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to pick up a knock to his knee in a goalline scramble involving Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) and it wasn’t long before he was withdrawn by Lampard, walking gingerly from the field of play after some attention from the Chelsea physios.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. Rash
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    In the coming weeks who should I lose to get alli?

    Kdb maddison mane pulisic grealish

    I got grealish the other week in anticipation of the good fixtures coming up so a bit reluctant to get rid.

    1. Celt Abroad
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      See how Pulisic does the next few - either him or Maddison to go.

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

        If I keep pulisic then I may get rashford, if I sell him then I'll get tammy.

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

      depends if you have tammy, assuming you do have vardy puli out

    3. bautasten
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Think I'd let maddison go.

  2. Dreaming of glory
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Salah > alli?

    1. Party time
        4 years, 3 months ago

        No brainer

      • jtreble
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Nah, Salah is gold now that he is rested.

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

        Alli is flavour of the month and much cheaper but it’s only a matter of time before Salah explodes. I think I’d keep Salah for now if I owned him. I’d sell for Mane though

    2. FOO FIGHTER
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      So to keep Salah or to shift him?

      In two minds about moving him on but if he is benched again GW16 then I will have to pull the trigger.

      1. Party time
          4 years, 3 months ago

          I have done that. Can't hope on his ankle

        • SuperHam
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Problem with Salah is that even when he does play, he's on the fringes and nowhere near as dangerous as Mane - I'd probably get rid if I had him.

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

            lol

        • jtreble
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Look up.

        • PapaWengzz
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          LOL

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

        Would you rather have Rashford or Pulisic from GW18 onwards? money no object. Will already have Abraham from CHE attack

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

          Current stats suggest that Vardy, Abraham and Rashford are the way to go.

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

          Rash

        3. Garth Marenghi
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Both are relatively inconsistent, maybe Rashford just because he’s more nailed.

        4. bautasten
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Probably rashford

      3. Garth Marenghi
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Bring in Tammy for this weekend:

        A) Yes
        B) No, he'll likely be rested

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

          Depends who you would be getting rid of - there is a risk with him given their CL game in midweek.

          1. Garth Marenghi
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Selling Auba

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

              I would hold in that case, nice fixture for Auba. I've got Kane and plan to keep him for one more before swapping to Tammy

              1. Garth Marenghi
                • 7 Years
                4 years, 3 months ago

                True, and if he goes off today I’ll definitely keep for one more

        2. The Pesci challenge
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          B for now

        3. bautasten
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Who would you sell? Wait for pressers but possible he gets rested or limited minutes due to CL

          1. Garth Marenghi
            • 7 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Auba

      4. bautasten
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Pope (Button)
        TAA, Söy, Lundstram (Tomori, Rico)
        Maddison, KDB, Son, Mane (Cantwell)
        Tammy, Vardy, Ings

        2FT, 0.8 ITB

        A) Maddison, Tomori -> Alli, Targett
        B) Pope -> Henderson/Guita
        C) Other options?

        Thanks!

        1. The Pesci challenge
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          B

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

          Great opportunity to use a transfer on a keeper. Team is in decent shape. Tom can wait another week and targett has Leicester

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

            Yeah Targett would just warm the bench for now anyway, but decent attacking threat and good fixtures coming. Could obviously go all the way down to Kelly. Thanks for the reply!

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

          Not fussed on A as Maddison fixtures are good for the next 2, and you have Son who could outscore Alli anyway - I'd be more inclined towards B or just a downgrade on Tomori for extra cash ITB

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

            Thanks, yeah Mad's got two more good fixtures but Alli's tempting with his "new" position.

        4. Garth Marenghi
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          B

      5. luk46
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Would you do Mount + Jimenez > Alli + Ings for a hit? I will wc in gw 18 or 19 anyway, so just short term... Could also downgrade Salah or KDB, but don't like it, Mane and TAA to come in on wc, but could get rested now.

