Scan Gives The All Clear But Fabregas Remains A KC Doubt
As confirmed yesterday, Cesc Fabregas will not be in the Arsenal lineup for tonight’s Champions League tie with Porto. Arsene Wenger is all over the papers today insisting that they can overcome a 2-1 deficit and progress without their skipper. More to the point there are suggestions in a number of reports that Fabregas could make a return for Arsenal in the weekend trip to Hull, but it’s only a possibility at this stage.
Monday’s scans on the hamstring revealed no serious damage and Wenger has confirmed that surgery isn’t required. He also stressed that the step to leave the midfielder out of tonight’s lineup is to prevent the possibility of a month-long absence. To add to this, Fabregas himself has spoke out expressing his willingness to play against Porto…
“I wanted to play but the doctors recommended I rest and avoid any risk. I am sad to miss out because Porto is important to us. I will suffer far more than usual, having to watch from the side.”
That all sounds positive for us fantasy managers, although there is no confirmed talk of his availability for the KC stadium trip. Indeed, some reports today suggest that the home game with West Ham will be a more likely return…
While the loss of Fabregas is a major one for his fantasy owners, at least it has arrived in a gameweek where options are plentiful. Aston Villa and Wigan handing us double gameweek options and with both Chelsea and United facing home fixtures. There options for Fantasy Premier League (FPL) captains then and there are plenty of managers facing up to the dilemma of choosing who to bench rather than scratching around for a starting eleven.
In other news from the Emirates, it’s been confirmed that William Gallas has suffered a recurrence of his calf injury which, according to Wenger, has shifted him back to his “starting point” with the injury. In his absence Sol Campbell and Mikael Silvestre will deputise alongside Thomas Vermaelen. Campbell is the preferred option although there is clearly doubt that he can withstand Arsenal’s busy fixture schedule…
“It was unexpected that Sol would play so many games, but it is also good because I think it was the right decision to bring him back. Sol is a guy who gives everything when he is on the pitch. Can his body still take two or three games in a week? Who knows.”
Wenger rested Campbell’s groin injury against Burnley at the weekend and the rotation between the pair looks set to continue…
“We have a good mixture with him and [Mikael] Silvestre because he is also a player who gives everything, so we can rotate them. The only problem is that when you play with two left-footed players sometimes Vermaelen is not always in his best position.”
Clearly the absence of Gallas and the rotation in defence could be a factor when it comes to Arsenal’s clean sheet potential. The Gunners have kept three shut-outs in their last seven league outings – against Villa, Liverpool and Sunderland. All three of those sides are struggling for goals so this is perhaps not a good indication of Arsenal’s current defensive strength. Despite a decent run of fixtures to come (hul WHM bir WLV tot wig) there’s the suggestion that investment in Wenger’s defence should be questioned. Vermaelen remains a popular signing but he may have to maintain his goalscoring form to justify his hefty price tag while Gallas sits in the stands.
My plan for this week was:
Rooney > Torres
Valencia > milner
However after Liverpools shocking performance I am now seriously questioning this.
What do people reckon to:
Rooney > Drogba
Gerrard > Milner
Then the week after
gosh..
I’d like Lampard and Valencia…
But I’m not sure who else to swap… I know it sounds silly, but I like Jarvis and Lee as cheap options.
And Saha is questionable.
Any advice?
Rooney > Drogba is something I’m seriously looking into.
I already have Milner, but Gerrard > Milner also looks a decent move.
Here’s my team for the weekend, any thoughts welcome, bench, etc.
gomes
dunne, collins, ivanovic
nzogbia, milner (c), fabregas, gerrard
drogba, rooney, bent,
sor, mccarth, ricketts, robinson
Play McCarthy over Bent. The rest – fine.
cheers andy
carew only took penalty at wkend because he was on a hat trick. milner is 1st choice. Warnock is gud value too.
Carew is first choice Penalty taker. Never seen anyone else take one when he is not on the pitch. But he isnt often on the pitch.
I agree.
Arghhh Rooney plays CL… Brought in Drogs & play him with Messi in fantasy CL… should I take a 2pt hit to get him for any of those 2?
I’m gutted – thought I wouldn’t have time to work on my team & did the transfer this morning…
for gods sake, everybody keeps getting bloody injured, what is it with this game.
fab and rooney like everyone else
now o hara with his back, and bloody birmingham rotation to contend with not to mention diaby and etherington that i already knew about.
i was really happy to be getting an 11 out this week with only a 4pt hit for taking shawcross out, n im only on 20 points. its so frustrating, could have been such a good week for me, other teams in my league are a shambles.
This is my first fpl season and i had no idea that injuries and people being rested was so much of a problem. I hardly even noticed, and certainly didnt care watching motd over the years.
I only turned to this game as i was enjoying watching liverpool play so much.
now its taken over my life, and i am loitering in mid table along with mediocre team.
Baaah rant over.
worth a 8point hit this week planning ahead so i dont have to make any next week therefor getting 2 frees the week after and with the villa boys haven duble its bound til even itself out
Im doing a 4 or 8 point hit this week for the exact same reasons.
sounds mad wen im 38 points of tp in my league but tink it should work out in the long run
hart/myhill
ricketts ridgewell collins sagna bikey
fab lamp milner mccarthy duff
rooney drogba fletcher…who should be played and who shud be subbd?…any one pls
Myhill, ridgwell, Duff and one of Bikey/Ricketts.
I would sub Duff & Ridgewell definitely. The third choice is dependent on how much faith you have in Burnley at home these days.
Bikey is now on the bench (not surprised considering how awful he has been since ACN), so I would say Myhill, Duff, Ridg, Bikey. Duff in if Sagna is left on the bench
will sagna start?? nad as well bikey???..
I feel i’m the only one without Milner, i’ve decided I will not be transfering him in for this GW. Who’s with me!!
I am with you Sherbert. Bringing him in will only complicate an already difficult week regarding player selection. I won’t bring a Villain in until next week.
very brave, may pay off although i have a feeling youll end up feeling like i did after deciding against getting rooney in for his double in gwk 22
While I kind of get what you mean, all the same.
I don’t think Milner away to Stoke and Wigan is the same as the most in form striker, in a free scoring team at home to Burnley + Hull.
the comment was for raspingdrive who isnt getting any villa players in
Still don’t think the comparison works.
maybe not, but the difference is villas players are worth keeping after this gameweek. utds double left people struggling for the next 4/5 weeks after it. most of teh people who made 80 points on me that week ive managed to claw back over the next 5 or so
although Rooney had Hull & Burnley at home, whereas Milner is away to Wigan & Stoke. I wouldn’t see either of those games as given points the way Rooney’s were.
Exactly, I already had a good team for this week. I’ve put Collins in which at 4.5m I think is excellent value. I can see Milner scoring 6 points this week, not worth a 4 point hit. Next week maybe
To be fair if Milner was as good as Rooney and had Hull & Burnley both at home i’d take the hit.
You are definitely not the only one. I haven’t decided yet but I’m leaning towards bringing him in tonight.
The thing that made my mind up was looking at his goals/assists over the last 10 weeks or so. Two away games as well. Check me out, sh*t stirring
I will probably go for Rooney as captain for this week considering he is fit. One goal vs Fulham at home is worth 9 points in his case.
Is DIaby due to go up tonight!? Hummmmm, it’s either him or Song as my third Arsenal player for the run in. Thoughts???
Who is likely to get more game time?
i’v been a song fan so far this season but i’m prepared to give him a miss what with suspension and less than certain clean sheets