Week 7 - Saturday & Sunday
The opening game of the weekend saw a contender for worst tackle of the season, as Wigan secured a vital 3 points over 10 man Wolves. Karl Henry's reckless lunge on Jordi Gomez was pure stupidity and his tenth minute sending off left his team with a mountain they couldn't climb.
Gomez was very lucky to escape serious injury, and it seemed fitting that he went on to produce a match-winning performance (something he rarely did at the start of last season when we were all picking him!). 4 defeats in a row for Wolves and the slump will be a real concern for McCarthy. Good clean sheet points if you had Wigan defenders/Al Habsi.
In the Saturday 3pms Van Der Vaart was Tottenham's inspiration as his double brought them from behind to beat Aston Villa. 30 points for the Dutchman keeps up his outstanding figures and it's another nail in the coffin for Bale's fantasy value. He managed a decent-but-not-quite-good-enough 8.5 points (including a yellow) so I reckon it's finally time to drop him for Week 8...thanks for everything Gareth!
As I predicted there were a bunch of really tight games - Man United were lucky to escape with a point at Sunderland to continue their run without an away win, West Ham & Fulham shared the spoils thanks to Piquionne & Dempsey goals, while West Brom & Bolton also drew 1-1, Morrison levelling the in-form Elmander's opener. A Matty Etherington-inspired Stoke sneaked past Blackburn 1-0 and Everton grabbed their first win of the season at Birmingham as the goalkeeping curse returned; -4 for Foster.
Sunday opened with Manchester City's fortunate 2-1 win over Newcastle, which sadly saw a bad injury to Ben Arfa. Nigel De Jong's dangerous tackle in the opening minutes broke the young man's leg and he'll be missing for a number of months - a huge blow to him and his new club. De Jong has been dropped from the Dutch squad as a result, but the referee deemed it not dangerous enough to warrant even a booking. Alas, Newcastle were the better side - Tevez was awarded a dubious penalty (which he converted), Newcastle denied an obvious penalty of their own before Adam Johnson came off the bench to win it for City.
I wrote on Saturday:
Liverpool v Blackpool would've been a banker home win when the fixtures were released back in the summer, but the Reds are really struggling at the moment and Blackpool have surprised us all. I still think Hodgson's men will have too much for Holloway's, but as I said earlier I'm certainly not putting money on it.Well I didn't put money on it, but I did have a Liverpool win as my banker in the blog prediction league! It was the wrong choice as their wretched start continued - not helped by the early Torres injury. Charlie Adam further repaid those of us who've stuck with him with a penalty and 18.5 points, Varney made it two before Liverpool tried to fight back, but it's another terrible defeat which leaves them in the relegation zone. Everton away next up - tasty!
The final game of the weekend was the big one - Chelsea v Arsenal - and it was the only live game I was able to watch. It was strange because Arsenal were the better side for long periods, but for some reason it still felt like a comfortable win for Chelsea. Drogba kept up his crazy scoring record vs the Gunners and Alex scored a rocket as Ancelotti's men took full control of the Premier League.
So that was Week 7...and it was a better one for me as VDV, Adam & Drogba helped me past the 100 point mark. I'm up 500 places to sit just outside the Top 1000 - a nice way to go in to the international break. It was a disappointing week for the Blog Team, with a score of just 76 sending us tumbling down the rankings to the 3400th...but we'll bounce back!
I didn't get round to much barndoor work but having looked at things today I'm considering something like this for Week 8:
Krul, Salcido, Boateng, O'Shea, Adam, Van Der Vaart, A.Johnson, Nani, Chamakh, Berbatov, Drogba
This is unsaved so I still have Malouda, Bale & Barton at discount but it's very likely I go with something like the above. Other players in my thoughts are Koscielny, Nasri, Pennant, Arshavin, P.Jones, Silva, Holden, Carroll & Tevez, but we have a big gap now so I'm not in any rush to make my decisions. I won't be doing a player picks post this week, preferring to wait until we have clear injury news after the internationals next week.
I'll leave it there, but please let me know how you got on in Week 7. Did you move up the rankings? Who came in on the barndoor for Week 8?
Cheers,
AM
p.s. Remember Week 8 will be Round 2 of The Blog Cup, with another 150 teams leaving the competition!
42 comments:
113.50 for me. Dropped Bale as I felt VDV would pick it up (based on Am's comment early in the week).
Reo Coker with 9 points from his low price!! I didn't have him but that's value.
AM: When you say your team above is unsaved I assume you are not getting the new players on discount as the BD has closed. I've dropped Bale and FloMo may be next.
