Robin Van Persie is not impressed

View image | gettyimages.com

It seems as if the ex-Arsenal, ex-Manchester United star isn't happy with his lot in life with Fernebache. Here he is, on the bench, "celebrating" one of teammate Fernandao's recent goals:



I don't know why it's gone wrong for him. Maybe he's just past it. Maybe all those injuries didn't save his body from wear and tear - the theory when he was healthy and scoring - and he can't compete physically anymore. Maybe he's just missing London. If that's the case, I have a wonderful idea! I know he'd probably just end up at Chelsea on a loan back to the Premier League. It's just the sad way things work. But they already have a Falcao-batross (™ © ® Jeremy Spitzberg) around their collective necks. The last thing they need is another reclamation project.

However, no such baggage weighs down the Eagles of Crystal Palace. Hear me out on this.

This January, Chelsea recalls Patrick Bamford from his loan spell at Palace. He's not getting any playing time there anyway so that is helping no one. Bamford, with youth on his side, and a chip on his shoulder, immediately becomes second choice at the Bridge behind the oft-suspended Diego Costa (27? You're having a laugh!) and we finally learn whether or not he's good enough for Chelsea.

Making that possible, is Robin Van Persie's loan to Palace. He is miles ahead of the other options like Gayle, Campbell, and Wickham. His movement (albeit slowed by time) allows Palace's other attacking players new, and more dangerous lanes to... attack. His finishing turns chances into goals. Humbled by his travails in Turkey, he's a team-player, deferring to Yohan Cabaye, and the other leaders already at the club.

There! It all adds up!

Sadly, porcupines are allergic to raisins.

Injuries and Suspensions

No big intro today, other than to highlight the fact that Rooney and Chicharito being back probably has us all scrambling to figure out how to align our teams to get as many United players as possible into our line-ups against Norwich.

Week 7 Barn Door Team

I have three different options for you to choose from this week.  Please vote in the comments below.

First there is the real Barn Door team, the one I came out of the weekend with:

I was nervous about going all in on the North London derby, but surely there are goals there.

 Then came the news about Tevez and Dzeko, and all of a sudden Balotelli (God help us all) looks like a great option, at Rovers.  So out goes RvP, who to be fair was flattered by a 10-man Bolton side, and we shake up the team with the extra money.  

Eleven Things We Learned: Week 4

Never let it be said that I'm not happy to bow to the will of the audience.  You asked for 11 things that we learned instead of 10 and, never one to turn down the opportunity to write more rather than less, I'm in.  I have to admit that I was on the road returning from vacation all day on Saturday.  I followed the matches online as they happened, I watched the replay of the Arsenal match, and I saw most of both Sunday matches.  Not as much as I'd like to have see as the basis for this column but enough, when combined with highlights and fantasy results, to make for a strong column (or so I'd like to think).

After the Window: Arsenal

Volumes and volumes have been written about Arsenal and their travails from February of 2011 through the close of the transfer window.  Since we're pretty sure you've read quite enough about "contending in 4 competitions to nothing in the blink of an eye" and "Nasri/Cesc/Clichy out" and "will anyone arrive?" that we won't cover that ground again.  Instead, we'll spend some time focusing on what we have learned from the first three matches of the season plus the final touches from the transfer window.

Season Preview - Arsenal

Quick Reminder, Real Life

As we are all constantly reminded, Arsenal experienced what is becoming their typical season again last term. They looked to be contenders on a number of fronts from August until about February and then everything pretty much fell apart. The injuries mounted, the tragi-comic errors re-surfaced, and all was lost in about the time it takes to soft-boil an egg. Lest we forget all the positives, Luke Jack Wilshere matured significantly, Aaron Ramsey returned and at least showed signs of his pre-injury reputation coming good, Johan Djourou had a solid spell of being very good before an injury seemed to derail his progress, and Wojciech Szczesny showed enough that I won’t be terrified if he starts the season as the #1.

Quick Reminder, Fantasy

Robin van Persie was fantasy gold when healthy (which was more than usual). Samir Nasri was a stud in the first half but dropped off significantly in the second half. Cesc Fabregas was solid but nowhere near his fantasy peak, though he was still priced as an elite fantasy player. Wilshere reminded us that you can be both talented and effective but still be mediocre for fantasy purposes. The combination of injuries and attacking rotation - Theo Walcott, Andrei Arshavin, Marouane Chamakh, Niklas Bendtner, Tomas Rosicky, Denilson, Abou Diaby - meant that there was little long term value to be had but plenty of fantasy points still scored.

Summer Changes

Van Persie Scores Again

But the way Y! reports it, well...

