Dugout Discussion

Tomori and Targett absent as Pulisic returns for Chelsea

Christian Pulisic (£7.0m) returns to the Chelsea team to face Brighton on the first matchday of 2020.

Joining him in the starting line-up is right-back Reece James (£5.0m), who was recently ruled out by Frank Lampard for at least a week.

He plays on the right of defence which means another appearance at left-back for Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.8m).

Tammy Abraham (£7.8m) and Mason Mount (£6.3m) also keep their places in the 4-3-3 system.

However, Fikayo Tomori (£4.8m) misses out on the match altogether which means a place on the bench for Tariq Lamptey (£4.0m) once again.

Brighton manager Graham Potter has selected Pascal Groß (£6.4m) and Aaron Connolly (£4.5m) on the bench with Steven Alzate (£4.5m) and Leandro Trossard (£5.8m) starting either side of Neal Maupay (£5.8m).

Burnley host Aston Villa in the other lunch-time match where Matt Targett (£4.4m) misses out through injury.

Dean Smith has gone for a slightly altered shape to usual, lining up in a 3-4-3 system featuring Neil Taylor (£4.3m) and Frédéric Guilbert (£4.4m) as the wing-backs and Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) in the back-three.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Burn, Webster, Dunk, Montoya; Pröpper, Mooy, Bissouma; Trossard, Maupay, Alzate.

Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rüdiger, R James; Kanté, Jorginho, Mount; Pulisic, Abraham, Willian.

Burnley XI: Pope; Mee, Tarkowski, Bardsley; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Brady; A Barnes, Wood.

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Hause, Mings, Konsa; N Taylor, D Luiz, Nakamba, Guilbert; Grealish, Wesley, Trézéguet.

1,828 Comments Post a Comment
  1. teddypicker
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    VAR legend.

    Sold Grealish for Traore 😀

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

      Sold Grealish for Maddy and started Pope! Love VAR 🙂

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

    Tammy and Pope. Good so far!

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

    Sold Tammy for Jimi - Tammy 12 pointer coming

  4. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Does feel like being in a creche sometimes in here...

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

    Need that Pope cleanie WIPED

  6. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Chelsea flying to day ... very attacking

    1. Moose™
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Good for Tammy then

  7. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    it's not just Grealish decision today, it's happening every week multiple times. This isn't football, it's too strict. They are taking away the one thing which makes people tune in

    1. HollywoodXI
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I completely agree. I don’t own Grealish btw!

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

      I think the AVL offside is fair. That small margin of offside enabled the goal to be scored. if he was onside, it wouldn't have been scored

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

      FPL?

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

      Then change the offside law. It isn't difficult. They have 8 months to consult before all the European leagues start again.

      1. Pukki Blinders
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        What happened to that 'clear and obvious error' nonsense? Because your armpit being offside by a hair is totally reasonable and would affect the goal...

  8. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    We're getting so many good chances, which only means one thing.

    Burnley will score against the run of play.

  9. El-Kloppico
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Is it really a Tammy assist? Or will it be reviewed?

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

      Get over it. Assist all day.

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

    Brighton are a joke. So much hype with Potter but they offer nothing going forward and their defence isn't that good either

  11. Hotdogs for Tea
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pope on 2 saves already 🙂

  12. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Get in the baps Grealish and starting racking up some saves Ryan.....

  13. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    I'm now expecting Traore to be rewarded with an offside goal just to rub salt in the wound for Grealish owners.

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

      That doesn’t happen to wolves 🙂

  14. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    OMG Wesley

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      Snipes

      1. Chucky
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        😛

  15. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Wesley G
    Grealish A

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

      Assist confirmed?

  16. JELLYFISH
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Wes....get in there

  17. Hybrid.power
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    For real this time?

  18. R.DON
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Why not keep the VAR red line but change the offside rule so if there is daylight between defender and attacker then they are off No daylight then you are on? simple no argument solution

    1. Legendary!
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      What’s the definition of daylight? Like your suggestion by the way but thinking about how the rule might apply in non-VAR leagues

      1. R.DON
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 4 months ago

        the line used in VAR can be easily used to judge a space between players (even down to a cm) as for non VAR leagues then the rules would have to remain the same.

  19. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    The batter be given as a Grealish assist.

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

      Surely

    2. goriuanx
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 4 months ago

      I'm not fully awake yet.

  20. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Wesley G

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

    F**K you VAR 🙁

  22. Team Cruel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Should not be a Grealish assist, Wesley wasn't intended target

  23. Cookie Kid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Starting to regret benching Greasy for Traore

  24. Halftime
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Grealish on a bit of a rampage today

  25. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Greally assy?

  26. Wilshere Knowledge
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    What the hell are Burnley doing?

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

      They’re dreadful

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

    Ferk. More Ghoulash points?

  28. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Pope shocker

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

    Tammy what are you doing.

  30. Ser Davos
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 4 months ago

    Grealish looking excellent. Wonder how much better Villa would be with Tammy up top