Dugout Discussion

Kanté injury big blow to Chelsea clean sheet potential

Those hoping to capitalise on Chelsea’s first clean sheet of the season will be disappointed to see N’Golo Kanté (£5.0m) miss today’s game with a hamstring problem.

He is joined on the sidelines by Kurt Zouma (£4.8m) who was ill in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Those absences could see Mason Mount (£6.6m) drop back into a central midfield trio, although Frank Lampard could still use him in attacking midfield if he goes with the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Meanwhile, Andreas Christensen (£5.0m) is paired with Fikayo Tomori (£4.6m) at centre-back.

Opponents Brighton arrive at Stamford Bridge with Yves Bissouma (£5.0m) in central midfield, making his first league start of the campaign.

Spurs have lined up with Harry Kane (£11.0m) and Son Heung-min (£9.7m) leading their attacking against Southampton.

Erik Lamela (£6.1m), Lucas Moura (£7.2m) and Dele Alli (£8.4m) are among the substitutes but Christian Eriksen (£8.8m) starts, with Serge Aurier (£5.0m) at right-back.

Southampton make the wise decision to bring Ryan Bertrand (£4.9m) back in at left-back after issues there in Gameweek 6. Cédric (£4.9m) returns to the right of defence.

Diogo Jota (£6.2m) is absent from the Wolves squad today with rumours circling about a foot injury.

Therefore, Raúl Jiménez (£7.2m) is paired with Adama Traoré (£5.0m) up front while Leander Dedoncker (£4.5m) starts ahead of a benched Rúben Neves (£5.5m) and Romain Saïss (£4.4m) lines up at centre-back in the place of Ryan Bennett (£4.9m).

Bournemouth retain the same starting XI from the win over Southampton for their meeting with West Ham today.

That features Callum Wilson (£7.8m) fronting-up a 4-4-2 formation alongside Dominic Solanke (£5.4m) with Josh King (£6.3m) in the left-midfield position.

However, Ryan Fraser‘s (£7.2m) absence from the starting line-up is enforced this weekend as he misses the game today with an illness.

Taking his place on the bench is Arnaut Danjuma (£5.8m) who makes it into the matchday squad for the first time.

Also named among the substitutes for the first time this season is Simon Francis (£4.4m).

Meanwhile, West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini (£6.5m) is fit enough only for the bench.

That means Sébastien Haller (£7.4m) is supported by an attacking midfield trio of Felipe Anderson (£6.9m), Pablo Fornals (£6.1m) and Andriy Yarmolenko (£5.9m).

Aaron Cresswell (£4.9m) starts at left-back, while Arthur Masuaku (£4.5m) is absent from the match-day squad with Pablo Zabaleta (£4.4m) able to cover either defensive flank from the bench.

It looks as if Jack Grealish (£5.9m) might be playing in a more advanced position for Aston Villa today.

He appears to be lining up in the front-three, alongside Anwar El Ghazi (£5.5m) and Wesley (£6.0m).

Opponents Burnley line up exactly as we predicted as Sean Dyche makes no changes from the side that beat Norwich last weekend.

Despite suggestions that rotation could occur up-front, both Ashley Barnes (£6.6m) and Chris Wood (£6.2m) retain their starting berths.

Teemu Pukki (£7.2m) and Todd Cantwell (£5.0m) retain their places in the Norwich side as they travel to face Crystal Palace.

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Targett, Mings, Engels, Guilbert; McGinn, Nakamba, Hourihane; El Ghazi, Wesley, Grealish.

Burnley XI: Pope; Pieters, Mee, Tarkowski, Lowton; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Hendrick; Wood, A Barnes.

Bournemouth XI: Ramsdale; Rico, Aké, S Cook, Stacey; J King, Billing, Lerma, H Wilson; Solanke, C Wilson.

West Ham XI: Fabianski; Cresswell, Ogbonna, Diop, Fredericks; Noble, Rice; Anderson, Fornals, Yarmolenko; Haller.

Chelsea XI: Kepa; Alonso, Tomori, Christense, Azpilicueta; Mount, Barkley, Jorginho; Pedro, Abraham, Willian.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Burn, Webster, Dunk, Montoya; D Stephens, Bissouma, Mooy; Alzate, Maupay, Groß.

Crystal Palace XI: Guaita; van Aanholt, Cahill, Kelly, Ward; Schlupp, McArthur, Kouyaté, Milivojevic; Ayew, Zaha.

