Football is an incredible game. Sometimes it's so incredible, it's unbelievable.
Here are the results from last nights auctions:-
Klopps n Robbers have signed Gareth McAuley and Santi Cazorla with Jordan Ibe and Van Dijk returning to the transfer list.
Man Down signed Aleksandar Kolarov with Danny Welbeck returning to the transfer list.
Flash in the Pan signed Kevin Mirallas with Yaya Toure returning to the transfer list.
Sergio Aguero grabs two in City’s humbling of neighbours United. Mesut Ozil provides a trio of assists as Arsenal beat Stoke to return to the top of the table. Michu notches again as Swansea ease past Palace. Oscar helps steer Chelsea to the summit with the opener against Fulham. Christian Benteke limps off with a hip problem for Villa. Leighton Baines and Romelu Lukaku fire Everton to victory at West Ham.
Aguero the Spark as City Run Riot
Rested to the bench for last week’s goalless draw at Stoke, the Argentine was reinstated to the City first XI for the visit of United. Aguero had hinted at what was to come earlier in midweek by grabbing a goal and assist in the Champions League win over Viktoria Plzen and followed that up with a double against an insipid United side yesterday. He has now produced three goals and a pair of assists, supplemented with six bonus points, over four starts this term – as Manuel Pellegrini out last week when omitting the Argentine for the Britannia clash, his side simply don’t have the same cutting edge without Aguero leading the line.
Toure in the Goals Again
Yesterday’s strike against United maintained a run that has now seen the Ivorian score in all three of his side’s home fixtures this season. Along with Pablo Zabaleta, Toure is one of only two outfield players to have managed every minute so far under Pellegrini – despite the influx of new faces and multitude of midfield options, it’s clear just how crucial his presence in the middle of the park is valued by the new man in charge. In a season that has already proved hugely frustrating for Fantasy managers, consistency of selection is more critical than ever – Toure’s guaranteed game time not only stands out at City but also fares well against other midfielder; he is one of only three premium priced options, along with Steven Gerrard and Michu, to have been handed five lots of 90 minutes so far.
Moyes Confident of Quick Van Persie Return
The Dutchman’s absence undoubtedly played a part in United’s defeat but yesterday’s result continued a worrying trend under David Moyes’ guidance. While Wayne Rooney’s late free-kick consolation helped his Fantasy owner pick up the points, from a United perspective, it makes grim reading – they have now scored just a single goal across three games against Chelsea, Liverpool and City.
With only seven goals so far in the league – and just three in the last four Gameweeks – United’s tactics against their title rivals have seen them come up short so far; luckily they have a superb run of fixtures in the next five (WBA, sun, SOU, STO, ful) that will prevent owners from jumping ship and, while Van Persie’s omission was a huge blow for United, Moyes was quick to reveal the Dutchman’s problem isn’t a serious one:
“We thought Robin would be okay. We gave him every chance. It’s nothing serious. He could be involved on Wednesday [against Liverpool] or next weekend [against West Brom]….I don’t think it’s that bad, we thought he was going to make it. He just felt something in his groin. He did a bit of training in the last couple of days, but he just felt it when he did any sharp movements and he didn’t want to aggravate it, so we took the decision [to not play him today]“
Dream Home Debut for Ozil
While Theo Walcott’s late call-off left his owner thoroughly frustrated, Arsenal’s record signing guided them back to the top of the table against Stoke yesterday. Ozil’s superb delivery from set-pieces played a huge part in Arsenal’s 3-1 win as the German supplied assists for all of the hosts goals – it’s four assists in two appearances now for the former Real Madrid player, who has wasted no time at all in acclimatising to the Premier League.
Unsurprisingly, his manager was quick to praise the playmaker’s contribution but believes Ozil is not yet at his best for the north London club:
“When you play against Stoke you don’t expect to score three goals from set-pieces and that is basically the biggest surprise to me today. It shows as well how important the delivery is. He is a player, when you look at his numbers, the assists are not a coincidence, it’s just the reality of his game. I believe that once he is completely integrated we’ll see even more of him but he has shown today that he is a great player.”