The Dutch striker finally made the breakthrough with a chance he created himself, forcing his way into the box before drilling a low shit under the keeper for his 20th goal of 2011.

He's a streaky scorer!

This goal was no stain on his record.

Arsenal really stepped in it today.

Shame that it was just a constipation goal.

(Okay, that last one needs work.)

h/t Sylvie's Pet (Project)

Barn Door Team

Not that sticking with my Barn Door team last week was very successful -- or successful at all! -- but here's this week's version:



Concerns:

• Howard. What's the opposite of what you are looking for in a fantasy keeper?  That would be THo this season.  Everton haven't been consisten winners, which hurts your keeper's value.  But even when they win, Howard has a knack for letting in the soft goal.  Or more than one.  He's been in the red (minus points) more weeks than he's earned points.  Of course, that's why he's cheap.  And cheap is very attractive in a keeper.  And he's playing at Wolves, who have lost their leading scorer and just got hammered by Newcastle United.  So hope springs eternal, but I'm really not sure that this is a good pick
• Valencia and Hernandez.  Am I buying a false view of these players based on West Ham's ineptitude?  I'm probably only owning them for a week as they have an FA Cup semifinal the following week instead of a league match, but they are home to Fulham.  They are also in Champions League action against Chelsea on either side of this match, which could easily become a trap game.  Valencia's barn door price makes him an attractive midfield option, and the other best opition at Hernandez's price range is Sturridge who also misses the following week for an FA Cup semi.
• Lampard.  See above re: the Champions League.
• van Persie. Have Arsenal just collapsed?  Is it redeemable?  If so, it's going to be against Blackpool who are increasingly vulnerable.  At 9, returning 7 per week would be acceptable.  At 18 it really isn't.  He's probably staying in the team because the matchup is just too good, but also because I can't quite get to Nani without making other sacrifices.  But I will admit to have looked at what to do with the $10 that RvP to Sturridge would net.  For instance, maybe a real goalkeeper.

Barn Door Team

The international break has thrown me for a bit of a loop, especially on the heels of the FA Cup break we just had. So I'm having a tough time getting back into the swing of of EPL things. But we have to start somewhere, right? And what better place than with the team I assembled on the barn door last weekend (two weeks ago!).

Part of me says, stop right there.  Don't look again.  Don't, whatever the inclination, Friday trade!  But let's be honest... that's inevitable.  Stupid, but inevitable.  Looking at the team, what jumps out at me is:

• Two Hammers facing Manchester United.  Yes, WHU are playing better and ManU struggle a bit on the road.  But do I really want both Ba and Hitzlsperger?  They're both at cost so they could be moved out for the weekend and brought back for the upcoming games against Bolton and Aston Villa without penalty.
• Osman.  What to do with Osman?  He was a GREAT pickup over Everton's recent double-game week and was ok last game week against Fulham.  Everton have a good run of fixtures upcoming and it might be worth keeping him.  But it sure isn't a sexy pick.
• There are injury doubts over van Persie (could be back), Walker (should be back), and Adam (expected to be back).  Obviously all signs are good at this point, but the uncertainty is starting to make me nervous.

Clearly there is much to discuss over the next two days, but that's where I am right now.  You?

Second Thoughts

Great post by Neal, exploding some of the easy myths around Arsenal.  And great comments everyone.  I think you've hit on some interesting points.  Let me add my $0.02:

Van Persie out for a minimum of three weeks

Van Persie out for a minimum of three weeks | News Archive | News | Arsenal.com

Robin van Persie will be missing for at least three weeks with the knee problem he picked up in the Carling Cup Final.

The Dutchman got the injury while scoring Arsenal’s equaliser late in the first half. He soldiered on until the 68th minute before being substituted.

And a bad week gets much, much worse. But I guess it frees up another spot for potential 2-gamers (pending today's Everton/Reading result).

Van Persie and Koscielny out of Stoke game

Van Persie and Koscielny out of Stoke game | News Archive | News | Arsenal.com

Robin van Persie and Laurent Koscielny will miss the crucial Premier League game with Stoke on Wednesday night.

The Dutch striker has a hamstring problem while the French defender is suffering from a back complaint. However both injuries are short-term and the pair may recover in time for the Carling Cup Final on Sunday.

Abou Diaby (calf) is injured but he is still suspended anyway.

Sad face for fantasy managers with Arsenal players in their line-ups... and this week that's a lot of us. I have Szczesny and van Persie so I'm light up front and vulnerable at the back. The only consolation, perhaps, is that I have Carew. So hopefully if Stoke do score it's through him.

