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Showing posts with label Premier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Premier. Show all posts
Friday, 10 October 2014
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UEFA unlikely to support overseas Premier League matches (Reuters)

By Mike Collett LONDON (Reuters) - Any ideas England's Premier League might have of playing matches overseas would be unlikely to get any backing from UEFA, a top official of European soccer's governing body said on Thursday. UEFA failed to support the idea when it was first mooted six years ago, and Gianni Infantino, UEFA's general secretary, told delegates at the Leaders In Sport Summit that he did not think UEFA would change its stance on the issue. ...


Thursday, 9 October 2014
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UEFA unlikely to support overseas Premier League matches (Reuters)

By Mike Collett LONDON (Reuters) - Any ideas England's Premier League might have of playing matches overseas would be unlikely to get any backing from UEFA, a top official of European soccer's governing body said on Thursday. UEFA failed to support the idea when it was first mooted six years ago, and Gianni Infantino, UEFA's general secretary, told delegates at the Leaders In Sport Summit that he did not think UEFA would change its stance on the issue. ...


Tuesday, 19 August 2014
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Jose Mourinho, Chelsea are well-positioned to return to the top of the Premier League (Yahoo Sports)

Chelsea\'s coach Jose Mourinho looks before their friendly soccer match against Vitesse Arnhem in Arnhem July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Toussaint Kluiters/United Photos

An unusually quiet summer for Manchester City and questions around Liverpool and Manchester United could open the door to a title for Diego Costa and Co.





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Jose Mourinho, Chelsea are well-positioned to return to the top of the Premier League (Yahoo Sports)

Chelsea\'s coach Jose Mourinho looks before their friendly soccer match against Vitesse Arnhem in Arnhem July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Toussaint Kluiters/United Photos

An unusually quiet summer for Manchester City and questions around Liverpool and Manchester United could open the door to a title for Diego Costa and Co.





Tuesday, 28 January 2014
Monday, 27 January 2014
Friday, 10 January 2014
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WATCH: Premier League TV Schedule – Week 21

nbcsports_new
It’s that time of the week again, you’re at work on a Friday and you’re already planning what Premier League games you will wake up to watch on a lazy Saturday morning.
Life is great.
it all kicks off on NBCSN from 7am ET on Saturday, as Hull City host Chelsea at the KC Stadium. Then Tottenham face Crystal Palace live on NBCSN at 10am ET, and to round things off on Saturday Manchester United welcome Swansea to Old Trafford at 12:20pm ET live on NBC, as the Red Devils look to avoid four-straight defeats to kick off 2014.
Then on Sunday Newcastle host Manchester City at a rowdy St. James’ Park, live on NBCSN at 9:05am ET. Then Stoke City take on Liverpool at the Britannia at 11:10am ET as the Potters and USMNT defender Geoff Cameron aim to upset Luis Suarez and the Reds. And on Monday, there’s a real beauty coming your way as Aston Villa take on league leaders Arsenal at Villa Park, tune into NBCSN at 3pm ET to watch that one.
WATCH EVERY GAME LIVE ONLINE VIA NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA
What an incredible weekend of action we have to look forward to and you won’t miss a thing.
You can watch NBC Sports Network for our feature games and watch every single second of every single game live this season online via NBC Sports Live Extra and the NBC Sports Live Extra App.
Via your TV you can watch the games live on Premier League Extra Time. Here’s your full TV schedule for the coming weekend. Enjoy.
FULL TV SCHEDULE
SATURDAY
7:45am ET: Hull City v Chelsea – NBCSN
10am ET: Tottenham v Palace – NBCSN
10am ET: Cardiff City vs. West Ham Premier League Extratime
10am ET: Everton vs. Norwich – Premier League Extratime
10am ET: Fulham vs. Sunderland – Premier League Extratime
10am ET: Southampton v West Brom – Premier League Extratime
12:30pm ET: Man United vs. Swansea – NBC
SUNDAY
9:05am ET: Newcastle vs. Manchester City – NBCSN11:10am ET: Stoke City v Liverpool – NBCSN
MONDAY
3pm ET: Aston Villa vs. Arsenal – NBCSN

Tuesday, 31 December 2013
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Yahoo! Premier League: Late Fitness Check - Week 20




Rather than spending column inches rehashing 2013 (I think I covered most of that in my Thanksgiving post anyway), I'm going to spend a few minutes discussing what I'm looking forward to in 2014.  Of course I'm looking forward to my son continuing to grow and develop - he's only 15 months old but thanks to a little encouragement from dad and watching a steady diet of Premier League matches on weekend mornings, he has been kicking a ball for months and has recently started something that reasonably approximates dribbling (without my prompting I'd like to add before anyone worries that I'm already turning into THAT dad).  No, what you are probably more interested in (outside of me stopping with the rambling and getting on to the injury and suspension news and analysis) is some thoughts related to sports, soccer, and specifically the Premier League so here we go:

