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Showing posts with label First. Show all posts
Showing posts with label First. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Suarez nets first Uruguay goals since biting ban (Reuters)
(Reuters) - Luis Suarez scored his first Uruguay goals since the World Cup finals and his biting ban in a 3-0 friendly win over Oman on Monday. Suarez took his international tally to 43 with strikes in the 57th and 66th minutes and substitute Jonathan Rodriguez added the third in the dying minutes of the game at the Al Buraimi stadium. It was the Barcelona striker’s second appearance for Uruguay on tour in the Middle East after Friday’s 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia. ...Sunday, 5 October 2014
College Football This Week: First Oregon. Who Will Fall Next
Rich Rodriguez proved he had a thing or two left to show everyone in the Pac 12 Thursday night. The Oregon Ducks wished he never opened his bag of tricks.
The 31-24 win over the Ducks not only shook up the conference a bit, but it also had an impact on the National Title playoff series and hurt Michigan State, a team that lost to Oregon earlier in the year. The loss by Marcus Mariota and the troops made the Pac 12 look at bit weaker and certainly did not do any favors for the Big Ten.
That is what makes this season of college football in particular so great. That is also one of the reasons this weekend in college football is by far the biggest and most important yet to be played.
Six games alone this weekend will have ranked opponents playing each other. The game between Tennessee and Florida is played at NOON on Saturday, which tells you how far this rivalry has fallen – but it still has major implications as Will Muschamp is still fighting for his coaching life.
And while we are all letting the SEC continue to run amuck with Alabama and Mississippi going head to head and Mississippi State and Texas A&M and LSU Auburn locking up, it surely figures to shuffle the deck at the poker table.
What this weekend also does is help FSU in its quest to reclaim a national title. The Seminoles play Wake Forest in what could be deemed a scrimmage for the Seminoles. Texas and Baylor lock up, but can Charlie Strong handle the Baylor offense? The same holds for TCU as it welcomes Oklahoma to town. There is no chance for a close game in that one.
For everyone who is worried that the new playoff system will not have a fair representation in a four-team playoff system, let me say this. If teams beat each other, as the SEC is bound to do and now it appears the Pac 12 will do as well, it opens the door for other schools to walk in like BYU or a team or two from Mississippi. Who would have thought that only one team in the state of Florida would in the top 25 and two schools from Mississippi would hover around the top 10?
Or how about this? There are three teams in the top 25 from the Lone Star State and none are from Austin?
The NCAA is getting what it wanted all along and now, since the fans have been clamoring for a playoff all this time, there is no way they can back off the bandwagon and complain. Unless you take the stand there should be eight teams in the playoff. That’s a whole other argument.
College Football This Week: First Oregon. Who Will Fall Next
Rich Rodriguez proved he had a thing or two left to show everyone in the Pac 12 Thursday night. The Oregon Ducks wished he never opened his bag of tricks.
The 31-24 win over the Ducks not only shook up the conference a bit, but it also had an impact on the National Title playoff series and hurt Michigan State, a team that lost to Oregon earlier in the year. The loss by Marcus Mariota and the troops made the Pac 12 look at bit weaker and certainly did not do any favors for the Big Ten.
That is what makes this season of college football in particular so great. That is also one of the reasons this weekend in college football is by far the biggest and most important yet to be played.
Six games alone this weekend will have ranked opponents playing each other. The game between Tennessee and Florida is played at NOON on Saturday, which tells you how far this rivalry has fallen – but it still has major implications as Will Muschamp is still fighting for his coaching life.
And while we are all letting the SEC continue to run amuck with Alabama and Mississippi going head to head and Mississippi State and Texas A&M and LSU Auburn locking up, it surely figures to shuffle the deck at the poker table.
What this weekend also does is help FSU in its quest to reclaim a national title. The Seminoles play Wake Forest in what could be deemed a scrimmage for the Seminoles. Texas and Baylor lock up, but can Charlie Strong handle the Baylor offense? The same holds for TCU as it welcomes Oklahoma to town. There is no chance for a close game in that one.
For everyone who is worried that the new playoff system will not have a fair representation in a four-team playoff system, let me say this. If teams beat each other, as the SEC is bound to do and now it appears the Pac 12 will do as well, it opens the door for other schools to walk in like BYU or a team or two from Mississippi. Who would have thought that only one team in the state of Florida would in the top 25 and two schools from Mississippi would hover around the top 10?
Or how about this? There are three teams in the top 25 from the Lone Star State and none are from Austin?
The NCAA is getting what it wanted all along and now, since the fans have been clamoring for a playoff all this time, there is no way they can back off the bandwagon and complain. Unless you take the stand there should be eight teams in the playoff. That’s a whole other argument.
Saturday, 4 October 2014
College Football This Week: First Oregon. Who Will Fall Next
Rich Rodriguez proved he had a thing or two left to show everyone in the Pac 12 Thursday night. The Oregon Ducks wished he never opened his bag of tricks.
The 31-24 win over the Ducks not only shook up the conference a bit, but it also had an impact on the National Title playoff series and hurt Michigan State, a team that lost to Oregon earlier in the year. The loss by Marcus Mariota and the troops made the Pac 12 look at bit weaker and certainly did not do any favors for the Big Ten.
That is what makes this season of college football in particular so great. That is also one of the reasons this weekend in college football is by far the biggest and most important yet to be played.
Six games alone this weekend will have ranked opponents playing each other. The game between Tennessee and Florida is played at NOON on Saturday, which tells you how far this rivalry has fallen – but it still has major implications as Will Muschamp is still fighting for his coaching life.
And while we are all letting the SEC continue to run amuck with Alabama and Mississippi going head to head and Mississippi State and Texas A&M and LSU Auburn locking up, it surely figures to shuffle the deck at the poker table.
What this weekend also does is help FSU in its quest to reclaim a national title. The Seminoles play Wake Forest in what could be deemed a scrimmage for the Seminoles. Texas and Baylor lock up, but can Charlie Strong handle the Baylor offense? The same holds for TCU as it welcomes Oklahoma to town. There is no chance for a close game in that one.
For everyone who is worried that the new playoff system will not have a fair representation in a four-team playoff system, let me say this. If teams beat each other, as the SEC is bound to do and now it appears the Pac 12 will do as well, it opens the door for other schools to walk in like BYU or a team or two from Mississippi. Who would have thought that only one team in the state of Florida would in the top 25 and two schools from Mississippi would hover around the top 10?
Or how about this? There are three teams in the top 25 from the Lone Star State and none are from Austin?
