Week 3 - Player Picks
My decision to go with N'Zogbia over Bent was one of the those changes and looking back (as I mentioned in the "My Team" post) I just don't know why I went with it when the two players cost the same amount. Also, my decision to spend big money on Baines; he was a good pick but I had to make too many changes to accommodate him and this made me feel uneasy throughout Friday and Saturday morning, but again for some reason I stuck with it. This week I'm sticking with my gut instinct and hopefully that will see a change of fortune!
So here we go, starting with a look at the Week 3 fixtures:
Stand-Out
CHELSEA v Norwich
MAN UTD v Arsenal
Chelsea weren't convincing on Saturday but they still overcame a very decent West Brom side and they should have too much quality for Norwich. Man United really turned it on against Spurs in the last half hour on Monday night and looked very strong, while Arsenal looked so fragile against Liverpool and have since lost Nasri, so I fear for them at Old Trafford this weekend.
Should Win
WIGAN v Queens Park Rangers
LIVERPOOL v Bolton
MAN CITY @ Tottenham
NEWCASTLE v Fulham
WEST BROM v Stoke
Wigan need to win these games to survive this year, I think they will beat QPR, who despite their win over Everton, mustered just 1 shot on goal in the whole game. I also think Liverpool will beat Bolton, but I'm expecting a really entertaining game at Anfield. Sadly (for me) I can't see past a Man City win at White Hart Lane given their start to the season and that would mean Spurs ending another weekend at the bottom of the league table.
Newcastle will host a Fulham side who travel to the Ukraine on Thursday in the Europa League and I'm expecting tiredness to affect them as it did at Wolves, with a home win the outcome again. Finally, West Brom v Stoke. Now usually I'd call this a draw, but West Brom were really quite good (and unlucky) against both Man Utd & Chelsea, Hodgson has bought well, and I think with home advantage, and Long & Odemwingie leading the line, they'll sneak this one.
Close/Draws
Aston Villa v Wolves
Blackburn v Everton
Swansea v Sunderland
Villa against Wolves should be a great clash, Blackburn v Everton not so much, and Swansea v Sunderland will be interesting. I'm feeling all three matches could end as draws but it could just as easily go either way, the Premier League is as unpredictable as ever.
Now with that in mind we move on to the players recommendations...
KEEPERS
Hilaro
De Gea
Vorm
DEFENDERS
Bosingwa
Enrique/Agger
Smalling
Richards
Vermaelen
Rangel
Riise
Caldwell
Tamas
MIDFIELDERS
Malouda/Lampard
Young/Nani
Adam
Silva
Van Der Vaart
Sessegnon
Watson/Moses
Cayabe/R.Taylor
Hoilett
Jarvis
Tchoyi
STRIKERS
Suarez
Rooney
Bent
Aguero
Long
Dzeko
Welbeck
Fletcher
I will try to get some analysis done tomorrow but unfortunately I can't promise as it all depends on work and other commitments. I will definitely be back with an update post on Friday.
Current team on my page...
De Gea, Brown, Agger, Richards, R.Taylor, Anderson, Silva, Van Der Vaart, Aguero, Suarez, Rooney
My strikeforce is immense but obviously that hurts the team elsewhere (Brown again, yuk) so that's something I need to think about. I could downgrade Agger so I can go Anderson > Hoilett but I'm undecided at the moment.
Obviously I'm lacking a Chelsea player but I don't think I can handle picking Torres again and I think I'd rather have my barndoored VDV @ 16 over Malouda @ 19. If Mata was added in time & likely to start then that would be great as he could come in for Anderson and complete my team perfectly, but it's unlikely there's enough time before the deadline. Do people think he'd be added as a midfielder or striker?
I'll be back with all the team and injury news (including the fall-out form the Champions League/Europa ties) on Friday afternoon.
How's your team looking?
Cheers,
AM
62 comments:
First! No Chicharito?
2nd !! I have Chicharito btw ....
I don't believe Ferguson will drop Welbeck or Rooney after their performances so far this season, so Hernandez would be on the bench. That's why he's not in the lists.
