No need for me to explain what huge news this is for the fair majority of fantasy managers...
ANCELOTTI SET TO REST DROGBA & KALOUSo that's decided it for me, I stick with Anelka. I'd love Drogba, and there is a good chance he could go to town vs Hull next week, but Anelka vs Burnley is too good to turn down.
It is a measure of Carlo Ancelotti's confidence that he is prepared to travel to Burnley on Saturday without star strikers Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou.
The Ivory Coast pair have returned from African Nations Cup duty but will not be considered for the Barclays Premier League game at Turf Moor.
The Italian coach wants to give them more time to recover from their return journey from Angola and insisted that the Burnley game has arrived too early for them.
"Didier and Kalou came back yesterday and they are well and fit," said Ancelotti.
"But they need to work for some days and so will not able to play tomorrow. They will play on Tuesday against Hull.
"Didier will stay here to train. He has come back very well, also Kalou. They are fit but they travelled yesterday and so we don't want to take the risk for the next games."
What are you gonna do? (Join the Facebook Group? 400 members & growing...)
UPDATE: O'Hara is back for Pompey, cheers to Jeremy & Neal over on fantasyepl for pointing this out
Cheers,
AM
The best thing to do now is keep Anelka because he will start even if Drogba is back. I've hardly seen Drogs starting with Anelka on the bench. So definitely keeping Anelka for the double.
ReplyDeleteGotta love Ancelotti...his attitude is great, no fun/games or subterfuge. He's basically just like "My players are awesome, I have nothing to hide, here's who I'm going to play - try and stop us." If only more managers were like him.
ReplyDeleteWell, this certainly makes life a lot easier and I'll be able to play Elk with a lot less trepidation (now all I need to worry about is the fall-out from not playing Tevez).
My provisional line-up:
Cech
Bale Baird Terry
Modric Duff Lamps Gera O'Hara
Elk Kalinic
I could swap out Gera and O'Hara for Zamora and Utaka...any opinions on that are greatly appreciated.
Also - told y'all that Alex would start at least one of the games for Chelsea. Glad that I BDed Terry.
Tevez, Tevez, Tevez....what to do.
me also will stick wit anelka..my team:
ReplyDeletemyhill(big gamble)
verm, hangeland, bale
cole,utaka,hunt,duff
ronney(bought @ 17), anelka, zamora..
week 22 is also DG week..but chelsea n arsenal has a tough fixtures..versus each other on saturday n ars vs liverpool with everton vs chelsea.. might buy drogba after next week..
O'hara WILL be in the portsmouth squad for the DG week.
ReplyDeleteSaitofall
i will leave drogba out for this DW no matter what Carlo said... I would like that O'Hara didn't returned for DW... Who will play now in midfield for Pompeys?
ReplyDeleteSchwarzer
ReplyDeleteVermaelen Bale Baird
Bilyaletdinov Fabregas Duff Mokoena
Anelka Drogba Fagan
This is my current team, but I will switch Drogba out now and BD him for next week, probably switch to Zamora. That would give me some funds to upgrade Schwarzer to Cech, and then upgrade Mokoena to maybe O'Hara
with nes that O'hara will play for portsmouth this dg week I changed my lineup.
ReplyDeleteCech(10)
Bale A.Cole(10)Baird
Duff Murphy O'hara Lampsy(18) Utaka
Anelka(15)Fagan
The only cause for trepidation is the uncertainity as to whether the Yahoo system give points to O'hara while he is listed under tottenham. Can anyone vitiate my fears :)
saitofall
Vitiate - good word.
ReplyDeleteAs I said in the chatroom, last year I selected Defoe after he was transferred from Pompey to Spurs and he when he scored for Spurs I got the points even though he was still listed by YFF as a Pompey player.
Hey guys i could use a little help.
ReplyDeleteAnelka/Baird or Tevez/Ivanovic
CP
Just wonder which filler is better:
ReplyDeleteMokoena or Mullins?
It seems that Soccernet listed Mullins as a right midfield in the draw against West Ham? Should I pick him instead?
Yes I know Barmby/Utaka are better fillers but I am just short of those little fund.
fagan
ReplyDeleteO'Hara is now listed as Portsmouth so consider your fears vitiated.
