The Watchlist – Luis Suarez
Filed under: The Watchlist - Posted by: stilicho
Luis Suarez isn’t everyone’s favourite player. Impromptu goalkeeping, the Patrice Evra incident and a baffling vendetta against woodwork comprise the newsworthy misadventures of a man equally distinguished by his managers’ favour and the public contempt. But whilst his unequivocal admirers might be restricted to the Kop and the carpentry trade, Fantasy managers can ill afford to be too picky with their heroes in a game that measures virtue purely in terms of points.
A stuttering start to the season can be excused in a team unsettled by a wearying saga of tactical and managerial revolutions on Merseyside, and if the optimism that attended Brendan Rodgers’ arrival has been somewhat subdued by Liverpool’s unflattering league position, strong performances against Sunderland and United in recent weeks suggest that the tide is turning.
In terms of shots on target and chances created over the last two weeks Liverpool are in the Champions League spots, and whilst new acquisition Joe Allen and youth team graduate Raheem Sterling have gelled seamlessly in Rogers’ favoured 4-3-3, the comparatively innocuous exploits of Fabio Borini only serve to cement Suarez’s role as the indispensable spearhead of the Liverpool attack.
Whilst Steven Fletcher, Dimitar Berbatov and Ricky Lambert have hogged the headlines and cast an understandable shade over Suarez’s recent performances, that darkness may provide a propitious advantage to those Fantasy managers armed with the sober and impartial light of OPTA stats. Indeed, Suarez has eclipsed his acclaimed competitors in several key areas, and whilst he shows no inclination to forfeit his post-hitting pre-eminence, his threat stats augur an imminent improvement of his already-respectable tally of two goals in five games.
Norwich’s combative home form could present a potential banana skin to Liverpool’s attacking aspirations next weekend, but their work-in-progress defence remains susceptible to breach and Suarez’s guile and energy will furnish a stern test – last season’s Carrow Road hat-trick, capped by a memorable 45-yard effort, stands testament to the Uruguayan’s capabilities. Back-to-back home games against a winless Stoke and an incontinent Reading then serve to complete a tempting trio of ties that should provide Rodgers’ resurgent Reds ample opportunity to jump start their campaign.
With the threat of rest and rotation now haunting the footsteps of the hitherto hegemonic Carlos Tevez and Robin Van Persie, Suarez’s comparative security becomes a conspicuous asset and, priced at 9.4 in the Fantasy Premier League and 9.6 in the Sky Sports game, canny investors may be set to reap rewards from Luis’ forthcoming weekends.
About The Author
“I never make predictions and I never will”
stilicho
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“I am happy with the way I’ve started, but on the other hand, I should have scored four or five more, so that’s something for me to work on.”
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September 26 at 6:13 pm
Half Man Half Bear Half RoonPig says:
Is da Silva (Rafael flavour) going to be fit for spurs this weekend? Saw he got subbed off last game…
September 26 at 6:14 pm
saggg k says:
I desperately want tevez out i hv 2.5m in bank i do u reckon but its a 8pt hit
September 27 at 1:07 am
DownUnder says:
he just played 120 minutes against villa so chances are he’s going to be rested for Aguero against Fulham. In the long term view, he’s not going to get a lot of playing time with the arrival of Aguero, Balotelli and in form Dzeko
September 26 at 6:14 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
What news, fellows?
September 26 at 6:14 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
I’ve totally sorted my son’s wc team. He’ll beat me this week with a team value of 99.0m!
September 26 at 6:16 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
Yeah, yeah!
September 26 at 6:16 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
I’ll get back to you on this one
September 26 at 6:15 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
September 26 at 6:18 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
Errr …
September 26 at 6:18 pm
Ginkapo-Rule No.1: wwkd? says:
I have managed to get Barnet into the championship on footy manager, but the board have subsequently massively reduced my wage budget. Bit screwed really.
Plus the boiler man has been here all day, and will come tomorrow morning to finish up.
September 26 at 6:19 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
Oh, Lord. Not your best then?
September 26 at 6:16 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
Great article, Stilicho. Not today, though – thank you.
September 26 at 6:16 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
Not today only?
September 26 at 6:18 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
Heh… you know Doos and his love of L’pool
September 26 at 6:20 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
I like Liverpool. Just loathe certain factors therein.
September 26 at 6:21 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
Aye, understood.
September 26 at 6:17 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
I’m afraid I have succumbed to it!
September 26 at 6:18 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
Really?
REALLY????
