Wednesday’s Premiership Scout Notes
Lampard lights up an evening and the faces of thousands of fantasy managers with a dream return of four goals. Elsewhere Pompey do enough to get past a plucky Birmingham while Villa concede again as Boro grab a point at Villa Park. Here’s my notes from last night’s Premiership meetings…
Chelsea 6 Derby 1
Team Lineups
Grant brought Lampard back into his midfield with Wright-Phillips dropping out. Makelele also returned to central midfield for Essien while Kalou came in for Malouda on the left. As expected the full-backs were rotated once more with Ferreira and Ashely Cole coming in for Belletti and Bridge. Anelka kept his place up front, although Drogba was back on the bench and eventually appeared just after the hour mark. Cudicini was again deputising for Cech in goal who is now officially sidelined for another fortnight according to the club.
Jewell went with a 4-5-1 and opted to bring back Savage and Ghaly as expected, with Jones dropping to the bench. Leacock recovered from a hip injury to take his place on the bench. He appeared early for Stubbs who picked up an injury on 16-minutes.
Notes and Form
The night was all about Lampard who rewarded his fantasy owners with a massive haul of points. Only Berbatov has mirrored such an achievement then after hitting four against Reading earlier in the season. Lampard picked up the FPL bonus too, maximising returns for those who had him selected as skipper, handing them a 50 point haul in the FPL. Aside from Lampard it was Joe Cole who caught the eye with another sparkling display, a goal and an assist. He looks a better option over Ballack right now and I’ll address that in my 5-game rankings in due course.
Chelsea have two fixtures in the next week - away at both Sunderland and Spurs. That offers further opportunities to cash in on their players. Lampard will be an obvious target now, Joe Cole is another major consideration. The situation with Anelka and Drogba is still not clear enough to allow risk-free investment there. At the back its Terry and Carvalho who provide the best option with the full-backs still rotating. Cudicini is the other option and an excellent one in the short-term with at least the next two double fixtures assured while Cech is sidelined. Cudicini and the back four are decent options, although the United dfefence, also with two games this week, appears to offer better value with Bolton and Derby their opponents.
Injures and Suspensions
Stubbs picked up a knock and was replaced on 16-minutes.
Portsmouth 4 Birmingham 2
Team Lineups
Harry made an array of changes after the FA Cup victory at Old Trafford. Defoe came in up front after being cup-tied in that one, he was partnered by Baros with Kanu dropping to the bench. Mendes returned from injury and started for Diarra in midfield.
McCleish made one change - surprisingly resting McFadden to the bench and opting for Zarate as the partner for Forssell up front.
Notes and Form
Pompey came into this game with four clean sheets in the last five but couldn’t keep a spirited Birmingham side at bay. Up front meanwhile, Defoe five goals in five games will attract more attention from fantasy managers - he continues to offer good, consistent returns as a mid-to-high price option.
Portsmouth face Villa at the weekend, again at home, before visiting Spurs and hosting Wigan. That’s a pretty decent run of fixtures although their fixture against West Ham on April 5 has no dropped due to their FA Cup semi against West Brom. There’s a good chance that this will be rearranged for the same gameweek but right now it reduces the value of their players in the medium term.
For Birmingham, the appearance of Zarate over McFadden was a shock but perhaps understandable with Birmingham facing a Monday night game with Newcastle. Zarate showed nice touches but didn’t look strong enough to bother Distin and Campbell. McFadden replaced him on the hour-mark and I’d be very surprised if he doesn’t start on Monday. He remains a decent proposition then over the next five, given Birmingham’s fixtures which look pretty kind. The same can be said of Larsson who cemented his position as “bargain midfielder of the season” with another goal here - a superb free-kick that had James grasping thin air.
Aston Villa 1 Middlesbrough 1
Team Lineups
O’Neill resisted the temptation to tweak his side despite the availability of Mellberg. Gardner kept his place at right-back then while Maloney remained in midfield. Both were replaced at half-time however so both seem doubtful to start the game at the weekend.
Southgate made a good few changes following the defeat to Cardiff. Arca and Rochemback dropped out of the side with Boateng and Shawky coming in. Mido started with Tuncay up front with Alves rested from the sixteen.
Notes and Form
Downing’s goal here meant that yet again Villa failed to keep a clean sheet for the fourteenth Premiership game running. Owners of Laursen are now rightly beginning to twitch - the big defender has not returned a goal in 7 games to make for Villa’s clean sheet failings. Meanwhile, Agbonlahor has now gone 9 Premiership starts without a goal although he has contributed three assists in that time. Young contributed another assist here - that’s 15 for the season now. Barry converted the spot-kick then for a timely goal that keeps in fantasy manager’s minds and justified his placing in my picks for the week. That was his first goal in nine Premiership starts.
Villa have a trip to Portsmouth next, followed by home game with Sunderland, which looks as good an opportunity as any for Villa to end their clean sheet drought. After that that though, they visit Old Trafford.
Boro’s form remains horribly inconsistent and their players still offer little to fantasy managers. Downing remains the exception perhaps, his goal here was his sixth of the season, his third in two games. Boro’s fixtures over the next five are so evil however, it’s unlikely that Downing or any of his teammates will attract interest.
Im gutted- i didnt get Young’s assist points (im playing daily mail ff)and looking at the games the villans have got to come im wondering if its time to ship him out- i tried gettin on the chelski bandwagon but could only afford SWP who dint even warm the bench. So should i swap Young for brummie McFadden (who’s classed as a midfielder) or another cheapish midfielder and use the cash to upgrade to Joe Cole? Or is SWP gunna get a game?