Norwich XI: Fahrmann; Lewis, Godfrey, Amadou, Aarons; Leitner, McLean; Cantwell, Stiepermann, Buendía; Pukki.

Spurs XI: Lloris; Rose, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Aurier; Sissoko, Winks, Ndombele; Eriksen; Son, Kane.

Southampton XI: Gunn; Bertrand, Yoshida, Bednarek, Cédric; Romeu, Højbjerg, Ward-Prowse; Boufal, Redmond; Ings.

Wolves XI: Patrício; Saïss, Coady, Boly; Jonny, Moutinho, Neto, Dendoncker, Doherty; Jiménez, Traoré.

Watford XI: Foster; Holebas, Dawson, Cathcart, Janmaat; Capoue, Doucouré; Deulofeu, Cleverley, Sarr; Welbeck.

2,226 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Top Lad Dakes.
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Otamendi RC would be typical

    1. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Stop cursing us, that’s the second time today lol

    2. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      *awesome

  2. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Odds on Sterling starting?

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

      99 percent

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

    Just logged in to check and my only player to have done anything is Aurier....

    It’s going to be one of those weeks.

  4. Colonel Shoe 肝池
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    please footballing gods let tammy get a haul second half ......

  5. Differential C (Mark)
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Positives from the first half, we held our own for a decent spell. We have a man advantage. We created chances. We scored.
    We can build on that in the second half. We need to revert back to a back four, get Valery on.

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

    At this very early point Salah and Greenwood to Yarmolenko and Aubameyang is transfer in mind!

    1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Kane over Auba

      1. Salah’s Sonnet
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Auba over Kane all day

  7. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Reckon if Palace win and keep clean sheet Kelly will be nailed from now on

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

      Sakho is 1st choice of the lot.

      1. SEXY SOLO SAUCE
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Yes Sakho and Kelly first choice pairing

    2. james 101
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Are we voting?

      I vote yes

  8. Party time
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Best Aurier replacement?

      1. Party time
          4 years, 7 months ago

          0.0 itb

        • Ze_Austin
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          I've been screaming Guilbert for a week now

          1. Party time
              4 years, 7 months ago

              Tasty pick. Thanks buddy '

        • TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          LMS safety score currently 11 with live bonus.

          https://www.livefpl.net/LMS

          1. Magic Zico
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            Ugh ... tiny bit above the limit

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

            I'm behind on this one

            Good times

        • hogree
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Aurier and Rico --> Soyuncu and Lundstram a sensible move?

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

          Aurier to Rico and Auba to Kun looks mighty tempting

        • Eat my goal!
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Get son off early

          1. Cpt Crunch Scott talent
            • 10 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            *now

          2. Salah’s Sonnet
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            How about not a chance

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

            After his goal.

            1. Eat my goal!
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              This is the worry, hiding behind the sofa!

          4. SkeletONv01
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 7 months ago

            Yeah, after he scores 2 goals :>

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

          Chelsea Pen, Mount fouled

        • Chucky
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Chelsea peno

        • THE SHEEP HUNTERS
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Hold Brighton hold!

        • Here's Tom with the We…
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Took a -4 instead of just playing Guilbert. When will I ever learn....

        • diesel001
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Penalty to Chelsea. Mount fouled

        • Pedram
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          penalty to chelsea

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

          Take it and score Mount!

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

          Mount taken down in box. Chelsea penalty.

        • SEXY SOLO SAUCE
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Callum Wilson still not blanked, incredible record

        • Gobigorgohome
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Jorginho pen taking

        • SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Wilson is relentless

        • Vinyl78LP
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Mount and Ryan owner #torn

        • THE SHEEP HUNTERS
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Oh!

        • Yank Revolution
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Great, Tammy not on pens...jeez.

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

            He never was really.

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

              This

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

                As a Chelsea fan, it should have always been Jorgi. And it likely will be from here on out.

            2. Yank Revolution
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 7 months ago

              Not that I had looked, I just tend to assume striker is always a pen taker.

        • Nightcrawler
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Yesss mlunt(c)

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

            Mount *

        • diesel001
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Wilson G

        • Fred54
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Jorginho G. (Pen)

          Mount A.

        • Ady87
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          Mount fouled? PLEASE tell me Tammy(c) is taking.