The Technical Area – The Real Arteta Stands Up
Mikel Arteta’s brace in the 5-1 demolition of Hull on Sunday reacquainted him with the fantasy fraternity and raised his profile on our radars.
The subject of a Watchlist article last month, visitors here have always been aware of his potential. The question we have to ask ourselves now is whether Sunday’s performance is just the start of continued returns from the Toffee’s playmaker…
It was Steven Pienaar that found his way into my Scout Picks for the weekend and while he chipped in with an assist and Fantasy Premeir League bonus, he was vastly overshadowed by Arteta’s two goal and assist contribution. And yet, as mentioned at the time, in his five league appearances before the Hull game, Arteta had not registered a single effort on goal.
Unkind Opponents
Perhaps that can be explained by the opposition he faced. Since his return to league action Arteta has come up against Sunderland, Liverpool, Chelsea, United and Spurs. He was also subbed in two of those matches and only came off the bench against Liverpool. Against Hull Arteta had five efforts on goal; he matched that only once last season – against Sunderland in the 3-0 win, his last league appearance before sustaining the cruciate knee ligament problem that robbed us of his services for so long.
Moyes’ Tinkering
Another, perhaps more likely explanation for Arteta’s improved output on Sunday was a tactical change from David Moyes. Arteta has revealed that by employing Johnny Heitinga as a defensive anchor in a five-man midfield, Moyes handed him a greater licence to threaten the Hull goal…
“I had more freedom to go forward because we were playing Johnny (Heitinga) behind me….The manager wanted me to go forward and play closer to the strikers and have more influence in attack.”
While there’s no mention of this tweak in his own post-match comments, Moyes was understandably full of praise for Arteta but also reiterated that he feels the midfielder is still short of full fitness…
“He played well all-round so I’m really pleased for him. Mikel is still not right back to where he was but today it was more like him. It shows you how much we have missed him over the last year or so. I knew he would come on a bit as his fitness and confidence has grown.”
The Real Arteta
Teammate Phil Jagielka was also dishing out the praise for Arteta and his comments offer evidence that, after a slow start, Arteta is close to being back to his best…
“I think so far we’ve had the safe Mikel. He’s not had to go into that many tackles, or play too many world-class passes and he’s done everything neat and tidy. But if you’ve watched him in training the last few days, he seems to have everything back; his balance, his eye to foot coordination, and it’s frightening. If you look at the way he runs with the ball, and his vision, and the way he teams up with Bainsey particularly on the left. As you could see against Hull, some teams will have no answer to it.”
Will Arteta earn investment then? With Villa’s pair of double fixtures over the next two gameweeks there is no doubt that James Milner heads shopping lists everywhere. Ironically he is available for the exact same value (8.2) in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game and that’s certain to be a factor which will dampen initial investment in Arteta.
The Cahill Factor
Everton do have kind fixtures however and also have their own double in gameweek 31 – Bolton and Man City provide the opposition. As a result, more suitors will arrive prior to gameweek 31 but then we wil have another factor to consider. Tim Cahill is likely to have returned from injury to offer a cheaper alternative to consider over Everton’s generous run-in. Even if you right Cahill off as an option, his return will surely influence the role handed to Arteta. It will likely be Cahill charged with supporting the striker from a deeper position once he’s back in Everton’s 4-5-1 system. Arteta may have flourished with his freedom to attack against Hull but with Cahill’s return, he may well be directed to prompt matters from a deeper position.
With Arteta visiting the stubborn home Birmingham defence at St Andrews this weekend, we are perhaps handed the luxury of at least another week to assess his credentials as a potential differential for the last quarter of the season. It may well take Cahill’s return before we can ultimately run the rule over Arteta’s likely returns for the remaining games.
Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiB3683PztQ
brilliant
Super lame.
agreed but… Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup Worldcup
WorldcupWorldcupWorldcupWorldcupWorldcupWorldcup
WorldcupWorldcupWorldcupWorldcup
Woooooo.
Do they not have proper football pitches in Africa then? Utter, utter dog-muck ad.
Nope and lions roaming in the streets! Hope the England side are equipped with requisite pith hats
http://www.sa-venues.com/2010/2010-stadium.htm
That’s a relief!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEwizGQ6Qgs
Couldn’t see Lampard dribbling around of those fat mamas in the crowd let alone the kids they were playing. Dear oh dear.
World cup ads don’t any better than this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbFmK4zZ9Ys
Cantona’s cameo – textbook.
