November
09

The Watchlist – Theo Walcott

Filed under: The Watchlist - Posted by: Paul

It hasn’t quite been the season Theo Walcott had anticipated. After a series of frustrating campaigns at the Emirates, the winger had finally flourished as a Fantasy force last term, with eight goals, 11 assists and 19 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points earning him an overall haul of 169 points. Walcott’s link-up play with Robin Van Persie was a crucial aspect of the Gunners’ forward forays in 2011/12, but the Dutchman decided to “listen to the little boy inside” in the summer and promptly upped and left for Old Trafford:

A resultant restructuring of Arsenal’s attacking options has seen both Gervinho and Aaron Ramsey selected ahead of Walcott on the right flank, with the former Southampton man afforded a single league start, all the way back in Gameweek 1. Brief cameos off the bench have hinted at his potential, though; finding the net against Norwich and West Ham, Walcott’s two strikes are the equal of Lukas Podolski, despite featuring in just 249 minutes to the German’s 723, while Arsene Wenger’s main frontman, Olivier Giroud, has notched once in 628 minutes.

Handed a rare starting berth in the midweek Champions League game at Schalke, Walcott opened the scoring in the 2-2 draw and opined post-match that he’s more than deserving of a regular role right now. Looking at the stats so far, it’s hard to argue – in all competitions for the Gunners this season, Walcott has produced eight goals and four assists over 13 appearances; bearing in mind Gervinho and Santi Cazorla, with three goals apiece, are Arsenal’s top league scorers after 10 matches, it’s difficult to understand just why Wenger has been reluctant to utilise Walcott more freely.

With Gervinho ruled out due to an ankle problem and Ramsey a likely deputy for the suspended Jack Wilshere at home to Fulham this weekend, the stage looks set for Walcott to make a statement of intent. Coming in at 8.7 in FPL and 7.5 in the Sky Sports game, he offers an intriguing alternative to Cazorla and Gervinho in the Gunners midfield, providing he can reclaim his regular role once again. The upcoming schedule affords Arsenal plenty optimism – four home games in the next six (FUL, TOT, SWA, WBA), in addition to a trip to Villa, gives Wenger’s side plenty opportunity to improve upon their current seventh position. If the Gunners boss finally relents and allows Walcott his preferred central role, the bandwagon could well be in overdrive.

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paul

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  1. King Nemanja
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Anyone know if there was ever an article on Gaston Ramirez?

    1. MICHELIN
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      WATCHLIST – GASTON RAMIREZ Oct 3rd

      1. King Nemanja
        • Reputation Level: Scout

        Great, thanks

  2. Common Barn Utd
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    For f**ks sake Lawro, please predict a premiership team to score more than 2 goals.

    1. Kosteevo
      • Reputation Level: Scout
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member

      I'm stunned, that goes against his usual sunny and optimistic outlook!

  3. Mr Draper
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Afternoon FFS would like your opinion on what i should do with this defense (if anything) over the xmas period.

    Bego , Jussi

    Rafael , Ridge , Hange , Clyne , McCartney

    Mata , Michu , Cazorla , Pienaar , Maloney

    RVP , Ba , Jelavic

    £1.3M in the bank

    Im more than likely going to do Jelly to someone over the next week or two but long term i would like to switch my defense up but im just unsure on who to dump and who to get?

    1. pekka
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Hangeland to Sagna?

      1. pekka
        • Reputation Level: Scout

        or Zabaleta even, although city is rather unpredictable in who they play…

    2. ahackin
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      I have more or less the same team. I'm going to drop Ridge for a 3.9 defender who i'll never play (Gorkss or someone like that). Then take out Maloney for a 4.3 mid who'll never play and upgrade Jelly to Suarez. So then my main team will be Jussy, Rafael, Ivanovic, McCartney, Haz, Mata, Fellaini, Michu, RVP, Ba, Suarez.

  4. Hitman3095
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Foster | (Federici)
    Baines | Cameron | Cuellar | (Demel, Hangeland )
    Hazard | Cazorla | Michu | Pienaar | (Kacaniklic)
    RVP | Ba | Lambert
    £1.2m in the bank, 1 FT.

    Decided I need work on defense. Thinking I'm going to get rid of Hangeland basing on Fulham's fixtures opposed to Cuellar.
    What do we think? Cheers :)
    a) Hangel --> Sagna
    b) Hangel --> Steven Taylor

    1. pekka
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      sagna

      1. Hitman3095
        • Reputation Level: Scout

        Cheers :)

        1. pekka
          • Reputation Level: Scout

          or Zabaleta even, although city is rather unpredictable in who they play...

