Week 24 - My Team

 Hilario

Hutton   Fox   Bale

Lee CY   Gerrard   Eagles   Richardson

Bendtner   Drogba   Bent

I thought long & hard about whether to pick Torres this week...in fact my entire team was based on him at one point. Up to yesterday evening I had him in there, but I couldn't find any news confirming he would start.

If anything, there were more quotes from Benitez stating he wouldn't rush him - and the fact he didn't even get a 20 minute run-out on Thursday makes me think he's unlikely to start the Blackburn game. 

Week 24 - Team News

Some news I thought might be of interest to many of you. I'll try to add to it throughout the day when I get a chance.

(To be honest I'm just waiting for news on Torres' likeliness to start...!)

Week 24 - Player Picks

Week 24 is a single week & I'm very pleased about it. Despite having some decent double/triple weeks recently I much prefer it when sides are playing 1 game - it's more enjoyable to pick a team & probably more fair as it takes a lot of the "luck-factor" away (unexpected midweek injuries/suspensions/rests etc).

So we have 16 teams playing 1 game & 4 teams having a rest; Man Utd, Aston Villa, West Ham & Hull do not play. To start with, lets look at the fixtures...

Week 23 - Tuesday

The end of another week & another two goals for Manchester United talisman Wayne Rooney. What a season he's having for last years Champions, and what hope he's giving England fans with the World Cup just over 4 months away.

United ran out comfortable 3-0 winners over a West Ham side who had a go, but just didn't have the quality to break down the home side. As mentioned, 2 goals from Rooney & 1 from substitute Michael Owen sealed victory & while the Hammers had chances, the defence was well marshalled by Vidic on his return - he'll make a big difference for the run in.

Week 23 - Sunday

I know we're still waiting for the majority of Wigan/Tottenham player points to be updated, but knowing Yahoo we may have to wait until the midweek game for this to happen so I thought I'd proceed with my Sunday review anyway.

I'll start by saying that considering I only had 2 players, it was a very good day for me thanks to the man pictured above (& Spurs' result...)

Week 23 - Saturday

Another twist in the title race yesterday, as Man Utd lost again (and deserved to - Everton outplayed them), allowing Chelsea to stretch their lead & Arsenal to get within 2 points of them. It really does look like this one could run to the wire, which is great for us neutrals!

At the other end of the table, West Ham got a vital but comfortable win over fellow strugglers Hull but there was very very late heartbreak for poor old Portsmouth, as 10 man Stoke snatched a 94th minute winner at Fratton Park. You have to feel sorry for them.

Week 23 - My Team

James

Bale  Upson  Evra

Valencia  Parker  Fletcher  Downing

Rooney  Cole  Bendtner

Another deadline has passed & I must admit I'm pretty pleased with the team I've settled on. I managed to fit in 7 decent double gamers and also cover the 2 stand out single game fixtures...Arsenal & Villa. My only disappointment is not having a Chelsea player, but you can't have it all!

Week 23 - Player Picks

After what seems like an eternity (2 weeks to be precise), it's time for my Week 23 Player Picks. Following the craziness of Week 22, I'm sure many of us were praying for a single week but unfortunately it was not to be. 

Manchester Utd  & West Ham have a double week, as they play Everton & Hull respectively this weekend before meeting each other at Old Trafford next Tuesday (5 days before Man Utd face Villa in the Carling Cup Final).

The AM Challenge Cup - 3rd Round Results

Week 22 is finally over after a simply terrible 0-0 draw between Wigan & Bolton last night...not many points about, but Yahoo have updated both midweek games meaning I could calculate the AM Challenge 3rd Round Results this morning.

I finished the week on 184 thanks to 10 points from Steinsson last night, but overall I'm sure you'll agree that the final third of the triple week was very disappointing - Rodallega is added to my "dead to me" list.

Week 22 - Quick Update

Quick post to let you know my plans for the rest of the week.

As you're aware, we're waiting for Yahoo to update the points from Stoke v Man City last night so I can't really analyse the game...not that there will be too many points about, as the triple week looks like it'll end disappointingly.

Stoke v Man City

As many of you have already mentioned in the comments section of Friday's post, there's bad news for many of us holding triple gamers.

It's always a risk when a player has 2 or 3 games (plus the FA Cup in between), and for some of us it looks like it may not pay off after all.

Injury Update 12/02/10

Injury news from football365.com

Week 22 - Wednesday

Once again it was another unbelievable night of Premiership action; only 1 of the Top 8 sides were able to claim victory, as the title race was blown wide open once more.

Arsenal were the side that may have forced there way back in to it, as they gave Liverpool a 1-0 reality check at the Emirates in a game of little quality with both sides well short of their best.

Week 22 - Tuesday

For all of us who took the risk with triple gamers this week, last night was a big night...not just in terms of Week 22, but in terms of the season as a whole.

We of course also had Fulham 3-0 Burnley (lots of great points for Fulham defenders - Schwarzer with a huge haul & Shorey looking a steal) & Portsmouth 1-1 Sunderland (last minute clean sheet agony for us Hutton holders but goals for Bent & Dindane).

But then we had Man City v Bolton & Wigan v Stoke....

Where Are The Points?

Hi guys - sorry for the lack of posts over the past 48 hours; I went into Central London to watch the Superbowl in The Sports Cafe last night & after getting home at 11am this morning (with no sleep) I have only just been able to turn my laptop on.

As you are aware, Yahoo have been incredibly slack & have still not updated the points, so it's difficult for me to review the action. I was doing okay with 2 goals, an assist & clean sheet but after Drogba ripped Arsenal apart yesterday my week isn't looking so bright.

Week 22 - My Team

Given

Hutton  Bale  Shawcross  Steinsson

N'Zogbia  Etherington  Lee

   Tevez  Rodallega  Adebayor

Yes - as you can see, I've gone back on everything I stand for & gone with Adebayor. But before you hunt me down & beat me with baseball bats, please let me explain...

Week 22 Selection Dilemmas

I thought I'd post a bit of an update now I've whittled down my initial list of Week 22 player picks to 18 players.

I'm still having trouble making some of the big decisions - not helped by a dream I had last night that Matt Taylor scored 2 penalties vs Fulham. Why on earth I'm dreaming about Bolton I do not know but it's now got me thinking that I should find a way to get him in to my team.

Week 22 - Player Picks

Firstly, a quick review of last night's only Premiership game - and it was the man pictured above me who turned out to be the swing pick of the week.

Fulham earned a scrappy 1-0 win over seemingly doomed Portsmouth, with Schwarzer ending the week on a superb 22.5 points after a number of fine saves, a clean sheet & a win. Those of us who went with Cech shake our heads in disbelief, but it's another one of those decisions where you can't be too hard on yourself.

Week 21 - Tuesday

Only one game in the Premiership last night, but what a let down it was for those of us who jumped on the Chelsea Double-Week-Wagon.

Burnley & Hull (even away) were 2 games the majority of us expected Chelsea to run riot in, at least 1 clean sheet & 2 comfortable wins with plenty of points along the way. Unfortunately, after their 1-1 draw with Hull last night I'm left feeling very disappointed.

Deadline Day

So Deadline Day is over for the Premier League and to be honest there wasn't too much to get excited about.

The biggest move of the day was Robbie Keane departing Spurs for Celtic, but seeing as this is a Fantasy Football Blog lets focus on the players who have come in. Here's a full list of the comings & goings in the English top flight...