        Hendo
        VVD Soy Lund Dunk Lowton
        Salah KDB Maddi Mount Cantwell
        Vardy Tammy Jimenez

      6. Pep Roulette
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Hey fam! Does this sound good enough?

        Schmeichel
        TAA Robbo Lundy
        Mane Son Zaha Barnes
        Vardy Jesus Jiminez

        Button Rico Dendo Reid

        GW16 - Robbo & Zaha to Aurier & Alli
        GW17 - Jesus & Jiminez to Tammy & Rashford (-4)
        GW18 - Barnes to Grealish

      7. Miguel Sanchez
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Think there might be a few benchings here with TAA, Mané and Pulisic but that's beyond my control. Am I GTG?

        Guaita
        TAA Pereira Lundstram
        Mané KDB Alli(c) Pulisic
        Vardy Tammy Jimmy

        McGovern Dendocker Rico C.Taylor

        1. Garth Marenghi
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Gtg

      8. Brosstan
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Mousset benched ... Guaranteed 1 point cameo instead of Rico points

        1. Digital-Real
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          yep, didn't see Mousset benching coming at all. In form; why benched?

          1. Collie01
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Someone on here mentioned before that Mousset rarely plays 90 and is a little injury prone, and could be rested during heavy schedules. Also, forwards for Sheffield is where the rotation occurs in general.

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

              Still building up his fitness had a few cramp issues late on.

        2. Limbo
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Yep. Dendonkey for me.

        3. CMJC
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Casual

      9. RedAlpha10
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Schmeichel and Cantwell to Gazzaniga and Grealish???

        Or any other Suggestions??
        I got 0.8mil in the bank

        1. Garth Marenghi
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          That’s a no from me

          1. RedAlpha10
            • 4 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            I’m on a wildcard, sorry I should have mentioned

        2. Pep Roulette
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Why would you ditch Schmeichel for Gazzaniga?

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

          Gazzanigga? Get Guaita or Henderson

      10. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Mousse T benched. Owners not feeling Horny Horny Horny.

      11. Kasper the ghost keeper
        • 8 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Jiminez and Kdb -> Rashford and Alli for free?

        1. Limbo
          • 13 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          No.

        2. RedAlpha10
          • 4 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          If you’re okay with losing value on KDB then yes

      12. Tempestic
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Just hoping Lund doesn't pick up a card today

        1. Now I'm Panicking
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Would rather he was banned for 16 or 17 than 18.

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

            Correct

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

          is he on 4?

      13. Bury94
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        No surprises but Marco Silva has officially been sacked

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

        BRIGHTON TEAM NEWS
        Team to play Arsenal: Ryan, Dunk, Webster, Burn, Stephens, Propper, Alzate, Mooy, Gross, Maupay, Connolly
        Subs: Button, Duffy, Bissouma, Trossard, Murray, Montoya, Bernardo

        ARSENAL TEAM NEWS
        Team to play Brighton: Leno, Bellerin, David Luiz, Sokratis, Kolasinac, Torreira, Xhaka, Willock, Ozil, Aubameyang, Lacazette
        Subs: Martinez, Tierney, Pepe, Chambers, Nelson, Guendouzi, Martinelli

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

        Is Clark nailed at Newcastle until lascelles returns ? Thanks

      16. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        as a lunds owner, i want newcastle to score

      17. Free Hat
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Lets go Dunk&Connolly,
        sub 1 and 2 from the bench!

        You ve got 11points to beat from Dendonkey at 3rd.

      18. GreennRed
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Silva gone.

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

          for who, no-one available

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

            Moyes.

      19. Monkey Hanger
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Toon goal.

      20. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Hendo and Lundy clean sheet gone 🙁

      21. Jimmy Boy
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Bad idea getting rid of Richarlison? Bringing Alli in for him

      22. Floyd69
        • 10 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Play which defender?: Kelly (wat), Soyuncu (avl), Tomori (eve)
        And which mid?: Traore (bha), Cantwell (SHU)
        Or 2 defenders?