If to dare is to do, I've certainly gone and done it. Despite his great run of form - and amazing fantasy returns - I've sold Gareth Bale. Spurs don't have a game this week because of the FA Cup and Benoit Assou-Ekotto (didn't even have to look that up!) is back from injury. Also, I bought Bale at 5.45, not the 2-something at which most fantasy manager had him. I feel like my fantasy season hinges on good old idiosyncratic 'Arry benching Bale again. Please, please, please, please, please... puh-lease!
Elsewhere,
Saha missed Everton's game with Spurs due to "injuries to his hamstring and Achilles". Just when he was looking like a great barn door candidate. In fact, I had him on the team Saturday afternoon along with Arteta and Bale. But wary, let's call it "mindful", of what might happen on Sunday I gutted Bale and Arteta to Hutton and Rodwell to move Saha to Torres. I'm happy to have squeezed another blue-chip player into my line-up, but I worry. Other than Fabregas, my midfield is Rodwell, AJohnson and KRichardson. That's just untenable.
Other than Everton's good matchup with Hull, Bolton and Burnley are two-gamers. But yuck... could there be a worse pair to choose from? Burnley are at Arsenal then home to Stoke. Bolton - they of one goal in seven matches - are at West Ham and at Sunderland. Not terrible match-ups, but I'm not sure I'm ready to bet on (or against) Bolton on the road. Twice.
There's sure to be much hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth as the weekend approaches. International matches, FA Cup weekend which takes lots of teams, and their players, out of fantasy contention this weekend, two-gamers... oh my!
Are you betting on Bolton? Loaded up on the Barn Door? Let's hear about it in the comments.
Sold Bale really? Have him @5.45 aswell, really dont think I can let him go with the points he's getting and the way he's playing.
ReplyDeleteI expect assou ekoto to play in fa cup and then bale to be staright back in the team.
I know Burnley are terrible but Arsenal always find a way to let the other team's free kick artist get his points. To that point, the only issue would be if Eagles plays both games or not, since he came off the bench Saturday.
ReplyDeleteso help me, i'm betting on bolton. part of it is curiosity about stuart holden; part of it is matty taylor's reliability; and part of it is jussi's very reasonable price. hey, considering i had hilario last week and EvdS the week before, jussi has to be an improvement, right? ... right?
ReplyDeleteI'm going to refrain from commenting on keepers. Almunia this week was seemingly the first time I avoided the big red points "haul" for a keeper.
ReplyDeleteAs for Eagles, I need to look into it. He sat against West Ham as well. Maybe it's a home/road thing? Needs more research.
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ReplyDeleteI'm keeping Bale, but I can't get excited about Bolton or Burnley. I've got Wilshire and Fletcher and I think that'll be it. Joon - one point is that MTay hasn't started so often of late.
ReplyDeleteI thought about Rooney, but is the Milan game not immediately after the weekend? Given that he has a knee issue I wonder if he'll be benched,although I can't see for whom.
Jeremy - I agree, I've noticed MTay and Eagles haven't been starting their games lately and I don't want to gamble on them as they don't have easy matchups either. At the moment I have the following team...
ReplyDeleteJaaskelainen
Bale/Dann/Hutton
Lee/Eagles/Gerrard/Nani
Donovan/Torres/Bendtner
I feel like Dann/Eagles/Donovan can go but everyone else most likely will stay. Nani should be well rested and should make an impact on the road to Wolves(although they're not half bad at home). On the Bale topic, shame on you Jeremy...he's been doing exellent for Spurs and the way he's playing with precise crosses and lightning speed on the left flank (well I'm exagerating on the lightning speed) but he's definitely taken that right side and made it his own. Anyways I wish you good luck with your decision and, to tell you the truth, only Rednapp will decide so your decision could be the right one...specially if you got him at 5.xx. I on the other hand got him at 2.xx so I won't be loosing much even if he's benched. Alright enough babling, will look forward to your next posts. Cheers!
I've sold Bale at 2.86, it's the time of the season where every point counts and I'm not ready to take a zero from any player.
ReplyDeleteI think the only players worth Bolton players worth BDing for are Lee, Holden and Jussi though I have doubts on the Bolton keeper.
I'm considering swapping Jussi to James so that I can upgrade Walcott to Arteta.
Any suggestions?
Jussi/Walcott or James/Arteta?
Had a solid week with 126 points
ReplyDeleteDropped Drogs and Ad Johnson and right now my lineup is
James
Verm/Bale/Hutton
Fab/Gerrard/Lee YC/Holden
Torres/Bendtner/Klanic
3 DG but then it was difficult to get excited about DG'ers this week.
I won't be changing my defenders unless there is a serious injury. I have the 3 of them for only 12.17 dollars. I held onto James when most seemed to drop him this week and he rewarded me with 11 points. His match up this week should be good as well. After BC it is Liverpool so I will dump him then.
What about Steinsson and Ricketts? They're both pretty cheap, and usually good for decent points (even on a 1 match week) regardless if Bolton wins or loses... I'm at least going with Steinz.
ReplyDeleteFLScott
Hi Jeremy,
ReplyDeleteJust thought I will add in a point on Bolton defenders for you to consider.
Of the last seven away games, they have played Liverpool , Arsenal and Man City, really cannot expect a clean sheet from those. (And rightly got walloped)
The only blip was Blackburn where they were hurt
So, while they may lose to West ham, they are guaranteed a clean sheet at Sunderland (who cannot seem to score for Love or Money)
At 6 odd Jussi guarantees you one clean sheet, a few saves (from West ham) and maybe 2 goals conceded (West ham don't score a lot).
Ricketts, Steinson and Robinson, more than return their average home or away.
As in, one could make a case for a Bolton backline three with Fox from Burnley thrown in and Jussi as keeper. This would enable one to afford all the big guns i.e. Torres, gerrard, Fabregas.
Rooney will be rested and may come on only if Man Utd does not score after 60 mins.
So, a big gamble selecting Rooney.
SL
So who do you think is a better punt?
ReplyDeleteRodwell
or
Wilshere?
Anonymous said, "they are guaranteed a clean sheet at Sunderland"
ReplyDeleteBolton: 27 matches, 4 clean sheets.
I'm not sure how anyone can guarantee a clean sheet, no matter the opponent.
Advice needed. Line-up
ReplyDeleteAlmunia-8+
Verm-6/Bale-5+/Givet-4+
Fab4-14+/Duff-9+/AJohnson-4.8+/Nani-10+
Drogs-10+/Rooney-16+/Bendtner-5+
I have been employing a hold on to players at og price strategy with great affect in 4/5 leagues (2nd or 3rd, within an average of 60 pts. from the leader.). I'm in Hell right now because I am thinking of dumping Duff and AJ for Arteta and Jummy (I hope he plays). Duff is the #3 scoring middie in the game, but will be playing 2 games versus Juventus, as well as games v. ManU and Citeh in the next month. It's make or break time and I need some thoughts.
anyone notice villa only played 26 games... may be worth a buy and hold for young and milner...
ReplyDelete