Butt’s Brain: Midweek Musings

Looks like a martian, but plays like a beast

• No news of Vincent Kompany’s knee injury until right before kickoff meant fantasy managers were left frustrated as the City skipper missed out on a clean sheet and 6 fantasy points this past weekend at home to Fulham. The 6.6M rated leading fantasy defender is owned by 21% of managers playing the game. If we hear new news, we’ll be sure to keep you updated…

• Similarly, Liverpool’s Jose Enrique was a late scratch for the 0-0 clean sheet against Tottenham with a hamstring problem. Enrique is owned by 35% of fantasy teams. Yes, 35%. For managers who owned both Enrique and Kompany (and there were surely many of those, like myself) – that was 12 points lost last weekend, and 12.6M of fantasy assets stuck on the bench… In Enrique’s case, he has a difficult schedule in the next few weeks with Manchester United and Arsenal in the next few gameweeks. Bench him or perhaps sell him despite the profit you may have made since August.

• We highly recommended James McClean in January, and the youngster continues to impress. He was less than 2% owned when we penned our ‘cheap studs’ column, and his ownership has now doubled to nearly 4%. The Sunderland youngster will hope that his performances may land him in a Euro 2012 Ireland shirt this coming summer, but as a 5th midfielder, fantasy managers can do no better. Regardless of the interest, he should probably be benched this weekend against Arsenal.

• Amazing that RVP was owned by only 13% of fantasy managers back in October. He had 9 goals in his last 5 league games at the time. He’s still only owned by 37% of fantasy managers. His price may be high, but if you don’t own him by now, you have no shot in hell of winning your mini-league. The game has been ‘dumbed down’ a bit to it’s Cristiano Ronaldo-esque days when you stuck the captain armband with automatic confidence on a single player each weekend. RVP deserves that armband week in and week out, and though he’s probably due a rest in the coming weeks (or dare I type it, a twisted ankle), his 183 points are mind-boggling. He’s absolutely shattering the field amongst FPL options. Still, Newcastle defender Ryan Taylor, as well as midfielders Gareth Bale and David Silva all boast more ownership than RVP. He has a tough one this weekend against an in-form Sunderland side, but would you be brave enough to bet against him?

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3. Fantasy Premier League Midweek Musings: Champions League
4. Butt’s Brain: Friday Night Musings
5. Midweek Carling Cup Review & What to Watch For