The sun is shining for our penultimate waltz through the morning papers. In fact, with the final day of the season taking place next Sunday, this is our last Saturday morning stroll of the season.
We’re edging closer to joining Phil Brown on his gardening leave then. At least he’s saving a packet on Saint Tropez (I shock myself with my knowledge of self-tanning); so perhaps the fresh air and sunlight will do us all good from next week on?
I’m straw clutching here aren’t I?. We’re all going to miss this lark. Let’s savour what’s left then and hit the rags with the key questions that are rattling around the heads of Fantasy Managers throughout the land…
Will Wayne Rooney start for United at the Stadium of Light?
By Wednesday thousands had already given up on the prospect of going into this weekend with Rooney in their Fantasy lineups. Early reports that the striker had an “outside chance” of making the side for Sunday’s tricky trip to Sunderland failed to excite us but when Alex Ferguson revealed that Rooney was back in training on Friday, suddenly the prospect of the United man playing a part in our gameweeks become reality.
Can we trust Ferguson’s team selection this week having suffered the pain of seeing Rooney sidelined against Spurs? It’s a big dilemma with the likes of Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor tempting us with double gameweek tallies.
What the Papers say…
The Sun: Yes. Rooney starts with Dimitar Berbatov dropping to the bench. Rooney has a five man midfield behind him consisting of Carrick, Fletcher and Scholes with Nani and Valencia out wide.
The Telegraph: Yes. Rooney is in the lineup, supported by Ryan Giggs from midfield. There’s no place for Michael Carrick in their eleven.
The Times: Yes. This paper predicts that Ferguson will opt for a front two of Berbatov and Rooney. Bizarrely they predict that Giggs will start, with Nani given the right-wing berth, leaving Valencia benched.
The Guardian: Yes. Rooney starts for Berbatov with no place for Carrick in the side. Giggs and Scholes both start with Fletcher then, with Nani and Valenica flanking.
I say: Much depends on the result at Anfield prior to the kick-off at Sunderland. Should Chelsea get the win over Liverpool, then Ferguson will surely have to gamble on handing Rooney some pitch time and, as we’ve seen before, that often involves starting with the striker and withdrawing him in the second-half. I see Rooney starting here then. Just how fit he is to lead the United charge is anyone’s guess but the fact that Ferguson needs a result and therefore goals, could see Rooney come out of the gameweek with a healthy return.
Will Adebayor shake off a thigh injury and start for City?
The Togolese striker look a sure bet for double gameweek investment but the revelation that he was struggling with a thigh strain on Thursday has tempered out enthusiasm somewhat. There are unconfirmed reports that Adebayor trained on Thursday without any sign of the injury. If that is the case then he will be expected to start both games against Villa and Spurs as Roberto Mancini goes all out to cement the Champions League spot.
What the Papers say…
The Sun: Yes. Adebayor starts up with Carlos Tevez. Craig Bellamy is given the left-flank to patrol, while Adam Johnson is out on the right.
The Telegraph: Yes. This paper agrees with the Sun and goes for an identical lineup.
The Times: Yes. The Times is also in agreement, again listing the same predicted lineup.
The Guardian: Yes. Both Adebayor and Gareth Barry are in their predicted City eleven.
I Say: I fully expect Adebayor to start and be a key player in both matches. Whether he can make an impression is another thing. Both Villa and Spurs have resolute defenders in their ranks and I’m currently questioning heavy investment in City’s attacking players. It’s Tevez or Adebayor for me, with the latter offering an effective differential if you need it.
Will Roy Hodgson rest players for the home game with West Ham?
After Thursday’s incredible performance and result, Roy Hodgson surely has every right to rest players going into the weekend clash with West Ham. That’s bad news for us Fantasy Managers of course, with Fulham facing two fixtures in the gameweek. Investment in anyone but Mark Schwarzer appears to carry a risk then and it could be that one match is all we will get from the likes of Brede Hangeland, Zoltan Gera and perhaps even Clint Dempsey.
What the Papers Say…
The Sun: Yes he does. There are wholesale changes predicted by the Sun with Chris Smalling coming in for Brede Hangeland and Nicky Shorey in at left-back for Paul Konchesky. There’s no start for Chris Baird, which seems unlikely. The midfield has starts for Bjorn Helge Riise, Kagisho Dikgacoi and Jonathan Greening while David Elm and Dempsey are paired up front.
The Telegraph: Yes indeed. Smalling is again a predicted starter at the back with Hangeland making way. Baird is alongside him as Aaron Hughes also drops out. Shorey starts at left-back. Riise, Dikgacoi and Greening all start in midfield with Clint Dempsey and it’s Stefano Okaka and Erik Nevland up front.
The Times: Again, there’s big changes. Smalling again gets a start, this time alongside Hughes with no sign of Hangeland. Baird comes in at right-back with Shorey on the left. Again there are predicted starts for Riise, Dikgacoi and Greening, this time with Davies joining them in midfield. Nevland and Okaka take up the strikers roles with no start for Dempsey.
The Guardian: This paper predicts very few changes to Hodgson’s lineup. In fact, aside from Dempsey replacing Zamora up front, they’ve gone with the eleven that started against Hamburg on Thursday. That seems very unlikely given that Baird and Shorey didn’t play in that game and can come in refreshed without weakening the side too much. Each to their own though.
I say: Hodgson will surely hand players a rest here with West Ham assured of safety. I expect Smalling, Baird and Shorey all to take their places in the back four, while Riise, Dikgacoi and Greening seem likely to figure in midfield. Duff, Murphy and Etuhu will likely make way for me. Zoltan Gera and Simon Davies stand a chance of starting and I think one of them will. Dempsey will likely lead the attack with Nevland in support, although he could also lineup on the right of midfield with Nevland partnered by Elm or Okaka.