With Mark currently travelling back from his holiday this evening and somehow unable to access a computer (it’s a rarity), I’ve been left to roll out this week’s Scout Picks. Rest-assured, these selections come straight from the top of the Fantasy Football Scout tree, with the lineup sent and debated via e-mail throughout the week. I’ve just added the words. Honest. So, now that I’ve washed my hands of them (although if they come good, every single decision was mine, okay? ) you can read on for the full article.
There’s a definite double gameweek flavour to the Scout Picks this week, due to Chelsea, Arsenal and Birmingham all having an extra fixture in their schedules over the next seven days. With as many as five teams missing out on this week’s action, our selection options are significantly reduced and there’s no real surprise that the picks are dominated by those players facing two matches in gameweek 33.
The Defence
Top for saves in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) with only Rob Green anywhere near his tally, Ben Foster starts in goal. A home game to Sunderland, followed by a testing trip to Stamford Bridge will give the Birmingham keeper plenty chance to add to that tally, in the event that Alex McLeish’s side fail to record a clean sheet.
The inclusion of David Luiz is a no-brainer; he’s averaged over seven points per start since arriving at Chelsea and provides the chance of goals, clean sheets and Bonus Points as the defending champions travel to West Brom before hosting Birmingham.
Nemanja Vidic offers both goals and clean sheet returns as Man United make their way to Newcastle. Alan Pardew’s side looked particularly toothless in last Sunday’s defeat at Villa Park and with striker Shola Ameobi still a doubt, United look a safe bet at the back next Tuesday. Vidic could be a risk given that he could pick up a knock or red card in the FA Cup semi but, with clean sheets looking scarce, it seems a worthwhile gamble.
Both Wayne Bridge and Leighton Baines offer strong attacking options from the back as they face relatively straightforward home meetings with Aston Villa and Blackburn respectively. A look at the Members section, under Distribution and Influence, illustrates the potential both have offered over the last four gameweeks and suggests a fruitful weekend for both left-backs seems more than possible.
With a double gameweek on the cards and his ability to hoover up the Bonus Points (he’s been awarded 20, more than any other defender) as well as grabbing the occasional goal, Roger Johnson makes the bench. With Foster in goal and the Scout Picks always reluctant to double up on defences, the Birmingham centre-half has to make do with a spot in the overall XIV instead.
The Midfield
A Chelsea double gameweek, with so much uncertainty over their forwards, only enhances the selection of Frank Lampard. Lamps let us down last week so he’s getting a chance to make amends here. Guaranteed game time, spot-kick duties, the possibility of being on corner and free-kicks (in the event of Didier Drogba’s absence), and his role higher up the pitch in the midweek 4-3-2-1 at Old Trafford renews our faith in Frank all over again for the afore-mentioned showdowns with West Brom and Birmingham. As the leader in this week’s Captain’s Poll, it seems we’re not the only ones pinning our hopes on Lamps.
If it wasn’t for his team mates’ woeful finishing, Cesc Fabregas would have had a handful of assists last weekend. The Spaniard put on a passing master class, ripping apart the Blackpool defence with some fantastic through balls that, unfortunately for his Fantasy Owners, came to no avail. Cesc is looking in good form ahead of a tricky double that sees the Gunners host Liverpool before the derby clash at Spurs. Arsenal need to maintain their league challenge and this weekend could be the make or break gameweek of their season.
The inclusion of Craig Gardner is something of a risk but Birmingham’s two-game schedule proved crucial to his selection. Alex McLeish’s side perhaps don’t offer the most attractive of attacking returns but Gardner has shone this season and finds himself the club’s leading scorer. While others were definitely considered ahead of him, Gardner’s penalty duties ultimately swayed the final decision his way.
In all probability, Charlie Adam won’t be at Bloomfield Road next season. Having shone in his first top flight campaign, a bigger stage than Blackpool surely awaits him. What better way to depart the Seasiders, then, than to fire them to Premier League survival? Ian Holloway’s side have three home games in succession and can kick-start that charge for safety with this weekend’s game against bottom side Wigan, knowing a victory would give them a five point lead over Roberto Martinez‘s side. With his free kick, corner and penalty duties, Bonus Point king Adam (he has 43 so far with second-placed Carlos Tevez lagging behind on 29) gets the final midfield slot.
Others in our selection thoughts this weeks were Everton’s Leon Osman, who has looked a real threat in his side’s recent unbeaten run. Our Members can see for themselves just how much Osman has been firing in the shots over the last few weeks and he is unlucky to miss out on a place in the final XI. He will no doubt pose Blackburn plenty problems at Goodison Park this weekend.
Theo Walcott also came close but with doubts over him starting both games for Arsenal, the safety blanket that is Cesc Fabregas was preferred instead. The winger looked a real threat against Blackpool and, if given enough pitch time, looks in the mood to outscore the likes of Samir Nasri and Andrei Arshavin.
The Forwards
We couldn’t overlook the merits of Robin Van Persie here. Twelve goals and 21 Bonus Points in his last 11 games means he leads the way in the Scout Picks forward line. The Dutchman sits second in the Captain Poll, mainly due to the tricky ties with Liverpool and Spurs.
The final selection is perhaps something of a surprise. With too much uncertainty over Chelsea forwards -and with two players already in the XI- we’ve decided to leave them be and instead hand a place to Jermaine Beckford. Everton are on a roll right now and their summer signing is finally starting to settle in the top-flight, showcased with a goal, assist and 2 Bonus Points in last weekend’s mauling of Wolves. Beckford squares up to Blackburn next and will be up for more of the same.
The form of Peter Odemwingie had us mulling over his inclusion but a game with Chelsea proved too much of a leap of faith while Demba Ba makes the bench for the possible returns he offers at home to Aston Villa. Big Dunc will cover Ba in more detail along with a few other alternatives in tomorrow morning’s Spot the Differential article.
