Dugout Discussion

Barkley and Abraham benched as injured Chilwell misses out

Chelsea take on Leicester City in the second and final Premier League fixture to take place on Sunday.

Kick-off at Stamford Bridge is at 16:30 BST.

There has only been one goal scored in the last three league meetings between these two clubs: two stalemates sandwiching the Foxes’ 1-0 win in west London in December 2018.

The Chelsea starting XI shows only one change from the side that took on Liverpool in midweek, with Mason Mount (£6.0m) replacing Mateo Kovacic (£5.5m) in midfield.

That means there is again no place for Ross Barkley (£6.0m) or Tammy Abraham (£7.0m), who are among the substitutes.

Pedro (£7.0m) and Christian Pulisic (£7.5m) will flank Olivier Giroud (£7.0m) in the Blues’ attack, while Willian (£7.0m) makes the bench.

Ben Chilwell (£5.5m) won’t feature for the visitors this afternoon, with his place at left-back being taken by Christian Fuchs (£4.5m).

Chilwell misses out with a minor hip injury.

That is Brendan Rodgers’ only change to the side that drew 0-0 with Wolves in Gameweek 1, so Ayoze Perez (£6.5m) and James Maddison (£7.0m) will again support Jamie Vardy (£9.0m) in attack.

The Foxes are without a Premier League goal in three matches stretching back to April of last season, although have admittedly faced tricky opposition in the form of Wolves, Manchester City and Maurizio Sarri’s Chelsea in that time.

Rodgers’ side managed only three shots from inside the box against a stubborn Wolves side last weekend.

They may get more joy out of a Chelsea backline that has shipped six goals in their two competitive matches in 2019/20, however.

Lampard’s troops also conceded on eight occasions in their final three pre-season friendlies.

The Blues look more promising going forward, however, having racked up 38 shots against Manchester United and Liverpool over the past week.

Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Zouma, Emerson, Kante, Jorginho, Pedro, Mount, Pulisic, Giroud.

Leicester City XI (4-3-3): Schmeichel, Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu, Fuchs, Choudhury, Ndidi, Tielemans, Maddison, Perez, Vardy.

Lessons learned from Gameweek 2

2,346 Comments Post a Comment
  1. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    What about this?

    Perez out KDB in
    Vardy out Pukki in.

    Will take a -4 hit.

    1. Rasping Drive
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I would definitely make those moves

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sounds good

    3. Hits from the Bong
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yep

    4. Doosra - ☭DeclanMyGeniusâ…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Go for it.

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

      sheff u and bmouth

  2. Miniboss
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A bit tired with Perez. If he doesn’t return, whom to get in?
    2ft 0.0itb

    A) Ceballos
    B) Mount
    C) McGinn
    D) Trossard

    Heaton
    TAA Robbo Zinchenko Digne
    Salah Sterling Perez Moura
    Wilson Pukki

    Button Lundstram Dendocker Greenwood

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

      none of those given his next 2 fixtures

    2. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Perez and Wilson for Ceballos and Rashford

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

        Thanks, that could do.

    3. Bartowski
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Similar position but considering -4 to get in Martial and downgrade a defender.

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

        Sounds good, might need to downgrade TAA as well.

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

        This

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

          I’m even doing Perez and TAA to KdB and 4.0 I think (and already have Lundstram)

    4. Wild Card this!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B

  3. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    On WC

    Pope
    AWB Robbo Digne
    Mount Salah Sterling Martial Cantwell
    Pukki Kane(C)

    McGivern, Greenwood, Lundstram, Rico.

    Bit knee jerky?

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

      2 norwich players and no nailed sub

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        But a glorious core of Salah Sterling Kane Robbo 😉

        Pukki is God

    2. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Cantwell in starting 11? common

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Price to pay for Kane Salah Sterling

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

      dont want kdb?

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Rather have Kane

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

      Needs more KDB.

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Already have Salah Kane & Sterling mate! KDB would kill my squad.

  4. Hits from the Bong
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Considering wcarding to this, worth it?

    Pope (4)
    VVD Digne AWB Dunk (Lund)
    Salah Sterling KdB Cantwell (Dendoncker)
    Kane Pukki (4.5)

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

      Like it a lot!

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

        Don’t know what you have though

  5. Gringo Kid
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Perez is terrible

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

      looks nervous, is a better player than this

  6. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    The amount of people calling perfectly good transfers knee jerking or a waste of a transfer is ridiculous. Why wouldn’t you want to get the form players who will be rising in price instead of the duds you have who are dropping?

