Dugout Discussion

Vestergaard absent for Southampton as Konsa returns on Villa bench

Jannik Vestergaard (£5.0m) misses out for Southampton’s trip to Fulham today after Ralph Hasenhüttl reported a knee problem.

In his pre-match press conference, the Saints boss revealed there was fluid on the joint and that the issue would need further investigation before confirmation could be made about his fitness.

With the glut of fixtures between now and the end of the calendar year, Hasenhüttl is taking no chances, going without Vestergaard for the first time since the Gameweek 2 home drubbing by Spurs.

Jack Stephens (£4.6m) comes in for the Danish defender, sitting alongside Jan Bednarek (£4.7m) in Southampton’s back-four.

With Danny Ings (£8.3m) still on the sidelines, Shane Long (£5.1m) comes into the side to pair with Che Adams (£6.1m) up-front.

That is because an injury to Nathan Redmond (£6.4m) has forced Theo Walcott (£5.8m) to continue operating on the flanks of midfield with Stuart Armstrong (£5.5m).

Southampton visit a Fulham side going with the so-called makeshift attack that spurred them on to win at Leicester and draw with Liverpool.

Ivan Cavaleiro (£5.3m) is back up-front as an out-of-position Fantasy Premier League midfielder, supported by an attacking midfield trio of Ademola Lookman (£5.0m), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.9m) and Bobby De Cordova-Reid (£5.3m).

Aston Villa welcome Ezri Konsa (£4.8m) back against Crystal Palace today although the centre-back is fit enough only for the bench following an illness.

Tyrone Mings (£5.4m) and Kortney Hause (£4.4m) occupy the heart of Villa’s defence for the third consecutive Premier League match, flanked by Matt Targett (£4.6m) and Matt Cash (£5.0m).

Jack Grealish (£7.8m) appears to be in a central attacking midfield position for the visit of Palace, Bertrand Traoré (£5.9m) and penalty taker Anwar El Ghazi (£5.7m) either side of him and Ollie Watkins (£6.1m) up-front.

The Eagles shape up in a 4-4-2 formation with Wilfried Zaha (£7.5m) out of position as a striker once again.

Aston Villa XI: Martínez; Targett, Mings, Hause, Cash; Luiz, McGinn; El Ghazi, Grealish, B Traoré; Watkins.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; van Aanholt, Dann, Kouyaté, J Ward; Eze, McArthur, Milivojevic, Schlupp; Zaha, Benteke.

Fulham XI: Areola; A Robinson, Adarabioyo, Andersen, Aina; Anguissa, Reed; Lookman, Loftus-Cheek, De Cordova-Reid; Cavaleiro.

Southampton XI: A McCarthy; Bertrand, Bednarek, J Stephens, Walker-Peters; Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Diallo, Walcott; Adams, S Long.

1,963 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Salah’s Sonnet
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Only had Martinez & Bruno play so far and hauls!

    Also removed Grealish > Raphinha, got away with that one!

    Come on Christmas shower me in your points!

  2. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    At last a good start with 3 played- Watkins Martinez and Bruno !

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Snap

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Nice!!! Good going man!

    3. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Watkins should have gotten more points, unlucky

      1. Homer21
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Doesn't pick up the BAPS

        1. Jamb0
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          And rightly so.. he pisses all the chances away

  3. djman102
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Really need the TAA/Robbo double to deliver now after ditching double Villa defense on WC

    1. nelluckram
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Risky. Liverpool fan. Big Sam's first game...

      1. djman102
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        True. Hoping he focused more on the defense this week.

        Though as a City fan, I wouldn't object to a 1-0 West Brom win.

  4. nelluckram
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Best 4.5 Fuchs replacement? Cheers

    1. nelluckram
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Back line of McCarthy, Zouma, Dallas and 4.0

      1. nelluckram
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        And Targett*

    2. djman102
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Taylor depending on your GW 18 plan.

  5. Joey Tribbiani
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinez (10), Bruno (12) and Grealish (3) gives me a red arrow, wtf

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

      Not even going to look with my bruno grealish Mccarthy

    2. Nanoelektronicar
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Nice brag about how high must be 🙂 Well done. 🙂

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

        🙂

    3. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Maybe Soton CS
      McCarthy + KWP + Bednarek EO = 78%

  6. Jamb0
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Are we going to disallow goals too if they were meant as crosses!? Madness

  7. BenDavies
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Can someone who watched the Fulham Southampton game confirm they saw McCarthy make 3 saves?

    1. tafrère
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Nobody watched it lol.

    2. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      One of them was a 'save' from an RLC cross. Not a shot on target so not a save.