1) I am looking forward to seeing what Manchester United and David Moyes can do with a roster that is befitting of a club of their stature.  While Sir Alex was an incredible manager and left with a great flourish he left things in a pretty miserable state of affairs roster-wise.  I don't know whether it will happen in January or over the summer but I'd like to see what Moyes can do with top class players.  Many are pointing out that Everton are performing better in the standings and on the pitch than their old bosses' new team but few are pointing out in the same breath that Everton's players are also better.  Can Moyes succeed at a "big club"? I'd hate to pretend we know the answer to that until he has "big club" players.
2) I'm interested to find out if Chelsea, and specifically Jose Mourinho, can win anything important without superior resources.  Mourinho outspent everyone to titles the last time he was in England.  I'm certainly not implying that he isn't a good manager because we've seen others do far less when given the same resources by Chelsea.  Still, given what is being spent in transfer fees and wages, the bar is incredibly high and Arsenal are currently ahead of them in the table and Manchester City are ahead of them with the oddsmakers.  There's also the feeling that it is finally time for the old guard at Chelsea to make way and it isn't clear that Mourinho has a plan in place for the transition.  That plan may make itself clear come January but unless Chelsea defy the oddsmakers and win this season it seems like it could turn into a bit of a wasted season.
3) I'm interested to find out if Liverpool can sustain their first half results.  Luis Suarez is on an incredible scoring pace and has Liverpool near the top of the table.  Two concerns that jump out at me that I'll be interested to see play themselves out.  First, what happens if Suarez's form inevitably dips? Can Liverpool continue to win without him scoring at a Messi/Ronaldo-like clip? Second, is discovering whether Liverpool can manage to pick up some points against those around them in the table.  The Reds have been ruthless in beating the also-rans of the Premier League and hats off to them for that but with Manchester United starting to creep up and Everton showing that they are for real as well, Liverpool will have to get all three points from their big matches in the second half of the season if they are to secure Champions League football for next season.
4) How can the league get any more interesting? If you look at the table, there is only one club that has more than a one match cushion between them and clubs above them and below them in the table (if you haven't looked lately, it is Southampton who is nestled securely in the nineth spot with five points to eighth and four points to tenth).  Every week brings the potential of upheaval in the table and with the possible exception of Manchester City if they can keep Kompany and Aguero healthy over the second half of the campaign, everyone seems flawed enough that things are likely to remain bunched regardless of what happens in January.
5) The three teams I support the most are all at various stages of renaissance as we close 2013 and I can't wait to see what happens next.  Arsenal accumulated the most points in the Premier League over the course of 2013 (second half of last season and the first half of this season) and while no trophies are handed out for that, I'm endlessly curious to see how they approach the January window and the second half of the first season in ages where there is genuine hope around the Emirates and among Gooners everywhere.  The Eagles (that's NFL for those who don't follow American football) have a new coach, a new way of doing things, and have dramatically turned their fortunes around in a season where they were expected to be pretty poor.  With an unexpected playoff game this Saturday the season has already been a success but even though we're playing with house money, I'm intrigued to see how far it can go.  Finally, DC United of Major League Soccer has shown signs of life in the off-season after perhaps the most dismal season from any professional sports team I've ever supported (which is saying something since I grew up with some horrible teams across all sports in Philadelphia).  I don't think DC United will be world-beaters in 2014 but if they can be significantly better and get their stadium project on track then there will be reason to hope again for a franchise that was, at one time, the only one I supported that brought me any joy and certainly the only one that has brought much joy to the Washington, DC metro area in years.
OK, now on to the final injury analysis of 2013 and it's going to be a big one with a fair number of high profile injuries:

Arsenal v Cardiff City - Arsenal may have an appealing-looking match-up but there are a lot of injury issues here that may confound things.  Olivier Giroud, Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil, and Keiran Gibbs are all out.  Theo Walcott, Thomas Vermaelen, and Jack Wilshere have all been listed as questionable but all three trained today and should be available.  Walcott and Lukas Podolski should be particularly interesting for fantasy managers against a Cardiff City team that has been much better at home than on the road.

Crystal Palace v Norwich City - Gary Hooper was listed as questionable at the Norwich press conference this morning but the late word is that he will be fit for the trip to Selhurst Park.  With Palace playing much better under Tony Pulis this seems like an ideal time to go for a Palace defender (ahem, Joel Ward).

Fulham v West Ham United - Fulham and West Ham are both a bit of a mess at this point.  Fulham just let up six goals to Hull (yes, you read that right) and West Ham are riddled with injuries including all three of their center backs - James Tomkins, Winston Reid and James Collins.  What a mess.  You'd think Fulham might be able to capitalize on the Hammers' injury woes but they are uncertain over the availability of Dimitar Berbatov and Adel Taarabt who, while not world beaters, may be their two best attacking players.  Yikes.

Liverpool v Hull City - I hate the word "could", as in Steven Gerrard "could" make his return to action.  If Gerrard were back against a Hull team that Liverpool will be out for blood against after losing their earlier match-up, I'd be in on him in a second.  The presence of that word "could" makes me feel a lot less good about things.  Line-up won't be announced until after the fantasy roster deadline so no help there either.  I'm going to stay away and hate myself for it later when he plays and scores.

