Scout Scribbles – City Run Riot

Alvaro Negredo grabs a hat-trick and Yaya Toure limps off as City hit West Ham for six at the Etihad. Ross Barkley is a doubt for Everton’s clash with Norwich. Daniel Agger requires further tests after picking up a calf strain, whilst Mamadou Sakho could return for Liverpool’s trip to Stoke. Pablo Hernandez is out for up to three weeks for Swansea:

Toure Concern as City Annihilate Hammers

For last night’s visit of West Ham, Manuel Pellegrini made just four alterations from the side that drew at Blackburn at the weekend. In a sign of intent, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Samir Nasri all returned, with Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko retaining their places up top. The front two turned in their most impressive performance as a partnership in a one-sided affair – Negredo racked up three goals and an assist, whilst Dzeko chipped in with a brace and assist as City turned in yet another relentless home performance.

Pellegrini heaped praise upon Negredo’s display as the Spaniard took his tally to 15 goals in as many games at the Etihad in all competitions:

“I was pleased for Alvaro this evening and it would be hard for him to play much better because he scored three goals, worked very hard to win a lot of balls and he gave a very complete performance. I was also pleased he linked up so well with Dzeko because maybe that hasn’t always worked as well at times as it did tonight, but the more they play together, the better they get. That Alvaro is having such a good first season in England doesn’t surprise me at all because I’ve known what he is capable of after watching him for many years in Spain.”

David Silva played no part in any of the goals, though Yaya Toure found the net (from open play, no less) and also supplied the assist for Negredo’s opener. After the match, though, the Ivorian’s 45% of Fantasy owners were given some cause for concern after his manager explained the reason behind his withdrawal:

“It was a precaution. He has some pain in his ankle. We will see tomorrow. We hope it is nothing too serious.”

The Scout Says: While it’s too early to make any assumptions, a potential absence for Toure would have a significant effect on the Fantasy landscape. The Ivorian is the most popular midfielder in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game after racking up a goal or assist in 12 of his 19 league appearances – when you consider that the injured Aaron Ramsey, with 37%, is still second, a potential spell on the sidelines for Toure merely compounds matters in a week that has already seen Theo Walcott ruled out for the season. Pellegrini’s pre-weekend press conference – typically on a Friday lunchtime – will be eagerly anticipated and may even prove the catalyst for winter wildcards if the prognosis is for the worse.

Another Heavy Loss for Big Sam

Having rested several of his first-team players for the FA Cup loss at Forest last weekend, Sam Allardyce recalled many of his regulars for the trip to City. With the likes of James Tomkins, James Collins and Winston Reid still missing at centre-half, the Hammers boss partnered debutant Roger Johnson with full-back George McCartney in the heart of the back four, though his woes at the back continued after Joey O’Brien limped off in the second period.

Allardyce came in for some heavy criticism from the travelling support but, post-match, pointed to the hosts’ incredible attacking displays this season, with Pellegrini’s side now scoring an incredible 92 goals in 31 games across all competitions:

“What do you expect when you’ve got lads on free transfers playing against players that have cost hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds? You can do better than we did but we’d need a fully fit squad…We lost Joey O’Brien tonight, which is disappointing for us, because again it’s in a defensive area. That’s why we have conceded so many goals. A full-back playing as a centre-half against Dzeko and Negredo is not an easy job. What we have to do is get our defenders back in the team defending like we know we can, as a team, better. We have got to improve our clean-sheet ratio as quickly as possible and once we start doing that, we’ll start winning more points and hopefully more games….It’s not a good time for us to lose 6-0 but it’s not like they haven’t done it to anyone else. They’ve done Manchester United (4-1), done Tottenham (6-0), Arsenal (6-3), and we have to face the fact that they’re miles better than us.”

The Scout Says: The one crumb of comfort for the under-fire Hammers boss is an upcoming schedule that suggests his side have a chance of recovering from back-to-back maulings. Allardyce rested the likes of Jussi Jaaskelainen, Ravel Morrison and Matt Jarvis to the bench last night with one eye on a vital trip to Cardiff this weekend. West Ham then have three home games (NEW, SWA, NOR) and a trip to Villa in the following five Gameweeks to get their season back on track – few, if any, Fantasy managers will be willing to take a punt on current form but if the treatment room starts to empty soon, they may yet hand us options to consider.