Having 4 ManU players saved me this week--as I also had 3 players in negative. Made it very nervous til Monday. And I still dont have a great score. I wonder if both Manchesters are going to be bad fantasy this year, cuz there's so much talent that rotation becomes standard. Will Berbatov ever play? Will Fergie give us a clue if it's safe to buy Wellbeck or Cleverly?
Happy to dump De Gea for a week, and consider him again after Arsenal. I bet Van Persie scores on him (but I don't think it's enough points to make it worth buying VP); definitely not convinced by De Gea yet, and he will stay cheap for a while. So it's Hilario-usness for me.
On the West Brom front, I think they look really good! Scharner in particular has been shooting and is bound to hit soon, I grabbed him at around 8. I also grabbed Reid , who was blocking shots like crazy, on the BD for under 3. Don't know if I will keep them both, but I might as it'd give me flexibility elsewhere and I feel confident that at home both can make back their value.
I'm eyeing Adebayor now at less than 6, cuz if he does sign for Spurs it'd be his style to score against Citeh (assuming he could get in the team that quickly). And I'm so excited about Mata coming in, he's going to be great. We will see some amazing play this season all around.
AM don't beat yourself up about Baines, that was a very sensible decision (as you laid out yourself in the post last week); set piece taker & defensive stalwart in the on-paper choice fixture. The odds were very much for it. Bent was a surer bet than nzog for sure, but it's really tough to choose between all the striker talent right now!
Call me crazy, but I'd put at least two of those "should wins" into the "close/draw" category (Wigan/QPR, West Brom/Stoke). But with me resting comfortably in 75th place in BL #4 my advice isn't worth the proverbial bucket of warm spit.
Lineup is still up in the air but the basic plan while Up remains Down is to go to a 4-3-3 and put as much quality up front as I can afford.
I think Mata may be added to the game as a forward.
Good point Fleeties, he probably would be, damn!
Odemwingie anyone?
He's fit and has a good home fixture.
What do you think about my team?
Degea
Bosingwa-Riise-Cahill
Tiote-Young-Ramsey-Taraabt
Aguero-Rooney-Suarez
I am thinking of replacing Ramsey and maybe Cahill too.
(playing on premierleague.com. only 1 transfer allowed.)
Another week where there just seems to be so many choices.
Rooney..would love to have him and still might. See equal possibilities for a goal and a card..or two? Might not be the points I am after for the cost. BFAY if anyone from Man U.
Klasnic anyone?? Tough match up for sure but wow...8.20!!! Only 7 players have scored more in two weeks and two of those are in goal. I will...how you say/take a punt?
Aguero/Long/Klasnic are my strikers and most likely only change with the introduction of Mata.
Still much work left to do.
Good luck all
Thanks Nik. And, in case anyone is interested, it looks like Barton is in talks with QPR. How would that affect their lineup?
Barton talks with QPR
"This week I'm sticking with my gut instinct and hopefully that will see a change of fortune!"
well said. I'm doing the same.
Nik, no love for Brunt?
We'll, if it's any consolation for others not getting of to a good start, my internet went down on the first week near the deadline (so no team at all), and only got 39.5 points last week.
I need alot of catching up to do.
CPFC
How about Heskey? He is cheap, pretty sure to start and could get some points. On the other hand, it's Heskey.
can you all think whether Aguero or Dzeko & Tevez or Adam Johnson to be a start forward??
@ Dr Teeth. If you read this I am booking real fast. Was here for Bob and it was "rich guys gone wild". No power, water, food in Chilmark for 7 days. Got really primitive real fast. Biggest piece of advice, if you stay, fill up your bathtubs and anything you can with water.
Have to save my team tonight. Fleeing Martha's Vineyard tomorrow in the face of what might be the biggest hurricane in the history of the east coast of the United States. Will be back in Ct and maybe faced with power outages for days.
Just decided to give you guys a little local color.
@ Nik. You are in trouble because our teams are almost identical. No, not really. The only lingering doubt I have is I BD'ed Rooney and have him over RVP. For some reason I think RVP may bust loose. I had him the 1st 2 weeks and he gave me squat. Also, I am a little gun shy about Aquero, because he got yanked so fast. But gotta give him another week.
