January
03

The Watchlist – Gareth Bale

Filed under: The Watchlist - Posted by: Sir Paulos

Having initially braced themselves for the loss this month of two first team defenders to the upcoming African Cup of Nations, Spurs, for conflicting reasons, now find themselves in the position where neither of the expected departees will be heading to Angola.

Whilst Sebastien Bassong stays on these shores due to Cameroon manager Paul le Guen’s surprise decision to omit him from the final 23 man squad, his compatriot Benoit Assou-Ekotto has succumbed to a groin injury in the recent London derby with West Ham, and resultantly, has withdrawn from the ACON.

The left back is expected to be sidelined for three weeks, which leaves Gareth Bale as Harry Redknapp’s first choice left back for the moment, a fact the Spurs boss is more than comfortable with, going by recent praises…

After a slow start to the season, the Spurs defence is really starting to click now, and has now recorded four consecutive clean sheets in the Premiership as they set about chasing Champions League football. Bale’s expected Premiership starts read Liverpool (away), Hull (home), Fulham (home) and possibly Birmingham (away), a set of fixtures that could feasibly return a further three clean sheets for ’Arry’s boys.

Bale’s natural attacking instincts put a question mark against his capabilities as a defender, but he is, undoubtedly, a player of considerable talent.

Perhaps a little pricey at 5.3m, but with his eye for goal coupled with the fact that just 0.2% of FPL managers own the Welshman, he is maybe, just maybe, a differential worth considering.

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“Is certain he won't make the same mistakes next season.”

Sir Paulos @ffscout_paulos

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Scout Picks

For Gameweek Twenty Four

  • Krul
  • Vermaelen
  • Kompany
  • Huth
  • Silva
  • Morrison
  • Bale
  • Valencia
  • Ba
  • van Persie
  • Agüero
  • Taiwo
  • Donovan
  • Zamora

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The Watchlist

Goalkeepers

Player Club Factors
No Change Krul NEW A, Vs
No Change Hart MCI B, Vs
No Change Kenny QPR C, Vs, Rest, £
No Change Mignolet SUN B, £
Up Al-Habsi WIG B, Vs, £
No Change Foster WBA B
No Change Vorm SWA B, VsX, £
Down Hennessey WOL B, Vs
No Change Sørensen STO B, Vs, Rest, £
Up Bogdan BOL C, Rest, £

Defenders

Player Club Factors
No Change Kompany MCI B, Vs
Up Huth STO B, Vs
No Change Simpson NEW B, Vs, £
No Change Riise FUL C, Vs
Up Bardsley SUN B, £
Up Senderos FUL B, Vs, Rest, £
Up Taiwo QPR B, Vs, £
No Change Evans MUN B, VsX, £
No Change Taylor NEW B, Vs, Rest, OoP
Up Rangel SWA B, VsX, £
No Change Clark AVL B, Vs, OoP, £
No Change McAuley WBA B, £
Down Johnson WOL B, £
Up Vermaelen ARS C
Down Enrique LIV B, VsX
Down Assou-Ekotto TOT A, VsX

Midfielders

Player Club Factors
No Change Bale TOT A, VsX
No Change Dempsey FUL A, Vs, OoP
No Change Silva MCI A, Vs
No Change Sessegnon SUN A, £
No Change Valencia MUN A, VsX
No Change Walters STO B, Vs, OoP, £
Up Moses WIG B, Vs, OoP, £
Up McClean SUN A, £
No Change Sinclair SWA B, VsX, £
Up Ben Arfa NEW B, Vs, Rest, OoP
Down Mata CHE C
Up Barton QPR B, Vs
Up Sigurdsson SWA B, VsX, £
No Change Ireland AVL B, Vs, Rest, £
No Change Donovan EVE B, VsX
No Change Morrison WBA B, £
Up Buzsaky QPR B, Vs, Rest, Inj, £
Up Murphy FUL B, Vs

Forwards

Player Club Factors
No Change van Persie ARS B
No Change Agüero MCI C, Vs
Up Ba NEW C, Vs
No Change Zamora QPR B, Vs
Up Dzeko MCI C, Vs, Rest
Up Bent AVL A, Vs
Up Morison NOR B, £
Down Fletcher WOL B, £
No Change Rooney MUN C, VsX, Inj
Down Sturridge CHE C
Down Welbeck MUN A, VsX, Rest, £
No Change Crouch STO B, Vs
No Change Adebayor TOT C, VsX
Up Odemwingie WBA C, Vs, Rest
Up Keane AVL A, Vs, £

Selection Factors

A, B, C Current Form
Vs Favourable Fixtures
VsX Unfavourable Fixtures
Rest Rotation Risk
Inj Injured/Returning from Injury
OoP Out of Position
£ Potential Bargain
Sus Suspended/Near Suspension

Suspension Tightrope

Player Team YC
Lowe BLA 9
Terry CHE 8
Barton QPR 8
Cattermole SUN 8
Song ARS 7
Meireles CHE 7
Fellaini EVE 7
Huth STO 7
Shawcross STO 7
Caldwell WIG 7
Henry WOL 7
N'Zonzi BLA 6
Cole CHE 6
Luiz CHE 6
Lucas LIV 6
Barry MCI 6
Naughton NOR 6
Larsson SUN 6
Hunt WOL 6

“Now Jean has 18 months of experience in the British game and his dynamism, technical ability and tactical concepts will bring a different dimension into our squad.”

Roberto Martinez sings the praises of his recent January transfer window signing