September 26 at 6:19 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
Almost. This close.
Trying to decide between Suárez and Jelavić. (I’ve got Pienaar and Baines). Stick the armband on whoever comes in and enjoy!
September 26 at 6:20 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
If you have those 2, I’d say Suarez.
September 26 at 6:23 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
Yeah, leaning towards him atm. But he’s on 3 YCs too …
September 26 at 6:21 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
Let’s see how tonight goes than
September 26 at 6:21 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
*then
September 26 at 6:22 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
Blessings be upon you. You will need them …
September 26 at 6:22 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
Why, thank you!
September 26 at 6:16 pm
The Parmtree says:
Risky but deadly plan….
Current team…
Mignolet, JussiJ.
Baines, Rafael, Hughes, Clyne, Davies.
Hazard, Ben Arfa, Michu, Pienaar, Maloney.
RVP, Tevez, Berba.
£0.6m left.
GW7: Save
GW8: Hazard to Cazorla.
GW9: Michu to Ramirez, Hughes to Sagna, Tevez to Kun.
September 26 at 6:23 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
You’re kidding me? Cazorla, Ramirez and Gibbs/Sagna are the three players going to enter my team soonish and Hazard Michu and Saylor are the ones leaving.
Too much.
September 26 at 6:27 pm
busteddocket says:
A month is a long time to plan ahead in football, never seems to work out like you planned through injuries rotation etc etc.
September 26 at 6:28 pm
King Nemanja says:
Really like the look of that team
September 27 at 1:09 am
DownUnder says:
I would got Tevez to Suarez or Fernandez Saez now, but thats just me
September 26 at 6:17 pm
Scroobius Mac says:
Not a bad save (around 18s in)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?f.....-z-4eoLBH0
September 26 at 6:18 pm
The EJJ says:
how the hell did you find that?!
September 26 at 6:19 pm
Scroobius Mac says:
101 Great Goals. Come up with all sorts of obscure stuff.
September 26 at 6:18 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
Wow.
September 26 at 6:19 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
Stopped the buggers singing
September 26 at 6:21 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
Noice!
September 26 at 6:17 pm
Djerbil (aka) Calcio Catania says:
Incase u don’t know yet,
#Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Martinez – Angha, Djourou, Miquel, Santos – Coquelin, Yennaris – Walcott, Arshavin, The Ox – Giroud
Subs: Shea, Bellerin, Gnarby, Eisfeld, Frimpong, Chamakh, Squillaci
September 26 at 6:21 pm
hillbillypete says:
11/10 for -2 goals
September 26 at 6:22 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
Ill have my eyes on Giroud. Want to replace Tevez with him.
September 26 at 6:22 pm
Doosra - "Loyalty is the handmaiden to success" - A Noble Quote says:
You are mad, you are.
September 26 at 6:23 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
Aye, just monitoring. In Arsene we trust? 2nd time lucky, shirley.
September 26 at 6:22 pm
Herr Vets - Die Rothosen says:
That’s even more leftfield than Suarez! Or is that Podolski?
September 26 at 6:24 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
If i wanted to replace Tevez with someone, it’d either be Lambert so i get moolah to upgrade Michu to Cazorla or i would look at an Arsenal striker. One goal will change a striker you know. Just monitoring.
September 26 at 6:23 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
The fact that the league’s worst finisher, Gervinho, starts ahead of him should be noted.
September 26 at 6:25 pm
Lateriser12 - "I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world" says:
It is. Monitoring, just monitoring! Big strong lad who positions himself well for my liking.
September 26 at 6:23 pm
Scroobius Mac says:
Hope he does awfully and I can add the foreheaded one to my potential in list.
September 26 at 6:29 pm
King Nemanja says:
Poor Arshavin
September 26 at 6:21 pm
theBoose13 says:
anyone got any tips or thoughts on the rangers vs motherwell match tonight???
September 26 at 6:22 pm
Transferaddict - Everton FC the new Barcelona? says:
I hope at some point in the season RVP gets rested enough to become sellable. The extra spending power will make things a lot more interesting
September 27 at 1:12 am
DownUnder says:
isnt it better that he plays, considering the more he plays the bigger chance of him scoring, the more he scores the less you would need to sell him?
September 26 at 6:23 pm
Aatish says:
NEW POST http://www.fantasyfootballscou.....tor-michu/
September 26 at 6:24 pm
Nitin Nagaraja says:
Look who’s back!
