Dugout Discussion

Chelsea trip to Watford largely unaffected by festive rotation

The final game of a bumper Boxing Day Fantasy Premier League schedule is largely unaffected by Christmas rotation.

There had been fears that Marcos Alonso (£6.9m) might lose his place as Chelsea travel to Watford but he has been named in the starting line-up.

In fact, Blues manager Maurizio Sarri has made no changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Leicester just days previously, keeping faith with his key men.

It means another stint on the bench for Olivier Giroud (£7.7m) with Eden Hazard (£11.0m) leading the line as false-nine once again, flanked by Willian (£7.3m) and Pedro (£6.3m).

Even the midfield trio of Jorginho (£4.8m), N’Golo Kanté (£4.9m) and Matteo Kovacic (£5.8m) was left undisturbed by Sarri, despite a few options for rotation.

Meanwhile, Javi Gracia has kept faith in the front two who punished West Ham in Gameweek 18, Troy Deeney (£5.8m) and Gerard Deulofeu (£5.4m) leading a Watford side lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.

Watford XI (4-4-2): Foster; Holebas, Kabasele, Cathcart, Kiko Femenia; Pereyra, Capoue, Doucouré, Sema; Deeney, Deulofeu.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Kepa; Alonso, Luiz, Rudiger, Azpilicueta; Kovacic, Kanté, Jorginho; Pedro, Willian; Hazard.

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2,303 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FDMS All Starz
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Who would you drop first to allow funds(2mil)?

    Hazard,Sane,Kane,Salah,Pogba,Richarlison.

    1. Ambrosiana Inter
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Sane

      1. FDMS All Starz
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        So you would go cityless?

        1. Ambrosiana Inter
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          I think sane may be dropped, i ve gone city less for 3 weeks and paid off big time..I d bring kun back in

  2. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Willian simply doesn't want to play. Not interested. Wastes Hazard and Alonso assist

    1. Ambrosiana Inter
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      I love pandemonio pandevvv

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Juhuu

  3. Ambrosiana Inter
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    How s 71 with baps looking for this week?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Awful. You should quit.

      1. Ambrosiana Inter
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        How many u have funny man?

        1. Hazz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          Feel free to click my team link.

          Can't see yours.

          1. Ambrosiana Inter
            • 6 Years
            5 years, 4 months ago

            Seen that...should be able,to,see my now...great overall rank for ya

    2. Waynoo
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Nice boasting

      1. Ambrosiana Inter
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers

    3. Chenku╰☆╮
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      May still get red.

    4. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Depends, overall rank whilst you’re at it?

      1. Ambrosiana Inter
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        A bit behind, quiet a bit behind 160 k

    5. LosBlancos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Im on 92.
      If only Kante and Willian werent so wasteful

      1. Ambrosiana Inter
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Yeah I dropped willian 2 weeks ago for mkhytarian, and he got 2, then brought Pedro in 1, this week got moura in 11...Pedro and Willian not worth anything

  4. Ajax Hamsterdam
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Giving sterling one more game and captaining him. Will swap for Kane after that.

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      this tbh

    2. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Suspect he gets rested v Southampton with rested Mahrez playing so fresh for Liverpool game

  5. GE
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    What do you think? 🙂

    1) Sterling and Chica -> Salah and max 4.6 forward fodder
    2) Martial and Chica -> Pogba/Lingard and Ings (-4)

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      just do chica>ings and dont take a hit. martial will likely be back next match. sterling plays soton.

  6. pjanns
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    is it worth doing this?

    Fraser + Alonso --> Pogba + Digne (-4)

  7. the vanisher
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Based on fixtures/form please rank the following by how essential are they:

    1. Hazard
    2. Richarlison
    3. Pogba
    4. Digne

    Looking to get at least two of them for next gwk.

    1. LosBlancos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      In that order

    2. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      1342

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      1243

  8. shearer9
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    How did Pereyra look tonight?

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      nice hair

  9. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Judging off game time recently, Im pretty sure Kane, Auba, Hazard and Salah will all be rested at the weekend. Squeaky bum time for owners.

