Dugout Discussion

Injured James and Antonio miss out as Lampard benches Havertz and Giroud

The final Premier League fixture before Christmas is a London derby at Stamford Bridge.

Bringing Gameweek 14 to a close, Chelsea v West Ham United kicks off at 20:00 GMT.

The Blues will be without Reece James (£5.3m), with the widespread media reports that hinted at his possible, injury-enforced absence proving to be accurate.

The long-serving Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.6m) comes in at right-back and is one of three changes that Frank Lampard has made from Gameweek 13, with Jorginho (£4.8m) and Tammy Abraham (£8.2m) replacing the benched Kai Havertz (£8.2m) and Olivier Giroud (£6.7m).

Speaking of those last two changes ahead of kick-off, Lampard said:

It’s just a rotation and looking at different attributes of players against the opposition.

With Tammy, some energy in the team from the front. Oli’s been fantastic and can come in from the bench.

With Kai, similarly. I’ve got midfield players who are competing, I have to have a good level of competition. Nothing against Kai, he’s finding his feet and he will find his feet.

There is still no Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) in the Chelsea squad despite the Moroccan returning to training at the back-end of last week but another recent absentee, Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m), is on the bench.

West Ham have their own injury problems, with Michail Antonio (£6.2m) absent yet again because of a hamstring problem.

David Moyes said of the forward ahead of the match:

He’s getting closer but not ready for the game. He’s a big miss for us, undoubtedly, but hopefully, we’ll get him back soon.

Manuel Lanzini (£6.4m) misses out with a similar issue.

Fabian Balbuena (£4.5m) has recovered from a minor groin problem to start, at least, with the Paraguayan ousting Issa Diop (£4.3m) from the Hammers’ starting XI.

Mark Noble (£4.6m) also makes his first start in the Premier League since September as Moyes looks to bolster his midfield for this tricky away trip.

Said Benrahma (£6.0m) is the man to make way to accommodate the West Ham skipper.


Chelsea XI: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Thiago Silva, Chilwell, Jorginho, Kante, Mount, Werner, Abraham, Pulisic.

West Ham XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Balbuena, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Bowen, Noble, Fornals, Haller.

Lessons learned from FPL Gameweek 14

1,979 Comments Post a Comment
  1. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Silver lining for the Chelsea full backs is that they get an enforced rest before DGW

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

      If you'll try to keep them through the next few until GW19, good luck with that. We are likely to see massive rotation in the next 3 GWs.and will need a playing bench.

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

        Not keeping them till 19 if they dont play! Im saying this week has given them a break

    2. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It's called injuries, not rests

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

    Guys, this is my first season playing and I really need some help navigating GW18 and 19. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    Martinez Button

    Dias Chillwell Coufal Ayling Taylor

    KDB Bruno Son Grealish Bissouma

    Kane DCL Watkins

    1m in the bank and 2 FTs.

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

      Have all my chips except the first wildcard

    2. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Your username precludes me from providing honest advice and counsel 😉

      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Beyond that there's quite a lot of good advice in some of the recent articles, I'd read those first

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

        No, please 🙁 I desperately need help.

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

          As Tolv says, a good place to start is to read the articles. (and you could watch youtube vids). Will take to long to explain pros/cons. buuuut. I'm not sure how many players you "need to start" gw18 this time, as long as you have a good captain choice

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

      You have a decent side for gw18 - just need a couple of defenders. Then free hit 19.

  3. TH14 - INVINCIBLE
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Any news on Konsa, will he come back for CRY? Or should I get rid now

      1. TH14 - INVINCIBLE
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Cheers mate you're a legend

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

      Cheers - reduces my Chilwell urgency that

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

      Thanks!

      Hope he comes straight back in.

  4. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Looking to FH19 and FT till 18

    Chilwell to Dias? I have Chelsea's Mendy

    1. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Dias might rise in value tonight

  5. OptimusBlack
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    I’ve Chilwell, James and Lamptey pick just one to go first

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

      Updates needed, likely one of the Chelsea boys.