September 26 at 6:24 pm
hillbillypete says:
tonight is decision night…………….Hazard to Carzola before the pricerise……
September 27 at 1:11 am
DownUnder says:
Or both?
September 26 at 6:25 pm
King Nemanja says:
Double up with Pienaar and Fellaini, or go with Pienaar and Ben Arfa?
September 26 at 6:25 pm
BoomBoomShacktheroom says:
Anyone have opinions on the scores this weekend?
Im gonna go with:
Arsenal 2 – 2 Chelsea
Everton 3 – 1 Southampton
Fulham 1 – 1 Manchester City
Norwich 1 – 2 Liverpool
Reading 0 – 2 Newcastle
Stoke 2 – 0 Swansea
Sunderland 2 – 2 Wigan
Manchester United 3 – 1 Spurs
Villa 1 – 2 WBA
QPR 2 – 0 West Ham
September 26 at 6:26 pm
Kajagoogoo says:
city will beat fulham and sunderland will win.
September 26 at 8:59 pm
SuperGrover says:
Don’t see Chelsea scoring twice at Arsenal.
ARS 2 – CHE 1
EVE 3 – SOT 2
FUL 1 – MCI 2
NOR 1 – LIV 1
RDG 1 – NEW 2
STK 1 – SWA 1
SUN 2 – WIG 0
MUN 2 – TOT 0
AVL 0 – WBA 0
QPR 2 – WHM 1
September 27 at 1:14 am
DownUnder says:
The way i see it:
Arsenal 1 – 0 Chelsea
Everton 3 – 1 Southampton
Fulham 1 – 1 City
Norwich 0 – 3 Liverpool
Reading 0 – 1 Newcastle
Stoke 2 – 2 Swansea
Sunderland 0 – 0 Wigan
United 2 – 0 Spurs
Villa 2 – 1 WBA
QPR 0 – 0 West Ham
September 26 at 6:41 pm
Robbie Savage says:
a) Ba and Berbatov, or
b) Tevez and Lambert
September 26 at 8:57 pm
SuperGrover says:
A and it isn’t close.
September 26 at 10:34 pm
leroy8888 says:
Ba and lambert is not a bad option. Stay away from tevez if u don’t have him.
September 26 at 6:46 pm
Intricacy says:
Begovic, Jaaskelainen
Baines, Jenkinson, Clark, Jenkinson, Cuellar
Cazorla, Hazard, Ben Arfa, Dyer, Maloney
van Persie, Tevez, Lambert
I have 2 free transfers and nothing in the bank.
a) Tevez –> Suarez, Defoe, Ba or other?
b) Jenkinson –> McCauley, good?
c) How long is Cuellar out for?
September 27 at 1:39 am
tomtrubadur says:
yes, rather have just one jenkinson, not two. McAuley maybe. Or a punt on Hangeland?
September 26 at 6:56 pm
claret14 says:
Which Jenkinson you transferring out
September 26 at 8:54 pm
SuperGrover says:
Decided I am taking a hit this week because I am pretty confident Tevez won’t play and can’t fathom Danny Guthrie in the starting 11.
Options:
A. Guthrie -> Fellaini
B. Tevez -> Suarez
I think I am leaning towards option A as I see Fellaini being more of a long term solution than Suarez (and I could be wrong about Tevez).
Thoughts?
September 27 at 1:24 am
DownUnder says:
B, definitely B.
1) Guthrie is 4.4m so you can prop him on the bench. He’s also going to get assists so for such a cheap price tag its worth having him as an attacking midfielder. If you really have no faith or the fixtures are bad, just bench him.
2) Short Term: Tevez will step aside this game as he just played 120 minutes against Villa. Aguero almost certainly will take his spot alongside Dzeko. Suarez has three favourable fixtures and hopefully that will turn the fate of Liverpool.
Long Term: There’s too many good strikers at City so it seems almost certain that Tevez will have very limited playing time. On the other hand, at Liverpool the three players upfront in Rodgers’ 4-3-3 are Sterling, Suso (whilst Borini is out) and Suarez. Sterling and Suso are teenagers who just entered the senior team so Suarez is almost 100% certain to start and finish every game.
September 27 at 9:28 am
ninja says:
ive got the exact funds to do tevez > aguero, should i do it now while i can ?
September 29 at 11:18 am
Soggysock says:
A. Standard RVP
B. Baines
C. Fellani
D. Podolski
E. Suarez
Swaying toward either Suarez (hat trick at Nor last season) or Baines?
Thoughts?