1 (1) | MickTheGooner | 1625 | +30 | 20 | |
2 (2) | Wayne Hubbard | 1600 | +35 | 0 | |
3 (5) | Abu K | 1500 | +65 | 0 | |
4 (7) | KildareGunner | 1485 | +70 | 5 | |
4 (3) | Karl-Yngve Lund | 1485 | -10 | 5 | |
6 (4) | Paul Kingston | 1400 | -55 | 0 | |
7 (5) | Michael Sheehy | 1365 | -70 | 0 | |
8 (8) | goonerdhanesh | 1170 | -50 | 0 | |
9 (9) | Sulabh | 1130 | -50 | 0 | |
10 (10) | Gaurav Ahuja | 885 | 0 | 0 |
It gets a little tricky over the next few weeks for fantasy managers with teams not playing due to cup commitments. Fantasy managers will have to monitor their squads and the fixtures closely to make sure they can put out a strong team every week.
Saturday February 22
Chelsea v Everton
12.45pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea are one point clear at the top of the table and have won 11 of their 13 home games and drawn the other two. They have the best defensive record in the league and only Arsenal have a better defensive record at home. They're unbeaten in their last 11 league games and have won eight of them, but recent draws against struggling West Ham and West Brom cost them points.
Eden Hazard and Branislav Ivanovic are the Chelsea players excelling for fantasy managers at the moment.
Everton have only won once in their last four league games and their cause wasn't helped when their last league game was postponed. They have only won four of their 13 away games and have conceded more goals than they have scored away from home. They have only lost three of those away games though and only Spurs have lost less games away from home.
Seamus Coleman, Kevin Mirallas and Leighton Bsines are the Everton players most likely to gain points for fantasy managers.
This could be a very close game and I think Everton are capable of getting something from it, but Chelsea will probably win by the odd goal.
Prediction: 2-1
Arsenal v Sunderland
3pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal could only take one point from their last two games against Liverpool and United and they gave up top spot as a result. They're only a point behind Chelsea though and they have the best defensive record at home in the league. They have kept clean sheets in eight of their last nine home league games and are unbeaten at home in the league since the opening day.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be the Arsenal player to have at the moment if he continues his current form and their defenders are all worth considering too.
Sunderland have dropped back into the relegation zone after their last game was postponed and they were beaten in the previous game when they were down to 10 men for almost the whole game. They're unbeaten in their last six away league games and have kept clean sheets in four of those games. They have reached the Capital One Cup final and the last eight of the FA Cup and they have to be careful not to be distracted from their main priority of avoiding relegation.
Adam Johnson and Vito Mannone are still the best fantasy buys in the Sunderland team.
This is a game Arsenal have to win and Sunderland can't afford to lose and I think Arsenal will take the three points.
Prediction: 2-0
Cardiff City v Hull City
3pm GMT, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff
Cardiff beat Norwich three weeks ago and it was their only win in their last 10 league games. They have only won four of their 13 home games and only Norwich have scored less goals at home. They're second last in the table and need to take something from this game and their next home game against bottom club Fulham.
Wilfred Zaha might be the Cardiff player to have at the moment.
Hull got a good win away to Sunderland a few weeks ago to give themselves some breathing space in the relegation battle. They have lost nine of their 13 away games though and only Palace have lost more away games. Their home form had being keeping them clear of danger, but they have only won once in their last six home games and could find themselves in trouble if that doesn't change.
Allan McGregor is probably the best fantasy choice in the Hull team in their home games in particular.
I think this will be a very close affair and could well end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester City v Stoke City
3pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City didn't play in the last round of games as their game was postponed and it saw them drop to third three points behind Chelsea with a game in hand. They are the top scorers at home and only Arsenal have a better defensive record at home, but Chelsea ended their 100% record in their last home outing. They haven't scored in their last two league games and need to put a few goals past Stoke to get back on track considering they won't be playing in the next two rounds of league games.
Yaya Toure, David Silva and Vincent Kompany are probably the best three City players to have for fantasy managers with Sergio Aguero to add to that when he returns from injury.
Stoke have only won once in 13 away games and only Fulham and Norwich have conceded more goals away from home. They have only won once in their last nine league games but that was against the reigning champions. Their home form should be good enough to keep them up, but they are only three points above the drop zone.
Charlie Adam has been performing well in recent weeks and could be worth a punt for fantasy managers.
I can't see anything other than a convincing City win in this game.
Prediction: 3-0
West Bromwich Albion v Fulham
3pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham
West Brom have only won once in their last 16 league games and are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. They have only won three of their 13 home games so far and this is one home game they cannot afford to lose. The teams who end up getting relegated will be the ones who drop most points against the other strugglers and West Brom need to win at home to the team propping up the rest of the league.
There are still no West Brom players who look like they merit inclusion for any fantasy managers.
