Suspensions

The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 15

There were 30 yellow cards flashed across the weekend’s nine fixtures but not one resulted in a suspension. With five new faces clambering aboard over Saturday and Sunday, the Tightrope now has 21 players sitting just one booking shy of a single-match ban as the busy festive period kicks in.

Chelsea’s Diego Costa, Newcastle midfielder Vurnon Anita, Southampton’s James Ward-Prowse and West Brom midfield duo Craig Gardner and James McClean were the latest additions, with the latter escaping with just a yellow for a reckless high challenge on Tottenham’s Mousa Dembele.

Discussing the incident with the press post-match, Baggies boss Tony Pulis hinted that the winger was somewhat fortunate not to be sent packing:

“It was a reckless challenge. He shouldn’t be doing things like that, it’s not allowed in the modern game and he’s got to be careful. He just sees the ball, he is one of those people that if the ball was in front of a brick wall he would throw himself in to try and win the challenge. He’s not a nasty guy, there’s none of that about him, but he has to be careful”.

As a result of the weekend activity, seven sides – Bournemouth, Newcastle, Southampton, Stoke, Spurs, Watford and West Brom – now have a couple of players apiece with four cautions to their names.

Our Tightrope protagonists still sit some way behind Norwich’s Alex Tettey, though, who leads the way on seven bookings for the season after incurring the referee’s wrath during the 2-0 loss at Watford.

Just behind Tettey, there are now four players on six yellow cards. Stoke’s Erik Pieters, Liverpool duo James Milner and Lucas and Newcastle’s Jack Colback are the men concerned, with the latter two picking up cautions this weekend.

Lucas’ yellow card means that Liverpool have now earned 33 cautions in the Premier League alone – that’s on a par with West Brom and just two behind Tottenham in top spot.

Finally, four players will be available for action this weekend after serving one-match bans. Liverpool’s Emre Can, Villa’s Ciaran Clark, West Brom’s Claudio Yacob and Palace’s Wilfried Zaha toppled off last week’s Tightrope, with Can earning his fifth yellow in the midweek cup win at Southampton. Zaha, of course, will serve his ban tomorrow night as the Eagles roll up to Everton.

This means that, at present, there are no players set to serve suspensions in Gameweek 16. Palace’s Yohan Cabaye and Everton’s James McCarthy could yet succumb to the lure of the Tightrope, though – they head into tomorrow’s match at Goodison on four bookings apiece.

Finally, reports this evening suggest that United’s Bastian Schweinsteiger could face retrospective action for an alleged elbowing incident involving West Ham’s Winston Reid at Old Trafford yesterday. It’s believed that referee Mark Clattenburg and his assistants missed the altercation, with the FA set to contact the whistler before making a decision. Marouane Fellaini is likely to escape punishment for an alleged stamp on James Tomkins during the goalless draw.

Anorak Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. Follow them on Twitter

2,522 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Venom Snake
    • 11 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    I feel silly for selling Darmian couple weeks ago

    1. Numb
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      To be fair, its only the Rojo injury that's let him back in - and you could hardly have predicted that

      1. Venom Snake
        • 11 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Madness to bring him back?

        1. Numb
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          No, but I still am not convinced he's entirely nailed, mainly though

          1. Venom Snake
            • 11 Years
            8 years, 11 months ago

            Me too, but I want to ditch van Dijk.
            Maybe I'll go Zouma

    2. ronty
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      totally intent on selling him for Moreno till Rojo got injured

      Thankfully I do late changes 😛

  2. RustyBz
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Coutinho or Ramsey for Mane? Already own Ozil.

    1. Sjaugen
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Decide on Friday. Coutinho if fit

    2. Wardinator
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      I have the same decision. I'm leaning towards Rambo as I think he's gonna smash it over Xmas

    3. Scoredelario
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Well now the Coutinho injury is dragging on I would probably let him play before buying. I'm considering Ramsey

    4. Whats the Huth
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Walcott I reckon. See how Arsenal lines up Mid-week. If Theo and Giroud both start, then Theo is 100% nailed on starter till Sanchez is back.

    5. Mahesh_Kumar
      • 10 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Coutinho if fit. Ramsey next week. Need Ramsey if you want to climb ranks fast

  3. UCL Fantasy
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    I was looking at shipping Bertrand to Zouma but I might get Darmian and double on United defence...

    1. Venom Snake
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Double United defence looks the way to go

    2. Numb
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Neither strike me as the sort of player you want in the festive period!

      1. UCL Fantasy
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Probably not but can see Darmian playing majority. Smalling and Clyne shouldn't get rotated so just leaves Rose and Darmian 🙂

        1. Numb
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Yeah, Smalling and Clyne are safe as houses

    3. RustyBz
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      They're set up beautifully to keep clean sheets! But I don't think anyone apart from DDG or Smalling are 100% nailed are they?

      1. UCL Fantasy
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Not 100% but Darmian is closer than he has been for a good few weeks

    4. Arvin-ation
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Who's your other United defender?

      1. UCL Fantasy
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Smalling

  4. New article
  5. Iceball
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Butland
    Kolarov Smalling Bellerín
    Hazard Ozil Mahrez Barkley
    Kane Lukaku Vardy
    Schmeichel Westwood Dawson Francis
    1ft, 3,7 m itb.
    Sold Aguero for Kane and will probably not getting back until new year. Have a lot in the bank so many options like
    A) Barkley-> KDB
    B) Hazard-> KDB
    C) Fix Westwood to prepare for Christmas period.
    D) Save if no injuries this week.
    Not sure I dare have no City attack vs Swansea but they have Arsenal after that so maybe better to save?

  6. The Man Pastore
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    My team became a mess in the past 2 weeks:

    Butland l Hennessey
    Kolarov l Bertrand l Moreno l Dawson l Souare
    Tadic Marhez Hazard Coutinho l Gisling
    Lukaku Aguero Kane

    0FT / 0.3ITB

    What would you do with this lot?

    1. Nisheda
      • 9 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Wait till the end of the week for news on Coutinho and Aguero.
      Don't do anything hasty.
      You should look at though Tadic- Wijanldum or Shaquiri IMO but not for a -4

      1. The Man Pastore
        • 10 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        Thanks mate! I really hope that Cout and Kun will be fit for this week...

        1. Nisheda
          • 9 Years
          8 years, 11 months ago

          Good luck! Yea im waiting on news on coutinho to get on the coutinho train

  7. MOULACTICOS
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Thoughts guys

    GW 16

    Butland

    Moreno Bellerin Toby

    KDB(c) Ozil Mahrez Deulofeu

    Aguero Vardy Lukaku

    Subs: Morrison Van Dijk Browning

    2 FT and 2.2 ITB: Thinking of doing Morrison -> Alli and Van Dijk -> Smalling/Kolarov

    Thoughts on team and possible transfers?

  8. CCaddy
    • 10 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    A) zouma kdb Ramsey

    B) kompany silva Ramsey

    C) smalling kdb deulefou

  9. Big Bad Barry
    • 14 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    3 Everton hoping for an attacking romp tonight!

    1. Costa in Wengerland
      • 12 Years
      8 years, 11 months ago

      Same here

      1. Big Bad Barry
        • 14 Years
        8 years, 11 months ago

        I can see goals in this one Palace on the break

  10. _Gunner
    • 9 Years
    8 years, 11 months ago

    Schmeicel or Butland to play next week?