The NCAA is getting what it wanted all along and now, since the fans have been clamoring for a playoff all this time, there is no way they can back off the bandwagon and complain. Unless you take the stand there should be eight teams in the playoff. That’s a whole other argument.
College Football This Week: First Oregon. Who Will Fall Next
Rich Rodriguez proved he had a thing or two left to show everyone in the Pac 12 Thursday night. The Oregon Ducks wished he never opened his bag of tricks.
The 31-24 win over the Ducks not only shook up the conference a bit, but it also had an impact on the National Title playoff series and hurt Michigan State, a team that lost to Oregon earlier in the year. The loss by Marcus Mariota and the troops made the Pac 12 look at bit weaker and certainly did not do any favors for the Big Ten.
That is what makes this season of college football in particular so great. That is also one of the reasons this weekend in college football is by far the biggest and most important yet to be played.
Six games alone this weekend will have ranked opponents playing each other. The game between Tennessee and Florida is played at NOON on Saturday, which tells you how far this rivalry has fallen – but it still has major implications as Will Muschamp is still fighting for his coaching life.
And while we are all letting the SEC continue to run amuck with Alabama and Mississippi going head to head and Mississippi State and Texas A&M and LSU Auburn locking up, it surely figures to shuffle the deck at the poker table.
What this weekend also does is help FSU in its quest to reclaim a national title. The Seminoles play Wake Forest in what could be deemed a scrimmage for the Seminoles. Texas and Baylor lock up, but can Charlie Strong handle the Baylor offense? The same holds for TCU as it welcomes Oklahoma to town. There is no chance for a close game in that one.
For everyone who is worried that the new playoff system will not have a fair representation in a four-team playoff system, let me say this. If teams beat each other, as the SEC is bound to do and now it appears the Pac 12 will do as well, it opens the door for other schools to walk in like BYU or a team or two from Mississippi. Who would have thought that only one team in the state of Florida would in the top 25 and two schools from Mississippi would hover around the top 10?
Or how about this? There are three teams in the top 25 from the Lone Star State and none are from Austin?
The NCAA is getting what it wanted all along and now, since the fans have been clamoring for a playoff all this time, there is no way they can back off the bandwagon and complain. Unless you take the stand there should be eight teams in the playoff. That’s a whole other argument.
College Football This Week: First Oregon. Who Will Fall Next
Rich Rodriguez proved he had a thing or two left to show everyone in the Pac 12 Thursday night. The Oregon Ducks wished he never opened his bag of tricks.
The 31-24 win over the Ducks not only shook up the conference a bit, but it also had an impact on the National Title playoff series and hurt Michigan State, a team that lost to Oregon earlier in the year. The loss by Marcus Mariota and the troops made the Pac 12 look at bit weaker and certainly did not do any favors for the Big Ten.
That is what makes this season of college football in particular so great. That is also one of the reasons this weekend in college football is by far the biggest and most important yet to be played.
Six games alone this weekend will have ranked opponents playing each other. The game between Tennessee and Florida is played at NOON on Saturday, which tells you how far this rivalry has fallen – but it still has major implications as Will Muschamp is still fighting for his coaching life.
And while we are all letting the SEC continue to run amuck with Alabama and Mississippi going head to head and Mississippi State and Texas A&M and LSU Auburn locking up, it surely figures to shuffle the deck at the poker table.
What this weekend also does is help FSU in its quest to reclaim a national title. The Seminoles play Wake Forest in what could be deemed a scrimmage for the Seminoles. Texas and Baylor lock up, but can Charlie Strong handle the Baylor offense? The same holds for TCU as it welcomes Oklahoma to town. There is no chance for a close game in that one.
For everyone who is worried that the new playoff system will not have a fair representation in a four-team playoff system, let me say this. If teams beat each other, as the SEC is bound to do and now it appears the Pac 12 will do as well, it opens the door for other schools to walk in like BYU or a team or two from Mississippi. Who would have thought that only one team in the state of Florida would in the top 25 and two schools from Mississippi would hover around the top 10?
Or how about this? There are three teams in the top 25 from the Lone Star State and none are from Austin?
The NCAA is getting what it wanted all along and now, since the fans have been clamoring for a playoff all this time, there is no way they can back off the bandwagon and complain. Unless you take the stand there should be eight teams in the playoff. That’s a whole other argument.
Thursday, 21 August 2014
Jaguars News and Notes: Both Quarterbacks to See First Team Reps
It appears the Jacksonville Jaguars are sticking to the game plan Frida night – having both Chad Henne and Blake Bortles playing with the first unit against the Detroit Lions.
Expect Chad Henne to play about a quarter and a half and Blake Bortles to play about a quarter. Coach Gus Bradley said he couldn’t commit to anything firmer than that. “I hate to say exact because it could be depending on reps like it was last week, but that’s the idea,” Bradley said Wednesday afternoon. Bortles is supposed to get time with the first-team offense against the Lions, but whether that means he’ll be working with the first-team offense the entire time he’s on the field has not been determined. This according to Michael DiRocco and ESPN.com.
Henne has been steady this preseason, accounting for the team’s only passing touchdown in the team’s loss at Chicago last week. It has been Bortles who has been the talk of the NFL preseason, looking sharp and ahead of the learning curve in offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch’s offense so far this preseason.
The team also announced that Jacques McClendon will start at center against the Lions. Which player comes in next is uncertain, Bradley said. It’s most likely going to be Mike Brewster, who has started the first two preseason games, but sixth-round pick Luke Bowanko is an option.
Bowanko returned to practice on Tuesday after suffering a sprained ankle in last Thursday’s loss to Chicago and took some reps at center on Wednesday. “We’ll find out how he handled today and that, depending on how well he did, will determine our rotation.”
Bowanko is drafted in a pick obtained from San Francisco for former starting quarterback, Blaine Gabbert.
Also, it has been announced that receiver Cecil Shorts and linebacker Dekoda Watson are scheduled to make their preseason debuts. Bradley said they will get the playing time starters normally would in the first preseason game: about 15 snaps. “We’ll see how the situations present themselves,” Bradley said. “The thing to look for with those guys [is] we’ll try to take them out if it’s extended drives.”
Shorts has been out of action with a calf injury. He is the team’s leading pass catcher from last season. He is expected to line up across from rookie Marquis Lee, who caught four balls and a touchdown in the first quarter of last week’s game against the Bears.
In other news…
According to Jaguars.com, signed first-year fullback Eric Kettani and waived/injured tight end Fendi Onobun(knee).
