Clint Dempsey grabs an FA Cup hat-trick to see off Charlton. Simon Cox also bags three as West Brom get the better of a battling Cardiff, Hatem Ben Arfa scores a superb solo goal in his return to the Newcastle first XI and Harry Redknapp welcomes back a couple of key individuals as Spurs cruise through at the expense of Cheltenham…
Simon Cox
Afforded a mere three starts in the league by Roy Hodgson this season, the Irishman has taken a backseat as countryman Shane Long gets the majority of game time up front alongside Peter Odemwingie. Hodgson sent out a near full-strength side for the home clash with Cardiff and while Odemwingie managed an assist in the 4-2 win, Cox bagged a hat-trick to see off the Welsh club. With Long likely to be sidelined for the next couple of weeks, Cox should get the chance to take his strong form into next weekend’s gameweek 21 home encounter with Norwich.
Simeon Jackson
Paul Lambert started with Simeon Jackson alongside Grant Holt up top for the visit of Burnley, with the former once again preferred to Steve Morison up front. The starting duo grabbed a goal apiece- Jackson’s strike was his third in his last four Norwich appearances. Morison came off the bench midway through the second half and, mirroring his performance at QPR last week, notched a goal as the Canaries cruised to a 4-1 win.
Hatem Ben Arfa
With Demba Ba now absent on international duty for Senegal, Alan Pardew named Ben Arfa in the Newcastle first XI for the first time in seven matches. The last time the Frenchman started was back in the gameweek 14 home defeat by Chelsea and since then, he’d managed a mere 86 minutes prior to yesterday. An outstanding individual effort against Steve Kean’s strugglers brought Ben Arfa back onto the Fantasy radar, with Pardew also affording him the full ninety minutes- something he’s yet to achieve in the league all season. The Newcastle boss was clearly impressed- post-match, he claimed the effort was the “greatest goal” he’d ever seen.
Ryan Taylor
Handed a game on the right flank against Man United due to the absence of Gabriel Obertan, Taylor dropped to the bench yesterday with the winger fully fit to face Blackburn. Alan Pardew once again preferred Davide Santon for the left-back role, with Taylor eventually coming on around the hour mark to replace Danny Simpson at right-back. If the pattern continues, it’s a major worry for his 32.7% Fantasy owners, with Santon now beginning to settle into Pardew’s first-team thinking.
Nathan Dyer
The winger netted for the second game in a row to help Swansea ease to a 4-2 win at Barnsley. Dyer had notched in last weekend’s league triumph at Aston Villa and vindicated Brendan Rodgers’ decision to start him by also providing an assist. Scott Sinclair’s Fantasy owners will be alerted to the fact that he once again was omitted from the first XI, with Wayne Routledge again starting on the flank. Routledge produced a couple of assists, as Sinclair was afforded a late second half cameo. Danny Graham’s brace will boost the forward’s confidence- he had previously netted in just one of his last five league appearances.
Clint Dempsey
A hat-trick from the American earned Fulham a comfortable 4-0 win against Charlton. Martin Jol named a near full-strength first XI for the home clash and Dempsey, one of our top tips for the upcoming gameweeks, warmed up for his favourable run of fixtures with a three-goal haul that takes his recent record to 6 strikes in the last eight games. A trip to Blackburn next weekend looks promising, then.
Michael Dawson
The centre-half made a welcome return to the Tottenham first-team after several months on the sidelines with an Achilles injury. Dawson’s last league game was back in gameweek 3 and his recovery couldn’t come at a better time for Harry Redknapp. With William Gallas ruled out at the back with a torn calf muscle in addition to Ledley King’s hamstring problem, Dawson may well come straight into the first XI for next Wednesday’s league clash with Everton. Aaron Lennon also returned for the 3-0 win over Cheltenham- the winger hadn’t played since gameweek 16 due to a hamstring injury.
Jermain Defoe
Harry Redknapp made plenty of changes for yesterday’s game, with Defoe the sole survivor from Wednesday’s 1-0 win over West Brom. Having notched the only goal in that narrow win over the Baggies, the forward continued his scoring form by grabbing the opener for the London outfit. Emmanuel Adebayor’s Fantasy owners will be hoping Defoe’s scoring run doesn’t prove detrimental to the Togo international’s prospects next Wednesday as Everton roll up to the Lane.
Jonathan Walters
Fifth top-scoring Fantasy midfielder despite picking up a mere 2 assists on the road this season, Walters is clearly someone who prefers home comforts. The Irishman notched a rare effort on the road yesterday afternoon, helping Stoke to come from behind to see off a valiant Gillingham. Robert Huth also served a reminder of his capabilities, nodding home the Potters’ third from a Wilson Palacios corner.
Royston Drenthe
The Dutchman has been absent with illness of late, missing Everton’s last two league games, but returned to action as the Toffees made hard work of a home clash against Tamworth. David Moyes’ side have been struggling for goals and have failed to net more than once in their last seven league games. Their lack of cutting edge continued yesterday and with the game finely balanced at 1-0, Drenthe climbed off the bench to provide an assist for a Leighton Baines spot-kick as the Merseyside club edged through 2-0.
Gabby Agbonlahor
A notable absentee from the Villa starting XI to face Bristol Rovers, Agbonlahor managed a second half sub appearance at the expense of Emile Heskey. There’s little doubt his season has tailed off after a superb start- Agbonlahor had bagged 4 goals in his first seven gameweeks and was shaping up to be an absolute bargain this term but since then he has netted just once. Nevertheless, he seemed a pivotal figure in the Villa team and Alex McLeish’s decision to bench him was something of a surprise. The shock certainly seemed to jolt him out of his recent lethargy, as Agbonlahor grabbed Villa’s second in a 3-1 win.
Ciaran Clark
We mentioned his eye for goal and out-of-position prospects in Friday’s Wildcard Defenders piece and Clark duly obliged, popping up to net his side’s third in the win at Bristol Rovers. Playing in central midfield for most of the game, his versatility was highlighted as he dropped back into the heart of defence after James Collins left the proceedings but that’s five starts in a row now for Clark and he’s looking more pivotal to Villas’ prospects with every passing game.
