Dugout Discussion

Chilwell, Zouma, James and Havertz on Chelsea’s bench as Rudiger starts again

Ben Chilwell (£6.1m) is the latest high-profile Chelsea player to be rotated onto their substitutes bench, with Thomas Tuchel frustrating many Fantasy managers by handing a start to Marcos Alonso (£5.6m).

Tuchel takes charge of his second match after replacing Frank Lampard, facing a Burnley side high on confidence from beating Aston Villa 3-2 and ending Liverpool’s 68-game unbeaten Premier League home run.

The German makes four changes from Wednesday’s 0-0 stalemate with Wolves. Chilwell and the front three have made way for Alonso, Mason Mount (£6.8m), Tammy Abraham (£7.2m) and the struggling Timo Werner (£9.2m).

This means that fellow German Antonio Rudiger (£4.5m) has started in place of Kurt Zouma (£5.6m) for five of the last six matches, putting him firmly on FPL managers’ radars ahead of promising fixtures against Sheffield United (a) and Newcastle United (H).

Rudiger was a regular before this season, notching five goals during three seasons. At such a low price, he is an intriguing way to get coverage of Chelsea’s defence whilst Zouma and Reece James (£5.1m) are in and out of the side.

So far, Tuchel seems to prefer a wing-back system, with Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) taking James’ place on the right. Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m), who played 81 minutes in midweek, doesn’t even make the bench this time.

Kai Havertz (£8.2m) does, alongside Christian Pulisic (£8.2m) and N’Golo Kante (£4.9m), who has recovered from a thigh injury. Pulisic’s largely unproductive seven successive starts has been followed with back-to-hack benchings.

For Burnley, Sean Dyche makes two changes from the comeback win over Villa. Jack Cork (£5.0m) replaces Josh Brownhill (£4.9m) and Matej Vydra (£4.8m) comes in for Jay Rodriguez (£5.8m). Charlie Taylor (£4.5m) is still out with a hamstring problem.

The Clarets have picked up 1-0 away wins at Arsenal and Liverpool this season and will hope to claim another victim today in their quest to drag themselves out of relegation danger.

With Nick Pope (£5.4m) in goal, Burnley have collected four clean sheets from nine matches, although they entered the game week as the league’s second lowest scorers (13), having had the second fewest goal attempts (173).

CHELSEA XI (3-4-3): Mendy; Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Rudiger; Hudson-Odoi, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso; Mount, Werner, Abraham

BURNLEY XI (4-4-2): Pope; Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters; Brady, Westwood, Cork, McNeil; Wood, Vydra

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753 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    welcome back son!

  2. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alonso warming up for another strike against Spurs midweek

  3. SHOOTER MCGINN
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    The only thing I ask of the Leicester Leeds game is some goals and exciting football.

  4. thegaffer82
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    LOL

    The forgotten man has returned with aplomb!

    He's going to go up about 0.2 or 0.3 this week isn't he?

    And, then, as sure as night follows day, Chilly will be back in next week

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

      This!

    2. JJO
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yep,trap is set

  5. Lord.
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I just woke up and it’s 2017.

    1. janowsc
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lol, if only

    2. Revival
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I had a nightmare and I wasn't dreaming

  6. 7shadesofsmoke
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    #bandwagonofficial

  7. DA Minnion (Former great)
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Nostalgia pick.

  8. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    *sigh* that should be Chillwell and a 15 pointer

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

      How would that have been Chilwell flipping it up and powering it in?

      1. TomSaints
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        More both fullbacks scoring v Burnley.

        Exactly what I thought would happen (defender goals) but didn’t anticipate the ludicrous benching of Chillwell

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

          Fair enough

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Tbh not. Chilly has never scored a goal like that.

    3. teddypicker
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lol Chilwell scoring that goal. Imagine

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

      Alonso is much better going forward than Chilwell. I think it’s time to sell him

  9. TRIPOS TOPPER
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alonso scoring like it's 2017

  10. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    FPL nostalgia!

  11. Jimmy Boy
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    For the next three GWs:
    A) Salah and Zaha
    B) Mane and Grealish

    1. JONALDINHO
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

      A

    3. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

      A

  12. 7shadesofsmoke
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    ghost teams will rise

  13. jammie26
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bad news for Chilly

    1. thegaffer82
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Best case scenario for Chilly now is that he gets rotated once every 3 games or so... and that's the best scenario.

      Chilly owners screwed now.

      And people bringing in Alonso probably not going to end up happy chappies either.

      Chelsea is a watch and wait for several weeks before I make any moves

      1. Crunchie
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah I just wonder who to sell Chilwell too. Good DW coming up, was going to do Dallas to Rudiger, but the rotation season (for all teams TBF) is hardwork

  14. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alonso with the perfect audition for Spurs.

    That man loves scoring vs. Spurs.

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      🙁

    2. CBonci
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      As a Spurs fan thanks for reminding me of the 2 goal performance a couple seasons ago!

  15. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alonso always hits the ball so cleanly

  16. DannyDrinkVodka
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bamford and Dallas.....please explode for the bench jammers!!!

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

    Alonso non captainers nowhere to hide!

  18. Ha.
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Welcome, Alonso.

  19. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Going to kick out Chilwell now

  20. Jon Snow
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Robertson already doing well, just need Mendy to start killing it for Man City.
    Looks like the Holy Trinity is back on the menu!

    1. Andre W
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Haha RAM memories!

  21. FER FUSCH AKE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I'd rather take a punt on Chilly to Alonso than play it safe and get ferked by odd benchings.

  22. fedolefan
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    RAM.

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

      Robbo, Alonso & mendy was it?

      1. fedolefan
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeah post was a reply fail to
        Jon Snow above.

  23. Rash
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pulisic has looked lively but I've already been burnt twice this season!

  24. mezza
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alonso in a favorable DGW is triple captain material

  25. Tinmen
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mitchell to Rudiger no brainer, right folks?

  26. sandman58
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Werner is useless

  27. The Polymath
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Alonso and Azpi, a blast from the past. 😀

  28. JONALDINHO
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Chances of me winning cup tie?

    Me - Salah, Son, Antonio, Coufal, Dallas
    Him - Bamford, Harrison, Fabianski, Cresswell + 3

    1. George Sillett
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nobody cares.

  29. Baines on Toast...
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    The king is back

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      He is indeed

  30. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Mr. 15 pter aka Alonso is back !!!