Scout Notes

Lampard downplays fresh Abraham injury worries after striker hauls on return

Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa

  • Goals: Tammy Abraham (£7.9m), Mason Mount (£6.6m)| Trezeguet (£5.2m)
  • Assists: Reece James (£5.0m), Abraham | Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.2m)
  • Bonus: Abraham x3, El Mohamady x2, Trezeguet, James x1

Having missed out in Gameweek 14, Tammy Abraham (£7.9m) made a swift return from a hip injury in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday evening.

The Chelsea striker duly delivered his fifth double-digit haul of the season, nodding the Blues ahead from a Reece James (£5.0m) cross before brilliantly teeing up Mason Mount (£6.6m) for the winner when chesting the ball into his team-mate’s path.

Just as the Fantasy Premier League managers who retained the services of Abraham were reaping the rewards of their patience, the highly owned forward gave them another scare.

Abraham seemed to pick up a knock to his knee in a goalline scramble involving Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) and it wasn’t long before he was withdrawn by Lampard, walking gingerly from the field of play after some attention from the Chelsea physios.

The good news is that it seemingly wasn’t a recurrence of the hip injury sustained in the match against Valencia last week.

Lampard’s post-match comments were also heartening, with the Blues’ boss saying:

It doesn’t seem too bad in there, so I’m presuming no, he’s alright.

There were no obvious signs that the hip injury was adversely affecting Abraham throughout the match, with the in-form striker a constant menace to the visitors’ defence.

The former Villa loanee could quite easily have had further attacking returns, missing a handful of other chances including a 72nd-minute effort that skewed narrowly wide of Tom Heaton‘s (£4.5m) post.

For those that witnessed Olivier Giroud‘s (£6.6m) line-leading display against West Ham United in Gameweek 14, these were chalk-and-cheese performances.

Lampard had rung the changes for that defeat to Manuel Pellegrini’s side, with the mass rotation looking like a misstep when the Blues produced arguably the worst performance under their manager to date.

It was perhaps no coincidence that the Blues carried much more of a potent threat up front with Abraham, Willian (£7.1m) and Mount back in the starting XI, who were again joined by the superb Christian Pulisic (£7.5m).

It has to be said that Mount’s form has dipped of late, and we’re not just talking FPL returns – of which there had been only one in the preceding six Gameweeks.

A benching had been coming for a while as his overall contribution dipped and there were signs of his malaise in an unimpressive first-half showing, with two half-chances going begging.

Mount’s superb volleyed goal just after the interval seemed to reinvigorate him, however, and his remaining owners would have been pleased to see him getting into the advanced central positions that made him so appealing in the early part of this season.

Lampard said of the midfielder after full-time:

I don’t think Mason should be measured solely on goals. We had an international break and he did not start a couple of games but goals are part of his game and his all-round game in the second half is what we expect of him, because it wasn’t just the goal, it was the threat he had from the edge of the box, his link-up and his winning the ball back in high areas which is his game. I thought he had a really good second half.

Mount himself said of his recent form and his relationship with Abraham:

We were actually in the tunnel before the second half. We spoke to each other and said if the ball falls to Tammy and he can’t shoot, I would be near him and he would set me. That’s what happened and I was buzzing it came off.

It’s been five or six games where I haven’t had a goal or an assist, and I obviously put that pressure on myself to step up and try and help the team. When you’re not scoring it’s difficult at times, so to get that goal and that confidence back up, hopefully I can carry that on.

Pulisic blanked for the third Gameweek in a row and has, rather predictably in this sometimes short-termist Fantasy world, already been ditched by over 40,000 FPL managers in the run-up to Gameweek 16.

His remaining owners needn’t fret too much as he was again heavily involved in Chelsea’s attacking play, evoking memories of Eden Hazard with some of his gliding runs through the centre of the park: the USA international’s total of eight take-ons, six of them successful, was more than any other player recorded at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

A bit like Hazard, who tended to attract the attention of a swarm of defenders with his mazy dribbles, there were a number of Pulisic’s shots that were blocked but the American did test Heaton with a low shot late on and teed up Willian for an early chance that the Villa goalkeeper beat away.