Walcott owners are perhaps likely to hold for now until further prognosis – after the game, Wenger was a little vague on the matter, though:
“He had an abdominal muscle problem, I don’t really know what it is. Is it a question of days? I hope so, because he had a test before the game and I decided to play him. I hope it’s nothing…He had a little problem before the Marseille game and it became a bit worse. It is a bit mysterious because we don’t really know what it is.”
Ramsey’s Bandwagon Continues at Pace
The Welshman’s outstanding season continued yesterday as he notched his seventh goal in all competitions. Ramsey justified the massive show of faith by opening the scoring from a rebounded Ozil free-kick to given the Gunners an early lead. Despite the return of Mikel Arteta, Ramsey looks nailed-on in the double-pivot, with Mathieu Flamini likely to drop out to accommodate the Spaniard.
Michu’s Spree Continues
The Swansea talisman found the net for the third successive game in all competitions at Selhurst Park yesterday. Michu needed just two minutes to register with an early opener against the Eagles as Michael Laudrup’s side built on the back of Thursday’s Europa League win in Valencia with a comfortable victory. While Wilfried Bony was surprisingly rested to the bench after the midweek game in Spain, Michu’s contribution is clearly viewed as essential by his manager and once next week’s game against Arsenal is out of the way, the Welsh club look primed for investment, with a superb schedule (sou, SUN, WHM, car, STO, ful) just around the corner. After the game, Laudrup was quick to laud the display of last term’s 18-goal hero:
“I don’t know if he is back to his best, because what is his best? I don’t look at him as just a goalscorer because for me he is not even a centre-forward. He has always been an offensive midfielder than can score goals, but can also play as a centre-forward. I don’t look at Michu just as a goalscorer so I don’t see it as a problem when he does not score for three games.”
Oscar Key to Blues Success
After admitting “I want to build with Oscar as my number ten” on Friday afternoon, Jose Mourinho was as good as his word and handed the Brazilian yet another start behind a lone forward yesterday. Oscar continued the form that saw him score in midweek against Basel by grabbing the opener for the hosts and, having also notched in the Gameweek 1 win at home to Hull, he is making a definite case for consideration as Chelsea’ main midfielder this term. While Frank Lampard was handed a sub role for the second league game in succession and Eden Hazard delivered yet another blank, Mata was omitted from the match day squad altogether – an indication of how quickly he has fallen as a prospect under Mourinho.
Understandably, the Chelsea boss was quizzed on Mata’s absence after yesterday’s win. The Special One revealed the Spaniard was set for a return to the first XI in the midweek Capital One clash against Swindon before discussing the need to utilise the strength and depth of his squad over a busy autumn program:
“He trained this morning and my assistant that was training with them told me he trained very, very hard. Tuesday of course he plays from the beginning against Swindon. The people who didn’t play today are going to play. Juan and David Luiz and Michael Essien, Bertrand, and Azpilicueta. And I hope he tells me on the pitch, ‘You are wrong, I am the best and I have to play every game’. I have to create a balance in the bench. I must have players to cover every position. That’s what I have to do. I have Azpilicueta to give cover to the full-backs and central defence, because Ivanovic can go central defender, Essien as a central midfielder, Lampard for his traditional position, and three attacking players, one striker and after that De Bruyne and Willian.”
Baines Racks Up the Points
A run of three successive Everton clean sheets may have come to an end at West Ham yesterday but the points keep coming for Leighton Baines’s owner. The Toffees left-back had his set-piece duties to thank after scoring twice in a superb comeback win against Sam Allardyce’s outfit to ensure the Merseysiders retained their record as the last unbeaten team in the Premier League. Baines has mainly been kept in the shade by the performances of fellow Toffees full-back Seamus Coleman but his two-goal haul, allied with maximum bonus points, took his tally to 42 FPL points – more than any other player thus far. After just five games, Baines has already accrued 10 bonus points and bearing in mind last term’s 24 was his highest-ever, there’s no question that the change in bonus scoring is considerably boosting his Fantasy potential this time out.