ReplyDeletedamn. i already sold anelka an dlost the discount. and sold defoe as well, so from 3 dicsounted strikers to just Rooney. Decisions, decisions. Zamora may get in then, and I'll look for a big gun in MF.
ReplyDeleteThose that held on to Drogba at ~10. will obviously keep him for a single. I would maybe even advise to add him at ~18. over Anelka since he has a good shot to out-shine Anelka as usual against Hull (Burnley will be good defensively at home, eh?) Hull, not so. Also, Anelka has played a lot recently and could see a rest or partial game to Hull. Plus, you don't want to see Drogba inflate over 20 do you? as he may be a mandatory player for the remainder. Remember, Chelsea has only missed him for the last two EPL games against Sunderland and Birmingham AT home and the last Drogba show was a goal against Fulham. I would suspect he'll still be the go-to...
ReplyDeleteI agree that Anelka may not play the entire 2nd game, as Chelsea has been playing very well since switching to a lone striker. But I also think Bellamy may be a good choice; he's cheaper than Tevez and they are no longer playing United. A bit unsure about Murphy though. I think he still takes the PKs but other than that he's pretty useless. Else, I like my balance in the team. I may only have 7 DGers but I have a good feeling that most will score their value or more.
ReplyDeleteSchwarzer
Bale Terry Baird
Lampard Duff O'Hara Murphy
Kalinic Bendtner Bellamy
- SK
Is Ballack likely to play both games? If not, who should I pick up in that price range? I already have Duff.
ReplyDeleteDave
hep pls...
ReplyDeletelampard and piquionne?
or
duff and tevez?
thanks in advance...
I have a dilema and need some help.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to decide whether to go with Hangeland/O'Hara or Ivanovic/Utaka.
My worry is Ivanovic or Utaka not play both games.
Any suggestion is highly appreciated
Why is there so much reluctance towards Arsenal/ManU game? I know a general rule is to stay away from the top four battles I think due to neil and jeremy, but why? I think its gonna be wide open and one of the big scoring matches of the weekend. Rio gone, Verm gone, in come WEAKER defenders with in form offensive juggernauts (rooney, fab) I can see why this week you owuldnt pick because of high prices/double games, but if this was a single weekend I think people would stay away just as much. If I remember correctly, those "big 4" games usually score big (manchester derby 4-3, Lpool V arse 4-3) Let's open some discussion to this.
ReplyDelete@ToffeeDave - i would think both Arsenal and ManU really want this win (obviously) so my guess is they will be very conservative and defensive. Rio may be out, but Vidic is back and Evans/Brown aren't exaclty weak defenders... and VDS in goal.. I would tip ManU to take this one even though they are away.. I could see Sol Campbell having a meltdown.. and with Arsenal's lack of strikers, even though Fab is riding brilliant form, not sure they will be scoring at will as they have.. Maybe Bendtner can come in and create some magic, but I doubt it.. I'm still holding Rooney at discount, kind of regret dropping VDS, but I'm liking SWarts for the double and good schedule for the next few..
ReplyDeleteanyway, good topic.. I could see the match being a nil nil draw or if someone scores early it could open up..
I have some fear of adding Schwarzer in. Given might be safer as he plays only one game home to Pompey, and some of Schwarzer's points from his home fixture vs Pompey might be deducted by his match with Villa. If he gets about the same amount of points that Given gets from his game against Pompey, but has minus points from the game with Villa, it will be very annoying, and it's a big risk.
ReplyDeleteI currently hold Given, but I'm very confused and any help will be, well... helpful.
Given
Vermaelen Bale Baird
Duff Malouda JCole O'Hara
Anelka Tevez Kalinic
SF
MALOUDA WILL PLAY 2 MATCHES? OR DROGBA WILL TAKE HIS PLACE AT HULL MATCH?
ReplyDeletethe Admiral is keen to Tevez with Pompey coming to town, here is my line-up for this week:
ReplyDeleteCech
Bale Terry Baird
Cesc Duff Malouda Mokoena
Kalinic Tevez Donovan
good luck to all!