Lampard said of the former Borussia Dortmund player:

He is playing really well. He can score more, we have a player in Christian who is someone who is really exciting us but when you see this type of player, you see another level which is goals and assists and he has the ability to go on to that extra level which is the top level of world football.

At the moment he is doing really well and hopefully, that will be the next part of the progression.

Willian isn’t every Chelsea fan’s cup of tea but he is a favourite of Lampard’s, who has repeatedly praised his performances this season.

Sitting in the awkward price point between Mount and Pulisic, the Brazilian hasn’t quite been able to appeal to Fantasy managers, either.

A modest total of five attacking returns is only one more than Jorginho (£5.1m) has banked but the Brazil international was a threat against Villa, again testing Heaton from inside the box after the break before forcing a superb save from the busy Villa goalkeeper from a free-kick in the 79th minute – the ball tipped onto the post by Heaton and narrowly evading Pulisic on the follow-up.

Lampard’s latest round of rotation also saw Emerson (£5.5m) drop out, while Fikayo Tomori (£4.9m) was benched for the first time in the league since Gameweek 3.

Whether the young centre-half’s omission was a one-off remains to be seen but the 8.8% of Fantasy managers who own the stopper could do without the rotation risk at this time of year, with security of starts an issue up and down the country.

Andreas Christensen (£4.9m) took Tomori’s place on Wednesday and, with Antonio Rudiger (£6.0m) expected back fairly imminently, the competition for places at the heart of the Chelsea defence looks set to intensify – although the Germany international does tend to play on the other side of the defence to Tomori.

Can we expect further rotation against Everton, given that that game follows less than 72 hours after the Blues’ win over Villa?

The likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.6m) and Jorginho are fresh options off the bench, with Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m), Kurt Zouma (£4.7m) and Pulisic the only Chelsea players to have started all four of their competitive fixtures after the November international break.

As we discussed earlier this season, however, Lampard isn’t averse to playing his key players twice a week over an extended period of time.

The Blues lost their latest clean sheet when Trezeguet (£5.2m) scruffily bundled an Ahmed El Mohamady (£4.2m) cross into the net five minutes before the break.

Lampard’s side remain on three shut-outs for the season – eight clubs have more at the time of writing.

It didn’t take a particularly bright Villa performance to breach the Chelsea defence, with a second successive away game against a ‘big six’ side perhaps taking its toll on Dean Smith’s side.

The Villans continue to look porous at the back, which should fill owners of Leicester assets with optimism ahead of their Gameweek 16 clash on Sunday.

Smith’s troops have allowed more attempts on goal and shots in the box than any other Premier League side this season.

Jack Grealish (£5.9m) couldn’t add to his recent FPL returns but again looked the likeliest to make things happen from a Villa perspective and, as we’ve discussed previously, he will be a midfield option that many are monitoring ahead of the fixture swing in Gameweek 18.

His existing and prospective owners will likely face some worrying moments: the division’s most-fouled player was again the target of some special ‘treatment’ in Gameweek 15 and was fouled on seven occasions, more than twice as many times as anyone else in west London.

Smith said of Grealish after full-time:

There’s been a tag team at times, fouling Jack Grealish. I spoke about it the other day. There were five or six. There was a foul on the edge of the box that wasn’t given – then they had one that was given. I’d like to see a lot better officiating.

If he doesn’t get protection then, yeah, you worry for him. You can’t have tag teams having a free whack at him all the time. The officials will have to sort that out.

Villa had only three attempts on goal in the first 73 minutes of the game, with some late pressure boosting their shot count to a more respectable total.