          1. pekka
            • Reputation Level: Scout

            replay fail...

  5. rdpx
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Is it worth a 4 pt hit to get rid of flagged Simpson?

    Other defence:

    Baird, Boyce, Ivanovic, McCartney

    1. pekka
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      no

  6. droginexile
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Pretty happy with my team now and have feeling that my season starts this week, two questions,

    1) is it worth risking a szczeny start and having jussi on bench in case mannone plays, or will i take the jussi save points and be happy?

    2) Is it just me who has a feeling michu might run riot against southampton this weekend and am i mad for considering him as captain over RVP??

    1. pekka
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      1) no risk... if he doesnt play jussi will autosub...

      2) probably not cracy... probably.

  7. Sulk
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Can someone look at my team and tell me who i should get for marc wilson. have 1.5 to spare and want more manu coverage but can't afford evra and i feel the rest are rotation prone.....

    1. kaz-glasgow
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Bro get Rafael ! He is solid and floss down that wing with valencia

  9. kaz-glasgow
    • Reputation Level: Scout

    Begovic -Ruddy

    Rafael gorkss hangaland - cuellar jenks

    Fellaini michu bale cazorla - sterling

    Rvp jelevic crouch

    Is this team ready to go !! Thanks

    1. kaz-glasgow
      • Reputation Level: Scout

      Thinking of changing jelly to Ba ???

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Scout Picks

Team of the Season 2012/13

  • Jääskeläinen
  • Baines
  • Vertonghen
  • Zabaleta
  • Davies
  • Walcott
  • Mata
  • Michu
  • Bale
  • Suárez
  • van Persie
  • Evra
  • Cazorla
  • Benteke

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Goalkeepers

Player Club Factors
No Change Hart MCI B, Vs
Up Cech CHE B, Vs
Up Robles WIG C, Vs, £
No Change Lloris TOT C, Vs
No Change Foster WBA C, Vs
No Change Vorm SWA C, Vs
No Change Mignolet SUN B, Vs
No Change De Gea MUN A
Up Boruc SOT B, Vs, £
No Change Jääskeläinen WHM A
No Change Begovic STO C
No Change Howard EVE A

Defenders

Player Club Factors
No Change Kompany MCI B, Vs, Rest
No Change Vertonghen TOT A, Vs, Rest
Up Luiz CHE A, Vs, Rest
No Change Baines EVE A
Up Boyce WIG C, Vs, OoP
Down Bassong NOR B, Vs
Up McAuley WBA C, Vs
Down Johnson LIV B
Up Jones MUN A
No Change Sagna ARS B
Up Huth STO C
No Change Cuéllar SUN B, Vs, £
No Change Rangel SWA C, Vs
Up Clyne SOT B, Vs, £

Midfielders

Player Club Factors
Up Bale TOT A, Vs
No Change Mata CHE C, Vs, Rest
Up Walcott ARS C, OoP
Up Hazard CHE B, Vs, Rest, Inj
Up Maloney WIG B, Vs, £
No Change Y Touré MCI B, Vs
No Change Silva MCI B, Vs, Inj
No Change Fellaini EVE C
No Change Coutinho LIV B
Up Morrison WBA C, Vs
Down Cazorla ARS C
No Change Snodgrass NOR B
Up Kagawa MUN B, Rest
Up Walters STO B
Down Lallana SOT C, Vs
Down Sissoko NEW C

Forwards

Player Club Factors
Up Tevez MCI A, Vs, Rest
Up Koné WIG B, Vs, £
Down van Persie MUN A, Vs
Up Sturridge LIV B
Up Lukaku WBA B, Vs, Rest
Up Benteke AVL A
Down Aguero MCI B, Vs, Inj
Up Rodriguez SOT A, Vs, £
Up Defoe TOT B, Vs, Rest
Down Lambert SOT C, Vs
Down Rooney MUN C
Up Carroll WHM A, VsX
Up Ba CHE C, Vs, Rest
Down Berbatov FUL C
Up Cissé NEW B
Down Remy QPR B

Selection Factors

A, B, C Current Form
Vs Favourable Fixtures
VsX Unfavourable Fixtures
Rest Rotation Risk
Inj Injured/Returning from Injury
OoP Out of Position
£ Potential Bargain
Sus Suspended/Near Suspension

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