Would be improved by some big lump flying in from the side kicking one of the Brazilians into the Duty Free shop mid trick.
Just my opnion.
ronaldo is so slim! god i miss that ronaldo
not a patch on the Brazil airport one a few years back.
I like how Arshavin won’t even play at the WC.
Is it worth an 8pt hit for
Torres>Drogs
Carlisle>Collins
Modric>Downing
If not, any other ideas?
Only funds stop me getting him before this gameweek, and that’s not a lie. I got some other Everton mid instead who did pretty good though
FA Cup semi-final dates: 10th/11th April.
not sure if that impacts on us at all. don’t have time to look
cheers.
Gomes (Sorenson)
Warnock* — Baines — Fox — Scharner* — Dann
Fabregas — Diaby — Milner* — McCarthy* — Valencia
Bendtner — Drogba — Rooney
Which 3 to bench i cant decide?
Sorry for second post!
Fox, Dann & McCarthy
Fox, Dann & Diaby
Dann, Diaby and Baines
Fox, Dann and ….hmmm not sure for the third. Fabregas could end up on the bench anyway…..I’d say maybe bench Diaby out of that lot. As Wenger suggests there’s a 50-50 chance diaby ‘ll be in your team anyway.
Diaby will play regardless of Fabs injury.
this is the team im tinking of for the weekend sound alright??
Jensen
Dunne , Scharner , Baines , Dawson
Lampard , N’Zogbia , Downing
Agbonlahor , Rooney , Drogba
(Sorensen,Pienaar,Lee, Faye Ab)
prob Lampard Captain this week and Agbonlahor next
sound ok looking at a 8point hit this week but make no subs next which will give me 2frees the week after so sud even itself out
Ive got a selection headache like never before and feel slightly like Rafa Benitez, this is not good. Ive got…
Hart
Ivanovic Insua Caldwell
Milner Young Fabregas McCarthy
Drogba Rooney Torres
Myhill Dawson (Tot) O’hara Mears
Who do I captain out of that lot? (Im leaning towards Milner)
Should I do Mears > Collins for a 4 point hit and play him over Caldwell/McCarthy?
Any other options/advice?
I’m planning on bringing in Drogba and he’s set to rise tonight. Is it worth waiting to see if Torres gets injured tomorrow and paying the extra 0.1m?
Yes.
You taking Rooney out for him?
Yes SD
thats a very debatable move in my book,
drogba you can wait for until week 31.
an argument can easily be made that drogba has done as little as torres in his last couple of games, …….im definetly waiting and watching to see how the ivory coast stuff affects him cos i think it is slightly. il see how he does versus west ham.
il still prob get him week 31 for rooney.
torres wil be in my team until the end bar injury.
DB the only reason i’m doing it this week is to fund Shwarzer to Friedel, ideally I would leave it a week before doing Rooney > Drogba.
hows it looking for the weekend?
im thinking of another hit for warnock.
hart.
collins,ivanovic,distin,
lampard,fabregas,milner,n zogbia,
torres,rooney,bendy bus,
subs: sorenson, dann,baird,o hara
Thanks to my free travel pass (i.e. wildcard) I have hopped back on the bendy bus again after jumping off it at the last stop.
The Bendy bus, i reckon, might be getting a bit full. Glad his Hattrick fell when there are lots of doubles about so people forget about him. Gutted he didnt get it in the Burnley game!
I was very surprised that Theo didn’t start last night after his performance on Saurday.
He injured himself again?
No, just precautionary surely. If he’s just back fro a lengthy spell out, playing 3 times in a week would be suicide. Can see him starting against Hull and doing tres well with Bendy and Arsh.
Very tasty front three that.
I really hope Hull go down. Not sure who else I want to go down really. I like Coyle and Martinez so they can stay up. Maybe Burnley can go. Laws is a bit dull.
Thats only 2 you want going down si. Whos the other one?
I have taken Pompey as a given.
Mick McCarthy is such a nugget head, I’d like to see them replace Pompey.
I would love Pompey to stay up (don’t tell CP though)
CP actually apologised after a fashion earlier. I nearly fell off my chair.
That wasn’t him, it can’t have been. It was his prison governor i bet.
I would hate to be his missus when she forgets to do the washing up.
the crazy thing is if they won yesterday pompey were 1 win off safety. although the imminent 9 point deduction should crush that dream soon
I used to hate Big Mick but I find him very amusing now.
After the 0-0 draw with Liverpool, him drooling over Doyle “get out your beta-max and your cathay pacific, you will never see a better display by a striker”
Erm, what.