Smith admitted that his side were second-best after the game, saying:

I thought the best team won on the night. I thought they started each half a lot better than we did. We grew into each half, but in the first 20 minutes of each half, they put us under a lot of pressure.

I’m disappointed with the manner of the goals, two crosses. We spoke about stopping crosses and we didn’t do well enough at doing that. We didn’t move the ball quick enough at times and gave it away too cheap.

I feel we can be as good as teams like Chelsea but we have to be more consistent in our play to do that.

Chelsea XI (4-2-3-1): Kepa; James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpilicueta; Kante, Kovacic; Willian (Jorginho 90+1′), Mount, Pulisic (Hudson-Odoi 85′); Abraham (Batshuayi 82′).

Aston Villa XI (4-3-3): Heaton; Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett; McGinn, Nakamba, Hourihane (Luiz 58′); Trezeguet (Jota 76′), Wesley, Grealish.

Members Analysis

Gameweek 15 – FPL Match Reports

561 Comments Post a Comment
  1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Am I good to save transfer?
    Pope
    TAA,Soyuncu,Lundstram
    Mane,Son,KDB,Maddison,Mount
    Vardy,Jiminez

    Button,Rico,Connolly,Van Aanholt

    Keeping PVA on the bench until further news

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

      Yep

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yep. Nice team. Missing Alli and Rash the only other two inform players you don’t have but can’t have them all

    3. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      watch out for a Lund, Rico, TAA Yellow Cards, all on 4 cards and one from suspension

      1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        do they get wiped after a while?

        1. Hotdogs for Tea
          • 8 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Jumps up to 10 in GW19 maybe ?

  2. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    OK, Who to downgrade to afford Martial >> Alli? 1m needed. Tomori not possible.

    Pope
    TAA • Soyuncu • Lundy
    Son • KDB • Mané(C) • Maddison • Martial
    Vardy. Tammy
    (McGov. Tomori. Rico. Greenwood)

    1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      TAA to Doherty

      1. RAFA THE GAFFA
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Bold!!

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      If TAA gets another yellow he's banned. Seems a decent pick to remove.

      1. fantasyfog
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        if you can get him back only

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

    Which one ?

    1) KDB to Dele
    2) TAA Pulisic/Maddison to Aurier Dele
    3) Jim Pulisic/Maddison to Ings Dele
    4) Maddison Pulisic to Dele Grealish

    Really want to bring Dele but can't see any other options this week, wanna keep Auba for one more.

  4. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    SCENES!

    1. El-Kloppico
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Lundy?

    2. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      ?

      1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Oh Mousset lol

    3. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      What kind?

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

    NEWCASTLE TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Sheffield United: Dubravka, Clark, Fernandez, Dummett, Manquillo, Hayden, Shelvey, Willems, Almiron, Carroll, Saint-Maximin.
    Subs: Darlow, Schar, Joelinton, Gayle, Krafth, Atsu, Longstaff.

    SHEFFIELD UNITED TEAM NEWS
    Team to play Newcastle: Henderson, Baldock, Basham, O’Connell, Egan, Stevens, Fleck, Lundstram, Norwood, Sharp, McBurnie.
    Subs: Moore, Freemna, Robinson, Jagielka, McGoldrick, Mousset, Besic.

    1. james 101
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Cheers

    2. Ógie
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Cheers

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

      Mousset 1 pointer INC

    4. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Mousset benched, Wilder rings the changes as he said he would.

      1. All For One
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Nice lol

    5. Hotdogs for Tea
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      rotation rife, who needs a bench eh 🙁

  6. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Mousset benched FML

  7. Supersonic Marv'
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    All hail the lord.

  8. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    No mouse

  9. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Wow, Mousset benched 🙁

  10. mcgrejam
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Zaha has amazing fixtures coming up but will get decent returns in them?

  11. Gobigorgohome
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Mousset ownerd in tears

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Just worried as they share game time, fwds.

