Week 10 - Weekend Review
The big talking point of the weekend was obviously Nani's goal. Firstly, Spurs deserved nothing from the game. We went to Old Trafford and once again looked scared of our surroundings against a United side who were there for the taking. This mentality is typical of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club over the pas two decades and is the reason we've failed to win away at Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool in 60+ attempts.
Saying that, the 2nd goal was a joke. Nani clearly handles the ball so it's a free kick. Gomes puts the ball down thinking exactly this, Nani runs in and scores, the linesman puts his flag up for handball but Clattenberg overrules him saying he played advantage, and awards the goal. Where was the advantage for Spurs? If you play an advantage and the advantage does not actually occur immediately (e.g. Gomes doesn't even get to clear the ball) then surely play should be called back? Ridiculous but typical - if the decision had been at the other end there is no way in hell the goal would've been allowed - but I don't know why I'm surprised any more.
So a 2-0 United win, fantastic points for goalscorers Vidic & Nani, not a lot for Spurs players. The shock result of the weekend was Wolves fully deserved win over Man City - Edwards & Milijas with the goals after Adebayor put City ahead from the spot. These 3 players were the only guys to hit double figures, while Joe Hart owners had a nightmare with -4 for a pretty big outlay.
Arsenal's expected destruction of West Ham did not occur, as they found Rob Green in inspired form at the Emirates. It took 88 minutes before Alex Song won the game for the Gunners, but there were good points for Fabianski and his defence, as well as a double figure score for Fabregas. Chamakh, Arshavin & Nasri were quiet. Chelsea continued their good form as they sneaked past a dogged Blackburn side thanks to Ivanovic's late winner. Bosingwa owners were left frustrated as he was benched, Drogba & Malouda scored poorly, Zhirkov, Anelka did well.
Fulham beat Wigan thanks to a Dempsey double, Schwarzer proved a great pick as suggested, but I was left frustrated as I removed Salcido from my team on Saturday morning and went with Dembele instead - a switch that cost me 13 points. Nothing of note for Wigan players. Everton got past Stoke thanks to Yakubu's winner, Coleman was subbed before the 75 minute clean-sheet-cut-off, nobody else did much. And that was Saturday.
On Sunday we had three games - the first was possibly the most boring game of all time, Aston Villa 0-0 Birmingham, so there's not a lot to say...erm...Foster did well and some defenders got double figures thanks to the clean sheets. Liverpool grabbed a vital win at Bolton thanks to Maxi Rodriquez and Newcastle thumped Sunderland 5-1 after a Kevin Nolan hat-trick & Shola Ameobi double - well done if you had either of those men in your team!
As mentioned, we still have Blackpool v West Brom to go tonight before we can wrap up Week 10, but it's now time to start thinking about Week 11. I missed all barndoors once again as I was out all weekend, but luckily there weren't many "must-have" picks so I don't think too much damage has been done.
The big question is...will Week 11 be a double week? Seeing as we have a round of fixtures on Saturday & Sunday followed by another round on Tuesday & Wednesday I would usually assume so. HOWEVER, when you look at the deadline details next to your team then you will see:
Week 11 (deadline: Sat 6 Nov 12:00 GMT, for games Nov 6 to Nov 8)
This suggests two single weeks, one to cover next weekend (Week 11) and another to cover the games on Tuesday 9th/Wednesday 10th (Week 12), Yahoo have never done this before but I actually think it's a better structure (similar to the way other Fantasy Games are run). The only annoying thing about it is I'll need to write two player picks posts in the space of a few days!
So assuming Week 11 is a single week, I can actually see myself making very few changes from my Week 10 team. Arsenal & Man United have the best fixtures at home to Newcastle & Wolves, so Fabianski, Fabregas, Nani, Chamakh & Hernandez are all likely to stay. If VDV's hamstring injury is going to keep him out for a week or so then I'll keep Bale as he'll be back on set pieces, I'll wait on Bosingwa news, Coleman may stay and Silva has come in for Dembele.
That's it for now - how did you get on over the weekend? Have you got anyone left tonight? Who came in on the barndoor? Do you agree Week 11 will be a single week or do you think Yahoo will switch things again?
