Yup, that expression seems about right
I. Manchester United @ Arsenal: This is just amazing. Arsenal looking for revenge after a humiliating, fluke, 8-2 defeat at Old Trafford earlier in the season. Manchester City are at home against Tottenham in a superb Top-4 clash, but Sir Alex’s men visiting London is the pick of the bunch.
Thierry Henry is an injury doubt, though he does have 8 career goals against United. Few Arsenal players should really be owned from a fantasy footie perspective other than the man of the season Robin van Persie – the top scorer and most expensive player in the game. RVP may cost 13.2M, but he’s racked up 153 points and is a near-automatic Captain’s Armband selection week in and week out. Close to Cristiano Ronaldo style consistency.
For Manchester United, Valencia (8M) is in form and cheaper than Nani (10.4M) but don’t count out the Michael Jackson look-alike winger in the big games. Nani has scored some big goals before in big games (he’s scored in wins over Chelsea and Arsenal already this season).
At the back it is mind-boggling to me how Jonny Evans is only owned by 3% of fantasy managers. He only costs 4.5M and Manchester United keep clean sheets. He’s outscored Ferdinand, Vidic, and Smalling this season. Even if he only starts 1 out of every 2 league games (and he should start way more games than just 50%) he’s a great asset to have as a 4th or 5th priced defender. HE PLAYS REGULARLY FOR MANCHESTER UNITED AND COSTS JUST 4.5m. Should be owned by more than 3% of managers once the team can get past this tricky run of fixtures.
I don’t know if it will be Rooney, Hernandez, Welbeck, Nani or Berbatov who will grab the late winner in this one, but I think that only a standout performance from Szczesny saves Arsenal from a home loss. I think the Arsenal ‘keeper could keep it 1-1 or 2-2 in a score draw, but I’ll go against my ‘score draw’ instinct and take an away win.
Prediction: 1-2 Manchester United
II. Chelsea @ Norwich: I like Torres, Sturridge, Lampard and Mata at Norwich. Norwich concede goals, both home and away, so you have to think Chelsea can improve on their 1-0 win against Sunderland.
It will be interesting to see if Michael Essien starts from the beginning or if Ramires and Meireles continue in midfield. Essien is back to fitness now and at 6.9M is a former bonus point magnet who could make the Chelsea midfield a rotational minefield when it comes to bargain options like Ramires. Mata is the best bet for the money, though he performs better at home than on the road. Lampard is too expensive for most but is quietly putting up more points per fantasy game (5.2) than Mata (4.6M). He’s always in danger of finding himself on the bench, but at 11.1M is a penalty taking stud.
Prediction: 0-2 Chelsea win
III. Studs & Duds: Fulham are inconsistent but Clint Dempsey is a stud at home to Newcastle. Everton let fantasy managers down last week during the double gameweek but Landon Donovan and Leighton Baines have to be classified as studs at home against Blackburn. Chelsea players are studs – from the front to the back at Norwich. Aguero and Silva are on the stud-dud fence, but leaning towards studs at home to Tottenham. VDV, Bale and Adebayor can score against anyone but they are on the fence this week and leaning to the “dud” category – especially after they lost 5-1 at home to Manchester City earlier this season. Jon Walters is a stud for Stoke, on penalties, and at home to West Brom.
I have a soft spot for former Funny Feeling Friday Hugo Rodallega so I’ll place him on the stud/dud fence with a chance to put in a performance despite the road trip to QPR. Duds this week are usually reliable Swansea players, including last week’s heroes Sinclair and Dyer. I can’t see them getting too much out of the Sunderland game despite their impressive win against Arsenal. Aston Villa and Wolves players can be considered, both on the fence, neither too strong or too weak. I expect Liverpool to score at Bolton, so Bolton’s defenders are duds (Cahill is now a Chelsea player anyway) – and Gerrard is a stud.
IV. Gameweek 22 Best Eleven:
GK: Mignolet
D: G. Cahill – Baines – Enrique
M: Sessegnon – Dempsey – Gerrard – Silva
F: Torres – RVP – Fletcher
Subs: Stockdale – Bale – Kelly – Huth
