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, 1 month ago

    Raph massive miss.

  2. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Raph shouldve scored

  3. Salan
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

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

    What a start.

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Same

  4. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    🙁

  5. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

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

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

      Nightmare

    2. F_Ivanovic
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Shades of GW19 all over again

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

      Tell me about it

  6. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

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

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

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

  8. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    5 mins et

  9. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Leeds BB fails in both 19 and 26...

    1. TRIPOS TOPPER
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      you had two BB?

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

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

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

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

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

      Genius time wasting

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

      bench boost with three Leeds players

    2. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The b@stard Martinez always punishes benching

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

      why would you do that....

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

      choosing cancelo over dias

  12. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    How the heck is Llorente on a BAP?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cleaning up vs Ollie.

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

        This

  13. Free Hat
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mings has been immense

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Konsa too. Rocks.

  14. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Marcelo going bananas

  15. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Game finished?

    1. Egg noodle
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No. 3 more min

  16. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

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

    2. Vlekz
        3 years, 1 month ago

        So sad

      • TheBiffas
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        leave

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

        get outta here with your full iron

      • im1974
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yep. Poor

    3. Baines on Toast...
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      This is what Leeds are really like without Phillips

      1. Captain_Shirokov
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month 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, 1 month ago

      I could kiss Emi rn ngl

    5. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

    6. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Meslier goal

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

        Haha

    7. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

    8. Parsnips
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Martinez you cracker

    9. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Brilliant Martinez.

    10. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No penalty?

    11. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

    12. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fair play. Leeds 0-1 Time Wasting XI

    13. The Senate
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

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

    14. sminkypinky
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bugga

    15. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Emi Martinez. Appreciation post. Underrated hero.