Dugout Discussion

Alonso benched again as Havertz leads the line in injured Lukaku’s absence

Chelsea v Norwich City is the first of six Premier League matches to take place on Saturday, with kick-off at Stamford Bridge at 12:30 BST.

As was inevitable, there are a handful of notable benchings to report from Thomas Tuchel’s latest teamsheet.

Marcos Alonso (£5.9m) is only a substitute for the third Gameweek in a row, while Andreas Christensen (£5.1m) and Cesar Azpilicueta (£6.2m) make way from the side that defeated Brentford 1-0 last week.

The non-inclusion of Alonso in the Chelsea XI means that the in-form Ben Chilwell (£5.7m), the most-bought Fantasy Premier League (FPL) defender of Gameweek 9, is given another start at left wing-back.

Antonio Rudiger (£5.8m) and Thiago Silva (£5.5m) are back in the side after missing out last weekend, while Reece James (£5.5m) gets a run-out at right wing-back for only the second time in six Gameweeks.

Kai Havertz (£8.1m) looks poised to lead the line in the absence of the injured Timo Werner (£8.6m) and Romelu Lukaku (£11.6m), with the ‘out of position’ German joined by Mason Mount (£7.4m) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.3m) in the hosts’ attack.

Alonso, Lukaku and Azpilicueta are three of the five most-owned Chelsea assets in FPL, with Edouard Mendy (£6.1m) and Rudiger the only others with double-digit ownerships.

Chilwell and Havertz are the most-backed within the top 10k, however – and Havertz has been handed the armband by over 11% of these leading managers, with only Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) captained by more:

As for Norwich, who are without the ineligible loanee Billy Gilmour (£4.4m) today, they are unchanged yet again following a recent upturn in performances in Daniel Farke’s new 3-5-2 set-up.

GAMEWEEK 9 LINE-UPS

Chelsea XI: Mendy, James, Rudiger, Thiago Silva, Chalobah, Chilwell, Jorginho, Kovacic,Mount, Hudson-Odoi, Havertz.

Substitutes: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Christensen, Loftus-Cheek, Saul, Barkley, Ziyech, Azpilicueta, Sarr.

Norwich City XI: Krul, Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis, Lees-Melou, Normann, McLean, Sargent, Pukki.

Substitutes: Gunn, Rupp, Dowell, Rashica, Tzolis, Sorensen, Williams, Idah, Omobamidele.

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1,872 Comments Post a Comment
  1. tiger
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Norwich mounted

    1. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yeah right in da Axx

  2. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Mount goal

  3. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    That's the game won get Havertz off

  4. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Mount. He’s going to steal Havertz thunder

  5. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Knew I should have picked Mount

  6. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Do guys here know the relationship between Havertz and goalkeepers in Pink? It is a scary one I would say.

    1. BeaversWithAttitude
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      They clash?

  7. tbos83
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Just knew Mount was the pick. But was a sheep with Havertz.

    1. Ligdon
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Stop the cap

  8. R.C
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    OR1 sold Mount last GW

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      And got in Bernardo who got 11

    1. Cilly Bonnolly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Funny no one ever links the predictions they got wrong.

      1. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        The predictions one get wrong normally get linked for you by others.

      2. FOO FIGHTER
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        I do not own Mount by the way.

  9. The Knights Template
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Mountie

  10. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Open Floodgates

    1. Jafooli
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      *Controls

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

    Game won, might as well sub Havertz off...

  12. Sun Jihai
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Jorginho assist

  13. DBW - Slug's Mortgage …
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Where would Chelsea be if Abramovic hadn’t come in??

    Their fans are the absolute worst.

    1. OLEgend
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Do they have any songs other than Chelse Chelsea Chelsea?

  14. Jafooli
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Kai involved in the celebrations?

    1. Totalfootball
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yup

      1. Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Excellent + xGCelebrations

    2. Optimus.
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Very

  15. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Pompey lad Mount scores

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Play up

  16. OPTA FPL
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Bye bye havertz

  17. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Azpi better stay on that bench

    1. OPTA FPL
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Azpil RLC Ziyech would be 3 subs on

  18. evilfish
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Alonso, my worst transfer of the season so far. 🙁

    1. Drogo
      • 11 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Same. Took him GW7, not a single minute played.

    2. The Reptile
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I know - horrified he's not playing today - Amartey coming in for me...

    3. Old Man
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Me too. What a dickhead I am.

  19. Captain Scarlet
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Mount (C). That’s taken the pressure off a little for the remaining 80 mins.

  20. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Mount was the one ?

    1. Sim Simma
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes, it's definitely a Havertz fail after only 13 minutes played 🙂

  21. Podge
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    At least he's only 3% owned

  22. Optimus.
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Fair play to anyone who bought Mount, it's 25 games since his last goal so the commentator just said 😯

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Norwich (H)

      • Jafooli
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Was due, to be fair…

      • OPTA FPL
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Casuals will gp for him after this, good

    2. The Knights Template
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Bring Christensen on, park the bus you fool. Defend the lead.

      1. Eh, just one more thing ...
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        No … bring on Azpi instead!

    3. Bob_the_builder
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      So if I bring in Chilwell for Alonso, he gets benched?

      1. Make United Great Again
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Pretty much

      2. g40steve
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Flip flop

      3. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        I’m not going to say.

    4. R.C
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Kabak from playing for Liverpool now at Norwich...

      1. OPTA FPL
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Not even good enough for norwich

    5. dark91
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A Rudiger goal today would be nice

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Playing up relatively high for a CB today. Camera panned on him a few times. It's written!

      2. OLD Rafiki
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        won't be nice would be glorious

    6. El Presidente
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Is the game over? It sounds like it...

      1. Rupert The Horse
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 11 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        You’ve sat on the mute button.

    7. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      could be the week of the non template picks esr Mount etc all going to haul whilst Raph, sarr and co all blank 🙁

    8. Puntillimon
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Havertz goal inevitable.. playing off the last man, and it’s Norwich

      1. Sun Jihai
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Could be a bloodbath this game, 4-0+. Havertz will get something for sure.

      2. Not again Shirley
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Sorry Havertz is the latest player I have decided to curse after Lukaku and Ronnie