I have a really weird side, for me, but I'm starting to feel pretty good about it. I have one interesting decision to make. I'm holding Kirkland in goal at 1.34, and knowing he's injured I'm okay to take that hit to forego the risk of another cheap keeper. I tend to see keepers as more liability than point opportunity (although admittedly, there have been a lot more CSs recently than at the season's start).
ReplyDeleteBut the other option would be to drop A Cole, who I've picked up at full price for, Terry (who I am certain will play both games). Then I could afford Given, who has a single against Pompey. I like that rather than the DG GK options. I already have Ivan @ a discount, and don't trust another Chelsea DF to play both games.
Thoughts? Ashley is pretty pricey right now at 14, but he's always going to score more pts per game than Terry (10.5), I'd think.
@Mikl: In my opinion Ashley Cole is too expensive to pick up for the double games, I just don't see him picking up as many points as you would want for that price. I would drop him to afford Given if you don't like another DG option, plus Citeh are looking at a possible triple week soon would be nice to have Given anyway :D
ReplyDeleteThis is the week I'm most conflicted about...
ReplyDelete@ mikl-em: I've got Kirkland, too, at 1.73 and am happy to keep him because I also think cheap goalies are a liability
I've dropped Terry in favour of Ivanovic thanks to the revelations about JT's private life in the press... it might throw him off his game a little.
I've got Fabregas @ 17.51 so am reluctant to drop him.
Also, I've gone for Anelka AND Drogba because, as Anon says, having Drogba @ 18:63 will probably be as low a price as he's going to be in the season to come.
Full line-up:
Kirkland
Bale Baird Ivanovic
Fabregas Mokoena Gera Ballack
Anelka Nevland Drogba
Schwartz
ReplyDeleteBaird, Verm, Bale
Duff, Malouda, O'Hara, Moke
Rooney, Tevez, Zamora
phew, tough tough choices but there it is
for those with the Captain Kirk dilemma, you could always pick up Fulop for 1.00 and know that he will do no harm...
ReplyDeleteBean I see man u winning this by scoring 3 goals, ranging from 3-0 to 3-2. Either way I cant see them not scoring especially after a boost against city.
ReplyDeletePersonally I think the Arsenal-ManU game will tend to be low scoring. United situation this weekend is different from against City, so I don't see either side scoring more than 2 goals.
ReplyDelete- SK
Schwartz
ReplyDeleteVerm Bale Ivanovic
Lamps Duff Ohara Utaka
Anelka Tevez Donovan
Im a little nervous about having 2 portsmouth players in my team but oh well. May swap Ivanovic for Baird allowing me to get Zamora for Donovan but Lando is playing so well right now im not sure if its worth it.
CP
@bean-
ReplyDeleteI see your fulop suggestion, and was thinking that myself.
i have two scenarios:
1. P. Robinson, Gera, O'Hara
-or-
2. Fulop, Duff, Zhirkov (or other player for 6.15)
Please help.
Andrew
Yuck, tough time this week
ReplyDeletedropped Almunia and Cesc at big discounts
picked up Drogs but droppped him for Elk.
Current team is
Schwarz
verm/bale/stearman
Lamps/J. Cole/Moks/ Gera
Rooney/Elk/Kalinic
I know verm is doubtful but I just can't drop that discount, same with Bale. Stearman and Moks are fillers and Kalinic is cheap but seems to be firing on all cylanders so why not.
Plan on dropping Elk for Drogs but we shall see.
mogs - please ignore discounts
ReplyDeletethere are always other players available
notice the top 10
they all ignore discounts and focus on match-ups...
verm,bale,sterman(?),rooney/kalinic
IGNORE
forget discounts...
ps i am top 250
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGordon
ReplyDeleteBale Ivanovic Baird
Ballack Malouda Duff Utaka
Rooney Zamora Piquionne
Cech
ReplyDeleteVerm Bale Baird
Bily Fabs Duff O'Hara
Anelka Zamora Fagan
This is my current team. Verm's injury is not serious, so I think I will take a zero for a week. Still holding Bale, Bily and Fabs at great discounts, while the rest are DGers
Schwarzer
ReplyDeleteBale Verm Baird
Kovac, Lampard, Duff, O'Hara, Hunt
Rooney, Fagan
Kovac has been earning his price at 3.92, so I'll stick with him. Bale/Verm/Baird is a very popular backline this week. If only this stupid transfer embargo hadn't of happened and I'd still have O'hara at 5+
Have Assou-Ekotto back?I didn't see him in physioroom list.