Kettani, 5-11, 240, was originally signed as a rookie free agent by New England in 2009 and had to leave training camp in July of 2009 for military commitments. He was reinstated to the Patriots roster in September of 2011 and spent part of the season on the club’s practice squad. Kettani spent the entire 2012 season on Washington’s practice squad and was with Kansas City for the 2014 offseason before he was waived on May 12.
A native of Kirtland, Ohio, Kettani was a four-year letterman at Navy where he rushed for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns on 395 carries. He led the team with 982 rushing yards as a senior on 190 carries. As a junior in 2007, he compiled 880 yards along with 10 touchdowns. Kettani was a three-year letterman at Lake Catholic High School in Ohio where was named the Cleveland Plain Dealer Defensive Player of the Year.
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Jaguars Training Camp Notes: Bortles to Play With First Team
Blake Bortles is going to get a chance to show what he can do with the Jacksonville Jaguars first unit, but the team is still committed to starting Chad Henne the first week of the season.
ESPN’s Michael DiRocco wrote in his blog that Coach Gus Bradley said Friday that the team isn\'t wavering in its stance that veteran Chad Henne will start in Week 1, even though Bortles -- the third overall pick in this year\'s draft -- has been impressive in the Jaguars\' first two preseason games and regardless of what he does against the Lions.
"I think it\'s just the body of work, the experience [that Henne has]," Bradley said. "You can grow with Blake, too, and let him go through these experiences and do well, but the team is really responding to both of them really well. But I just think that with where Chad is at right now and where our team is at, I think that\'s the best thing for us right now.
"There\'s going to be some time that we have to take a look at this and see the direction we\'re going [at quarterback], but right now that\'s not even a question in our mind."
If any rookie quarterback has made an impression his preseason so, it has been Bortles, who in two games against both the Buccaneers and Bears, has come out and proved inexperience has not been a hindrance to him at all.
Bortles has completed 18 of 28 passes for 277 yards in the first two preseason games. He went 7-of-11 in his debut against Tampa Bay, and three of his four incompletions were drops. He was 11-of-17 for 160 yards in the Jaguars\' 20-19 loss to Chicago on Thursday night, although 45 yards came on a meaningless play at the end of the first half.
As the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft, Bortles was told early on he would more than likely learn the offense in his first season, then step in as the starter in 2015. So far, Bortles has given the coaching staff something to think about.
The Jaguars have made it a point to get other rookies first-team reps as well, which is a philosophy that Bradley brought with him from Seattle, where he was the defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012. Bortles, however, hasn\'t had any in training camp.
"Our whole philosophy is to get our rookies in with the 1s and I believe we\'ve got to get that done this week, where we get Blake with the 1s this week to see just how he handles it," Bradley said.
Henne also played well against the Bears, completing 12 of 17 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown while leading the first-team offense to 166 yards and 13 points in four possessions. That\'s in stark contrast to its performance in the preseason opener against Tampa Bay, when the Jaguars managed just 4 net yards in four possessions and Henne completed 4 of 7 passes for 30 yards.
Henne threw the only touchdown pass of the game in a 21-19 loss in Chicago. Both quarterbacks looked good in their time on the field. Henne was involved in 30 plays from scrimmage before the end of the first half, giving way to the rookie.
IN OTHER NEWS (FROM JAGUARS.COM)
Wide receiver Cecil Shorts III couldn’t have been happier Sunday.
Linebacker Dekoda Watson couldn’t have, either.
Yes, Shorts said he could have done without the rust he felt. And Watson said if he had has his way, this day would have come a whole lot sooner, but that wasn’t what mattered most to Shorts or Watson on Sunday afternoon. What mattered was this: After way too long without football, they practiced again. And that was good. Really good.
“It felt good just to be back out there with the guys,” Shorts said after the Jaguars worked for about two hours at the Florida Blue Health and Wellness Practice Fields Sunday.
Tuesday, 28 January 2014
F1: McLaren fails to run on first day
McLaren missed the first test day of the 2014 Formula 1 season as electrical problems with the new MP4-29 kept it in the Jerez garages on Tuesday
read more
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Weekly Picks: First XI: Week 21 Player Picks
First XI: Week 21 Player Picks
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
And we're back. But we never went away.
After a polar vortex of matches over the holidays, the week off from Premier League action felt... well, certainly anti-climatic. But we still had FA Cup matches over the weekend, and League Cup matches midweek. There was still news and action and transfers and rumours. It just all felt a little... background.
But now we're back and it's time to take your first crack at a line-up for this weekend's Premier League matches. Here's mine:
1. Dimitar Berbatov - Back on New Years Day after a month out and he scored. Again. That makes four consecutive matches in which he's played in which he's scored (3) or assisted a goal (1). We appear to getting the motivated Berbatov, which probably coincides with the opening of the January transfer window. But who cares what his motivation are, we're fantasy managers not Fulham fans. Sunderland are playing Manchester United midweek, so surely a trip to Fulham is a trap game for them, as the emotion and travel takes their toll. So unless he transfers to Arsenal, or any of the number of other clubs to which he's been linked, he'll be in my line-up for Sunderland's visit to Craven Cottage.
2. Luis Suárez - Number seven on your team sheet, number one in your hearts... and captain poll.
3. Jay Rodriguez - Behind Eden Hazard (always a rotation risk, and at Hull which isn't easy) and Papiss Cisse (which is a statistical anomaly), Dimitar Berbatov is the in-form striker in the League (see above). Behind him is Nicolas Anelka off his brace against West Ham, and then Jay Rodriguez. I'm going with JRod as he was guaranteed a start before Ricky Lambert got hurt and Dani Osvaldo got himself suspended. He's also got a nice match-up with West Brom coming to St Mary's. I think matches against Everton and Chelsea have suppressed his form and hi price, and he looks a good bet to return to his scoring form of a month ago.
4. Serge Gnabry - A bit of a flyer here, but with Theo Walcott out for six-months and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain just back in training, Gnabry seems poised for a run in the Arsenal team. He played on the right-side of the attack against Spurs in the FA Cup with Walcott shifted inside. At Aston Villa, Wenger's only other option would be to play Jack Wilshere there, and that doesn't seem likely. I think my first choice out of the Arsenal midfield would be Santi Cazorla, but for the price, Gnabry is assured a least a bench spot in my side, and likely a starting role.
5. Steven Gerrard - If I do go for Gnabry over Cazorla, then I have the money to bring Gerrard back into my team. Before he was injured, he was returning a steady stream of points from set-pieces and assists. Now that's he's made his comeback - as a substitute against Hull and as a starter against Oldham in the FA Cup - that should resume against Stoke City at the weekend. Jordan Henderson could be another bet from Liverpool's midfield, if Gerrard's return allows him to play in the attacking role he played in so well last month.
