Wednesday 20 January 2010

Tevez On Fire


Pure entertainment last night, as Carlos Tevez continued his outstanding form with 2 more goals giving Manchester City a slender lead for the 2nd leg over the club who discarded him last season. No doubt about it, it's going to be a cracking tie at Old Trafford next Wednesday!

The Argentinian really is on a remarkable run; 13 goals in his last 10 starts & with his upcoming fixtures I'll be grabbing him after City's blank week (Pompey, @Hull, Bolton, @Stoke).

As for Manchester United, they look extremely shaky at the moment. Their 3-0 win over Burnley at the weekend may have sounded straight-forward but the truth is Burnley missed a number of glorious chances with the game at 0-0 & 1-0. Defensively United are all over the place & I've seen enough in the past 2 games to dump Van Der Sar for Robinson, saving myself £6m to spend elsewhere.

Moving on, Yahoo finally updated Sunday's points fully yesterday evening & I find myself really slipping down the rankings, outside the top 2100, the lowest I've been for many seasons. I have a bunch of players to play tonight (10 with Nasri out), but I don't have Fabregas & this obviously concerns me. Therefore, Andrei Arshavin - if you're reading this (I'm sure he is) PULL YOUR FINGER OUT AND GET ME SOME POINTS. Then hopefully I can worm my way back in to the Top 1750.

Finally, a quick word on Liverpool v Spurs. I can't remember being this nervous about a Spurs game for a long time and I think it's because I know what tonight could mean. If we go to Anfield with the belief we can win then we have a real chance & it could be a defining moment in the season, stretching the gap between the 2 clubs to 7 points.

My fear is we go there & set-up "not to lose". We did that @ Arsenal & home to United by playing 5 in midfield, losing 3-0 & 3-1. I just hope Harry has learnt his lesson, but I'm thinking it could be a scoring draw, maybe 2-2.

Predictions?

Cheers,
AM

40 comments:

Fidan said...

Liverpool will NOT win, I'm sure as hell for that. Final result...UNPREDICTABLE...!! I think a 1-1 is most likely!!!

Coming from a Pool die-hard fan. Believe me, it is NOT easy being a Liverpool fan right now!!!

P.S. I'm on Tevez next bandwagon too. The little midget is ON FIRE!!!

Ferdinand said...

Hi.

I think spurs will win tonight, gerrard out, nando out. I can't see liverpool even creating something. maybe kuyt hitting the post in the final minute ;). No but honestly, 2-1 to spurs! don't worry AM/

Another thing, I can't see what tevez did that was so extraordinary yesterday. lunged high and wild into brown early on, deserved a caution which would have changed his playing style. He runs a lot, i agree, but yesterday was by no means extraordinary. Come on, the penalty was mike dean's miss, the foul was commited WAY outside and tevez really should have scored from his earlier header.

Anyway, gonna be cracking at OT next week :) still hanging on to van de sar btw. think united is finally getting sorted. rio adn vidic on the brink of coming back, van de sar won't concede easily...

Anonymous said...

I dropped 360 places after the update to 1597th, and I'm really afraid about the games tonight. I bought Ivanovic and Milner expecting they'd get me at least 10 points each, and they both got me 7.5. Poor. For tonight I have Bale, Modric, Aquilani, Vermaelen and Eduardo, and even if they all score well I'll still be worried, as I believe these are the players that are the most common this week. I expect another drop, hoping it'll be as smallest as possible.
For next week I have a team I really like, even though I'm not completely sure about Fabregas @Villa, but they've looked shakey lately, so he might do well there and bring me points, and bring Arsenal the victory. The update dropped the prices of Salgado and Donovan so I was able to get Aquilani for Belletti, preparing myself for Chelsea's double week. I hope he starts.
I kept Rooney and Valencia for the match with Hull, but after that they might be gone for Tevez and a Chelsea midfielder. Valencia isn't stable any way, while Rooney might go because of the ManU schedual - the four league games after Hull contain a home game vs Pompey, but also 3 away games with Arsenal, Villa and Everton. Frankly, ManC's prospect just looks much better as AM said, so I might get in Tevez and Malouda or Ballack instead of these two.