Fulham are bottom of the league and into their third manager of the season after Felix Magath took over from Rene Muelensteen last week. They have lost nine of their 13 away games and have the worst defensive record in the league both home and away. They have lost 14 of their last 18 games but they're still only four points from safety with 12 games left.
Fulham players are much the same as their West Brom counterparts and should be avoided for fantasy managers at the moment with the posdible exception of Steve Sidwell.
This is a huge game for both teams and I have a feeling West Brom might just edge it.
Prediction: 2-1
West Ham United v Southampton
3pm GMT, Upton Park, London
West Ham have taken 10 points in their last four games and kept clean sheets in each of those games. They have only won four of their 13 home games but their current run has seen them move four points clear of the relegation zone. If they can continue to be so strong in defence they will have no worries about relegation.
West Ham have found their defensive strength again and their defenders have to be considered along with Kevin Nolan.
Southampton are unbeaten in their last six games and they have kept clean sheets in three of those games. They have only lost four of their 13 away games and only Chelsea have conceded less goals away from home. If they can continue their current form they're still in with a chance of a top six finish.
Adam Lallana and Jay Rodriguez still look like the Southampton players most likely to succeed with Jose Fonte and Artur Boruc doing well too.
This is a hard one to call but it might just end in a scoreless draw.
Prediction: 0-0
Crystal Palace v Manchester United
5.30pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London
Palace have won three of their last four games and are two points clear of the relegation zone. Only the top four and Everton have won more home games than Palace, but they won't find it easy against the reigning champions. Despite winning six of their 13 home games they have struggled to score at home with only Norwich, Cardiff and Villa scoring less than them.
Tom Ince gets a chance to impress against his dad's old club and he's worth considering along with Jason Puncheon.
United have only won two of their last seven league games and they're 11 points off a top four place with 12 games to go. Only Spurs and Arsenal have won more away games than United and they have taken as many points away from home as they have at home. They have scored more goals away from home too with only Liverpool, City and Arsenal scoring more away goals than United.
Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata are the United players most likely to run up fantasy points.
This will be no stroll for United, but I think they might just sneak a narrow victory.
Prediction: 1-2
Sunday February 23
Liverpool v Swansea City
1.30pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool have taken 17 points in their last seven games and scored 22 goals in the process. They have won 11 of their 13 home games with only City scoring more goals at home and only Arsenal conceding less. They are only four points off the top of the table with City and Chelsea still to travel to Anfield and they must surely still have a chance of winning the league with no cup games left to distract them.
Daniel Sturridge just can't stop scoring at the moment and he is being ably assisted by both Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard.
Swansea have taken seven points in their last four games to move into the top half of the table, but they're still only four points clear of the relegation zone. They have only won three of their 13 away games and only managed to score nine goals in those games. They could be tired after their midweek Europa League game and they could be in for a tough game as a result.
Wilfried Bony might be the only Swansea player worth considering for this game, but Chico Flores has done well recently too.
I can't see anything other than a comprehensive victory for Liverpool in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Newcastle United v Aston Villa
1.30pm GMT, St. James Park, Newcastle
Newcastle have only taken four points from their last eight games and they failed to score in seven of those games. Their fans can't be happy with four home defeats in a row and no goals scored in those games. They're safe in their mid table position, but the sale of Yohan Cabaye and suspension to Loric Remy seem to have dealt a blow to their morale.
Remy returns from suspension and might be the best of a bad bunch if anyone can make chances for him not that Cabaye is gone.
Villa don't have any sort of pattern to their season as the go from good result to bad result on an almost weekly basis. They have taken more points away from home though as well as scoring more and conceding less on their travels. They are set up to play on the break and they might just get a chance to do so in this game.
Christian Benteke still looks like a good fantasy buy with Gabriel Agbonlahor as a back up maybe.
I think Villa have the ability to take the three points off a Newcastle team who are in free fall.
Prediction: 1-2
Norwich City v Tottenham Hotspur
4.00pm GMT, Carrow Road, Norwich
Norwich have only won once in their last 11 games and they have only scored five goals in those games. They have only lost four of their 13 home games though and only conceded 11 goals at home. Their problems have come at the other end where they're the lowest scorers at home and only Palace have scored less goals than them overall.
It's hard to see any Norwich players impressing for fantasy managers at the moment.
Spurs have won nine of their 13 away games and that's more than any other team in the league. They have taken more points away from home than at home and they're only three points behind third placed Liverpool. They had a long trip for a European game on Thursday night though and will have to be at their best to get past a resolute Norwich defence.
Emmanuel Adebayor is on fire at the moment and worth putting in any fantasy team.
I think Spurs will continue their winning ways away from home but they won't find it easy after their midweek exertions.
Prediction: 0-2
That's it for this week.
See you next week.
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