Dugout Discussion

Frank Lampard rotates Chelsea squad as Aston Villa visit Stamford Bridge

In a Gameweek where Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£8.0m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£11.7m) saw their fixture unexpectedly postponed, Frank Lampard has heaped misery on misery for Fantasy Premier League managers.

The Chelsea manager has made six changes from the side that lost 3-0 to Arsenal, omitting three of his club’s four-most popular Fantasy assets.

27.0% of managers own Kurt Zouma (£5.9m), not in the matchday squad for Gameweek 16 with Antonio Rüdiger (£4.5m) next to Andreas Christensen (£4.7m) at centre-back.

The 12.8%-owned Reece James (£5.2m) is also out of the squad, replaced at right-back by Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.6m), although Ben Chilwell (£6.1m) holds onto the left-back berth.

Further up the pitch, Timo Werner (£9.3m), still sat in 14.0% of squads, drops out of the starting XI, joining Kai Havertz (£8.2m) and Tammy Abraham (£7.2m) on the Chelsea bench.

That means a front-three of Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m), Olivier Giroud (£6.7m) and Christian Pulisic (£8.2m) going up against an Aston Villa defence forced to leave out Tyrone Mings (£5.4m) through suspension.

This is the first Premier League match that Dean Smith’s men will face without the centre-back this season, a first start together for Ezri Konsa (£4.7m) and Kortney Hause (£4.4m).

The rest of Aston Villa’s squad looks in good shape, especially compared to the second-string feel of Chelsea’s line-up.

The in-form Anwar El Ghazi (£5.7m) and Bertrand Traoré (£5.9m) flank Jack Grealish (£7.8m) in the number 10 role while Ollie Watkins (£6.1m) starts up-front fresh from a hat-trick of assists against Crystal Palace.

Chelsea XI: E Mendy; Chilwell, Christensen, Rüdiger, Azpilicueta; Mount, Kanté, Jorginho; Hudson-Odoi, Giroud, Pulisic.

Aston Villa XI: Martínez; Targett, Hause, Konsa, Cash; D Luiz, McGinn; El Ghazi, Grealish, B Traoré; Watkins.

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1,792 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Flair
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 3 months ago

    Didn't factor in Zambian Witch doctors in my fpl captaincy thinking, rookie mistake

    1. Party time
        3 years, 3 months ago

        I know a Nigerian witch doctor too who said Salah blank on Wednesday is confirmed

        1. Wizardh
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Too bad then, should've captained Bruno. But then again, everyone captained Salah so it's fine..

        2. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          You know one personally? 🙂 Tell the story

          1. Party time
              3 years, 3 months ago

              Ha! I don’t know one personally 😆

        3. Pep bites Kun
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          There's a blind Serbian grandmother who predicts untold disaster in 2021. She's been predicting negative years for her whole 67 years. She was right in 2020. Would Paddy Power take those odds?

          1. Wizardh
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            She is called Baba Vanga and she is not Serbian but Bulgarian.

            1. Pep bites Kun
              • 7 Years
              3 years, 3 months ago

              Thanks for the correction 🙂 Any comment on her credentials?

              1. Wizardh
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 3 months ago

                Yeah she predicted a lot of things supposedly, she was blind whole her life and people came to her for prophecies all her life. She predicted a lot of things but only when they happened the media said she predicted them. There is one interesting, she predicted Trump's presidency and death soon after his mandate. Funny, the Simpsons did that too..

      • Warby84
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Building for gw18 as I have no free hit..

        Best 4.3?
        Lewis
        Robinson
        Ampadu

        0.1 off holding ( was planning Trent to Dias this week but could be a dodgy move, then get holding week after for the blank)

      • Paqueta Rice
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Maddison or Barnes folks?

        1. BIG TONES
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Maddy

      • C_G
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        7 from 3 today, dreadful

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

          I would think that’s absolutely average for everyone

        2. Blzbobuk
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Might be a good score given the people with Man City and Everton players

      • Wizardh
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Only 8 points from Giroud, disappointing tbh

        Lamps should have not taken him off, Pulisic and Odoi did nothing and played 90..

        1. The Count of Monte Cristo
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Well done for having the courage to get him in - well rewarded!

          1. Wizardh
            • 3 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            I have him for a couple of weeks now, and he produced every time, when not playing he would not came in and I would get Soucek in as auto sub. A lot of people here were saying get rid of him, but I went with my gut and it paid off..

