My Saturday morning schedule used to consist of Swap Shop, Football Focus and Saint & Greavsie now they find me tapping out last minute thoughts on fantasy football with Sky Sports News wittering away in the background. It’s all part of growing up.
Have Zaki (used) want to swap for Bent or Buckaroo. Here’s the preamble…
It’s all about the team news this morning – there’s been some late developments.
Firstly some late injury news surfaced last night reported that Petr Cech would miss today’s trip to West Brom with a leg muscle injury. It looks as though it’s a recurrence of a thigh muscle injury that kept him out earlier in the season and it’s apparently ruled him out of the Czech Republic’s World Cup Qualifier with San Marino on Wednesday.
This latest blow could be a costly one for his fantasy owners with Chelsea looking strong for another cleanie at the Hawthorns. It also provides more evidence that Cech carries an injury prone status as a keeper. Cech is expected to be back next weekend but even so, suddenly Mr Reina is looking a lot more tempting than he did 24 hours ago. Meanwhile, there will be a lot of FPL managers relying on Schwarzer, Myhill and Turnbull this gameweek – none of that trio look anywhere near as likely to bring in the expected clean sheet from Cech.
The Independent is also carrying a story on the Torres situation – suggesting that the striker may not be risked for a start at the Reebok. They quote Rafa from yesterday’s press conference, who stated that Torres was “very, very short” of match fitness. Sky Sports news and the Daily Mail are also carrying the same story this morning. I’m not totally convinced, although I’m also not backing Torres to have an easy time against Bolton even if he starts. That’s enough for me to look elsewhere and even leave the Liverpool striker on the bench in my Guardian lineup. This could be good news for Kuyt investors – he looks likely to continue in a central striking role should Torres miss out.
As a sidenote to the game at the Reebok, Sky Sports are also indicating that Carragher could shift to right back, which would mean a start for Hyypia. Stephen Darby is another option at right back but I’m now backing Rafa to go wit experience and have changed my predicted lineup with Carragher at right back and Torres benched.
It seems that Marlon King has kissed and made up with Dean Windass – not an image I wan’t to dwell on this early in the morning. That should clear the way for King to start today agianst City which could wel bring some profit. I liked King going into this gameweek and indeed, the next few weeks. He’d probably have pushed Ameobi for the place on my bench in the picks
There’s still no further news on the Zaki situation. As you many know, there’s a suggestion that the Egyptian has been left behind, along with the injured Heskey, for the trip to St James’ Park today. Zaki is apparently sufferig from flu and has also picked up a bang to the ribs. This web of intrigue gets even deeper when you consider that the reports are also reports that Wigan have recalled Sibierski from his loan at Norwich and that he could go straight into the Wigan side against his former club. This seems very unlikely given that Norwich were set to be without him this weekend because of a knee injury.
This whole Zaki situation looks dodgy to me and at approximately 9.14 am there is no firm evidence to back these claims. Sky Sports aren’t carrying it but then they haven’t reported the Cech situation as yet. My advice then – select Zaki in your FPL lineup and let the auto subs do the business. In other games its a tougher decision but I’ve left him on the bench in the Guardian game which will probably mean he’ll profit.
Meanwhile there’s a very bizarre story on the pages of the Sun this morning, as it was rumoured that Roy Keane had walked out on Sunderland and wasn’t on the team bus for Ewood Park. It looks nonsense but is it really a smoke without fire situation? Maybe jump on that risky Blackburn clean sheet after all.
That’s about it from me this morning – I’m off to work now, so will miss out on the usual match banter. I’ll try to pop in now and then though. Have a good fantasy weekend folks.