Cheers,
AM
68 comments:
first
I had a bad week with just 65.5 points. I insist to keep drogba & malouda hopping for a supprise but i gain nothing from them. Only a sum of 6 points.
Musteng
again great post AM, I got 101 pts total and no more players to go.it is frustating that I haven't dempsey, nolan or ameobi thsi week.liverpool chelsea game will worth to see.
Yeah right! I hope its not a double week and i hope also...
Early question: will i ever get it right? Carr&Brunt or Ridgewell&JS Park?
every kid playing on a field knows you play to the whistle. Gomez didn't. The rugby style long advantage doesn't exist (but it should) if Gomez wants to waste his advantage by putting the ball down and not clearing it, simply put it is his mistake.
3 week out for vdv... he is out of my team
wrong birty
Law V - Referees (Introduced in 1996)
'Decision 7: (advantage clause) If the referee applies the advantage clause and the advantage which was anticipated does not develop at that time, the referee shall penalise the original offence.'
There was no foul, so there wasn't any advantage. Play was on all the while, Gomes goofed, end of story.
vdv out?? oh no~ i sold bale, drogba, which are my season keeper and vdv out too, no more season keeper for me. one and only one player adam is now doubful. last week and this week just 50+ points. i drop from 150 above to 1400+. so bad.
gkinz
the advantage did develop. gomez had the ball. advantage over
115.5 pts with brunt to go.
I probably made the best decision ever before the deadline( dropped Drogba or torres,Adam@$5.4,Jacobsen for Nani,Dembele,squillaci) unless Adam played and score a hat trick today.
@Doctor Teeth
It was a tough decision to drop Adam at a huge discount. Most people told me to keep him until I saw DocTeeth's comments @ Adam in the chatroom. I considered your comments heavily and Thank you.
I feel very uncomfortable to play without Adam and I will probably pick him up today to replace VDV.
@Fantasy Scout
Van der Vaart is set for a three-week spell on the sidelines.
http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/208800/Rafael-van-der-Vaart-injury-blow-adds-to-Tottenham-s-Euro-woe/
I didn't barndoor any players because I am pretty happy with my current squard but I am considering to drop Fabregas to Walcott and upgrade dembele.
UPDATE: Van Der Vaart is training at Spurs Lodge today
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1325588/Rafael-van-der-Vaart-trains-Tottenham-hope-Inter-Milan-clash.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Dropping those players wasn't the best decision cos i did too, bringing in quality replacements was what you did right.
Ebi
@AM
Thanks for the update.
I hope Adam doesn'r play today or get a low score so I can keep vdv until friday.
86.5 points with adam to go. i moved down 9 spots to 238th. i am steadily climbing up the table. i missed the barndoor, but dropped bosingwa for zhirkov and dropped nasri for milijas. i now have 8.98 to spend and hernandez or chamakh might go. i dropped carr for bosingwa, because i didn't want both ben foster and carr at villa, but i only missed out on 7.50 points.
Even if he was out, taking a zero on Van der Vart is easy for his cost, i got him for 6.24.
Sky SPorts rekons Van Der Vaart will be fit for Inter!
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11675_6480943,00.html
Thanks
LC
99 points with Varney and Brunt to go. Pretty much replaced my entire team on the barndoor. Was going to bring in Bale with VDV allegedly out, but now it looks like 3 weeks turned into 3 hours? I have Fab but I keep on seeing posts about him struggling with injury.
On the bright side, after today's games, I am probably looking at my highest ranking ever, despite me feeling like I have been struggling all year. I have 200 points fewer this year than last, but my ranking is dramatically higher.
It will be nice not to set the alarm this Saturday since (for one week only) the deadline for roster moves is 7am CDT. It will go back to 6am since the US moves clocks back this coming Sunday.
I do have a feeling that Yahoo has (artifically?) elminated double game weeks where it can. Last year's YFF calendar had 34 weeks. This year has 38. Presumably that was by design on Yahoo's part? Now, granted, with weather and cup conflicts, there could still be some double game weeks.
