Yaaaaas Ming's goal Jack assist

  26. Granville
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Mings G Grealish A

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

    Grealish beautiful assist

  28. potatoace
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    In an alternative universe somewhere LIV sold Firm instead of Ings

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

      😆 😆

  29. AzzaroMax99
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Come on Villa! Wipe that cleanie.

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

    Finally, Grealish assist!!!