Barkley Doubt for Toffees

In his early Thursday morning press conference, Roberto Martinez has revealed Ross Barkley is a doubt for Everton’s match with Norwich this weekend after picking up a toe problem during the FA Cup win over QPR. The Toffees boss also went on to say Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Sylvain Distin will all be assessed ahead of the Goodison encounter.

The Scout Says: The Barkley news, arriving on the back of Toure’s withdrawal last night, is another worry for Fantasy managers ahead of the weekend. Certainly, Martinez is well stocked in the central midfield area and could hand Leon Osman a starting berth – the latter has produced a goal and three assists in the last five matches and offers an in-form alternative should the Spaniard decide not to risk Barkley, who is the fourth most popular midfielder in the FPL game, with a 31% ownership. At the back, the potential return of three of their first-choice back-four bodes well as the Merseysiders search for a ninth clean sheet of the season – having conceded in each of the last six, Everton have been far from resilient in recent matches due to the raft of defensive injuries.

Hernandez Sidelined for Swans Again

The Spaniard is set to miss the next “two to three weeks” with a hamstring injury, according to Swansea’s official website. Hernandez was withdrawn with the problem in last week’s defeat to City and also missed the FA Cup win over United – he is joined on the sidelines by Roland Lamah, who is out for a similar period of time with an abductor strain.

Elsewhere for Michael Laudrup’s side, Michel Vorm has discussed his recovery from knee surgery. The Dutchman has admitted that, although his recuperation is on course, he is determined to be cautious with his comeback:

“We are in a safe pair of hands with Gerhard (Tremmel) playing. He did very well last season and he’s played a lot of matches already this season too. The good thing is that I won’t be rushing myself back. I need to take my time and make sure I’m 100 per cent before I put myself forward for potential selection. I’ve not said to myself that I should make it back for this game or a certain date, because in a way that can affect you if you don’t make it back by then. I just want to make sure everything is perfect before I am back on the pitch.”

The Scout Says: With upcoming games against United and Tottenham, Swansea’s chief assets are far from Fantasy radars right now. From Gameweek 23 onwards, though, the Welsh club have three favourable home games (FUL, CAR, CPL) and trips to West Ham and Stoke to boost their appeal. Providing they can prove their fitness, Hernandez and Vorm could both make their way into our thinking – the duo are favourably priced (5.7 and 4.9) and, with ownership levels of 2% and 3% respectively, could yet turn out to be decent differentials if Laudrup’s side can take advantage of such a favourable schedule.

Mixed Defensive News for Liverpool

The Merseysiders delivered a somewhat vague update on the calf problem that forced Daniel Agger off during the weekend cup win over Oldham. A statement on the club’s official website went on to say:

“The centre-back limped out of the clash with just under 10 minutes remaining at Anfield, and scans conducted on Tuesday confirmed he suffered a calf strain. Agger will now undergo further assessment by the club’s medical staff to determine the extent of the problem.”

Mamadou Sakho is in with a chance of returning for the weekend trip to Stoke, though. Reports in the local press suggest the defender has responded well to treatment and is on course for a quick recovery from a hamstring complaint, whilst Glen Johnson is expected to shrug off the ankle problem that forced him off against Hull in the previous Gameweek.

The Scout Says: With just three clean sheets in the last 17 Gameweeks, Liverpool’s backline have offered Fantasy managers little value so far. Brendan Rodgers’ side continue to rack up the goals and have netted 46 times already – second only to City – but in terms of popularity amongst their defenders, only Johnson (6.2%) is currently owned by more than 5% of FPL managers. A potential absence for Agger had looked poised to hand Kolo Toure another chance alongside Martin Skrtel but Sakho’s likely return now lessens the Ivorian’s prospects. With Stoke, Villa and West Brom in the next four , Simon Mignolet owners will still be optimistic of a turnaround in fortunes.

Baggies Trio Hopeful of Return

The West Brom official website rolled out a handy injury update yesterday. Both Youssouf Mulumbu and Billy Jones could be given the all-clear after missing the FA Cup defeat to Palace with eye injuries, whilst Victor Anichebe is set to return to training after missing the last five matches with a groin problem.

The Scout Says: With games against Southampton, Everton, Liverpool and Chelsea in the next six, the Baggies’ schedule is certainly enough of a deterrent for Fantasy managers. A single clean sheet in 10 is indicative of their current defensive problems, whilst Anichebe’s likely return merely adds to the mix of forwards up front – Saido Berahino, priced at 4.6 in FPL, has earned a number of new investors after scoring in each of the last two but the competition for starts means his acquisition would represent something of a risk right now.