    3. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      BBC match stats say 1 fulham shot on target

  8. Begbie.
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Martinelli 4.9 is tempting with their fixtures.

    1. michaelington
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      That is the least tempting thing I have seen in my life.

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Remember when people sold Martinez to Johnstone for a hit...

    One of the most bizarre moments of 2020.

    1. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      3 to 1 saves for McCarthy also a bizarre moment.

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

      lol

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

    I.am fed up by Southampton and KWP consistency against my rank

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

      McCarty and KWP

      1. Sim Simma
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I sold McCarthy for Ryan , worst GK decision ever

  11. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    This is a hard one, play:

    A. Johnstone (LEE).
    B. Martinez (che).

    1. Jamb0
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Gotta be B

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

      Super easy decision. Sorry

    3. Random Name
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      What's hard about that? Imagine putting faith in west brom defence LOL

    4. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No brainer B IMO
      Especially with Werner playing - lots of save points

  12. Zimo
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    That villa Newcastle blank will give a lot of players here nightmares for a while. So many people transferred out Martinez.

    1. Railwayman
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      100% but for us who kept him, he is pure gold since that moment.

  13. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Mccarthy to Martinez during the villa blank continues to haunt us

    least villa have chelsea and utd next

  14. TheSteel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    As Shearer says, id only be worried if he wasn't getting the chances. Watkins season keeper

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Those chances will dry up next few GWs

    2. Begbie.
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      😆

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

    Vestergaard out for a month. Missing the dgw. Leicester Leeds attacking assets may have easier life then

  16. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Would you get Martinez in on wc now? Have Mccarthy

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

      I got Pope. Only keeper who can rival Martinez

      1. waltzingmatildas
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Can't quite afford him. You are right though

    2. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      No look at the upcoming fixtures for villa

  17. FDMS All Starz
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    What’s the best forum place like this for football betting?

    1. michaelington
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Ask trips

  18. Isco Disco
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Owning Martinez since GW 2 has been such a joy. I don't remember any GK at that price has given me so many points before like Martinez has

    1. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Not have Pope last year? There’s always a cheap keeper who emerges each season

  19. Calvin Valance
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Unlucky Grealish owners, should have had at least an assist, created 3 very good chances

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      3 assists

    2. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      He’s a good at getting the assist to the assist

  20. Pat Bonner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Sold both James and Chilwell but seemed right decision at time so can’t complain. Extra hit for dgw now needed is more annoying

    1. F4L
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      same. Gonna have to find a way to get James back in soon.

    2. wulfrunian
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Do you think that a Chelsea defender is a must have for the dgw?

      1. Pat Bonner
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        No one is must have - well maybe salah but that’s it. So many options this season.

        1. wulfrunian
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Is though James/Chilwell your first defender pick for the dgw?

  21. F4L
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    I think Adams misses Ings, he doesn't get as much space now.

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

    Any value in keeping Grealish & Watkins for now in spite of fixtures? Villa seem to do well when they're underdogs.

    1. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Still scoring goals so I’m not in a rush to lose grealish

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

      Keep

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

      They'll do just fine , keep

  23. Camino Aleatorio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Double Trolled by a coach

    - lost chilwell and his value cause he was “injured”

    - then I got pressed conference surprised by Southampton on Chilwells replacement Vestergaard

    Lost the player, value, and now a clean sheet

    What a POS

  24. All The Aces
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Watkins is going nowhere. Trouble is he plays better without greedy face El Ghazi

  25. wulfrunian
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Thank you for the ride mr Grealish.See you in gw22.

  26. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Seems Lampard has taken over Vardy's mantle as the ultimate troll. Now Chilwell and James start. Pah!

  27. Maeki2
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Chilwell and james back. Called it earlier

  28. Drop Dead Tsimikas
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Vestergaard > Stones? (Have arias)

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Have Dias, even.

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

    My problem now is that I was planning Kilman to Taylor to start him ahead of Coufal Balbuena but Southampton's attack doesnts seems great

  30. NejiHyuuga01
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Watkins out with a nice parting gift. Was about to get Adams in but I am considering Chris Wood, very friendly fixtures with SHU and FUL. Yay or Nay?

    1. The Pesci challenge
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Yes

    2. waltzingmatildas
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 3 months ago

      Same here. Think Adams plays for the better team though with more chances. But not sure

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

      Yep, I was considering Wood. Could be a nice differential for a few weeks. Still,I might keep Olie and ship out Grealish instead.

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

      Also consider Rodrigo?

      1. NejiHyuuga01
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        No , not nailed. I would go Welbeck on this money bracket