Mathieu Debuchy is sidelined for a three-month period after undergoing ankle surgery. Brendan Rodgers has worries in midfield as the Merseyside derby edges closer, Alan Pardew is determined to be cautious with Papiss Cisse’s fitness, while the injuries ease for Everton ahead of a hectic schedule.
Debuchy Undergoes Surgery
Arsene Wenger revealed yesterday that Mathieu Debuchy has undergone surgery on his ankle. The French defender suffered the injury in the Gunners’ Gameweek 4 draw with Man City and Wenger believes the right-back will now be missing for around three months:
“He has had surgery and will be out for three months. It all went well, but it can be a week or two earlier or a week or two later, but it will be around three months. It is a blow of course, how big it will be we will only know afterwards because it will be down to how well we replace him. We bought [Calum] Chambers for that.”
The Scout Says: Debuchy’s injury blow may mean we lose one cheaper route into the Gunners’ backline, but it also means that another – even more budget friendly – option now looks nailed on. Over 20,000 managers have already acquired the services of the 4.5-priced Calum Chambers this week, and that figure looks set to increase momentously following yesterday’s update on the Frenchman. Wenger’s side secured their first clean sheet of the season in their 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at the weekend, and will be optimistic of adding to that when they face a Spurs side who have struck just twice in their last three league fixtures on Saturday evening. A trip to Chelsea in Gameweek 7 is certain to prove a big test, but beyond that, the schedule then takes a significant turn for the better as Wenger’s side face just two of last term’s top eight in the following nine matches, bringing Chambers onto many a Fantasy radar right up until the festive period.
DIAME ENJOYING CENTRAL BERTH
Hull City’s deadline-day signing Mo Diame has revealed his relief after returning to his preferred central midfield role. Mainly utilised on the flank during his spell at West Ham, the Senegal international is now keen to kick on at his new club, with goals one of his priorities:
“I am in a different position to West Ham. I was a winger there. I am now back in midfield where I have played all my life. West Ham is a great club and the fans were always behind me. But I am not a winger. I have goal targets, too, and playing as a winger meant I couldn’t meet that target. I like Hull as a club. I can see myself doing well here.”
The Scout Says: It’s taken just two appearances in a Hull shirt for Diame to score half as many goals as he did for West Ham throughout the whole of last season, and there’s no denying that the 5.4-priced midfielder’s potential is on the up now he’s back in his favoured position. Diame’s influence in the last two Gameweeks is ranked third – only behind Man United pair Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria – in our ICT rankings, yet the 27-year-old is still owned by just 0.4% of managers in the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) game. Tucked in behind a front two of Nikica Jelavic and Abel Hernandez, Diame’s performances will be crucial for Steve Bruce’s side as they face tough encounters with Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool in the next four Gameweeks – having conceded seven in their last three, it’s clear that the Tigers will need goals at the other end if they are to overcome their lofty opponents, and Diame could prove an outstanding differential if he can orchestrate their offensive ambitions.
PARDEW RELUCTANT TO RISK CISSE
Alan Pardew has acknowledged that he must be careful with the fitness of Papiss Cisse, and has revealed that he is unlikely to hand Saturday’s two-goal hero the full 90 minutes in tomorrow night’s cup meeting with Crystal Palace.
The Scout Says: Over 2,700 managers have already taken a punt on Cisse following his weekend brace against Hull, though it’s clear that the former Bundesliga striker is still far from full sharpness in Pardew’s eyes. Nonetheless, with summer signing Emmanuel Riviere yet to get off the mark for Newcastle, and no other genuine forward options in their ranks, the 5.9-priced Cisse could very well be reinstated in Pardew’s starting XI for Monday night’s visit of Stoke. With Cisse on board, Remy Cabella may finally be able to produce the returns his underlying stats have deserved – the Frenchman has just one assist to his name so far this season, despite the fact that his creative stats for the first five Gameweeks are on par with the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Alexis Sanchez.
OVIEDO AND KONE SET FOR COMEBACKS
Roberto Martinez has confirmed that Bryan Oviedo and Arouna Kone are back in contention to face Swansea in the Capital One Cup this evening following long injury lay-offs. Kone has been absent for the Toffees since last October after suffering a serious knee injury just a couple of months after moving to Goodison, whilst Oviedo has not featured for Martinez’s side since sustaining a broken leg back in January.
The Scout Says: With Kevin Mirallas, Steven Naismith and Aiden McGeady all dropping to the bench in Everton’s defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday, it’s clear that Fantasy managers will need to be wary of the Toffees’ attacking assets in the coming weeks. With domestic cup and European duties to manoeuvre, rotation was always going to be on the cards for Martinez, and the returns of Oviedo and Kone look set to increase the prospects further. This concern, allied with the fact that trips to Liverpool and Man United are up next for the Merseyside outfit, means that managers are likely to be shopping elsewhere before the schedule brightens up for the Toffees from Gameweek 8 onwards. However, Oviedo’s classification as a defender in FPL could make the Costa Rican an intriguing differential once fully fit, with a place on the wing a more likely role for the 4.9-priced man.
Midfield Concerns for Rodgers
Jordan Henderson and Philippe Coutinho are both to be assessed before tonight’s Capital One Cup tie against Middlesbrough. Coutinho missed Liverpool’s loss to West Ham on Saturday evening due to a groin problem, whilst Henderson picked up a hip strain in that match, and Brendan Rogers has confirmed that both are major doubts for tonight’s encounter:
“Jordan Henderson picked up a knock so we need to assess where he’s at. And Philippe Coutinho is highly unlikely for tomorrow as well.”
The Scout Says: It’s certainly not been the start to the season we expected for Coutinho, whose creative flair is yet to harbour any returns for his declining band of owners. Nonetheless, Rodgers will be keen to get the Brazilian back to full fitness for this weekend’s Merseyside derby after the disappointing displays of Adam Lallana since his return from injury. Henderson, meanwhile, has offered his 13.5% ownership a modest haul thus far, with a steady average of 3.6 points per appearance not too poor considering his 6.0 tag. The midfielder has certainly been a pivotal figure in Rodgers’ side, and the Anfield boss is unlikely to risk his fitness ahead of Saturday’s derby, when he will try to overturn the form that has seen Liverpool lose two on the trot against Villa and the Hammmers.
