Week 5 Preview

Firstly, I've got rid of the "word validation" previously required when adding comments to the blog. Fidan - Please let me know if this makes it easier for you? Unfortunately if the spammers return it'll have to be switched back on, but fingers crossed this won't be required.

Now, I know we're all still trying to decide on our Week 4 team, but as ever I get the preview up nice & early to allow you some time to think about your barndoor picks with plenty of time to spare.

So without further ado, the Week 5 Preview...

WEEK 5 FIXTURES

Saturday, 19 September 2009
Arsenal v Wigan, 15:00
Aston Villa v Portsmouth, 15:00
Bolton v Stoke, 15:00
Burnley v Sunderland, 12:45
Hull v Birmingham, 15:00
West Ham v Liverpool, 17:30

Sunday, 20 September 2009
Chelsea v Tottenham, 16:00
Everton v Blackburn, 15:00
Man Utd v Man City, 13:30
Wolverhampton v Fulham, 14:00

First things first, the stand out fixtures, which in my opinion are Arsenal at home to Wigan & Villa at home to Portsmouth. Also worth looking at are Everton at home to Blackburn, Stoke away at Bolton, Sunderland away at Burnley and unfortunately as a Spurs fan, Chelsea at home to Tottenham. Tougher games are Man Utd wanting to prove a point to City & Liverpool often do well at West Ham. I'll probably be avoiding Hull v Birmingham & Wolves v Fulham but there are still a few decent picks.

Players to looks at:  

Villa: Carew, Young, Milner, Agbonlahor, Sidwell, Dunne, Warnock, Friedel,

Arsenal: Van Persie, Eduardo, Fabregas, Walcott, Rosicky (with Arshavin out), Denilson, Vermaelen, Almunia

Everton: The Yak (if he's back), Saha, Osman, Cahill, Pienaar, Distin, Baines, Howard

Sunderland: Bent, Richardson, Gordon/Fulop

Stoke: Beattie, Tuncay, Lawrence, Wilkinson

Chelsea: Drogba, Lampard, Deco, Ballack, Zhirkov/J Cole??

Man Utd: Rooney, Nani, Foster

Liverpool: Torres, Gerrard, Johnson 

Others: Benitez, Larsson, Quedrue, R Johnson, M Taylor, Ghilas, Hunt, Myhill, Milijas, Doyle, Kightly, Zamora, Duff, Dempsey, Paintsil 

Top Picks
Strikers: Van Persie, Carew, Drogba, Saha
Midfielders: Young, Fabregas, Lampard, Hunt
Defenders: Vermaelen, Warnock, Dunne, Distin
Keepers: Howard, Foster, Gordon/Fulop, Myhill

I must admit I've got a real gut feeling about Van Persie for next week & I think Villa could HAMMER Portsmouth.

Apologies the preview isn't as extensive as usual, I've had very little time this week but I'm doing the best I can to post everyday. I hope it still helps by breaking the fixtures down and giving you some ideas. Week 4 injury news & predicted line-ups to follow tomorrow.

Who will you be looking at on the barndoor for Week 5?

Cheers,
AM