Week 9 - My Team

Kirkland

Bosingwa  Zhirkov   Bale

Nani  Adam  Reo-Coker  Van Der Vaart  Malouda

Obinna   Drogba

I think this is the probably the first time I've ever used my filler as the subject of the blog post photo, but I was sick of posting up pictures of Drogba every week so though it would make a nice change!

I don't often use a filler, but in order to get the big-guns in I had no choice but to go with Nigel Reo Coker in midfield. There are far worst fillers - he'll start, he's playing in a decent Villa side buoyed by a new manager, he could've (should've?) scored the MWG vs Chelsea last week, plus after picking 10 players I had 2.75 left over which meant bringing him in left me exactly £0.00m in the bank...that doesn't often happen.

Kirkland is obviously a huge risk but I imagine it's a risk many managers will be taking. Anything about zero points will be a huge bonus, but I won't be surprised if we see a negative score approaching double figures. Saying that, this is Kirks big chance to prove he deserves his starting place back, and stranger things have happened than a 0-0 between Wigan & Bolton.

My defence doesn't actually have any real defenders in. Bosingwa will play wing back as Ashley Cole does on the opposite flank in home games, Zhirkov (if he starts; @4.2 I won't be too devastated if he doesn't) will play in midfield and Gareth Bale will play left wing. Everton will be tough for Spurs so I think Redknapp will start Bale despite suggesting he's "running on empty" after Milan. He has 7 days to rest after today and we all know the last time Harry told us a player was struggling, Van Der Vaart played and scored after many of us dropped him, so I'm sure he'll continue on the left of midfield.

I've mentioned Reo-Coker, Adam stays for the season unless he gets a long term injury or 3 match ban and Van Der Vaart should play as a 2nd-striker behind Pav or Crouch so I'm expecting more good points. Nani will be at the heart of everything good Man United do at Stoke so he stayed and I decided to bet on Malouda starting. He was rested at West Ham a few weeks ago so I'd be really surprised to see him benched again after being subbed with 15 mins to go in midweek. I'd think if anyone gets a rest it could be Anelka who has played 90 minutes in most games (event he Carling Cup), but I've been wrong many times before.

Upfront is a full-priced Drogba (I want at least a brace for a cost of £24m) and Victor Obinna of West Ham, who surely has to break his goalscoring duck soon. He won't get many better chances than at home to Newcastle, who are starting to leak goals after a bright start to the season.

So that's my team - I'm aware I have quite a few player's who could get benched/subbed early, but these are big names who have done the business for me all season so I was willing to gamble on them. We'll know if that was a mistake in a few hours time!

The Blog Team picked by Mike & Hans (thanks for your continued help guys!): Kirkland / Bosingwa, Zhrikov, Bale / VdV, Brunt, Reo-Coker, Malouda / Hernandez, Drogba, Obinna

On the barndoor for Week 10 I'll be looking at Arsenal players as they face West Ham at home, Chelsea players at Blackburn, Man City at Wolves & Everton home to Stoke.

That ends the post - what did you settle on? Who's coming in on the barndoor?

Good luck!

Cheers,
AM