The Stock Check – Gameweek 1 – Saturday

A new post-match regular. With the Scout Notes to follow, the Stock Check is a quick thinking, non-exhaustive blast – an at a glance appraisal of those teams and players who have their stock rise and fall as a result of the day’s matches. Today, it’s all about the new arrivals: book your ticket for the “Michu Chu Train”…

On The Up

Swansea City
We knew they had good fixtures to come but nobody expected them to explode at Loftus Road, so often a fortress under Mark Hughes last term. Michael Laudrup is already an honoury Welshman after a stunning result in his first senior game in charge. Fantasy managers are sniffing around the Liberty with renewed vigour.

Michu
Gylfi who? An outstanding debut for the Spaniard. Michu fired the Swans in front with a first half strike to announce himself in the English top flight, while that goal owed a lot to the calamitous Robert Green, the second was an assured finish from a smart Swansea move. With strong fixtures to come, the bandwagon is already roaring.

Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge
Heavily backed as a budget option last season, Dyer cropped up with a brace in the demolition of the R’s, while Routledge contributed a pair of assists. Laudrup had suggested that he wanted his wide men to tuck in and support Danny Graham – they did so with some effect.

Fulham
Martin Jol’s side clicked immediately, delivering a 5-0 spanking to poor old Chris Hughton. Again, there were some impressive attacking displays on show, while the clean sheet reinforced the faith that many showed in the likes of Brede Hangeland.

Mladen Petric
Like Michu, Fulham’s Croatian put his name to the top of our Watchlist with a two-goal salvo to justify his Scout Picks inclusion this week. At 6.0 in the FPL and just 6.8 in the Sky Sports game, he’s a ready-made third striker option: today’s brace will surely provide the catalyst for investment.

Alex Kacaniklic
A 4.5 option in the FPL game, the Swede got the nod with Karim Frei injured and took his chance with Fulham’s fourth. Can he retain his start? Certainly Clint Dempsey doesn’t look a likely threat.

The Sunderland Defence
Full of cheap options, a makeshift Black Cats back four put up a barrier at the Emirates that Arsene Wenger’s side, sans Robin Van Persie, just couldn’t blow down. Fantasy managers will be circling Martin O’Neill’s rearguard as a result.

Liam Ridgewell
A clean sheet and an assist in a win – Ridgewell has set himself up nicely for bonus recognition. We know about his attacking instincts; if Steve Clarke has firmed up the Baggies, then Ridgewell demonstrated today that he could be the key figure in Fantasy terms.

Zoltan Gera
A superb strike for West Brom’s opener – can the Hungarian hold off the claims of Chris Brunt for a starting role and deliver value in the midfield bracket?

Jermain Defoe
He has to take his opportunity while the safety catch is on the Spurs cheque book. Today’s goal confirmed that Defoe can deliver and Fanatsy managers will be twitching at the prospect of Tottenham’s favourable home games to come.

Demba Ba
Remember him? Denied a brace by Hatem Ben Arfa’s reluctance to surrender the spot-kick, Ba stepped out of the shadow of his compatriot Papiss Cisse to remind us that he can score goals. A 7.5 prospect in the FPL, he’ll join Defoe on the mid-price Watchlist.

Hatem Ben Arfa
According Alan Pardew, Ben Arfa was definitely out of the game – he wasn’t, he was very much in it. He won the winning penalty. He took the winning penalty. A new development at Newcastle given that Demba Ba was thought to be the designated spot-kick taker. Is he now in the box seat? At 7.5, he’s another set to gain Gameweek 1 transfers.

Going Down

Scott Sinclair
Ousted from the Swansea starting lineup and dropped to the bench at QPR, the left-winger looks to be out in the cold after refusing to sign a new contract at the Liberty Stadium with Man City sniffing. A 14.2% ownership will be greatly concerned, particularly given that the cheaper alternative, Michu, delivered on his debut. Sinclair absence = Danny Graham on spot-kicks? Graham owners will hope so after today’s frustrating blank.

Adam Federici
Backed by so many going into Reading’s double fixtures, along with the Royals’ back four, Federici fumbled for Michael Kightly’s effort threw away our clean sheets and delivered a massive slab of early frustration.

James Tomkins
Relegated to the bench for the home clash with Villa; this was billed as a rest after his summer in the Great Britain Olympic squad but was still a major surprise for the season opener. With 5.8% ownership in the Sky Sports game, there will be plenty disappointed and concerned that Tomkins could face a battle to earn a recall – particularly with the Hammers keeping it clean.

Jan Vertonghen
Surprisingly omitted from the Spurs lineup for the trip to Newcastle. We had such high hopes for the former Ajax stopper who has the goal record to present a viable differential at the back. It looks as though he could face a battle to establish a starting role – although Andre Villas-Boas can’t have been impressed with his defence. William Gallas captain? I know, we can’t figure it either.

Rafael Van der Vaart
Another player who found himself on the bench, the Dutchman emerged to replace Sigurdsson on 68 minutes, only to leave his leg flailing to bring Hatem Ben Arfa to the deck for Newcastle’s penalty. A starter for home matches?

Liverpool
Luckily, few were backing them with their nightmarish fixtures. The 3-0 defeat at West Brom confirmed that Brendan Rodgers has a job on and Liverpool currently remain bereft of true Fantasy potential.