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      so long as Pogba(c) gets a hatty i'm okay

    2. LosBlancos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Hazard doesnt need a rest, he only plays the PL basically

    3. Chalobah's Witness
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      there's no way Salah or Auba will be rested 🙂

    4. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Sterling & Sane 90 minutes today as well. Most will be lucky to get 6 players out next GW.

    5. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Kane will play

    6. Patch
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      The folks who benefit will be Shaqiri, Laca and Alli...

    7. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      doubt salah rested vs arsenal but thanks for the info

    8. Ghost Gooner
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Good thing Tot are second now. Poch will want to keep winning so they can pick up the pieces when Liv City play

  10. Chalobah's Witness
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Need to get rid of Alonso. He's too expensive for constantly NOT scoring.
    Should I double up on Liverpool defenders (already got Robbo) or just get Digne?

    1. Taking the Mkhitaryan
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Did Alonso to vvd last week. Pool double looks good

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

    Alonso, ya suck mate.

    1. Baldest of Frauds
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Agreed, been awful this season

      1. sminkypinky
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Still second in defenders score?

  12. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Would you do this tonight? Sterling > Haz / Pog?

    Fabianski
    Digne • Kolasinac • Doherty
    Sterling • Son • Rich • FAnderson • Martial
    Kane • Aubameyang
    (Button / Kamara / AWB / Schindler)

  13. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Think Sterling will start against Sou?

    1. Baldest of Frauds
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Nope

    2. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Not my problem anymore.

    3. Yozzer
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Probably not. He was poor today.

    4. Waynoo
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      "rested"

    5. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Get Hazard or Son for Sterling?

    6. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      No

  14. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Now I will sell Alonso and he will haul against Palace.

    1. thischarmingman
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Ty

  15. Baldest of Frauds
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Raging that I benched Digne and played Alonso - fed up with Alonso’s returns, totally overpriced for his value this season...

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Same position

    2. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Me to, think he’s got to go, so many bargain defenders

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      you wouldnt have benched alonso anyway so makes no difference

  16. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard’s teammates are all terrible tbh

  17. Ian Davis
    • 14 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Sterling > ?

    A) Hazard
    B) Son

    B allows Torreira > Martial/Lingard

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Leaning towards B

  18. andymck
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Sane and Alonso > Hazard and TAA for free a reasonable move?

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

      No

  19. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Foster 😮

  20. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Blimey the price changes are volatile.

    1. Salah’s Sonnet
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Sickening aren’t they

  21. Waynoo
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Foster lol

  22. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Kante shoot!!!

  23. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Sickening when commentators talk about player transfer rumours during gametime

  24. The Big Fella
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Would you take a non-playing defender if it meant you could have Kane in your team? If you would, which defender would you have? 3.9m or less

    1. Rage Against The Raheem
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Bednarek is 3.9 and has been starting lately.

      1. The Big Fella
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers for the reply and good advice!

  25. waitinginthelonggrass
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Digne in for Doherty?

    1. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Yup

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Doherty has not done much wrong.

      1. waitinginthelonggrass
        • 13 Years
        5 years, 4 months ago

        Can alternatively get rid of Luiz

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 4 months ago

          do this

    3. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      both?

  26. Over Midwicket
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Thoughts on Sterling + Fanderson + Alonso -> Haz(c) + Son + TAA for (-8)? Surely pays off. Then do Son to Pogba after he's off to Asia.

    1. waitinginthelonggrass
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      In theory I like the transfers, but always weary of such a large hit

    2. 4-4-who?
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      Do it now

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 4 months ago

      why rush?

  27. LǝgleSs e|even
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Kante - what a bloody waste open goal

  28. Royal5
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Kante must be blind

  29. Totti
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    reposting looking for replies

    thoughts on this wildcard:

    fabianski button
    robertson TAA digne bissaka johnny
    hazard pogba son pereyra snodgrass
    kane auba jimenez

  30. Eze Really?
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 4 months ago

    Hazard masterclass!