Mesut Ozil grabs a goal and assist in Arsenal’s win over Napoli. Ramires bags a brace as Juan Mata returns to the Chelsea first XI against Steaua Bucharest. Robbie Brady is sidelined for four weeks due to hernia surgery, Sergio Aguero and David Silva are back in time for City’s clash with Bayern this evening, while Rio Ferdinand is out for United due to a groin problem:
Ozil Steers Gunners to Victory
Arsene Wenger made just a couple of changes to his side for last night’s home win over Napoli. Fit-again Tomas Rosicky made an immediate return to the XI, while Mikel Arteta also started for the Gunners after emerging from the bench in each of the last couple of league encounters. The hosts had Mesut Ozil to thank for yet another commanding display as Wenger’s side go from strength to strength – the German fired a superb opener courtesy of an Aaron Ramsey assist before teeing up Olivier Giroud for the second.
After the game, Wenger discussed the options afforded by Arteta’s return to midfield. Having taken the decision to bench Jack Wilshere, the Gunners boss partnered the Spaniard with Mathieu Flamini, allowing Ramsey to move into the attacking midfield three alongside Ozil and Rosicky:
“Of course it was difficult (to rest Wilshere). But I do not want to overload him. He comes back for a long time, he has given a lot on Saturday, and I decided that [to leave him out] very late today. With him I am a little bit more cautious than I was before….You cannot play with 11 players with all the games we have in front of us. It is important that I rotate without losing the balance of the team. When Cazorla comes back, Podolski, Chamberlain, we have of course options in midfield. Tonight I played Flamini and Arteta because Flamini had a job to do on Hamsik a lot, and he did that very well. Napoli are very dangerous going forward on counter-attacking, and I felt we stopped them very well from doing that.”
The Scout Says: While Ramsey’s ever-growing legion of Fantasy owners will be more than happy with a more advanced berth, Wenger is clearly looking to utilise the strength and depth of his squad across all competitions. Flamini’s arrival has certainly given the Arsenal boss a real dilemma in central midfield, though, and his defensive positioning has provided Ramsey with the chance to bomb forward and rack up the returns in recent weeks. Certainly, the Welshman’s form is simply too good for Wenger to omit him from the XI, leaving Arteta and Flamini to battle it out for the other role in the double-pivot unless Wenger utilises Ramsey in a more advanced berth until the likes of Santi Cazorla and Theo Walcott return from injury. Wilshere’s brief appearance last night suggests he is set to return to the first XI at West Brom this weekened, though, with youngster Serge Gnabry also in contention for the right wing role after he was rested against the Italians last night.
Ramires at the Double
Chelsea bounced back from their shock home defeat to Basel by hammering Steaua Bucharest last night. Juan Mata was handed a start after impressing from the bench against Spurs on Saturday, Andre Schurrle kept the role on the left due to Eden Hazard’s ankle injury, while Oscar took up the other spot in the attacking midfield three as Ramires partnered Frank Lampard in the centre of the park. The latter two shared three goals between them in the 4-0 win, with Ramires scoring twice, while an own goal from the home side also bolstered the scoreline.
After the match, Jose Mourinho complimented both Mata and Schurrle’s performances after the pair impressed on rare starts for the Blues:
“Mata played the no. 10 position and the no. 7 position and he played very good with the ball as he always does, and he is playing very good without the ball like he never did. This was Schurrle’s best position, on the left . Other matches he played on the right where he was trying to deliver but he is a different player than on the right. He was a lot in the game, getting the ball at his feet and in space to attack the defender and he was very strong. I understand Andre Schurrle was man of the match from UEFA but I am very happy with every one of my players.”
The Scout Says: Having now earned his manager’s praise in each of the last two games, Mata may well have turned the corner in his quest for a regular role under Mourinho. With two starts in the opening six league fixtures, he has now dropped down to 9.6 in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game from an initial cost of 10.5 – after two superb seasons as a Fantasy asset, he’s slowly returning to our radars and has Norwich, Cardiff, Newcastle and West Brom in the next five to profit from. If he earns another start on Sunday at Carrow Road, many he be willing to take a punt, though Mourinho’s rest and rotation policy will always be a nagging worry. With Mourinho starting Hazard in every league game so far, Schurrle’s chances of regular time in his favoured role on the left have been minimal – the Belgian is confident of returning in time to face the Canaries, suggesting the summer signing may struggle to retain his starting berth against Chris Hughton’s side.
Torres Worry for Jose
Fernando Torres lasted just 10 minutes of last night’s match before being replaced by Samuel Eto’o up front. The Spaniard – who is, of course, banned for Sunday’s trip to Norwich after his dismissal at Spurs last weekend – now faces an anxious wait for news of any potential injury. After the game, Mourinho, who has recently lost midfielder Marco Van Ginkel for six months with anterior cruciate knee ligament damage, revealed:
“Our doctor is confident it is not a big injury like Van Ginkel’s, but we will have to wait for the scans. Torres knows that he doesn’t play against Norwich [due to suspension]. Then he knows he doesn’t go with the national team so he has time before the next game he can play, against Cardiff. Let’s see the scan. It is a pity for the guy because he is in a very good moment physically and he played fantastic against Tottenham, and he played today because he deserved to start. It is a pity but that is football.”