And speaking of Stoke,

Matthew Etherington looks set to miss the Barclays Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium due to a fresh injury concern.

Etherington shook off a hamstring strain to play in Saturday's 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round win over Brighton, only to be taken off with a back injury understood to be linked to a defect in his jawline

.Can someone explain that one to me?

Tweets of Interest

This one's for @nealjthurman, the latest to be sucked into the wonderful world of Twitter.

Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale, and Luka Modric all out of the trip to Sunderland.
http://xrl.in/77h0less than a minute ago via webfantasyfootballscout
FFScout

Louis Saha has a hamstring injury and will not play for Everton this weekend. http://bit.ly/KpgS4less than a minute ago via TweetDeckPhysioroom.com Ltd
physioroom

David Luiz will get a full debut for Chelsea when they travel to Fulham on Valentines night. http://tinyurl.com/63ajxzwless than a minute ago via webFantasy League
fantasyleague

INJURY NEWS: Cesc and RVP recovered from illness and fit to face Wolves. http://www.arsenal.com/pressconferencedigestless than a minute ago via webArsenal.com
Arsenal

INJURY NEWS: Djourou is fit, Denilson back, Rosicky unavailable, Diaby banned: http://www.arsenal.com/pressconferencedigestless than a minute ago via webArsenal.com
Arsenal

Ferdinand and Evans miss the Manchester derby, city are expected to be unchanged. http://tinyurl.com/5uy2te7less than a minute ago via webFantasy League
fantasyleague

You can follow me @jspitzberg and get your fantasy Premier League news at Fantasy EPL Twitter List, which is featured to the right.

Festive

It's odd that the fantasy football schedule is so busy at the moment, yet I feel so disconnected from it. Being at home, and not sitting at a computer for nine hours a day means I'm not plugged in to every story, rumour and gossip that comes across the wires. With family commitments and the chance to take a four-hour bike ride up the coast yesterday, I missed the big Boxing Day fixtures as well as any chance to pick up players on the Barn Door.

But because the schedule is so packed, there's every opportunity to get back into the swing of things.  Today is the big Chelsea-Arsenal clash.  I'll be watching the returns (most likely) of Robin van Persie and Frank Lampard as they are highly under-valued in the fantasy game compared to their historical pricing.

Then the next round of matches starts up tomorrow, so don't forget to set your team.  We'll be looking at the team news and trying to bring you any information.  But just remember that with two matches in as many days for teams there is always the risk of rotation.  And unannounced rest and rotation at that.

For what it's worth, my squad at the moment (subject to change) is:

PRobbo

Kolarov Coleman Jara

Van Der Vaart Nani Brunt* Pennant Tchoyi Lampard***

Torres Saha** Welbeck

* Brunt is suspended, and near cost, so he's unlikely to stay in the team long.
**  Read my thoughts below.
*** Over-thinking Arsenal in the comment below.

Premier League Roundup

Maybe Kuyt should just leave this kind of thing to the experts.

International break always brings with it injuries, real or imagined, that fantasy managers have to take into consideration for the next game week.  Some are big news, others are a bit more obscure.  This time, there is the added fun of the transfer window having just closed so there's also news about new players and their potential to start (and shine) for their new teams.  Here's what I've been tracking over the last few days:

Season Preview: Arsenal

I'm sure readers familiar with the blog will assume I'm being biased here in going with Arsenal first given my personal bias toward them but as it turns out, that is also how the alphabet works so rather than trying to figure out a different scheme for ordering the previews, the Gunners are first up.  (NOTE: for the purposes of this preview I am assuming the following... Cesc will be staying and Arsenal will land at least one more CB and a new goalkeeper. I'll update the preview if one or more of these things turns out to be untrue.] 

Overall Outlook - Arsenal were good enough to challenge for the title last season and should be at least slightly improved this season with the addition of Chamakh and Koscielny (and the presumed additional CB and GK).  They should continue to be a high scoring team with the hope that they can tighten up the defence with better health at the fullback spots and improved talent/attitude at the keeper and CB spots.  The most important change this season will be the addition of Chamakh to the attack which SHOULD allow Wenger to insert Chamakh as the target striker in his 4-3-3 flanked by Arshavin and RvP.  Assuming Cesc is pulling the strings and Song is back-stopping midfield there will be plenty of options for Wenger to choose from - Walcott, Nasri, Denilson, Diaby, Rosicky, Wilshere, etc - for the final midfield spot in his preferred XI.

