Injuries and Suspensions

Premier League Team News - Barclays Premier League - ESPN Soccernet

The news is slow to come in to SoccerNet today but I'm in off-site planning meetings for 2010 as part of my day job so I'm getting a head start of things. 

Arsenal - I'm not going to repeat the entire injury list because I just don't have the time.  Here's what you have to know...1) RvP is out.  Nasri should be fully healthy and start.  EdS is their only real option at striker.  Gibbs, while not as crocked as first reported, will miss out.  Silvestre is likely to deputize.  I'm not sure how thrilled I am with Silvestre as an option given that he weakens the defence overall but he's a nice option at a cheap price.  EdS is almost a must-have.

For Sunderland Fulop will deputize for the injured Gordon and Turner and KJones are both suspended.  Frazier Campbell remains a great inexpensive striking option (I don't know where they came from but he had 9 points for a cost of 3+ last time out - just saying).

For the feature match of the weekend - Gerrard, GJohnson and Agger should play.  Nando is going to miss out.  Yossi and Riera are likely but not certain and Aquilani is going to come off the bench.  For Citeh MPet, Bellamy, Robinho are the relevant players on the sidelines.  That's a lot of striking power not playing.  For me, that means that Ireland is an interesting play.

Very interesting news from Chelsea on the BBC site which seems to imply that JT, Ballack, Drogs, and ACole should all be back from their rumored injuries while Lamps will miss out with a thigh strain.  The big question is which Chelsea midfielder does this benefit? Deco? Ballack? Essien? JCole? FloMal? What it does do is make it likely that Kalou will remain on the bench and not be the fantasy boon everyone was hoping.  Hopefully, people didn't get too carried away and sell Drogs thinking he'd indeed be out for an extended period.

For the ManYoo/Everton match - Vidic is likely to play while Rio, GNev, O'Shea, and Evans are all rated somewhere between doubtful and out which means that ManYoo's entire defence is going to be pretty shaky.  I'd stay away.  On the Everton side, Bily (suspended), PNev, Osman, and Pienaar are all rated as out for this weekend.  The complication is that the last three are all "close to returning" which means they might play midweek complicating life for fantasy managers.

Of the other 2-match teams, Rovers are pretty much fully healthy, Fulham should have Danny Murphy and he should be taking a lot of kicks which is a good thing for his value.  Hull may still be missing Myhill not that you should have been considering him (or any Hull keeper) very strongly.  Geovanni is also back from suspension but not sure he's that terribly valuable either.

Other random notes...Carlton Cole should be back at WHU as should SPet at Villa (back from suspension)...SeaBass remains out...Lennon might make it back...Modric still out...

Not too much else to report.  Good luck with team selection.  For those who follow the live chat on Saturdays - I'm not sure if I'll be able to host or not.  If you're interested, please come by and check it out but my wife and I are moving so I can't make any promises.

Cheers - Neal