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur - Wayne Rooney hasn't trained since missing the match against Norwich which hasn't prevented David Moyes from listing him as a possible participant against Spurs.  Robin van Persie and Phil Jones are definitely out for United as is Paulinho, Sandro, Andros Townsend, Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen for Spurs.  Rooney's presence or absence dramatically changes who I'm interested in fantasy-wise for United.  If Rooney plays then I'm interested in Rooney, Welbeck and Januzaj, if he doesn't play then I'm worried that they will look as bad as they did against Norwich except they'll be doing it against a better Spurs team.  Tough call but I'm likely to stay away.

Southampton v Chelsea - Southampton are slowly getting fitter with only Boruc and Wanyama out among the preferred eleven while Chelsea are suffering from some key absences at the back with Ivanovic (injury) and Luiz (accumulation suspension) both out.  That will leave Chelsea's back four as the rusty Ashley Cole, John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta (playing his natural position for the first time in a while).  Honestly, I don't like Chelsea's chances of a clean sheet on the road against the Saints so the real question is whether they (or my NFL Eagles) can outscore the Saints (sorry for another NFL reference but it worked well with the sentence and I'm really excited they're in the playoffs).  No real insight into who is likely to start in attack but it is hard to deny Eden Hazard given his recent form.

Stoke City v Everton - It is going to be tough for Stoke to go into this one missing Asmir Begovic but he's really the only significant absence for fantasy purposes.  Hard to imagine Stoke exploiting the absence of Phil Jagielka or fantasy managers being TOO interested in Jags regardless.

Sunderland v Aston Villa - Not much of definitive use from the reports here.  Benteke is still uncertain as is Ron Vlaar who hold the keys to Aston Villa being a decent team at the front and back respectively.  Given that neither are definitely available, it is hard to get too excited about drafting players from either team into your fantasy squad.

Swansea City v Manchester City - This is the early one so City's like-up should be available before the fantasy deadline which is good news.  Swansea is still without Vorm and Michu making City's chances to score a bunch and keep a clean sheet look better than they already were.  I'll be trying my best to be awake to see the City starting line-up and makes some changes as appropriate to take advantage of what I expect to be a convincing away win.

West Bromwich v Newcastle - Shane Long is expected to be fit which is good news for the Baggies who need his goals as well as a reason to sit Nicholas Anelka after his run-in with good taste over the weekend.  It isn't clear what West Brom will decide on Anelka but the presence of Long and last week's strong performance from Berahino certainly gives them some options.  Nothing to report from the Newcastle side of this one.  Looks like an away win to me as Newcastle rebound after Sunday's narrow loss to Arsenal.


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Premier League Power Rankings: Final standings of 2013 revealed