Cech
Bale, Kompany, Kyrgiakos
Adam, Barton, Van DerVaart, Nasri, Nani
Hernandes, Carol
Still without adam, who's gonna play to night
I got 87 poin.. Not bad
Agree Birty. Referee didn't whistle, and played the advantage.
Advantage is over when the opponents GK has the ball in his hands unless otherwise stated IMO.
Whistle never blew, play till the whistle. When the goalkeeper has the ball in his arms after the incident, how can the referee, then blow for a free kick?
Maybe the ref didn't see the handball, but the lino did, and didn't do anything about it.
Gomes dropped the ball on the ground, whilst the ball was in play. Completely his fault and I am no Man U fan, to say the least.
May Charlie Adam be visited by the cow placenta fairy and may Chris Brunt be visited by the brace fairy!
The way this year has gone Dr. Teeth, I am just hoping for no red cards for Brunt or Varney.
Wish they can both play it like a training match 7-7 or 8-8 draw.
Regarding the Nani/Gomes "goal"..... I think everybody's right with their interpretations, the rules are that confusing!
Personally, I saw Nani clearly handle the ball and assumed a goal kick. I know there are grey areas to playing advantage but handball is handball, Spurs got absolutely no benefit from the incident, and reading his facial expressions in replays afterwards, the ref seemed content enough to gift United the goal. Once again a referee takes centre stage over the two teams actually playing and determines the outcome of a game. United deserved their win but they have looked susceptible to holding 1-0 leads at the end of a match this season so essentially the ref robbed us all of what might have been a few minutes of compelling entertainment. Unfortunately, odd decisions like this one happen with too much frequency in today's football. Nothing to do but move on.
On a more positive note:
Kevin Nolan's chicken dance goal celebrations.... Top of the list of the most embarrassing, cringe-able things this season?
I think AM picks this week were CRAP.
Hart -4, Boswingwa didn't play, 0, Chamakh 3.50, only FABs at 17+ in cost scored an 11.5 (whoopee)
The last three were AM's number one picks, with Hart number 2 among Goalkeepers. Four players totalled 11 points and 40% of the value to spend. Yuck.
If you're going to take the credit and accolades from me (several times) when you do well, prepare for the opposite on the bad weeks. And offering free advice, doesn't insulate a person from criticism (or no one will criticize this post)
----- On the Nani goal, what's the freaking argument-- play to the whistle-- that's how all sports are played. Gomes had the ball in his control and reacted sheepishly when he knew he screwed up. Farcical is the last word I would use to describe it, Heads Up play is the proper phrase.
I only wish it had been the game winner to add to the drama.
@Arsenal_Bergkamp - cheers, mate! Although we'll see how it works out since I didn't take my own advice in the ened and held on to Adam for 5.98 (thank good I did - he would have been swapped out for not-so-super Mario Balotelli). Just saw you are sitting at 4th OVERALL for Week 10 scores - congrats!
Is there anything more pathetic than ragging on people - especially, the bloody founder of this blog - anonymously?
Anyone who thinks that Nani's goal was good and proper has no appreciation whatsoever for the spirit and/or unwritten rules of the game...I'm sure you also thought that Fernando Torres poaching the ball from Michael Turner and passing it to Dirk Kuyt earlier this season was also "heads up" football.
Doctor Smiles here, guess that makes me un-anonymous.
Give me a break on the spirit and unwritten rules of the game, that's ridiculous in this context. There was no poor sportsmanship at all. Nani made a heads up play-- do you know what that is? I guess you would have stood there with your thumb in some place, aghast that you could score an improper goal for your team.
Nani's goal was Good, The ref decided it was "proper".
@DocSmiles: Farcical is the word I would use for your argument to blame AM for compiling a list of players that ultimately YOU CHOSE. AM created a list of possible players that would/could perform well, does he see into the future to know that Fabregas wouldn't score? Of course not, bottom line is YOU CHOSE YOUR OWN TEAM SO YOU LIVE WITH THE RESULTS. Stop blaming others, you look like an idiot.
