Dugout Discussion

Zouma suffers second successive benching as Rüdiger starts for Chelsea

Kurt Zouma‘s (£5.8m) Fantasy Premier League stock has taken another dip in Double Gameweek 19 following Chelsea’s latest team-sheet.

The centre-back has been left on the bench for a second Premier League match in a row, much to the chagrin of his 20.5% ownership.

As things stand, only three defenders are selected by more managers than Zouma but a third start in four for Antonio Rüdiger (£4.5m) alongside Thiago Silva (£5.6m) is sure to trigger a fire-sale in the build-up to Gameweek 20.

Reece James (£5.1m) returns at right-back while Ben Chilwell (£6.1m) remains the most ever-present of Chelsea’s defenders, making his 15th consecutive Premier League start.

Frank Lampard has made changes in attack too, Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) coming in for Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) after registering more attacking returns since Gameweek 15 than any other Chelsea asset (two).

Meanwhile, Tammy Abraham (£7.2m) replaces Olivier Giroud (£6.7m) but Christian Pulisic (£8.2m) retains his place on the left-hand side of Chelsea’s front-three.

Any concerns over Jamie Vardy (£10.1m) have been assuaged for now as Brendan Rodgers selects him to lead the Leicester line.

James Maddison (£7.1m), who has as many attacking returns in his last four at the King Power Stadium as the Foxes’ talismanic forward (four), has the number 10 role again, flanked by Harvey Barnes (£6.8m) and Marc Albrighton (£5.3m).

Ricardo Pereira (£5.9m) continues to wait for his first start of the campaign as James Justin (£5.0m) and Timothy Castagne (£5.7m) staff the full-back roles once again.

Leicester City XI (4-2-3-1): Schmeichel; Justin, Evans, Fofana, Castagne; Ndidi, Tielemans; H Barnes, Maddison, Albrighton; Vardy.

Chelsea XI (4-3-3): E Mendy; Chilwell, T Silva, Rüdiger, R James; Havertz, Kovacic, Mount; Pulisic, Abraham, Hudson-Odoi.

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1,435 Comments Post a Comment
  1. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Praying for a Chelsea goal as justin clean sheet is a real rank killer.

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Wow

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

      +1. Chilwell assist.

    3. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I hate clean sheets on popular defenders that I don't own

      I need Chelsea to lay a big Lincoln Log Turd on the Leicester Clean Sheet

  2. Milk, 1 Šuker
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Was tempted to free up funds by selling Kane for Antonio but after CRY it's LIV. Is Antonio fixture proof? Too early?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He plays when fit and their best ever Premier League season...

      Happy Hammers for now

    2. MagicMessi
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Keep Kane

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

      Wouldn’t bench him for Liverpool but also wouldn’t swap him for Kane

  3. Brosstan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Damn KDB, sit down and applaud Barnes, what an assist!

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I cheered

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

    What is the point range to be without chips at this point?

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Chips can fail you know

      1. TheDragon
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Your chips don’t lie

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

      Very broadly:

      FH = 25 points
      BB = 20 points
      TC = 15 points

      1. mojoindojo
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        BB 20 is too high.
        Playing BB entails weakening your starting 11. So actual boost is even lower.

        1. TheDragon
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          4 playing bench players in a DGW = 16 points as a base. 20 is one return

        2. Wild Rover
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I’m on 32 with Chilwell in play

        3. The Suspended One
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Not with a wc bud

  5. Tigers Time
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Question - which transfer has come the easiest in FPL this season.
    Clue - the defender leaving has been warming the bench these last two games for a club managed by someone who is about to be summond to the headmasters office in the morning for a defender who has woken up to discover not only can he keep a football out of the onion net behind him but has a knack of suddenly realising he can put it in the net in front of him?
    Answers on a post card to Gareth Southgate.

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Probably DCL to Antonio tbf

    2. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Son to KDB before KDB played WBA and Fulham.

    3. GROBARI
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Mitrovic to Bamford

  6. Camino Aleatorio
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Zouma and Lampard made eye contact and Zouma said:

    "Miss me yet?"

    1. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Azpi*

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Yeah Azpi is the one who he needs to be playing

    2. Milk, 1 Šuker
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Tell you what Zouma against that Wolves defence could be gold!!

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

      Do zoumas me yet?

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

      Alonso laughing watching on his phone on the freeway

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

        FFS 😆

      2. Camino Aleatorio
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Golanzo deserves another shot in EPL - to play meaningful minutes.

        He's too lazy to play for Leeds.

        But he would be fun at Burnley

      3. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Never thought I would upvote you 😀

        1. Brosstan
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          😛

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

        Dark

  7. Eze Really?
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Totally lost why top 10k is 64 points when most scorers are obvious. I know it is early days but:
    3 Citeh, 3 Hammers, will usually add up to average already!

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

      Son + Kane spammers. I don't really rate the guys in the top 10K this year at this time. I think the top 10K after 19 GWs last year is stronger than this set.

      1. Eze Really?
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I tend to agree. However I look at their average and the gap is much the same as including all players.

  8. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Abramovic surely must be losing patience with Lampard?

    Being stubborn using a tactic that doesn't suit the players he has to his disposal.

    Benching the players Roman invested a lot in for the purpose to challenge for the title. One can argue the players haven't performed but I'd say it's Lamps fault not using them as he should.

