Scout Notes

Another home blank for Abraham but chances continue to arrive

Chelsea 1-0 Newcastle United

  • Goals: Marcos Alonso (£6.2m)
  • Assists: Callum Hudson-Odoi (£6.0m)
  • Bonus: Alonso, Hudson-Odoi x3, Kurt Zouma (£4.7m) x1

Chelsea continued their impressive start to the 2019/20 Premier League season with a hard-fought victory over Steve Bruce’s Newcastle United, a result that lifts Frank Lampard’s side into third.

The Magpies came into the game having secured upsets against ‘big six’ opposition in the current campaign – namely Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur – yet the compact system deployed by Bruce fell marginally short of its intended ambition with Lampard’s side battling to a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge. 

Although another clean sheet for Chelsea will be pleasing for owners of players such as Fikayo Tomori (£4.7m), who has emerged as a starting budget defender under Lampard, this was an afternoon of sheer disappointment for owners of the highly-popular Tammy Abraham (£7.7m) – the most popular selection in our Gameweek 9 captaincy poll with over 30% of the vote. 

Abraham squandered a number of golden chances, including hitting the bar and being denied when in on goal with just DeAndre Yedlin (£4.4m) to beat, but the American defender put in a remarkable block to deny the England striker any attacking returns. 

In a Gameweek where a number of non-premium forwards attracted considerable captaincy interest, including Callum Wilson (£8.0m) against Norwich who also blanked, Abraham’s performance will be a source of considerable frustration for managers who handed the mid-price striker the armband. 

This was the England striker’s fourth blank in five home matches this season.

Although Abraham was unable to get on the scoresheet, defender Marcos Alonso (£6.2m) delivered a goalscoring performance that was a reminder of the Spaniard’s attacking abilities, even if he is unable to reach the standards he has previously set for himself in the Premier League. 

Alonso’s goal came after Callum Hudson-Odoi (£6.0m) set up the defender, and the performance from the 18-year-old will have given his manager food for thought after yet another assist. 

This was Hudson Odoi’s second successive start for the Blues in the league, and including his substitute appearance against Brighton in Gameweek 7, the forward has now registered three consecutive assists in the Premier League. 

Given the competition for places in Chelsea’s squad alongside the form that the likes of Willian (£7.0m) are exhibiting, it is difficult to determine whether Hudson-Odoi is likely to retain his starting berth in the Chelsea XI.

Yet at a price of £6.0m, the England international’s performances are certainly worthy of monitoring for Fantasy managers who may be looking for a differential to complement the likes of Abraham. 

Lampard confirmed how pleased he was with Chelsea’s attacking performance in his post-match comments. 

We were upbeat, we had urgency, the tempo was good, and that got us the win. We want to score goals. You can see the fans – I think they’re happy with what they’re seeing at the moment. We want more.

Although lately it has been Mason Mount (£6.8m) who has been grabbing the headlines with four goals and an assist so far this season, in the game against Newcastle the Englishman was unable to deliver any attacking returns and was substituted by Lampard in the 64th minute at the expense of Christian Pulisic (£7.2m). 

Ross Barkley (£5.6m) left the pitch in the 43rd minute, with Mateo Kovacic (£5.4m) coming on in his place, and Lampard confirmed after the game it was an ankle injury and it will be assessed in the coming days. 

It’s an ankle injury. We need to assess it and see how bad it is.

For Chelsea’s defence, although Newcastle seldom troubled their backline, a second clean sheet in two games and just one goal conceded in their last three will be promising news to those managers in ownership of their defensive assets, although Tomori was booked late on to reduce his score to five points. 

Whilst Chelsea will be ruing both their misfortune and inefficiency in front of goal, this was a defeat for Newcastle that underlines the disinterest in their players as Fantasy options in 2019/20. 

A lack of attacking returns has become a familiar tale on Tyneside in the current campaign, and unless Bruce is willing to compromise the Benitez-esque tactical principles whilst playing away from home against typically ‘bigger’ sides, the likes of Joelinton (£5.8m) are unlikely to prosper within Newcastle’s set-up – despite the Brazilian scoring against Spurs in Gameweek 3 when a similar counter-attacking system was deployed away from home. 

Easier tests await though and Bruce confirmed in his post-match comments that the upcoming run of fixtures for Newcastle will be hugely influential in determining the outcome of their 2019/20 campaign:

We’ve had a really tough start. We’ve now got a run of games against teams who are going to be in and around us. Hopefully, we can get a few points.

A fifth successive win for Chelsea points to the momentum they are gathering under Lampard, and although today marked a blank for Abraham, those managers in ownership of the striker should not be deterred the lack of returns in today’s fixture. 

