Weβre slowly waking from the slumber induced by the international break. Wiping the sleep from our eyes, it feels good to be back scanning the fixture list, decoding our season tickers to find patterns and runs that scream goals, assists and clean sheets.
Stir yourself with our view on the βStrength of Scheduleβ to come for the next four gameweeks and beyond.
The Strong
Arsenal
You can call it a crisis β you can even join the hordes supporting Arsene Wengerβs Emirates exit β you will, however, struggle to deny that βThe Professorβsβ side now face a flattering run of games right up until Gameweek 16.
A trip to Stamford Bridge in gameweek 10 is a short-term concern but, around this, the Gunners have home games with Sunderland, Stoke, West Brom, Fulham and Everton all in the next eight gameweeks. Those contests simply reek of Arsenal attacking profits, even in their current state of malaise.
Robin Van Persie should be the inevitable target β sitting on top of our Watchlist rankings, itβs difficult to argue that he is the best placed of the heavyweight strikers over the next few months in terms of potential. Around him, Aaron Ramseyβs form has seen him pick up interest, hurting Mikel Artetaβs mid-price market in the process. At the back, meanwhile, weβve tentatively introduced Kieran Gibbs to the Watchlist reckoning, although rotation and injury will always cause concern here. Carl Jenkinson, in for the stricken Bacary Sagna, presents another option. Wojciech Szczesny is, perhaps, your most reliable solution should you wish to gamble on Arsenal defensive returns.
Tottenham
Arsenalβs North London rivals seem likely to push them every inch of the way this season and Harry Redknappβs men are set to keep pace with an obliging run in the coming months.
Three away games in four will test Spurs’ resolve on the road and clean sheets do perhaps look unlikely. There will surely be goals though, as Emmanuel Adeabyor, Rafael Van der Vaart and, to a lesser extent, Gareth Bale, all tempt Fantasy investment. With QPR, Villa and Bolton lined up as the next three White Hart Lane clashes before gameweek 14, the prospects look good and Redknappβs big guns will be expected to continue attracting interest and rewarding investors.
Wigan
We focused on them last time out in our Frisking and we unashamedly plug them again this week β despite meagre returns so far, the Latics now have the opportunity to prove themselves as a decent source of budget Fantasy talent.
All the talk will be of Victor Moses, of course; rapidly emerging as a cult figure, heβs replicating the Fantasy failings of Aleksandar Kolarov around these parts. Home games against Bolton, Fulham and Blackburn surely present Moses and Wigan the best opportunity to start delivering and, at just 4.9, itβs difficult to find a prospect with a stronger run of fixtures over the next six Gameweeks.
Elsewhere, we can look to Ben Watson on spot-kicks and even Franco Di Santo β a player who clearly learned plenty from Frank Lampard at Chelsea, having perfected the art of the deflected strike from distance. Expect another one or two to nestle in the corner from a wicked spin off a centre-backβs posterior in the next month.
Bolton
The fixture list has not been friendly to Owen Coyle this season and at least part of their plummet to the foot of the table can be put down to the fact that the Trotters have had a dreadful run of opponents. Coyleβs beleaguered team are heading out of this spell; they face six consecutive gameweeks against teams that should give them stronger opportunity for points and Fantasy profit.
Clean sheets remain unlikely perhaps but, nonetheless, we may see the tide of Fantasy managers selling off Gary Cahill now somewhat slowing. The England centre-back is likely to need a goal or two to boost his Fantasy reputation but thatβs not beyond him and he could yet prove a canny differential in the month ahead.
Martin Petrov is undoubtedly a more realistic target β this seasonβs major success story down at the Reebok, Coyle have his team exploiting the Bulgarian’s talents on the flank and he should enjoy increased returns over the next six gameweeks.
Also Considerβ¦
Swansea β Three points and a clean sheet against Stoke justified their selection in the Frisking last time out. Now theyβre left with three away trips in four but with Norwich, Wolves and Bolton up next β Brendan Rodgersβ side could still pick up points and Fantasy returns.
Liverpool β United this weekend, Chelsea in gameweek 12 β itβs clear that Kenny Dalglishβs side donβt have such an easy run. In the short-term however, sandwiched between these games, Norwich and Swansea come to Anfield with a trip to West Brom in between.
The Weak
Everton
Poor old Leighton Baines remains frozen out of our thinking. Thereβs no doubting his quality, or his potential from set-plays, but with clean sheets looking unlikely for weeks to come, his hefty price tag looks too big a cross to bear. Trips to Chelsea and Fulham up next will surely see Tim Howard beaten on numerous occasions, potentially leaving Bainesβ owners out of pocket again.
Things improve with the Gameweek 12 Goodison clash against Wolves, but four away games in the next six around that stack the odds against investment in Evertonβs Fantasy assets.
Sunderland
If you believe whispers from some quarters, Steve Bruceβs job is under threat. Looking at the Gameweeks ahead, thatβs a rumour that could soon become more credible.
The Black Cats go to the Emirates to face a wounded Arsenal animal next; following that, trips to Bolton and United will be daunting for Bruce for very different reasons. Lose at Bolton and the home clash with Villa in Gameweek 10 looks critical.
Fantasy investors will surely be opting out right now β Nicklas Bendtner has settled well as mid-price prospect up front but heβs ineligible at Arsenal and may have his work cut out to revive an ailing Sunderland for the gameweeks that follow.
QPR
This weekendβs Loftus Road encounter with struggling Blackburn looks vital to Neil Warnockβs campaign. Certainly, should they fail to pick up points there, Rangers will then embark on a run that is set to stretch their Premier League credentials.
Neighbours Chelsea arrive in gameweek 9, followed by a trip to Spurs and the visit of Man City. Points from those three games look very unlikely, with clean sheet and goal prospects also seemingly limited.
Fantasy managers may well be holding the likes of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Adel Taarabt going into this weekend β after that, however, weβre likely to see significant sales.
Also be wary ofβ¦
Man United β Phil Jones continues to attract investment but he and the United defence will surely be stretched by trips to Liverpool and Everton and a home clash with City in the next three. As for Wayne Rooney, he could hardly face three bigger tests of his temperament following his lashing out in Montenegro.