Robinson
Vermaelen Bale Salgado
Valencia Fabregas Modric Belletti
Rooney Anelka Donovan

Advices?

SF

PS: My prediction is 2-1 for Spurs. They tend to explode after slips at home.

Anonymous said...

Im very conerned that everyone will expect Spurs to win. I always go into matches against Man U, Chelsea, Lpool and Arsenal expecting to lose, the pesimist in me i suppose. I will expect goals and with Lpools injuries I cant see where they will come from.

Im hoping for us to snatch a victory but it will be tense and it could be a season defining match for both clubs, although win or lose we'll still be 4th.

In related news, I have Almunia, Fabregas, Defoe and Modric...(Aquilani too :-() so I expect another 50 points at least to go on top of my 108 for this week.

Done some good BD work as got Lamps for 18 taking out a 22 fabregas and then got fab back for 17 but he hasnt got any good fixtures coming up.

Been awaiting MAXIROD (M ROD) to be added from last week as well...:-(

COYS

Dave said...

@ Ferdinand re: Tevez - it may have been a workmand-like effort from Tevez, but I think the bigger point is that he is in sparkling form overall. Scoring regualarly, getting SOTs, taking PKs, garnering plenty of YFF points in the last 2 months. On this run and with teh upcoming opponents, it would be hard to bet against keeping up the scoring run.

Ferdinand said...

yeah that's true Dave!

Villa's game tonight against Blackburn in the Carling Cup will give us an indication about their current form anonymous.

Anonymous said...

My team for week 20:
Robinson
Verm Bale Dunne
Kranc Modric Lee Fabregas
Klasnic Donovan Diamanti

It'll be more or less unchanged. If I were to change I would take out either one from modric and kranc.

bengoh91

Anonymous said...

I'm looking to bring Tevez too after the blank week, hopefully his price wont shoot up for no reason like Drogba did last week.


Van Der Saar
Vermaelen Bale Bassong
Bilyaletdinov Valencia Fletcher Fabregas Kranjcar
Donovan Anelka

This is my current team. Bassong will probably leave with King on his way back, while Fletcher might also go.

Bojan said...

Tottenham will win 3:0... Crouch will be star tonight...

Bojan said...

Arshavin and Matt Taylor are at lowest prices this season

greginho said...

matt taylor would be a great pickup this week at home versus the generous burnley. arshavin should be avoided. anyone who wants him should just pick pienaar

richy 'liverpool' said...

tevez may be on fire but got me nothing against everton so even at discount he has been dropped for next week. man C are still fragile so i will only be going with him with good matchups. i have stuck with arshavin for a long time now, but he hasnt done much since his goal vs liverpool, but he is in or around the box so much, and so talented that surely its just a matter of time??

Anonymous said...

AM

I cant believe youve chosen arseshavings again!
What were you thinking?!
My guess for tonight - 3 points for him!

Pauly

MO7 said...

guys help!!

for next week:
ver1:
robinson
bale/ivanovic/evra/salgado
taylor/fabregas/duff
anelka/kalinic/Ngog

Ver2:
robinson
bale/ivanovic/evra
Valencia/duff/carrick/scholes
anelka/diamanti/ngog

???

oh and btw belamy dived like an olympic gold madallist last night!

MO7

Anonymous said...

Personally I wouldn't choose 3 ManU MF unless they have lots of injuries there, which they don't right now. Are Carrick and Scholes guaranteed to start the game on Saturday?

- SK

Anonymous said...

@M07 - SK is right mate, Carrick and Scholes are not sure starters...Fletcher's back from suspention and I'd consider him over Carrick. Valencia is a sure starter on the right flank as he's the only one that can play it right. Then I think I'd opt for Gigs instead of Duff because Fulham are playing Tottenham away. Well my team is and changes are unavoidable...of course.

