Dugout Discussion

Tomori and Targett absent as Pulisic returns for Chelsea

Christian Pulisic (£7.0m) returns to the Chelsea team to face Brighton on the first matchday of 2020.

Joining him in the starting line-up is right-back Reece James (£5.0m), who was recently ruled out by Frank Lampard for at least a week.

He plays on the right of defence which means another appearance at left-back for Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.8m).

Tammy Abraham (£7.8m) and Mason Mount (£6.3m) also keep their places in the 4-3-3 system.

However, Fikayo Tomori (£4.8m) misses out on the match altogether which means a place on the bench for Tariq Lamptey (£4.0m) once again.

Brighton manager Graham Potter has selected Pascal Groß (£6.4m) and Aaron Connolly (£4.5m) on the bench with Steven Alzate (£4.5m) and Leandro Trossard (£5.8m) starting either side of Neal Maupay (£5.8m).

Burnley host Aston Villa in the other lunch-time match where Matt Targett (£4.4m) misses out through injury.

Dean Smith has gone for a slightly altered shape to usual, lining up in a 3-4-3 system featuring Neil Taylor (£4.3m) and Frédéric Guilbert (£4.4m) as the wing-backs and Tyrone Mings (£4.5m) in the back-three.

Brighton XI: Ryan; Burn, Webster, Dunk, Montoya; Pröpper, Mooy, Bissouma; Trossard, Maupay, Alzate.

Chelsea XI: Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Rüdiger, R James; Kanté, Jorginho, Mount; Pulisic, Abraham, Willian.

Burnley XI: Pope; Mee, Tarkowski, Bardsley; McNeil, Westwood, Cork, Brady; A Barnes, Wood.

Aston Villa XI: Heaton; Hause, Mings, Konsa; N Taylor, D Luiz, Nakamba, Guilbert; Grealish, Wesley, Trézéguet.

1,828 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Differentiator
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Lmao

  2. DLL18
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    What a joke, no way you can call that offside.

    1. thomashl
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I have heavy case of VAR bitterness now as well. Grealish my boi 🙁

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

    How is that a Tammy assist with Mooy clearing the ball off the line to Azpi?

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

      Are you jealous?

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

        What, jealous over a fantasy football game?

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

          If it's just fantasy football, you should not worry your head so much on who or who doesn't get the assist.

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

      You blind? Tammy had a shot that was blocked

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

        How do you block a shot from 6 meters out? Surely that's a clearance?

    3. HonestBlatter
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Shot on target...saved...rebound G. That is assist according to rules

      1. Cookie Kid
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Does the shot not have to be saved by a keeper then?

        What if a shot was blocked 40 yards out then another player knocks it in? Assist?

        1. Ole.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Rebounds
          If a shot on goal is blocked by an opposition player, is saved by a goalkeeper or hits the woodwork, and a goal is scored from the rebound, then an assist is awarded

        2. thegame983
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Shot has to be saved by goalie. Somewhat fortunate for the assist, but you can see why it's given.

          I put a bet on, Tammy 3+ shots on target - that will not count as one of them

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

      Rebounds
      If a shot on goal is blocked by an opposition player, is saved by a goalkeeper or hits the woodwork, and a goal is scored from the rebound, then an assist is awarded.

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

        It wasn't a block though, it was a clearance.

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

          lol ... he stuck his leg out and the ball went about a meter to Azpil to score

          1. Ole.
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 3 months ago

            Exactly, deffo a block.

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

            Sounds like a defensive error.

        2. thegame983
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          To be fair, it was both. Assist seems fair (not happy about it personally)

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

    LOL F**** VARRRR

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

    This VAR is killing me.

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

    VARsical

  7. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    The way VAR is being used is a disgrace.

  8. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Phew i took Grealish out, glad that was offside.

    1. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Hope he punishes you bro

  9. KINGS
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    How can that be Tammy’s assist

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

      Rebound from a keeper save counts as an assist in FPL.

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

        It wasn't a keeper save. Mooy cleared it.

