Refresh the page for this week’s Scout Picks. No major revelations unless of course you consider two Spurs players as such. Read on for my rhyme and reason behind the selection…
Portsmouth at home to Derby and City at home to West Ham are perhaps the best options for clean sheets this week. United at Reading, Chelsea at Birmingham and Everton at Wigan following these two. I’ve chosen not to double up on any of those to spread the risk, so those five defences make up my keeper and back four.
Hart gets the nod over James – price being the major factor here, plus I feel that Hart may get more saves to make and could therefore be a better option for bonus points in the FPL game. That’s meant I’ve gone for Campbell from the Portsmouth defence – Johnson and Distin are very slight injury doubts and it’s not yet 100% whether Pamarot will get the nod at left-back. A James/Dunne combination could well work just as well as my selected pair but they’re more expensive options.
Belletti gets the nod from the Chelsea defence – he has the form and seems to be the only member of the defence absolutely certain of a starting role at Birmingham. Ivanovic seems unlikely to make a debut at centre-back but it is an outside possibility that therefore threatens Alex and Carvalho. Bridge and Cole will compete the left-back spot as usual.
I’ve gone for Vidic over Ferdinand from the United side. I just feel he’s due a goal and with Reading looking vulnerable from set pieces right now, this could be the game. Lescott gets the last spot – an obvious choice from the Everton back four. This looks the most fragile clean sheet but the lad does give you the opportunity for goals of course.
In attacking terms my choices are influenced by the fact that I see goals at Anfield, White Hart Lane and the Cottage. Liverpool are against a Villa side who have scored for fun away from home. Rafa’s men are likely to need at least two goals to get the win then and I’m predicting that Rafa will attack with a win vital to his chances of clinging on to his job. I can see Babel starting in an attacking lineup and Gerrard and Torres profiting from this.
Spurs take on Sunderland who come off the back over a good win over Portsmouth but arrive at the Lane with a dreadful away record. Ramos’ side meanwhile have scored 19 in the last five at home and I can see Spurs hitting a few here in a high scoring game. I’ve gone for Jenas in midfield then and opted for Keane up front. There is a slight doubt over Berbatov’s fitness – he should play but even so I see the Robbie Keane vs Roy Keane as an interesting ingredient for this match that might just inspire the Spurs striker to get one over on his former Republic teammate. He got his first in six at Reading at midweek so he is due another spurt.
Ronaldo gets the nod as the second United player. No need for an explanation here. I’d have liked to gone for Tevez against the Reading defence but I’ve stuck to my two per team rule to opt for a defensive option as well as C-Ron.
Fabregas is perhaps my biggest risk. I just feel that his lack of points over recent games hasn’t been as a result of a lack of opportunities or attacking instinct. He’s had seven shots in the last two outings and there is likely to be goals against Fulham. Like Liverpool, I can see Arsenal needing at least two at the Cottage. Fabregas is due another decent contribution and I think Fulham will have a go at Arsenal. In an open game, he could flourish once more.
Outside of this eleven I’ve a feeling Samba could be a decent punt – Blackburn are a decent bet for a clean sheet and Samba has been known to score goals in clusters – he got his first at the season at Bolton last weekend of course.
In midfield none of the usual suspects scream out at me – which is partly why Fabregas holds on to his place. Bentley is at home but Rovers have struggled for goals at Ewood. Cahill has had a slight barren spell and I don’t expect Wigan to let too many in. The City vs West Ham could be tight again, so Petrov doesn’t appeal despite his form. Milner and Nzogbia are probably the best outside bets with the Keegan factor in full effect. Wright-Phillips has the form but I expect Birmingham to keep it tight as they have against United and Arsenal.
Up front Viduka is certainly worth considering for the same reason. Adebayor and Eduardo should see some points at Fulham and I’ve got a sneaky feeling that Jones could in the points again as Sunderland put up a fight at Spurs.
That’s about it then. Over to you lot. Good luck for the weekend.