Chelsea after five gameweeks
Xabi Alonso’s first five league games at Chelsea have been the most open in the division: a 3-2 win at Fulham, 4-3 against Brighton, a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, 2-2 at home to Hull and a 3-0 loss at Brentford in GW5. Ten scored, twelve conceded, no clean sheet, and tenth in the table.
For FPL that splits Chelsea cleanly in two. The attack is one of the best sources of points in the game; the defence has not yet earned its prices. Alonso’s back three and attacking wing-backs are the shape he made famous at Bayer Leverkusen, and the goals against say it has not settled at Chelsea yet.
The attack: João Pedro, Rogers and Palmer
João Pedro is Chelsea’s top FPL scorer with three goals and three assists, and after Haaland the most-owned forward in the game. He carries a fitness doubt into GW6. Morgan Rogers, signed from Aston Villa, has started every game and scored three — the Chelsea attacker with no flag against him.
Cole Palmer is first on penalties and second on direct free kicks, with two goals and two assists, and carries a fitness doubt of his own. With two of the three flagged at 75%, check this page’s live table before the deadline: when all three are fit, João Pedro and Rogers are the value and Palmer the premium. Pedro Neto has started four games and is the low-ownership route into the same attack.
Why the Chelsea defence is not a pick yet
Chelsea have not kept a clean sheet in five games and have conceded twelve — the most in the division. That makes every Chelsea defender a bet on attacking returns alone. Jorrel Hato has two assists from defence; Maxence Lacroix, signed from Crystal Palace, has started four games at centre-back; Reece James takes the corners and free kicks but has a fitness doubt.
Emi Martínez, signed from Aston Villa, has started four games in goal and not yet kept a clean sheet. Wait for the defence to show it can stop goals before spending money on it.
Chelsea’s next five
After the international break Chelsea play Bournemouth (H), Everton (A), Tottenham (H), Manchester United (H) and Sunderland (A). The FPL difficulty ratings put only the United game at 4 and Spurs at 2 — a run that suits the attackers.
Two Chelsea attackers is the sensible exposure through this stretch: João Pedro or Palmer, plus Rogers. The live table on this page carries each player’s price, ownership and injury flag.