Manchester City v Crystal Palace - Premier League Getty Images
The final PL Power Rankings of 2013 have arrived, and surprise, surprise Arsenal sit atop the table just like they have for most of the season.
However the gap is certainly closing on the Gunners as Manchester City and Chelsea are hot on their heels as the New Year begins in earnest.
At the halfway point of the PL season things couldn’t be closer at the top and bottom of the standings. There’s been so many changes in the rankings this week, as some teams excelled while other flummoxed over the festive period of matches.
(MORE: Premier League Power Rankings archive)
By now you should know the drill. We put our neck on the line to analyze the strength of each Premier League team, forget about the official league standings (here they are in case you actually do want them) that doesn’t mean squat.
The Power Rankings take into account the strength of schedule, injuries, suspensions, playing well but still losing and plenty of other variables. The W-D-L bracket shows each PL team’s current record and you can now see how many spots each team has moved, up or down, from week-to-week.
Let’s get to it!
RANKING
Up/Down
source:
1 -
Arsenal: Over the festive period, Arsenal’s strength in-depth is there for all to see. Despite a bad loss to Man City, when they actually played quite well, a draw against Chelsea and wins over West Ham and Newcastle prove they’re a force. Easy home win vs. Cardiff this weekend. (13-3-3-)
source:  2 UP 1
Manchester City: Pellegrini’s men came up with two big wins over Arsenal and Liverpool before and after Christmas and are in full flow. Their incredible home record remains intact, as City sit just one point off top spot. A tricky trip to Swansea awaits. (13-2-4)
source:  3 UP 2
Chelsea: The Blues beat Liverpool on the 28th 2-1 and were good value for their win. Jose Mourinho’s men seem much more solid and a good defensive display away at Arsenal proved that. Can they keep it going away at Southampton? (12-4-3)
source:  4 -
Everton: What an incredible season so far for the Toffees, who sit in the Champions League spots at the halfway point. Robert Martinez has done a fabulous job, as they’ve lost just twice in 19 PL games. Can they kick on with Lukaku leading the way? Stoke away brings in the New Year. (10-7-2)
source:
5 DOWN 2
Liverpool: Those two defeats to City and Chelsea in their past two games shows that the Reds aren’t too far away but they are just lacking that extra bit of class. When Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard return, Liverpool will kick on again. Luis Suarez can’t do it on his own. (11-3-5)
source:  6 -
Tottenham: Spurs have a new look under Tim Sherwood and it’ll take a while for them to adjust. But they’re staying in touch with the big boys after some good wins, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado are forming a good partnership. Next up: Man United away. (10-4-5)
source:  7  UP 3 Manchester United: So, a tough game at home against Spurs is coming up, but the festive season has ushered in a mini-revival from the Red Devils. Can they keep it going? Strangely without RVP up front they look more balanced, as Rooney, Welbeck, Valencia and Januzaj have dazzled in six-straight wins in all competitions. (10-4-5)
source:  8 DOWN 1
Newcastle: It’s been a great campaign for Alan Pardew‘s Magpies as St. James’ Park has been a fortress and their wealth of French talent has produced some stunning goals. A win away at West Brom could see them back in the top five. (10-3-6)
source:  9 DOWN 1
Southampton: The Saints are still playing well, but injuries and a rough stretch of games has seen them slip down the table in recent weeks. They’ve been unlucky vs. Spurs and Everton while their young English core has performed admirably. Bright future, but tough game vs. Chelsea. (7-6-6)
source:  10  DOWN 1 Swansea City: An up and down season for Michael Laudrup‘s Swans so far, as they’re currently without a win in five matches. But the talent is their to kick on in the second half of the season, they just need a bit of luck. (5-6-8)
source:  11 -
Hull City: Great first half of the season for the Tigers, as Steve Bruce’s men are looking comfy back in the PL. A massive 6-0 win over Fulham saw them round the year off in style. It’s all about getting to that magic 40-point marker ASAP now. (6-5-8)
source:  12  - Norwich City: A tough season so far for Chris Hughton and the Canaries as their inability to score goals as hit the Norfolk club hard. Although a spirited display against United should have yielded a point and better defensive solidity is promising. (5-4-10)
source:
13 - Aston Villa: Villa could well be lower than this, as an underwhelming first half of the season leaves them in yet another relegation battle. Paul Lambert‘s time is running out at Villa Park. Christian Benteke needs to get back to form, quickly. (5-5-9)
source:  14 UP 1 Crystal Palace: What a finish to 2013 for the Eagles, as Tony Pulis‘ appointment has brought a breath of fresh air to Selhurst Park. A valiant display away at Man City and a win away at Villa over the festive season shows how far they’ve come. Massive home game vs. Norwich this week. (5-1-13)
source:  15 DOWN 1
Stoke City: The Potters imploded a little over the last few games, as big defeats to Newcastle and Spurs away saw them ship eight goals in two games. That doesn’t tell the whole story as Mark Hughes’ men had red card and penalty decisions go against them. Must do better in second half of the season. (5-6-8)
source:  16 -
West Brom: Managerless West Brom have picked up two good draws on the road against Spurs and West Ham. Who will come in to manage the Baggies? Uncertainty remains around the Hawthorns, but the players are putting up a fight. (3-9-7)
source:  17 UP 3
Sunderland: The Black Cats are four games unbeaten, won away at Everton and snatched a last minute point at Cardiff after trailing 2-0. That’s fighting spirit. Gus Poyet’s side have a real chance of beating the drop. Huge home game vs. Villa. (3-5-11)
source:  18 -
Cardiff City: Owner Vincent Tan has made the Bluebirds a laughing stock, and after Malky Mackay was sacked after a 3-0 defeat to Southampton, Cardiff threw away a 2-0 lead vs. Sunderland and Tan was seen booing his own players. Who will be the next manager? (4-6-9)
source:  19 -
West Ham: Sam Allardyce‘s side are putting up a fight but no win in six sees them at the wrong end of the table an fighting for their lives. Recent defeats to Arsenal and Man United highlighted their weaknesses. (3-6-10)
source:  20 DOWN 3
Fuham: The Cottagers were battered by Hull, after picking up a big three points at Norwich on the road. They’re a Jekyll and Hyde team who need big reinforcements in January. Will that happen? (5-1-13)
Saturday, 28 December 2013
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Yahoo! Premier League: Late Fitness Check - Week 19

Late Fitness Check - Week 19

Friday, December 27, 2013


Season's Greetings everyone! I would say "Happy Holidays" but that would be unnecessary, wouldn't it? Allow me to use logic to prove my point:
You are here because you love fantasy Premier League.
You love fantasy Premier League because you love the actual Premier League.
If you love the actual Premier League, then you love to be able to watch as many matches as you possibly can.
Ergo, you are happy because we are in the middle of an eleven day stretch that includes 4 gameweeks!  20% of the season played out in under a fortnight! We here at Rotoworld are working feverishly to cover all the bases...and we couldn't be more excited about it. Rotation is the order of the day as major players in fantasy will undoubtedly throw a wrench into your plans. Weekly scores that usually hover well into triple digits may struggle to hit the century mark, especially if Luis Suarez doesn't account for 80 of them by himself like we have grown accustomed to. Let's soak in the latest news for every matchup as we edge closer to yet another deadline.

Be sure to read Nik's Player Picks and the latest Team News all the way up to the deadline in what should make for a roller-coaster of a gameweek.

Get all of your Premier League news at RotoWorld

West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion - For West Ham, James Collins limped off midweek with a calf issue which could see George McCartney start alongside James Tompkins at CB. Joey O'Brien got the start over Guy Demel last time out, but the latter may have only been rotated and could start again. Ravel Morrison may return tomorrow, either in a bench role or pushing Joe Cole back to the bench. Up front, Sam Allardyce has a choice between Carlton Cole, who scored midweek, or Modibo Maiga, should he want fresher legs. For West Brom, Keith Downing made seven changes midweek, applying rotation more than any other manager. Look for Stephane Sessegnon, Scott Sinclair, Chris Brunt, Shane Long and Youssouf Mulumbu to return for the Baggies. Victor Anichebe is still a doubt and Billy Jones is healthy but didn't make the squad at all midweek.