Im also got 100pts above..
Thx to you AM..HAHA!
97.5 for the week, but am now up to 832nd place, quite content going into the International break.
Ferdinand was my only BD pick.
Paul
To all those who feel their comments fall on deaf ears from time to time I am here to give a loud and clear THANK YOU. This being year one for me, I have sat (somewhat) quiet and read your postings,followed up on recommendations,and this week posted a 90.5 which was 4th highest in my league. I understand that this is considered "average" to some but for me it was my second highest score. I feel much better about this one as I feel it was accomplished without much "guessing" but actual knowledge shared from those who take the time to put this information out there.
Add (1) to the soccer nation of "fans"
Special thank you to you AM.
ps-I was the VDV comment guy who you took the time to put on the right track.
Finally a good week for me. 110 points and a big jump up the rankings!
My team is looking like this
Krul
Salcido O'Shea Boateng
Adam VDV Barton Arshavin Nani
Obinna Drogba
bengoh91
Sickening start for Liverpool, completely embarrassing, but not complaints as BPool were the better side.
Finished a decent 91.5pts, not helped by Foster's -4pts though. Might be about that time to drop Bale/Malouda and think about picking them up on a match to match basis. But given Bales production as a midfielder, if he keeps the CS, were looking at 14-20+ pts, well worth the 12.87mil i hold him for. So I'll give Bale another run. Its a little hard to ignore Nani/Berba home to West Brom, but we said that about Arsenal. This means I will probably drop Malouda, if they were at home I think he'd stay.
Very, very nearly had a bumper week (switched Skrtel/Gerrard/Di Santo to Boyata/Torres/Gera at the last minute), but still scored well with 103 points this week. I need to be better about following my instincts. Logic has gipped me out of at least 100 points already this season.
Cheers everyone for the helpful comments.
another terrible week for me. not sure what I was thinking having 3 liverpool players. i really thought at home to Blackpool would be where Torres breaks the duck. And I had dropped Drogba so i could get in Tevez, Torres, Berbatov up front. the risk didn't work out, oh well.
I broke the Friday change rule and dropped Sorensen for Reina. That was silly. I also don't have Charlie Adam, i dropped him a couple of weeks ago, that was also silly.
I ended on 93.5 points, and i'm 582nd overall.
I'm feeling like my team needs a mini overhaul, as it seems to be the same players getting the points every week, and everyone else fails (i.e Malouda).
I intend to never make the mistake again of dropping a guaranteed points provider, so Drogba must now stay, VdV staying is obvious, and Bale will also stay.
I am tempted to try Barton out for the first time, as i think he'll get back to scoring lots of phantom points soon, Holden is another i'm looking at.
Right now my team is this...
Krul
Jacobsen, Boateng, Bale
Nani, VdV, Reo-Coker, Arshavin
Chamakh, Drogba, Carroll
There are some obvious weak points that i will fine tune, but i hope to do better next time.
Managed 106.0, up almost 1000 to settle in at 1613, my second highest point ever. So, I'm pretty happy heading into the break. Thanks to everyone for all the help.
As I said in a previous post, 2 hunches went right this time: Picking Jussi instead of Foster, and dropping Berbs to fit in Obinna + Kompany. Now I'm back to Berbs at a loss of only 0.55.
Everything seemed simple at the start of the season...pick against WBA and Blackpool. Now everything is turned around with those 2 in the top 10, and Liverpool in the relegation zone! Amazing...it's shaping up to be an interesting season. I'm kind of at a loss to make any predictions of where teams will end up as the season goes on.
I started the weekend pretty well, going up about 800 ranks, but Sunday was brutal as I didn't have even one part from the Adam-Drogba duo, who achieved a 40.5 haul. 80.5 points by the end of the week and a 1400 ranks of a drop on Sunday, keeping me just about in the top 2500. But if Nik says he's close to the top 1000 while he's less than 30 points above me overall, that means players are really close to each other and one good week can change the whole picture for me.
Jussi
Salcido Ferdinand Williamson
Malouda Nani VdV Arshavin AJohnson
Chamakh Obinna
Reina really screwed me up this week and the option of Kirkland is starting to seem better and better, but I believe Jussi has proven to be a good pick so far (as long as he doesn't punch others in the face). I wanted to drop Salcido as well but decided to give him another shot, as I don't have other very tempting choices under 7 in defence while he's on discount. Ferdinand is a cheap obvious choice (I just hope ManU don't pull an Arsenal vs WBA) while Williamson is a very cheap choice playing home to Wigan.
