We take a look back at the weekend’s matches and assess the lessons learned this lunchtime. Yaya Toure’s festive form, the impact of target men Andy Carroll and Peter Crouch, Sunderland’s resilience and Calum Chambers’ pitch time are amongst this afternoon’s topics.
Yaya could be the City fall-back option..
As we wait with baited breath for the next prognosis on Sergio Aguero’s knee injury, the big Ivorian served a reminder of his Fantasy potential in the weekend win over Everton. Time and again last season Toure benefited from dead-ball duties in Aguero’s absence, and with the Argentine off the pitch, the midfielder took his tally to three strikes in four by slotting home the hosts’ spot-kick. A possible stint on the sidelines for Aguero would free up plenty of cash for most Fantasy managers, and with many looking for ways to splash the remaining cash, last season’s top-scoring midfielder is hitting form just in time to benefit.
There is a downside, though. Toure now sits on the Suspension Tightrope and needs to navigate the next four without a booking or else he faces a one-match ban, whilst next month’s African Cup of Nations is also a factor to consider. Edin Dzeko has the experience to step up in Aguero’s potential absence, and having struck 16 times to help steer his side to the title last time around, the Bosnian’s Fantasy season could be set for an unlikely revival if Manuel Pellegrini’s top scorer is indeed ruled out for a period of time.
Carroll’s more than a Plan B…
Handed a fourth straight start against Swansea, the big target man showed he’s not yet past his sell-by date with an unstoppable display at Upton Park that vindicated our Spot the Differential pick. Sam Allardyce named Enner Valencia alongside Carroll yesterday afternoon and chose to unleash Diafra Sakho from the bench, suggesting that the big Geordie may not be as easy to dislodge from the Hammers’ XI as we first thought. Having served up two goals and an assist, Carroll looks undroppable right now and has taken the chance to climb the West Ham pecking order, whilst Sakho’s impact as a sub – taking his tally to seven goals in eight league starts – suggests it may be Valencia that’s the odd man out here.
Pardew’s caution is paying off with Cisse..
The Newcastle striker looked a spent force in the past two seasons, scoring just ten times over 2012/13 and 2013/14. Cisse’s brace against Chelsea ended talk of another Invincibles and means he has now notched seven times in just 501 minutes – a goal every 71 minutes is quicker than any other forward in the top flight this term. Frustratingly for Fantasy managers, the Senegal striker has started matches in just two of the last seven Gameweeks, and with concerns still lingering over his knee injury, Alan Pardew’s decision to restrict his pitch time is allowing Cisse to roll back the years.
Crouch still has a part to play for Potters…
After a run of three straight defeats, Mark Hughes’ decision to recall the big target man paid off handsomely. A peripheral figure for Stoke in recent weeks, Crouch was handed a first start since Gameweek 9 at home to Arsenal and bagged a goal and assist as the Gunners’ mini-revival came crashing to an abrupt end. Crouch and sidekick Jon Walters – who also bagged a goal and assist to take his tally to three strikes in four appearances – may be unfashionable Fantasy options at a time where Bojan is starting to light up the Britannia, but as far as Stoke are concerned, the duo still remain crucial to their club’s safety.
Sunderland are made of stern stuff..
After their four-match unbeaten run was halted at home to City in midweek, it would have been easy for the Black Cats to capitulate at Anfield. Instead, Gus Poyet’s side turned in another resilient display to show that the 4-1 loss to the champions was no more than a temporary blip – three clean sheets in four now suggest the Wearsiders still have much to offer us at the back as their defensive displays start to echo last season’s great escape.
Early bath could end Chambers tenure…
Sent off during Arsenal’s defeat at the Britannia, the youngster’s pitch time looks under threat as Mathieu Debuchy braces himself for a return to action. Chambers now sits in 21% of FPL sides as a result of the Frenchman’s prolonged ankle injury absence but it looks debatable as to whether he can retain a starting role once Arsene Wenger’s regulars are fully fit. Suspended for the home encounter against Newcastle now, there’s every chance that Chambers could quickly slip down the Gunners’ pecking order, with only Laurent Koscielny’s dodgy Achilles offering a possible way back in.
Palace need more firepower…
A goalless draw at Spurs means Neil Warnock’s side have scored just once in three matches but it’s not for a lack of trying. Wide men Yannick Bolasie, Wilfried Zaha and Jason Puncheon (on for the latter with 25 minutes remaining) fired 10 shots between them at White Hart Lane but were unable to find a way past Hugo Lloris. Up front, Fraizer Campbell has scored once since Gameweek 6 and Dwight Gayle has a single strike from Gameweek 3 onwards as Palace slip towards the trap door – clearly, Warnock cannot rely on his wingers to carry the threat and desperately needs to find a reliable frontman in the January window to fire his side to safety.
Hull need more than McGregor’s heroics..
A third successive penalty stop from Allan McGregor earned his side a vital home point against the Baggies last time out. The Scot’s heroics once again look key as Steve Bruce takes his side to the Bridge this weekend, but with the league leaders fired up after their loss at Newcastle, Hull look likely to remain in the drop zone. As the season unfolds, it’s becoming clear that Bruce’s decision to stockpile players over the summer seems to have backfired. With their European adventure finishing a little earlier than expected, the Hull boss has been left with a bloated squad that has struggled to show any signs of cohesion. With Bruce tinkering from one match to the next, a lack of consistency looks their undoing – McGregor’s spot-kick save may have earned a first clean sheet in six, but with just two goals scored in seven, Bruce desperately needs to get back to basics before it’s too late to turn things around.
We can rely on Bony…
It’s seven goals in nine appearances for the Swansea striker after he fired the opener at Upton Park. Bony frustrated Fantasy managers by failing to score against QPR in midweek but wasted little time in getting amongst the goals once again for Garry Monk’s men. Like Toure, he’s also set for international duties next month, but with the short-term fixtures falling in his favour, the Ivorian arguably looks the stand-out candidate as a potential replacement for Aguero in our three-man frontlines. Whether Bafetimbi Gomis can offer Garry Monk such a reliable end product when Bony legs it to the Africa Cup of Nations is another matter entirely.