VDV will be an SOT machine this year. A season keeper. But god Spurs need a striker and K2 isn't the solution.
Lastly @ Gingerman, do you realize this is first time Heskey has ever been mentioned here. Funny thing is Villa is playing him as a wing and I can almost, but not quite, see it.
Cheers, hope to be back on dry land and in the chat room on Friday night.
upon first glance I thought that was Gerrard at the top of this post! :P
@chrism - I'm with you there. First the earthquake now a hurricane! Not a fun week. Have to get my team decided well before the weekend.
Currently:
DDG
Riise-Richards-Bosingwa
Taarabt-Moses-Silva-Malouda
Sinclair-Suarez-Aguero
Not sure about Malouda, could go BFAY or Adam, or somebody cheap and them bump up Sinclair. Decision, decision...and not enough time to make them.
no brunt AM?
i barndoored and undid the barndoor. so i have some of the same players. i agree that van der vaart is better than malouda, so in he came for malouda.
de gea
riise, smalling, rangel
taarabt, ryan taylor, van der vaart, silva
aguero, dzeko, rooney
i picked silva because i think he will conitinue to do well until he starts splitting time with nasri. then i will drop him. silva i should have picked from week one, but did not know how well the offense for city, would be doing. dzeko is going to be one of the most important players for that team. if mata comes in at midfield, i will replace taarabt with him. if aquero does not start, i will replace him with klasnic. looking for another 100 point week.
one additional point. arsenal won today and played well, they should go into the manure game, with more confidence.
dear all,
is thr ny rules that limits number of transfers per week in fantasy premier league?
@Tony Stark - do you mean the official game, or yahoo? For yahoo, no, there is no limit of transfers.
For the official game, it's unlimited for the first week only, then just 1 transfer per week after, with a wildcard or two that you can play during the season to get unlimited transfers for that week.
This year, technical difficulties made them extend the unlimited period to week 2 to make it fair.
thanks kwyjibo..
btw, here is my team:
given
hangeland, shawcross, richards, warnock
toure, bale, cahill
dzeko, saha, suarez
i am in the dilemma of not having silva and VDV in the team..any comments?
I was also wandering about Malouda / VdV but opted Malouda because of the matchup.
My team atm
DeGea
Samlling-Brown-Agger
Taarabt-Silva-Adam-Malouda-Obertan
Aguero-Suarez
Not really happy with the midfield, thinking about changing Taarabt to Anderson and/or Adam to BFAY. Any feelings on that?
Obviously would love to get Roo, but cant afford it.
Hi Nik & all the regulars,
Good to be back & playing - for the first time I've had a good start to the season, so that makes it even better!
Like Mikl-em (post above), Scharner is in my team - he's looking good for fantasy points in def & attack, so my money is on him this week, at home.
Dropped Taarabt, who did well in the Championship, but I dont think he has a high enough level for the Prem.
Picked Angel Rangel- how can you ignore a player with a name like that?, and he wears the No. 22 shirt, (my lucky No.) so he's going to do well for me this week!!
Wondering whether to continue my Fab Fantasy Fillers spot this season - I don't really know if anyone makes use of it, and it takes an hour each week to prepare, so I'll continue if enough of you say that you'd like to see it continue.
Good luck for this w-end and especially to those of you on the east coast of the US !
Pauly
Dreamteam AM Blog
2 bad weeks in a row, let me see if i can be third time unlucky.
Dropped Suarez for Torres.
Hilario
Rangel Smalling Kelly
Moses VdV Cabaye Taarabt
Aguero Rooney Torres
vorm
caldwell senderos brown
silva r.taylor mgp jarvis
davies long anelka
Mata's certainly going to be added as a forward in the game. Yahoo's La Liga fantasy game had him listed as a forward.
Yahoo are yet to add him and Lukaku to the game though. Hope that's done soon.
Cabaye is having a good average so far
Can't let Suarez Rooney and aguero go @ discount!