ReplyDeleteCech
ReplyDeleteBale,JTerry,BHangland
JCole,Ohara,Utaka,Gera
Rooney,Anelka,Puiqoone
Pretty happy I got such a team for this weekend...Aiming for at least 150 points!!
hahaha at least I dont hide behind the internet liek you anonymous. I dont care what people think of what I say because im passionate about footy and generally love unlike you who are probably some p.o.s. who probably supports a top european team because they win trophies and you can brag to your friends how "your" team is so good and you in some direct relation must also be somehow good because you support them. If you don't catch my humor that's fine, im sorry you dont have a sense of it. P.S. Saha to score 4 goals tomorrow with Donovan assisting 2.
ReplyDeletenobody like Tevez home to an unpaid Pompey @15.93?
ReplyDelete@ToffeeDave - I thought i read of a Jagielka sighting near the training grounds?
ReplyDeleteat the moment I'm looking at:
ReplyDeleteSWarts
Ivanovic,Verm,Bale
Lampard,Murphy,MaxiRod,Mok
Anelka,Tevez,Kali
but that's dropping Rooney,Malouda
My team :
ReplyDeleteSWord
Verm, Bale, Baird
Fab, Duff, Utaka, Maxi
Anelka, Teves, Kalinic
Gud Luck....
@ELFA Gunners
I took out Given, Gera and Ballack last night, and got Schwarzer, JCole and O'Hara instead. Let's see if this were a good thing, or whether Jeremie and Neal's rule about Friday trading spites me yet again.
ReplyDeleteSchwarzer
Vermaelen Bale Baird
Duff Malouda O'Hara JCole
Anelka Tevez Kalinic
I know - the same amount of players from Fulham and Chelsea. That's weird, but I really don't count on Chelsea's defence after I picked Ivanovic against Sunderland and they conceded 2, even if they're playing Burnley and Hull. I also hope Bale maintains his starting spot with his form, he's been a very good buy, and I hope Vermaelen returns soon.
SF
MALOUDA WILL PLAY AGAINST HULL? OR JUST 1 GAME?(BURNLEY)
ReplyDeletehi need some advice here..i have these players. begovic or sorenson? and r. johnson or shawcross? begovic DG but tough fixtures,johnson high chance cleansheet but shawcross sometimes will assist or even score. thx in advance
ReplyDeleteMy team for week 21:
ReplyDeleteCech @10,01 - expect at least one CS + 2 wins + 3-5 saved... maximum conceding 1 goal... around 20 points... Schwartzer is also a great choice(he will get more saves) but Chelsea is Chelsea
Bale @2,65 - my only one gamer... season keeper even if he get benched 5 games in the row
Terry - plays great(no so YFF wise),only sure defensive starter for Chelsea, Cashley could stay more behaind if Zhirkov plays
Baird - i could pick Smalling or Hangeland also, but choosed Baird... I think he will play in midfield... Fulham could get 2 CS... Villa didn't score in last 4 games, and Pompeys scored just 5 goals away, and in total mess
Lampard @18,79 - he will do his job, not my favorite player but YFF wise he is great pick
Gera - cheap, solid player playing offensive and likes to shoot... great pick just under 6M
Utaka @3,37 - he might get benched, but if he plays with O'hara behaind his back he could do nice... need just 5 points from him to make me happy
Hunt - bit expensive because of that brace against Bolton but he will get 15 points for sure just on his work rate and crossing
Duff - alfa and omega of Fulham... expensive but he plays fanstasic football... for me in TOP 5 midfielders of the EPL
Anelka @15,03 - i hope he will score against Burnley in first half... he will be benched in both games(i would like that)... If he plays a full game today he might make room for Drogba on midweek... I am afraid of that, and that is reason why i left Flo Malouda @12,40 out of my team...
Fagan - he is only starter that i could fit in... he is ok player, but YFF wise he is useless... maybe he will suprise me...
Okay, thanks, as usual, to @Kellz for good advice, here's my lineup...
