Having wrapped up the previous gameweek in this afternoon’s digest post, we can now turn our attentions to this weekend and beyond. Once again, we bring the fixtures list under review, assessing the weak and the strong from the upcoming fixture schedule…
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The Strong
Fulham
Given that Man City had won all eleven of their previous home games, Saturday evening‘s Etihad loss was hardly unexpected for Martin Jol’s men. The upcoming fixture schedule should afford the Cottagers a chance to bounce back, though, with some promising gameweeks on the horizon.
Three home clashes in the next five look prosperous, as Stoke, Wolves and Swansea all make their way to the Cottage. Jol’s side have dropped just five points in their last six in front of their own fans, and have scored 22 goals at home, only 2 less than Tottenham.
A trip to QPR, with Mark Hughes’ side yet to record a clean sheet under his leadership, and a visit to Villa Park – where the hosts have two points from their last six at home – should hold no fear for the London outfit. With Clint Dempsey looking set to remain in an advanced attacking role, his Fantasy suitors will continue to grow, though with a single clean sheet in the last ten, defensive returns haven’t been as guaranteed as we’d hoped for.
QPR
It all seemed so promising last Saturday. One-nil up thanks to a Bobby Zamora debut goal, Mark Hughes’ side were bossing the game against Wolves but Djibril Cisse’s red card turned the match in the visitors’ favour and saw QPR taste defeat for the first time under their new manager.
Having scored 5 goals and picked up four points in the previous two games under Hughes, there’s a clear upturn in performance since the departure of Neil Warnock and, providing they can keep eleven men on the pitch, their prospects looks enhanced over the next few gameweeks. Back-to-back home games with Fulham and Everton are sandwiched by trips to Blackburn and Bolton; all offer the chance of goals, as Hughes looks to replicate the Martin O’Neill effect down Loftus Road way.
Hughes has already spoken of the importance of Adel Taarabt- the Moroccan could be a key figure over the next few matches. The set-pieces of Joey Barton could be instrumental, with Zamora charged with grabbing the goals in Cisse’s subsequent three-match absence.
Wigan
Without a win in their last nine matches, the Latics hardly inspire confidence. Nevertheless, the fixture list remains kind to Roberto Martinez’s side and could yet prove prosperous. Villa, Swansea and West Brom all roll up to the DW over the next five gameweeks and offer the chance of Fantasy points- Wigan have been beaten just once in their last five home games, holding the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool and narrowly losing to City.
Trips to Bolton and Norwich both offer potential, with the likes of Hugo Rodallega (with 23 points in his last four starts) likely to be pivotal if Martinez is to mastermind a climb up the table. Jean Beausejour could prove a real differential; the winger grabbed an assist and the maximum bonus in his home debut against Everton, while we’ll always hold out hope for the enigma that is Victor Moses.
Man City
Roberto Mancini’s side ready themselves for three home matches in the next five, with two of those in particular looking full of goals. Blackburn and Bolton roll up to the Etihad in gameweeks 26 and 27 respectively and Fantasy investment in the league leaders looks set to mushroom, with Sergio Aguero and, to a lesser extent, David Silva, strong armband candidates. Given that City have scored 3 or more goals in ten of their twelve home games, the potential is obvious here.
City will need to up their goal threat for trips to Villa and Swansea, though. The league leaders have been toothless on their travels of late, scoring just once in their last four away games and returning a couple of clean sheets in the process; Micah Richards and Vincent Kompany-if he recovers from a knee problem- look set to benefit from such defensive resolve.
Also Consider
Chelsea – the 3-3 draw with United extended their unbeaten run to five and brought Juan Mata back into consideration. Home games with Bolton and West Brom are amongst the Blues’ next four, affording the Blues further opportunity to produce the Fantasy points.
Newcastle – trips to Spurs and Arsenal are far from easy, but with Demba Ba scoring 8 of his 16 goals on the road, the prospect of returns is far from diminished. Three strong home fixtures against Wolves, Sunderland and Norwich afford Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse the chance for goals, with the likes of Tim Krul and Danny Simpson offering defensive options at the back.
Aston Villa – Alex McLeish’s side have impressed on their travels of late, winning three and drawing one of their last five. With Darren Bent is fine goalscoring fettle, trips to Wigan and Blackburn and a home clash with Fulham look tempting.
The Weak
Liverpool
Kenny Dalglish’s side have netted just 4 times in their last five, with Craig Bellamy grabbing half of those goals. The return of Luis Suarez failed to breach a resilient Tottenham back-line, with the Anfield no-score draw returning their third clean sheet since gameweek 20.
Clashes against United and Arsenal will test their defensive resolve, though, and with a blank gameweek 26 due to Carling Cup commitments in addition to a trip to Sunderland, many will be giving Liverpool a wide berth over the short-term.
Everton
David Moyes’ side may well have three home fixtures in the next five, but when you consider the visitors are Chelsea, Spurs and Arsenal, the appeal considerably lessens. The Toffees have been grinding out the points of late, with the 1-1 draw at Wigan taking their unbeaten run to four, but have picked up a single clean sheet in their last six and have failed to score more than 1 goal in the last twelve gameweeks.
Factor in that blank gameweek 26 and it seems likely that owners of Leighton Baines will likely be seeking options elsewhere and, unless the introduction of Steven Pienaar and Nikica Jelavic can produce an upturn in attacking fortunes, goals are looking a rarity, too.
Tottenham
Harry Redknapp’s side are set for a truly testing time, as they face up to a run of fixtures which includes clashes with four of the top six over the next six gameweeks.
Home games against Newcastle and United, in addition to cross-town trips to Arsenal and Chelsea, will test the resolve of a defence which has harvested 9 clean sheets so far this season. Fantasy owners of Benoit Assou-Ekotto could see diminished returns, and with Emmanuel Adebayor netting once in his last nine games, it appears Gareth Bale is the only clear Fantasy asset worth targeting, or holding onto, over the upcoming period.
Also Be Wary Of…
Stoke – Tony Pulis’ side have a couple of strong home fixtures with Swansea and Norwich around the corner, but, aside from those two games, the next six gameweeks look awful. Trips to Chelsea, Spurs and Fulham and a home clash with City all look likely to disappoint. With just 5 goals and 2 clean sheets in their last eight games, the Potters are not exactly in the best of form right now.
Arsenal – the next four gameweeks look a real test for the armband potential of Robin Van Persie. The Dutchman’s 23 point haul against Blackburn justified many a Fantasy manager’s decision to hand him the captaincy but trips to Sunderland and Liverpool, and home showdowns with Spurs and Newcastle, could see many look for alternatives.