How about Anelka? He looked terrific last week against tougher opposition than this week. Anyone think he and Malouda (came on for a weak Kalou halfway through the first half) are guaranteed to start after both of their performances?
No love for Tom Cleverley?
Vermaelen or Smalling? Any thoughts ?
@ paulyff - I like reading your fab fillers. They help my team big time mate.
Thanks for your valuable time and effort in doing them.
LC
@Pauly
I enjoy and make use of your Fab Fillers! In fact I think Nik should include it in the blog. Thanks for your time.
I'm looking at
De Gea
Brown/ Richards/ Riise
Van der Vaart/ Silva/ Watson/ Rodwell
Suarez/ Bent/ Aguero
Looking at Adebayor and possibly Mata on the barndoor to accompany Aguero and a stronger showing in midfield and defence too! Not sure if Mata will make an impact but K2 was pretty decent on loan at Real and will be eager to prove his Premiership credentials again!
Damn, Ryan Taylor played 120 minutes against Scunthorpe in what was a largely 2nd string team. With only 3 days til the Fulham game i would say it's unlikely he starts. Also Riise went off injured in the Fulhan game, apparently looks serious. This has forced me to re-jig my team, but i like the look of it..
De Gea
Bosingwa Agger Caldwell
Taarabt Silva Hoilett Moses
Aguero Suarez Rooney
Had to get De Gea in for Given in the end..i culdn't miss out on Man U's keeper for 6.44. Other recent changes were STaylor MTaylor Riise ---> Caldwell Hoilett Moses.
Currently have 113 points and ranked 63,863 :D
Man do i need a good week.
Doh, just seen Moses is likely out..
Hola folks well I switched sorta up this week
Here's how the old Xtreme Geckos look
Hilario
A.Rangel, R.de Laet, P.Senderos, E.Boyce,
R. Taylor, Anderson, T.Smith, M.Formica
D.Bent, W.Rooney
Yeah and if you still looking for a league to join or play in Carolina Football League #8911 and pass geckos
Would someone explain the term to "barn door" a player? Thanks for the help.
I have two options for the coming week with the funds that I have available.
DeGea
Brown,Smalling,Caldwell
Silva,VDV,Anderson,Reid
Aguero,Rooney,Suarez
OR
DeGea
Brown,Smalling,Caldwell
Silva,VDV,BFAY,Anderson(or another at 8.0 or less)
Aguero,Suarez,Long
Need some help deciding the best way to go based upon match ups and potential for fantasy points. Need a big week!!!!
Barndooring = getting a player on your fantasy team before their price rises.
The amount of time you have to barndoor seems to be variable.
@Mikl-em, Fleeties.
K2 signed... but it's a season long loan.. I dont think he's going to be eligible to play against Citeh... perhaps you could BD him on saturday.
ameobi?
Hilario(cheapest gk)
Vermaelen(best defender in the world)
Brown(cheapest defender)
Woodgate(rested midweek)
Silva(no-brainer)
Delph(cheapest)
Young(?)
Nani(?)
Aguero(duh)
Rooney(18.6, season keeper)
Sinclair(cheap and highly volatile)
@chi Yeah just realized that, thanks! So yeah, need to get K2 on the BD for next week. bummer because he does like to show off against his former employers. but I guess City are still paying his wages.
I think I need to choose between Anelka & Odemwingie. Though having 3 WBA players may be too crazy even for me. Good thing Chelsea's getting another Forward huh? They were almost out.
Revised my lineup to a 3-5-2. Focused on players who will defiinitely start ( so decided against all the Chelsea forwards, because who knows if this is week Drogs finally starts). realized that Silva is cheaper than I had expected. Last year he seemed to play well but not get points that reflected it. Hopefully he keeps up this starts and scores more goals + assists (not just enabling assists).
Here's my current team:
Hilarity
Smalling WesB Bosingwa
BFAY Scharner Reid Silva
Rooney Aguero
My only worry is on Bosingwa not starting. Hopefully Ivan comes in for Alex not him. Good luck everyone!