6. Aaron Lennon
7. Christian Eriksen - After Emmanuel Adebayor, these two have been the main beneficiaries of the Tim Sherwood era at Spurs. Both have scored goals in the last few weeks, and Eriksen has monopolised the set-pieces (not penalties, however) since he returned from injury. A home match against Crystal Palace should see them continue their recent form, and I don't mind doubling up on one team in this case.
8. Joel Ward - The Spurs choices above, however, do not diminish my expectations for Joel Ward. In fact, if he matches up against Eriksen (or more likely Danny Rose when Eriksen drifts centrally) Ward will earn his fair share of fantasy points from his usually spotless defensive work. And if he can get forward and isolated on Rose in attack, there may be more joy.
9. Vincent Kompany - I'm always a bit reticent to back Manchester City on the road, but Kompany should still return value. A clean sheet wouldn't surprise me if indeed Yohan Cabaye misses out with injury, but Kompany could also get his head to a corner or free-kick in Fabricio Coloccini's absence.
10 Nacho Monreal - This pick depends on Kieran Gibbs' health come game time, but if he's still out, Monreal is a great pick. An more attacking choice than Gibbs, he'll give Leandro Bacuna fits all match.
11. Joe Hart - See Kompany, Vincent above. This is a occasion where I have the player at a discount and would like to keep him long term. Manchester City isn't always a sure thing on the road, but more often than not, they'll win the match (at least not lose) and those points are valuable when they keep a goalkeeper from returning negative points. Of course a clean sheet could be in the off, and of course we'll be hoping for that too.
After a polar vortex of matches over the holidays, the week off from Premier League action felt... well, certainly anti-climatic. But we still had FA Cup matches over the weekend, and League Cup matches midweek. There was still news and action and transfers and rumours. It just all felt a little... background.
But now we're back and it's time to take your first crack at a line-up for this weekend's Premier League matches. Here's mine:
1. Dimitar Berbatov - Back on New Years Day after a month out and he scored. Again. That makes four consecutive matches in which he's played in which he's scored (3) or assisted a goal (1). We appear to getting the motivated Berbatov, which probably coincides with the opening of the January transfer window. But who cares what his motivation are, we're fantasy managers not Fulham fans. Sunderland are playing Manchester United midweek, so surely a trip to Fulham is a trap game for them, as the emotion and travel takes their toll. So unless he transfers to Arsenal, or any of the number of other clubs to which he's been linked, he'll be in my line-up for Sunderland's visit to Craven Cottage.
2. Luis Suárez - Number seven on your team sheet, number one in your hearts... and captain poll.
3. Jay Rodriguez - Behind Eden Hazard (always a rotation risk, and at Hull which isn't easy) and Papiss Cisse (which is a statistical anomaly), Dimitar Berbatov is the in-form striker in the League (see above). Behind him is Nicolas Anelka off his brace against West Ham, and then Jay Rodriguez. I'm going with JRod as he was guaranteed a start before Ricky Lambert got hurt and Dani Osvaldo got himself suspended. He's also got a nice match-up with West Brom coming to St Mary's. I think matches against Everton and Chelsea have suppressed his form and hi price, and he looks a good bet to return to his scoring form of a month ago.
4. Serge Gnabry - A bit of a flyer here, but with Theo Walcott out for six-months and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain just back in training, Gnabry seems poised for a run in the Arsenal team. He played on the right-side of the attack against Spurs in the FA Cup with Walcott shifted inside. At Aston Villa, Wenger's only other option would be to play Jack Wilshere there, and that doesn't seem likely. I think my first choice out of the Arsenal midfield would be Santi Cazorla, but for the price, Gnabry is assured a least a bench spot in my side, and likely a starting role.
5. Steven Gerrard - If I do go for Gnabry over Cazorla, then I have the money to bring Gerrard back into my team. Before he was injured, he was returning a steady stream of points from set-pieces and assists. Now that's he's made his comeback - as a substitute against Hull and as a starter against Oldham in the FA Cup - that should resume against Stoke City at the weekend. Jordan Henderson could be another bet from Liverpool's midfield, if Gerrard's return allows him to play in the attacking role he played in so well last month.
6. Aaron Lennon
7. Christian Eriksen - After Emmanuel Adebayor, these two have been the main beneficiaries of the Tim Sherwood era at Spurs. Both have scored goals in the last few weeks, and Eriksen has monopolised the set-pieces (not penalties, however) since he returned from injury. A home match against Crystal Palace should see them continue their recent form, and I don't mind doubling up on one team in this case.
8. Joel Ward - The Spurs choices above, however, do not diminish my expectations for Joel Ward. In fact, if he matches up against Eriksen (or more likely Danny Rose when Eriksen drifts centrally) Ward will earn his fair share of fantasy points from his usually spotless defensive work. And if he can get forward and isolated on Rose in attack, there may be more joy.
9. Vincent Kompany - I'm always a bit reticent to back Manchester City on the road, but Kompany should still return value. A clean sheet wouldn't surprise me if indeed Yohan Cabaye misses out with injury, but Kompany could also get his head to a corner or free-kick in Fabricio Coloccini's absence.
10 Nacho Monreal - This pick depends on Kieran Gibbs' health come game time, but if he's still out, Monreal is a great pick. An more attacking choice than Gibbs, he'll give Leandro Bacuna fits all match.
11. Joe Hart - See Kompany, Vincent above. This is a occasion where I have the player at a discount and would like to keep him long term. Manchester City isn't always a sure thing on the road, but more often than not, they'll win the match (at least not lose) and those points are valuable when they keep a goalkeeper from returning negative points. Of course a clean sheet could be in the off, and of course we'll be hoping for that too.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Weekly Picks: First XI: Week 20 Player Picks
First XI: Week 20 Player Picks
Monday, December 30, 2013
Don't stop now, it's just getting good!
You're almost there!
You can do this!
If you can read this, you're too close.
Ok, maybe that last one doesn't belong. However, I feel like we need to start today's column with a little reassurance for the fantasy manager. The brave soul who has weathered deadline after deadline through this dark period. Not injury news, nor rotation worries, nor suspension threat will keep you from making your transfers, choosing your captain, and picking up your points.
A bit of house-keeping: as is the norm at this time of year, there is rotation needed to get through the sheer amount of news and the quick succession of gameweeks. To that end, I am taking care of the player picks for week 20. There is no truth to the rumour, however, that Neal will miss out on writing up the injuries and suspensions due to a niggling groin injury.