I have no idea what a "heads up play" is, Doctor Smiles...thanks for setting me straight. I remain firmly of the opinion - as do many others - that Nani's goal was a blatant missed call by the ref and showed a terrible lack of class. That is not to say that Gomes should have played the whistle and/or that Spurs would have gone on to tie the game. If you enjoy that type of footy, than indeed you are a much different type of fan than I.
Here's some advice for you: criticize this blog for poorly-reasoned prognostications but keep your whining to yourself when predictions don't pan out the way you'd hoped they would. I'm interested in hearing why Hart (before last weekend, 2nd highest scoring GK for the season playing for a top 4 contender against a bottom-dwelling team), Bosingwa (who AM mentioned in his update might not start), Fabregas (Arsenal's best player playing at home against the team sitting 20th in the table) or Chamakh (Arsneal's sole striker playing at home gainst the team sitting 20th in the table) were bad predictions.
Frankly, you sound like a fantasy manager with little original/creative thought of your own who picks his team on auto-pilot based on the recommendations on this blog.
Doctor Smiles - If you've praised me many times in the past then I assume you've posted in the comments section or in the chatroom? Why post anonymously and then make up a name? I won't be annoyed, some of the picks I recommended this week did not do too well (the 4 players you mentioned plus Arshavin, Drogba & Malouda were some of the worst) others did well (Fabianski, Schwarzer, Zhirkov, Salcido, Squillaci, Nani, Nolan, Yakubu). Unfortunately I don't have a time machine so each week there is a chance I get some right & some wrong, but what I try to do is provide a list of around 40 players, write my opinion on each & then let you decide which ones to pick. Sorry if you picked the wrong ones this week.
Hi Doctor Teeth (@4.27)
The ref can't change his mind IMO, if he hasn't given a free kick. The lino maybe should have give it.
The Sunderland goal against Liverpool, was much worse, as the defender just tapped the ball, in what he thought was the right position, as a free kick was given. If the ref was unhappy with the ball's position, he should have told him so.
Plus Kirk was offside as Torres pass the ball FORWARDS to him, when there was only the goalkeeper there to try and stop the goal. (which most pundits failed to spot).
Abt Nani's goal....... this type of goal happened frequently years back... Take a look at this.. titled: funny goal by Dion Dublin. against (shay given?)Any similarity?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OonOXv6u4CU
@MU
Dr. Smiles here
Well, AM again you have a wonderful, high level blog here- great analysis and superb writing. And something more undefinable on the sterile internet-- an engaging sense of humility combined with true, subject matter expertise. That's very rare these days.
and it's likely why your defenders pound down any criticism.
Thanks for your hard work.
Utterly crap week for me, possibly my worst since i started playing last season.
52.5 points, so only a Brunt hatty tonight can save me, very unlikely, i know.
The main problem was my continued faith in Bale and Drogba. I have been too stubborn to drop them and play the game based on match-ups. Picking them yet again this week caused me to not be able to pick up other players who did well.
So, i feel it's now time for a change of tactics.
On the Nani situation, i rarely pick him (i know i shouldn't let personal opinion get in the way) because i believe him to be the most disgracefull player in the Premier League. I have honestly NEVER seen Nani play a game of football without taking multiple dives, and blatantly cheating. This happens every game, so people shouldn't be surprised that he dived, handled the ball, then took advantage of terrible refereeing and a mistake from Gomes. Nani always has been, and always will be a cheat of the highest order.
The fault here is with the officials and Gomes.
The ref should have either given the penalty or booked Nani for diving.
The ref should have given a free kick for Nani's obvious hand ball.
The linesman should have raised his flag immediately on seeing the handball.
The ref should have given the advantage signal rather than just shrug his shoulders, it was not clear for anyone what was going on.
Gomes should have just booted the ball clear, or at least held on to it untill Utd players had cleared the area. Although after witnessing a dive AND deliberate handball, then not seeing any kind of advantage signal from the ref, i can see why he assumed a free kick would take place.
Another thing that got on my nerves a bit was the fact that all Spurs players were sent away from the officials when they were talking, but Rio Ferdinand was allowed to stand and have a conversation with them.