Ha, yeah he reminds me of G. Boycott and that’s enough to make me kick the cat. Every sentence starts with ‘I tell yer..’
Leave Boycott alone, Alan!
“My nan could have played that shot better. And she is dead”
The ONLY good thing about Boycott is how much he irritates Australians. I’d happily pay for him to emigrate there.
Laws reminds me of that guy who blagged his way into Obama’s white house party. Who is he? Where did he come from? He was grinning from ear to ear on tv after getting spanked by Arsenal. Not the greatest sign.
He was an average Forest full-back.
He was. Perhaps best remembered for having his hair ruffled by Aldridge after he scored an OG in the replayed 89 FA Cup semi. God how I hated Aldridge for that.
rumour goes he got the job because burnley couldnt afford to pay 1 million compo for other guy.
he got the job on default really
I want a proper whipping-boy. I’m a bit upset Portsmouth recovered so well.
i personally thought it was just he thought rosicky’s trickery would work better against their very pacy left back, than walcott’s pace, and walcott is sort of just back from injury
was listening to graham hunter do the preview and he was saying about walcott needing time and confidence and he wouldnt be rushed.
i also think a home game in europe doesnt suit him tactically,
think wenger called it right, arsenal usualy see alot of possession at home with the oppostion playing deep with little chance of using walcott over the top or on the break,
he is beter suited to away games when they play on the break, plus i dont think he is up to the passing and tactical know how arsenal use at home on big nights,
walcott needs to learn more in my book, but is a big treat in certain situations.
Plus Theo needs permission to stay up late for evening games.
He came on as a sub…Rosicky started on the right.
I note that FPL has updated the fixtures to reflect FA Cup action in GW34, as it stands I will only have 7 players playing, hope that the PL games are rescheduled to midweek as predicted
I’ve only got 6 missing if they dont get re-arranged. So not too bad for me if they dont.
Do we think getting Collins in is worth a 4 point hit? If so who to get rid of:
Ivanovic, Verm, Insua, Distin, Dawson
Been thinking Dawson, but all seem to have good fixtures.
Verm, free up some cash.
Was going to do Verm to Song in a few weeks then upgrade my midfield. Also only just got him in, so feels a bit strange to get rid.
Wait til Vermaelen scores you a goal before you move him on. Shouldn’t take long.
are you planning to play gw30 with 5 defenders in your team?
No, not playing Distin i think.
Well Dawson has Ars, che, mun consecutively next month. So long term I’d ship Daws.
Robinson -> Friedel
Richards -> Collins
Diaby -> Milner
Would be an 8 point hit, but I can see them getting the points back over the next few weeks.
I’d be very happy with my team for the run in, and so can’t see any more points hits for me (baring more bloody injuries).
Friedel – Hart
Carragher – Collins – Baines – Distin – Dann
Fabregas – Milner – Arteta – N’Zogbia – O’Hara
Rooney – Drogba – Bendtner
With £0.9M in the bank.
Deal or no deal? Ta.
I’ve just done a similar move with 3 transfers.
Gomes -> Friedel
Evra -> Collins
Eagles -> Milner
Frees up some cash in case I decide to do more rash transfers later on too.
im two transfers/weeks away from having a front 8 of fabregas, young, arteta, pienaar, valencia, rooney, drogba, bendtner.
one will have to be benched each week but there is so no obvious option, the potential for tears is great (big points on the bench each week). and the dilemma each week will be ridiculous, but I reckon the benefits will outweight that.
has anyone else gone for such a pure rotational system?
Injuries may ease your dilemmas some weeks, sadly. Look at Fabregas this week. I will be having to make similar calls, as I’m sure many others will.
Personally I’d go Torres over Rooney, and Diaby over Pienaar. I like the look of Young over Milner though.
yep, just cant bring myself to bring in milner. still not convinced by that boy.
I would transfer either Verm or Insua (Collins with 4 matches in 2 weeks will probably outscore both, especially Insua, I think), to free up cash, like SuperDorrrans said, and upgrade midfield or attack.
this was for previous post of lawman…
I’m seriously considering sticking with just Milner for Villa.
Given their form, is this ridiculous?
I think a Villa defender is more essential than a Villa midfielder. I’ll have one of each for the home DGW though.
Average score is still only 22?
there is hope for the cup yet with me having 40 and 3 players to play
Bent’s hatrick was very annoying. And deflated any hopes I had of winning my league.
