Dugout Discussion
2 December 2018 1331 comments
Skonto Rigga Skonto Rigga
Share:

The west London derby is the first of three matches on a busy Sunday of Premier League football, with kick-off at Stamford Bridge at 12:00 GMT.

Chelsea are looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season and are up against a Fulham side who won last weekend for the first time since Gameweek 3.

The big team news concerns the inclusion of Eden Hazard (£11.0m) in Chelsea’s starting XI, with the Belgian having shaken off the ankle knock that forced him to miss the Europa League win over PAOK on Thursday.

A potentially positive omen for Hazard’s owners is that Olivier Giroud (£7.7m) has been chosen to lead the line over Alvaro Morata (£8.8m): the significance there being that all seven of Hazard’s Premier League goals this season have come while the French striker has also been on the pitch.

Hazard was the most-transferred out player of Gameweek 14, having suffered over twice as many sales as any other FPL asset ahead of Friday’s deadline.

Pedro (£6.3m) gets the nod over Willian (£7.4m) on the right flank and the last time the Spanish winger lined up alongside Giroud and Hazard in a front three, Hazard racked up 20 FPL points (in Gameweek 5 versus Cardiff City).

Chelsea are otherwise unchanged from the side that lost to Spurs last weekend, with Ross Barkley (£5.8m) not in the matchday squad after picking up a knock in the win over PAOK.

Fulham are also unexpectedly missing a player through injury, with Andre Schurrle (£5.9m) having “felt a twinge” in the lead-up to this match and rested as a precaution.

Stefan Johansen (£5.1m) comes in to take the German’s place in midfield, though Claudio Ranieri hasn’t otherwise tinkered with Fulham’s starting XI after the 3-2 win over Southampton last Saturday.

Such is the fickle world of FPL, Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.6m) was the most-bought forward of this round after his brace in that Gameweek 13 victory.

Chelsea XI to face Fulham: Kepa, Alonso, Rudiger, Luiz, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Pedro, Hazard, Giroud.

Fulham XI to face Chelsea: Rico, Le Marchand, Odoi, Mawson, Christie, Sessegnon, Chambers, Seri, Johansen, Cairney, Mitrovic.

Become a Member and access our data

Memberships for the 2018/19 campaign are now available for the price of just £15.

Join now to get the following:

  • Plot your transfer strategies using the fully interactive Season Ticker.
  • Get projections for every Premier League player provided by the Rate My Team statistical model.
  • Use Rate My Team throughout the season to guide your selections and transfers.
  • Get access to over 130+ exclusive members articles over the season.
  • Analyse our OPTA-powered statistic tables specifically tailored for Fantasy Football Managers.
  • Use our exclusive tool to build custom stats tables from over 100 OPTA player and team stats.
  • View heatmaps and expected goals data for every player.
  • Use our powerful comparison tool to analyse players head-to-head.

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A FANTASY FOOTBALL SCOUT MEMBER

  1. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso needs some glasses!

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Twice now over hit the cross wasting assists!

  2. Lucky Z
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso looks meh to the moment

  3. Differential C (Mark)
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso has been terrible at crossing so far . Wtf was that last effort. Just shooot

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      He's better at volleying than crossing

  4. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso been shite so far

    1. Digital-Real
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      yup

  5. ⭐ ABHISHEK - THE CURIOUS …
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard going to blank doesnt it 🙁

    1. Egg noodle
      • 16 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Certainly

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      17 minutes in. Not an FFS record, but has to be up there.

      1. CloudSky
        • 9 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        16 minutes off of FFS record.

  6. Chucky
    • 12 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Hazzo looking lively?

    1. Royal5
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Not really "/

  7. french holiday
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    city clean sheeth was broken this week
    will it be liverpool turn in the merseyside derby?

  8. DeathoftheParty
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso neggin

  9. Gudjohnsen
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    So is Arnautovic still a good pick?

    1. DAZZ
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Yeah. He’s a season keeper for his price, for me anyway. Main man at west ham

  10. Egg noodle
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard will be subbed before 60 now that Chelsea are winning

    1. mrwinner
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      65-70 mins more likely IMO

    2. Ghost Gooner
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Go look at his total minutes for the season. He needs game time if anything

  11. mrwinner
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard just doesn't get into those dangerous positions like a Sterling or Salah does

    1. Nabs Kebabs
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Because he's a lot better on the ball than those players...he's more involved in the build up.