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

        Yes we need update about injury

    2. Klaren
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      I'm selling Chilwell and James this week, Lamptey after the next deadline.

      1. Firminooooo
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I will keep them if only out 1 or 2 GWs. They are important in my plan for DGW19.

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

      Maybe wait on injury news

    4. OptimusBlack
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Cheers

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

      Chilwell.

  6. Captain_Shirokov
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Martinez
    Chilwell, Dias, Dallas
    KBD, Bruno, Mahrez, Grealish
    Kane, DCL, Bamford

    2fts, 0.5m.

    1) Kane to 7m, Mahrez to Salah, play Coufal over Chilwell if injured

    2) KDB to Salah, Chilwell to 5.5m

    3) KDB to Salah, Mahrez to Son, Kane to 9m, play Coufal over Chilwell if injured

    1. zon
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Out of these, 2

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

        Yep leaning towards this thank you

  7. zon
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hit WC now or play this?

    Mendy (4.0)
    KWP Targett Taylor (Chilwell* Mitchell*)
    Salah Bruno Son JWP (Bissouma)
    Kane DCL Bamford

    WC side

    McCarthy (Areola)
    Robbo Stones Coufal Dallas (Taylor)
    Salah Bruno Son (Raphinha Soucek)
    Kane Adams Bamford

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

      I'm leaning towards wc. If you have it, why not use it.
      What do you think to mine below?

  8. manu4life99
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Adams a good pick?

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

      Yes

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Ok pick.

    3. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yep

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

    Come on WHU ruin that Zouma CS

    1. Dirty Harry
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Stop it, this week has been bad enough

    2. djman102
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      And let Soucek be involved.

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

        Rival doesnt own Soucek, it would be ok

    3. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Cresswell to score twice, Fab red card, Cresswell moves into goal, saves pen.

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

        Does an outfield player get save points etc. if they move into goal?

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

      Set piece goal incoming

  10. Dele
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Who’s more essential Robbo or Dias?

    1. Peter Ouch
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Robbo
      Attacking potential

    2. Bragazeti
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Robbo

  11. Peter Ouch
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Best keeper to go forwards?

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

      1. Ederson 2. Martinez

    2. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Martinez or Schmeichel

    3. Oi! Shadders!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Jimmy Glass

  12. EWH2020
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    James, Chilwell, Podence to Robbo, Kilman, Raphina -4

  13. Dirty Harry
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Start Welbeck (whu) or Podence (TOT)?

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

      Welbeck

  14. Mweene
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Tempted by Chilwell and Grealish to Raphinha and Robertson in GW16 if Chilwell is out for a while, looking at the next few GWs and the double. (FH in GW 18) Then get Grealish back after GW 19...

    Have Coufal Targett Dallas for next week so no real rush to get rid.

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

      Losing value of grealish though

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

        True - my TV is around 106 though so I'm not too concerned about it

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

          That's fair enough then

  15. AnyoneButLiverpool
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Why is there an upvote button but not a downvote button?

    1. Peter Ouch
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      It would crash the site

      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Haha - this

    2. djman102
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      There actually was one when they first created the vote system, but as Peter alluded to, it was overly used.

    3. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Downvoted

  16. School of Poch
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Few issues here, what moves should I be prioritising?

    A: Lamptey > Dallas
    B: Chilwell > Dallas

    Also trying to setup team for DGW19.

    Martinez
    Chilwell Lamptey Coufal Taylor Neco
    Salah Bruno KDB Son Riedewald
    DCL Bamford Watkins

    1FT 0.1ITB

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

      A

  17. Scholes Out For Summer
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Chilwell Ings Vardy all injured pending updates....

    DGW prime assets dropping like flies

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

      Loads of time before DGW.

  18. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Fab hit from Werner.

