It’s a tricky one, this Gameweek. With so many enticing ties on the agenda, picking our way through the available options has proven to be a headache. On paper, at least, there are armband options aplenty – a problem reflected by the fact that the leader of the Captain Poll, Eden Hazard, has just 20% of the votes cast so far. As we prepare ourselves for another international break, here’s who we have for Gameweek 7:
With a clean sheet in each of his three home games so far, Ben Foster gets the nod between the sticks as West Brom prepare to welcome QPR to the Hawthorns. We’re still unsure over the availability of Liam Ridgewell and Gareth McAuley – Steve Clarke failed to mention either defender in yesterday’s press conference – but if one or both miss out, Foster’s save points boost his appeal should the (potentially) weakened Baggies backline concede.
Branislav Ivanovic earns a place ahead of Chelsea’s home clash against Norwich. With the visitors scoring just one goal in their three away games to date, the right-back looks a strong bet for a clean sheet at the Bridge tomorrow afternoon. Top scoring defender in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) so far, Ivanovic’s attacking threat offers the chance of points at both ends of the pitch as Chelsea look to maintain their 100% home record against Chris Hughton’s strugglers.
Leighton Baines is impossible to overlook. The Everton left-back makes his way to Wigan with David Moyes’ side sitting second in the table – a clear indication of their form right now. Bearing in mind that Baines racked up double figures in his last road trip, the omens look good for another strong haul against a Latics side that have scored just three times and failed to record a clean sheet in their first trio of DW fixtures.
With one assist and no clean sheets to his name so far, Glen Johnson is maybe not quite an obvious candidate. The Liverpool full-back has offered plenty of attacking threat down the flank under Brendan Rodgers, however, without yet producing the attacking returns his forwards raids have merited. Stoke roll up to Anfield this Sunday having notched just three times on the road so far and, despite their Europa League defeat at the hands of Udinese, the Merseysiders will remain confident of collecting the points and notching a first home victory of the season.
Two goals, three assists and nine FPL bonus points in his last three matches sums up the current form of Gareth Bale. There’s no doubt Spurs are still a work in progress under Andre Villas-Boas but last night’s draw in Panathinaikos took their unbeaten run to eight in all competitions – a sign that they are finally beginning to click. Buoyed by last week’s man of the match display at Old Trafford, Bale looks in strong form ahead of Villa’s visit to the Lane this Sunday.
Michu may have been sold on by many Fantasy managers this week but the visit of Reading looks the perfect pick-me-up after a run of three successive blanks. The Royals have yet to register a clean sheet this season and with Michael Laudrup stressing the importance of a result after a poor last three Gameweeks for Swansea, Michu looks the man most likely to fire them back to form.
Leader of the Gameweek 7 Captain Poll, Eden Hazard stakes a claim despite a couple of disappointing recent displays. The Belgian was afforded a second-half sub role in the midweek Champions League win in Denmark and is likely to be fully refreshed ahead of Norwich’s trip to the Bridge – with the visitors arriving on the back of a 5-2 thrashing by Liverpool, Hazard has the potential to run riot against the Canaries porous defence.
Southampton’s record buy Gaston Ramirez is handed his Scout Picks debut this weekend. As highlighted in our recent Watchlist piece earlier in the week, the Uruguayan has been in decent form of late – playing in “the hole” behind Rickie Lambert, he’s produced attacking returns in each of his last two Gameweeks. Ramirez plays host to a Fulham side that have conceded seven goals in their three road trips so far and should be instrumental if the Saints are to pick up the points at St Mary’s on Sunday.
A hat-trick at Carrow Road last Saturday finally delivered the points his performances have merited. Granted, Luis Suarez can be a frustrating Fantasy pick, with the Uruguayan somehow hitting the woodwork with more regularity than the back of the net, but another goal in last night’s Europa League match with Udinese highlights his current confidence. With Liverpool out to register their first home win of the season against Stoke on Sunday, Suarez will be handed the armband by many.
The comments of Roberto Mancini earlier today brings Carlos Tevez into the Scout Picks. The City boss admitted he needed to make “five or six changes” to his starting line-up for the visit of Sunderland and bearing in mind the Argentine was the only City forward not to feature in Wednesday’s Champions League draw against Dortmund, Tevez looks the likeliest of Mancini’s four forwards to begin the Black Cats game. It’s becoming an ever-increasing weekly worry for Fantasy managers, though, having to second-guess the Italian’s starters up top but for tomorrow at least, Tevez seems secure.
Once again, we call on Robin Van Persie to produce the goods as United make their way to Newcastle. Having warmed up with a midweek brace against CFR Cluj, the Dutchman could have Wayne Rooney as his sidekick for the Magpies showdown and with Alan Pardew admitting he will be without Steven Taylor, Fabricio Coloccini and Tim Krul, the hosts’ defence is far from full strength – there’s no one more likely to take advantage than the former Arsenal skipper.
On the bench are a trio of players who offer mid-price options with home ties on their respective agendas. Angel Rangel is our back-up defender. Granted, Swansea have had a hard time of it recent matches but the right-back’s threat from the back is always liable to produce – a 14 point Liberty return in Gameweek 2 attests to that. With visitors Reading managing just six goals in their opening five matches, Michael Laudrup’s side could well be in line for their third clean sheet of the season tomorrow.
Kevin Nolan is unlucky not to find a place in the starting XI. The West Ham skipper has scored in all three games in front of his own fans this season and squares up to Arsenal at Upton Park tomorrow. Averaging over eight FPL points per home appearance, the 6.3 priced midfielder could be the man for the occasion once more as the Hammers look for a win that would take them five points clear of Arsene Wenger’s visitors.
Finally, we call on Rickie Lambert ahead of the visit of Villa. Unable to oust any of our trio of big-name forwards for this week’s fixtures, the Southampton man affords us a strong captaincy alternative ahead of Fulham’s trip to St Mary’s. With three goals and an assist in his last couple of home games, Lambert could well put the travel-sick Cottagers to the sword.