The fixture list for this round looks like this:
Swansea v Man City
Arsenal v Cardiff
Crystal Palace v Norwich
Fulham v West Ham
Liverpool v Hull
Southampton v Chelsea
Stoke v Everton
Sunderland v Aston Villa
West Brom v Newcastle
Man Utd v Tottenham
There's potential points from many of these matches with Arsenal and Liverpool at home to promoted sides, Manchester City at a wobbly Swansea, Everton at Stoke, and then a host of relegation six-pointers that could go any number of ways.
So let's assemble a team, and run the rule over the candidates for each spot, starting with the forwards.
1. Luis Suarez - Two consecutive 8-point returns. Not bad for a mere mortal striker, but a shocking fall from grace for Suarez. Of course those were probably two of the tougher away games on the schedule and now he faces Hull City. Despite Hull's big win against Fulham, and developing "tough to beat" reputation, they've been relying on their home form for points and have only one win and two draws on the road. Liverpool's attacking midfielders will come into our thoughts for this match too, especially Phillipe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling. Jordan Henderson was shifted out of his more attacking role and may again be needed to fill in deeper in midfield or on the flanks, decreasing his appeal for me.
2. Alvaro Negredo - It seems likely that Negredo will be restored to the starting XI after only coming off the bench against Crystal Palace. Indeed, with David Silva suspended, and Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic injured, we may see Negredo partner Edin Dzeko. So don't sell the Bosnian if you have him on the cheap from last week. They're equally priced now, so go with your heart and pick the one you think will shine.
3. Edin Dzeko - Just kidding. I love Manchester City's potential, but I'm probably not picking two strikers when they're on the road. Swansea have been shakey at times, but Manchester City can make hard work of things away from the Etihad.
3. Modibo Maiga - Just kidding? Nope. Maiga came into the match as a halftime substitute for Carlton Cole against West Brom and scored one and created another in quick succession. I would expect that he's earned a start against Fulham, who will be reeling from their loss to Hull, and who have allowed more goals at Craven Cottage than any other home side. He's also cheap as chips, which will help if you want to fill your bench with real players, or if you're looking to ship out the injured Mesut Ozil.
Other candidates for me would include Gabby Agbonlahor at Sunderland, as Villa's counter-attacking style works well on the road; Loic Remy at West Brom; Romelu Lukaku at Stoke, despite his habit of not scoring when we expect him to; Lukas Podolski, who was rested at the weekend and hosts Cardiff, Eden Hazard, who may be finding some consistency for Chelsea, and Marouane Chamahk hosting Norwich.
Moving into the midfield...
4. Ross Barkley - He's been a consistent performer, even when coming off the bench. That is my worry with him, as Everton have Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar available after being introduced from the bench at Southampton, and Gareth Barry back from suspension. Stoke continue to be a good home side, so this match has limited appeal, but someone is going to get points from Everton's midfield and it will most likely be Barkley.
5. Theo Walcott - A tough match for Arsenal against Newcastle, but Walcott's set-piece duty return an assist in addition to to two shots on target. Now he gets rudderless Cardiff at the Emirates. As he's just returned from an injury-layoff, and with Olivier Giroud in need of a rest and Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil injured... he's as nailed on a play as you can get. (Famous last words, right?)
6. Yannick Bolasie - Crystal Palace host Norwich, so their players are attractive. Perhaps surprisingly, there are several midfield options to choose from: Mile Jedinak has been a consistent point-getter, while Jason Puncheon and Barry Bannan provide creativity. However, I'm going for Bolasie as he's been more consistent over the last few matches than Puncheon, and better than Bannan. I couldn't argue with Jedinak, but Bolasie has the higher ceiling.
7. Yohan Cabaye - Cabaye didn't return many points at Arsenal, but that's too be expected. Travelling to West Brom should be a more favourable match-up, with the Baggies in relegation form. They shipped three to West Ham of all teams! Cabaye has been playing more advanced, with Cheik Tiote and Vurnon Anita holding down the center of the park, and that would bode well for Cabaye's potential. Hatem Ben Arfa may be pushing for a start, and he would be a cheaper, if riskier, option.
Other midfield options include Steven Pienaar, Christian Eriksen, who is in good form but travels to Manchester United, Adel Taarabt, rested at the weekend but maybe shut out of the team, Kevin Nolan at Fulham, Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri who look set to feature against Swansea, and Ki Sung-Yueng who is suddenly Sunderland's talismanic player.
Now, the case for defence.
8. Joel Ward - Moved into midfield, and despite "the rules" this has been a bad thing for his fantasy value. He's just not getting the volume of tackles won. Palace are also not keeping clean sheets recently, but hosting Norwich is as good a time as any to get back into that habit. On current form, he may not be worth his market price, but he's in my team and I do expect the good returns to continue.
9. Vincent Kompany - Ward and Mathieu Debuchy are the top point-getters in defence, but Vincent Kompany is the form player in the category. He didn't score, but did keep a clean sheet this time. With Demichelis still out, and considering his importance to Manchester City and the way they play, I can't see him getting rested or rotated.
10. Mathieu Debuchy - See Ward, Joel above. Top fantasy player with a good matchup. What's not to love?
Not making the cut, but under consideration, are the other Manchester City defenders including Aleksander Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta; Arsenal defenders with Laurent Koscielny being the most consistent; and the cheap Aly Cissokho, who may be needed as Liverpool host Hull.
In net...
11. Joe Hart - Hart took a beating from Cameron Jerome but came out ahead as the Palace striker had to be taken off with an injured knee. Hart, and his broken face, continued on and made some great saves. There's a slight chance that Hart can't face Swansea, but it would show great faith in their keeper to let him play. And after what he's been through, he's due a little support.
Wojciech Szczęsny would be my pick of the premium keepers, while Tim Krul and Julian Speroni are good mid-priced options. David Stockdale Jussi Jääskeläinen and Thomas Sorensen are your budget options, but could get you a -6 as easily as a +9.
Good luck this week, and please let us know your picks in the comments.
You're almost there!
You can do this!
If you can read this, you're too close.
Ok, maybe that last one doesn't belong. However, I feel like we need to start today's column with a little reassurance for the fantasy manager. The brave soul who has weathered deadline after deadline through this dark period. Not injury news, nor rotation worries, nor suspension threat will keep you from making your transfers, choosing your captain, and picking up your points.
A bit of house-keeping: as is the norm at this time of year, there is rotation needed to get through the sheer amount of news and the quick succession of gameweeks. To that end, I am taking care of the player picks for week 20. There is no truth to the rumour, however, that Neal will miss out on writing up the injuries and suspensions due to a niggling groin injury.
