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. jackruet
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    You may laugh or not, the best underpriced mid is kovacic. 5-3-2 allows him to more forward..

    1. BIGREDDOG
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      He's a good shout.

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

      See my post on previous page and the replies.

      None of us were laughing

    3. ZeBestee
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Yes. Maybe the hidden gem of the season.

    4. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      If you are also willing to play with 5-3-2, then he will be fine

    5. WVA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      My rival had him from the start lol

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

      Tbf a number of great picks in that price range - e.g. Kova, ESR, Mbeumo

  2. Camzy
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Duffy > Chilwell looks like a super easy move this week for me.

    Means I have to bench Mbeumo or someone decent but the value of Chilwell is just too high. Get him and then figure out the other places I think.

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      My worry is that I have Alonso and if I change him to Chilwell, Teuchel will decide to give Alonso another run out at Chilly's expense.

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

        Chilwell firmly first choice, will start majority of games in his form

      2. WVA
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Get rid of Alonso, he will rarely play as he's rubbish and Chilwell is very good

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

        Chilwell's form making that hard. You probably don't want to wait, but EFL Cup midweek may give a clue.

        1. Nomar
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 5 months ago

          Nah, he has to go, regardless.
          Got 2 FT and, at the moment, the exact money to do Benrahma and Ronaldo to Son and Auba, so Alonso may have to wait until WC.

    2. Walter White (WW)
      • 2 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Another goal next weekend 🙂

    3. Drip Doctor
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Not sure myself. Newcastle usually score at home. Duffy still looks excellent value.

  3. Walter White (WW)
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    A perfectly designed German trap. So many innocent people fell into it

  4. Fish up a tree
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Fook that! the highest score this week has 94 from 4!

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      TC Mount?

    2. DT42
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Wow, and he has good players to come. What’s the record score for a single GW ?

      1. Dthinger
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah—son, KDB, vardy, Antonio! Plus double city defense!

  5. Now I'm Panicking
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Havertz was the only Chelsea starter that blanked today 😆

  6. Nightcrawler
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Thought us Havertz Capper were going to FEAST

    But of all the che starters he scored the LEAST

    Hate to see it oh yes i do!

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

      At least you take it as well as you give it 😀

      Unlucky.

  7. Harry the Hack
    • 14 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Just took Havertz out. It felt so good. So I spent a -8 by putting him back in and getting another dopamine hit of trading him out again.
    Worth it

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

    Here is what will happen GW10

    Havertz > Mount = Blank.

    Avoid CHE defence. Avoid CHE double defence.

    Get Chilwell.

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

      Sorry, meant avoid CHE attack

  9. Philosopher's Stones
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    A guy second from bottom in my ML brought in Mount and TCed him this week.

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

      Go look at this weeks highest scorer lol

    2. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I can see why he was 2nd bottom

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

      Well done to him

  10. jackruet
    • 2 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Christensen is such a headache

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

      Agree.
      Not many of the Chelsea DEF aren't though.
      Thinking of trying to upgrade to James
      or maybe even a reshuffle to Raphinha

      J

    2. WVA
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      He's not first choice, you need to sell

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

      Probably a sell
      Will play maybe 50% of games with very low cameo risk
      But doesn't have the upside that James or Chilwell has

  11. Original Sin
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Got Havertz in this week for a hit. Now which is more urgent to do?
    A. Havertz--->Mount
    B. Benny----> Raphinha
    C. Havertz+Mount---> Mount+ Raph (-4)

    Before this game, I was planning to do Benny--->Raph for the Norwich game.

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

      I wouldn’t jump on Raph yet, I’ve got him but Leeds look shite atm

  12. WVA
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Who would you prefer next week?

    A. Raphina
    B. Mount

    Sanchez Steele
    TAA Cancelo Rudiger White Livramento
    Salah Benrahma Gallagher ESR Sissoko
    Ronaldo Vardy Scarlett

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      A

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

    Top Premium through to December

    Kane, Son, KDB, Mane, Vardy?

    (Have Salah and Ronaldo)

  14. Hutchiniho
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    More points through to Christmas

    James, Rudiger or Raphinha?

  15. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Disappointment everywhere, how can this keep going like this.
    Doesn’t seem logically possible

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

    Raph sot

  17. TomSaints
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Noooo double saints clean sheet gone =[

    Against a dog **** Burnley team

  18. FantasyClub
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Is it worth doing Rudiger to Chilwell for free?

    1. Sam (Team Sam)
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      I just did it for a hit

  19. FantasyClub
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Leeds aren’t looking great. Raphinha won’t return much if they play like this

  20. CoracAld2831
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Knee jerk:

    I think I will just keep him (Havertz), roll a transfer on GW10 and assess the situation afterwards even though really want to get rid of him.

    Use my 2 transfers on GW11 to fix the situation, if necessary.

    Maybe WC on 12.

    1. Pep bites Kun
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 5 months ago

      Sensible knee-jerk. Why hold transfers till gw11, if wcing in 12 though?

      1. CoracAld2831
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 5 months ago

        Yeah, now that think about it that doesn't make sense.

        Probably just use 2 transfers to get Kane and someone else and save WC for GW18 or just use 1 transfer until GW12 and then WC.

  21. FantasyClub
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 5 months ago

    Might do Raphinha to Kovacic. Leeds are looking shite atm