The Englishman was both the creator and recipient of a number of chances throughout the game, and given his price, he is likely to continue to offer exceptional value as an attacking option at an in-form team who now sit third in the Premier League table. 

Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa; Alonso, Zouma, Tomori, Azpilicueta; Jorginho, Barkley (Kovacic 43′); Hudson-Odoi (James 90+2′) Mount (Pulisic 64”), Willian; Abraham.

Newcastle United XI (3-4-3): Dubravka; Clark, Lascelles, Schär; Willems, M Longstaff, S Longstaff, Yedlin; Saint-Maximin (Gayle 85′), Joelinton (Atsu 83′), Almirón (Carroll 70′).

Members Analysis 

Players involved in Chelsea v Newcastle United sorted by expected goals (xG)

Abraham was the second-highest underachiever of xG (-0.66) of all players involved in Gameweek 9, behind only Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi (-0.73). 

Players involved in Chelsea v Newcastle United sorted by chances created (CC)

Hudson-Odoi created the most chances (five) of all players on the pitch, whilst also registering the highest baseline bonus points score (23) of all midfielders in action on Saturday in Gamweek 9. 

Players involved in Chelsea v Newcastle United sorted by attempts on goal

Willian posted some eye-catching numbers, creating three chances and matching Abraham for attempts on goal.

Alonso’s total of six penalty box touches is the second-highest among FPL defenders in Gameweek 9 so far. Since his return to the Chelsea team in Gameweek 5, no defender has registered more touches in the opposition area.

Team-wise, Chelsea won the joint-most aerial duals (24) of all teams in action on Saturday. This again underscores Newcastle’s weakness in the air – only Norwich have allowed more headed chances than the Magpies (29) this season.

Analyse player and team data from Chelsea v Newcastle in our Members Area.

929 Comments Post a Comment
  1. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Nice to see Salah being rested for the big games 😆

    1. MarvelouSuccess
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      He never turns up at OT

  2. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Darude

    1. VanDijksToWatchOutFor
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Have an upvote. Underappreciated comment

  3. Bartowski
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    That Man U team reminds me of when you get a really turd team to start with on Pes/FIFA but can chuck in a few good players you get on loan.

    1. Supersonic Marv'
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Which are the good players?

      1. Bartowski
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Rash and a couple of defenders

        1. Lucy2019
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Rash is shite.

  4. Peter Haddock
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Aguero C and Salah VC this week 🙁

    1. fusen
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      ouch

    2. fusen
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      if it makes it any better, the person who is 2nd in the world has had these captaincy points (in gameweek order)

      24, 34, 30, 26, 30, 34, 4, 2,

      So everyone's luck ends at some point.

      😛

    3. badgerboy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Sounds fishy to me.

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

      Salah was flagged and a City player always carries a risk.

      No sympathy.

      1. Peter Haddock
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Indeed, wasn’t after sympathy just expressing frustration 🙂

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

          Vast majority only got 2 points from their captain, so not the worse week for it to happen, you’ll live 🙂

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

      We knew Aguero was involved in minor car accident and Salah was flagged too. It's almost as if you were asking for it. Unlucky, still.

    6. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      You are not the only one.lots have done that.

      It could be worse as this is a low scoring week so it is not the end of the world.

    7. Rash
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Someone in my league

      Aguero TC
      Salah VTC

      1. Ógie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        😯

        Now that is a sickner.

      2. Peter Haddock
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Wow, that stings a bit

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

        😀

  5. Garlana
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Mane (c)...on 9 points at the moment

  6. THFC4LIFE
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Cantwell 3 pointer in for Salah, #winner

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Matches mane at least

    2. dunas_dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Diop points for me.... oh wait......

    3. COYR
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Lowton with 0 for me

  7. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Essential points from Diop from the bench instead Salah's. Cant wait 🙂

  8. Sad Pablo Arsecobar
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Cant believe people Still actually own Salah over Mane.

    1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      I can't belive people are shocked. He was training alone wasn't he. That usually suggests he's not match fit

  9. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Klopp is a POS. "No idea why people assumed he could play". Maybe because you didnt rule him out in the presser you bellend.

    1. DF
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Quite.

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Who did you VC?

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Vardy. But I capped Wilson 😉

        1. FOO FIGHTER
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          I capped Salah, Vardy vc.

          Not the end of the world I guess 🙂

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

      Well obviously he doesn’t want the oppo to know his team.

    4. E25
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah, he should have let Man U know he wouldn't be playing!!! What a dumb comment.

      1. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Some room tempereature IQ in here at times.

        1. E25
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          And many a cry baby

  10. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Is Salah not starting a blessing in disguise for his owners?

