Here’s our fantasy premier league preseason review article where we look at the pre-season games of Wednesday with Arsenal, Aston Villa, West Ham, Man City, Man Utd, Newcastle and Wolves in action. We include the lineups, scorers and some brief comments on players of interest plus a link to a relevant article for further information
fantasy premier league preseason review – Wednesday 17 July games
You can see more in our pre-season hub article which will be updated regularly.
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Arsenal 2 Bayern 1
Goals: own goal, Nkeitah
Starting XI: Leno, Maitland-Niles, Mustafi, Sokratis, Monreal, Xhaka, Willock, Mkhitaryan, Ozil Aubameyang, Lacazette.
Subs used: Martinez, Kolasinac, Nelson, Burton, Chambers, Saka, John-Jules, Nkeitah.
The starting 11 was pretty close to what you’d expect to see GW1 except I imagine Torriera would start there.
The lineup positives were that Emery played 2 strikers. Also for me £7.0m Mkhitaryan started. If he starts every game and isn’t constantly subbed on 70 minutes would be a potential option. Kolasinac was a sub and with Tierney in focus as a transfer has reduced his chances for GW1.
Form wise Aubameyang was apparently excellent. The defence despite the score was given a real going over. The young players who came on were widely praised with Emery making noises that they would get their chance this season. You won’t be surprised to hear that only £4.5m forward Nketiah is currently on the FPL site.
Here’s the Sky article and the Arseblog article
Minnesota United 0 Aston Villa 3
Goals: Grealish, Bjarnason
First half: Steer, Bree, Konsa, Hause, Targett, Hourihane, Grealish (C), O’Hare, El Ghazi, Jota, Wesley
Second half: Kalinic, Guilbert, Chester (C), Mings, Taylor, McGinn, Bjarnason, Lansbury, Green, Davis, Hogan
A game of 2 team halves as is common.
Aston Villa hold little interest for me aside from maybe El Ghazi as a £5.5m mid. Tuanzebe not returning probably kills the defence option although if the Heaton interest came to something that could change things.
From a lineup perspective the first half team looks closer to what you’d expect for GW1 than the 2nd half team. For those thinking of Elmo apparently Guilbert had an excellent game which may temper some enthusiasm. £6.0m new signing Wesley got positive reviews. The other standout in the game was Jota apparently.
Man City 4 West Ham 1
Goals: David Silva 33, Nmecha 36 (pen), Sterling 59, 72 Goal: Noble 25 (pen)
Manchester City: Claudio Bravo, Danilo (Walker 63), Harwood-Bellis, Laporte (Stones 63), Angelino (Zinchenko 63), Rodri (Aleix Garcia 71), David Silva © (Sane 46), Doyle (Gundogan 63), Bernabe (De Bruyne 46), Poveda-Ocampo (Bernardo Silva 46), Nmecha (Sterling 46)
Subs not used: Grimshaw (GK), Touaizi, Pozo, Diounkou, Knight
West Ham United: Roberto, Fredericks (Zabaleta 62), Diop, Ogbonna (Reid 68), Johnson (Cresswell 62), Rice (Sanchez 46), Noble © (Obiang 62), Wilshere (Snodgrass 46), Lanzini (Diangana 62), Felipe Anderson (Yarmolenko 46), Antonio (Chicharito 46)
Subs not used: Martin (GK), Cullen
Goal: Noble 25 (pen)
Lineup wise City started with kids plus a few regulars and then bought on the reinforcements. De Bruyne got on the pitch which at the moment is a good base to start with. We’re probably trying to work out the LB position and the CB partner of Laporte so it was probably difficult to take much from that tonight as Otamendi wasn’t here and neither is Mendy. Aguero and Fernandinho weren’t either. The Man City website gave Man of the Match to Doyle although D Silva I thought was excellent as a number 8 in a 4-3-3 and he got up the pitch well. Sterling’s 2 goals speak for themselves.
