Smalling Blow Cuts Ferguson’s Defensive Options
Filed under: Injury News - Posted by: Mark
Sir Alex Ferguson has today indicated that defender Chris Smalling will miss the start of the season having suffered a broken metatarsal. According to Ferguson, the former Fulham man will undergo surgery that is expected to keep him sidelined for ten weeks…
“He got an injury on the Wednesday and, straight away, we decided to have the operation so he’s out…It’s difficult to say with a metatarsal but it could be 10 weeks.”
The news follows confirmation that Jonny Evans is also likely to sit out the season openers with an ankle injury. Nemanja Vidic is another possible absentee for United’s kick-off, although Ferguson has been optimistic in his assessment of the Serb’s prognosis. Vidic is building up his fitness following a knee injury that has kept him out since December.
For Fantasy managers, this uncertainty could present the opportunity for short-term acquisitions within the United backline. Their centre-back pairing looks far from certain at this stage, while right-back is a slot that, once again, looks to be up for grabs. Both Rafael and Phil Jones could be set to start the season in Ferguson’s backline, then, presenting a cheaper route to early defensive returns. Rafael is available at 5.5 in the FPL, 6.6 in the Sky Sports Game – the cheapest of United’s defence. Jones, meanwhile, is also available for 6.0, with a 7.0 price in Sky Sports.
While keeper David De Gea’s name has been widely circulated as a likely candidate for our initial Fantasy lineups, due in the main to his 6.0 FPL price tag, these short term alternatives may now be more attractive as coverage options.
Despite De Gea’s outstanding form at the tail-end of last season, his starting role could well come under threat from Anders Lindegaard following his recovery from an ankle injury that saw him displaced as the Old Trafford number one by the Spaniard. Lindegaard is, however, likely to gain the opportunity to stake another claim for the keeper’s jersey in pre-season whilst De Gea is away on Olympic duty. Should Spain make the final on August 10, there’s every chance that Lindegaard will get the nod for the season opener.
That first trip to Goodison presents a stern test for the United rearguard, although the Everton clash is followed by an obliging set of early match-ups that has United face Fulham and Wigan at Old Trafford, with a visit to Southampton providing the filling in that sandwich. All three fixtures present clear potential for clean sheets with Fantasy managers looking to cash in with their initial lineup selections.
Today’s news on Smalling will now have us eagerly tracking the progress of Vidic and Evans, with one eye firmly on United’s pre-season team selections. Interestingly, Scott Wooton has so far started both of United’s pre-season matches in the centre of defence alongside Rio Ferdinand – he retains his place in today’s side that faced Ajax in Cape Town. Wooton is yet to arrive in either the FPL or Sky Sports games.
Given his price tag, it’s perhaps Rafael who currently looks the most intriguing option on offer. He could potentially cement his place if he can start the season and maintain form. The problem here is that he could himself be a doubt for the season opener: Rafael’s participation with Brazil in the Olympics is a concern and another situation that requires monitoring, adding to the increasing uncertainty in the United camp.
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“Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.”
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July 21 at 8:34 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
This reminds me, a lot, of some of the feckwits on here …
Let Me Die A Youngman’s Death
Let me die a youngman’s death
not a clean and inbetween
the sheets holywater death
not a famous-last-words
peaceful out of breath death
When I’m 73
and in constant good tumour
may I be mown down at dawn
by a bright red sports car
on my way home
from an allnight party
Or when I’m 91
with silver hair
and sitting in a barber’s chair
may rival gangsters
with hamfisted tommyguns burst in
and give me a short back and insides
Or when I’m 104
and banned from the Cavern
may my mistress
catching me in bed with her daughter
and fearing for her son
cut me up into little pieces
and throw away every piece but one
Let me die a youngman’s death
not a free from sin tiptoe in
candle wax and waning death
not a curtains drawn by angels borne
‘what a nice way to go’ death
Roger McGough
July 21 at 8:35 pm
beric says:
Nice!
July 21 at 8:35 pm
Daniel - Chelsea champions says:
I always admire you
July 21 at 8:38 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
I’m pretty fond of Beric, too …
July 21 at 8:41 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Cue the ‘get a room’ comments..
July 21 at 8:43 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
May it be this one, please?
http://www.gutenberg.org/files.....2641-h.htm
July 21 at 8:41 pm
beric says:
Aw, you guys
July 21 at 8:43 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Beric, just checked your rank. Want you to know that now I’m fond of you as well.. At last I got someone who finished around my rank..
