A devastating hat-trick from Luis Suarez steals the headlines, adding his name to an ever growing list of strikers demanding our attention. Here’s the Stock Check from today’s games so far…
On the Up
Luis Suarez
We raised the alarm with Wednesday’s Watchlist article but didn’t quite have the balls to back the Uruguayan with a Scout Pick selection – a missed opportunity. Those who jumped on board a week early caught Suarez in bloom as he returned a second consecutive Carrow Road hat-trick. Suarez becomes the latest object of desire for our forward lines and will surely enjoy huge big investment this week. Chasing points? Perhaps, but Liverpool’s next two suggest there’s more to come.
Peter Crouch
Headline act in the Differentials this week, Crouch was another striker to come good and move his goal tally to four in six games. Always unfashionable, Crouch is undoubtedly effective and when Stoke’s fixtures improve, he will surely go on proving a very handy differential.
Demba Ba
The Senegalese striker is in relentless form, notching another brace to reinforce his blossoming CV as competition for spots in our forward lines continues to mount. Ba is now the league’s leading scorer with six goals while former hot-shot, Papiss Cisse, somehow struggles for Fantasy form alongside him.
Nikica Jelavic
And here’s another name to consider. While Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar tempted heavy midfield investment, the Croatian returned to fitness and goalscoring ways with an impressive brace as the Toffee’s form rolled on. Fellaini and Pienaar came away with disappointing blanks but their stock remains buoyant given Everton’s form and fixtures.
Steven Fletcher
The Scot continued his extraordinary form by firing his fifth goal for the Black Cats. Sunderland again struggled to provide him service and create too many attacking opportunities, but Fletcher is seemingly happy feeding off scraps and hugely effective.
Juan Mata
Monday’s Technical Area suggested that Mata was showing glimpse of last season’s form and today’s early kick-off saw that potential realised. The Spaniard overshadowed Eden Hazard with a goal and assist return in the win at Emirates to put us all on alert. Could he be emerging as a viable alternative to the Belgian?
Gervinho
The Ivorian is another mid-price midfield option who will have turned heads. Gervinho was, once again, pushed up in the central striking role by Arsene Wenger and again repaid that faith by notching the Gunners’ goal – his third league goal of the season. We’re still wary that his start is insecure but Gervinho remains a tempting short-term punt.
The Sunderland Defence
Martin O’Neill’s side are hard to break down and navigated their way to their second clean sheet of the season. Sunderland have conceded just two goals in their last three matches and their mid-price defensive assets are destined for plenty of attention – not least Simon Mignolet, who climbed to the top of the Watchlist rankings this week. It might be best to let next weekend’s City trip pass before considering investment, however.
Going Down
Eden Hazard
A third consecutive blank for the Belgian will now have his owners fidgeting and pondering alternatives. Juan Mata’s returns today suggest that they might very well be one close by.
Abou Diaby
Such a key figure in Arsenal’s encouraging start to the season, the Frenchman sustained a thigh injury that forced him off with reports suggesting that Arsene Wenger has indicated that Diaby faces at least three weeks on the sidelines as a result. While Diaby is perhaps not a key Fantasy figure, his absence could impact those around him. It certainly did today.
Per Mertesacker
The German has been in outstanding form and was beginning to emerge as an unlikely option in an improved Gunners defence. Today’s teamsheet from Wenger, however, strongly indicated that Thomas Vermaelen and Laurent Koscielny remain the first choice pairing.
Reading’s Budget Options
Danny Guthrie, Alex Pearce and Chris Gunter were strong budget options but all three failed to regain their starting roles after the midweek Capital One tie, with Guthrie and Pearce finding themselves on the bench for the 2-2 draw with Newcastle. Adrian Mariappa, Shaun Cummings and Jimmy Kebe are perhaps new names we can consider, but there will be concerns on rotation from this point on.
Swansea’s Form
Michael Laudrup’s side slip to their third straight defeat, conceding seven goals without reply. Their Fantasy potential has slipped dramatically at both ends then, as Laudrup’s honeymoon period comes to an abrupt end. Two favourable home fixtures may well offer respite over the next two Gameweeks.
Wayne Routledge
The winger maintained his starting role last weekend, despite the introduction of Pablo Hernandez, but today, Laudrup dropped him to the bench as Nathan Dyer and Leon Britton returned to the starting XI. It’s clear that Swansea’s wingers are set for rigorous rotation and Routledge is no longer a secure budget option.
Joleon Lescott
Dropped to the bench as Roberto Mancini started with Matija Nastasić alongside Vincent Kompany in the City defence. Lescott’s starting role is clearly far from secure with Nastasić and Kolo Toure the threats. City are still without a clean sheet after conceding at the Cottage and patience is surely wearing thin, despite the obliging fixtures to come.