It was pretty much a full strength side from West Ham although the confusion would be who misses out when Heller comes into the frame and when Fornals is back. £4.0m def outsider Reid got on the pitch. £4.0m def Johnson did start at LB which is not his natural position of RB. Masuaku I’m assuming isn’t back after AFCON. Interesting that Pellegrini played a 4-2-3-1 with £5.0m Wilshere as the CAM as you normally think of him in the midfield 3 of 4-3-3. £6.0m Yarmalenko did get on the pitch and hit the post. For those thinking of Fabianski the defence made it look like he’ll get plenty of save points. It was like they had never seen a high press before.
Here’s the Man City website article and the West Ham website where there’s 7 minutes of highlights
Wolves 4 Newcastle 0
Goals: Jota 15 & 40, Gibbs-White 32, own goal 85
Wolves: Patricio (Ruddy 46), Traore (Sanderson 65), Bennett, Coady, Boly, Jonny (Vinagre 65), Neves (Taylor 81), Moutinho (Cundle 81), Dendoncker (Hong 81), Gibbs-White (Perry 65), Jota (Ennis 65).
Unused subs: Norris, Kilman, Miranda, Francis, Marques, Samuels.
Newcastle: Darlow (Woodman 46), Clark (Watts 58), Lascelles (Fernandez 46), Murphy (Allan 62), Shelvey (Ki 58), Ritchie (Aarons 58), Muto (Sorensen 62), Hayden, Colback (M Longstaff 62), Sterry (Manquillo 46), Lazaar (Bailey 62)
From a lineup perspective Wolves started pretty much a full strength team apart from the injured Doherty and the post CONCAF rested Jimenez. Our £4.5m mid banker Dendoncker played 81 minutes. Our not so hopeful 3rd choice LB £4.0m def Kilman didn’t get on the pitch. Form wise Jota scoring twice is a reminder of his end of season form and Dendoncker also got good reviews
For Newcastle the starting team was probably more like the first than the other but it was mixed. £4.5m banker CDM Hayden played the 90. £5.5m forward Muto started but no sign of not in FPL Dwight Gayle who apparently is out there but now linked with Stoke. Surely Newcastle sign a striker.
The Wolves website has a match report and highlights
Manchester United 4 Leeds 0
Goals: Greenwood, Rashford, Jones, Martial pen
First-half United: Romero, Wan-Bissaka, Bailly, Lindelof, Rojo, McTominay, Pogba, Greenwood, Mata, James, Rashford.
Second-half United: J. Pereira, Dalot, Smalling, Jones, Young (C), Matic (Garner 78), A.Pereira, Chong, Gomes, Lingard, Martial.
Sub not used: Tuanzebe.
Lineup wise I guess the first half team is closer to a GW1 starting 11 than the 2nd half side. It was surprisingly 4-2-3-1. Bailly may end up being Maguire or such like. Rojo will be Shaw. Greenwood and Mata could be Lingard or Martial or even the man who OGS thinks could get 20 goals in Sanchez. The unsurprising news is that Rashford was CF with Lukaku “not ready”. £6.5m Mata as a number 10 was interesting but this lineup has more twists to run I expect. Having said that I would hope this lineup is at least the start of some clarity around the attacking positions?
The stars of the show were Greenwood , Rashford and Pogba. £4.5m forward Greenwood was praised. “He has a chance to start against Chelsea. I won’t say it is not a possibility. It is a good possibility if he keeps going as he does” Make of that what you will
£8.5m fwd Rashford scored and with Lukaku “not ready” then long may he continue as the teams CF. Pogba was excellent with his passing in the deep role. Whether that works FPL wise is questionable.
Here’s match highlights an interesting Squawka take on the game and the Manchester Evening News player ratings
You can see more in our pre-season hub article which will be updated regularly.
Get additional content in the form of Podcasts, an interactive transfer and points prediction tool, 4 £50 prize leagues for the first 160 joiners and a Slack channel for discussion with members and contributors in our Patreon site. The first $3 monthly payment gets you in the prize leagues and Slack channel for the season.
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