Liam Lawrence is our first Funny Feeling Friday for the 2009-2010 Premier League season: basically an underrated, out of form, or unpopular (in fantasy terms) player who I have a feeling may produce on the weekend or in the short term.
Lawrence (5.5M) fits the bill for Stoke’s week 1 match against Burnley. We must not forget that the 27 year old Irish winger scored 15 goals for Stoke in their promotion winning year of 2007-2008. Last season, his first in the EPL, he scored just 3 goals in an injury plagued season that saw him make just 20 league appearances.
Amazingly, Lawrence is owned by only 1% of fantasy football managers, making him just the 9th most popular Stoke player selected. Sounds a bit crazy, but it’s true. Sorensen (37%), Faye (10%), Delap (7%), Beattie (7%), Shawcross (6%), Creswell (6%), Fuller (5%), and even Wilkinson (2%) are all more popular selections.
He may just be the 9th most popular on his own team, but I am willing to bet that Lawrence will rival Beattie and Sorensen this year for the right to be crowned Stoke’s number one fantasy producer.
This is a guy who is not only on set pieces, but who scored 15 goals just two seasons ago. He is a big part of the offense, and he’s finally healthy. With massive targets in the box like Shawcross, Faye, Fuller, Beattie, and Kitson to aim for – Lawrence should be able to pick up 10 assists this season. If he chips in with 6-7 goals, he will be a huge fantasy stud.
You heard it here first. Liam Lawrence. Our Funny Feeling Friday.
Related posts:
Dear Ibby:
i've got young Liam in my team, of course, but after alternately tinkering (okay, more like shredding) and staring at the rest of the lineup for two weeks or more, i find myself on season's eve hate-hate-hating it!
is that just me, or is it perhaps the (gulp) Hart/Sorenson duo in goal? A midfield-heavy, striker-light approach? One more "this has got to be KRich's year"?
I gots to know.
OT –
I've gone with a midfield heavy, striker-light approach as well though who's to say Drogba and Anelka won't combine for 3 goals tomorrow morning and thrash Hull?
We're all pundits until the first ball is kicked…
good luck!
I've been big upping Lawrence for six-months now and do so again in our Stoke City preview.
Jeremy-
great Stoke preview but I think Shotton will be the starting right back over Wilkinson while Whelan and Whitehead are in a fierce battle for a starting central role. Many managers will choose Stoke players this year after last season's success so hopefully they won't "do a Reading" and have a terrible second year…
I think Pulis is a hood enough manager to keep them up again.