Okay, the picks are live – refresh your screen to take a gander at this week’s selection. It certainly looks a tricky week. The Champions League Quarters threaten to impact the team sheets and have fantasy managers wringing their hands by 3pm tomorrow. After a good weekend last time out, I’ve taken a few liberties and gone with some hunches, whilst ignoring the threat of Ronaldo being rested. Read on for my reasoning.
Let’s start at the back as per usual then. Lescott picks himself here with Derby at Goodison. This game should see the Everton defence back on track when it comes to clean sheets. Lescott is the star attraction in the back four but Jagielka offers great value. Either should do the trick, but Lescott has the added goal threat.
United at Boro also looks a decent bet. The absence of Vidic could be a factor but without any real home bankers elsewhere, I’ve got to go with United and Ferdinand. There’s a slight risk on Evra but Brown should start. O’Shea is midfielder in the FPL but a decent option in other games. I’ve got an inkling over Neville though. Ferguson’s body language at today’s press conference while stating that Neville would feature before the end of the season was a bit of a give-away. I’d expect him to figure tomorrow in some capacity.
Elsewhere at the back, I’ve gone for Scharner at home to Birmingham. A clean sheet is a long shot but Scharner turned out in midfield for Wigan at Portsmouth and could be employed there again with Brown still suspended. The goal threat is always there from the big Austrian, even when coming up from the back.
My final choice sees me turn back to Geremi – a regular in my early picks this season, I never really felt I’d be returning to him. Here he is though after earning a recall to the Newcastle midfield despite being classed as a midfielder. Three assists and a goal in the last two speak volumes on Geremi’s potential and Newcastle look good for another win over Reading.
In goal it’s a difficult choice. There’s no obvious candidate unless you can be sure on Chelsea’s selection at City. There’s still doubt as to whether Cudicini or Cech will start at Eastlands. I’ve gone for West Ham’s Green then. I’m expecting a Pompey hangover at Upton Park on Tuesday following their FA Cup semi with West Brom this weekend. I fancy Curbishley’s side against a Portsmouth who have been far from comfortable away from home recently. Even without a clean sheet, Green is always good for a few points from saves in the FPL.
Moving into midfield I’ve stuck with Ronaldo. There is every chance that he’ll be rested with Wednesday’s Quarter-Final second leg with Roma in mind but I’ve made the decision to stick with him. Ferguson’s options are limited with Nani doubtful and with Park having started in Rome on Tuesday. Even if benched, Ronaldo has the potential to score in a 20-minute substitute appearance. It’s too much of risk to go into the weekend without him.
Bentley makes an appearance alongside the United man. He’s been steady in recent weeks, with FPL bonus supplementing his points tally rather nicely. The clash with Spurs at Ewood should see goals and Bentley is certain to be central to Blackburn’s chances.
Bullard keeps his place with Sunderland at the Cottage this weekend. It’s do or die time for Hodgson’s side and Bullard has got to raise his game to save Fulham. There should be goals in this one too and, like Bentley, Bullard should be instrumental.
The final spot is a real gamble on my part – a selection made on the back of a hunch. I’ve chosen to invest in Newcastle and with Viduka a slight doubt, Owen employed deep and Martins shifting out wide – I’ve opted for another member of Keegan’s midfield. Barton looked good at White Hart Lane last weekend, contributing an assist and firing in a couple of efforts. I can see him being a threat to Reading at the weekend and I’m banking on him being a factor in another win for Newcastle.
Up front we find perhaps the most obvious pick this week – Yakubu. He comes face to face with a beleaguered Derby defence already relegated to the Championship. Everton have injury problems and have lacked form but you can still see them notching a couple at Goodison with Yakubu amongst the points.
His partner is a little more difficult. I was tempted by Viduka and Santa Cruz but I’ve opted instead for West Ham’s Ashton. Again, I’m expecting Portsmouth to be distracted after their Cup semi this weekend and with Hreidarsson a doubt at the back, I can see the Hammers getting a couple in a home win. Ashton has been in fine form of late and is a decent mid-price option.
Let’s look at alternatives then. At the back Chelsea look a good bet as per usual. The trip to City has clean sheet potential but their back line remains difficult to predict with the Champions League looming in midweek. Terry and Carvalho look fairly safe but are far from certain with Alex an option for Grant. Outside of Chelsea, on paper, Villa at home to struggling Bolton looks a good bet but no clean sheet in eighteen tells the story there.
In midfield Fabregas came close to earning a recall, although I opted to follow a hunch with Barton instead. The Arsenal vs Liverpool game doesn’t look full of goals, with caution likely ahead of Tuesday’s European game but Fabregas will feature heavily in Arsenal’s play as per usual.
Barry also came close for Villa against Bolton but O’Neill’s side are on a dreadful run of form so I see this one being tight. In the same match, I was tempted by Bolton’s Taylor, but again, I can’t see many goals in this game. Sunderland’s Reid is perhaps the best budget option. His form is good and I can see Sunderland notching a goal or two at Fulham.
Up front I’ve already mentioned Viduka and Santa Cruz as strong options. In addition to this pair, Defoe is on red-hot form and could well notch again at his former club on Tuesday. Elsewhere there are a couple of long-shots in the form of McBride for Fulham and Wigan’s Heskey against a Birmingham defence who will be without Ridgewell once more.
Finally, lets look briefly at the FPL captain. In a week where the threat of rotation hangs over Ronaldo it is perhaps worth considering other options. If you’re chasing a lead and have to take a risk then this is a good week to do so. Otherwise, sticking with Ronaldo could well prove disappointing if he gets rested but nowhere near as disappointing or damaging if you shift the role elsewhere and he plays.
Ronaldo could still contribute significantly if coming off the bench and there are hardly a big cast of alternatives to choose from. Yakubu is the most obvious choice, although I’m slightly worried by Everton’s form going into this one, despite the opposition. Elsewhere Bullard is a outside bet as is Defoe.