The Scout takes a club-by-club look at the 2018/19 Fantasy Premier League season.
Chelsea
David Luiz looks set to remain a key player for Chelsea in the campaign ahead.
Chelsea’s top five FPL performers
| Player | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Hazard | MID | 238 |
| Luiz | DEF | 164 |
| Alonso | DEF | 161 |
| Azpilicueta | DEF | 158 |
| Kepa | GKP | 142 |
The Brazilian’s FPL potential was transformed by the arrival of Maurizio Sarri as head coach last summer.
David Luiz started only nine Gameweeks in 2017/18, the final season of Antonio Conte's tenure. But he was quickly installed in the heart of Chelsea’s defence under Sarri.
Impressive returns
Over his 36 starts, the 32-year-old went on to produce three goals, two assists and 16 clean sheets.
And his eye for goal is shown by the statistics. Only five defenders bettered David Luiz’s 34 shots this season.
The departure of Conte meant Chelsea abandoned their wing-back formation, with Sarri opting for a 4-3-3.
Alonso dropped
That was bad news for Marcos Alonso as the campaign progressed.
The Spaniard started each of the first 23 Gameweeks but was named on the starting XI in only eight of Chelsea’s final 15 matches.
After being an attacking threat as a wing-back under Conte, Alonso’s starting role looks in question for FPL managers in 2019/20.
Hazard heights
Like David Luiz, Eden Hazard was a major beneficiary of Sarri’s arrival.
Chelsea’s wide man finished second overall in FPL, with a career-high total of 238 points.
His 16 goals and 15 assists represented the first time since 2014/15 that Hazard has produced double figures for both statistics.
Loftus-Cheek improvement
Elsewhere in midfield, Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s end-of-season displays indicate he can offer big value, once he recovers from the Achilles injury he sustained this week.
Having produced three of the top-six scoring defenders in 2018/19, the Chelsea defence is likely to be popular next season.
The all-round potential of David Luiz means he can be their go-to defender for managers, with Cesar Azpilicueta another strong option.