Aston Villa v Swansea City - For Villa, Ron Vlaar and Christian Benteke are highly unlikely to return tomorrow, Nathan Baker and Libor Kozak respectively should maintain their spots. Ashley Westwood missed out previously due to suspension and looks poised to return to central midfield, perhaps unseating Karim El Ahmadi. For Swansea, Michu will be on the shelf for around 6 weeks, expect Jonjo Shelvey to play just behind the striker, which Michael Laudrup hopes will be Wifried Bony, who was rested midweek. Nathan Dyer and Michel Vorm are also facing long injury spells with Wayne Routledge and Gerhard Tremmel continuing to deputisize. Ben Davies, Chico, Pablo Hernandez and Jonathan de Guzman were all rested against Chelsea midweek, and look set to return tomorrow.

Hull City v Fulham - For Hull, Steve Bruce rested no one midweek, but now has some injury concerns. Allan McGregor came off at halftime in the previous match with a knee problem. Steve Harper is set to fill in tomorrow should McGregor not make it. Avoid attempting to risk a budget choice here. Alex Bruce, Dave Meyler and Maynor Figueroa all picked up knocks midweek as well. Scans were planned for each, but no results have been publicized, so they should be disregarded for your XI as well. Robbie Brady continues to miss pitch time as he has never fully healed from his hernia procedure. For Fulham, Dimitar Berbatov remains a question mark as his groin injury lingers but he was close to making the squad midweek. Should he return tomorrow, Adel Taarabt's place in the XI will be in jeopardy. An ankle injury is expected to keep Maarten Stekelenburg from between the sticks again, David Stockdale will continue to fil in. The rest of Fulham's regulars who sat out midweek for rest are expected to retain their roles.

Manchester City v Crystal Palace -  For City, rotation didn't hit hard midweek so there is reason to fear Pellegrini's XI for tomorrow's match. Alvaro Negredo and David Silva could be sacrificed in an easier fixture, but Yaya Toure is an engine you should be able to rely on and Samir Nasri was subbed off early enough against Liverpool to suggest he can start again. Martin Demichelis has a hamstring issue that kept him out midweek and he is unlikely ready for the clash with Palace. Pablo Zabaleta made a surprise return midweek which sends a red flag that he will probably not be fit enough for two games in 48 hours. For Palace, Joel Ward may continue in midfield should Stuart O'Keefe and Kagisho Dikgacoi remain unavailable in this tough fixture. Marouane Chamakh is available after a 1 match ban and should go straight back into the XI.

Follow the RotoWorld_PL team on Twitter: Galin | Jeremy | Neal | Nik | Steve

Norwich City v Manchester United - Norwich was one of two clubs to go with an unchanged XI midweek, so changes could be in the works tomorrow. Michael Turner will definitely be out, he is serving a 1 game suspension. Ryan Bennett is his most likely replacement. The midfield should continue as is, should Chris Hughton have any plans on a positive result against United. He may look to shake up the forward roles.  Gary Hooper seems safe because of form, but Ricky van Wolfswinkel is due for a return, perhaps supplanting Johan Elmander. For United, Antonio Valencia is banned from this match after picking up a midweek red card meaning Adnan Januzaj and Ashley Young look safe as midfield options. Wayne Rooney should be the focal point of attack again, but David Moyes may consider Shinji Kagawa or Javier Hernandez to start over Danny Welbeck. In defense, RB is the major question mark as Rafael limped off midweek with a groin problem, Phil Jones remains a doubt, and Valencia's ban means he can't shift back there.

Cardiff City v Sunderland - Cardiff will be hoping Gary Medel will be fit for tomorrow after missing out midweek with an illness. Craig Bellamy is ruled out again. Otherwise, Kim Bo-Kyung would be the only threat to unseat any of the Bluebirds attacking regulars. The defense is healthy.  For Sunderland, Wes Brown continues to serve his suspension, so Valentin Roberge is expected to keep his spot warm. John O'Shea missed out midweek with a bad shoulder but is expected to return to the back line. With Steven Fletcher getting the midweek start up top, Jozy Altidore could be set to come back in tomorrow to replace him should Gus Poyet keep the formation and retain last game's hero Sung-Yueng Ki.

Everton v Southampton - Leighton Baines was thought to be fit enough for a midweek return, but didn't even make the bench.  Roberto Martinez will hope to have him back for Sunday, but there is no definitive word about it. If you are starting Bryan Oviedo, have a good bench option available. Ross Barkley was left out of the XI midweek, but played the entire 2nd half after Kevin Mirallas left with an illness.  Both Mirallas and Barkley should make the starting lineup against the Saints. Tim Howard and Gareth Barry are both suspended. Joel Robles is a budget keeper option this week only. For Southampton, Morgan Schneiderlin will serve a one match ban here so James Ward-Prowse is likely to partner Jack Cork in central midfield. Dejan Lovren missed midweek with an illness but should return with Maya Yoshida making way. Pablo Osvaldo is nursing a leg injury making Ricky Lambert a likely starter.  Callum Chambers continues to fill in for Nathaniel Clyne at RB.

