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. drilsby
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Just bought Pukki. Feels very party.

    1. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Welcome. Pukki gonna reck havoc this Chelsea defense.

  2. THE SHEEP HUNTERS
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Didi?
    Yes he did.!

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Indeedy

    2. Maddi Son
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Indeed he did.

  3. yakirh
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Maddison much better option than Perez isn't he? involved in everything

    1. potatoace
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He always was the better option.

    2. Poseidon.
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He’s less bad

      1. Magic Zico
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        This 🙂

    3. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      always was

  4. Lucackadoodledoo
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Ndidi essential.

    1. Drop Dead Tsimikas
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Came here for this.

      1. Lucackadoodledoo
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Lol

  5. Old Man
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Super Foxes!

  6. yer old da
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Pretty set on Robbo and Perez > Lundstram and KDB. Loathe to lose Robbo as he’ll obviously score well, but with VVD for cover and Adrian in goal it’s a sacrifice for the greater good. Gives me this team for next week:

    Heaton
    VVD, Laporte, Digne, Lundstram
    Salah, Sterling, KDB, Siggy, Dendoncker
    Jota

    Subs: Pope, Greenwood, King, Rico

    Great balance I think and that midfield.

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

      United highly owned vs uninspiring Palace

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Looks good. Would play Pope over Heaton almost always unless they're against City or Liverpool.

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

    Is he essential?

    1. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Yes, he is.

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Maddison is.

    3. Mr Peanutbutter
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      yes get ndidi right now

  8. Von Lipwig
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Is Dendonker still the best 4.5m MID? Is Doug Luiz nailed? Anybody know?

    1. The Ejiptian King
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Him and Cantwell.

    2. Bielsa's Bucket
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      He plays, goal threat and in a decent side. It's what you want from a 4.5

  9. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Perez is useless. Martial or Son in

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

    Wilfred did score this afternoon then

    1. Crystal Alice
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Wilson yesterday

  11. drilsby
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Martial --> Ndidi -4 hit?
    asking for a friend

    1. DarkGreen
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      lol no. be patient with martial. Ndidi is probably not gonna score again in whole season.

  12. SoapAFC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Is rotating 4.5 defenders a viable option this season?

    1. HollywoodXI
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      If i WC this week that’s what I’ll be relying on (and £4m defenders thrown in)

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

        Who are you going for?

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      If you get it right.

    3. Karhumies
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Too early to say. It feels like many promising 4.5 defenders are temporarily covering up for someone injured, like Chilwell-> Fuchs. Takes a lot of transfers to keep up with the injurues and recoveries and match ups I think.

  13. zakard
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Perez + barkley >> Ceballos + trossard

    Yay or nay?

    1. JohnBlack
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Yau

  14. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    No Barkley today

  15. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Perez to????

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

      Ndidi, obviously.

    2. HuttonDressedasLahm
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      McGinn looks obvious

  16. Maddi Son
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    Jorginho subbed

  17. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    FFS Barkley guaranteed to come on now that they're chasing.

    1. EMBOLOFAN
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      ur aware of the rules? 3 subs allowed

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Didn't see that they used all 3.

        Excellent news! Lundstram's 14 comes off the bench!

        1. EMBOLOFAN
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          congrats

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

        Allowed an extra one if the game goes to extra time.

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Not today

  18. EMBOLOFAN
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 8 months ago

    so no barkley, all subs used. dendo off bench for me

    1. SpaceCadet
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Lund for me

  19. Pinturicchio10
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Hmm.. I think Wilson, Fraser and Wesley all need to go this week for a - 4. On yer bikes ladd!!

    • diesel001
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Willian and Kovacic on
      Jorginho and Pulisic off

      1. badgerboy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Kovacic brought back.

        1. badgerboy
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Ignore.

    • Alnair
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      No Barkley, jammy points incoming

      1. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        lol yes! I get my 14 Lundstram points!

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

          I've got him coming in for Stones so I'm not exactly angry 🙂

        2. Rasping Drive
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Good for you!

    • Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Might have overlooked Barnes on WC. Stunning stats in the last two games.

    • Annie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Lund off the bench for Barkley and a Maddison assist, lovely 10 minutes 🙂

    • zamorac69
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Frank lampard...great gentlemen...come in lundy

    • Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Lundstram casuals getting another gift with Barkley staying on the bench. Absolutely ridiculous jam from terrible decisions.

      1. Business Cat
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        THIS!

      2. Cok3y5murf
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Us professionals have no future...

      3. TheDragon
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        It’s only week 2 - let them have their moment

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

        Excellent news, can't you just be happy for me?

        1. Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Jammy bastardio

          1. Snevitz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            I put him first sub ahead of Ings. That's the whole point of having playing subs.

        2. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          No, casuals deserve no sympathy

          1. Snevitz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            I didn't ask for sympathy. Just can't see the problem with getting points from my bench, it's always been part of the game.

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

        As someone who benched Barkley for Lundstam, I am praying that he comes on.

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

          🙁

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

        Having Barkley in the first place being one of those terrible decisions. (Although I join them in that one.)

        1. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Thats my point.

    • Steinburg FC
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      A. Son + C. Willson or B Kane + Madison (7,2)

    • JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      What to do with 2ft?
      Pope
      Robbo - VVD - Digne - Kelly
      Salah - Sterling - KDB - Perez
      Wilson - Jota.
      (4.0 / Rico / Dendoncker / 4.5)

      1. Bielsa's Bucket
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        Rico to Lundstram - you want your 4.0 to play

        1. JONALDINHO
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Feels very sideways though considering I have Perez and Wilson

          1. Bielsa's Bucket
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 8 months ago

            Your team is pretty much fine. Just want to strengthen what you've got. I'd just make that single transfer and wait. Unless you're chasing value that is. But you never know what injury is round the corner.

    • TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Maddison terrible

    • Bielsa's Bucket
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Anyone got a link to Top64 league

      1. TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 8 months ago

        In my link.

        1. Bielsa's Bucket
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 8 months ago

          Cheers mate

    • Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 8 months ago

      Maddison balloons Perez assit