With four sides, including United, out of the equation and suspensions to fantasy favourites Bosingwa and Paintsil, plus the injury to Arteta – this gameweek promises to shake things up.
There’s holes in every fantasy lineup and plenty of us will be contemplating two or three transfers to plug the gaps. Here’s a timely return of the midweek meander then, offering my view on the gameweek’s shortened fixture list and perhaps even some guidance on where that investment should go…
Best For Clean Sheets…
On paper, this looks every inch a gameweek for strong defensive returns with goals seemingly hard to come by once again. Everywhere you look there are cases for clean sheets and even in those games that promise goals, injuries and form threaten to throw numerous spanners in works.
Arsenal have scored just 3 goals in their last 5 home games at the Emirates but have conceded just a single goal. Fulham meanwhile remain buoyant at home but on their travels continued to trouble opposing keepers. They’ve notched just one goal in the last five on the road and with Johnson a slight doubt having missed the FA Cup replay in midweek, it’s hard to see the Fulham forward-line troubling Arsenal’s newfound defensive resolve.
Chelsea have stuttered at the Bridge all season but have remained pretty tight and over the last five league games at home, have conceded just two goals. Wigan meanwhile, come to the Bridge having scored just a single goal in the last five away from the JJB. It looks a sure-fire clean sheet for Chelsea although with Bosignwa suspended and the Carvalho/Alex situation unclear – you might need to turn to Ashley Cole, Cech or Terry to be sure of profit.
Everton play their first game without playmaker Arteta, so, in attacking terms, they are expected to stutter a little. Defensively however, we can be fairly optimistic that they will continue to flourish. They’ve conceded just one goal in the last five league games at Goodison, while their opponents, West Brom, continue to struggle on the road. The Baggies have scored just three goals in the last five away from home so this looks a good week to up your investment in the Everton back four – with Jagielka, Baines and Lescott all likely to be popular fantasy signings.
The Villa defence has earned three clean sheets in four and looks good once again at home to at Stoke side that have Beattie in form but boast just three goals in the last five on the road. With O’Neill resting his troops for the midweek UEFA Cup defeat in Moscow, Villa should be rested enough to overcome Stoke with a clean sheet thrown in.
The Liverpool defence hasn’t been dependable of late with one clean sheet in the last five, although they did of course return from the Bernabeu with a clean sheet in midweek. The trip to the Riverside looks far less daunting, with Boro notching just one goal in eight games but Southgate’s side do come into this off the back of the Cup win over West Ham on Wednesday. The Liverpool rearguard look a good option but certainly not the strongest suit this gameweek.
Best For Goals…
I’m really struggling here. While both Arsenal and Chelsea have decent looking home games, neither has shown a great deal of attacking fluidity and I’m not expecting thrashings in either. Wigan and Fulham both have stubborn defences and I can see narrow wins on the cards. The same can be said for Liverpool at Boro. Southgate’s side have conceded just three goals at the Riverside in the last five home games, plus Liverpool likely to be without Torres and possibly suffering fatigue after the trip to Madrid in midweek. Again, it looks a game short on goals.
Everton at home to West Brom, would normally a banker for two to three home goals but without the creative flair of Arteta, we can’t be sure how the home side will adjust. Similarly Villa have drawn blanks in their last two home games against Wigan and Chelsea. Nonetheless, it’s the games at Goodison and Villa Park which appear to offer the best promise of attacking returns. The likes of Tim Cahill, Agbonlahor and Ashley Young all look decent gameweek options then.
There is a third game that promises goals. The weekend’s Reebok encounter finds Bolton taking on Newcastle. Both are struggling for consistency but are finding the net. Megson’s side haven’t earned a clean sheet in fourteen games, while Newcaslte have conceded nine goals in their last five on the road. We should see goals in this one. Perhaps not a glut but still potential profits for Taylor, Davies and Elmander owners.
Blackburn’s trip to Hull could bring us attacking points but Hull have struggled for goals at home, while Rovers have just three in five on the road. Blackburn’s approaching double gameweek make their attacking players – McCarthy, Gamst-Pedersen and Santa Cruz, attractive options but I’m not expecting too much from them in this gameweek.
Best For Frustration…
I’ve already spoken about the encounters at the Emirates and Stamford Bridge. While I’m predicting home wins in those – I can’t see big returns on investment in the Arsenal or Chelsea attacks – unless we’re treated to some early goals. There could be further frustration on the cards for Van Persie owners then. Similarly, Liverpool will have to adjust to life without Torres once again and even Gerrard may be rested for the trip to the Riverside – another narrow win but I’m not expecting big returns.
The West Ham vs Man City encounter would have promised goals just a few weeks ago but both sides are currently going through a transition stage in the season. The Hammers have just one goal in their last three league games and were humbled by Boro, again without scoring, in midweek. City meanwhile are improving and will arrive at Upton Park with confidence having earned a point at Anfield. Unless we get an early breakthrough, this has the hallmarks of a low-scoring encounter which could well hand us that dreaded 1-1 outcome with few attacking profits on show. Cole, Ireland, Bellamy and Robinho owners may have to make do with scraps then.