So the momentous gameweek 13 is behind us. Are you licking your wounds or rubbing your hands? Either way, stop touching yourself up and start focusing on another gameweek – you’re only as good as your last. Back at its tardy best, here’s my usual wander through the weekend fixture list with clean sheet and goals on the agenda and early player tips thrown in…
Best For Clean Sheets…
With the league’s best defence at the league’s best attack, the easy route to a clean sheet looks blocked this week. Chelsea will go to the Emirates having lost two of their last five away games and are up against a side who have scored twenty goals in five home games. However, Arsenal will be without Van Persie of course and we saw the impact of that last weekend – the Gunners failed to score for the first time this season in the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland. A Chelsea clean sheet is not out of the question then, although a 1-1 draw will be a popular prediction going into Sunday’s encounter.
Beyond Chelsea it’s United who look the best bet with their trip to Portsmouth. The home side will have Avram Grant in charge for the first time but I’m not so sure that this will provide the lift required to trouble Ferguson’s men. The Fratton Park crowd have seen four defeats in the last five home games, while United arrive with strong away form. I’m backing a win by a couple of goals and a cleanie for the United back four. The only issue here remains who we can look to for signings. Both O’Shea and Evans remains doubts so we will need tomorrow’s team news to help us out.
The other side of Manchester also looks good at Eastlands against Hull, although Phil Brown’s side arrive off the back of six goals in two games. Caution is required here then – Burnley had little trouble exposing City’s defensive frailties in the last Eastlands encounter – it wouldn’t be too surprising if Hull did the same.
Where else can we look then? For my money we again have to examine mid-price defences who could provide cheap clean sheets and, more importantly, a goal threat. This has us looking at Blackburn’s Samba, Wigan’s Scharner and Birmingham’s Roger Johnson. All three have decent enough opposition that could see their sides bring home cleanies.
Blackburn take on Stoke off the back of an unimpressive 3-0 defeat at Fulham on Wednesday, however they do go into the game with outstanding form at Ewood with four wins and a draw in the last five. Stoke arrive with just four goals in their last five away trips and I’m expecting a tough, tight game as a result. A narrow home win with a cleanie could be on the cards.
Wigan conceded nine at Spurs last weekend so will be expected to go all out to tighten up in their home clash with Sunderland. The visitors could yet be without Darren Bent and are already lacking Kenwyne Jones through suspension. That leaves them light up front, giving Wigan every chance of recording a cleanie. Shcharner, in his attacking midfield role, looks a strong bet here having netted at White Hart Lane.
The Wolves vs Birmingham derby clash looks a tight, low scoring affair based on the stats. Wolves have a poor home record and have scored just five in five at Molineux. Birmingham meanwhile, have the defensive resolve to earn a clean sheet, although their away form has faltered this season. Johnson and Ridgewell look decent enough bets given the goal threat they pose.
For an outside bet you can look at Fulham who take on a Bolton at the Cottage. They saw off Blackburn with a shut-out on Wednesday but come up against a side that do have goals in them away from home. Morale in Bolton’s camp is at a low however and, having criticised his players in midweek, this could go either way for Megson. I’m half expecting a decent reaction from them and a goal or two. You might feel differently and consider Fulham a fair shout for another cleanie.
Best For Goals…
Once again this week, we shouldn’t be struggling in this department. While I expect the Arsenal vs Chelsea game to feature just a couple, we have fixtures like Villa vs Spurs, West Ham vs Burnley, City vs Hull and United at Portsmouth which could easily see three or four goals each.
This leaves us looking at the likes of Carlton Cole, Adebayor, Rooney, Agbonlahor and Defoe for possible returns, making striker selection a tricky dillemma this week. Midfields could also be in profit with Wright-Phillips, Valencia, Giggs, Milner and Lennon all likely to be featuring in many fantasy lineups.
As mentioned, I also see Bolton spring a surprise or two at the Cottage which could lead to plenty of goals in that one. I’ve got a hunch about Matt Taylor and Kevin Davies then as well as Rodallega for Wigan against Sunderland. You can’t rule out goals in the Merseyside derby on Sunday either. Neither the Everton nor the Liverpool defence has confidence and if Rafa can get some fitness from Gerrard and Benayoun, we might see three or four goals in this one. We’ll need an early breakthrough though.
Best For Frustration…
It has to be the Emirates clash on Sunday. Nobody can really predict how this one can go given the absence of Van Persie and the possible return of Lampard. The latter leaves doubt over the role of Essien in the Chelsea midfield. If Lampard returns, it could see Essien revert to the holding role which would prove mightily frustrating for the thousands who have invested in him off the back of his two goal Wolves haul. Drogba’s return against an Arsenal defence that could be lacking the stability of Gallas could also be a factor. There could be goals then but, as I’ve mentioned, the popular view will be that this will be a tight game. I can’t realistically see a clean sheet for either side but, at the same time, I’m not seeing a goal blitz that will bring big returns for fantasy managers.
I’ve also got a slight worry about City at home to Hull. I just don’t trust Hughes’ side and although many (including Paddy below) will be predicting a thrashing, Phil Brown will have a big point to prove after last season’s drubbing at Eastlands. A game which many saw as a turning point in their season. Hull arrive in Manchester with some confidence and I just wonder if they will manage to put up a display that will frustrate City and Adebayor owners alike. I’m going to sleep on this one.
Paddy Says….
Our friends at Paddy Power are, in the main, in line with my current thinking at both ends of the pitch. They have United, City and Blackburn as their three sides most likely to emerge from the gameweek with clean sheets. When it comes to goals meanwhile, they see the games at City, Villa and West Ham as places to go for four or more.
As usual I’ve set up some special Paddy Power markets this week, including a clean sheet accumulator. You can currently get 15/2 on clean sheets for Blackburn, United and City. Similarly I’ve got an accumulator based on some likely Scout Picks – I’ve combined the clean sheet for Blackburn with a goal each for Rooney and Adebayor. Again you can get 7/1 on this market. Finally for those looking for a bit more leftfield, based on the Fantasy Island Risks in this week’s podcast, you can get 9/1 on goals for both Kevin Davies and Hugo Rodallega.
Don’t forget you can still get a free £20 bet with Paddy by signing up via the site and making a £10 bet. Oh, and as promised, I’ll have a brand new and exclusive Paddy Power market for you later this evening; so exciting it will only be available for a limited time. Much more on that later.