Romelu Lukaku needed just 46 minutes to stake a case for a start next weekend after climbing off the bench to notch the winners against the Hammers. After the game, the Belgian’s impact was hailed by his delighted manager:
“Romelu is the type of striker that influences everyone around him because of the gaps he creates. Other players around him become a threat. The goal is everything that typifies him – the character and desire to want to be successful. That’s why he will be such a big asset. He’s a very intelligent footballer and I want him to continue enjoying his football because his potential is incredible.”
The only bad news for Martinez on the day was a groin injury sustained by Leon Osman. He was forced off on 52 minutes with the Toffees boss declaring him an early doubt for Everton’s midweek Capital One Cup tie:
“He [Osman] has some soft tissue damage. He will have some scans in the next 48 hours to assess it.”
I’ve looked at the fixture list, checked it twice, and expounded on who’s been naughty and nice in the run up to this year’s festive feast of football.
Back to their barnstorming best in Saturday’s sojourn to Tyneside, Roberto Mancini’s charges are poised to make merry over the festive period with appetising away ties at Sunderland and Norwich sandwiched between homely helpings of Reading and Stoke. Whilst the loss of Samir Nasri to a groin injury somewhat vitiated the City verve in the second half at St James’ Park, Mancini’s embarrassment of attacking riches should be more than sufficient to supply the deficit going forward. David Silva’s happy union of attacking threat and guaranteed pitch time is sure to earn points, whilst Yaya Toure’s goals in successive games look set to reignite the debate over his Fantasy merits – particularly if Nasri’s absence allows for his employment in a more advanced role. Up front the picture is plainly more problematic, and whilst Mario Balotelli’s latest fall from grace will be welcome news to owners of Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez, Mancini’s paternal instincts towards City’s prodigal son have dissolved his judicial rigour in the past. Defensively City remain top of the pack, but with Joe Hart the only ever-present at the back this season, potential investors will need nerves of steel and a strong bench to stomach the risk outfield.
Four wins and two clean sheets in the five games since Moussa Dembele’s return see Spurs flying high in fourth. Playing host to Stoke and Reading in between trips to Aston Villa, Sunderland and QPR, Andre Villas Boas will be anxious to make hay whilst the solstice sun shines on the schedule. Benoit Assou-Ekotto’s return to the fray will throw another cat amongst the pigeons in defence – but Kyle Walker and Jan Vertonghen look likely to remain safe bets: the former now claiming a share of dead balls, the latter more than capable of cutting the mustard in both boxes.
Six points clear of the pack and with five wins on the bounce, United greet the hectic Christmas schedule from their traditional berth in the box seat. Visits from Newcastle and West Brom, and trips to Swansea and Wigan comprise a menu poised to be greedily devoured by Sir Alex’s attack. Robin Van Persie has now topped the Striker rankings longer than Meatloaf topped the charts. The returns of Nemanja Vidic, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones should demonstrate whether their early season frailties are the exception or the rule.
On the up after a shaky start, Brendan Rodgers’ side will be looking to put last weekend’s hiccup behind them and get back to winning ways over a run of games that sees them playing host to Fulham, Sunderland and Norwich, and paying visits to Stoke, QPR and United. Whilst the schedule isn’t without its challenges, the home games should provide ample opportunity for returns at both ends of the pitch. Luis Suarez’s explosive potential is as obvious as his regular failures to deliver are frustrating – without a goal since Gameweek 12, few would bet on the Uruguayan incrementing that statistic much further. Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique have both been fruitful from the flanks of late, and three clean sheets in their last six demonstrate the potential for double digit returns from the Liverpool fullbacks.