Nani, Arshavin and VdV are obvious too, when the first two win many points even when their teams play bad, while VdV looks awesome so far. Johnson is on a great form and I just hope he starts coming back from the break, and I'm still keeping Malouda as he's the cheaper way to get a Chelsea player compared to Drogba (I just hope he'll start performing again - Villa aren't that good this season).
Obinna is worth another shot, especially against a free-falling Wolves side, and Chamakh seems to find the net only against weak oppositions - which is a good thing when Brum come to town.
SF
this is my 1st time commenting on your blog...nice blog...just found out bout your blog fortnite ago...quite late actually..i've been playing since 2000 n never in top 1000 or 10000... :) i always follow the fantasist 4 the tips but now i get more tips from your blog and peoples commented on your blog...some of them proved 2 be useful...thanks n can't wait 4 week 8 :) ciao...
@ Mike B
well there's a coincidence I'm also in position
582 with 693 points in total, ended up with a miserly 82.5 this week going down from position
90 at the end of week 4, knew it was too good to last!.
I also agree with Gavin above, it is so easy to over think picking your team you should go with your gut feelings more, maybe I should also take more notice and hopefully get back inti winning ways (maybe !)
gotta gut feeling coming on now, think it telling me not to pick the same keeper as A M !!
I hit 120+ and am under 1000 in the rankings (best ever).
Key differentials for me were Kuyt (11+ points) and Elmander (10 pts). Also, I had dropped Chamakh for Elmander.
I dropped Kuyt and picked up Etherington on BD as they were similarly priced. I most likely will drop Eth and get M Petrov in, as I have a feeling about Bolton's MF getting points next matchweek vs. Stoke. I will probably drop Elmander and get in Berbatov. Also I brought Charlie Adam for this week only and I think I will drop him and reach for Andy Reid or drop down for a cheaper Sunderland MF (Henderson, Al-mohoamady?). I also got Di Santo in as a filler FWD, but I missed the BD on him as he was even cheaper than 5+. I might even go Berbs/Chicharito + Drog as FWD line...
Keep it up AM. I notice a few AM.Blog guys on the top 10!
-JJOKBOB
Had Malouda in my champions league fantasy and he was shooting off target, said it here and promptly dropped him for Drogba. I'm learning to pick players of form and not reputation. For instance wk8 imo, a player like Brunt would be a better than Malouda even though he's away to Man united, he shoots well, he's on free kicks, corners and penalty. I don't regret dropping Bale also, just need to pick a good replacement weekly.You sell Balotelli, now you're keeping tabs on kiesslin. How much would it cost you to bring him in? Surely not less than you sold Mario for, so where's the wisdom in that bit of transaction.
@NIk-your girlfriend must be hotter than hell for you to go to a Michael Buble concert. That's like going to see Barry Manilow or Celine Dion, just take me out and shoot me.
As for me, finally, 108pts, up 7389 in the standings, my first good week since the season started. I had a major revelation on scoring watching Spurs with Crouch getting assists for VDV. It can and will be Bale for the rest of the season. Same with Malouda and Drogba, By pairing set up men with scorers, there is potential exponential increase in pts if they all keep scoring at a high rate. Call it two'fers. For that reason I am keeping all four of them, hoping that Malouda will get back on track. I see the two combinations keeping it up for the rest of the season.
Chamakh just didn't have any luck, he had two headers that hit wood, and at least 3 more that were within 2 ft of being on target. I think when Fabs gets back and he gets better service he will start to score big so I haven't given up on him.
The really interesting thing is how low 'pool has sunk, and how ManU seem to be sinking with them. ManU's 1st half was the worst I have ever seen them play and I have been watching them for 10 years. I don't think Macheda and Owen had more than 3 touches between them. How about Owen back to Liverpool on a free transfer. He was totally useless. Berbs outburst the previous week was an aberration, he is back to the same old Berbs. I wouldn't touch him. Or sick list Torres. Problem is this year is Drogs is the only sure thing striker, Tevez a distant second. I am thinking of going 3-5-2 for the first time.
Anyhow, a couple of weeks to mull over things, see who comes off the sick list, but right now I feel real good having Drogs, VDV, Bale, Adam, Malouda, Chamakh, at their deepest discounts, and I am looking forward to climbing back up the table.