The fixture list for this round looks like this:
Swansea v Man City
Arsenal v Cardiff
Crystal Palace v Norwich
Fulham v West Ham
Liverpool v Hull
Southampton v Chelsea
Stoke v Everton
Sunderland v Aston Villa
West Brom v Newcastle
Man Utd v Tottenham
There's potential points from many of these matches with Arsenal and Liverpool at home to promoted sides, Manchester City at a wobbly Swansea, Everton at Stoke, and then a host of relegation six-pointers that could go any number of ways.
So let's assemble a team, and run the rule over the candidates for each spot, starting with the forwards.
1. Luis Suarez - Two consecutive 8-point returns. Not bad for a mere mortal striker, but a shocking fall from grace for Suarez. Of course those were probably two of the tougher away games on the schedule and now he faces Hull City. Despite Hull's big win against Fulham, and developing "tough to beat" reputation, they've been relying on their home form for points and have only one win and two draws on the road. Liverpool's attacking midfielders will come into our thoughts for this match too, especially Phillipe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling. Jordan Henderson was shifted out of his more attacking role and may again be needed to fill in deeper in midfield or on the flanks, decreasing his appeal for me.
2. Alvaro Negredo - It seems likely that Negredo will be restored to the starting XI after only coming off the bench against Crystal Palace. Indeed, with David Silva suspended, and Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic injured, we may see Negredo partner Edin Dzeko. So don't sell the Bosnian if you have him on the cheap from last week. They're equally priced now, so go with your heart and pick the one you think will shine.
3. Edin Dzeko - Just kidding. I love Manchester City's potential, but I'm probably not picking two strikers when they're on the road. Swansea have been shakey at times, but Manchester City can make hard work of things away from the Etihad.
3. Modibo Maiga - Just kidding? Nope. Maiga came into the match as a halftime substitute for Carlton Cole against West Brom and scored one and created another in quick succession. I would expect that he's earned a start against Fulham, who will be reeling from their loss to Hull, and who have allowed more goals at Craven Cottage than any other home side. He's also cheap as chips, which will help if you want to fill your bench with real players, or if you're looking to ship out the injured Mesut Ozil.
Other candidates for me would include Gabby Agbonlahor at Sunderland, as Villa's counter-attacking style works well on the road; Loic Remy at West Brom; Romelu Lukaku at Stoke, despite his habit of not scoring when we expect him to; Lukas Podolski, who was rested at the weekend and hosts Cardiff, Eden Hazard, who may be finding some consistency for Chelsea, and Marouane Chamahk hosting Norwich.
Moving into the midfield...
4. Ross Barkley - He's been a consistent performer, even when coming off the bench. That is my worry with him, as Everton have Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar available after being introduced from the bench at Southampton, and Gareth Barry back from suspension. Stoke continue to be a good home side, so this match has limited appeal, but someone is going to get points from Everton's midfield and it will most likely be Barkley.
5. Theo Walcott - A tough match for Arsenal against Newcastle, but Walcott's set-piece duty return an assist in addition to to two shots on target. Now he gets rudderless Cardiff at the Emirates. As he's just returned from an injury-layoff, and with Olivier Giroud in need of a rest and Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil injured... he's as nailed on a play as you can get. (Famous last words, right?)
6. Yannick Bolasie - Crystal Palace host Norwich, so their players are attractive. Perhaps surprisingly, there are several midfield options to choose from: Mile Jedinak has been a consistent point-getter, while Jason Puncheon and Barry Bannan provide creativity. However, I'm going for Bolasie as he's been more consistent over the last few matches than Puncheon, and better than Bannan. I couldn't argue with Jedinak, but Bolasie has the higher ceiling.
7. Yohan Cabaye - Cabaye didn't return many points at Arsenal, but that's too be expected. Travelling to West Brom should be a more favourable match-up, with the Baggies in relegation form. They shipped three to West Ham of all teams! Cabaye has been playing more advanced, with Cheik Tiote and Vurnon Anita holding down the center of the park, and that would bode well for Cabaye's potential. Hatem Ben Arfa may be pushing for a start, and he would be a cheaper, if riskier, option.
Other midfield options include Steven Pienaar, Christian Eriksen, who is in good form but travels to Manchester United, Adel Taarabt, rested at the weekend but maybe shut out of the team, Kevin Nolan at Fulham, Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri who look set to feature against Swansea, and Ki Sung-Yueng who is suddenly Sunderland's talismanic player.
Now, the case for defence.
8. Joel Ward - Moved into midfield, and despite "the rules" this has been a bad thing for his fantasy value. He's just not getting the volume of tackles won. Palace are also not keeping clean sheets recently, but hosting Norwich is as good a time as any to get back into that habit. On current form, he may not be worth his market price, but he's in my team and I do expect the good returns to continue.
9. Vincent Kompany - Ward and Mathieu Debuchy are the top point-getters in defence, but Vincent Kompany is the form player in the category. He didn't score, but did keep a clean sheet this time. With Demichelis still out, and considering his importance to Manchester City and the way they play, I can't see him getting rested or rotated.
10. Mathieu Debuchy - See Ward, Joel above. Top fantasy player with a good matchup. What's not to love?
Not making the cut, but under consideration, are the other Manchester City defenders including Aleksander Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta; Arsenal defenders with Laurent Koscielny being the most consistent; and the cheap Aly Cissokho, who may be needed as Liverpool host Hull.
In net...
11. Joe Hart - Hart took a beating from Cameron Jerome but came out ahead as the Palace striker had to be taken off with an injured knee. Hart, and his broken face, continued on and made some great saves. There's a slight chance that Hart can't face Swansea, but it would show great faith in their keeper to let him play. And after what he's been through, he's due a little support.
Wojciech Szczęsny would be my pick of the premium keepers, while Tim Krul and Julian Speroni are good mid-priced options. David Stockdale Jussi Jääskeläinen and Thomas Sorensen are your budget options, but could get you a -6 as easily as a +9.
Good luck this week, and please let us know your picks in the comments.
Monday, 30 December 2013
Weekly Picks: First XI: Week 20 Player Picks
First XI: Week 20 Player Picks
Monday, December 30, 2013
Don't stop now, it's just getting good!
You're almost there!
You can do this!
If you can read this, you're too close.
Ok, maybe that last one doesn't belong. However, I feel like we need to start today's column with a little reassurance for the fantasy manager. The brave soul who has weathered deadline after deadline through this dark period. Not injury news, nor rotation worries, nor suspension threat will keep you from making your transfers, choosing your captain, and picking up your points.