Newcastle United v Arsenal - For Newcastle, Cheick Tiote returns from suspension so depending on Alan Pardew's formation, it could mean the chop for Vurnon Anita or more importantly for fantasy, Hatem Ben Arfa. The Toons should have all their other big weapons ready, with perhaps the CB position the most likely to rotate as Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Steven Taylor are probably yearning for pitch time. For Arsenal, Laurent Koscielny is in a race to be fit meaning Thomas Vermaelen would likely give way. Jack Wilshere returns from suspension while Arsene Wenger's hint of rest for Mesut Ozil lingers. Lukas Podolski had a productive sub appearance and may give Wenger an opportunity to hand him a start over Olivier Giroud.

Chelsea v Liverpool - Both managers will want their best lineups for this mammoth fixture, but for Chelsea, you never know what Jose Mourinho considers that to be. Ramires is definitely out after picking up his 5th caution. Frank Lampard should be in the XI after being rested midweek and Oscar should be fresh after an early substitution. Ashley Cole did well in a rare start for him but is a risk to back on Sunday. For Liverpool, a hamstring injury saw Jon Flanagan miss out on Boxing Day and he appears to remain unavailable for the weekend. Aly Cissokho should deputize again. With Steven Gerrard and Daniel Sturridge still sidelined, expect the rest of Brendan Rodgers' regulars to start here.

Tottenham Hotspur v Stoke City - For Spurs, Aaron Lennon is in a race to be fit for Sunday as he recovers from an abdominal injury but it may be too soon. Paulinho has completed his ban and will look to retain his spot in central midfield, but Kyle Walker will miss out after picking up his 5th yellow. Kyle Naughton is the only logical replacement. Mousa Demele has been declared fit after missing midweek but may battle for a spot should Tim Sherwood go with a two-striker attack.  For Stoke City, Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson are both unavailable after both were sent off midweek. Marc Muniesa and Wilson Palacios respectively are the likely replacements. Asmir Begovic suffered a broken finger which means Thomas Sorensen will mind the sticks. Marco Arnautovic and Stephen Ireland were on the bench last time out and may get starts here if rotation is implemented.


Wednesday, 25 December 2013
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Yahoo! Premier League: Late Fitness Check - Week 18

Late Fitness Check - Week 18

Tuesday, December 24, 2013


We have a great global audience and I'm sure that people reading this will be celebrating a variety of holidays this season.  I hope everyone has a fantastic time celebrating with friends and loved ones...and then has the opportunity to watch or listen to the full program of Boxing Day matches in the Premier League.  Coming so quickly on top of this past weekend's fixtures, there will undoubtedly be some rotation that will come as a surprise.  Arsene Wenger practically announced that Mesut Ozil wouldn't be playing against West Ham when he said that the German was tired and needed a rest but "not against Chelsea".  It doesn't take a genius to read between the lines and interpret that as meaning that the Hammers aren't quite as good as Chelsea and that Arsenal's chances of winning don't diminish greatly with, say, Santi Cazorla in that spot.  With Manchester United playing modest competition in Hull City the chance of some rotation exists there as well (although what exactly constitutes "rotation" in David Moyes' unstable starting eleven is hard to say).  Chelsea are also likely to ring in the changes against an injury-depleted Swansea side that have been struggling and are likely to do so again at Stamford Bridge regardless of which eleven Jose Mourinho decides on.

As you're digesting the analysis below, I recommend you read Nik's Player Picks and the latest Team News while you're sipping eggnog or whatever beverage goes with the holiday you're celebrating:

Get all of your Premier League news at RotoWorld

West Ham United v Arsenal - Arsenal will be missing Jack Wilshere as he serves the second match of his two-match obscene gesture suspension.  The status of Laurent Koscielny is also up in the air as he recovers from the literal and figurative gashing sustained at the Etihad.  West Ham will get Kevin Nolan back which I guess is good (although it really hasn't been much help so far this season) but are still missing their best player at the back - Winston Reid - and their best/only forward - Andy Carroll.  Rotation Speculation: See above for Arsenal and I'll add that I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Nacho Monreal come in for Keiran Gibbs at left back or Jenkinson come in for Sagna at right back (but probably not both).  Theo Walcott is probably the best bet to start this one given his recent return to fitness.

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace - The big news here is that both center forwards - the in form Marouane Chamakh for Palace and the woefully out of form Christian Benteke for Villa - are likely to be missing.  Chamakh is definitely out suspended while Benteke was given a rest in Week 17 in hopes that he will recover from the nagging knee injury that has seen his form dip dramatically from last season and early this season.  Aston Villa will also be without Ashley Westwood, also serving a suspension, and (most likely) Ron Vlaar who is returning from injury but seems unlikely to be ready for Boxing Day.  Minus Vlaar (again, most likely but not for sure), Villa's defense has been poor and anyone thinking that a visit by Crystal Palace looked like a nice opportunity for a clean sheet for Brad Guzan and Co would do well to think again.  Rotation Speculation: None to speak of as both teams are relatively thin and need the points against fellow bottom-half clubs.