  19. Londongeezaa
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Werner close 🙂 🙂 🙂

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

    German Ighalo injured Fab

  21. Fudgy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Werner is one of the worst players I have ever seen

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

      Wait for Havertz to come in

      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Werner could still be in contention as the original statement was "one of the worst" so there's room for a few more

    2. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You must not have watched much football

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

      Most overrated for sure.

      1. TOLV TUMS
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Chelsea brought in far too many high-profile signings, and now there's pressure to fit them all into the team right away, since that's what Super Frankie did from the start of the season. People wonder why Klopp takes so long to integrate signings into the first team, but look what happens when he eventually does...

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

      Jesse Lingard says hi.

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

        He's only 19, give the kid some time.

    5. Bragazeti
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      His confidence seems so low

    6. I SPEAK ENGELS AND DRINK GI…
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You started watching this season?

    7. Don Van Vliet
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      You misspelled Haller.

  22. waltzingmatildas
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Any thoughts on this gw15 wc?FH18, BB19
    Mccarthy johnstone
    Robbo dias dallas coufal ctaylor
    Salah kdb Bruno raphina soucek
    DCL Bamford adams

    Will probably do kdb to son gw16

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

      Thinking I’m about to WC too! I really like it, if I don’t go TAA and Robbo, I think I’ll be close to that also.

      1. Dr Van Nostrand
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        I wouldn't get both. An inevitable Matip injury away from a shaky D

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

        Do it! Means it's out of the way and can relax and enjoy Christmas!

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

      Solid. I'm preffering the Spurs boys ahead of KDB as I think they outscore him in the next five. City aren't free flowing atm, but of course has it's risks. Wouldn't plan transfers ahead though, just get Son in now.

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

        Can't lose kdb before Newcastle! Would only be that one transfer and if I couldn't do it, it wouldn't be the end of the world!

  23. YoungPretender
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Anyone else fancying TAA rather than Robbo?

    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes - lower ownership

    2. Lev Yashin
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Got Robbo but if I had to buy Robbo again, I'd buy Robbo.

    3. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes

    4. Dr Van Nostrand
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Yes but it's a tough one

  24. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Hit the WC tonight? Can’t last till 16 it doesn’t seem!!

    McCarthy
    Chilwell**, James**, Lamptey**
    KDB, Bruno, Salah, Grealish, Cavaleiro**
    Bamford, DCL
    (4.0, Justin, Mitchell, Davis**)

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

      I'm leaning towards it to. What does yours look like?

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

        It was this at the weekend. But need to re-do it;

        McCarthy, 4.0
        Robbo, Chillwell, Stones, Coufal, Taylor
        Salah, Bruno, Son, Grealish, Soucek
        DCL, Bamford, Adams

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

      Ooooh, that's not nice. Rip, WC.

  25. davies
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    A) Balbuena Raphinha

    B) Dallas Soucek

    1. Dirty Harry
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      B

  26. thepirates
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Used 1st wc and have 8 players for bgw 18 already is there any reason not to FH in 19...?

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Nope good plan

  27. Lev Yashin
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Looks like being Chilwell + Lamptey -> Dias + Coufal.

    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Could go Stones for Dias if you have the right bench cover.

      1. Lev Yashin
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 4 months ago

        Not sure I could take much more disappointment in 2020.

        1. TOLV TUMS
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 4 months ago

          It'll be over soon, thank god

  28. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Havertz and Werner are not much worse then KDB and Salah in there early days at Chelsea

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

      ... and they didn't exactly work out at Chelsea

  29. sergioaguero67
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Chilwell out for how long?
    Please help

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

      Unfortunately I missed the half-time physio press conference sorry

  30. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 4 months ago

    Coufal or Cresswell? Going to move Chilly on to fund KDB to Salah

    1. TOLV TUMS
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 4 months ago

      Coufal seems to be the prevailing sentiment (Cresswell owner)