Dugout Discussion

Vardy and Abraham start in early Gameweek 25 kick-off

Jamie Vardy (£9.9m) makes an instant return to Premier League action following his glute injury in Gameweek 24.

Having been used as a substitute in Leicester’s defeat to Aston Villa in the EFL Cup semi-final, the Foxes hitman returns to lead the line for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Chelsea can also call on their number nine as Tammy Abraham (£7.7m) manages to make Frank Lampard’s XI despite an ankle problem that was causing the striker pain in training. The Chelsea boss said pre-match:

Yeah (I’ve cleared Abraham to play). Sometimes you have to play with a bit of pain.

The type of injury it is, it’s not a muscle injury so you’d hope it’s pain he can deal with and there’s no worries about what might come.

He also appears to have lost patience with Kepa Arrizabalaga (£5.5m), as Willy Caballero (£4.8m) begins in goal after starting for the Blues in their FA Cup fourth-round victory over Hull. Lampard added:

It’s a decision I make. With keepers, you don’t take those ones lightly. They train together, they are are close and it’s one I thought I’d make for this game. I trust in Willy [Caballero], he’s very professional.

Reece James (£5.0m) is another injury returnee at right-back, while Mason Mount (£6.1m) is preferred ahead of Mateo Kovacic (£5.3m) in midfield and Pedro (£6.8m) earns a rare start as Willian (£7.2m) drops to the bench. Asked about the latter decision, Lampard explained:

Yeah, a little bit (benching Willian is to keep it fresh). With Willian he’s had some big moments for this club and it’s time for Pedro to have some.

On the opposite flank, Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.3m) starts for the fourth league game in a row. The winger also played 68 minutes in that cup win.

For the home side, Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m) was set to start but a knee issue means the midfielder is not part of Leicester’s matchday 18 at the King Power stadium. On the Nigerian, Rodgers said:

He’s felt a pain in his knee, he recently had an operation but was alright against Villa.

We had him in to play but it’s become very sore. Rather than him go out in the warm-up we thought we’d leave it. We don’t want any long-term problems.

Hamza Choudhury (£4.3m) has been brought in by Rodgers to take up Leicester’s defensive midfield spot.

Leicester XI (4-1-4-1): Schmeichel; Chilwell, Evans, Soyuncu, Ricardo Pereira; Choudhury; Barnes, Maddison, Tielemans, Perez; Vardy.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Caballero; Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, James; Mount, Jorginho, Kanté; Pedro, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi.

1,280 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Vaaaaaardy

    1. COLLIN QUANER
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      reported

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        But he just said his name

        1. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
          • 11 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          People here get emotional when things do not go their way.

  2. beric
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Nice one tammy and jamie

  3. Strchld
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Whos have to go first?

    Maddison to Son or Vardy to Auba?

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Don't like Auba. Blank is very annoying. (unless you're planning to FH that week.)

      1. Nabs Kebabs
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        city away was pretty much a blank anyway

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Not sure Auba is great Vs Newcastle
      Would rather have Aguero Vs West Ham

  4. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Hopefully Lundy stays on the bench. Not confident with Rico first on the bench though 😀

    1. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      He’s nailed on to come off the bench IMO

      1. Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Nah

        1. FPL Pillars
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          Yuppp

  5. Amey
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Moat transferred out player this GW will be :

    Lord !!

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      And most too 😀

    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Vardy.

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Would be nice.
        I'm keeping faith in him

      2. FPL Pillars
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        I’m sure people have better problems then the guy with 17 PL goals to his name.

        1. GreennRed
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          I captained him in the good times but no goals in 5 games is the stat that counts.

          1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            It’s not the lack of goals that counts, it’s the “why” BEHIND the lack of goals 😉

            You’ve been reading click bait FFS propaganda articles for too long & are now fully assimilated 🙂

            1. GreennRed
              • 12 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Has 5 blanks. That means he's due.......

              1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
                • 14 Years
                4 years, 1 month ago

                Technically it’s 6 blanks (in his last 7)

                But it’s the “why” behind those 6 blanks, and whether that “why” will be present in his next 13 that count 😉

    3. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yes good to get some profit. But prblm is I don't want to make early transfer..

  6. BNMC
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Who has more attacking threat - Baldock or Stevens?

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Stevens

    2. Forza Papac
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Stevens

      1. BNMC
        • 4 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks mate

      2. Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Stevens it is

      3. Woy_is_back
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        ta

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

        Nice one

    3. gooberman
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Baldock. Has 10 more pts than Stevens. 2 goals 4 assists Baldock. 1 goal 2 assists Stevens

      1. Over Midwicket
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Lol

        1. gooberman
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          What's amusing?

  7. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Evans YC

  8. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Not necessary bad idea to keep Lund especially if you paid 4.0 for him.

    Decent bench fodder.

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

      No rush to sell but dead as an option.

    2. beric
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Better to sell before his price plummets

    3. XabiAlonso
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Sell for another 4m option then make a profit

    4. Lazaretti
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      But if he doesn't he wont give you any back up even if he would cost just 4.0

    5. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      For 1 pt. Now is the best time to get the cash.

    6. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Moved to O'Connell on WC. Should still get some minutes but some really good cheaper alternatives now with Lascelles, Taylor, Williams.

    7. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Logical fallacy. His real price for you is still 4.5 if you bought at 4.0. Compare to the likes of Lascelles, WIlliams etc and hes a poor pick

  9. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    8 blanks in 9 for Mr Consistent Maddison!

    Unmatched.

    1. Ze_Austin
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Patricio says hi

    2. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      And Hoddle mentioned him as MOTM candidate, baffling

    3. Chucky
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      subbed?

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

        Might as well be.

