The Weekend Scout Picks

There are two places that you’ll find a list of fourteen footballers on a Friday night – on the door at China Whites in Leicester Square and on this ‘ere website. Sadly I can’t offer you a sneaky glimpse at Danielle Lloyd’s cleavage or a fight at two in the morning (you don’t know where I live, right?), but you might just get some extra ideas for your fantasy lineups instead.

Here’s my fantasy football guest list for another gameweek…

For once I had no trouble finding my back four and keeper this week. As I mentioned in yesterday’s meander, there’s no shortage of good clean sheet options on show in this week’s fixture list. After much deliberation, I pipped for Birmingham’s Hart in goal. This was a close call, with Stoke’s Sorensen and Tottenham’s Gomes both in contention. In the end I chose to go with alternatives from those two defences. As for Hart, he will come up against a West Ham attack without a real potent goal threat at St Andrews. A home clean sheet looks a decent bet and Hart is always good for a save point or two. The City loanee represents excellent value.

In front of him I’ve gone against my principles slightly and brought in Tottenham’s Dawson. Two goals in consecutive games for the lanky former Forest favourite has elevated him in my mind and possibly the mind of the Fantasy Premier League bonus point judges. Could he notch again at home to Wolves? It doesn’t seem likely, although a home clean sheet does look a fairly decent bet. Dawson is good value right now.

The Stoke City defence were exceptionally strong at the Britannia last season – this time around they are far less consistent but a home fixture against Wigan, a side who have scored just five goals in their last five away trips, offers some potential. Abdoulaye Faye is the club skipper and the best option while we wait for Shawcross to re-establish himself back in the Stoke starting eleven.

Burnley’s Alexander is always a good option given his penalty spot potency. Clean sheets could also be on the cards in the coming weeks now that Burnley’s fixtures have calmed a little. That could start with this week’s home encounter with Fulham.

The final back four spot predictably goes to a Chelsea defender. Nine clean sheets and a home game against a beleaguered Everton spells defensive returns. Ashley Cole is the most desirable option amongst their rearguard so he gets the nod here. Ivanovic is your cheaper option – he seems certain to start having been rested in the Champions League in midweek.

Don’t forget, for those inclined to a bet or two, you can get odds of 11/1 on Chelsea, Stoke and Birmingham to keep clean sheets this week with Paddy Power. I only mention it because last week’s clean sheet accumulator came in at 8/1.

The midfield proved a more problematic area. I’ve surely got to stick with Bolton’s Matt Taylor having backed him in the last two weeks. This time around he has a home game against a City defence that seems likely to concede at the Reebok. Bolton will have Davies back up front for this one; that should feed Taylor some more direct free-kick opportunities and give him a reliable target from crosses.

I’ve covered United’s potential attacking profits against Villa by drafting in Ryan Giggs. He is certain to start having been rested in the midweek Champions League tie. He seems set to take up a central midfield role with Scholes suspended and will be a key figure from set-plays. An assist and Fantasy Premier League bonus look the minimum we can expect if United prevail.

Burnley’s Chris Eagles provides a budget option in my midfield. The former United winger has been flying in recent weeks and, along with Wade Elliot, is likely to be their most creative force against Fulham on Saturday. I’m expecting a couple of goals for the host, with Eagles continuing in his fine fantasy form with another assist at the very least.

The final spot was a tough one. Tottenham’s Lennon was an obvious choice but then that would mean three Spurs players – something I just couldn’t allow myself. He still looks a strong option, although a Lennnon/Defoe combination is a lot of attacking eggs in one basket. There were also some expensive temptations in the form of Chelsea’s Lampard and the Arsenal pairing of Fabregas and Arshavin. All three are certainly worthy of consideration, but in the end I decided to gamble on a cheaper alternative. Sunderland’s Andy Reid will be a key figure in their home game with Portsmouth and should hog set-plays with Richardson out through suspension. The Black Cats need to recover some form and the home game against Avram Grant’s side seems a good starting point.

Up front it was between Defoe, Drogba and Darren Bent. All three have attractive home fixtures but unlike Bent, it was Defoe and Drogba that go into the weekend with form. Those two get the nod then with the promise of decent earnings against the Wolves and Everton defences respectively.

Bent remains a good alternative but I’ve chosen to cover Sunderland’s potential with Reid instead. This means that I’ve chosen to offer you a cheaper option on my bench. Birmingham’s Benitez goes into the next two home games with some form and is set to be the major threat to the West Ham back four this weekend.

Hull’s Geovanni is my midfield gamble. One of my Fantasy Island Risks from this week’s podcast – I had to back him with at least a place on my bench. He faces a decent looking home fixture with Blackburn which meant he almost made the eleven. Had it not been for his missing gameweek and stiff fixtures to follow, I may have been more bold and pushed his recommendation further.

As for my alternative defender, that honour goes to Sunderland’s Michael Turner. A forgotten man in recent weeks; Turner is still a big threat from set-plays and looks a very decent clean sheet option with Portsmouth in town although Sunderland will be fielding a patched up defence following a string of injuries.