It’s been a fairly dull start to the week so I’ve decided to shake things up with a new regular. Rather than destroy my Friday evenings with the epic ramblings that make up my weekly scout picks post, I thought I’d extract some of that content and bring in to you in midweek. So the midweek meander is born.
Here I’ll take a sideway’s glance at the games that approach us, offering my view on your best bet for clean sheets and goals and which team/player/manager you’ll be wringing your hands over come Sunday evening. This new regular will be anywhere between 200 and 10,000 words depending on work, writers block and whether my girlfriend notices I’ve gone quiet.
As usual, please remember this is the opinion of a mid-table fantasy manager, not Nostradamus with a wildcard up his sleeve. Here we go then…
Best for Clean Sheets
I’ve tried but it’s tough to look beyond United for this one. Ferguson’s boys are at Old Trafford against a slick West Brom side, but one that lacks a punch up front. Bednar has talked himself up with his claims that he will outshine Ronaldo but in truth he’s more likely to make himself comfortable in Ferdinand’s pocket. I’m expecting a 4-5-1 from Mowbray, plenty of the ball in the middle third and a routine United win by United but not by much.
It’s been a while before I could say this, but Bolton look okay for a cleanie. They should be strong at the Reebok but much depends on whether Santa Cruz gets over his hamstring injury. If he fails to make it, Bolton will be up against a side that flagged badly against United and without their most potent weapon. I expect a tight one with few goals, but a narrow win for Bolton and home clean sheet could be on the cards.
Finally, a game I’ll come back to later – Fulham vs Sunderland. I expect another squeeky affair here, with Hodgson’s defence looking decent for home shut-out. I particularly like Hangeland’s threat against the Sunderland defence that’s so poor at set pieces, it lets short-ish Spaniards with headbands score from corners.
Best for Goals
City at Newcastle leaps out. Kinnear has the Magpies fighting but keeping clean sheets is another matter. Hughes’ side have goals all over them and must surely bag a couple against the obliging and shape-shifting Newcastle defence. Kinnear’s side will doubtless be wound up by a team talk saturated in four letter words and will trouble the City back four. That will surely only provide the incentive for Wright-Phillips and Robinho to deal the damage at the other end though.
Portsmouth have shipped goals away from Fratton Park, while Villa’s defence is shy of clean sheets and up against Defoe and former crowd non-favourite Crouch. There’s surely some attacking points in this one.
I can also see goals in the Stoke vs Spurs encounter. If King fails to make it for Ramos’s side, then I can see Fuller profiting, whilst even Spurs could score against the generous Stoke back four. I’m not sure exactly how they’ll score but then, neither is Ramos I imagine.
Best for Frustration
Bullard and Zamora for Fulham against Sunderland. This looks another opportunity for the pair to find some fantasy form and reward those managers who have kept the faith. Sunderland are no mugs though – judging by that Arsenal performance, Keane will have them tighter than Wenger’s wallet at the back and it could be day of frustration at the Cottage for all concerned.
I’ve also got a hunch that those who jumped on the speeding Geovanni bandwagon may well be disappointed against West Ham. On paper it looks good for goals but I just wonder how Zola will react to that first defeat at home to Bolton. He could very well knee jerk and decide to listen to Steve Clarke’s advice and tighten things up. After fine wins against Arsenal and Spurs, it would be just typical for Brown’s men to fail to break down West Ham. The Hammers will need Green fit though.
Finally Liverpool at home to Wigan. Even without Zaki, I’ve got a sneaky that Bruce’s side might nick a point here, which would certainly frustrate a few. The Liverpool defence will be well fancied by many but Skrtel’s absence will disrupt things and Heskey will be up for it.
That’s about it. Some clues on some of my early thoughts on this weekend’s scout picks there. They will be delivered, slightly warm and at a random time on Friday as usual.