Cardiff City v Southampton - Craig Bellamy is as close as Cardiff's team news gets to being fantasy-relevant which is to say, Cardiff City's team news is not fantasy relevant in the slightest.  The Saints, on the other hand, have so much news of the uncertain variety that it is hard to say what to make of it.  Artur Boruc and Victor Wanyama are definitely out meaning that you probably don't want to bet on that Southampton clean sheet machine returning to the scene quite yet even with Cardiff City the opponent.  After those two, Osvoldo, Clyne, Shaw, Davis, Fonte, and Yoshida are all uncertain.  I'd stick to Lallana and/or Lambert and just let the rest go.  Rotation Speculation: None of the relevant variety for Cardiff City and all injury-related for Southampton.

Chelsea v Swansea City - Swansea will be missing Michu, Michel Vorm and Nathan Dyer for sure which limits a) their ability to score or stop goals and b) doesn't give them too many options in positions that fantasy managers care about.  Throw in the fact that they are traveling to Stamford Bridge and it seems like a good time to forget that Swansea players are available for fantasy selection.  Chelsea, on the other hand, are likely to make a bunch of changes but, other than it being widely speculated that Ashley Cole will get his first start in ages, what exactly that means for the starting line-up isn't clear.  Rotation Speculation: If someone forced me to bet on these sorts of things, I'd say that Oscar and Juan Mata will both get starts and maybe Andre Schurrle too.  Any of them would be of interest from a fantasy point of view if you were confident enough that they'd actually be selected. If you can't tell, I'm glad no one is forcing me to bet on these sorts of things.

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Everton v Sunderland - The big news here is that Leighton Baines COULD be back.  This means that fantasy managers who have Bryan Oviedo have a decision to make.  The nightmare scenario is that you start Oviedo and spend money to have a quality bench player behind him and then Baines starts against Sunderland but only goes 70 minutes as he recovers his fitness and Oviedo comes in for a fairly unproductive 20 minutes and you end up with next to nothing to show for either him or the guy you spent money on for your bench.  My recommendation would be to push Oviedo to the bench and bring a player more likely to start in ahead of him.  There's a chance you might be upset about missing out on Oviedo's points if he does start against a bad team at home but you'll have less stress on Christmas Day and Boxing Day while waiting for line-ups to be announced. Rotation Speculation: Outside of the Baines/Oviedo question, there's not a great deal here worth discussing unless you're thinking of playing an Everton CB and you're worried Johnny Heitinga might get a start.

Hull City v Manchester United - Recent goal-scoring hero Danny Welbeck is a doubt as the result of a knock on the knee in the West Ham match.  Welbeck returned to training so the risk of jumping on the England International's goal-scoring streak isn't huge but with so much rotation risk out there, even a little doubt is worth taking seriously.  Outside of the Welbeck uncertainty, the only injury news focuses on players that we knew weren't going to feature - Robin van Persie, Marouane Fellaini, Michael Carrick and (most likely from all reports I've seen) Robby Brady.  Rotation Speculation: Hull City aren't deep enough to rotate much and the United players likely to be rotated in (Ashley Young, Chicharito, and/or Shinji Kagawa) aren't really worth considering for fantasy purposes.

Manchester City v Liverpool - Joe Hart will be in net again but would you trust the City defense against high scoring Liverpool? No, me either. Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge and Jose Enrique are all still missing for Liverpool with John Flanagan a slight doubt with a hamstring issue that caused him to be substituted early in Week 17. Aguero and Nastasic are both still missing for City along with Zabaleta and Richards.  Zabaleta trained ahead of the match with Liverpool but given the critical nature of the match, Manuel Pelegrini will have to be fairly certain that the Argentine is ready to go if he is to start him.  Rotation Speculation: No significant rotation is likely with this being a huge match for both sides.  It does have great potential as a high-scoring affair so unlike most matches between top clubs, this one could be very worthy of your fantasy investment in players like Suarez (c) (like I needed to tell you that), Henderson, Silva, and Toure.

Newcastle v Stoke City - Not much news here worth mentioning for fantasy purposes.  Rotation Speculation: Charlie Adam and Hatem Ben Arfa are both possibilities to get a start after scoring in Week 17 but I wouldn't go too far out of my way to get either one in my line-up for Week 18.

Norwich City v Fulham - The corpse of Dimitar Bervatov faces a late fitness check on Boxing Day.  Given his performances thus far this season, I'm not sure they want to rush him back but such are the lack of attacking options until Clint Dempsey returns along with (presumably) other transfer options in January - hopefully of the under-30 variety.  Rotation Speculation: Not too much else worth reporting other than that Gary Hooper has been on fire and Fulham are terrible.  Not really rotation speculation but worth mentioning none-the-less .

Tottenham Hotspur v West Bromwich - Spurs will be missing Paulinho, Jan Vertonghen, Aaron Lennon, Andros Townsend, and the perpetually injured Younes Kaboul.  Nice to have some certainty in the team news, isn't it? The Baggies will be missing Victor Anichebe but I'm not sure that anyone is likely to notice.  Rotation Speculation: Hard to predict what Tim Sherwood will do after one Premier League match in the books but you can bet that Adebayor gets another start after his performance at the weekend.


