Dugout Discussion

Giroud benched as Willian and Pulisic start at Sheff Utd

Olivier Giroud (£6.7m) finds himself on the Chelsea bench for the Gameweek 35+ trip to Sheffield United.

That will be of huge frustration to his increasing ownership and those looking to him as a differential option.

The Frenchman had scored in each of his last two outings, both of which were starts, but will have to watch Tammy Abraham (£7.4m) lead the line from the sidelines today.

That arguably places a question mark over Giroud’s credentials for the Gameweek 36+ meeting with Norwich, which may have been on the radar for anyone considering a reshuffle of their Fantasy forward line.

Meanwhile, Willian (£7.3m) and Christian Pulisic (£7.3m) remain reliable starters, each one positioned either side of Abraham for the trip to Sheffield United.

The 13.7%-owned Mason Mount (£6.1m) retains his place in the side, making his fifth start from a possible six since the Premier League restart.

Meanwhile, John Lundstram (£4.6m) is on the bench for Sheffield United once again, Chris Wilder opting to keep his central midfield trio the same as Gameweek 34+.

That means further starts for Oliver Norwood (£4.7m), Sander Berge (£4.7m) and Ben Osborn (£4.7m).

David McGoldrick (£5.4m) comes back into the team following a fitness test, forcing Billy Sharp (£5.3m) back onto the bench.

Sheffield United XI (3-5-2): D Henderson; O’Connell, Egan, Basham; Stevens, Osborn, Norwood, Berge, Baldock; McBurnie, McGoldrick.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): Kepa; Azpilicueta, Zouma, Christensen, R James; Mount, Jorginho, Barkley; Pulisic, Abraham, Willian.

1,411 Comments Post a Comment
  1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Any Villa fans on here?? Please tell me Reina continues in goal tmoz?? Just realised I accidentally started Nyland over Henderson!!! Aaarrrggghh

  2. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Okay that's helped a bit. No longer want Chelsea attack.

    Let's see which of Sterling/Mahrez I'm gonna pick up this week...

    1. joelsprylar
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Chelsea up against Norwich next GW tho.

    2. HurriKane
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Antonio blanked vs westham prior to this gw

      Pulisic still poised for big returns against hopeless Norwich

      1. Kodap
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        You think he's guaranteed a start after coming off early?

      2. La Roja
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        How did Antonio exactly blanked against West Ham?

    3. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I still want Pulisic for Norwich...

  3. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Too much Chelsea hype on here

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

    Based on how this is going, Brighton will win 1-0

  5. Bruce Lee
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    What is your top 4 prediction?

    1. Rains of Castamere
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      3 United
      4 Leicester

      1. DandyDon
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        This

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Liverpool
      Man City
      Sheffield
      Antonio

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        The new 4rsenal 😎

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          It's the final Chantonioms League Spot

  6. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    38 points and 6 to go. Didn't see that coming

    1. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Great score

      1. S.Kuqi
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Yeah. Got lucky

    2. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Nicely played my man

      1. S.Kuqi
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers 🙂

  7. BobbyDoesNotLook
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Shu great performance.

    1. Firminooooo
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Men against boys.

  8. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    McGoldrick 3
    McBurnie 2
    Hendo 1

    1. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Hendo came from nowhere

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

        He was 1 behind Stevens and it was not surprising Stevens got at least 1 deduction

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Made a couple of saves late on. He was nowhere until then.

    2. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      McGoldrick hattie?

      1. Rainer
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        He’s saving that for next week.

  9. Woy_is_back
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Why did I capain Salah :/

    1. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I probably would have if I knew he’d start!

    2. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Chasing.

    3. S.Kuqi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Unlucky. Was close to haul

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

      Regression to the mean

    5. BobbyDoesNotLook
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If I knew he started I would have probably captained after last gw performance. Pope was the one preventing haul.

  10. Firminooooo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    1p from 1. Not to bad.

  11. Champions League Varane
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Rival (c) KDB I’m shitting it

    He’s going to haul man

  12. campion201
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Looks like peps always gonna give mahrez game time......
    Rashford out mahrez in?

  13. Reg83
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Feel foolish now selling mahrez to sterling. Thought mahrez would be benched

    1. 1912 F.A Cup Winners
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I sold him to Mané and captained -4 !!!! Gutted

  14. BENOIT
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Foden looking a good shout for Bournemouth!!

    Anyone tempted to captain?

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not really

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Kind of tempted, yeah

    3. NABIL - FPL otai
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Tempted to buy

    4. Piggs Boson
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not convinced by his finishing. Still quite raw imo.

      1. Piggs Boson
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I ate a whole garlic clove raw once.

        Not recommended.

        1. Deulofail
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          You're very flexible

  15. Twisted Saltergater
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    James (26 bps) twice the performance of Azpilicueta (13 bps) despite conceding 3.

  16. NABIL - FPL otai
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    No bonus points for Stevens?

    1. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Shot off target near the end didn’t help him.

  17. Dthinger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I’m fine with that result. Don’t own any Chelsea players but left Basham on my bench so done good some bad. Think I’m gonna sell Gomez for next week

  18. HTL
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Not looking a great game week for me so far, all hinges on a double Wolves CS tomorrow and a Fernanded haul

  19. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I’ll pull a trigger for FH I think.

    Triple City and Chelsea. Double Manu. Antonio and Ings

    Done

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Throw in there saints defender too

      1. S.Kuqi
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Which city players are you getting?

        1. La Roja
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          It will depend on the game now. Most probably Ederson for one of the spot though

    2. HTL
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not concerned about the FA cup then?

    3. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Considering this as I own KdB and Mahrez. Likely they’ll be on the bench vs Bournemouth.

      1. La Roja
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        This is one of the main reason why I’m FH’ing and I have Willian too, who played 90 min

      2. DMP
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Same here. On FH get Foden and Dilva plus defender or Jesus.

  20. have you seen cyan
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    do you think Foden can come on and get anything?

    1. Deulofail
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Yes

      1. have you seen cyan
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        hope so 🙁

  21. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    So if you only have KDB here, you either want him to blank or be involved in goals with Dilva, Bilva, Rodri, Mendy, Garcia or Walker only. All other combos have EO >100%

  22. Rover
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Throwing it out there early. I expect Martial or Rashford to be rested next GW against Crystal Palace. Surely Ighalo will be given a full PL starting debut and the Palace game is the best chance to do so, serving the additional purpose of giving a frontline attacker a rest a couple of days before a cup semifinal. Fergie was a master of squad management deep into the season and Ole must've picked up a thing or two during his time as a player.

    1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      CL more important

    2. Rover
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      With today's result it's in their hands now. Plus, they'd still be on the bench to be brought on, if need be even at half-time.

  23. lordkippe
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Giroud & Rashford > Mcburnie & Mcgoldrick for free ?

    1. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Smile
      league 1 Ipswich reject.
      Goes for a trial with Shef Utd.
      2 goals today.
      McGoldrick living his dream.
      can bring a tear to your eye.

  24. Whazza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    That's a strong line-up from Pep.. 4-6 goals for City today if Brighton try to attack like vs pool

  25. George Sillett
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Can't believe that Lampard put out a side that was always going to be bullied by Sheff U. Great tactical stuff from Wilder . Tactical superiority won the day.

    1. Whazza
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No Kante, Kovacic or Gilmour though.. Should have started Alonso and Giroud though

  26. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Feel lucky that mahrez and salah got as many minutes as they did but gutted only one assist today. 15pts 6 to play inc Captain Vardy. Pretty bad.

  27. George Sillett
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    My team seems to be favouring binary numbers.