Scout Reports

Can Emiliano Buendia offer better value than Jack Grealish in FPL?

New Aston Villa signing Emiliano Buendia has been priced up at a tempting £6.5m by Fantasy Premier League (FPL) ahead of the game’s relaunch.

The summer recruit from newly promoted Norwich City will begin the new campaign some £1.5m cheaper than the Villans’ talisman, Jack Grealish (£8.0m), who has been handed a price hike.

Villa start 2021/22 with an appealing set of matches against Watford (a), Newcastle United (h) and Brentford (h) and sit top of our Season Ticker for ease of fixture in Gameweeks 1-3 as a result – although things quickly turn sour after the September international break.

The question is: is Buendia worthy of a short-term gamble in that opening triple-header?

We’ll assess his FPL credentials in the article below, with subscribers also able to access his player profile and much more in our Premium Members Area – and there’s a 20% off subscriptions right now.

FPL price reveal and launch reaction from three-time top 200 finisher Lateriser 1

THE TRANSFER

Buendia’s move to the Midlands cost a club-record £33m in real-life terms, with the 24-year-old Argentinian signing a five-year deal.

His new manager, Dean Smith, said:

Emiliano has just completed an outstanding season in a championship-winning Norwich side with 31 combined goals and assists and was named player of the season across the league.

He is equally capable as a wide attacker or as a number 10 and is a great addition to our attacking options. We are delighted to have made such an exciting signing so early in the summer and look forward to Emi joining up with us for a full pre-season.

THE HISTORY

Buendia is, of course, someone we Fantasy managers have encountered before.

The Argentina under-20 international previous crossed our paths in 2019/20, with the yo-yo Canaries enjoying a brief stay in the Premier League before dropping back down to the second tier.

Buendia started his career with Getafe, debuting for the Spanish outfit’s B side at the age of 17 towards the back-end of 2014/15.

Moving back and forth from the reserves to the senior side, he made only 13 league starts for Getafe in his time in the south of Madrid.

His breakout loan spell with Segunda B club Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa came in 2017/18, with 18 attacking returns arriving in 40 second-tier appearances.

More of a supplier of goals than a prolific scorer of them, the assists continued to arrive upon his move to Norwich City in June 2018.

Buendia departed Carrow Road having created 36 league strikes, finding the back of the net on a further 23 occasions.

He also claimed the EFL Championship Player of the Season award in his farewell campaign, having passed the 30-mark for goals and assists combined.

BUENDIA’S RECORD AT NORWICH CITY
StartsSub AppsGoalsAssists
2018/19 Championship353812
2019/20 Premier League28817
2020/21 Championship3901516

Above stats from WhoScored


2020/21 CHAMPIONSHIPS STATS

Total (rank v other Championship players)
Goals15 (=7th)
Assists 16 (1st)
Shots111 (6th)
Shots on target38 (=7th)
Chances created122 (1st)

Above stats from WhoScored


Buendia was both the leading assist maker in the English second tier and the top chance creator, supplying a remarkable 36 more key passes than any other Championship player.

Only 29 of those 122 chances were created from set plays, too, so he wasn’t overly reliant on dead-ball duties – something we don’t know for certain will be handed to him at Villa Park.

Goal threat-wise, over half of his shots (60) and a third of his goals (five) did come from outside of the box.

Just three of his 111 efforts were from inside the six-yard box, so there’s a distinctly De Bruyne-esque feel to the numbers he has posted recently: a prolific creator of chances and an opportunistic shooter from distance.

COMPARISONS WITH VILLA ASSETS IN 2020/21

313 Comments Post a Comment
  1. JK 171
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Hi folks hope u all enjoyed your summer, quick question is anyone else tempted by the g/w 2 wildcard? I've never done it before but with the majority of away teams then having 2 home fixtures seems like a perfect opportunity. Also helps with the spurs City fixture in week 1

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

      I have often played my WC in gw 3 or 4 due to bad planning and regretted not having it later on . I would not recommend it. Chances are you will need it at a later stage.

    2. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Would be a huge waste. You'd be gagging for a second wildcard by GW5, and have a dead team by GW10.

    3. Christina.
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I've done it before with great success. Looking to get through first 3 GW's this time around.

    4. Gingerman
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I like to hold for as long as possible so not a tactic I'd go for, it's such a useful chip down the line and seems a bit of a waste to use early.

  2. chocolove
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Wow. Just read dumfries to everton news. Exciting moment.

    1. Doug McCasual
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      interesting

    2. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      What would his price be?

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        5m I reckon

        1. Christina.
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          no way

      2. hnmfm
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Gotta be 5.5 or else everyone will just get Digne

    3. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Complete star at the Euros - be interesting to see how he measures up as a week to week player in the PL.

      Also curious to see how Rafa intends to line up. Is he going for wingbacks?

  3. KUN_DE_BRU_YNE
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Why i cant see comments section on the page?help me out lads !!!

    1. 3 A
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Like me until I bought new phone lol. Maybe some setting or ......

      If u see my comment from email, how about try log out and log in back ?

      1. fish&chips
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Check my new comment mate

        1. 3 A
          • 8 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Its there 😀

  4. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Arsenal fan here expecting another dogsh*t season again.