A bit of house-keeping: as is the norm at this time of year, there is rotation needed to get through the sheer amount of news and the quick succession of gameweeks. To that end, I am taking care of the player picks for week 20. There is no truth to the rumour, however, that Neal will miss out on writing up the injuries and suspensions due to a niggling groin injury.
The fixture list for this round looks like this:
Swansea v Man City
Arsenal v Cardiff
Crystal Palace v Norwich
Fulham v West Ham
Liverpool v Hull
Southampton v Chelsea
Stoke v Everton
Sunderland v Aston Villa
West Brom v Newcastle
Man Utd v Tottenham
There's potential points from many of these matches with Arsenal and Liverpool at home to promoted sides, Manchester City at a wobbly Swansea, Everton at Stoke, and then a host of relegation six-pointers that could go any number of ways.
So let's assemble a team, and run the rule over the candidates for each spot, starting with the forwards.
1. Luis Suarez - Two consecutive 8-point returns. Not bad for a mere mortal striker, but a shocking fall from grace for Suarez. Of course those were probably two of the tougher away games on the schedule and now he faces Hull City. Despite Hull's big win against Fulham, and developing "tough to beat" reputation, they've been relying on their home form for points and have only one win and two draws on the road. Liverpool's attacking midfielders will come into our thoughts for this match too, especially Phillipe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling. Jordan Henderson was shifted out of his more attacking role and may again be needed to fill in deeper in midfield or on the flanks, decreasing his appeal for me.
2. Alvaro Negredo - It seems likely that Negredo will be restored to the starting XI after only coming off the bench against Crystal Palace. Indeed, with David Silva suspended, and Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic injured, we may see Negredo partner Edin Dzeko. So don't sell the Bosnian if you have him on the cheap from last week. They're equally priced now, so go with your heart and pick the one you think will shine.
3. Edin Dzeko - Just kidding. I love Manchester City's potential, but I'm probably not picking two strikers when they're on the road. Swansea have been shakey at times, but Manchester City can make hard work of things away from the Etihad.
3. Modibo Maiga - Just kidding? Nope. Maiga came into the match as a halftime substitute for Carlton Cole against West Brom and scored one and created another in quick succession. I would expect that he's earned a start against Fulham, who will be reeling from their loss to Hull, and who have allowed more goals at Craven Cottage than any other home side. He's also cheap as chips, which will help if you want to fill your bench with real players, or if you're looking to ship out the injured Mesut Ozil.
Other candidates for me would include Gabby Agbonlahor at Sunderland, as Villa's counter-attacking style works well on the road; Loic Remy at West Brom; Romelu Lukaku at Stoke, despite his habit of not scoring when we expect him to; Lukas Podolski, who was rested at the weekend and hosts Cardiff, Eden Hazard, who may be finding some consistency for Chelsea, and Marouane Chamahk hosting Norwich.
Moving into the midfield...
4. Ross Barkley - He's been a consistent performer, even when coming off the bench. That is my worry with him, as Everton have Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar available after being introduced from the bench at Southampton, and Gareth Barry back from suspension. Stoke continue to be a good home side, so this match has limited appeal, but someone is going to get points from Everton's midfield and it will most likely be Barkley.
5. Theo Walcott - A tough match for Arsenal against Newcastle, but Walcott's set-piece duty return an assist in addition to to two shots on target. Now he gets rudderless Cardiff at the Emirates. As he's just returned from an injury-layoff, and with Olivier Giroud in need of a rest and Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil injured... he's as nailed on a play as you can get. (Famous last words, right?)
6. Yannick Bolasie - Crystal Palace host Norwich, so their players are attractive. Perhaps surprisingly, there are several midfield options to choose from: Mile Jedinak has been a consistent point-getter, while Jason Puncheon and Barry Bannan provide creativity. However, I'm going for Bolasie as he's been more consistent over the last few matches than Puncheon, and better than Bannan. I couldn't argue with Jedinak, but Bolasie has the higher ceiling.
7. Yohan Cabaye - Cabaye didn't return many points at Arsenal, but that's too be expected. Travelling to West Brom should be a more favourable match-up, with the Baggies in relegation form. They shipped three to West Ham of all teams! Cabaye has been playing more advanced, with Cheik Tiote and Vurnon Anita holding down the center of the park, and that would bode well for Cabaye's potential. Hatem Ben Arfa may be pushing for a start, and he would be a cheaper, if riskier, option.
Other midfield options include Steven Pienaar, Christian Eriksen, who is in good form but travels to Manchester United, Adel Taarabt, rested at the weekend but maybe shut out of the team, Kevin Nolan at Fulham, Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri who look set to feature against Swansea, and Ki Sung-Yueng who is suddenly Sunderland's talismanic player.
Now, the case for defence.
8. Joel Ward - Moved into midfield, and despite "the rules" this has been a bad thing for his fantasy value. He's just not getting the volume of tackles won. Palace are also not keeping clean sheets recently, but hosting Norwich is as good a time as any to get back into that habit. On current form, he may not be worth his market price, but he's in my team and I do expect the good returns to continue.
9. Vincent Kompany - Ward and Mathieu Debuchy are the top point-getters in defence, but Vincent Kompany is the form player in the category. He didn't score, but did keep a clean sheet this time. With Demichelis still out, and considering his importance to Manchester City and the way they play, I can't see him getting rested or rotated.
10. Mathieu Debuchy - See Ward, Joel above. Top fantasy player with a good matchup. What's not to love?
Not making the cut, but under consideration, are the other Manchester City defenders including Aleksander Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta; Arsenal defenders with Laurent Koscielny being the most consistent; and the cheap Aly Cissokho, who may be needed as Liverpool host Hull.
In net...
11. Joe Hart - Hart took a beating from Cameron Jerome but came out ahead as the Palace striker had to be taken off with an injured knee. Hart, and his broken face, continued on and made some great saves. There's a slight chance that Hart can't face Swansea, but it would show great faith in their keeper to let him play. And after what he's been through, he's due a little support.
Wojciech Szczęsny would be my pick of the premium keepers, while Tim Krul and Julian Speroni are good mid-priced options. David Stockdale Jussi Jääskeläinen and Thomas Sorensen are your budget options, but could get you a -6 as easily as a +9.
Good luck this week, and please let us know your picks in the comments.
You're almost there!
You can do this!
If you can read this, you're too close.
