Not surprisingly, Saturday morning offers an extended pre-match preamble, with a whole host of dilemmas to consider on the tail of a tumultuous week for Fantasy Managers. The potential loss of Nani, Florent Malouda and Rafael Van der Vaart has ripped through many a squad and left us anxiously looking at our bench for cover.
Malouda may well have saved some of use with his recovery from an ankle injury, but is his possible start at Anfield a bittersweet pill given the likely rotation for Chelsea’s home matches to follow?
Elsewhere, perhaps Gabriel Obertan can offer us a short-term bargain if Alex Ferguson looks to unleash him on the Premier League, while Carlos Tevez’ availability is in question as Roberto Mancini desperately seeks to stop the rot for City at the Hawthorns. Finally, Theo Walcott has backed himself for goals but will Arsene Wenger back him with starts? Arsenal’s list of talent looks bloated as injuries clear and Theo’s place in the side against Newcastle looks far from assured.
Can the Saturday morning papers possibly shed some light on these issues? Get the coffee on – we’re going in…
How will Alex Ferguson compensate for the loss of the inspirational Nani?
The United boss has hinted that Ryan Giggs could make a return following a hamstring injury and lend his experience and creativity to a United lineup that will be without the influence of the Portuguese trickster. Gabriel Obertan (4.5) is perhaps a more likely solution. The French winger took his chance with a Champions League strike in midweek – will that be enough to see him get the nod against Wolves?
The Sun: Yes. Obertan starts on the left flank with Ji-sung Park out on the right. The Sun go with John O’Shea at right-back, dropping Rafael to the bench and it’s Paul Scholes alongside Michael Carrick in midfield.
The Times: Obertan starts in this paper’s predicted lineup too, with Park again on the opposite flank. The only difference here is that the Times prefer Rafael at right-back over O’Shea.
The Telegraph: It’s three out of three for Obertan as the Telegraph goes with the same lineup as the Times – Rafael at right-back once again here then.
The Guardian: A full house for the French winger, although the Guardian are far from certain on his selection. They also go with Darren Fletcher to recover from injury and hold his central midfield role alongside Scholes. Rafael is at right-back.
I say: Obertan starts for me. He did enough in midweek to earn himself an opportunity and there is unlikely to be a better one than this. Ferguson will want to keep Giggs and Fletcher up his sleeve for the Manchester derby, with Nani far from certain to return. For me, that gives the United boss little choice but to go with Obertan. Elsewhere I feel that Scholes will be sacrificed for Wednesday’s game by starting this one and Rafael’s pace and attacking threat will be preferred with O’Shea more likely to start at City.
Will Florent Malouda start at Anfield?
Malouda has been a major concern for Fantasy Managers all week. His ankle injury, coupled with flagging form, has seen many of his owners sell him on. Carlo Ancelotti has however, indicated that Malouda will be in contention at Anfield and following that game, Malouda could start in home matches against Fulham and Sunderland. The Chelsea boss has revealed nine of his eleven for Anfield but will he go with Malouda from the start?
The Sun: The red-top go with Chelsea’s strongest lineup, so Malouda starts on the left flank with Michael Essien also recovering from a toe injury to start in midfield.
The Times: This paper agrees. It’s an identical lineup here with both Essien and Malouda starting.
The Telegraph: They disagree – the Telegraph aren’t so certain on Malouda’s fitness and go with Salomon Kalou in the left-flank role. Ramires also starts ahead of Essien in midfield.
The Guardian: No such caution here. Both Malouda and Essien start – although both are acknowledged as doubts.
I say: As a stubborn owner of Malouda, I’ve got mixed feelings here. My predicted lineup shows that I feel that Malouda will start at Anfield – he has been up there with Didier Drogba as Chelsea’s key player and his 7 goals this season have been priceless. Ancelotti will surely need his threat against Liverpool. A start in this one however, casts serious doubt over Malouda’s chances of starting both the games against Fulham and Sunderland at the Bridge which are more likely to be profitable from a Fantasy perspective. It’s been a Malouda rollercoaster.
Will Carlos Tevez return to stop the City slide on Sunday?
Tevez returned to the UK following a prolonged stay in Argentina during which time the striker was recovering from a muscle injury. He trained on Thursday and Roberto Martinez seemed convinced that he would take to the field at the Hawthorns. Do the morning papers share the same confidence?
The Sun: Tevez returns in a 4-5-1 with the Yaya Toure, Gareth Barry and Nigel De Jong trio of protection starting behind him. David Silva also starts so there’s no place for Adam Johnson. There’s also no start for Aleksandar Kolarov, with Boateng at right-back and Pablo Zabeleta on the left.
The Times: They go with an almost identical lineup. Tevez starts and De Jong returns from injury to bolster the midfield. Kolarov starts at left-back though.
The Telegraph: Tevez also starts here but with Emmanuel Adebayor as his strike partner. That has Silva providing support from midfield, with James Milner joining Toure and Barry in central midfield. There’s no place for Kolarov with Jerome Boateng at left-back here.
The Guardian: They make it a unanimous selection for Tevez and again, revert to Mancini’s preferred formation with Toure, Barry and De Jong providing a midfield barrier. There’s no place for Adebayor and Johnson then and Kolarov starts at left-back.
I say: I’ve had my mind changed on this. With Tevez confirmed as training on Thursday, it seems likely that Mancini will go with his skipper at the Hawthorns, given that the pressure on his position is increasing. The midweek Manchester derby puts a spanner in the works of course, but Mancini needs a win and Tevez offers the best chance of getting that at West Brom. For me, if Tevez starts, I don’t think it will be in a 4-5-1, so I’ve gone with Adebayor to partner him. I’m mystified as to why the press feel that De Jong will recover from his hamstring injury – all the earlier reports suggest that he remains a doubt for the Manchester derby and I’ve heard nothing to the contrary.
Will Theo Walcott’s flying heels be given a run-out against the Newcastle defence?
With Arsene Wenger pushing Walcott as a possible striker option, the player himself has set a target of 15-20 goals. That’s got to put Fantasy Managers on alert when you consider that Theo is classified as a 7.2 midfielder in the Fantasy Premier League game. To score goals however, Walcott has got to play and that’s far from guaranteed in an Arsenal squad that’s full of talent. Can Wenger find a starting role for Walcott against Newcastle this weekend?
The Sun: No. Theo is disappointed here. Wenger restores the likes of Alex Song, Andrei Arshavin and Jack Wilshere to his midfield, squeezing Theo on to the bench.
The Times: No. It’s Samir Nasri on one flank with Arshavin on the other; Song and Wilshere provide the central stability that allows Cesc Fabregas to get forward in support of the striker.
The Telegraph: Once again Theo is disappointed. This paper agrees that Wilshere will partner Song in central midfield, leaving Nasri, Fabregas and Arshavin to complete a midfield five.
The Guardian: The only paper that selects Walcott in their predicted lineup. The Guardian go with Waclott on the right, with Nasri keeping Arshavin benched on the left. Song and Wilshere occupy the central midfield roles behind Fabregas.
I say: Walcott will miss out today as I think that Wenger has his pace earmarked as a weapon for Arsenal’s two consecutive away games to come at Wolves and Everton. I also feel that Wilshere will be rested here, with Denilson given the nod alongside Song.
