Week 31 - Player Picks

An Aston Villa double week...how many times have we seen that this season?

It's been strange - I can't remember another a YFF season which has brought so many double weeks in general, never mind for 1 team in particular, but with only a few weeks to go it's time to take full advantage.

Villa face Portsmouth & Hull City away from home, 2 of the worst sides in the league. Portsmouth have completely given up in the league now, resting everyone in preparation for the FA Cup Final, so that should be a banker away win. Hull (also with a double) need to win their home games, meaning they'll have a go, but that should leave them open to the Milner/Young/Agbonlahor counter-attack.

My plan is simple - load up on Aston Villa. At this stage of the season I'm going to be dumping my discounts left right & centre to get as many Villa players in my side as possible. I've mentioned Hull also have a double, but (apart from Jimmy B) it's very difficult to get excited about a team that has just lost 4-1 at home to Burnley & travel to Birmingham in the first game.

It's tempting to keep players like Tevez & Malouda at discount; they're in great form & have more games to come after the double week, so it would certainly be the safe move. However, the risk taking of recent weeks has led to a surge up the rankings for many of us, so I'm reluctant to stop this approach now with just 4 weeks to go.

The Week 31 Fixtures in full

Saturday, 17 April 2010
Birmingham v Hull, 15:00
Blackburn v Everton, 15:00
Fulham v Wolverhampton, 15:00
Man City v Man Utd, 12:45
Stoke v Bolton, 15:00
Sunderland v Burnley, 15:00
Tottenham v Chelsea, 17:30

Sunday, 18 April 2010
Portsmouth v Aston Villa, 16:00
Wigan v Arsenal, 13:30

Monday, 19 April 2010
Liverpool v West Ham, 20:00

Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Hull v Aston Villa, 19:45

I've told you my plans, but not everyone will feel the same about the double gamers, and will be looking at strong single gamers instead, so aside from Aston Villa & Hull...

...the stand out fixtures are Sunderland home to Burnley, Arsenal @ Wigan (seriously, if they can't beat Portsmouth's reserve side at home, they're in trouble), Birmingham home to Hull, Liverpool home to West Ham & Stoke home to Bolton.

The other 4 fixtures are all very tough to call & could easily all end up as draws - Blackburn v Everton, Fulham v Wolves, Man City v Man United & Tottenham v Chelsea...I'd avoid these games if possible.

With that in mind, here we go...

KEEPERS
Friedel
Gordon

I'm offering just 2 choices this week as none of the other keepers tempt me in the slightest, espcially Boaz Myhill, who I'm starting to believe could be the devil reincarnated.

I feel you should either be spending £10m on Brad Friedel for the double, or £6m on Craig Gordon for a near certain clean sheet for Sunderland at home to Burnley & spend the spare units on outfield players.

I fancy Villa to win both games, so it will be the American for me.

DEFENDERS
Dunne
Warnock
Cueller
Collins
Mouyokolo
McShane
A Dawson
Jagielka
Agger
Campbell
Faye
Konchesky
C Gardner
Hutton
Carr
Mancienne
Elokobi
Vanden Borre

I'm not going in to too much depth about the Villa defenders - we all know what they can do, they're expensive, but if you can afford them then you should be getting at least 1 of them in to your defence. Because of prices, my order of preference would be: Dunne, Warnock, Cueller, Collins.

I know I slagged Hull off earlier, but if you're going to have any of their players then it would be to fill a spot in defence. Rumours are abound that Andy Dawson will return from injury, so he's a bargain at under 5, while McShane & Mouyokolo will both do a job at around 6.

From the single gamers, Phil Jagielka is screaming to be picked after his own goal last night saw him drop to just a shade over £6m & Daniel Agger has been performing superbly at left back for Liverpool - forward runs, crosses, corners won etc...kinda like a poor man's Gareth Bale, but more expensive...

Campbell, Faye, Konchesky, C Gardner, Hutton & Carr are other decent options with winnable games, while on the cheaper side of things you have the Wolves duo of Elokobi & Mancienne or Vanden Borre who should get a game for Pompey.

MIDFIELDERS
Milner
Young
Bullard
Downing
Petrov
Malouda
Gerrard
Walcott
Henderson
Malbranque
Benayoun
Etherington
A Johnson
Gera
Rodwell
Kilbane

Milner, Young, Bullard, Downing will be the midfield many DG chasing managers will be aiming for this week, & it's the one I would like if I could afford it. You have 4 players who are integral, will take set pieces, get crosses in, take shots & have 2 games. Petrov is a good alternative to Downing if you can't quite afford the original Villa trio.

As far as single gamers go then Gerrard, Malouda & Walcott are 3 players I would have my eye on. Despite the fact I've already mentioned I'm probably getting rid of FloMo he's still likely to do very well at Spurs, no Torres means Gerrard will need to do everything, which normally means points & Walcott should start at Wigan after coming off the bench last night.

Henderson & Malbranque will relish the space they'll be afforded by Burnley, set piece king Etherington faces Bolton & Adam Johnson will be looking to continue his great form & play himself in to Capello's plans in the massive Manchester derby.

Benayoun is a cheaper option for Liverpool after he was on the bench vs Fulham, Gera should return for Fulham, Rodwell should start in midfield for Everton with Heitinga injured & Kilbane is mearly a two game filler.

STRIKERS
Agbonlahor
Carew
Bent
Tevez
Rooney
Drogba
Jerome
Bendtner
N'Gog/Torres
Fuller/Kitson
Zamora
Van Persie
Altidore

You should have at least one from Gabby or Carew this week, possibly both as they're sure to get plenty of chances versus two of the leakiest defences in the league. If you're looking to fill a space with a Hull striker then Altidore is the only one who remotely interests me.

The stand-out single gamer is Darren Bent at home to Burnley, where I'd expect at least a brace & then you have the big 3 of Drogba, Tevez & Rooney who need no introduction. I expect Rooney to return & could see both he & Tevez getting on the scoresheet in what's sure to be a cracker.

Torres would've been right at the top of this list if I could be sure he'd start, but after the goose egg he laid last week I'd suggest you stay clear, with N'Gog a possibility if you're desperate. Cameron Jerome has had a great season for Birmingham & will be licking his lips at the prospect of Hull, while Fuller could return vs Bolton (if not Kitson could act as filler) & Zamora vs Wolves.

Despite Van Persie's cameo last night I doubt he'll be ready for 90 minutes at Wigan, though we saw what he can do in 25 minutes so if you're in a risky mood then I won't try to stop you. If he were to start I still think Bendtner would continue (for his height in defence as well as attack) so I'm tempted to keep him at 5.80.

That completes my Week 31 player picks. My team page currently looks like...

Friedel

        Bale  Warnock  A.Dawson 

  Bullard  A.Johnson  Milner  A.Young

 Carew  Bendtner  Agbonlahor

8 double gamers, 6 Villa, 2 Hull, with Bale, A Johnson & Bendtner still there at huge discounts.

I'd like Downing but can't find a way to fit him in. I still hold Tevez & Malouda behind the scenes, but I'm expecting to have the guts to hit the 'save' button come Saturday morning. I'll wait to hear news on Andy Dawson's injury, if he's not going to make it I'll switch him to Mancienne which would allow me to upgrade Warnock to Dunne.

What do you think? Let me know if you think I've missed anyone from the lists above. How's your team shaping up?

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Cheers,

AM