Dugout Discussion

Tuchel benches Alonso and James for Chelsea’s trip to Crystal Palace

Marcos Alonso (£5.7m) has fallen foul of Thomas Tuchel’s rotation policy for the second time in three Premier League matches.

Fresh from a 90-minute outing in the 5-2 defeat against West Bromwich Albion, the Spaniard finds himself among the substitutes at Crystal Palace today.

Ben Chilwell (£5.8m) steps into the left wing-back role he has vacated while Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) staffs the right-hand side in place of a benched Reece James (£5.0m).

Edouard Mendy (£5.2m) remains an ever-present in goal for Chelsea while Antonio Rüdiger (£4.7m), Kurt Zouma (£5.3m) and César Azpilicueta (£5.9m) form the three-man defence in front of him.

Other benched assets include Hakim Ziyech (£7.9m) and Timo Werner (£9.2m) with Christian Pulisic (£8.2m), Kai Havertz (£8.2m) and Mason Mount (£7.2m) selected as the front-three at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace are in the usual 4-4-2 formation with Wilfried Zaha (£7.1m) up-front alongside Christian Benteke (£5.5m).

Budget enabler Tyrick Mitchell (£3.8m) comes back into the matchday squad but cannot dislodge Patrick van Aanholt (£5.4m) from the left-back berth.

Gameweek 31 Line-ups

Crystal Palace XI (4-4-2): Guaita; van Aanholt, Kouyaté, Cahill, J Ward; Eze, Riedewald, Milivojevic, Ayew; Zaha, Benteke.

Chelsea XI (3-4-3): E Mendy; Rüdiger, Zouma, Azpilicueta; Chilwell, Kovacic, Jorginho, Hudson-Odoi; Pulisic, Havertz, Mount.

Gameweek 31 so far…

Ollie Watkins (£6.5m) struck again as Aston Villa caused problems for Liverpool at Anfield in Gameweek 31.

The gifted former Brentford and Exeter City man added his third attacking return in four matches, his 12th Premier League goal of the season and a fourth against Liverpool this campaign.

In doing so, he became the first player to score that many against the Reds in a single season since Andrey Arshavin in 2008/09.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah (£12.5m) continued his revival with a second goal in as many league matches, a solid return for those who captained him in Gameweek 31.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.4m) is also back on the radar in a big way after he added his second goal of the season in stoppage time.

He has now produced eight points or more in four of his last six Premier League appearances.

Provisional bonus points

  • 3 – Trent Alexander-Arnold
  • 2 – Ollie Watkins
  • 1 – Nathaniel Phillips

GET IN-GAME DATA AT LIVE FPL

Check your own rank and in-play FPL stats on LiveFPL.net every Gameweek

752 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Sim Simma
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Jota to Havertz done

  2. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    That would've been some goal

  3. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Come on Zaha!

  4. DycheDycheBaby
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Havertz trying to do a Matt Le Tiss goal there..

  5. moment
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Intriguing to see where they price Havertz next season

  6. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    So, GW32 ... Son or Havertz 😛

  7. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    CHO looking good. James will look great too when he starts but can’t be trusted with a very capable replacement there to allow him rest.

  8. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    is Rudiger ever gona get on the end of a corner?

  9. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Alonso would have been fun to own in this game if he had started

    1. Hulk Smash
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I'm surprised he's only started 2 of the last 6 in the premier league.

  10. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    So why did we bench Watkins, Dallas and Bamford?

    1. RamaJama
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Because all the self declared experts on here said sell or bench?

      1. fusen
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        which person who watches the Premier League would suggest Dallas would have gotten anything from City away?

        President Hindsight of the United States of Hindsight?

        1. RamaJama
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          2 years, 11 months ago

          You’re right

    2. REDMOND IN SANDALS
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      i did bench them.. watkins dallas off the bench for dias,christensen.. lucky af

    3. ThisTimeNxtYrRodney
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      I sold Dallas and Watkins for TAA and Davis (fodder). So you can imagine my frustration until trents winner. At least it wasnt for a hit. Salah (c) as well. Reasonably happy with things.

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

    Has mendy made 6 saves yet ?

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Haven’t seen Mendy yet.

    2. DA Minnion (Former great)
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Won't have to make any today.

  12. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mount assist get in

  13. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Zouma G
    Mount A

  14. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Zouma G

  15. Liberate HK - antichinazi
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    MOUNTTT

  16. moment
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    The wrong center back scores

  17. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    juuhuhuhuuuu Mount you beauty .

    Told ya Zooma becomes an option with Christensen injury

  18. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    i almost thought rudiger scored

  19. Cilly Bonnolly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    The more they score the less happy I feel about my double defence. More likely to switch off and concede a daft one.

  20. Rainer
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Chilwell took a good hit there for that free.

    Alonso/Emerson cameo...

  21. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Zouma equals Werner's PL goal tally...

  22. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Palace just don't defend set pieces 😆

  23. Eh, just one more thing ...
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Thank you Mount.

  24. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    keep Mount or switch to Lingard next week? Chelsea fixtures are getting harder

    1. Rainer
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 11 months ago

      Lingards streak can’t last.

      1. Cilly Bonnolly
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 11 months ago

        I’m old enough to remember Yaya Toure.

  25. Revival
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    What a difference a week makes!

  26. REDMOND IN SANDALS
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    watkins dallas off the bench for dias,christensen.. lucky af

  27. Bury94
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    No Liverpool or Chelsea, I should probably do something about that in the near future 😆

  28. Parsnips
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Sorry, inconvenient time, when is the Everton double gameweek?

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

      Still no date yet, most likely is GW35

  29. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    what minute will Alonso come on?

  30. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 11 months ago

    Mount almost