Okay, keep up. We’ve hardly enough time to digest the weekend before another gameweek descends upon us tomorrow night. It’s time to pick apart gameweek 16 then – two days of chaotic defending that saw another set of clean sheets ruined and ripped up in our faces…
Chelsea are flapping at the back…
There’s no doubt that something is awry within the Chelsea defence. That was crystal clear in the fallout from the 3-3 draw with Everton but I’ve got issues with all the hysteria surrounding their “leaky” back four. Chelsea have kept nine clean sheets so far this term and prior to the City game the weekend before last, they had kept five cleanies in a row. Yes Ancelotti’s side have conceded 10 goals in their last four games, but two of those matches were in the Carling Cup and the Champions League in matches – fixtures that were either academic or certainly low priority in the grand scheme of things.
Clearly, Chelsea have to tighten things up but their fixture list presents them with home games against Portsmouth, Fulham, Sunderland and Birmingham over Christmas and New Year. Even with the current “concerns” I’m still seeing plenty of defensive points in that lot. If they concede to Portsmouth, I’ll start worrying. My bet is that we’ll see Aneclotti put greater emphasis on defence in that game and we’ll see a more drilled, efficient showing. The press criticism is likely to have some affect though. Ivanovic could shift alongside Terry on Wednesday with Carvalho dropping out, although Alex is another option and will likely get another opportunity to stake a claim for regular starts – that could start against Pompey.
Hughes can’t afford to rotate Tevez…
The busy Argentine is on fire – demonstrated by a two goal salvo at the Reebok to rescue another draw for Mark Hughes’ side. City go to White Hart Lane on Wednesday and although Hughes is threatening to shake things up with three games in week, Tevez looks assured of a another start. But is he a serious fantasy prospect? City’s fixtures from here to eternity certainly fall into his lap (tot SUN STK wlv BLA eve stk POR hul BOL) but rotation in the mid-term is the concern. Given that run of games, we certainly need to consider City’s attacking options. Wright-Phillips and Adebayor look the more secure but if Tevez can maintain his form, he could push himself well into the reckoning. Over 10,000 Fantasy Premier League managers agree and have already brought him in this week.
Arshavin’s star is still rising…
Another goal, more Fantasy Premier League bonus – there’s little doubt that the shift in role has benefit the little Russian’s fantasy output. He travels to Burnley on Tuesday night and again looks good for further returns. It’s two home games against Hull and Villa to follow that and then in gameweek 20 he has the double fixture against Portsmouth and Bolton. It remains to be seen whether Arshavin will be kept in the central striking role during that run of games. His bandwagon is picking up speed though and should he return against Burnley and Hull, it’s going to be pretty rapid by the crucial gameweek 20.
It was time for Tuncay…
With Beattie now back in the fold and Sidibe likely to be back in the frame after injury, Tuncay’s appearance in the Stoke lineup may well be fleeting. He took his chance on Saturday though, scoring Stoke’s opener and catching the eye overall. Whether that will be enough to earn him a starting role at Villa Park next weekend remains to be seen. If he can stay in the side, he’ll be a major consideration for gameweek 20 when Stoke have two home fixtures against Birmingham and Fulham. Tuncay is of course classed as a 5.4 midfielder in the Fantasy Premier League game.
Now is not the time for Stoke’s defence…
Saturday’s returns for Sorensen and Shawcross is already prompting a mini-scramble for their services. A missing fixture for this gameweek, coupled with away games at Villa and City suggest to me that this is foolhardy. Sorensen will probably need another penalty save to repay the investment with decent returns. Gameweek 20, with Birmingham and Fulham at home, looks a far more sensible investment window, if you can stomach the price rise to that point.
We shouldn’t give up on Scharner…
The Austrian defender has been a popular fantasy purchase of late and quite rightly so. Scharner has been used as an attacking midfield over recent weeks and looks guaranteed of a starting role. At Stoke last weekend he shifted to a holding midfield role to cover for the loss of Thomas to suspension. At Anfield in midweek he’ll likely return to a more attacking position. I’m not expecting defensive or perhaps even attacking returns from that game, but following this fixture Scharner has three home fixtures in four (BOL BLA mun AVL) which should bring improved results.
Big Sam’s tightened up from his sick bed…
Blackburn have no kept four clean sheets in their last five games and with Allardyce recently emphasising the need for this to continue in order to achieve a climb up the table, there’s every reason to suspect we will continue to see defensive returns. The fixture list could be a lost worse for them over Christmas and New Year (bir TOT wig SUN mcy FUL WIG whm stk HUL) and while they struggle at the sharp-end of the field, they may continue to compensate for this by remaining tight at the other. Emerton, with his attacking midfield position wide on right, looks the best option amongst their defence, although Samba and Nelson, with set-piece goal threat, are also worthy targets.
Bolton and Klasnic have goals in them…
The Croatian striker has struck three goals in his last three starts and Bolton have scored five goals in those games, despite failing to win one of them. Bolton take on a West Ham side low on confidence and firepower on Tuesday – a scenario set up for Klasnic to boost his goal tally further and for Megson’s side to gain their first win in six league games. Klasnic is available for 6.0 in the Fantasy Premier League game, that’s 0.7 less than Kevin Davies. On current form he clearly looks the better option – although I’m still not 100% convinced that his starting role is secure for the Christmas period. Fixtures are kind enough though (WHM wig bur HUL ars sun ARS), particularly with the double in gameweek 20.
Ferguson can’t rest on his laurels…
I’m pretty sure that with Wolves at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening, Ferguson was contemplating resting some players off the back of three points against Villa. After the weekend defeat and Wolves’ win at White Hart Lane, this scenario now seems unlikely. This is good news for Rooney owners. Owen and Berbatov may be line to start having started on the bench at the weekend, but I’m not so sure that Ferguson can afford to gamble on more points lost.