ReplyDeleteGiven
Ivan Baird Upson
Utaka Duff O'Hara JoCole
Rooney Zamora Donovan
Only 3 of those are discount holdovers (Rooney @16, Ivan @9, Upson @8.4). 2 are BDs: Landon & Utaka both about 1.5 cheaper than current price.
And I end up with 7 Double-Gamers. Which I think is right, cuz any more you tend to be forcing it.
I am due a good week, so I hope this comes together well. On the BD I'm looking for Tevez and any number of ManUrian candidates. ;))
this time last week i heard rooney was being rested so i swapped him for berbatov and brought in valencia. NOT AGAIN.
ReplyDelete@richy 'liverpool': You meant Drogba being rested? NOT the same thing. The information is VERY clear and comes directly from Ancelotti's mouth on Chelsea's official website.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1949099,00.html
just a random topic, why in the world that Gudjohnsen chose Spurs instead of Hammers? he is sure no-starter with Modric, Krancar, Lennon, Keane, Bentley(!) etc ahead of him... at Hammers, he is a sure STAR with the whole team is to be played around him....
ReplyDeletefantasy wise, nothing much is expecting from him now...
just wondering why...
Fung
110 pts last week. i'm loving these DG weeks!
ReplyDelete~Newbie
anyway Ohara was transferred over to the pompey midfield in YFF already.
ReplyDelete~Newbie
@ Fung I think he will get games at spurs - if he's still up to it then I reckon he could go ahead of keane in the pecking order, and I reckon Harry doesnt like using crouch as plan A. + its relegation battle vs champions league battle...
ReplyDeleteI didnt really understand the comments from WH - its not like they have exclusive rights to talk to the player. childish
Joshtottenham
Triple gamers for Stoke, Man City, Wigan and Bolton for Week 22!
ReplyDeletebolton triple gamers nx week?im thinking about wilshere
ReplyDeletekvarme
AM
ReplyDeleteWhere is your team?
@Bojan: You have a very good team there.
ReplyDeleteWe share 8 of the same players. The only exceptions are anelka, fagan and lampard. My other three are fabs, tevez and kalinic.
bengoh91
@Josh - i think it was that Gudjon was already having a medical with the Hammers, so maybe it was super last minute change of heart.. but yeah, a player can go where he wants.
ReplyDeleteya bean I remember reading something that he was running with the team a few weeks ago and just found an article where he will be in full training before the next match. I can only hope Arteta and jags find form before march. That's because after february, we play easy winnable matches for the rest of the year with our best team in top form along with the europa which we need badly. Aside from all my crazy predictions, I hope we do well enough to finish 6th like I thought we would, and work on that seemingly inevitable slow start for next year. Can't wait to see a full year with this fully fit everton side. Toffees for 4th next year? Arsenal will become much more dangerous, Chelsea will dip in form with age, Man Utd. are unpredictable to me. so I figure 2nd place like this one, liverpool I see falling apart if they dont make top 4 this year. God damn I love epl.
ReplyDeleteHaven't posted for a while - sorry. Computer broke. Team still doing well though!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I haven't read all the comments regarding triple gameweeks or anything yet, but have been working on my team and came up with this list below for people who are choosing their teams. A little table showing which teams have what games:
Arsenal - @CHE, LIV
Aston Villa - @TOT, MAN
Birmingham - WOL, @WHU
Blackburn - @STO, HUL
Bolton - FUL, @MAC, @WIG
Burnley - WHU, @FUL
Chelsea - ARS, @EVE
Everton - @LIV, CHE
Fulham - @BOL, BUR
Hull - MAC, @BLA
Liverpool - EVE, @ARS
Man City - @HUL, BOL, @STO
Man Utd - POR, @AST
Portsmouth - @MAN, SUN
Stoke - BLA, @WIG, MAC
Sunderland - WIG, @POR
Tottenham - AST, @WOL
West Ham - @BUR, BIR
Wigan - @SUN, STO, MAC
Wolves - @BIR, TOT
Just for easier reference when seeing what players have what match-ups this coming gameweek
hi guys.. just wondering.. why is klasnic dropped last night?.. i'm actually thinking of fielding him for bolton's triple game next week..
ReplyDeleteMaxer..