Tuesday, 24 December 2013
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Premier League Preview: Chelsea v. Swansea City

Jose Mourinho AP
  • Chelsea have been reduced to 10 men in three of their last six meetings with Swansea in all competitions.
  • Chelsea took part in the highest scoring Premier League game on December 26 when they drew 4-4 with Aston Villa in 2007.
  • Frank Lampard has played more games on December 26 than any other player in Premier League history (15).
Chelsea will look to close the two point gap on league leaders Liverpool when they welcome Swansea City to Stamford Bridge on Thursday (9:45am ET live on NBCSN and online via NBC Sports Live Extra).
Following the 0-0 draw with Arsenal on Monday, the Blues sit fourth in the table, seven spots ahead of the Swans. Jose Mourinho’s side have dropped only two points at home all season, keeping The Special One’s home unbeaten streak at 68 games. Which doesn’t bode well for Swansea.
The fact that Michael Laudrup‘s club have been inconsistent on the road this season will only complicate the issue further for the Swans, who are suffering from a rash of injuries and the rigors of playing in the Europa League. The combination of the two has made Swansea a completely unpredictable squad. Sometimes they look like world beaters, other times the look like a Championship side.
But while Swansea have never beaten Chelsea in four previous league meetings, Stamford Bridge is the venue where they secured a 2-0 victory in the semi-final of last year’s League Cup – the necessary result to help them go on and win the competition.
If they’re to win on Thursday it will have to be without Michu (ankle), Michel Vorm (knee), Nathan Dyer (ankle) and Gary Monk (knee), who are all sidelined with injury.
For Chelsea, Ryan Bertrand (knock) is out while Marco van Ginkel (knee) remains a longterm absentee with an ACL injury. Nevertheless, expect Mourinho to rotate his squad given the close temporal proximity of this match to the Arsenal match.
What They’re Saying
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho: “OK, we don’t go to Christmas as leaders, but we go with evolution because last season the championship was already lost by this point. Now, we are there.”
Swansea manager Michael Laudrup: “We are talking about one of the favourites for the title, but other teams have gone there and done well and I still think we have a chance. We have fond memories of that pitch.”
Prediction
Normally, I’d say Swansea could give Chelsea a game in this one. They’re a great footballing side and one that’s capable of shocking anyone. Except when Vorm is out because or my money, Gerhard Tremmel is the worst goal-keeper in the league. A bit harsh but true. The Blues will roll.
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Premier League Preview: Hull City v. Manchester United

Manchester United v West Ham United - Premier League Getty Images
  • Hull have the best home defense in the Premier League this season (three goals conceded).
  • Manchester United have won 16 of the last 17 games they have played on December 26, with the defeat away Middlesbrough in 2002 the exception.
  • Hull’s only previous Premier League game on December 26 was a 5-1 defeat at Man City which saw then-manager Phil Brown conduct the half-time team talk on the pitch.
Boxing Day kicks-off at 7:00am ET this Thursday when Manchester United heads to the KC Stadium to take on Hull City (watch live on NBCSN and online via NBC Sports Live Extra).
For Hull, it’s a chance to continue their under-appreciated form of having lost only one of their last five Premier League matches, a 2-0 loss to Arsenal. Granted, the Tigers only took all three points once during that stretch but the three draws proves just how tough this side can be.
This is especially true at home where Hull has won four times, drawn once and lost three times. That ties them for the 7th best home form in the league.
United enter the match eighth in the table, their lowest position at Christmas in 24 years. They’ve improved of late, however, looking impressive in their last three in all competitions, comprehensively defeating Aston Villa 3-0, Stoke City 2-0 (League Cup) and West Ham 3-1.
Perhaps most impressive is that United’s improved form has arrived without any help from Robin van Persie, who has been sidelined with a hip/thigh injury. In his absence players like Danny Welbeck, Adnan Januzaj and the much-maligned Ashley Young have stepped up in a big way.
Most important for United is that they appear to have found their sense of identity under Moyes. They have a grittier, meaner look to them. They’re playing with chip on their shoulder, like they have something to prove. Which they do.
It makes for exciting times in the Premier League. And while they may be 8th in the table, United are just at eight points adrift of leaders, Liverpool. Without going so far as to say they are title contenders, that’s a margin that United could easily close over the next 21 matches.
If they are to make that move, taking care of smaller clubs like Hull is a necessity. They’ll have to do it without RVP, Michael Carrick (calf), Marouane Fellaini (wrist) and Nani (hamstring).
Hull have some injury concerns as well, with Robbie Brady (groin), Sone Aluko (calf) and Stephen Quinn (hamstring) all due to be out.
What They’re Saying
United winger Ashley Young: “It’s vitally important (to win) now we are going into this busy Christmas and new year period. Getting wins and points on the board is what we want to do. We’ve got nine points up for grabs between now and the new year and we want to keep building that momentum.”
Hull manager Steve Bruce (on Robbie Brady): “He’s had an injection into his groin which will take a couple of weeks to settle. We hope that does the trick. It’s been a frustrating time for him and us. We need our big players.”
Prediction
With a lot of ex-United players in their ranks (James Chester, Corry Evans, Paul McShane and Robbie Brady) I expect Hull to make life difficult on Moyes’ squad. But the Red Devils current form is too convincing for me – United should win this one by a goal.
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