If the Captain Poll was a person, it would be bloodied and bruised after taking one hell of a beating from the last international break to the mini sojourn we are in right now. The normally ever-so-reliant Didier Drogba and Cesc Fabregas have let down Fantasy Managers in their droves right when they’ve needed them most but it’s time for the poll to fight back off the ropes, however, as we dissect this week’s leading candidates. It’s looking like a two horse race, even if there is a bit of a Haye and Harrison factor going on from those polled to date…
Luis Nani
In the red corner, weighing in at 66kg, is the welterweight Portguese winger known to mothers and daughters, sisters and wives across the land as Luis “United” Nani. Over the last 12 months or so Nani has almost become Mr. Reliable around town at Manchester United, something fans and critics alike would not have believed much sooner before this spell began, but now he’s snuck his head above the parapet and become a vital contributor of nearly all that is offensively good at Old Trafford. Taking the trip up to Manchester this weekend will be Wigan, who for all intents and purposes seem to roll over and concede en masse pretty easily on their travels. Nani is the main implement that looks set to crack open the nut that is the Latics, and as such, is currently number one contender.
Cesc Fabregas
In, well… the other red corner, weighing in at 70kg hailing from Vilasser del Mar is the middleweight Cesc “Arsenal” Fabregas. The Spanish maestro is one of those players who knows how to serve a knock-out punch – all you need to do is look at his performances against Everton (last season), Blackburn and Braga over the last fourteen months for evidence of the type of continuous blows the man performs. His recent 1 and 3 point hauls at home to Newcastle and West Ham will undoubtedly have been a body blow to his followers, but an Emirates showdown with bitter rivals Spurs will draw the seductive glance of Fantasy Managers looking to build on a respectable couple of gameweeks and steal a march on their opponents before Cesc firmly puts his name back on the Fantasy map, or picks up another niggling injury once more.
Lest we forget, there are a few other viable options that people can look to adorn their Fantasy armbands this week. Coach and spiritual advisor Fernando Torres will be playing host to bottom of the table West Ham this weekend, with a points return very much on the cards. Wayne Rooney sits in the shadows of Nani holding the spit bucket for his team-mate with hopes he’ll potentially offer a new outlet this weekend while Didier Drogba is holding the white towel but will not concede defeat all the same. The crowd is even full of the likes of Steven Gerrard, Rafael Van Der Vaart and even Johan Elmander who all dream of getting the chance themselves.
Are you backing one of these men to get the knock-out punch this gameweek? Right now it looks like it need not go down to the judges decision, but make sure you head back to the frontpage and place your vote if you’ve yet to do so. Having done that, don’t forget to come back here and share your choice for the week as we wait for the bell to ring on the final round of this contest.