Van Da Man
Verm/Bale/Nelsen
Rosicky/Palacios/Fabregas/Mtay/Fletcher
Anelka/Donovan

I don't know about Fabregas, I think I might downgrade to someone cheaper or go for a third striker...don't know yet though, too early. I'll just wait for todays games to decide who knows, maybe Arshavin inspires me...joke he's a bloke lol
(Honduran-Saul)

Kellz said...

@MO7: I don't particularly like either over the other, maybe its because you decided to add in players like Carrick and Scholes who don't give you big points. If anything I like option 2 if you move out Carrick/Scholes, no need to have 3 midfielders from Utd, spread the wealth.

@AM/Fidan: I always keep the faith, never believe the trnasfer rumors until they happen, and thus believe in a Liverpool win with our backs against the wall. I am very pleased seeing Spurs doing so well this season after facing relegation for many weeks last season (basically bought all your players back!), but I just can't see us dropping this, we need the top 4 finish and Spurs are going to play very tough. Look forward to it!

mrljo said...

why?? whyyyy???

I guess my portion of bad luck was deserved..
I lost my verm discount 2 weeks ago so for this week it was a choice between gallas and verm and I thought everybody has verm i'll go with gallas and see what happens.. disaster, samo goes for kranjcar and modric, I went with kranjcar and modric has 3-4 sot allready, thats what u call bad decision making!

and did u see kalinic?? at 2.40 he's a bargain, all you need is one SOT vs. wigan

Mrljo, Croatia

glad to see my countrymen (modric,kranj,klasnic,corluka,eds,now kalinic) popular in FF :)) to bad no world cup for us this year...

richy 'liverpool' said...

Arshavin!! he is ALIVE to me again!!

bp9000 said...

Arshavin.....FINALLY!!!

bp9000 said...

.....but Eduardo still a step slow.

Anonymous said...

After watching part of Arsenal's game, I have to say that anyone who has Fabregas for 17.5 or cheaper would be out of their mind to sell him. I also BDed Arshavin and Kuyt but I still have at least 2.14 to buy. Probably get rid of Bassong, Arshavin and maybe Kranjcar, get another GK, but otherwise, what do you guys think?

Almunia
Verm Bale Bassong Evans
Aquilani Cesc Kranjcar Arshavin
Diouf Kuyt

Thanks,
- SK

Anonymous said...

@sk, i sold him. arsenal wasn't pretty until THAT decisive moment. should gallas be off, the game will change. and gallas also manage to injure M Davies a key part of the midfield 5 that deprive arsenal space and time on the ball. Very Lucky. Fab wasn't doing much till then and after. Let's bring on Wembley-bound Villa then. it will be a cracker or not. =)
~Newbie

mrljo said...

fabregas 55 pts!! unreal

Anonymous said...

^ umm, you sure you hadn't seen anything higher than that this season?

defoe? ring a bell? 63.5? cost around 23.15 that time as well . love to know how's he doing right now. lol. hey, i am happy to get those 55 you know.
~Newbie.

mrljo said...

@newbie
I never said that was an all time high, i remember defoe wery well, that was my highest scoring week!

my team is now worth 125mill.. I think I had a really good BD trade, anelka,fab and PRob mostly

Anonymous said...

I'll be honest as an Arsenal fan that I don't know why the ref did not stop the play and give Gallas a yellow, he seemed to be in the perfect position to see it and yet he let the play go on. Perhaps Gallas barely touched the ball right before stomping on Davies, I can't tell. I do have to say that in the two back-to-back games, the refs have been very lean when judging what is a foul and what deserves a yellow; Fabregas have been fouled 3 times in the penalty box these two games, twice by the keeper, another time leading to the K Davies kicking his head while on the ground (which only led to Rosicky getting a yellow). Personally I feel more yellows should have been given to both sides to prevent injuries and fighting from occurring, given that the same side were to play each other again in 3 days. For now, I'm going to sit back and see each side respond about the foul.