    All this preseason talk of a massive clearout and big investment only to realise nobody wants Arsenals dregs and we're not buying anything exciting.

    Arteta will be gone by November.

    1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Bleak isn’t it, our squad is so far off those challenging for Top 4, another painful season ahead 🙁

      1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Stalling over Ben White, sending Saliba out on loan seems crazy.

        Can't handle another season with Holding 1st choice and Bellarin right back.

        1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Bellerin will be sold thankfully, Saliba has been mis-managed since Day 1, my main concern is where the goals will be coming from!

    2. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Wouldn't be his fault though.

      1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Why wouldn't it be?? He's failed with all signings. Willian £200k a week and now can't get rid.

        Selling Martinez the biggest mistake of all.

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

          The lack of strategy is on Kronke.

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

      Going to be a long season for us...

    4. Zimo
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Goes to show how good Wenger was

      1. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        He's somewhat culpable too for our decline, along with Gazidis and Kroenke

        1. Zalk
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Well, Wenger is to blame for Arsenal's decline in the sense that he isn't there anymore.

  5. Fake Madrid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    How about this for a line up?

    Sánchez - Dubravka

    TAA - Tierney - Dias - Lamptey - Coufal

    Salah - Barnes - Raphael - Dallas - Son

    Toney - Iheanacho - Watkins

    1. Botman and Robben
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Rotating keepers, no Shawshank, unique midfield. Could be gold or...

  6. fish&chips
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    To kun_de_bru_yne, you need to tick "show replies" at the top of the comments, if it's the comment replies that you can't see

    1. KUN_DE_BRU_YNE
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Thankyou mate !!!but still i cant manage i cant see any comments of everyone's post.i can see just post without any comments. i cant saw any replies on mine post too..thanks you did seperate post !!!

      1. 3 A
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Admin should adress this problem. It happen to me once. Flagged this.

  7. Joey Tribbiani
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Cavani + 5.0 (Targett/Coufal)
    or
    Greenwood + 6.0 (Dias/Cancelo)

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Both Cavani and Greenwood on the radar for me but I'd need really clear pointers from preseason to start either. Think a nailed Cavani would be the priority in my case but just don't think that would happen.

      Best finisher in the league? After Kane I guess.

  8. McSauce
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Liking this as the current draft (Could have Watkins or Wilson over Antonio also*)

    Sanchez
    Dias TAA Shaw
    Buendia Salah(c) Bruno Raph
    Toney DCL Antonio

    Steele Fofana Gilmour Manquillo

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

      Pretty much the current template

      1. McSauce
        • 14 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        ye agreed,
        Trying to look at some options like Robbo instead of TAA and Dias to Digne/Coufal and use that 1.5 to upgrade Toney (Cavani) or get a city mid punt (Mahrez or Foden)

        1. fish&chips
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          I'm tempted to go with Robbo as a 4th defender and play 442. Liverpool's opening fixtures are tasty

        2. Andy_Social
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          All of those are decent options, except I wouldn't skimp on Trent. I'd consider VVD over Robbi to save 0.5 though.

  9. TheTinman
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Can't stand Bruno and seeing how cack he was the Euros it might finally be time his luck dries up.

    Also have people actually watched Toney play? Or just jumping on the bandwagon?

    1. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I think Bruno will flop as will United in general.

      1. TheTinman
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Can't see then pulling up trees. Probably top 4 fight for them

    2. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Bruno copied and pasted essay incoming.

      1. TheTinman
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Haha sorry if its been done to death! It's my first comment back in a while, I took last year off.

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 8 months ago

          Nah, wasn't a dig at you 🙂

    3. Gingerman
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      If it wasn't for his pens I'd be with you.

      1. TheTinman
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Pens are a game changer. But if the handball rule adjustment makes a difference and the more free flowing style of the Euros then we may see less Pens.

        I also think the new style of Pens is weaker than the old fashioned one. You see players now try to wait till the keeper moves, keepers now expect that and just wait until its taken. Its not like they need to dive early anymore as very few players put their foot through it

    4. Andy_Social
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      I expect him to do the biz from the off, but if he does look flat, it's an easy switch to Sancho, Son, Havertz or whoever has stepped up.

      1. TheTinman
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 8 months ago

        Got my eyes on Havertz. But don't even want to play with a draft until transfers start going through. It's a waste of time and can lead you to become attached to decisions which may be no longer correct.

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

          Okay. Shouldn't you be logging off then?

          1. TheTinman
            • 8 Years
            2 years, 8 months ago

            I just made my random generated team. I didn't play last year so wanted to check how it's going on here as its been a while.

            I see people are still as snarky as ever 😉

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

              even the ones who have taken a year off 😉

  10. Tomsk
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Whoever ends up on pens for Man City going to go into template team. Is this right?

    1. 3 A
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      No if Rodri take that.

    2. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 8 months ago

      Kdb ?

  11. MagicMessi
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 8 months ago

    Lads what you think out of 10 ?

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

      Darlow foster
      Trent Lamptey. Fofana
      Salah. Bruuno. Mane. GroB
      Watkins Tony. Deeney
      ##Gilmour Willams Ayling
      0.0 itb