Another week in the Champions League offered us few surprises, save Tottenham’s top spot achievement in the “group of death”. Back on the domestic front, us Fantasy Managers can continue to grumble at mounting injuries and suspensions but our Christmas wishes could at least bring Fabregas, Lampard, Gerrard, Torres and Rooney back to the fore and firing – that could make for a memorable festive period.

For now at least we’re still scratching around, banking on mid-price prospects to fire our Fantasy points tallies. Let’s see if Paddy is also backing the underdog and the unfashionable in their weekend prices…

Who Will Keep a Clean Sheet?

• Everton 2.00 (WIG)
• Fulham 2.40 (SUN)
• Man City 2.50 (whm)
• Stoke 2.62 (BLP)
• Liverpool 2.70 (new)
• Bolton 2.75 (BLA)
• Man United 2.75 (ARS)
• Wolves 2.87 (BIR)

Once glance at the clean sheet odds and it’s clear that this is a ropey one for defensive returns. Everton find themselves top of the rankings, and by a country mile. Conceding in each of their last five outings, it’s hard to find reason enough for Paddy to offer this price, until you delve into the statistics offered by their opponents. Wigan have struggled for goals all season, and perhaps in accordance with Everton’s own achievements, they’ve failed to find a cutting edge up front. Charles N’Zogbia will be a threat, as will the returning Hugo Rodallega, but the steel offered by Phil Jagielka and Sylvan Distin should be more than enough to reduce keeper Tim Howard to spectator and Wigan will have to be at the unpredictable best to spoil the home cleanie.

Man City find themselves without talisman Carlos Tevez, but that won’t impact on their defensive qualities. With resolute stone wall performances under Mancini, cleanies have been well won thus far this season. As for West Ham? They’re bottom of the table and fewer goals scored than games played. If this game was played out in Manchester rather than London, I’d wager Paddy would price City as very short odds, as it is, City are still a strong bet to return a shut-out.

Fulham and Stoke both have favourable home fixtures, however Paddy has been conservative with their prices. Steve Bruce’s Sunderland will be looking to increase Fulham’s run without a clean sheet to four matches and have the weapons in Bent and Welbeck to inflict damage. Blackpool meanwhile, take a record of scoring a brace in five out of their last six games to the Britannia.

It all looks a little shaky then. Clean sheet prices look long and appealing for the gambler, which equates to risky week for the Fantasy Manager shopping for defensive returns.

Anytime Goalscorer

• K Jones 1.90 (BLP)
• Rooney 2.10 (ARS)
• F Torres 2.10 (new)
• L Saha 2.25 (WIG)
• T Cahill 2.25 (WIG)
• R Fuller 2.30 (BLP)
• M Balotelli 2.30 (whm)
• Drogba 2.40 (tot)
• Berbatov 2.40 (ARS)
• J Beckford 2.40 (WIG)
• Yakubu 2.40 (WIG)
• J Elmander 2.40 (BLA)
• J Walters 2.50 (BLP)
• T Sanli 2.50 (BLP)
• A Carroll 2.62 (LIV)
• E Adebayor 2.70 (whm)
• D Bent 2.80 (ful)
• J Defoe 2.87 (CHE)

A little quiz before we continue perhaps? Can you name the player in the top five of Paddy’s Anytime Goalscorers this week that has scored more than 5 goals this term? There is only one and it’s Everton’s Tim Cahill with a tally of eight. In fact, if you look at the stats, Louis Saha has achieved zero goals in over 550 minutes played this term and yet he’s fourth in Paddy’s predictions here. That surely emphasises how injuries and fixtures conspire to make this a very tough Gameweek.

With Everton’s assets so highly fancied by Paddy, it seems they’re backing a goal spree for David Moyes’ side against Wigan, even though there are only two points dividing the teams. The clamour for Cahill as FPL captain looks justified on this evidence then.

Beyond the simmering Wayne Rooney, Fernando Torres is the first big gun to feature that offers at least some justification behind the odds. Although he’s drawn blanks in his last couple, his Fantasy potential is strengthening as Liverpool’s fixtures soften up. His Paddy price will go on dropping, particularly if he can find the net at St James’ this week.

Didier Drogba’s eight game dry spell came to an end last week with a penalty against Everton. In the face of Totenham’s form, and albeit leaky defence, Paddy is still confident he’ll be the goal threat he was at the start of the season. Interestingly Paddy prefers Scout Pick Mario Balotelli however, as he looks set to take the limelight against West Ham in the absence of Tevez.

Johan Elmander and Ricardo Fuller have been influential in both their clubs successes thus far this campaign, both looking likely to net with favourable home fixtures. Fuller’s team-mate, Kenwyne Jones finds himself at the very pinnacle of the goalscoring odds though and that, more than anything, demonstrates that this is a Gameweek that finds us relying on rough diamonds.

Paddy’s Scout Specials

This week’s Clean Sheet Accumulator with Paddy offers odds of 11/1 on Everton, Stoke and Man City all claiming shut-outs in the Gameweek. If you fancy a bet on some individual players meanwhile, you can check out our Scout Picks accumulator bet that has odds of 14/1 on one or more goals for Johan Elmander, Tim Cahill and Clint Dempsey. Those looking for a gamble on some longer odds can back Somen Tchoyi and Zolten Gera to both score in the Gameweek in our Fantasy Island Risks bet that carries odds of 25/1.

Paddy’s Money Back Special

The clash between Spurs and Chelsea at White Hart Lane is the chosen match in this weekend’s Money Back Special. If there are more than four goals in this game, Paddy Power will refund all losing 1st /last goalscorer, correct score & scorecast singles on the match.

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