I h for something slightly different this week and I'm hoping it pays. Gonna give Mr Torres 1 more chance and I'm gonna take a gamble with Mr Obertan
I currently sit with
De Gea
Brown, Woodgate, Shorey
Silva, BFAY, Obertan, Lampard
Aguero, Suarez, Torres
What do you think.
Comments appreciated.
Thanks in advance
LC
Pauly, you shouldn't need to ask! I tend to scroll down all the comments on a Saturday morning looking for your post! Please keep up the good work mate as too many posts are of no use at all and yours are always helpful!
I have picked Anderson over Taarabt, so I have ManU on mid. What do you think, Malouda or BFAY? Malouda has a better match up but sort of worried if he´ll start or not.
Long would be intersting aswell with the great form and decent matchup he has. Any thoughts there?
AM : what is the condition of j.riise.? he was subs early during Europa match last night..
Still have a fair about of last minute changes to figure on.
Trying to understand the comment of 1998jjb...
"too many post are of no use at all"?
With 9 or so leagues filling up with 100 players each, and a high end posting total for a certain "thread" is around 60, personally I would like to see as many post (useless or not) as possible.
What may be useless to one person may just be a reinforcement of thought to another. Personally I got nothing out of your last post..But I am glad you made it!
No postings..no blog!
Even these: ...53rd!
mata is in! :D
And he is a forward :(
My Current team is
DeGea
Riise Vermaelen Brown
VdV Young Obertan Silva
Suarez Aguero Long
but wanted to barndoor Adebayour in longs place and with my extra 4 credits i would sell obertan and put matta in. nw all my plans is screwed.
What to do?
At the moment im sitting omn
DDG
Richards Bosingwa Brown
Silva Sessegnon Scharner Moses
Rooney Aguero Suarez
My only concern is the lack of a attacking Chelsea player. I could switch Suarez with Anelka but i doubt if that is good idea. Malouda and Lampard are too expensive and Torres... is Torres
@Pauly - I also agree 100% with @Fleeties: "I enjoy and make use of your Fab Fillers! In fact I think Nik should include it in the blog. Thanks for your time."
Reading the Chelsea team news, it seems a doubt if Mata will take part. Then again, the same doubts led many of us to drop Aguero for Man City's opener, and look what happened!
I may put him in to replace Sinclair, but it's tough since Sinclair is a sure starter, and has a favorable home matchup against Sunderland. Maybe BD Mata? Will lightning strike twice in the premier league?
Currently I have:
DDG
Richards-Bosingwa-Smalling
Taarabt-Silva-VdV-Cabaye
Sinclair-Suarez-Aguero
Not happy with Taarabt's performace so far, may switch him out. Also not sure about VdV full price. Also, Malouda is tempting with the better matchup.
How is Nasri's inclusion going to change things for Silva? We'll have to see how well he fits in.
@Pauly I want to echo the others cheers for you to keep up the discount bulletins. Appreciate the work and the generous spirit which is hand-in-hand with how Nik has approached this blog and why it has caught on & works so well.
On that note Neal (or was it Jeremy) suggested Yossi B, who is under 4. So I may bring him in for Reid. Suggestion is they'd put him in the shop window before the transfer window closes (ha!). May be a long shot, but it's a decent filler option.
And darn these pesky price changes! I'm suddenly a penny over budget with the team I've been sitting on; I hope that changes back somehow, what a headache! Check your eam if you haven't locked it in yet.
@Mikl-em
I have the same back line as yours.
I cant afford Rooney so I picked up Welback, hopefully he plays as well as he did last week..
@Louis
I had Brown + Woodgate in W2 and I got negative points from both... I'm keeping Brown because of his price, i'm not sure you want to keep them both this week though...
My Current team is:
De Gea
Richards Smalling Enrique
VdV Silva Taarabt Toure
Suarez Aguero Klasnic
If Taarabt can't produce at least double figures against Wigan then I'll just replace him with a cheaper filler and upgrade another position.
hopefully juan mata will help torres to perform better this time...plus raul meireles goin to chelsea...
spending money on juan mata and meireles is worthwile....
Post a Comment