    2. Ole.
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Rebounds
      If a shot on goal is blocked by an opposition player, is saved by a goalkeeper or hits the woodwork, and a goal is scored from the rebound, then an assist is awarded

  10. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    That little microscopic bit of leather on the back of Wesley’s boot was blatantly offside

  11. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    11.20 decision to play Cantwell and bench Grealish looking like a great move! Villa were shocking against Watford and just didn't fancy Grealish against Burnley away.

  12. HonestBlatter
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    VAR stealing Grealish goal?

    1. Railwayman
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Yes

  13. camarozz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    I'd it wasn't for VAR villa would be top of the league ffs. Sick of it

  14. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    VAR Decision: No Goal Burnley 0-1 Aston Villa.
    Goal!
    Posted at 11'
    Goal! Burnley 0, Aston Villa 1. Jack Grealish (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ezri Konsa Ngoyo with a cross.Goal confirmed following VAR Review

    Nice work BBC

  15. BrutalLogiC
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Solid VAR, solid.

  16. Tasty Jerk
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    In the end VAR could not give that goal after what they did to us (Palace) and Norwich last gameweek.

  17. mb1983
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Another goal ruled out by VAR. Grealish blank incoming now I guess.

  18. Only a Hazard of time
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Pukki last GW, now Grealish. VAR has absolutely killed FPL for me, can't even get excited about potential points anymore.

    1. Tasty Jerk
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Dont forget us as well.

  19. aborg
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Lucky Grealish sellers !!! You got away with it this time!

    1. thomashl
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Not over yet tho

  20. Chucky
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Thanks for telling me to bench Grealish and play Maupay...

  21. Railwayman
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    How is that a Tammy assist, Mooy cleared the ball of the line, dear God, typical "English players fantasy assist"

    1. Arse Craic
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Never an assist. Shocking

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

      Can't be a Tammy assist

    3. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Same as if somebody scores from a rebound from a keeper save, no?

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

      Hmm decent point. We'll see.

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

      Rules:

      Rebounds
      If a shot on goal is blocked by an opposition player, is saved by a goalkeeper or hits the woodwork, and a goal is scored from the rebound, then an assist is awarded

      1. Ole.
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        Read rules people

      2. Railwayman
        • 11 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        I will call that "cleared ball from the line", so no assist should be awarded 😀
        But yeah, I guess it is a fantasy assist at the end...

        1. Ole.
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          Haha, deffo block 😛 my counter argument would be that a clearance would go more than 2 yards.

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

    Pope getting divine fortune 🙂

  23. Bird Raymond
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Pathetic. It's pointless even watching the games anymore, I'm really losing interest. VAR has killed the game.

  24. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    You need to change posts here. Noone say goal when it's not confirmed by VAR.

  25. For Fuchs Sake
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Did no one notice the handball before the cross? That would have made the offside irrelevant.

  26. Miniboss
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    This video bulls*** is ruining football for me

  27. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Lol that was different action. VaR is sh*t

  28. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    By the letter of the law, that was offside. If you don't like the offside law now we have VAR - change it.

  29. goriuanx
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    People wanted VAR, they've got it now. You're either on or off, like it or not. Frustrating, but this is what was voted in.

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

      Win some lose some... Jack owner

    2. Dr Dream
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      Not everybody did. o/.

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

        True, but the majority did. Sadly.

        1. Dr Dream
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 3 months ago

          The frustrating thing is that most of those that didn’t want it correctly predicted the pit falls but were ignored.

    3. Wilshere Knowledge
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      I’d be fine with it if they included a margin of error.

    4. DLL18
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      VAR will only be used for clear and obvious errors. Not sure how someones boot heel being

      1. DLL18
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 3 months ago

        less than 1cm offside is clear and obvious.

    5. Postman Ty
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 3 months ago

      The system can't be trusted to be as accurate as they're ruling things off for. Particularly considering there's still human involvement, unlike goal-line technology. They need to make the lines larger and if they overlap give the benefit of the doubt to the attacker, simple. Stop taking goals away from a largely eventless sport.

  30. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 3 months ago

    Christ just seen the Villa goal disallowed.