IMPORTANT: New Season Has Started - Bargains Available

UPDATE: Y! has hit reboot and the game now has the proper valuations. You'll have to start over building a team, but at least you'll be doing it for real this time.

http://uk.premiership.fantasysports.yahoo.com/football/

---

I'll make this quick since there is quite possibly a time-sensitivity to this information.  The new season of Yahoo! Fantasy Premier League Football has been opened up.  We look forward to everyone joining in on both the game and all of our fun over here at the blog. 

The most important thing for you all to know is that the prices are a bit crazy right now.  Here are the most obvious bargains if you don't want to search yourself...

1.00 - Friedel, Hart, Given, van der Sar, Defoe, Dempsey, AJ, and others
3.93 - JT, Gerrard
5.35 - Vidic, Verm, Bale
Under 10 - Elk (7 and change), Lamps (8 and change), RvP (8 and change)

Those are just some of the names out there available to you at incredibly cheap prices.  I have written to the guys who run the game at Yahoo because this is potentially setting things up for a very ugly year of fantasy football if some people get in on the low prices and others don't.  I don't know what they'll do about it but my first action was to build the team I wanted with the crazy prices.  You know, just in case.

Plenty of season preview materials to come between now and the start of the season.

Cheers - Neal

Robin van Persie in line for shock Tottenham return

The headline is a bit in-artful.  No, he's not rejoining Spurs.  But he could be playing against them next week According to the Mail Online.

Robin van Persie could be in line for a sensational return against Tottenham next week after Arsenal's chief physio Colin Lewin revealed the striker will begin full training 'imminently'.

The Dutchman looked set to be ruled out for the remainder of the season after damaging ankle ligaments in an international friendly against Italy in November.
Flying Dutchman: van Persie is set to return to full Arsenal training 'imminently'

Flying Dutchman: van Persie is set to return to full Arsenal training 'imminently'

But Van Persie could now be included in Arsenal's injury-hit squad for the crucial north London derby on Wednesday, as the Gunners look to bounce back from their defeat in Barcelona and ensuing exit from the Champions League.

'Robin will be joining the squad for full training imminently. That is a big boost for the club and will give everyone a big lift,' Lewin told Arsenal.com.

I'll believe it when I see it, but if I see it I'll sure as hell be trying to get him into my fantasy team!

Monday Morning Manager

This is going to come in pieces and I apologize for the delay.  The Arsenal/Chelsea wrap-up alone has taken me more than an hour to write.  I hope the time translates to quality, though I'm afraid it doesn't.

Regardless, our look back at the week that was - and who did and did not make the Manager's fantasy team - and our attempt to use that to inform future choices... after the jump.

Fantasy Injury Focus - Arsenal

The great entertainers, and the great source of fantasy points over the years.  Also, a great source of injury frustration as year after year players come in and disappear into the training room only to reappear briefly and inevitably too early, finding themselves injured all over again.

The latest blow is of course Robin van Persie being ruled out for two months with ankle ligament damage. But that's by no means the extent of Arsenal's woes. They were already missing Bendtner, Walcott, Vela, Djourou, Clichy, Denilson and added Diaby (calf) and Gibbs (foot or ankle, depending on who you read) to the list after their latest international commitments. And Arsenal have only just gotten Rosicky and Nasri back from their long-term injuries.

So what can we expect from Arsenal against Sunderland? Wenger is very stubborn when it comes to formations. He stuck with 4-4-2 forever, and will likely use his new 4-3-3 regardless of who is available to play. Almunia is entrenched in goal again. The back four likely is Sagna - Vermaelan - Gallas - Silvestre, though another option would be to bring Senderos into the center of defence and move Gallas to left back where he has been unhappy, but very effective for Arsenal and Chelsea before that.

The midfield three will likely be Cesc playing in front of Song and Nasri with Nasri replacing Diaby and having more license to get forward. Ramsey would also be an option, having played really well against Wolves. The front three would seemingly have to be Arshavin - Eduardo - Rosicky.

Eboue is a wildcard in all of this. He would give the squad more balance as Nari, Rosicky, Eduardo and Arsahvin all favor the left if they can't play through the middle. Maybe, just maybe, Wenger does go back to the 4-4-2 with Rosicky and Eboue on the wings and Arshavin and Eduardo pushed up front together.

However they line-up, Sunderland probably won't have to face a barage of crosses or long punts into the box. This will be a diminutive team with Song the long 6-footer. Arsenal may win tons of corner kicks, but I would be stunned if they were to convert any of them. Expect lots of CWs, but very few SCs.  On the other hand, Reid may have a big day if he gets the chance to aim crosses at Bent and Jones (and Turner et al coming up from the back).