Our Monday lunchtime regular gives us time to pause and reflect on the lessons learned from the latest batch of fixtures. City’s blistering attack, Michu’s lack of form and fitness, Brendan Rodgers’ formation and the resurgent form of a certain Dutchman are all part of the agenda…
Michu’s Ankle Problem Could be the Final Straw
It’s five games without a goal now for the Swansea midfielder, with yesterday’s blank and subsequent withdrawal against Cardiff the latest in a line of poor performances. Arguably, Michu has been a victim of Swansea’s schedule – while Michael Laudrup continues to be tentative with Wilfried Bony’s game time, the Spaniard has been a constant in the starting XI for league and European duties and fatigue seems to have caught up with him. While he’s not yet been ruled out of the weekend game with Stoke, many are choosing to opt out on Michu, with his dodgy ankle giving us the chance to scour the midfield market and perhaps free up budget for big-hitters up top.
Defences are Back On Top
Ten teams delivered clean sheets last weekend – eight of them arriving courtesy of home sides as hosts drew the shutters down. Backline options continue to serve up superb value while midfields again toil to attract our attentions – so far this season, eight defenders have racked up 50+ points compared to just three midfielders. With the midfield remaining a minefield blighted by inconsistency (only four players scored last weekend), Jan Vertonghen’s rise to the top of the defender standings highlighted how investment in certain premium-priced backline options is paying off. Sitting on 61 points, the 7.1 priced Belgian’s tally has been bettered by just two midfielders despite the fact he’s produced just one assist – not bad for a player who has yet to live up to his attacking potential, then.
City are Scoring the Goals for Everyone Else
Gameweek 10 brought with it 21 goals – Manuel Pellegrini’s side notched seven of them. Some were reluctant to load up on City coverage due to the upcoming Champions League clash but the Chilean’s line-up against Norwich suggests he’s less liable to rotate than his predecessor. With seven different goalscorers, eight players picking up attacking returns and a clean sheet also thrown in, City’s display punished those who chose to ignore their potential under the new manager – currently averaging 9.1 points per game, Sergio Aguero’s star has never shone brighter, while frustrated Michu owners may be swayed by David Silva’s differential appeal as the Spaniard strikes up a consistency under the new regime.
Robin’s Becoming Reliable Again
Sold on by over 750,000 Fantasy managers this season, the Dutchman’s patchy start under David Moyes finally looks behind him. With plenty of mid-price forwards doing the business early on, ridding our sides of Van Persie was made a little easier by the form that saw him score in just two of the first seven Gameweeks – aving notched in three successive league matches now, with a pair of assists also thrown in, he’s back in the groove again. With so many premium midfielders failing to justify their price tags, Van Persie – despite his 13.9 valuation – is suddenly becoming a viable option for those looking for mid-price options in midfield.
Liverpool’s Formation Remains a Work in Progress
The half-time introduction of Philippe Coutinho away to Arsenal saw Brendan Rodgers move away from a 3-4-1-2 and roll out a more traditional 4-4-2 formation at the Emirates. It didn’t help that the Reds were without their first-choice wing-backs, Glen Johnson and Jose Enrique, but Arsene Wenger’s side were canny enough to take advantage of the space afforded on the flanks – while Rodgers still seems intent on keeping Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge together up top, it remains to be seen whether his three-man backline is here to stay.
Barkley’s No Longer a Guaranteed Starter
Sunday’s home match with Spurs saw Ross Barkley warm the Everton bench for the first time this season as Roberto Martinez looks to protect the youngster from fatigue. Called upon in the 62nd minute as his manager looked to break down a resilient Spurs defence, Barkley’s brief cameo resulted in a fourth successive blank – currently sitting in 35% of Fantasy teams, we can expect his ownership to tumble over the next few days as Fantasy managers react to Martinez’ latest team sheet.
Amalfitano’s a Victim of his Own Versatility
The Frenchman’s owners raised a sigh of relief after he recovered from the knee problem that forced him off last week to start against Palace. Half an hour into the Eagles match and those same owners’ sighs were borne of frustration – an injury to Billy Jones forced Amalfitano to play the rest of the match at right-back; all the more galling considering Saido Berahino, his replacement in right midfield, grabbed a goal, while Stephane Sessegnon chipped in with an assist. With Jones a hamstring doubt, Amalfitano may be forced to take up a place in defence for next weekend’s trip to Chelsea – given West Brom then have three home games in four, this reverse out of position role would be a big blow to his Fantasy potential.
Jose’s Going to Shake it Up
The Saturday lunchtime defeat at Newcastle left Chelsea trailing Arsenal by five points and Jose Mourinho pondering his team selection. The Blues boss admitted post-match he “made 11 mistakes” in naming his side and while Mourinho went on to concede this was a slight exaggeration, the inept performance is likely to result in further changes. Once again, Juan Mata looks the likeliest scapegoat here – surprisingly, the Spaniard has started three of the last four but without a goal or assist in any of them, could make way for the industry of Andre Schurrle on the flank, with Eden Hazard and Oscar still looking comparatively secure.