July 21 at 8:45 pm
beric says:
Haha, I didn’t do too great last year
Top 1K this year without a doubt though
July 21 at 8:46 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Oh come on, we always have next year to look forward to
July 21 at 8:36 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Congratulations on predicting the new page correctly
July 21 at 8:38 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
I think, as a long haired lover of Liverpool, that you ought to be concentrating elsewhere …
July 21 at 8:41 pm
Chris_White says:
July 21 at 8:34 pm
12 Point Hit says:
Are the H2H leagues running this year?
July 21 at 8:35 pm
Daniel - Chelsea champions says:
Rumors that they won’t
July 21 at 8:34 pm
HAIL MOGAMBO says:
Pryda-2nite ,, what a tune ..
July 21 at 8:39 pm
beric says:
No
July 21 at 8:38 pm
bdwhite91 says:
is it overkill to have Silva and Aguero for week 1?
July 21 at 8:38 pm
beric says:
It would match your grav
July 21 at 8:40 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
+1
July 21 at 8:39 pm
HAIL MOGAMBO says:
there’s never an overkill with City players ..
July 21 at 8:41 pm
Tommytour59 says:
Great for GW1-3 imo
July 21 at 8:41 pm
Wild Rover says:
Yep, I have Silva and Tevez….
July 21 at 8:47 pm
bdwhite91 says:
Thanks all, I’m just torn between Silva and Bale, but I’ll probably just switch Hazard to Bale depending on how the season starts.
It would feel so wrong not to have my favorite player in my squad, but that 10.0 does some damage.
July 21 at 8:50 pm
Wild Rover says:
Tevez over Aguero gives you £2.5m to play with, you don’t think he will start?
July 21 at 8:40 pm
King Cabbage says:
Vlad – regarding Jay Rod from the last page. It’s definitely not him.
So looks like FPL may have just Googled his name and selected the wrong image.
I was wondering who it actually was though as a matter of interest.
July 21 at 8:45 pm
Vlad says:
I have no idea, 10 minutes ago I didn’t know about the existence of Jay Rodriguez, just googled him.
July 21 at 8:50 pm
King Cabbage says:
You learn something every day pal! Have a banana on me
July 21 at 8:44 pm
Lanley Staurel says:
Most nailed on starter for West Ham defence. McCartney or Demel?
July 21 at 8:52 pm
Wild Rover says:
Demel
July 21 at 8:44 pm
jamsiep says:
The new FPL layout is bumming me out. You can’t move the mouse down from the address bar, to the ‘My Team’ link, without hovering over the dropdown menus above, which then obscure the link you want to get to it.
It’s already annoying me and I’ve been on the FPL site about five times so far. When I get properly into the game it’s going to destroy me.
July 21 at 8:45 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
#FirstWorldProblems
July 21 at 8:47 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
Hehehe!
July 21 at 8:46 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
Tsk. So easily distracted …
July 21 at 8:48 pm
organdonor47 says:
if you use chrome with adblocking software, you can chose to permanently hide those dropdowns. i have, and i am a happier, more rounded person as a result.
July 21 at 8:50 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
I know this is possible, but somehow I am too lazy to google it and do it..
July 21 at 8:58 pm
The Parmtree says:
Same here
July 21 at 9:20 pm
Daniel - Chelsea champions says:
They need to make half of a second/ second brake when u move over with the mouse. That way only if u hold the mouse there it’ll open. Its annoying like this I agree
July 21 at 8:44 pm
Cincilatori says:
Ok, here is my (improved?) team:
Federici (Friedel)
A.Cole, Lescott, Fabio (Tomkins, Coloccini)
Hazard, Noble, Taraabt, Bale (Britton)
Aguero,Torres,Poggy
So basically:
Jones/ShawX/Sinclair/Tevez out
Tomkins/Fabio/Britton/Aguero in (+2m, to switch Torres–>Rooney in the GW 2)
Upgrade???
July 21 at 8:45 pm
Wild Rover says:
Any team that did have Tevez but hasn’t now is gash…..
July 21 at 8:44 pm
Silent Alarm says:
Best Swansea defender to go for guys?
July 21 at 8:48 pm
Wild Rover says:
I’d stick to Sinclair, Michu or Graham. I think thier defs are too expensive but Williams is a beast if you must….
July 21 at 8:44 pm
mahfreems says:
Anyone thought about their captains yet?
July 21 at 8:44 pm
Adz - Mladen Petric is my first punt of the season says:
Torn between torres and aguero.
July 21 at 8:46 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Terry.