    That 12.4m hole in their team might actually get points this GW, for a change.

    1. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      *Sigh*

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

      Lundstram to come in! Nice with some Monday footy with a player in it.

    3. Lucy2019
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Surely no elite player still has him.

    4. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Didn't look it at this way. Jammy owners

      1. Cok3y5murf
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        *at it

    5. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      you're right, cant wait to sell him after this GW

  11. Bavarian
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Who to lose to get TAA
    1-VVD
    2-Otamendi

  12. HuttonDressedasLahm
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    No Aguero
    No Mahrez
    At least I have Mané over Salah !

  13. FOO FIGHTER
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Those who capped Mane, I hope he goes super demon for you on that UTD defence 😀

  14. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Mane, Lund, Hendo and Trent left. Let's go 🙂 32 with Rico on the bench. Hopefully break into the top 1 mil. Goodluck all

    1. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Surprised anyone has Hendo

      1. R.C
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        GK Hendo lol

      2. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Hahaha yh. Dean Henderson

      3. E25
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        The clue was in the avatar 😉

    2. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Nice one it’s all coming together gory oh now good luck mate

      1. Ask Yourself
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        For you * not gory oh. Not sure how that happened

      2. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Cheers bud, how you done?

  15. Pras (FPL)
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Looking forward to buying Mo @12.2 in a couple of weeks

    1. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Aye

  16. Jon Snow
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Japan out of the rugby world cup, salah rested. It's all going pear shaped

  17. DAZZ
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Is there any point selling Salah for Mane at this point?

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

      Nah.. I dont so tbh.. 0.6 diff... not worth it

    2. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Depends on this game.

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

        Hi TM.
        how high is the LMS dropout score?
        .... I think I'm doomed anyway.

        1. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          15 points at this rate.

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

      Points?

    4. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Too late for this week.

    5. Cok3y5murf
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah, it's an upgrade

    6. Firminooooo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      No.

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

    So lundy in for salah then.. fml

    1. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Pieters one pointer here.

    2. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Enjoy his haul you jammy bugger

    3. E25
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      fml? That game has a Lundy goal all over it 😉 I have him coming on too

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

        Fml.. fantastic mr Lundy

        1. E25
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          😀

  19. Piggs Boson
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Whoever was responsible for scouting Fred should be fired immediately.

    1. Ask Yourself
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Feel worse for him. Any club that brings a player to share compilations on twitter to show he isn’t that bad really must be having a rough time

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

      Looked good at Shakhtar, not sure who this imposter is that we signed instead.

    3. Sad Pablo Arsecobar
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Come to besiktas

  20. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Salah to McTominay is actually something I'm considering

  21. Eleven Hag
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 5 months ago

    Predict Salahs price come GW13?

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

    I feel a bit sick. Shed loads of Rocos coming off the bench. Ah well.

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

      Ricos

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      And Ricos

    3. MTPockets
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah annoying when you actually play him. Again

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

          agreed

      • TorresMagic™
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Salah would have scored a goal so it's roughly the same

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

          😆

        2. Rash
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Not scored at old trafford before though.

    4. jia you
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Damn, playing with a disabled midfield with that Flintstone fella yabba dabba doing yet again!

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

      Sold Salah and Pukki for Vardy(c) and Mane this week. Lovely jubbly

    6. DMP
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Took a -8 for Wilson(c) and Tammy. Kept the Wildcard, Salah, Ota, Sterling, Kdb.

      What a nightmare!

    7. Pedram
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      My -4 for Salah & Pukki > Mane & Vardy was a net positive.

      1. DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Nice

    8. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      KDB will surely be set for a £0.3m rise come the deadline on the back of Salah off loaders?

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

        Most Salah owning teams are probably dead teams now it’s GW9, won’t be that drastic.

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

          Salah massacring tottenham next week with 2g 2a and im gonna enjoy those juicy points

        2. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 5 months ago

          Smart Alec.

    9. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      Just got in rico yesterday ,stuck him on the bench and low and behold on he comes for a lovely 8 pointer. Jam of the highest order.

      1. Pumpkinhead - I'm ITK …
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        Me too but I don't feel it's an achievement. Just helped me out with a still very poor wildcard score.

        I still think dirty bench points should be halved...always will

    10. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      KLOPP ON SALAH ABSENCE

      He told Sky Sports: "It's a difference of course but it's not a massive difference. Mo offers some runs in behind so someone will have to do this and we will have to adapt the system.

      "We didn't want to play without him but we knew at some point this season we would have to."

      1. Nomar
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 5 months ago

        At least he’s had his rest now, I guess.

    11. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 5 months ago

      £24.5m on my bench this GW.

      Value for money.