Injuries
22 November 2010 596 comments
Mark Mark
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Roberto Manicini’s City side cruise past the banana skin thrown down by Mark Hughes and his Fulham outfit at the Cottage. Up at Ewood meanwhile, it’s another setback for Gerard Houllier as Villa are kept at bay by a resolute Rovers following a couple of Morten Gamst Pedersen strikes. Here’s the notes from Sunday’s events…

Blackburn put in a stout defensive performance in their 2-0 home win over Aston Villa, with a series of impressive Paul Robinson saves mainly responsible for the clean sheet. Nikola Kalinic was dropped as Jason Roberts led the line in a game that saw David Dunn manage his first full game of the season. After next week’s trip to Old Trafford, Big Sam’s team have a kind run of fixtures that read (WOL, bol, WHM, STK, wba) and look in good form; this was their third win in four. Morten Gamst Pedersen, in particular, looks a player worth considering; his match-winning brace means he has now returned 4 goals and 9 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Bonus Points in his last four league games.

An overnight illness kept rising star Marc Albrighton out of the Aston Villa line-up, forcing Ashley Young back into midfield, with Stephen Ireland coming in to play off a lone forward. Robert Pires came off the bench to make his debut for Gerard Houllier’s side, but the injury-decimated Midlanders are far from full-strength right now. Known for their defensive solidity under Martin O’Neill, Villa are struggling to keep opponents at bay; they’ve earned just one clean sheet in the last six games.

Carlos Salcido and Chris Baird returned from injury for Fulham, but the Cottagers were blown apart by visitors Man City. Mark Hughes’ side had only conceded two goals in their previous four games, but the gulf in class was alarming at times. Fulham have now managed just one win in their last ten games and with both Bobby Zamora and Moussa Dembele out injured, look toothless up front. Three critical home games in the next five (BIR, ars, SUN, liv, WHM) could help their cause but Hughes’ side are perilously close to being drawn into the relegation zone.

Man City brushed aside recent claims of negative football by putting four goals past Fulham in their most impressive performance of the season. Talisman Carlos Tevez grabbed two goals and one assist in a display that saw him pick up the maximum 3 FPL Bonus Points. That haul makes him the Premier League top scorer and puts him just a point behind Bolton’s Johan Elmander in the FPL Forward rankings.

A deflected Zoltan Gera goal meant City conceded for the first time in four games, but Joe Hart was rarely troubled as their back four continue to look impressive. Interestingly, full-back Aleksander Kolarov was also taking corners, which could give him the edge over other City defenders for an upcoming run of games that reads (stk, BOL, whm, EVE, new, AVL). James Milner and Adam Johnson were again benched as Yaya Toure impressed in an attacking central midfield role for Roberto Mancini’s side.

Mark Mark created the beast. He's now looking to tame it.

596 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Declan
    • 15 Years
    15 years, 1 month ago

    http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/2010/November/Mancini-has-sympathy-for-players-out-of-the-side

    It would seem from the above report, Mancini still favors Boateng as his first choice RB(Zabaleta might have something to say about that), it should also mean Kolarov wont be losing his place to Boateng at LB!

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  2. Flog the trog
    • 15 Years
    15 years, 1 month ago

    Is getting in 2 Bolton players for the foreseeable futre worth it? It is also a 4 point hit but I don't mind 4 points.

    It'd be:- piquione to elmander/davies

    and

    brunt to lee?

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    1. SuperDorrans
      • 16 Years
      15 years, 1 month ago

      I wouldn't do them both, seems like point chasing. Just do Piquonne to Davies.

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    2. Flog the trog
      • 15 Years
      15 years, 1 month ago

      I can't afford that without the midfield transfer tho dude

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  3. @ImpressiveTackl
    • 15 Years
    15 years, 1 month ago

    Hey guys,

    Currently 57th in the Scout league and it's been another decent gameweek for me. I have 63 points with Arteta to play tonight.

    In my mini-league I am tied for 63 with one of my work buddies who only has Cahill to play. It's the ultimate Cahill v Arteta showdown which admittedly Cahill has won thus far this season.

    However I'm figuring if Sunderland keep up their impressive defensive resolve of late and it's a very tight game, 0-0 even, then the bonus point judges are more likely to reward Arteta before Cahill. After all Arteta has 12 BP whereas Cahill only has 7 BP. When you consider Cahill has 6 goals and 1 assist to Arteta's 2 goals and 0 assists you know Arteta is the BP darling. Also all of Cahill's BPs came in games where he has scored, whereas Arteta's have all came in games where he neither scored nor assisted. Therefore I am hoping for a tight affair tonight or at least for the Austrialian to be kept at bay!

    OR in what would be a fairly fortunate turn of events Cahill comes down with some kind of illness, doesn't play tonight and off comes Alcaraz (-3) from my mate's bench. Muhahahaha I'm sorry, FPL brings out the dark side.

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    1. Admiral Stark
      • 15 Years
      15 years, 1 month ago

      lol. just chill for the game.

      Don't take it too seriously

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      1. @ImpressiveTackl
        • 15 Years
        15 years, 1 month ago

        Lol suppose so. I know I'm overly-analytical but I can't help it.

        Plus there's money riding on it for me every week. Keep's it interesting. Before FPL I would never have tuned into Sunderland v Everton but I'm really looking forward to the game now!

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        1. Admiral Stark
          • 15 Years
          15 years, 1 month ago

          Yeah, me too. Like three four years back I only used to watch United games and those other big-four games but since the FPL... 🙂

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          1. @ImpressiveTackl
            • 15 Years
            15 years, 1 month ago

            Ahhh just thought I'd check back on this comment from earlier and gloat.

            Cahill and Arteta both nabbed a goal each in tonight's game but it was Arteta that the bonus point judges smiled upon... again. Just as I predicted hehehe.

            Tasty wee 72 points this week. Luverly.

            Oh and I'm up to 37th in the scout league! Woo-hoo!

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  4. Rasping Drive
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 16 Years
    15 years, 1 month ago

    Afternoon chaps. Been away for a while, can anyone tell me why Fabs wasn't docked points for giving away a penalty? Or did I dream that this was in the rules this year? Cheers. PS Come on the Everton cleanie!!

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    1. Admiral Stark
      • 15 Years
      15 years, 1 month ago

      Docked points for what? haven't ever heard of such a rule since FPL began 😉 Though I bet He could've gotten full BPs were it not for that small moment of idiocy

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      1. Jafstar - TheRedDevil
        • 15 Years
        15 years, 1 month ago

        mhm

        there is no point deduction for giving away a penalty....point deductions only for cards...and own goals? i think

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        1. Jafstar - TheRedDevil
          • 15 Years
          15 years, 1 month ago

          oh and also missing penalties

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          1. Rasping Drive
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 16 Years
            15 years, 1 month ago

            Right, thanks chaps.

            Note to self - Lay off the weed

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            1. MAD
              • 15 Years
              15 years, 1 month ago

              It's always 4:20 somewhere RD..

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            2. Gargamel
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • 16 Years
              15 years, 1 month ago

              Well well well, looks like somebody is having a dreamy gameweek! And Dann to come in as well, that's magic

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      2. Bend it like Brunt
        • 15 Years
        15 years, 1 month ago

        Hot hit Chamakhs arm!! After Fab lifted it up fpr him!

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