I reckon 39 is the cut-off point at the moment using the FT cup entrants list as a sample (including points hits, not including subs to come in.)
Shall I go for Bendtner or Super Pav this game week?????
bend
Pav may be back on the bench.
Here is my current team:
Green Sorensen
Evra Agger Baird Alexander Carr
Diaby Kuyt Fabregas Lee N’Zogbia
Bent Rooney Bendtner
I’m planning to take out 2 players this GW:
Green > Friedel
Lee > A.Young
Good Choice?
They sound fine. Although if it was me I’d be tempted to do an 8 pt hit of:
Friedel replacing Green
Milner replacing Kuyt
Arteta/Pienaar replacing Lee.
That would be sweet.
Anyone with news about this supposed injury to Rodallega?
I think he’s in shock that he scored!
Interesting point, he didnt look too great when he hobbled off.
Although, he may have been just covering the fact his shot had gone off for a throw-in.
he honestly went off injured, when it happened he immediately signalled he had to come off, didn’t even try running it off.
say what you see.
regarding arshavin debte earlier, at 10.2mil i no longer see arsahvin as priced in the elite lampard, gerrard, fabregas price range, more in the kuyt, joe cole and formerly stephen ireland range. so if kuyt is credible at 9.5 i personally think arshavin is credible at 10.2 in a more free-flowing, free-scoring, confident side
Let it lie Ab, the proof will be in the pudding over the coming weeks.
i’m just saying he is no longer 11mil out of position, half injured, confidence shot arshavin.
I know what you are saying sunshine, i was saying it last week unall. Why did i choose Diaby again? Ugh.
I’m with you!
Come on Andrei!
it was arshavins best game of the season.
and the fatty finally looks like hes actually fit. earlier in the season he looked to be treating arsenal like a holiday camp.
im considering him.
Current plan. Lampard in for Gerrard (31). Arshavin in for Lampard (33), although I do fear that I will have missed most of Arsenal’s good fixtures by then.
hmmm… transfers are gonna be tough to get right this GW. Milner, Lampard, Drogba, Downing, Young, Rooney.. decisions !!
Captaincy is even harder!
Any word on whether Etherington will play a part tonight?
I transferred him out last night, so I’m sure he’ll be fit and ready to play the rest of the season ….
I am really struggling to make a decision for next weeks transfer.
a.) Diaby > Etherington OR
b.) Song > Dawson
Opinions?
I already have Bendtner and FAB ATM.
why you getting rid of Arsenal Players?
And song should be back next GW,Dawson has AR H CH H MU A from GW34 .
bad transfers IMO
Just checked your Link,One of us are not certain about how to use >
I have assumed x>y means x out for y you seem to think the other way.
Anyway Diaby for etherington seems a better transfer to me cos Arsenal are not rock solid at the back and Dawson’s fixtures before 34 are not bad.
Infact I expect 2 clean sheets from him between now and Gw34
Nice score btw
Insua – Collins
Lee – Milner
For a 4 point hit, leaving me with
Hart
Collins – Dann – Baines
N’Zog – Milner – Fabregas – Modric
Rooney – Drogba – Bendtner
Subs – Baird, Bikey, O’Hara
Opinions? Not doing it just yet, want to see what the news on Fabregas and Rooney is closer to match time. Just testing the waters
No doubt this has been mentioned earlier, so apologies – but back to the “Arteta Question” I do rate him greatly and last season was on the “next level” down from Ron – Lamps – Gerrard.
However….I am not going to buy him this season, as I have Milner who is a comparable player at same price….and I also have 3 “cheap” but good mids in N’Zogbia, Diaby and Hunt who I reckon will all tuen out to have better VFM than Arteta.
So…maybe next season…but I will pass on Arteta for now…
Been trying to get a grip of that Everton midfield. When Tim Cahill is back, is a five man midfield with Cahill-Arteta-Pienaar-Heitinga-Rodwell the most probable starting lineup? Or is Osman ahead of Rodwell in the peckling order? And whatever happened to Bily?
We don’t know, as this is the first time they’ve all been fit at the same time (and even now, Fellaini is out). Moyes seems to have a soft spot for Anichebe on the right, so he may hold his spot over Osman (which would be preferable for me as Arteta is better in the centre). As an Enlgand fan, I’d like to see Rodwell starting more consistently, but it seems like Moyes is being careful with him.
It’s all up in the air though.
Pienaar, Cahill and Arteta are certainties. Fellaini when fit. I see Osman, Donovan, Bily etc fighting it out for the other spot.
Very good first XI they have.