As for you DoctorSmiles/Anonymous, you have clearly had a bad week too, but please take responsibilty for your own team! You come across as a very bitter individual indeed. Just the fact that you feel the need to post Anonymously, then add to your trolling antics by using "DocterSmiles", proves you to be a bit cowardly. There's nothing wrong with posting critism, but you should be brave enough to make it known who is posting it.
Who would you have suggested people pick this weekend? I'm curious.
Come on Brunt, make my week respectable at least!!!
I for one take the information provided in this post and use it TO BALANCE the information collected by myself, weigh the odds, and come to a conclusion.
Without the hard work of AM and this post I would have to labor much harder to gather information, have zero conformation on decisions currently applied to my team, and possibly never look to expand into an area of the game I may have been completely overlooking.
AM'S picks are not crap...
There just picks
The "crap part" well, that seems to be coming from your side.
Thanks.....AM
YES!!! Adam in Starting 11.
Back to business, please shoot your comments about this team for week 11. As always, your feedback is highly appreciated
Fabianski
Zhirkov Salcido Bosingwa
VDV (?) Nani Fabregas Nolan Adam
Hernandez Ameobi
Does anybody know why Andy Carroll only got 4.5 points. According to espn soccernet he had an assist which is 4 points in itself
I have no problem with 'Dr Smiles' comments.
AM's big enough to cope with criticism, especially as it wasn't rude or ignorant, just his feelings.
Nani did what EVERY other player would do, Gomez is soley to blame for this.
Any similarity with Nani's goal??
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNVDeXCCxJU
Game is Serbian derby Crvena Zvezda - Partizan in 1978. Goalkeeper is Petar Borota, Chelsea goalkeeper in early eighties
AM is pretty insulated here in his den of amigos from the criticism that rains forth on any bad pick for neal on the original blog.
in all honestly i would never blame AM for my picks. the people that have given me the worst advice are on the chatroll. these people, consequently have saved my butt a few times if i had a really bad pick.
As a spurs fan my opinion is that gomes made the stupid mistake of "claiming" a free kick. but as the saying say! dont stop until the wistle blow.
another thing! when is almunia coming back and is it safe to keep fabianski?
almunia will not get his spot back. wenger is really sensitive about goalies, right now, for obvious reasons, so if he takes a goalie out that is doing well he will be in trouble. he will not want to rock the boat.
How about Nolan against Arsenal ?
Dunno which strikers to pick...have 20 in the bank for 2...
Any suggestions other than Hernandez-chamakh ?
@Yanou- hope you didn't pick Nolan and Ameobi cos they had a good week? They're up next against Arsenal. If you've had them for a while fine.
@Greginho- still making this comparison? Nobody criticized Neal for his player picks but for his one sided analysis against a particular club, which he tried to defend by making even more biased analysis. The comments are still there, no one criticized Neal for his player picks.
If Gomez put the ball where the handball took place I'd have more sympathy.
The "Gomes screwed up" reasoning is totally flawed, by that logic any goal which is scored following an ungiven, obvious foul is fine. Henry's against the Irish anyone? Its fine cos the ref didn't give the handball and that makes it ok? The fact that his own assistant referee flags it shows that he thought it was a free kick so it was hardly clear. Everyone on that pitch, in the stadium and watching on tv assumed that the OBVIOUS handball had been given until he starts waving at Gomes to get on with it. If its not advantage (and I don't know what the hell clattenburg actually gave even now), then why the hell not? Is he that crap that he didn't see Nani handle it? If it is then why wasn't it called back to the offence when there was no immediate advantage. Sick of Man Utd fans justifying it...(nani isn't really at fault tho, unsporting yes, but virtually every player would do the same. Celebration made him look a right prick tho).
Ladies Ladies please. Every single player what do what Nani did. Blame Gomes for it n no one else. On the other hand lets cheer things up with this... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udfaRUrITJA&NR=1&feature=fvwp . Aint that some team shit
I feel sick knowing that Charlie Adam played last night! yea I dropped and pick him back. Nice ! Again please do not blame others if your player selection scored low points, it's your choice.