The Scout Says: Any length of absence leaves Mourinho with just Samuel Eto’o and Demba Ba as recognised forwards as the Blues have no recall clause for Romelu Lukaku at Everton. Given that Ba has featured just once in the league this season, Eto’o certainly looks the likeliest to benefit, though Mourinho also demonstrated against United back in Gameweek 2 that he could utilise Schurrle in the lone forward position. With a kind upcoming schedule, though, the Cameroon international, at 8.9 in FPL and with an ownership less than 1%, could be a decent differential if Torres is indeed set for a spell on the sidelines.
Brady Sidelined by Hernia Op
Robbie Brady’s Fantasy owners were dealt a significant blow yesterday after Hull confirmed their in-form midfielder will be sidelined for the next month after undergoing a hernia operation yesterday. The club’s Head of Medical Services, Rob Price, explained:
“It’s actually a condition that we’ve been managing for around six weeks now. Robbie has managed to play through that and been particularly successful despite being in a reasonable amount of pain. The manager has been very good in terms of limiting Robbie’s training sessions and has brought him off at times in games when he was still able to perform. We had a sit down between Robbie, the manager and myself to make a decision on when it would be best to have the surgery and Robbie decided that he couldn’t really continue to play with the pain he was having..We’re hopeful that he will be back playing sometime within around four weeks.”
The Scout Says: Currently sitting third in the FPL midfield standings after racking up 40 points in the opening six Gameweeks, Brady’s loss will hit his 12% of FPL owners hard. The Republic of Ireland international has been subbed off for three consecutive league games with the problem but was expected to play through the pain barrier for next weekend’s home clash against Villa – as a result, he had received more than 90,000 transfers in already this week. Steve Bruce now looks set to be without Brady until the Gameweek 10 home clash against Sunderland – similarly priced options such as Ross Barkley or Peter Whittingham could be set for extra investment as Fantasy managers scour the budget bracket for replacements.
Aguero and Silva Fit for Bayern Showdown
Manuel Pellegrini was handed a huge boost ahead of City’s home game against Bayern this evening after Sergio Aguero and David Silva were passed fit. The former was ruled out of Saturday’s shock loss at Villa, while Silva has missed the last five in all competitions after picking up a problem on international duty but their manager revealed at yesterday’s press briefing:
“David is in the squad. I think he can at least play some minutes. Sergio is fit and he is also on the list.”
The Scout Says: While the duo’s return is welcome relief for tonight’s crucial clash against Pep Guardiola’s side, Pellegrini will be eager to bounce back on the domestic front after losing the momentum gained from the Gameweek 5 Manchester derby thrashing of United. City certainly don’t have an easy time of it in the league – in the next six they welcome Everton and Spurs to the Etihad, while trips to West Ham and Chelsea will test an away record that has garnered a single point in three attempts. Judging by Pellegrini’s words, Silva may well be tentatively eased back into the fold but, bearing in mind that his decision to omit Aguero last weekend was taken with this evening’s game in mind, it’s clear that European duties will continue to be factor in his domestic thinking.
Ferdinand Groin Worry for United
David Moyes has omitted Rio Ferdinand from United’s clash against Shakhtar Donetsk this evening after the centre-half picked up “a slight groin problem” after Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by West Brom.
The Scout Says: Ferdinand’s potential absence affords Nemanja Vidic owners greater optimism ahead of Saturday’s trip to basement-dwellers Sunderland. United had failed to concede at home prior to the Baggies clash but Moyes’ decision to rest both Vidic and Patrice Evra backfired spectacularly – given his side’s poor start, it seems highly unlikely he’ll omit the Serbian for a second successive Gameweek, with Ferdinand’s injury merely underling how crucial Vidic will be as the champions attempt to get back to winning ways against the basement-dwellers.
Hernandez Nearing Swans Return
Michael Laudrup is hoping to have Pablo Hernandez back in the Swansea fold for Thursday’s Europa League game against St Gallen. The Spaniard has failed to appear since picking up a thigh injury against West Brom last month but his manager has revealed:
“Pablo has been training for five days or so. Hopefully, he should be more or less ready to go back in with the group this week and he will come back into contention.”
Laudrup has also talked up the prospects of youngster Alejandro Pozuelo for the season ahead, whilst admitting he is keen to ease him tentatively into the first-team:
“I think he can do here what Coutinho has done at Liverpool. I remember when Coutinho arrived from Inter he had a lot to learn, but now he is one of the most important players at Liverpool. With time, Pozuelo can do the same here because he has the same ability with the ball, same ability in finding space, being good one-on-one and having very good vision, and we know he has two good feet because we don’t know if he is right or left footed. But with a player like that, he’s only 21, we have to bring him forward easily and by doing that he will be another very important player for us.”
The Scout Says: With a goal, two assists and three bonus points in just three appearances, Hernandez was quick out the blocks and his early form suggested the winger was set to step up for the Swans this term after an indifferent debut season. Back down to his initial FPL price of 6.0 after injury curtailed a substantial bandwagon over the first international break, his imminent return coincides with a string upcoming schedule for the Welsh outfit. With Sunderland, West Ham, Cardiff, Stoke and Fulham from Gameweek 7 onwards, he could come into the reckoning for those looking for a mid-price route into the Swansea midfield. Whilst Laudrup is clearly a fan of Pozuelo, the youngster has yet to start a league match and has been utilised as a sub in each of the last five league matches. Certainly, he’s one to monitor right now but is unlikely to come into contention as a regular in the short-term, at least.
