Dugout Discussion

The reason for Grealish’s absence as Mitrovic is recalled for Villa v Fulham

Having returned to full training over the March international break, Jack Grealish (£7.5m) was expected to make a playing comeback for Aston Villa’s clash with Fulham this afternoon.

The Villa talisman is absent from the hosts’ matchday squad, however, with Dean Smith reporting that the England international pulled up in training on Saturday.

The Villa boss said:

He’s trained this week and was looking really good but he had some discomfort yesterday and pulled out after 10 minutes in training. We erred on the side of caution as we must do. He was all up for playing [until then].

The hosts will be looking to improve on their sub-per record without Grealish: they have scored on just three occasions in the six matches he has missed.

Smith makes one change to the side that started the 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last time out.

Anwar El Ghazi (£5.3m) comes in for Trezeguet (£5.2m) in the Villa head coach’s only tweak to his starting XI.

Scott Parker has made four alterations to the side that started the Cottagers’ defeat to Leeds United a fortnight ago.

Aleksandar Mitrovic (£5.5m) is the most notable name among the quartet of returnees, with Josh Maja (£5.5m) dropping to the bench.

Parker said of the Serb’s recall:

His form for his country has played a big part. The last game in terms of selection [in Gameweek 29], it was nip and tuck, really, he came off the back of very good work, training-wise. Well deserves his chance.

Bobby Decordova-Reid (£5.3m), Kenny Tete (£4.3m) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (£5.9m) are also additions to the line-up, with Antonee Robinson (£4.4m), Ivan Cavaleiro (£5.3m) and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (£4.5m) dropping to the bench.


Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Sanson, Traore, Watkins, El Ghazi

Fulham XI: Areola, Tete, Andersen, Adarabioyo, Aina, Reed, Lemina, Reid, Loftus-Cheek, Lookman, Mitrovic.

710 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Fintroy
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Another Watkins 2 point haul, time to ship out and move on

    1. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Agreed
      Just in time for his haul v Liverpool

      1. Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        That was last year

  2. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Fulham goal ... Mings idiot ....

    1. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      That's just what England need - Mings and Stones centre backs. Doh!!!

  3. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Dang
    Watkins and Martinez in my team
    Tosin and Areola on my bench

  4. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Useless team nowadays

  5. Liberate HK - antichinazi
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    screw you villa.

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

    Minging defending from Mings

  7. Bushwhacker
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Have Martinez, want Newcastle relegated ... happy or not?

    1. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Same here. Quite happy, Martinez is something like 75-80% owned in top10k.

      1. BobbyDoesNotLook
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        And defence EO over 100. (Ok Martinez was heading to 4+3 but anyways).

  8. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mings you moron. He's not England standard.

    1. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Southgate standard

    2. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Absolutely - but Slabhead not that much better.

    3. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      He is not PL standard.

    4. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Purely in the squad cause he’s a leftie CB.

    5. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Depends what you think England standard is.

  9. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Double cs gone. Idiot Mings.

  10. Free Hat
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Have Watkins, targett, martinez and lookman this game.
    Things are going well...

  11. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    In and Out of top 10K within seconds!

  12. badgerboy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mings owes me some FPL points for that.

  13. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Goodbye Martinez. It’s been an emotional ride x

  14. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Have always said it. Give Mings some time on the ball and he will make an error. One of the worse defenders that I have seen.

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

      Harsh.

      1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Haven't missed watching a single game. Good with his head. Goad at clearing. Ball at his feet and his head becomes muddled.

    2. Bushwhacker
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Hyperbole is strong here

      1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        He is poor. Certainly not an international CB. And definitely not someone who can get into a quality PL side.

  15. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Jeez how many points did Marty just lose - 5?

    1. Liberate HK - antichinazi
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      -7

    2. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 11 months ago

        More surely, 4+ whatever bonus he was getting, it's usually 3

      • badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        7. Clean sheet plus 3 boners.

        1. TRIPOS TOPPER
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          losing three boners is never good - losing one bad enough!

    3. Flair
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Villa CS wipeout, you absolutely love to see it! Get in

    4. Freshy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      No jammy Konsa CS points
      Muhahahahaha

    5. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Any chance of a ML come back gone just like that... sigh

    6. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      That's was hard for triple Villa defense

    7. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Imagine Mings was even half as good as he thinks he is...

    8. OLD Rafiki
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      think I jinxed it. with triple villa am just done.

    9. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Villa lying on the beach sunning themselves.

      1. Qaiss
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Nah, they’re trying their best. This is just them without Grealish.

        1. Bushwhacker
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          For the last time they were playing like this the last few game WITH Grealish

    10. Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Mitrogoal !!! What a player

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Hasn't scored in so long I forgot he had that strange goal celebration.

    11. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Hate to lose double cs like that

    12. mezza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Get in Fulham

      1. KAALI_DAAL
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Oh hell yeah

    13. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      That Ming's fella should be playing for Ireland with defending like that.

      When I think of it I am blaming Ireland. Mitrovic would not have got his confidence back only for the 'boys in green'.

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Similar level to Clark tbf, two donkeys.

        1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          Can safely say now Mings is better going forward.
          Not sure he even looked when he crossed for one of those assists.

    14. Royal5
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Traore 😆

    15. KAALI_DAAL
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Why is Watkins so hyped up?

      Averaging less than 3 points per game in the last 8 games.

      1. Royal5
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        He's not. Ages since he was.

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

        England striker. He's some player.

      3. Freshy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        No Grelish
        No Party

      4. Tango74
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I thinks he only good with grealish supplying . Shows

    16. BeWater
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Had a feeling Mitrovic would punish me after selling him in GW11.

      1. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        Had to happen.

    17. Herman Toothrot
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I've always thought Mitrovic was at least 30

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        He looks like a 32 year old veteran, yeah. I'm always surprised how young he is.