Stopping the rot last weekend in the wake of three successive defeats, Steve Clarke’s West Brom entertain Norwich, Fulham and Villa over the next six, whilst taking trips to QPR, United and Reading. With five clean sheets from their nine home games so far, their mid-price back line has been an effective early season option. With Ben Foster on the verge of returning to fitness, his promise as part of a keeper rotation duo will likely re-enter consideration, whilst Gareth McAuley remains the most popular option from the outfield rearguard. Although James Morrison has gone off the boil somewhat since his opening flurry, the Scot is still getting into dangerous areas, and former Fantasy favourite Chris Brunt makes a recent case for consideration on the left. Shane Long’s five goals and five assists mark him out as the most fruitful candidate from the Baggies’ ranks but, goalless in five, he represents a brave pick on current form. Seldom completing 90 minutes, he will surely be vulnerable to competition from Romelu Lukaku over the coming weeks.
Whilst the likes of Robert Snodgrass and Sebastian Bassong have emerged as popular picks over Norwich’s recent run of strong performances, the fixture list now suggests their assets might best be admired from afar. Chris Hughton’s troops are firmly on the naughty list over ther next few, with a trip to the resolute West Brom immediately followed by visits from Chelsea and Man City. The schedule does ease a little into January, but even then visits to West Ham and Liverpool are no picnic. Norwich will doubtless take comfort from the fact that they’ve already beaten Arsenal and United at Carrow Road this season, but even two swallows don’t make a summer and the odds will be heavily against the Canaries well into the New Year.
Playing host to Arsenal and United, and with trips to Everton and the resurgent Aston Villa in between, the season ticker resembles a gruesome crime scene for the Latics. With four defeats in their last five and one foot in the relegation zone, Roberto Martinez’s men will need to summon the spirit that lifted them to salvation in the dying days of last season if they want to get anything out of their Christmas schedule. A stubbornly unpredictable outfit, Fantasy managers are rightly wary of their assets even when the going is good – it will take something of a leap of faith to anticipate an early epiphany at the DW.
With six defeats in their last seven, last season’s heroics are a distant memory for Newcastle and, with an already long injury list lengthening by the day, a tough run of fixtures isn’t the ideal Christmas present. Whilst QPR’s visit this weekend should give Demba Ba a good chance to add to his impressive tally of 11 for the season, it’s decidedly downhill from there. Back to back away games at United and Arsenal won’t earn the schedulers any thank you letters from Alan Pardew, and a visit from Everton promises to be a gritty scrap in Marouane Fellaini’s first game back from suspension. Things do improve into January with Norwich and Reading on the agenda, but Newcastle’s slump seems set to get worse before it gets better.
There’s no doubt that the upcoming African Cup of Nations looks a little easier to plan for Fantasy managers this time round. The qualifying campaign was filled with shocks aplenty- Egypt, winners of the last three tournaments, were omitted, as were the likes of Cameroon and Nigeria, sparing several key Fantasy assets from leaving these shores over the winter period.
The tournament is due to kick off on January 21st but FIFA rules means that the participants can call up their players fourteen days prior to the opening match. Given that the final is not until February 12th, this potentially means players could be absent from domestic duties from gameweek 21 to gameweek 25 inclusive.
Group Stages– 21st January to 1st February
Quarter Finals– 4-5 February
Semi Finals– 8th February
Third Place Play-off, Final– 11-12 February
The initial group stages don’t finish until 1st February, meaning any players involved can be expected to miss out until gameweek 24 at the earliest- this kicks off on 4th February, though whether any Premier League managers will rush their players back is debatable. Gameweek 25 starts on the 11th February and is perhaps the likeliest return date for those eliminated early.
With gameweek 26 not until 25th February, any players who may reach the final will have almost a fortnight before the next league game comes around but with the possibility of a 5 match absence looming over some, we take a look at the clubs most likely to be affected and the knock-on consequences:
El Tel cast the first bid for Manchester City Midfielder Yaya Toure at £7m.
Other Managers have also bid for this player as part of their initial team selection which means a bidding war has now started.
Bidding for this player will close at 21:15 GMT on Wednesday.
To table bids for the player submit a comment to this article informing the league of your bid and your team name. All other managers are entitled to submit a bid for this player.
Bids must be in blocks of 100K, you can bid higher than the next 100k increment. E.g. Player 1 bids 6.3, but Player 2 then counters with a 6.9 bid to ensure he scares off other managers.
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