Dugout Discussion

West Ham v Chelsea team news: James returns, Lukaku and Benrahma subs

The dust of Gameweek 14 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has barely settled but we’re already up and running for Gameweek 15, which gets underway in east London this lunchtime.

A tasty-looking clash between West Ham United and Chelsea kicks off at 12:30 GMT.

Reece James – who rather curiously dropped in price last night – is back for this clash as expected and is one of four changes that Thomas Tuchel has made from the Blues side that unconvincingly beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road in midweek.

Thiago Silva, Jorginho and Hakim Ziyech also return, with Christian Pulisic, Saul and Cesar Azpilicueta dropping to the bench and Trevoh Chalobah missing out altogether with a hamstring injury.

Romelu Lukaku is again only a substitute.

Hammers boss David Moyes makes two alterations to the team that drew 1-1 at home to Brighton and Hove Albion on Wednesday.

Issa Diop and Manuel Lanzini return to the starting line-up, with Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma dropping to the bench. That will see the hosts turn to a wing-back system, a shape Moyes has adopted in the past when up against the big guns.

Aaron Cresswell remains out with a back injury.

GAMEWEEK 15 LINE-UPS

West Ham United XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Dawson, Zouma, Diop, Johnson, Soucek, Rice, Bowen, Lanzini, Antonio

Subs: Areola, Yarmolenko, Fornals, Vlasic, Noble, Benrahma, Masuaku, Kral, Ashby

Chelsea XI: Mendy, Thiago Silva, Christensen, Rudiger, James, Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Alonso, Mount, Ziyech, Havertz

Subs: Kepa, Lukaku, Pulisic, Werner, Saul, Barkley, Hudson-Odoi, Azpilicueta, Sarr

1,332 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Ze_Austin
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Bubbles!

  2. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 4 months ago

    Shouldn't really be an Antonio assist but FPL will give it to him because he is highly owned. It deflected off RLC's foot. That is why it dipped like it did. Should really be a RLC OG and Masuaku A.

    1. @persecuted_by_mods
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Yup 100% own goal, not even a shot and nowhere near on target

      • JohnBlack
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Boohoo

      • Bubz
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Was it on target though?

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          No

        2. @persecuted_by_mods
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Nowhere near on target, wasn't even a shot was a cross heading into the box

        3. thegame983
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          'deflection' took place far too close so goal will rightly be given to Masuaku

        4. Gazza2000
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Nobody touched it, there was no deflection.

      • Utopsis
        • 4 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        That is poor goalkeeping - trying to cut out the cross, just defend your goal man

        1. LE CHARO
          • 4 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          This is an impossible angle to score from, especially for a left-footed player. Of course he had to defend against the cross, which is what Masuaku intended to do. It only went in because of a weird deflection

          1. Utopsis
            • 4 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Will it's not impossible, as he scored. Improbable?

            Let's take a direct free kick as another example. It is also improbable for the taker to score on the keeper's side. However if the keeper concedes on that side (eg by gambling on the ball going over the wall), it's a keeper error.

            Similar situation here.

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

        Ffs benched Antonio mega haul

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Lol

      • Rainer
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Bowen should have 20+ points...

      • Bishopool
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Chelsea gone

      • Random Name
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        I said before Mendy is a product of the defence.

        terrible goalkeeper.

        1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Tuchel signing new keeper in January or the summer?

        2. Lord Flashheart
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          did you ever watch football?

        3. Pat Bonner
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Totally agree. He’s done well but all this nonsense about ballon dor was hilarious. He’s not an elite keeper

      • Danno - Emre Canada
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Hahahah what was that and the shiftiest assist

      • Abusive_Sgt_Daelrhos
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Where's the guy that was persuading people to get Lukaku lol

        1. Woy_is_back
          • 6 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Donkeyku

      • Randaxus
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Bowen is wasteful

      • Weak Become Heros
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Assist on that goal?

        1. Rainer
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Masuaku.

          1. Weak Become Heros
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 5 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            He scored no? Or was it OG?

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

              He randomly shot from far out and Mendy was not looking lol

              1. Danno - Emre Canada
                • 9 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Haha wasn’t a shot

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

                  Some times being bad a crossing is a benefit haha

                  1. Danno - Emre Canada
                    • 9 Years
                    2 years, 4 months ago

                    Ha and vice-versa

      • Rainer
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Bowen getting a flag to hault rise.

