Dugout Discussion

Watkins leads Villa line as Barkley benched for Leeds trip

Ollie Watkins (£6.5m) leads the Aston Villa attack for their first Double Gameweek 26 match: a trip to Leeds.

Any pre-deadline rumours about an injury for the forward were assuaged as he was named on the team-sheet this afternoon.

Dean Smith has still tweaked his Villa side though, moving to a 4-3-3 which involves a drop to the bench for Ross Barkley (£5.9m), who has failed to impress of late.

Anwar El Ghazi (£5.3m) and Bertrand Traoré (£5.9m) flank Watkins while Jacob Ramsey (£4.5m), Marvelous Nakamba (£4.3m) and John McGinn (£5.5m) comprise the central midfield trio.

Matt Targett (£4.9m) is the most fashionable member of Villa’s back-four with 13.4% ownership while the 0.4%-owned Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.3m) offers a differential route at right-back.

Leeds assets may only have one fixture in Double Gameweek 26 but they do come into the round full of confidence.

Marcelo Bielsa makes just one change from the win over Southampton, affording himself the line-up that won the second half 3-0 on Monday night.

Hélder Costa (£5.0m) comes in for Jack Harrison (£5.5m) on the left-hand side of midfield while Pascal Struijk (£4.0m) continues in the holding role.

Patrick Bamford (£6.9m) remains in 52.7% of Fantasy Premier League teams worldwide, Stuart Dallas (£5.0m) still backed by 21.0%.

Double Gameweek 26 Line-ups

Leeds United XI (4-1-4-1): Meslier; Dallas, Cooper, Llorente, Ayling; Struijk; Costa, Roberts, Klich, Raphinha; Bamford.

Aston Villa XI (4-3-3): Martínez; Targett, Mings, Konsa, Elmohamady; Ramsey, Nakamba, McGinn; El Ghazi, Watkins, B Traoré.

Double Gameweek 26 so far…

West Bromwich Albion recorded a much-needed second clean sheet of the campaign as they beat Brighton 1-0.

Crucially, it makes for back-to-back shutouts for the first time this season, good news for those who invested in either the out-of-position Ainsley Maitland-Niles (£4.6m) for Double Gameweek 26.

The Arsenal loanee was deployed on the right-hand flank of attacking midfield once again and enjoyed a decent chance to score in the first half.

Still, it was an interesting afternoon for Sam Johnstone (£4.5m) owners. They benefitted from the Baggies’ clean sheet and also secured a raft of extras, two for saves and two bonus (provisional).

However, his Double Gameweek 26 score could have already stood at close to 20 points had Brighton’s penalties gone a different way on Saturday.

Pascal Groß (£5.8m) and Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) both missed spot-kicks but each of them struck the woodwork, denying Johnstone the chance to earn a Fantasy reward in each instance.

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883 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Raph massive miss.

  2. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Raph shouldve scored

  3. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Awesome for me Dallas, Bamford, Gundo, Cancelo owner.

    What a start.

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Same

  4. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    🙁

  5. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    This Leeds BB isn’t going too well...

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Nightmare

    2. F_Ivanovic
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Shades of GW19 all over again

    3. Iwantmorepointsthanks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Tell me about it

  6. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    BB wasted why didn’t I do Bamford to Watkins for a -4 ffs

  7. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Red arrow incoming! 10k finish looks off the cards now

  8. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    5 mins et

  9. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Leeds BB fails in both 19 and 26...

    1. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      you had two BB?

      1. Top Lad Dakes.
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Nah but I bench boosted the Leeds boys in 19 as many did this week

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Martinez dodging a YC cause he can’t kick the ball...

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Genius time wasting

  11. That Was Easy!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Can't believe I let Scout's Picks convince me to start Areola over Martinez. A bit tough to be excited about the rest of the week now, only myself to blame 🙂 Anyone else with some early blunders?

    1. Iwantmorepointsthanks
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      bench boost with three Leeds players

    2. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      The b@stard Martinez always punishes benching

      1. That Was Easy!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Don't remember anything like it! Benched Areola's 10pter followed by Martinez' 10pter back to back not too long ago!

    3. Scholes Out For Summer
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      why would you do that....

      1. That Was Easy!
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Thought Leeds would easily score as they always do, AVL defensive numbers worse than Fulham's, CPL without Zaha toothless, Spurs xG is quite tiny over the last 6.

        There was some logic. But that's probably where I went wrong.

    4. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      it's this idea you have be differential to climb the ranks..a fallacy

      1. Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Just by owning Martinez you gain rank. 70% EO means you still gain some rank

      2. Iwantmorepointsthanks
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        It's good people believe in that. Or rather misinterpret what a differential is supposed to be.
        Hint: It is not making decisions where the expected value is actually smaller and all you do is depending on a minor miracle.

    5. OLD Rafiki
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      choosing cancelo over dias

  12. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    How the heck is Llorente on a BAP?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Cleaning up vs Ollie.

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        This

  13. Free Hat
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Mings has been immense

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Konsa too. Rocks.

  14. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Marcelo going bananas

  15. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Game finished?

    1. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      No. 3 more min

  16. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Who would have thought neither keeper would make a save this half! Most prolific save makers in the league on show. Glad Raphina is saving up the points for his first appearance for my team next week!

  17. COLLIN QUANER
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 29 days ago

    Currently on 36 points but feel a bit disappointed. Was hoping for at least 50

    1. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Yeah, not a great start for you ... wildcard next week to sort your team out?

    2. Vlekz
        3 years, 29 days ago

        So sad

      • TheBiffas
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        leave

      • Scholes Out For Summer
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        get outta here with your full iron

      • im1974
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Yep. Poor

    3. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      This is what Leeds are really like without Phillips

      1. Captain_Shirokov
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        how bad must southampton be that this leeds side whalloped them lol

        roll on Digne and DCL

    4. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      I could kiss Emi rn ngl

    5. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      I really thought Leeds were gonna win 4-0. Ah well.

    6. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Meslier goal

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 29 days ago

        Haha

    7. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Targett get me some attacking points yah waste of space...

    8. Parsnips
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Martinez you cracker

    9. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Brilliant Martinez.

    10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      No penalty?

    11. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Man I hate Leeds. It's a feast or a famine with them

    12. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Fair play. Leeds 0-1 Time Wasting XI

    13. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      RC for Mings for that elbow or na? stranger decisions have been made...

    14. sminkypinky
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Bugga

    15. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 29 days ago

      Emi Martinez. Appreciation post. Underrated hero.