        1. Chucky
          • 10 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          😛

    4. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Media are obsessed with him. Over rated

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

        Well he is English...

      2. diesel001
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        He is. Grealish is much better. Grealish gets goals and assists and plays in a worse team.

    5. Niho992
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Another overrated english player

    6. No Professionals
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Grealish is twice the player. Stronger and has loads more fighting spirit.

  10. beric
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lundstrum will totally come on as well wont he

    1. Top Lad Dakes.
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah

      1. beric
        • 12 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Time to sell for virgil i reckon

    2. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      You know it

    3. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      I hope he does more than just come on

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

      Fine as long as he scores for farewell party

    5. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Yup

  11. No Professionals
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Vardy currently 9.9. If he drops to 9.8, will my selling price drop from 9.6? Brought for 9.4.

    Want to do him to aubameyang, if his selling price drops I'll be priced out.

    1. BNMC
      • 4 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Will still be 9.6

      1. No Professionals
        • 6 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Cool thanks. Never comfortable making a transfer on a saturday night l.

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      No impact for you

  12. Niho992
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lol VAR

  13. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Those transferring out lund vardy kelly maupay

    And getting stevens auba kun mooy lascelles

    You guys are one week late 😎

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

      One month late.

    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      🙂

      Lundstram can wait. Fodder pick.

  14. 1zverGGadeM
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Leicester City denied blatant penalty

  15. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    The lord can drop 0.1 before I lose value. Won’t make that transfer until I need. Will have 5mil to spend...

    1. Tsparkes10
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      0.1 off who you should be getting :p

      1. FPL Pillars
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah, annoying. EGAN I supposed it’ll have to be!

  16. gooberman
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    So the lord's benching today confirms he has been dropped rather than rested. That's the end of him then.

  17. SuperMane Returns
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    How long has Mark Battenburg been working for BT?

  18. Taffer
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Feeling very happy having played my WC -- got rid of Vardy, Lund, Soy, Rico. And all my league has taken a -4.

  19. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Encouraging stuff from Vardy today - looks like he’s almost back to full fitness thank God

    Great chance Caballero saved first half then put a sitter on a plate for Barnes just before going off

    Crucially, Leciester now have scored 6 in their last 2 league games & even more crucially (hopefully) will have Ndidi back for Wolves next game in 13 days

    Sellers beware!

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      No need to do that
      More sells, more upside if he scores 😉

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        You know me Amey, I’m a Good Samaritan at heart 😉

    2. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Have him too long with low returns. Time to get rid.

    3. FCSB
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      This!

    4. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Cope, the post 😉

      1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
        • 14 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        English, good, this is not 😉

        1. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          It gets the point across!

          1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
            • 14 Years
            4 years, 1 month ago

            Who hit the post?

            1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
              • 14 Years
              4 years, 1 month ago

              Or did you misspell Hope lol

                1. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
                  • 14 Years
                  4 years, 1 month ago

                  So you’re saying the post dealt well with its responsibilities because no one hit it in the match?

                  But no one hit the crossbar either, so by that reasoning - cope, the crossbar 😉

                  English requires much more context in order for a point to be ascertained 😉

  20. Meinhoff
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Clear penalty. The refs in PL are a disgrace, it's getting ridiculous now

    1. 1zverGGadeM
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      The worst refs on this planet forsure
      With all the techs and replays it was clearly intentional handball from Rudiger!

      1. Amey
        • 5 Years
        4 years, 1 month ago

        Yes
        That's not a natural position for a human hand 😀

        1. 1zverGGadeM
          • 6 Years
          4 years, 1 month ago

          At the moment Rudiger saw the ball is crossed behind his back, he clearly put his right hand backwards to stop it..

    2. beric
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Lol

  21. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    God my team for next week looks sexy. :aubergine: :water drops:

    1. Catastrophe
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Aubergine (c)

    2. Crystal Alice
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      :peep eyes:

  22. Bubz
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Lundstram will come on and score no need to worry

  23. Skalla
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    -4 from 0... Rudiger, Barnes, Chillwell scoring! Gameweek already over... 🙂

  24. EmreCan Hustle
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Had Vardy and Perez. Leicester score two goals. Nothing.

    1. GreennRed
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      You've 9 good uns left.

  25. Long ago I drew a walrus
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Fantastic first game. Best 0 points I've had for a long time

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 1 month ago

      Vardy 2 for me.
      Really enjoyed the game though. Excellent start for the Saturday

  26. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Guaita
    Trent - Robbo - Soyuncu
    Salah - KDB - Mahrez - Grealish
    Vardy - Jimmy - Ings. 2FT

    Vardy and Mahrez to Aguero and Barnes?

  27. Maximus Bonimus Pointimus
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Had to re-read the rule after that Rudiger handball - it looked so blatant:

    The International Football Association Board (IFAB) has updated the Laws of the Game for the 2019/20 season

    Any goal scored or created with the use of the hand or arm will be disallowed this season even if it is accidental.

    The handball rule now has extra clarity because it does not consider intent by a player.

    Another big change is to do with the position of a player's hand/arm.

    If the ball hits a player who has made their body "unnaturally bigger" then a foul will be awarded.

    IFAB says that having the hand/arm above shoulder height is rarely a "natural" position and a player is "taking a risk" by having the hand/arm in that position, including when sliding.

    It is, however, considered natural for a player to put their arm between their body and the ground for support when falling, so long as the arm is not extended to make the body bigger.

    Guess they thought Rudiger didn’t make himself “unnaturally bigger”

  28. Ha.
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 1 month ago

    Kelly and Lund in my starting XI, AMA.