- SK

Anonymous said...

^ PRob? he just let in 6 against villa. i had to take my hat off to you. you are a bold v-manager. like your style. well, i'm pretty happy with the points i had this week. 180. enuff to move up a few rungs.
to a more serious issue, why is Maxi not in fantasy epl? it been ages to port him in.
~Newbie

Anonymous said...

The two biggest differences with Defoe scoring 60+ and Cesc scoring 55 are that Cesc has scored 55 points over two games, and that Cesc has been scoring 20+ points for each of the past 3 or 4 games. Defoe, on the other hand, had only 1 other 20+ point week, which was week 1 where he played two games and scored 35.

- SK

DownSouth said...

I swear! I said Defoe was dead to me a while back and I swore him off until this week thinking he'd have 2 easy matches so he couldn't possibly miss...well......end result: 8 pts. What a waste of space. Officially dead to me, never to return!

So 138 pts this week...not quite disasterous, but would have liked better. One thing to be happy about is I moved up to 10,584. Considering this is my 1st year and was flying blind the first 4-5 weeks (not knowing how to BD, etc), overall I'm very pleased. Thanks AM for the posts and to your loyal followers that help talk-out possible team selections.

Anonymous said...

Ended the week with 144.5, not bad I guess.

3 players did not get double digits for me - Bassong after conceding that penalty, Ngog whose just crap, and Defoe with just 8 points.

Nice to see Vermaelen pop up with a goal again just when I was considering dropping him for this week, so I'll probably keep him. And Arshavin finally managed good points after giving me crap for the past 4 weeks.

Maxer said...

happy with my 166.5 points this week.. fielding mostly on Arsenal and Spurs player prove to be a wise decision with fab, verm, diaby, modric and kranj all got double points..

did some bd for next week.. but i'm still tweaking my team, and will surely do some changes later on..

kirk
verm, bale, salgado
modric, fab, kranj, diaby
klasnic, defoe, kuyt

tempted to get mtay and lee in for the matchup vs burnley.. i might drop diaby and either modric or kranjcar.. and will replace my filler salgado if i got the extra cash.. what u guys think?

Maxer..

MR D said...

Hey guys any advice for my squad?

Robinson
Alexander Verm Bale
Valencia Fab Aquilani Taylor
Kalinic Klasnic Rooney

Maxer said...

@MrD.. you got a balanced team there.. i like it..

anyway, re-done my team again.. now it looks like this:

kirk
verm, bale, stearman
modric, fab, kranj, mtay
defoe, kuyt, kalinic

stearman, mtay and kalinic replaces salgado, diaby and klasnic.. i like klasnic actually but i think mtay will do more damage.. i'm hoping kuyt and kalinic scores, with kirk and stearman get lot of intercepts and saves.. its a gamble and can go either way.. any thoughts..

Maxer..

Anonymous said...

everyone needs to start thinking about Fulham, West Ham, Hull, and Chelsea players for the double next week!

Ban said...

End with 147.5point, a little bad result for me
Moving up the rank 9,325 with missing week 1 game
But most bad for me is didn't barndoor Anelka for week 20, it was a nightmare for me!
Hope i can be alive in the The AM Challenge Cup.

Anonymous said...

r u sure Fidan...liverpool 2-0...thats the result..

MrD said...

@Maxer

Thanks. Your team looks great, I think you can consider having a Man Utd player in your squad due to a good matchup.

Anonymous said...

@maxer, watch out for news on lennon. if he's back, modric and kranjcar will likely be affected.

mrljo said...

Steinsson or Givet?? what do you guys think? I think that's my last doubt.

Is it possible for valencia not to start or be subbed early cause he played midweek and surely fergie is counting on him for carl.cup 2.leg, having nani and obertan all eager to play and a good match-up vs hull.. hmmm??

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