This was another testing gameweek for us fantasy managers with only three strikers – Tuncay, Carew and Saha – notching for their clubs. At least Lampard can be relied upon to come up with another late goal, while Arsenal and Everton gave us a couple of clean sheets.
There’s little time to dwell on things with another gameweek just 48 hours way, but let’s push on and pick through the bones with the notes…
Everton 2 West Brom 0
Moyes sprung an unpleasant surprise with his lineup, resting Lescott to the bench with the centre-back at risk of a suspension sitting on four yellows going into this one. The Everton boss clearly didn’t want to lose Lescott for the FA Cup Quarter Final next weekend – he didn’t seem to fussed about Phil Neville though – he started, despite also having earned four yellows going into the game. Elsewhere in the Everton lineup, Hibbert and Cahill returned from suspension, while Fellaini’s back injury subsided enough to see him start this one in midfield. Pienaar also shook off injury to start but Osman could only make the bench. Saha was fit enough to sit alongside him and came on to seal the win with a smart second goal.
As for the Baggies, Mowbray recalled fit-again Ryan Donk to his defence, with Barnett dropping out of the squad. Brunt started for broken toe victim Filipe Teixeira who was benched. Club skipper Jonathan Greeening, wasn’t risked but started on the bench.
A predictable outcome this with Cahill again producing the goods in Everton’s hour of need. Without the creative spark of Arteta, Cahill’s goalscoring ability will be crucial and it was evident again – ghosting in on the end of a Baines set-piece delivery to score his seventh goal of the season, his fifth in ten league starts. Defensively this was Everton’s eleventh clean sheet, their third in succession in the league. They have now conceded just three goals in the last eleven games.
Looking at Everton’s fixtures over the next four (bla STK por WIG) there’s every chance that Cahill and the defence will continue to flourish in fantasy terms. The presence of Yobo as a rotation option does put a small spanner in the works though. Baines looks a strong, cheap option with potential from set-plays but he could be exposed to rotation over the remaining games with a Yobo/Jagielka pairing and Lescott at left-back, an option for Moyes. That could even surface at Ewood Park on Wednesday. Jagielka looks the safest option then, or perhaps even Neville.
Injuries and Bans
Everton lost Hibbert to a thigh strain after just 26 minutes.
Arsenal 0 Fulham 0
Wenger made a couple of changes from his Champions League lineup. Vela coming in for Bendtner up front, while Arshavin started for Eboue on the right of midfield as expected. Diaby again started for Song in central midfield. Hodgson was without Paintsil through suspension so Baird started at right-back. Murphy and Johnson made returns after sitting out the FA Cup replay win over Swansea in midweek.
A fourth straight 0-0 draw for Arsenal and another tale of woe for Van Persie owners. He had a string of chances here but recorded a third consecutive blank. He has scored just a single goal in his last seven league starts now. With chances of rotation heightening with Adebayor’s and Eduardo’s return to fitness – Van Persie will surely now be shipped out by many of his frustrated fantasy owners. At least defensively Arsenal continue to produce. They’ve now conceded just two goals in the last eight league games. You’ll need to shell out to get on the Gunners defensive bandwagon though – Djourou looks frozen out with the Gallas/Toure partnership now cemented.
While Fulham continue to struggle for goals away from home, they offer outstanding defensive value. They’ve kept three clean sheets in the last four, eleven over the season overall. With an attractive double fixture to come in the next gamweek (HUL BLA), their defensive and attacking players will surely be in demand in the next 48 hours. Stock in the likes of Dempsey, Murphy, Johnson and Hangeland is sure to rise in the next 48 hours.
Injuries and Bans
Fulham’s Baird picked up an ankle injury and he was replaced by Stoor at half-time.
Chelsea 2 Wigan 1
Hiddink handed a start to Mancienne for the suspended Bosingwa in the only change to the Chelsea lineup from the side that took the field against Juventus. Steve Bruce also only made one change – Scharner coming in for the suspended Ben Watson. Mido, Valencia, De Ridder and Koumas all missed out with injuries.
Chelsea left in late at the Bridge once again, turning once more to Lampard to provide the late winner – his tenth of the season. Hiddink’s side have won all three games under his stewardship then but they are still not playing the flowing football to bring us big fantasy returns. Nevertheless, kind fixtures over the next five will mean that investment may well come their way over the next few weeks (por MCY tot new BOL). Carvalho’s latest return from injury will put a cloud over Alex’s potential at the back but the likes of Ashley Cole, Bosingwa and perhaps even the inflated John Terry (scorer here), will see investment. The Drogba and Anelka partnership is still finding its feet but we will surely see points from the pair very soon. I’m not so sure that the promise outweighs the price though.
