Dugout Discussion

Pulisic benched as Lampard switches to a 3-4-3 against unchanged Spurs

The final match of Gameweek 18 takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Chelsea the visitors to north London.

Kick-off is at 16:30 GMT.

The team news is straightforward from a Spurs perspective: Jose Mourinho has named an unchanged side for the third game running.

The Chelsea starting XI requires a bit more explanation, however.

Frank Lampard has benched Christian Pulisic (£7.3m) for the first time in the Premier League since Gameweek 9, with Jorginho (£5.0m) and the injured Emerson Palmieri (£5.5m) also making way from the side that lost to Bournemouth.

Marcus Alonso (£6.0m) gets his first start since Gameweek 10, with Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m) and Fikayo Tomori (£4.8m) also recalled.

All of that would seem to suggest that Lampard has switched to a 3-4-3, with Tomori joining Kurt Zouma (£4.7m) and Antonio Rudiger (£6.0m) at centre-half.

Mason Mount (£6.5m) and Willian (£7.0m) appear to be flanking Tammy Abraham (£7.9m) in attack.

Mount, Pulisic and Abraham were three of the four most-sold FPL assets of Gameweek 18.

Lampard’s side have lost four of their last five Premier League games and haven’t kept a clean sheet on the road in 2019/20.

Spurs, by contrast, have won four of their five league games under Jose Mourinho since the ‘Special One’ first took charge a month ago.

Dele Alli (£8.8m), Son Heung-min (£10.1m) and Harry Kane (£10.9m) are averaging 8.0, 7.8 and 5.4 points per game respectively under their new manager.

Kane is the fourth-most-popular captaincy pick of Gameweek 18, while only three FPL assets were bought by more managers than Son in the run-up to this weekend.


Spurs XI: Gazzaniga, Aurier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Vertonghen, Dier, Sissoko, Dele, Son, Lucas, Kane.

Chelsea XI: Arrizabalaga, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Tomori, Rudiger, Alonso, Kante, Kovacic, Willian, Mount, Abraham.



1,997 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Fellow Son cappers. Here's a link to make you feel a little better.
    https://fantasy.premierleague.com/entry/1908330/event/18

    1. Jamb0
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Lol

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Thanks 😉

    3. Jolly Good
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      OR 9 in FPL &
      OR 1 in chess
      ..... not exactly heart breaking stuff ...

      1. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        It's the little victories.

    4. Lukakuna
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Thanks

    5. Fred54
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Stop linking my team.

      1. Duke Silver ☑
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Dude, you're a chess grandmaster. Let us plebs have these gameweeks.

  2. Steevo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    A) Rashford -> Kane (FT)
    B) Mount -> Alli (FT)

    Which?

  3. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Since the Son thing is a red card I look forward to seeing every single kick out by any player punished with a red...

    OFC that won't happen

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yea and what about pushing and shoving off the ball? Why werent Alli and Kovacic sent off as well for violent conduct?

    2. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Leading with studs either in a kick or a tackle is a red. Of all the rules we can discuss, this one is really simple and straightforward.

    3. Lev Yashin
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yes, because kicking your studs to someone's ribs whilst lying on your back is the norm.

  4. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Come on Alli, assist Aurier please

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

    Possibly my worse 2 weeks in a row. Owned KDB most of the season. Swapped him for Son last week 19 points missed. Realised my mistake this week brought him straight back -4 for mane benching Cantwell. In the meantime captain Son gets sent off. Merry Christmas

  6. tafrère
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Son + Maddison > Salah + Cantwell (-4) ?

    Already own Mané, KDB and Alli.

    1. Sid1891
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Could do the same

  7. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Anybody know how many brought in Son already after yesterday?

    1. Railwayman
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Almost 12K

  8. Rhodes your boat
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Great I’m stuck with richarlison another week, son to salah it is!

    1. DAZZ
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Richarlison against Burnley could be good

      1. HurriKane
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Same was said against arsenal. Didnt work out too well ehh

    2. Smurf
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Exact same for me. Son to Salah and holding Richarlison. Not particularly happy about it.

    3. Obi Wan Elokobi
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      What’s wrong with Rich

    4. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Thats a bad thing?

  9. Rinseboy
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Soooooo

    Son and Targett to Grealish and TAA this week -4?

  10. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Anyone fancy a punt on Pogba?

    1. Liberate HK - antichinazi
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      me and will captain him

    2. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      no dont do that

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

      Yep pogback!

    4. tisza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      i am.
      Fixtures don't scream an obvious replacement and i have Salah, adding mane needs a hit.
      0.1% live ownership is kinda exciting

  11. A19
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Son Tammy Hayden - > Salah Greenwood Traore? (-4)

    Switch to 352 with Traore 5th mid. Have Mané. Have Jimi up top not ideal for next 2 but think Traore is the most explosive at its price and Jimmo really consistent

  12. Botman and Robben
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Just logged on, seen my cappo exited with a beautiful -2.

  13. SUPER MOKH
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Having already taken a hit, should I take - 8 hit tl sort out Son?

    Or just bench him and sort him out next GW?

    Hendo
    TAA Lund Kelly
    KDB Mane Alli Grealish
    Tammy Vardy Mousset
    (McGovern Williams *Son Rico)

  14. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Son to
    A Mané
    B Salah

  15. HurriKane
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    If i didnt do Mane to Son and played Cantwell i would be 11 points ahead

    Fine margins

  16. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Dele 90 mind at least haha wreck me

  17. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Jimenez ( C) not looking so bad right now.

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Is there an echo in here?

    2. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Nor is Jota lol

  18. 1569Tippins
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Such a frustrating watch

  19. TeddiPonza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Salah or Mane in for Son?

  20. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Aurier just jumping on the ground now

  21. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Pogba or Salah for Son?

    1. Sailboats
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      100% Salah

      1. Fudgy
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Thanks

    2. Gnu
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Why bother asking, it's your last week, remember.

      1. Fudgy
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Just curious

  22. Evasivo
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Need Pullisic om

  23. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Why doesn’t FPL have the option to delete the team?

    1. The Polymath
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      So we can all have good laugh whenever we want. 😉

  24. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Aurier pen assist denied

  25. Lukakuna
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Any chance Son ban will be overturned?

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      no

    2. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      no

    3. svasei - Up (?) the Rovers
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      No, with Brexit looming he'll be sent back to Korea.

  26. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Come on get Pulisic on

  27. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Score Alli dammit

  28. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Don't have KDB Sterling Mane Salah.

    Son to Salah or KDB?

  29. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Abraham is hurt

    1. Jimmers
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      He always is. He'll play on the 26th.

  30. ZeBestee
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Why didn't VAR check that? What is the criteria for them to check for certain decisions?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      They did.

      1. ZeBestee
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Oh, so there was nothing then.