    No flexibility, very little progression since he came even though he got a huge budget to spend on quality players.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He needs time. They are new and young players

      I support him fully as a Chelsea fan

      1. The Suspended One
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Agree, but he won’t get it. They bought too many new players at once without an idea of how to integrate them. Frank came in too soon imo

      2. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        2 years and no progress. I'd agree with you if there was any signs of the team evolving but for me it looks like they got even worse after some quality signings. He can't adapt, stubbornly sticking to a system that doesn't work and cripples some of his best players. Nah, he's out sooner rather than later...

    2. The Suspended One
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Rumored to be sacked with a loss today

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

      The return of Avram Grant

      1. CheesyZoot
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I've heard as assistant manager..

    4. Eze Really?
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Lampard not my favorite person but injuries and over buying by the hierarchy are to blame IMO. Getting top 4 losing Chelsea best player and the embargo shows he can do it. I think anyone would sit in the same crap.

    5. clodhopper
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He deserves to lose for benching Zouma

  9. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Any interesting punts until GW24? Plan to have some fun till the WC

    1. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Ndidi Maddison and Rudiger

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        I thought Madison too. Not gonna waste punt transfer on 4.5 defender

        1. Eze Really?
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          I have Maddi by accident. It was what I could afford dropping Son to get Salah. God works in mysterious ways \(smile)

    2. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Stones and Gondogulan rule the world

    3. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Perreira after the City game

  10. Footieboot
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Antonio a better option than Bamford? WHU aren't great attacking wise but Antonio is such a good player.

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

      Get both?

      1. Footieboot
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Playing a 3-5-2 looking like this

        Salah - KDB - Bruno - Grealish - ESR
        Kane - Bamford - Brewster

        So I can only fit one of Antonio and Bamford unless I drop Grealish which I feel is wrong. Think he will do better than both.

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Both imo. I have both

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Get Watkins Bam Bam and Antonio

        1. Footieboot
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Playing a 3-5-2 with Kane and one cheap forward (see above) and not too keen on switching it up I would say so I can only fit one of those 3. Plus I really don't rate Watkins.

  11. Steve The Spud
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Ffs 4 Leicester goals and not a single vardy involvement

    So infuriating

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      He'll rip Leeds a brace and goal and assist against Fulham

  12. Sheffield Wednesday
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    One bad habit I must get out of is focusing on matches that involve players I own and often just watching highlights of other games. Not owning Leicester players means I have ignored the likes of Justin & Maddison, and even Vardy who I dismissed as overly reliant on penalties.

    Zouma (benched) the only player I have in this match so need a Chelsea goal not involving their defenders.

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Can’t watch them all mate

      1. AC/DC AFC
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Well you can almost now they're back to back.

        But you get frazzled by the 3rd or 4th

        Good commentators like Beglin help on Nav.

        1. Sheffield Wednesday
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          They're all made available online where I am - I just need to mix it up a bit more with what matches I watch in full each week.

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

    No sign of pundit of punts today telling us how and when to play FH?

    1. diesel001
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Wiener fail on his FH

      1. Nightcrawler
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Werner vardy and triple whu def

  14. Nimby
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Could the mods impose a moratorium on 'casual', please? Of not, at least allow us to use the other c word in response to it.

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

      Coverage?

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Ignore them bro

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

      Spoken like a true casual 🙂

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

      You cant

    5. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Why are causals always so upset?

      Chip-on-Shoulder is a sure sign, you are a casual.

    6. Brosstan
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Mods already banned "Lol@" because of me

  15. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    How many times is Jamie Redknap going to say streetwise 😆

  16. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    That Zambian doctor survey doesn't know that there are cup games. He must have influenced Salah 5 blanks in a row in the PL. 4 in a row are done.

    The Burnley game is crucial for that sorcery.

    Do we think blank is upcoming?

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      100%

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 2 months ago

        Ouch. He is my captain though

        1. AC/DC AFC
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          Hurt me the first 2.

          More than when he hauls and I don't have him so I let my KDB cognitive bias in!

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

      He's going to blank. Ppl on here take it as a joke but i believe in black magic and im 100% sure he blanks. Not even joking

    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Can we contact said Witch doctor for another 5?

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

      The curse is real

  17. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    2nd half is set up nicely for a Vardy goal on the counter.

    1. Camino Aleatorio
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Time for Vardy to rest that Old Hip - FFS get that man off the field !

  18. milanista10
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    What’s wrong with Maddison’s baps?! On 17 only..

  19. Yes Ndidi
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    That feeling when just about the only thing that'll sort this GW out is a Vardy 2nd half party, yet you know your cup opponent has TC'd him.
    Either way, I need snookers.

  20. _Ninja_
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Justin just wide.

    1. Granville
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      You mean he completely missed the target

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

    How does Frank not make a half time sub... Lost it he has.

    1. SADIO SANÉ
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      I'm assuming you think Timo Werner should be playing 😆 😆 😆

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

        I didn't say Timo was the answer but at least get Ziyech on...

        1. SADIO SANÉ
          • 8 Years
          3 years, 2 months ago

          ah sorry, thought you were the 30 Werner goals this season guy ... my mind must be playing tricks on me

    2. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Seems so.

      A couple of weeks to sort it out?

    3. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 2 months ago

      Dead man walking

  22. J ⚒ Gimme ur Mané
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Wow Justin misses an absolute sitter!

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

    Big big Justin miss.

  24. G-Whizz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Dunno how Justin misses that...

  25. FantasyHero
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Wow if Justin scored there. My rank would have taken a big dip

  26. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Justin just thrown away his chance of BAPS

  27. LE CHARO
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Oh so close from Justin !

  28. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Oh Justin my days that could've been beautiful.

  29. Scots Gooner
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Probably have to get Justin back in soon

  30. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 2 months ago

    Justin open header