For those who missed the meeting – Mark Hughes has confirmed that City will be without the scurrying services of Craig Bellamy for “three weeks but it could be up to six”. A major blow for City and a suitably painful one for Bellamy’s fantasy owners.
The striker tweaked his knee in the defeat to West Ham last weekend, leaving Hughes turning to the likes of Caicedo and the returning Bojinov to fill the void. Shudder.
Luckily, us fantasy managers have far more attractive options available to us. In fact, we’re rather spoilt for choice…
Bellamy’s price bracket is absolutely rammed with decent strikers who have all produced the goods at various intervals this season.
Ironically, in the short-term, Bellamy’s former team-mate Carlton Cole looks a good prospect. His fixtures fall nicely for the next 3-4 gameweeks (WBA bla SUN tot), giving him ample opportunity for him to maintain his improbable run of fantasy form. He still sits at 6.2 in the Fantasy Premier League game, which still appears to represent excellent value.
Elsewhere, you can look at Bolton’s Davies who also enjoys a favourable run of games (FUL wba MID) in the short-term. Things do stiffen slightly for him from gameweeks 32-35 (che por AVL wig), but he is a proven reliable, if unspectacular performer and a handful for even the top defences.
James Beattie is another viable and perhaps more attractive option. He’s been on fire since his arrival at Stoke and he too has the fixture list assistance in the next few gameweeks (eve MID wba NEW BLA) to keep the points ticking over. Stoke’s desperation should be sufficient to keep him in the points.
Then you have Mr Kenwyne Jones – he perhaps has the toughest run of games to come (WIG mcy whm MUN HUL wba) but does have the potential to provide goals, assists and bonus in a Sunderland side devoid of limelight players. We’ll need to see rather more attacking ambition from Sbragia, particularly away from home, before he fully convinces me as an option though. Team-mate Cisse meanwhile, will be playing for his Premier League future in the closing weeks – surely enough motivation to up his act.
I haven’t even mentioned the early season darling – Wigan’s Zaki, Fulham’s Andy Johnson, or even last night’s goal hero, Bendtner, who could pick up further starts if Arsenal continue their Champions League progress. Then you’ve some real potential differentials who could come good for the run-in – Boro’s Tuncay, Everton’s Saha and Newcastle’s Martins.
In short, we’ve a plethora of options in the mid-price bracket which not only provide Bellamy owners with difficult choices, it also emphasises the growing trend away from the big-hitting, big budget forwards that have so far failed to justify their price tags through injury, rotation and lack of form.
Personally, I’m edging towards FPL bonus darling Carlton Cole for the next few weeks, but that’s partly to upset Granville.