July 21 at 8:47 pm
★FC Borecelona★ - "I can make anybody look like a nobody" says:
Chelsea def
July 21 at 8:49 pm
Wild Rover says:
Ivan
July 21 at 8:51 pm
beric says:
Terry
July 21 at 8:45 pm
Adz - Mladen Petric is my first punt of the season says:
Guys, what do you think of my gmwk 1 team?
Green (Mignolet)
Vidic, A.Cole, Gunter (S.Taylor, Hoovield)
Bale, Michu, Ireland, Noble (Sessegnon)
Aguero (vc), Torres (c), Petric
Thanks
July 21 at 8:45 pm
W£$T L0ND0N'S F1N£$T says:
Hi guys what do you think of this team?
Green (Jaaskelainen)
Ivanovic Fabio Shawcross (Clyne) (Barnett)
Hazard (C) Kagawa Bale Noble (Michu)
Torres Aguero Pogrebnyak
July 21 at 8:53 pm
Adz - Mladen Petric is my first punt of the season says:
Wouldnt have both of Kangawa and Hazard – only have one. Neither of them have prem experience so it may be a risk is my reason. The rest looks absolutly fine. Can you rmt one post above please?
July 21 at 8:46 pm
pieces says:
Help, have updated my contact info to my current FPL history url but I seemed to have become Kasimir Alexandrov. I feel a bit like Jay Rodriguez – misrepresented. Anyone help?
July 21 at 8:48 pm
jamsiep says:
I’m seeing Tony Rushton.
July 21 at 8:49 pm
mahfreems says:
no i can see tony rushton’s page
July 21 at 8:49 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
You are Tony Rushton. Atleast that’s what your link says.
July 21 at 8:50 pm
PDM Allstars FPL Top 1000 ANY Season 100-348 says:
Yep seems that you prefer to be called Tony
July 21 at 8:52 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Great ID!
July 21 at 8:54 pm
pieces says:
Oh FFS now its working. What a plank
July 21 at 8:56 pm
Vlad says:
You should contemplate changing your name to Kasimir Alexandrov though, sounds really cool
July 21 at 8:58 pm
pieces says:
July 21 at 8:47 pm
EX says:
I’ve tried my variants, but would like some public input too on the following query.
Most nailed on cheapest, best rotating defensive pair? Ive decided, Im going 3 big hitters all season.
July 21 at 8:48 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
2, 2, 1 for me.
July 21 at 8:52 pm
EX says:
Is Ridgy a “big hitter” eh?
July 21 at 8:53 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
On Doos’ bench? Any day.
July 21 at 9:37 pm
Doosra - A NOBLE HAMMER!!! says:
Obviously.
July 21 at 8:49 pm
Wild Rover says:
Me too. I have Tierney and Clyne as my cheapo’s
July 21 at 8:54 pm
EX says:
That’s the thing man, we dont know if Clyne is nailed on yet.
I specifically asked Cheapest, most nailed on. Any other combinations youve got in mind sire?
July 21 at 8:57 pm
Wild Rover says:
He will start… Demel and Wilson is £9.5m, nailed on and great rotation. Or you can trust me and save .5m
July 21 at 8:51 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
So what is the consensus, guys? 2×2 rotation, or two biggies and 1×3 rotation?
July 21 at 8:53 pm
mahfreems says:
im doing a 3 rotation with my defence, im a bit stuck for my midfield rotation tho
July 21 at 8:57 pm
freshy says:
2 biggies- -Colocinni and Cueallar- -Jenks
July 21 at 8:54 pm
pieces says:
New Post
July 21 at 8:58 pm
Daniel - Chelsea champions says:
Any Wigan defender for 4.0m?
July 21 at 8:59 pm
...al - The Phisherman says:
I like figs id he’s 4
July 21 at 8:58 pm
Rick -- Founder of a new blog says:
Scoot over, guys
http://www.fantasyfootballscou.....ibo-maiga/
July 21 at 9:00 pm
DanielExeter says:
Fellaini or N’Zogbia or McClean ?
July 21 at 9:12 pm
Jay says:
Rmt please thx
Given, Foster rotate well I think?
Ivanovic, Hangleand, Harte, Ridgewell, Martin
Hazard, Bale, Valencia, Dyer, Noble
Torres, Aguaro, Pog
Thinking of doing
Dyer to Pienaar or McLean
And
Ivanovic to Rafael from 2nd week onwards ??? Thoughts appreciated sorry for repost
July 22 at 11:49 am
joker7 says:
Figuero is 4.5m