Ok, maybe that last one doesn't belong. However, I feel like we need to start today's column with a little reassurance for the fantasy manager. The brave soul who has weathered deadline after deadline through this dark period. Not injury news, nor rotation worries, nor suspension threat will keep you from making your transfers, choosing your captain, and picking up your points.
A bit of house-keeping: as is the norm at this time of year, there is rotation needed to get through the sheer amount of news and the quick succession of gameweeks. To that end, I am taking care of the player picks for week 20. There is no truth to the rumour, however, that Neal will miss out on writing up the injuries and suspensions due to a niggling groin injury.
The fixture list for this round looks like this:
Swansea v Man City
Arsenal v Cardiff
Crystal Palace v Norwich
Fulham v West Ham
Liverpool v Hull
Southampton v Chelsea
Stoke v Everton
Sunderland v Aston Villa
West Brom v Newcastle
Man Utd v Tottenham
There's potential points from many of these matches with Arsenal and Liverpool at home to promoted sides, Manchester City at a wobbly Swansea, Everton at Stoke, and then a host of relegation six-pointers that could go any number of ways.
So let's assemble a team, and run the rule over the candidates for each spot, starting with the forwards.
1. Luis Suarez - Two consecutive 8-point returns. Not bad for a mere mortal striker, but a shocking fall from grace for Suarez. Of course those were probably two of the tougher away games on the schedule and now he faces Hull City. Despite Hull's big win against Fulham, and developing "tough to beat" reputation, they've been relying on their home form for points and have only one win and two draws on the road. Liverpool's attacking midfielders will come into our thoughts for this match too, especially Phillipe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling. Jordan Henderson was shifted out of his more attacking role and may again be needed to fill in deeper in midfield or on the flanks, decreasing his appeal for me.
2. Alvaro Negredo - It seems likely that Negredo will be restored to the starting XI after only coming off the bench against Crystal Palace. Indeed, with David Silva suspended, and Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic injured, we may see Negredo partner Edin Dzeko. So don't sell the Bosnian if you have him on the cheap from last week. They're equally priced now, so go with your heart and pick the one you think will shine.
3. Edin Dzeko - Just kidding. I love Manchester City's potential, but I'm probably not picking two strikers when they're on the road. Swansea have been shakey at times, but Manchester City can make hard work of things away from the Etihad.
3. Modibo Maiga - Just kidding? Nope. Maiga came into the match as a halftime substitute for Carlton Cole against West Brom and scored one and created another in quick succession. I would expect that he's earned a start against Fulham, who will be reeling from their loss to Hull, and who have allowed more goals at Craven Cottage than any other home side. He's also cheap as chips, which will help if you want to fill your bench with real players, or if you're looking to ship out the injured Mesut Ozil.
Other candidates for me would include Gabby Agbonlahor at Sunderland, as Villa's counter-attacking style works well on the road; Loic Remy at West Brom; Romelu Lukaku at Stoke, despite his habit of not scoring when we expect him to; Lukas Podolski, who was rested at the weekend and hosts Cardiff, Eden Hazard, who may be finding some consistency for Chelsea, and Marouane Chamahk hosting Norwich.
Moving into the midfield...
4. Ross Barkley - He's been a consistent performer, even when coming off the bench. That is my worry with him, as Everton have Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar available after being introduced from the bench at Southampton, and Gareth Barry back from suspension. Stoke continue to be a good home side, so this match has limited appeal, but someone is going to get points from Everton's midfield and it will most likely be Barkley.
5. Theo Walcott - A tough match for Arsenal against Newcastle, but Walcott's set-piece duty return an assist in addition to to two shots on target. Now he gets rudderless Cardiff at the Emirates. As he's just returned from an injury-layoff, and with Olivier Giroud in need of a rest and Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil injured... he's as nailed on a play as you can get. (Famous last words, right?)
6. Yannick Bolasie - Crystal Palace host Norwich, so their players are attractive. Perhaps surprisingly, there are several midfield options to choose from: Mile Jedinak has been a consistent point-getter, while Jason Puncheon and Barry Bannan provide creativity. However, I'm going for Bolasie as he's been more consistent over the last few matches than Puncheon, and better than Bannan. I couldn't argue with Jedinak, but Bolasie has the higher ceiling.
7. Yohan Cabaye - Cabaye didn't return many points at Arsenal, but that's too be expected. Travelling to West Brom should be a more favourable match-up, with the Baggies in relegation form. They shipped three to West Ham of all teams! Cabaye has been playing more advanced, with Cheik Tiote and Vurnon Anita holding down the center of the park, and that would bode well for Cabaye's potential. Hatem Ben Arfa may be pushing for a start, and he would be a cheaper, if riskier, option.
Other midfield options include Steven Pienaar, Christian Eriksen, who is in good form but travels to Manchester United, Adel Taarabt, rested at the weekend but maybe shut out of the team, Kevin Nolan at Fulham, Jesus Navas and Samir Nasri who look set to feature against Swansea, and Ki Sung-Yueng who is suddenly Sunderland's talismanic player.
Now, the case for defence.
8. Joel Ward - Moved into midfield, and despite "the rules" this has been a bad thing for his fantasy value. He's just not getting the volume of tackles won. Palace are also not keeping clean sheets recently, but hosting Norwich is as good a time as any to get back into that habit. On current form, he may not be worth his market price, but he's in my team and I do expect the good returns to continue.
9. Vincent Kompany - Ward and Mathieu Debuchy are the top point-getters in defence, but Vincent Kompany is the form player in the category. He didn't score, but did keep a clean sheet this time. With Demichelis still out, and considering his importance to Manchester City and the way they play, I can't see him getting rested or rotated.
10. Mathieu Debuchy - See Ward, Joel above. Top fantasy player with a good matchup. What's not to love?
Not making the cut, but under consideration, are the other Manchester City defenders including Aleksander Kolarov and Pablo Zabaleta; Arsenal defenders with Laurent Koscielny being the most consistent; and the cheap Aly Cissokho, who may be needed as Liverpool host Hull.
In net...
11. Joe Hart - Hart took a beating from Cameron Jerome but came out ahead as the Palace striker had to be taken off with an injured knee. Hart, and his broken face, continued on and made some great saves. There's a slight chance that Hart can't face Swansea, but it would show great faith in their keeper to let him play. And after what he's been through, he's due a little support.
Wojciech Szczęsny would be my pick of the premium keepers, while Tim Krul and Julian Speroni are good mid-priced options. David Stockdale Jussi Jääskeläinen and Thomas Sorensen are your budget options, but could get you a -6 as easily as a +9.
Good luck this week, and please let us know your picks in the comments.
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