      1. mrwinner
        • 8 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        agree, but for greater FPL returns you don't want that

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

      Hes more like D. Silva

    3. Peter Russo
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      very true. Chelsea need creative CAM to do that job and let hazard make runs in behind hes wasted in deep all the time. Its ok doing it now and again but every single time he drops back to receive it is a waste.

  12. potatoace
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Who the hell does Alonso think he's aiming for with those crosses

  13. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso isn't worth 7.1m. No goals in the last 11 just isn't good enough. Who would you replace him with for a hit?

    1. some witty pun
      • 13 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      I know right its almost as if hes a defender

    2. dvdguy
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      TAA

    3. Digital-Real
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Trips

    4. french holiday
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      trippier if available

    5. Whats the Mata?
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      go cheap and upgrade your midfield/strike force.

      Im getting Alli for him in the coming weeks

    6. Forza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      He's been averaging 5.72 points per game in those 11 games, which isn't so bad.

    7. CaTriEm
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Not worth 7 mil but he's outscored every midfielder in the game bar Sterling.

      1. Fitzy.
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        Which makes him worth it doesn't it?

        1. CaTriEm
          • 12 Years
          7 years, 4 months ago

          Which was my point, don't think the dry sarcasm translated well over text, my bad.

          1. Fitzy.
            • 14 Years
            7 years, 4 months ago

            Ah, with you now... 🙂

  14. Bullet Eder
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard pelting Alonso every time he delivers. Give the lad a break.

  15. S.Kuqi
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Cairney looks decent 5th mid for festive period. Nailed and relatively attacking

  16. Digital-Real
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Alonso been on the p*ss up last night

  17. french holiday
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    what happened to fpl legend barkley

    1. g40steve
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Who?

  18. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Kanye looking like a serious option here

    1. Mo Mané Mo Problems
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      That sh!t cray

    2. Ha.
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      I’ve heard that before

    3. ol3andre
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Kanye is always a looking serious.

    4. Team Cruel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Heard he enjoys two big baps every night too.

  19. Brosstan
    • 11 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Wouldnt be surprised by a Giroud (G) Alonso (A) with all the space hes given on the flank. Crossing lackluster so far though.

  20. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 16 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Get a F’ing goal Haz FFS

    1. Chucky
      • 12 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Goals*

  21. Farke in hell
    • 9 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Why is Alonso being booed?

    1. Fred54
      • 11 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Changed his conditioner.

    2. Piggs Boson
      • 14 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Killed a girl. Drunk driving.

      1. OPTA FPL
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        link?

  22. Rsforstar
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    If mitro scores my day will turn from good to great. All ML rival have alonso or luiz

  23. Differential C (Mark)
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Le Marchand with a Lukaku first touch there xD

  24. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Looks like another one of those games where hazard tries the flicks and tricks

    Too much show boating

    1. XabiAlonso
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Easy move to sterling/ sane/alli if he keeps this up

  25. SirStevieG
    • 13 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    This feels like one of those games where Hazard and Alonso will get nothing. One has done nothing so far and the other one has been terrible.

  26. french holiday
    • 8 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    saari should do the italian thing and park the bus after taking the lead

    1. Arteta
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      If you park the bus against Fulham you might as well quit football

  27. Ha.
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    I knew I should have captained Duffy

    1. LSK
      • 8 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Me too. At least had him first on the bench

  28. Bullet Eder
    • 10 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Why is Alonso getting booed?

    1. Dannyb
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Killed someone

  29. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    Morata would’ve scored

    1. diesel001
      • 9 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      *been offside

    2. dvdguy
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      More like 5 yards offside

  30. Royal5
    • 14 Years
    7 years, 4 months ago

    How is Luiz still starting? What ever happened to that danish CB?

    1. Arteta
      • 10 Years
      7 years, 4 months ago

      Christensen still isn't ready to play 60 minutes

      1. Royal5
        • 14 Years
        7 years, 4 months ago

        I see. Been injured then.