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

      because u dont get last weeks points when you take hits to swap one erratic 6m player for another

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Who said anything about hits or erratic 6m players?

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

          ask strawman questions get strawman answers

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Totally agree

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

      Knee jerk post

    4. Little fekirs
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It’s a very fine line.

      Pukki might not score for 3 weeks, does that make it ‘knee-jerky’ ?

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

        Stats and eye test in his favour

    5. SouthCoastSaint
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Agree with this.

      I did Barkley to Mcginn. Loads said hold, wait and see

      Wasn’t an instant profit but clearly the right move

      (Barkley late cameo and free kick goal incoming)

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

        Barkley to McGinn looks a good transfer because at least McGinn plays.

    6. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Agreed.

    7. Kub3
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      100%

      Of course you don’t get their points from last week but who says they won’t get points the following week. That’s the reason we have still have Sterling in our teams because we believe he’ll still get points next gameweek. It’s the same logic

    8. Dr. Rog
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I think it makes a lot of sense to knee jerk at the start of the season. if they work out, you bagged yourself this years jiminez or fraser. if it doesnt you've built some team value for your wildcard

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

        yup, if anything start of season is the time to kneejerk, with a .1m can price you out completely

      2. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Many seasons have been ruined by people’s stubbornness in refusing to jump on a bandwagon early

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

          ^ This

        2. Business Cat
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          This

  7. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Anyone thinking Pedro is a good shout this year?

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      He’s looked terrific but Mount looks much better value at £1m less

    2. Dthinger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm staying away from that midfield. Too much potential rotation with 5 good options for three spots.

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

        This is probably wise.
        But Mount is tempting for a short term punt

    3. SouthCoastSaint
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Bit like Bernardo, never quite translates into the points you’d expect

  8. Catastrophe
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    How's this draft chaps? Trying to cover most/all areas. May end up swapping Martial for Digne/Ceballos/Barnes etc. and improving bench.

    Ryan
    VVD, AWB, Zinchenko, Lundstram 
    Mane, Sterling, KDB, Son, Martial
    Pukki

    (Button, Kelly, Greenwood, Wickham)

    Cheers!

    1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Beautiful

      1. Catastrophe
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Cheers. Hope Son starts strong.

  9. The Road to Turfdom
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Are most Josh King owners keeping? Pukki and Barnes tempting but don't see an urgent need to get rid - am I missing something?

    1. Crystal Alice
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Keeping, but twitchy

    2. Agger
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Strikers in form are lethal, Pukki and Barnes are in a serious mood to score goals right now. Hard to ignore them

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

        Id say Barnes is impossible to ignore.

    3. SouthCoastSaint
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Surely most got him for penalties in a good attacking team - didn’t he just do exactly what you would have expect? And second striker spot safe for now

  10. Agger
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    I know it's early but who'd you start next week?
    Heaton (EVE)
    Or
    Pope (wol)

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

      Most will say Pope
      I have Heaton set and forget, maybe this is the week I can cut my losses

    2. Crystal Alice
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Heaton

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

      This is why I go 4.5 and 4.0 keepers...

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

        Yeah I know right!!

    4. F4L
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Heaton

    5. Harper (No more Penandes)
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Heaton, Everton really have a problem scoring at the moment

    6. BoleynWin
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I have the same pair, I am actually edging towards Heaton despite this weekends result. Burnley haven’t looked tight at the back for the first two games despite the early cleanie, they seem much more attacking

  11. Ungaio
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Salah+Wilson>KDB+Kane for free?

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Need either Salah or Mane IMO. Can you free up funds another way or consider Son instead of Kane?

  12. majorbriggs
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Ditching Fraser before he drops, who to bring in for -4?

    A. Mount
    B. Ceballos
    C. Perez
    D. Tielemans
    E. Lanzini
    F. Someone else?

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

      Why C and D are in your list?

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

        Purely for good fixtures and potential, but not so tempting after their performance tonight

    2. Manani
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      is he dropping tonight?

      I'd got A or Ceballos

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

        Looks likely but not sure how correct fplstatistics is atm algorithmwise

    3. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B

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

        Cheers!

