I have to confess, I’m uncomfortable with the Scout Picks this week for a couple of reasons. Firstly, try as I might to vary things and consider some gambles – the likes of Gerrard, Lampard, Torres, Drogba, Fabregas and Arshavin all look just too strong to ignore. I’d have loved to have backed Rodallega to shock the Anfield crowd, Fletcher to bring Wenger’s world crashing down again and Ebanks-Blake to return to Old Trafford and score a sweet sweet winner, but a lot of the big guns just cry out at you, with form and fixtures falling into place.

Added to this, we’ve got a real threat of rest and rotation hanging over some players, including Rooney and Drogba. The latter is perhaps at most risk due to the back injury sustained in training revealed earlier today by Ancelotti. The striker should be fit, however, he sits on four bookings and may well be spared for a home game with basement club Portsmouth. My bet is that Kalou and Anelka will lead the line tomorrow night. For us fantasy managers, leaving Drogba out against the Portsmouth defence without the suspended Kaboul is a big gamble. The best option for our Fantasy Premier League lineups is to start Drogba just in case and rely on the auto sub to do the rest. Whether we gamble on him earning the armband is a far far tougher decision.

Enough of the moaning griping, let’s get moving with the picks…

I actually start things off with a nice little gamble with keeper selection. I’ve opted for Bolton’s Jaaskelainen – a keeper who has yet to keep a clean sheet all season. Pure madness then? Maybe, but the home fixture with an impotent and out of form West Ham side offers him a very strong opportunity to change that stat. Jaaskelainen is also, undeniably, a top keeper who should leave this match with a good number of saves even if he fails once again, to keep a shut-out.

His selection over Joe Hart allows me to opt for Birmingham’s Roger Johnson. His defence now boasts 7 clean sheets this term, second only to Chelsea. On Tuesday McLeish’s side take on a Blackburn eleven who are themselves very tight but lack a real attacking threat with David Dunn still sidelined. Of all the midweek fixtures, this one looks the most likely 0-0 scenario.

With that in mind, I’ve also gone for Blackburn’s Emerton in my back four. He has clean sheet potential at Birmingham on Tuesday but also carries some threat of attacking points should Rovers breach the stubborn Birmingham rearguard. Emerton is currently plying his trade on the right wing, despite being classified as a defender across the fantasy games. Samba is a good option for the same price in the FPL – he is certainly overdue a goal.

The final two spots go to United’s Brown and Chelsea’s Ashley Cole. Both these defences are currently under the microscope having faltered at the weekend, but both have comfortable looking home fixtures this week with which to stage a recovery.

Barring John Terry, Cole is the most secure option in the Chelsea back four. He also carries a strong attacking possibilities while Ancelotti perseveres with the midfield diamond that allows attacking freedom for his full-backs. Ivanovic and Alex are your options here if Cole is too rich for you. As for Wes Brown, he offers a cheaper alternative to Evra and Vidic, having secured a starting role with Ferdinand and Evans both sidelined. United will face a confident Wolves side at Old Trafford, a game which I feel will see a nervy home win for Ferguson’s men. A clean sheet looks on the cards though.

The midfield finds the aforementioned Gerrard in place as the most expensive acquisition. It was a close call between the Liverpool man and Chelsea’s Lampard. In the end Gerrard’s role, just behind Torres, compared to Lampard’s position, potentially wide of the Chelsea midfield diamond, had me leaning towards Gerrard.

I am nervous about Liverpool’s form and while I can’t quite see either Gerrard and Torres steamrollering Wigan at Anfield tomorrow night, it’s difficult to see anything but a home win. Wigan’s away record has been atrocious and they have shipped a huge number of goals on their travels. Logic and stats support the theory that both Gerrard and Torres will get plenty of opportunity to promote their fantasy points tallies – whether they take them is another matter.

Arsenal’s Arshavin gets the nod over team-mate Fabregas, mainly because his form and position on the field currently hand him the opportunity to outscore the Spaniard in fantasy terms. He was a slight injury doubt but, as this wasn’t highlighted in Wenger’s press conference today, I fully expect him to start in the central attacking role once again. There should be goals at Turf Moor, despite Burnley’s defensive record at home. I see Wenger’s men needing at least a couple to win this game with Arshavin looking the biggest goal threat on show for the visitors. I’m expecting a third goal in three games for the Russian with bonus to follow in an Arsenal win.

United’s Valencia earns another start in the Picks. So far this season he has threatened to emerge as a real fantasy prospect but has yet to really fulfill that potential. United’s fixture at home to Wolves should see Ferguson’s side notch a couple of goals, although as mentioned previously, I can see it being a nervy affair. I worry that Rooney may get rested for this one, with Berbatov and Owen handed starts. With that in mind, I’m happy to cover United’s attacking potential with the Ecuadorian winger.

The final midfield slot again goes to Bolton’s Matt Taylor. I’ve backed him for the last three weeks in the Picks and seen just one assist for my trouble. The home game against West Ham is his best opportunity yet to repay the faith I’ve put in him. I’m expecting a decent home win for Megson’s men and, if that’s the case,Taylor should, at last, bring in significant returns.

Up front I could have easily gambled and gone for an unlikely pairing of Bent and Tevez, or even considered Bolton’s Klasnic and Burnley’s Fletcher. Then of course there’s the irresistible force that is Drogba, up against the Portsmouth defence which looks like easy prey for the Ivorian. Apparently we’ll hear more on Drogba’s injury status by Wednesday morning. That’s little use to us fantasy managers, leaving us faced with a big dilemma. In terms of the picks, I’ve chosen not to gamble and opted instead for his team-mate Anelka, who will be the key threat to Portsmouth should Drogba miss out.

I’ve gone for Torres alongside Anelka. While I have doubts on the form and fitness of the Liverpool striker, the Wigan back four has been ridiculously flimsy on the road this season. It looks tailor made for Torres to get himself back on the scoresheet at Anfield yet again.

Recruiting a reserve defender for the bench was tricky – in the end I’ve opted for Liverpool’s Agger, mainly because they look the best remaining option for a clean sheet. Agger should start and with Johnson potentially sidelined, he looks the next best member of Rafa’s rearguard. Bolton’s Lee is my reserve midfielder. His speed and trickery will provide threat from the opposite flank to Matt Taylor and is worth a punt as a budget midfield purchase for the gameweek. Darren Bent, with his three goals in three games record against Villa gets the nod as my reserve striker. He’s a great alternative to my chosen front pairing.