The result was tough on Wigan who have now gone seven without a win in the league. While they continue to struggle badly for goals (it’s just two goals in those seven games), defensively they remain sound enough and have good fixtures in the short-term (WHM sun HUL) which may see some interest in their defence – particularly Bramble, who has bonus point potential and N’Zogbia who continues in a left midfield role for them.
Injuries and Bans
Wigan’s Cattermole earned his tenth booking of the season here and will now serve a two-match missing games against Sunderland and Hull.
Middlesbrough 2 Liverpool 0
Southgate not surprisingly, kept an unchanged lineup from the side that saw off West Ham in the Cup replay in midweek. King returned to the bench then along with Taylor who returned from injury. Rafa started with Gerrard in midfield but Torres missed out as expected. Arbeloa was also sideliend through, so Skrtel started at right-back with Hyypia recalled alongside Carragher. El Zhar and Babel were also starters with Benayoun and Riera left on the bench.
A shocking result for Liverpool as Boro earned their first league win in 15 games. Rafa’s men have now won just two of their last seven in the league – form that has seen them drop away in the title race while their squad have faded badly in fantasy terms. It seems unlikely that there will be any increase investment on the back of this result given their forthcoming fixtures (SUN mun AVL ful). After the home game with Sunderland, Liverpool look likely to be tested by United, Villa and the trip to Fulham. It’s hard to see too many defensive returns from that run while in attacking terms, they will need Torres and Gerrard fit to profit.
As for Boro – could we now see a revival of form and fortunes? Downing is clearly their key player (demonstrated by three FPL bonus points here) and likely to be the main target in fantasy terms. He enjoyed his day against Skrtel, a make-shift right back. Fixtures fall kindly for Southgate’s men (tot POR stk bol HUL FUL), so Downing could well present an interesting differential in midfield for those still looking for an Arteta replacement.
Injuries and Bans
Gerrard limped off 76 minutes but according to Rafa, this was just a touch of cramp after injury lay-off rather than a further setback. He should be fit for selection for the Sunderland game on Tuesday then.
Hull 1 Blackburn Rovers 2
Phil Brown rang the changes after fielding a second-string side in the midweek Cup replay. Doyle, Mendy and Geovanni all started with Ricketts left out of the squad and Cousin and Gardner dropping to the bench. Geovanni started up front with Garcia then, while Mendy was back on the right of midfield. Allardyce also fielded a weakened side in midweek and so he recalled his big hitters which included Santa Cruz. He started up front in a 4-5-1 with Diouf preferred to McCarthy who was left on the bench. Samba returned from suspension which saw Givet pushed to left-back and Warnock in a midfield role.
A first league away win under Allardyce courtesy of Warnock’s third goal of the season and a strike from Andrews. Hull fought back but slipped to an eigth defeat in ten league games. In fantasy terms, Hull are fast becoming a wasteland with only Mendy – a budget defender playing wide right in midfield, providing real potential. He emphasised this with the assist for Ashbee’s goal today. Geovanni was severely criticised by Brown after the game – his future and starting role now look in real doubt.
Interest in Rovers players meanwhile, will now increase as they go into a double fixture gameweek with games against Everton at Ewood and Fulham at the Cottage. Both look tough fixtures but the likes of Santa Cruz may see some interest. Elsewhere, Roberts and now McCarthy, have their fantasy potential cut by the fact that their starting roles are under threat, while Gamst-Pedersen will miss the Everton game on Wednesday after seeing red here.
Investment in the Blackburn defence, particularly Warnock who could prolong a stay in midfield, is an option, although the forthcoming fixtures (EVE ful ars WHM TOT liv) do look a fair test of their defensive resolve which has slipped to produce just one clean sheet in five.
Injuries and Bans
Marney will serve a three match ban for his red and will miss league games against Fulham, Newcastle and Wigan.
Rovers lost Paul Robinson to shoulder/chest injury at half-time. He has gone for scans according to Allardyce. Rovers later lost Gamst-Pedersen to a red card in the second-half. This was received for two bookings therefore he’ll serve an immediate one-match ban and miss the Everton game on Wednesday.