      • Lord Flashheart
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        briliant assist

      • Marvin Moon
        • 7 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        Should Utd have stuck with Moyes in hindsight?

        1. Salah’s Sonnet
          • 12 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          That's some hindsight.....

        2. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          No he wasn't ready then. No way would Man United have had the patience to wait - fans hated him and Fellani.

        3. Forza
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 9 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Should've sorted the board out above all else.

        4. JoeTweaks
          • 2 Years
          2 years, 4 months ago

          Nope

      • FantasyClub
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 4 months ago

        West ham beating the heavyweights

      • @persecuted_by_mods
          2 years, 4 months ago

          It's not an Antonio assist guys, not sure what fpl will do but masuaku crossed and it wasn't anywhere near on target before the deflection

          1. Hazz
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 6 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            Fingers crossed anyway.

          2. Nabs Kebabs
            • 12 Years
            2 years, 4 months ago

            ok non antonio owner

            1. @persecuted_by_mods
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Own him just not biased Mr kebabs

            2. Limbo
              • 13 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Which means they'll give it to Antonio because they're obtuse gits.

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

              Lol dream on fella

            4. ClassiX
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 5 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Super slow-mo shows it did not deflect - will be Antonio A

              1. @persecuted_by_mods
                  2 years, 4 months ago

                  Fair enough if it didn't then it's a clear assist, off one replay it took a weird deviation but I guess the ball can do that

              2. Forza
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 9 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                If they can't be sure whether it was on or off target, they'll assume it was on target, like they did with Benrahma's goal against United.

                1. CRO KLOPP
                  • 6 Years
                  2 years, 4 months ago

                  It was on target,otherwise it wouldnt be a goal

                  1. Forza
                    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                    • 9 Years
                    2 years, 4 months ago

                    That only makes sense if it wasn't deflected. I couldn't tell whether it was or wasn't deflected though.

            5. Thomas Magnum
              • 8 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Bowen’s achilles been troubling him last 15 minutes or so it looks like

            6. thegaffer82
              • 12 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Yay. Small clap for Antonio finally getting us beleaguered owners an attacking return 🙂

              1. Ajax Hamsterdam
                • 9 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Massive cheer more like 🙂

            7. Walter White (WW)
              • 2 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Chelsea’s defence leaking

              1. Wrong Captain Choice - Ag i…
                • 14 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Once a goalie loses confidence or is clueless kills any defence.

            8. Kodap
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Unreal, first time I’ve benched Antonio all season & he gets his first return (granted just an assist) in weeks…

              1. Salah’s Sonnet
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Has it even been given?

                1. Salah’s Sonnet
                  • 12 Years
                  2 years, 4 months ago

                  Yeah it has, bit of a joke that

                2. Torres76
                  • 14 Years
                  2 years, 4 months ago

                  Given

              2. thegaffer82
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                I don’t see how you recover from those 5 points 😉

            9. Woy_is_back
              • 6 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Salah blank please

              TA

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

              Bowen on fire!

            11. Gudjohnsen
              • 7 Years
              2 years, 4 months ago

              Antonio assist or not?

              1. Bubz
                • 10 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Yes

                1. @persecuted_by_mods
                    2 years, 4 months ago

                    No

                    1. Bubz
                      • 10 Years
                      2 years, 4 months ago

                      Yes

                2. ClassiX
                  • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                  • 5 Years
                  2 years, 4 months ago

                  Yes - slow mo shows no deflection

              2. Utopsis
                • 4 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Antonio has run himself into the ground - what a team player

              3. Torres76
                • 14 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Cmon you Hammers

              4. Bishopool
                • 12 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                James YC

              5. Rainer
                • 7 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                James autosub activated.

              6. Hazz
                • Fantasy Football Scout Member
                • 6 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                James 0 ugh

              7. Botman and Robben
                • 7 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                James yellow, this Chelsea double D is so bad it is hilarious.

              8. Thanos
                • 2 Years
                2 years, 4 months ago

                Beautiful zero pointer from James!

                1. Woy_is_back
                  • 6 Years
                  2 years, 4 months ago

                  Wuuuu