They’ll be more to come when I’ve soaked up the rest of today’s events, plus of course we have tomorrow’s games to consider but for now, here’s some early lessons learned from Saturday’s action…
Arshavin is a big game player….
A superb strike for Arsenal’s first goal; a strong fleet-flooted run to set up Van Persie that almost lead to a second. The little Russian has failed to offer big returns in Arsenal’s opening two goal-fests and yet he came good at Old Trafford. His fantasy owners will still be worried by the way he drifts so easily in and out of games but there’s no doubting his ability to produce, even against the very top defensive sides. He faces City at Eastlands next, it will be just like him to steal the limelight from Tevez, Adebayor and the rest of City’s expensive signings with another points haul. Whether he’ll follow that up in Arsenal’s run of more modest opposition (WIG ful BLA BIR whm) is perhaps another matter.
Rooney is on spot-kicks…
He won the penalty, he took the penalty. Carrick was on the pitch at the time but, following his miss at Burnley in gameweek two, it was Rooney given the responsibility to fire home United’s equaliser and continue his streak of strong fantasy returns.
Van der Sar will win his place back…
One instinctive and quite brilliant save from Van Persie’s effort in the second-half won’t cover up the fact that Ben Foster got two hands on Arshavin’s long distance effort in the first and failed to keep it out. Foster won’t have been happy with himself and Ferguson will have been thinking that his lanky Dutch keeper would have kept it out. Van der Sar is due to make a return from injury shortly after the international break. Owners of Foster will need to watch carefully for his return and expect disappointment.
Birmingham have a player in Benitez…
The introduction of “Chucho” transformed Birmingham at White Hart Lane. His intervention in the goal won’t be his tidiest contribution this season but the Ecuadorian is surely assured of start in a 4-4-2 against Villa and has already shown enough in his brief spell on the pitch, to indicate that he could offer good budget potential for us fantasy managers when Birmingham enter a phase of favourable fixtures. The next four games for example (AVL hul BOL bur).
Liverpool will always struggle against set-pieces…
We saw their defence evaporate against Villa’s set-piece delivery and against Bolton they were always going to be found wanting. Liverpool clean sheets against sides who have the weapons to exploit dead-ball situations, are always going to look fragile.
Glen Johnson is the business…
You really should have learnt this in gameweek two. Just in case you missed it, he scored again for you, underlining the fact that he’ll continue to contribute good attacking points to add to Liverpool’s clean sheet count. Is there a better defender in fantasy terms this season? It doesn’t look like it. He has some very strong fixtures to come too (BUR whm HUL).
Big Sam wants clean sheets…
Last season, on his arrival at Ewood, he emphasised the need for clean sheets and got them. Before the West Ham game he again put the emphasis on the importance of keeping things tight. The end result – possibly the dullest game of the season so far. However, the Blackburn defence and, in particular Samba, could be worth a look if Allardyce continues this trend and keeps with the 4-5-1 ploy he sent out against the Hammers.