  13. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Trossard
    or
    B) Harry Wilson

    No other BRI or BOU players

    1. Greasy Grealish Gang
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I rate both but Trossard for sure.

  14. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pope
    TAA / VVD / Digne / Montoya
    Salah / Sterling / Perez
    Pukki / Jota / Wood

    Button // Barkley / Dendoncker / Kelly

    2.4m ITB. 1 FT.

    A) Barkley > Mount
    B) Barkley/TAA > KDB/AWB (-4)
    C) Other?

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

    Fraser + Ayoze > De Bruyne + Cantwell for free ?

    1. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yes

  16. Obi Wan Elokobi
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    My Wildcard defence is such a shambles

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Wildcard it out then

    2. Obi Wan Elokobi
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Mina, Pieters, Soyuncu, Dunk, Lund

    3. The Wise Owl
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hanley and Lundstram?

    4. Four Hit Wonder
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'd file a complaint

  17. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Hows this look

    Ederson - 4.0
    VVD - Digne - AWB - Dunk - 4.0
    Salah - Sterling - Mount - Martial - Stephens
    Kane - Jimenez - Pukki

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

      Looked great 'til I realised you can't afford that.

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

        😆

  18. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So glad I kept Tross, surely keeping his starting spot now?

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      he still isnt guaranteed starts tbh, potter tinkers a fair bit and they have quite alot of options. Im just going to keep starting Trossard knowing I have bench to cover him

    2. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      You'd think he will definitely play the next two home games which look great. Still unknown about away games.

  19. Ha.
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Who to get in for Pérez?

    1. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sterling

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

        Already have him

        1. Cok3y5murf
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Salah

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

            And him

            1. Cok3y5murf
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              Speed up, man. Should've got the point by now 😉

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

                Have him also

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

      Pukki and Lundstram (-8)

      1. Maddi Son
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Not enough hits.

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

        Already have them

    3. Manani
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      liking Mount or Cabellos

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

        Both feel very punty and capable of being dropped

    4. Carlton_Goal
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm thinking about Ceballos, Mount or Trossard if that helps. Don't ask which one, haven't got that far yet haha

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

        Trossard of those for me

  20. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Trossard
    B) Harry Wilson
    C) Mount
    ?

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

      Probably A

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Chelsea have two fab fixtures coming up.

  21. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    So, who's getting the hat-trick next weekend then? We should probably decide this now in advance.

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

      Kane, obvs

      1. Maddi Son
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Good week to bring in Kane. Seems like nobody wants him anymore after the City game.

    2. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      The most dropped player will score a hattie

    3. Business Cat
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Whoever's playing Newcastle...oh, that'd be Kane then! 😉

    4. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Kane.

    5. Pinturicchio10
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Sterling hopefully

      • Bartowski
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        probably Rashford or Kane

      • Harper (No more Penandes)
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Pukki again

      • Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Son obviously

      • ENZO SZN™
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Aguero v bou

    6. FFSbet.com
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Plan was KDB to Son GW3,keep for now or sell?

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

        It’s v hard to do that now

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

      PLEASE, best replacement for Vardy PLEASE !

      1. The Wise Owl
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Rashford

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

          I have:
          Rashford
          Barnes

      2. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Rashford

    8. Kub3
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Sometimes the most obvious bad decisions stare you in the face but you still go ahead with them. I blame myself for picking Perez.

      Cue goal in 2nd half.

      1. The Wise Owl
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Pre-season looked good

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

      Sorry for re-posting but is
      King&Perez to Pukki&Mount good moves for free?

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

        For free yea

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

          Or any other 6 m midfielder, but mount looks good and set pieces aswell...

    10. Dacra
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      TAA, Perez, Haller to Zouma, KdB, Jota for - 8?

      Stuck between knee jerk and doing nothing!

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

        TAA to Zouma sounds bad IMO.
        Why no love for Trossard and Pukki?

    11. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Kepa is poor..

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

        good manager though

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

        Bet he earns more than you

    12. How Mina You
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I appreciate that no-one fully knows, but who do we reckon will lose their place to Rudiger: Zouma or Christensen?

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Zouma

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

        Christensen - just because Zouma plays left-side in a CB pairing and Rudiger plays right side. Don't know if Rudiger or Christensen would be willing and able to play left side though.

    13. Openboxman
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Who told me to put Montoya in over Lundstram...with 68% of people benching him should be okay.

      Pray for a martial bench!

    14. MGMT
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Why are people thrashing Perez? He is playing really advanced, just been a bit unlucky playing a good Chelsea today.

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Sell