Restored to the regular Monday slot, we boil the Gameweek past down to three key elements, lauding the return of a Premier League marksman, recognising the transformation of some Shepherds Bush strugglers and examining just how budget Fantasy talent has played its part in an extraordinary opening to our season.
The Player
Yakubu could barely have chosen a better time to make his return to the Premier League scoresheet. With a pocket of protestors in the car park and general malaise falling over Steve Kean’s tenure at Ewood Park, the Blackburn boss put his faith in the barrel-chested Nigerian and was duly repaid in style.
While Yakubu is undoubtedly carrying some extra pounds, his appetite for goals remains healthy enough to suggest that he could be an unlikely saviour for Kean’s job and Blackburn’s Premier League status. His first goal was subliming accepted – a first time poke from a Junior Hoilett incision through a static Arsenal defence. While that gave Rovers a foothold, the second, a tap in from a driven Steven N’Zonzi cross-shot, was far simpler but arguably more significant in that it gave them the advantage. Blackburn now have themselves a player who will take up goalscoring positions and has the talent to convert them into precious goals. In Hoilett, they also have a twinkling talent that should provide ample feed for a rabid Yak.
As a cheap forward option, Yakubu is clearly on the Fantasy radar. An away trip to a miserly Newcastle, followed by a home clash with City does cast doubt on the wisdom of an early investment, but the Yak’s time may well come soon enough.
The Team
A transfusion rather than a mere injection of new blood appears to have had an instinct impact at QPR. Neil Warnock’s mass acquisition of proven Premier League talent has transformed Rangers into a side widely tipped to struggle, to one capable of dominating a resurgent Wolves in their own lair. The 3-0 win at Molineux demonstrated the value of new skipper Joey Barton, whilst providing more evidence that Shaun Wright-Phillips is still capable of dazzling once he’s given the opportunity and platform to thrive. The free-role up in support of the lone striker has already seen the former England winger prosper and, in just two matches, he has emerged as a viable Fantasy prospect. Behind him, the industry of Alejandro Faulin and Shaun Derry, combined with the wizardry of Adel Taarabt, gives the R’s a midfield that bristles with muscle and creativity.
A new look defence also appears to have gelled. Warnock’s pairing of Danny Gabbidon and Anton Ferdinand know each other from their Upton Park days and have already given Rangers an assured foundation in front of the reliable Paddy Kenny. Armand Traore’s leggy pace down the left has also proved an effective weapon, balanced by Luke Young’s consistency on the opposite flank.
Fantasy managers are re-considering the boosted Loftus Road squad, with budget option Gabbidon and the flourishing Wright-Phillips, surely set for further investment. Taarabt meanwhile, now appears to be on the periphery, although his continued creative spark and set-piece threat will surely bear fruit soon enough.
The Talking Point
While Wayne Rooney and Sergio Aguero continue to provide heavyweight returns up front, the selection strategy of a bottom heavy Fantasy squad has been boosted further by the recent performances of budget defences – Swansea, QPR and Newcastle.
As we alluded to in Saturday’s Knee Jerk – with five Gameweek’s gone, this tactic has been rewarded handsomely. Clean sheets for Swansea and QPR this weekend, fuelled by more goals for Rooney and Aguero, plus the strike from budget friendly Nathan Dyer – only compounded matters.
Can such a strategy continue to go on thriving? Certainly we expected QPR to start well given their fixtures, while Swansea were always set to be a good option at the Liberty Stadium having conceded so few goals at home last term – the visiting opposition thus far has been obliging however.
Newcastle meanwhile, are compensating for a lack of attacking flair, by tightening further at the back – founded on a sound central midfield pairing in Cheik Tiote and Yohan Cabaye.
Defensive acquisitions from all three of those sides looks a sound option, although it’s debatable just whether QPR and Swansea can maintain form that has seen them notch 3 clean sheets in 5 matches.
So far, mid-price Fantasy options have generally disappointed across the board – the likes of Charles N’Zogbia, Jamie O’Hara, Stephane Sessegnon – the list of failing mid-range Fantasy prospects goes on at length. It remains to be seen if these attacking options can wake from the slumber to provide differentials but, in defensive terms, we can surely expect Jose Enrique, Jose Bosingwa and Vincent Kompany to provide increasing value as the season progresses, while the United defence and the pricey prospect of Leighton Baines, will also be expected to deliver significant profits in due course.
The trick is, to time the rebalancing of our squads accordingly – right now, the bottom heavy Fantasy lineup is winning hands down.