  12. fr3d
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Any truth to the rumors that Lund is about to reward all of us with a 21 pointer?

    1. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      yello hopefully, need him to suspended next week-)

      1. fr3d
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Big facts

    2. THFC4LIFE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I’ll take 6 points

  13. Eat my goal!
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Is mount a keeper now?

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Nah still a midfielder

        1. TheDragon
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Very very good 🙂

      • DA Minnion (Former great)
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        No still a number 10

    2. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Big Andy back!!!

      1. fantasyfog
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        yes! I have him as cap....wish I'd tc'd now!!!

    3. drughi
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Lundstram plays, rico stays on bench ofc

      1. ChickenTikkaMoSalah
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        So you think the lord will get less than 9?!

        1. drughi
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          yes

        2. HashAttack
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Its the fact the many opponents are already deep into their subs - zero points for rivals vs 9 points for Rico is far better for me that the same points for everyone with Lundstram paying

      2. HashAttack
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        still hope of a twinge in the warm up

    4. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Well done Lunds next stop Connolly

    5. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Need 35 points from the Lord.

      1. Old Man
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Shouldn't be a problem then.

    6. james 101
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      So which pool players will you have for 18?

      And will you get anyone straight back in for 19?

      1. TRIPOS TOPPER
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        TAA Mane
        no

      2. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I’m planning TAA, Robbo and Salah on my bench

        1. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Will sell Robbo if it looks like I can’t get a team out and will get him back

      3. bench boost for every gamew…
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        most likely 2 but things could be in a state where selling one could be an option.

      4. Pinturicchio10
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Still fairly set on keeping all three. TAA, Mane, Salah.

          1. Pinturicchio10
              4 years, 3 months ago

              Might change with injuries / suspensions of course. We shall see. Cross that bridge when we get there eh.

          2. Pacer.
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Shifted on Robbo and will likely shift on Pereira or Chilly too. Planningon TAA, Mane nd one Leicester defender benched that week, Vardy to play of course. Hope to have a fair strength bench. Looking at Target, Lundstram and Graelish

          3. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Haven't decided,
            currently TAA Robbo Mane

        • Holmes
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          SHU XI: Henderson, Stevens, Egan, Basham, O'Connell, Baldock, Lundstram, Fleck, Sharp, Norwood, McBurnie

        • lindeg
          • 5 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          moussett benched,

        • Gobigorgohome
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Kelly pointsbon bench but Mousset surely 1 pointer

        • RamaJama
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Many getting great bench points as Mousset benched...

          1. Gobigorgohome
            • 12 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            nah 1 pointer

          2. @persecuted_by_mods
              4 years, 3 months ago

              He'll come off the bench

            • DA Minnion (Former great)
              • 11 Years
              4 years, 3 months ago

              He'll come on.

            • lindeg
              • 5 Years
              4 years, 3 months ago

              10 min cameo 1 pointer

            • g40steve
              • 6 Years
              4 years, 3 months ago

              Worried about cameo or run riot against tired legs 😉

            • Totti
              • 7 Years
              4 years, 3 months ago

              he will get in no matter what

              1. Totti
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 3 months ago

                with 1 point for sure

          3. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
            • 10 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Could be Almiron and McGoldrick align like Haileys comet

          4. Differential C (Mark)
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Mousset?

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

            what a blow?
            mousset benched
            for an already awful,gameweek

          6. THFC4LIFE
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Never thought I’d say it but I need a Lacazette hat trick to save my week, 43 points with Lundstram and Lacazette left to play

          7. Front 442
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Mousset on the bench

          8. Ajax Hamsterdam
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Clark nailed until lascelles is back ? Thanks

          9. Henning
            • 9 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Damm benched Ings over Mousset.
            Lets hope Mousset dont get any minuts, but think he will.

          10. Differential C (Mark)
            • 8 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Schar on bench.
            Think Newcastle could be a better defensive pick once Fabian comes into the XI