West Ham 1 Man City 0
Zola brought in Collison for the suspended Noble, while di Michele replaced Sears in attack after being benched for the Cup defeat at Boro. Hughes made just one change with De Jong recalled after being ineligible for the midweek UEFA Cup tie, to cover for the suspended Wright-Phillips.
A much needed win for the Hammers who had slipped to four games without a victory and another disappointment for City on the road. Neither side are finding goals easy to come by right now but it was young Collison, with his third goal of the season, who won this.
West Ham were brilliant at times here – and a return to goalscoring form could be on the cards. That will be music to the ears of Carlton Cole owners. He has now gone four league games without a goal or an assist. Defensively, this was a third clean sheet in five for Zola’s rearguard. Fixtures are on on their side in the short-term (wig WBA bla SUN) and that should offer Cole owners enough security to keep the faith and could even see some interest in the likes of Upson and Ilunga.
As for City, they’ve scored just two goals in the last four league games – three of those have been away from home which tells the tale on just how City continue to struggle away from Eastlands. Ireland has now gone seven league starts without a goal or an assist. Robinho has notched just one assist in the same number of starts. Only Bellamy has maintained decent returns then, with two goals and an assist in his six City league starts. Hardly spectacular.
Fixtures start to toughen for City too (AVL che SUN ars FUL) with away games at Chelsea and Arsenal which look likely blanks. The home games with Villa and Fulham won’t be easy either. If you’re still clinging to your City players then – it could be time to make the break, particularly with injuries to Bellamy and Robinho today. The injury to Micah Richards meanwhile could see Zabaletashift back to right-back for a few games.
Injuries and Bans
Behrami suffered a nasty-looking knee injury and was replaced on 43 minutes. He has been taken to hospital and West Ham don’t sound optimistic.
For City, Micah Richards suffered an injury early on and was replaced on 15 minutes. Bellamy (knee) and Robinho (ankle) also suffered knocks and both could be out for the Wednesday game according to Hughes.
Bolton 1 Newcastle 0
Megson made two changes to his starting lineup, restoring Andy O’Brien and Fabrice Muamba at the expense of Puygrenier and Gardner. Hughton was forced to change his midfield with Nolan suspended. In came Gutierrez, shifting Ryan Taylor to a central midfield role. Martins came in for Duff with Lovenkrands switching to a wide role.
A goal by sub Ricardo Gardner and a first clean sheet in fourteen league games was enough to give Bolton their third win in four matches. Taylor provided the assist for the goal – his fourth match in five in which he’s produced either a goal or an assist. Interest in him should continue then, while Davies, Elmander and maybe the defence could all see investment with Bolton’s fixtures looking handy over the next four (stk FUL wba MID).
Newcastle offer very little to fantasy managers as their miserable run of form continues. Fixtures are firmly against them in the weeks to come (MUN hul ARS CHE) and if you should have any of their players – you should really be getting rid as soon as possible.
Injuries and Bans
Nicky Butt picked up a knee injury and was subbed on 66 minutes. He will be assessed on Monday according to the club.
Aston Villa 2 Stoke City 2
O’Neill restored his lineup to a recognisable state after resting players for the UEFA Cup in midweek. There were no surprises, with Heskey starting up front and keeping Carew on the bench. Pulis made one change with Sonko coming in for Abdoulaye Faye (who had a minor injury), Lawrence started in midfield while Fuller returned to the bench after recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
Villa cling to fourth place but in fantasy terms they continue to frustrate. Their fantasy assets continue to stutter – Agonblahor has just a single goal in the last ten league starts, while Ashley Young has gone eight starts without a goal. Defensively they’ve also been inconsistent with three clean sheets in the last six. Forthcoming fixtures look tough for them (mcy TOT liv mun EVE) so owners of Young, Agbonlahor and their defenders, should be looking at options.
Stoke continue to score goals since Beattie’s arrival and they have now notched in five of the last six with him in the side. He remains the key fantasy target, earning an assist here to go with the four league goals he’s earned. The fixture list continues to look good (BOL eve MID wba NEW BLA) for him and he should continue to prove excellent value as a budget striker. Shawcross also showed his potential as a budget defender with the goal that got Stoke back in the game here – his first goal of the season.
Injuries and Bans
Stoke lost keeper Sorensen to a knock at half-time.