And thank god I didn't have to see Michael Buble.
cheers
chrism
Chris - I bought her the Buble tickets for her birthday in May with the expectation that she'd take a friend or her sister/mum, so imagine my horror when she said she wanted me to go with her. It was a painful 2 hours to say the least & she's not even that hot*
*Disclaimer: Sarah in the unlikely event of you reading the above comment, I'm obviously joking...
@Chrism you said Chamakh had 2 headers, that's the problem, Fabregas will give him passes not crosses and he doesn't scope those, he's better off at Aston Villa or Stoke City. I'll only pick him if i'm sure they're playing against 9men.
my team atm: krul/ bale salcido jacobsen/ adam van der vaart malouda de jong silva/ drogba tevez
not dropping Bale or Malouda yet....
Thoughts on Chelsea's Ramirez? I know his point scoring is low right now but he seems to get minutes and is getting more and more involved in the attack.
J0J0
@J0J0: Not sure if Ramirez will start. Lampard is expected to be back from injury after the international break.
http://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~2171381,00.html
Im going all out this week now.
Last week too much tinkering cost me so, if all player values stay the same and no one gets injured over the coming weeks, then this is my team.
Krul
Boateng, Salcido, Jacobsen
VDV, Reo - Coker, Johnson, Etuhu
Drogba, Tevez, Berba
The only player i may change if he isnt going to start is johnson then i would take etuhu out too for barton and song/yaya/jones
Any comments would be appreciated
Thanks
LC
that's a very aggressive front line LC! do you think Rooney may come back and take the ball away from Berbs, or do you feel that Berbs will get back to his hat-trix scoring ways?
Pls advice.
Caroll/Arshavin/Steinsson or
Berbatov/Barton/O'shea
fanks
@ Admiral.
I think Rooney will still be struggling with his ankle.
(Especially if he starts for England)
I dont think Berba will get a hattrick. I think 2 maybe.
Just hope keeper doesnt let me down. Was considering taking a zero but most people will have krul so i think im safe.
:-)
Thanks
LC
@ Ebi s.
I would go for Berbatov/Barton/O'shea.
LC
De Jong did the same thing to Holden last year. Ugh, I hate Nigel, he's gotta get more red cards.
he never got rc in his life... but he earned 10 rc's at least... very dirty player...
He's a perfect player for the style they play, sort of like Gattuso, maybe dirtier, you would love him if he was playing for your team-effective.
Point changes again! And a slight drop down the rankings.
bengoh91
I lost .5 and gained 42 places, other times i've lost more than 5, so i'm ok.
Woo Hoo, I gained just half a point, but went up 63 places!!!
I am now 769th.
Paul
Lovin the Drop Bale comment!
More points for me!
And A.M you shoulda bought some decent tickets for a decent band, You were your own worst enemy
Oh and I hope she gives you a kicking for that comment..;-) lol
Was I mad to drop Drogba after the weekend? I had him at 22million but bought some players on the BD and dropped him to free up some funds for other players for next week....
@anon 8.36
As long as you brought in Tevez I'm sure you'll be fine.
point adjustment again.. lost 1 points and drop 4 place overall.. anyway whose player's points got cut?..
Maxer
I think Foster and S. Parker took a hit.
And da Silva also lost points.
Third time in a row I`m losing points midweek, really annoying.
Didn`t Foster have to saves?
The Jackal !
Here comes my team for week 8. Forget Krul, it will be a disaster. I`d rather let Nani out and opt for Van der Sar instead.
Cannot push the button for Malouda, he will be part of the team , and so will Adam, VDV and Drogba. Bale has to go...
Van der Sar
O`Shea Boateng Koscielny
VDV Malouda Adam Barton Scholes
Drogba Chamakh
I welcome your feedback
Wow! What happen to Liverpool, guys?
Although I am not a Liverpool fans, but also care about Liverpool ^_^
A long way run, I would thanks to AM that giving so much advise on FYY!
Thank You
Just thinking about keeper this season
Until now, Week 7, just only 1 week that the keeper take the positive point for me, jsut wondering about Kirkland is my keeper next? No point rather than negative point, are you have the same thinking as me? Yea
Kirkland
Boateng-Jacobsen-Carr
Adam-VDV-Nani-Arshavin-Nasri
Obinna-Drogba
How about Van der Sar? A quite interesting player in next game, same as Cahill.
How about you?
@Ban i went with Kirkland last wk, so i want2 try something else this wk, love you team though, midfield and attack should cover for any negative you might get in defence.
I'm going with Krul in goal, i'm ready to take any negative he might score cos i don't see him conceding 3 goals, plus Hart to me is the only sure CS and i can't afford him.
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