Any thoughts lads?
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no assist for young? you was robbed mate.
I would’ve jumped at McFadden except he was dropped last night and looks like Larsson has taken over the set pieces - prob should go for him instead. tho i dont know the daily mail prices. If you can possibly shoehorn lampshade in there tho i’d go for that…
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I seem remember someone mentioning that Pienaar was injured, that still the case? Larsson vs Newcastle(h) a better choice than Pienaar vs fulham(a) anyway?
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Reply by Muttley on March 13, 2008 10:12 pm:
I’m going with Larsson
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Reply by Alex on March 13, 2008 10:42 pm:
Same problem here. Playing Larsson coz…well…it’s Newcastle.
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I have both Pienaar and Larsson… I’m starting with Pienaar (He’s not injured cos he played last night) cos Larsson, whilst he is a great buy - doesnt usually do it twice in a row. Larsson is my first sub
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Reply by karl on March 13, 2008 11:40 pm:
larsson JUST DID IT twice in a row…
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Reply by CK on March 14, 2008 9:30 am:
Yeah but “doesnt usually” and is unlikely to three games in a row!
He is a great purchase but the players round him will ensure his points are limited
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Hope A. Cole plays
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I transferred in Lampard two minutes before kick-off in the Telegraph game. i also have Defoe. I p8ssed all over my fellow leaguers.
PS I wouldn’t say the Chelsea fullbacks were ‘rotated’. Bridge and Belletti lost to Spurs in the Carling Cup and then Barnsely in the FA Cup, while Cole and Ferreira beat West Ham 4-0 in the game in between. If Cole and Ferrrira don’t start the next game then I will eat a badger.
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Reply by Tony on March 14, 2008 1:47 am:
I have a nice badger recipe if you’re interested
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So…using my wildcard and it’s between J. Cole and Tevez for me…
Leaning heavily towards Cole. Anyone think otherwise?
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here is the dilema.
Tevez or Kalou. We know there is a chance for rotation of Tevez now that Louis (Glass Legs) Saha is back to near fitness. Also Drogba is pushing for consistant return. What are the chances of playing Drogba and Anelka upfont therefore rendering kalou’s points to basically non existant
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Reply by S on March 14, 2008 9:28 am:
I’ve been saying for a while now to people, go for Kalou. Already got 9 points out of him last week, and also Grant clearly feels he first choice for the right-hand side of the top 3 slot. I wouldn’t be at all suprised if he starts both games, if not then certainly one and substantial sub appearance in the other.
And he only costs 7.8
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I have already got Brown and Ronaldo/Carvalho and Joe Cole for United and Chelsea’s double gamesweek.
United have the best chance of keeping clean sheets, but Gary Neville has said that he expects to return to first-team football within a week - this puts Brown’s postion under scrutiny again. Is it possible that Neville will play a bit part in the Wednesday game against Bolton, possible coming on later in the game (which would be OK in the FPL if United and Brown have a cleansheet after 60+ minutes). Or, do you think Fergie will play him from the start? If Neville does play and gets through the game unscathed, Brown’s days are obviously numbered especially after the agent dispute.
I have got my eye on Spurs too - even beyond this gamesweek as I fancy them strongly against Porstmouth at home in GW31. Defensively, I think Spurs will concede against Man City, Chelsea and Portsmouth, so midfield/up front looks better positioned.
Tom Huddlestone played in the UEFA cup game this week and has played the last 6 games for Spurs in their entirety. He takes the free kicks and has been a good supplier for Berbatov - at £4.6m he is a bragain in the FPL. I haven’t done my sums yet but I think a 4 point hit is justified with £1m in the bank, so I could ship out Diarra for Huddlestone and replace Andy Johnson (who is in good form) with Berbatov.
Is anybody thinking along these lines?
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Tevez is a better choice over Joe Cole, though they both might not start both games.
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Mark,
Strongly considering bringing in Cudicini for the double gameweek and have read your comment about Cech being out for the next two weeks as on the Chelsea Website.
I can’t find that info on their website; any chance of putting up the link to that info or at least re-confirming the latest news on Cech later today.
I’ll be making my transfers tonight, but don’t want to bring in Cudicini if Cech is gonna make the Spurs game in the week.
Cheers Mark.
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I disagree. I don’t think Tevez is a decent choice. I would have Cole, Ballack, Vidic, Ferdinand and Rooney, all well ahead of him over the double game week
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With Chelsea hot on the heels of Arsenal and Manchester United for the title, I think Cole’s position is cemented. The nucleus of the side is now probably Terry/Carvalho, Lampard/Ballack, J. Cole/Kalou with either Anelka or Drogba.
Tevez has been prone to rotation and if Saha is fit, he will alternate with Tevez. Form wise Joe Cole is also scoring more points.
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Anyone know what the status is on Van Der Sar is he still injured? I’m panicked as I had him in midweek for the double - schoolboy error
Cheers
EDIT: it appears Foster is being handed a debut as VDS is indeed still injured.. dammit that’s an 8 point hit to get Cudicini
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Whats the chance of Foster playing both games? I guess thats the question. If VDS is not back, quite likely I imagine. Although Kuszczak will be avaiable for Wed, I can see Fergie playing Foster over him. I just get the impression Fergie has been quite eager to give him a chance since his impressive spell at Watford, but obviously been unable to due to injury.
Seems like the perfect opportunity
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