            1. The Count of Monte Cristo
              • 11 Years
              3 years, 3 months ago

              These kind of gut-picks are the best when they work - glad it came off for you.

              As an Arsenal-fan I'm happy too as I want him to get 100 PL goals, though it seems unlikely.

              1. Wizardh
                • 3 Years
                3 years, 3 months ago

                He can do it, but Frank has to trust him more..

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

          Would have been sent off so I’d be massively happy

        3. seanie3
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          I agree, was hoping tammy would come on to partner giroud up top to cause Villa problems, havertz is clearly not read for the PL get and Werner is out of form with low confidence so bringing both them on cemented the draw for me

      • BIG TONES
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        7 points and a small green for me lol. This week is pretty much going to come down to the Thursday fixtures isn't it

      • Bushwhacker
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 3 months ago

        Hmm replays again ; Villa goal should absolutely been disallowed and Grealish booked. Odd VAR, very odd.

        1. Wizardh
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Why disallowing? It was a foul on Jack by Christensen, not the other way around..

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

            Chilwell owners grasping at straws

            1. seanie3
              • 12 Years
              3 years, 3 months ago

              Muppett

          2. @persecuted_by_mods
              3 years, 3 months ago

              Nah jack fouled him

        2. bitars
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Do they test all players for covid before the games??

          1. Blzbobuk
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Test once a week , think it’s twice a week where a Covid case occurs(ie Man City)

        3. yalala
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          3 from 1, interesting

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

          when will we get second WC? Next Gameweek?

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

            Now

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

          Captains will decide this GW totally.

          1. Christina.
            • 14 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            benches will

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

              Benched players usually deliver just1-2 points

              The soucak goals are very few and far between

              1. Christina.
                • 14 Years
                3 years, 3 months ago

                well 1 pt this week will be gold

            2. OverTinker
              • 5 Years
              3 years, 3 months ago

              Yes this too

          2. Rash
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Hoping bringing (k)ane back for a hit in place of DCL shoots me up the table a bit

          3. Salarrivederci
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Salah (C) Fernandes (VC)

            Balbuena, Brewster & Mitchell on bench, but don't think I'll need them

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

          Guys would u WC this team?

          McCarthy

          Zouma Matip Mitchel Lewis Dallas

          Soucek Son Bruno Salah KDB

          Kane Bamford Brewster

          One option is downgrading kdb and upgrading matip to robbo & hope one of zouma/lewis/mitchell starts next week

          1. Blzbobuk
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            No, save it for the blanks and doubles later ie gw25 or so. Take a hit if needed to get ok but there will be blanks and even more doubles with Man City later on. Front 7 is good .

        7. FER FUSCH AKE
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          LMS safety score?

          1. Zimo
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Zero

        8. yalala
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Coufal, McGoldrick and Mitchell on the bench

        9. C_G
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          never have i been so thankful for a Riedewald 3 pointer

          1. Gandalf
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Same! Timed it well to make a start and coming off early perfect

        10. james 101
          • 12 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Funny to think this is the week that entrance into the cup is decided.

          Some good players will be losing out to casuals...

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

            Nothing new really..

          2. Salarrivederci
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Suits me well 😉 No hits taken. No City. No Everton. No Justin.
            Grealish and Martínez though 😉

          3. Homer21
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Dems da breaks

        11. Jebiga
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Why Struijk rising in price ?

          1. Blzbobuk
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            He is 3.9 and got good points last week, he is Definitely worth the 0.1 more than Douglas as a 5th defender. Ie he is an enabler or for some very optimistic people he is a double gameweek player. If he gets another score this week there will be a bandwagon.

        12. g40steve
          • 6 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Grealish to El Ghazi?

          Nice differential & cheap?

        13. mcpop72
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          I intend to use free hit in blank game week. I will have rolled a transfer into that week so 2 available. Do I go back to just 1 free transfer on the DGW (so using my free hit wipes out the rolled one?)

          1. Homer21
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            Back to 1

          2. Blzbobuk
            • 5 Years
            3 years, 3 months ago

            That is what I understand and what Andy from letstalkfpl said. Hence need to use all transfers this week.

        14. TheBiffas
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Really need suggestions guys.
          2ft 1.3itb

          McCarthy
          Robbo Coufal Stones
          Grealish KDB Bruno Salah
          Watkins DCL Bamford

        15. F_Ivanovic
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 3 months ago

          Zaha dropping... and yet he scored this week and has Sheffield United next (not to mention an absolute insane run of fixtures post GW19).. ridiculous decisions