Alternatives to everybody's mixture of Chicharito, Chamakh, and Dembele....
Mame Biram Diouf seems to be working himself in to the Blackburn frontline nicely. He could use a few goals to remind Sir Alex and United what they're missing. At home to porous Wigan may be his best opportunity so far, especially if Benjani's got a groin or a hamstring or whatever.
Sunderland have a lot to prove at home to Stoke. Is this the game where Asamoah Gyan finally gets 90 minutes? Every time he's come on he's looked dangerous. And fit and strong. I don't know why Steve Bruce's deluxe signing gets plonked on the bench. Having been tonked by neighbours Newcastle maybe, just maybe, a light will finally switch on in Steve Bruce's head.... Time to attack 'em, Mackems!
Balotelli is dirt cheap and he's Balotelli.... Well stroppy, prone to yellows, and losing his focus. But when he's on, he's unplayable. With Tevez in South America, surely it's time for Mario to start justifying the millions. I haven't picked him so far this season but City, like Sunderland, have a point to prove.
Just my random ruminations. I'm thinking about players and teams with a point to prove. I dropped noble, consistent Charlie Adam this week. Not too vexed because I dropped him for Alex Song (ruminating on players with a point to prove). ONE LOVE EVERYBODY!
Even Nani.
Bless.
don't like double game weeks. i prefer one by one. hoping yahoo doesn't changes the system.
gkinz
Adam plays and scores !
I love it!
BTW........AM, I love your blog. Read it every week. People who criticize your picks have no clue what this game is about. Keep up the good work!
Everyone should know by now that picking players could be a hit or miss. For example, I thought I did horrible this week having Drogba, Bosingwa and Chamakh, but I still got 95 points because I spent 26.19 to get Fabianski, Varney, Saicido and Adam, as they returned me 60.5 pts. In fact, the difference between a good and bad week purely from a quantitative point of view is usually a player or two. If you are complaining about how bad AM's picks are, you should consider why you didn't have players such as Saicido, Nani, Nolan or Barton as well as the other 3 GKs.
If you think AM's picks are often bad, consider that at least 4 of the top 10 players right now are affiliated with this blog by either tag or being in one of AM's groups. I don't think there is any other group that have more than 1 player in the top 10 right now.
I LOVE U AM!!
FROM,
UR FANS..:)
@ONE LOVE- I agree, i've been shifting my team around trying to fix in one of them, balotelli scores big every time i drop him but i'll give him two more tries, wk 11&12.
Though it away to Man United, i wont be surprised if Jarvis and Milijas scored well with the way they've been playing.
Though it away to Man United, i wont be surprised if Jarvis and Milijas scored well with the way they've been playing.
stop reading from this blog if you think it is crap..stOOpid
SK....
I don't mean to trouble you but I am a first year player. Year to date total is 824 points. You say 4/10 top players are on this blog? May I ask who?
I am very interested in learning as much as possible and find this sport "addicting" as well as the culture around it.
I am of 'Middle age" and very much the rookie.
With Fabregas back, do you think his presence will adversely affect Nasri's performance?
I.e. Is it wise to have both at the same time?\
Looking at
Fabianski
Zhirkov/ Dann/ Crainey
Nani/ Fabregas/ Nasri/ Gardner
Balotelli/ Diouf/ Berbatov
My preliminary team
AM what are your thoughts on sunderland this week I really screwed up I had Salcido last week and changed him (dont ask why)now hes almost 10 freaking points. I am looking at Onuoha and I am definitely signing Bent I see a blow up for him as Sunderland will try to make up for there last outing. Pretty much need a under 6pt defender to pair with evra and coleman.
Mignolet
Coleman Evra Onuoha
NANIIII Reo Coke Fabregas(if Recovers) VDV
Chamakh Chicarito Bent
What do you think?? w/ .34 to spair
Great week for me thanks to your blog 137 points
TY AM
I got 105.5 points this week thanks to ur analysis AM..your blog has ease my research on team selection as work has caught up with me lately n ur the first place i'll be looking as one of the reliable sources for my team..keep up the good work!!
damn i dropped adam for brunt..arghh!! my fault
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