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. C'mon the Fylde
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Keep or sell Rashford?

    Ryan
    TAA Lundstram Kelly
    KDB Alli Grealish Salah Maddison
    Rashford Vardy

    Button, Soyuncu, Connolly, Rico

    2m itb

    1. jonnybhoy
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Keep

    2. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I’m keeping for the next game (at least).

      Even with Utd being absolute pap today, he still could have got himself attacking returns.

      Wait til after Newcastle & re-assess I think

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

      Sell

    4. R2G2
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Keep.
      There are no better options.

  2. jonnybhoy
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Son + Mousset to Kane + bench fodder for -4pts? Or Son to Ali for free?

    1. Snooze ya lose
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Thinking Alli myself

    2. GUSFRING
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Kane been awful recently. Stay clear.

  3. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I thought Maureen was supposed to be a tactical genius?

    It was amateur stuff from Spurs today. They weren’t in the game at any point today & Mou had no answers from the bench either

    1. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Tactically outsmarted today by the apprentice

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

    even Tomori is getting a bap, what the actual

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

      Coming in for me off the bench after Pulisic no show. Lol

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

    my last two gameweeks:
    GW 17 -49
    GW 18 -38

    My last two cup opponents:
    GW 17 - uses triple captain
    GW 18 - uses wildcard

    advanced through both...incredible game

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

      I'm going through with 31 pts this week.

      1. Silecro
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        quite an achievement. My opponent has 26 and used wildcard...cant even imagine the level of anger

  6. OptimusBlack
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I am keeping Kane abd Alli but Son to Salah for free

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

    Son + TAA to Salah + Digne. Exact funds so will be priced out when Son drops.

    Would give me:
    Pope
    Digne Lund Soy Rico Kelly
    KdB Mane Salah Alli Zaha
    Vardy Abraham Connolly

  8. KLOPPS AND ROBBERS... the s…
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Glad I kept my WC with Son being a ....

    Trent, Son > Soy, Salah?

  9. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    But fair play to Chelsea and Lampard, they just destroyed Spurs today and all of us with their players 😀

    1. fantasyfog
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      gutted pulisic wasn't involved though, extreme differential

  10. Albrightondknight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    @hits from the bong
    Do we go Son and TAA
    To Salah and cheap defender now?

  11. George Agdgdgwngo
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Son to

    A. Salad
    B. Sterling

    (Already own mane & KDB)

    1. NotsoSpursy
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Salad

    2. Shearer & Sutton
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      A

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

      Sterling then Mo is what I’m thinking - also Mane KdB

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

      Salah and it's not even close.

      PS. Sterling owner for GW 1-16.

  12. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Screw everything. Gonna do Son > Sarr lol.

    Good fixtures, cheap. Extreme differential.

    1. fr3d
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      LOL

  13. NotsoSpursy
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Cantwell 10pts incoming :-))

    1. Iceball
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yes, I needed those 10 points after captain -2 points.

  14. Do I Not Like Orange
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Should I keep the armband on Kane for Boxing Day? What sort of reaction are we likely to get from Spurs?

    1. Balls of Steel
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Well they definitely cannot play any worse than that.... Absolutely rubbish... The only way is up now.

  15. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Got through in the cup, 59-56.
    Close one

  16. PlayPercentage
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I presume Kane was rubbish again today?
    How he gets picked all the time for the England team, I'll never know.

  17. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    38 points this gameweek, how's everyone else doing?

    1. fantasyfog
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      a fairly smug 65

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

        A slightly smugger 66 🙂

    2. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      60 Jimenez (c)

      1. PlayPercentage
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        55 Sterling (C) + Ings windfall

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

      60 but fairly disappointed as started today with 60 with 3 left and captain to play

  18. Better luck next year
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Have exact cash for Son > Mane/Salah. 1FT

    Bring in who?
    A) Salah
    B) Mane

    1. NotsoSpursy
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Salah

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

      Salah

      1. Better luck next year
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers. Was thinking him, Salah it is then

  19. Cruz88
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Alli or Abraham to make way for Salah? (Two transfers obvs)

  20. SpaceCadet
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Getting beat by a cup opponent who has Kabasele and ‘Egan’.

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

    Guaita
    TAA Aurier Lundy
    Pogba (C) Cantwell Grealish Mane Alli
    Abraham Rashford
    Sub: Martin Vardy Willems Rico

    Good to go????

  22. thomashl
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Best Son downgrade?

    1. NotsoSpursy
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Alli

    2. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Moura, Alli, Grealish

      1. thomashl
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        Reaaally didn’t like the look of Spurs tho

  23. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Getting out of cup because of stupid red card is annoying...

  24. Albrightondknight
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    How much were the bookies giving for 2-0 Che and Wat wins? Would have been a nice double.

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

    just did Son to Alli( C).

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

    Genuinely thought we were going to be smashed. What a result 😀

  27. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Shocker of a day. Abraham, Rashford, Son, Ali and Kane all blanking. Good day for the casuals.

    1. fantasyfog
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      yeah those casuals. unlike you being pro and all that. sponsored. paid. it's just not right

  28. Sailboats
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Last minute captain switch from Son to Rashford saved my disastrous GW

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

    Ok. Have Mane. Son-> KDB? No other city player.

    1. The Head-Ake
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

    2. chonks
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      that is what im trying to figure out
      or bring in salah for the pool mid combo

  30. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Best move here? 2FT

    A. Son Grealish to Salah Cantwell
    B. Son to Alli

    Pope
    TAA - Soy - Lund - Kelly - Rico
    Mane - Son - Maddison - KDB - Grealish
    Vardy - Tammy - Ings

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

      B I think - then A if you have cash

      (Very similar set up - cashed in on TAA and Rash over Tammy)