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.
Showing posts with label Gareth Bale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gareth Bale. Show all posts
Van der Vaart out for Six Weeks
Things just go from bad to worse for Spurs.
Via Yahoo!/Eurosport:
Dutch international midfielder Rafael van der Vaart will be out for up to six weeks after tearing a hamstring in last weekend's 5-1 defeat against Manchester City, his club Tottenham Hotspur said on Saturday....
He will miss at least the next four Premier League matches for Spurs as well as their opening Europa League fixtures against PAOK Salonica and Shamrock Rovers.My money would be on Spurs pairing K2 (Emmanuel Adebayor) and Defoe in a classically 'arry "little/large" partnership. However, we could see Niko Kranjcar - who has started both of Spurs' matches so far - move into an advanced role with Tom Huddlestone (THud) coming into the midfield.
[In fact, THud should start regardless!]
For fantasy, this could see Gareth Bale reclaiming set-pieces and increasing his value. Luka Modric could also see more of the ball as (if) he gets integrated back into the team.
However it plays out, Van Der Vaart has been Spurs' stand-out player since his arrival at the Lane, and he will be missed. Spurs aren't likely to be as good of a team without him, and sitting at the bottom of the table having scored one goal and shipped seven... that's a scary prospect.
After the Window: Spurs
Spurs late summer looked a lot like the one experienced across North London at Arsenal. What the acquisitions lacked in romance and long term strategic benefit they more than made up for in being effective near-term band-aids. Spurs needed something new at forward and a deep-lying player to both win the ball and start the attack. It certainly would have been nice to find a reliable partner for Michael Dawson but presumably the combination of Ledley
King and William Gallas will be able to get the job done for 80% of the matches over the course of the upcoming season.
Season Preview - Tottenham Hotspur
Quick Reminder, Real Life
With Manchester City a stronger outfit it was always going to be difficult for Tottenham to repeat their Top 4 finish - especially with their first Champions League campaign running in parallel - but they didn’t do themselves any favours in the Premier League. They added quality/experience in Van Der Vaart and Gallas and had Bale, Modric, Dawson and (the underrated) Assou-Ekotto performing at the top of their game much of the time, but failed to invest in a 20-goal-per-season-striker. The result was a season of missed opportunities; raising their level to compete against the top teams and having a decent run in early 2011, but lacking a clinical finisher (Defoe was never the same after his early season ankle injury) they failed to put away the sides in the bottom half, gaining just one win in six games against the three relegated clubs and 9 home draws in total, the most in the league. Harry Redknapp could be accused of tactical naivety due to his inability to change things when they weren’t going to plan, Gomes’ erratic form didn’t help and in the end 5th place and a Europa League spot was as good as they could muster - and the most they deserved.
Quick Reminder, Fantasy
Van Der Vaart was a fantasy sensation throughout the season, taking set pieces away from Bale, taking on penalty duty, scoring/creating goals and making those of us who picked him up cheap early in the season very happy indeed. Much like his league form, Bale was a better producer pre-Xmas and quickly became very expensive in Yahoo’s game but popped up with his fair share of big weeks thanks to a return of 7 goals. Gomes scored consistently despite the catalogue of mistakes referred to earlier but it was slim pickings aside from these three, with Defoe, Pavlyuchenko & Crouch rotation risks and in poor form when given opportunities. Lennon had a disappointing year and Modric has never been prolific when it comes to Yahoo’s scoring system, although he did OK in the Official PL game thanks to a plethora of attacking bonus points. Defensively there was very little to get excited about in either fantasy format.
Summer Changes
Bale ruled out of England clash
Blow for Wales as Gareth Bale ruled out of England clash - ESPN Soccernet
Tottenham winger Gareth Bale has been ruled out of Wales' Euro 2012 qualifier against England on Saturday with a hamstring injury.
Bale did not train on Wednesday, despite reports that he was injured during a session, and he has only recently returned from a back injury that kept him out for six weeks from the end of January until early March.
Crucially for fantasy managers:
The Tottenham winger will now return to London for treatment on Thursday morning, but it is not yet clear whether he will be fit in time for Tottenham's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid on April 5.
Of course that match is after Spurs' April 2 match at Wigan. #latefitnesstest
Team News
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp received welcome news on Monday when midfielder Rafael van der Vaart was passed fit for Tuesday's Champions League last 16, first-leg game against AC Milan.
Van der Vaart missed Saturday's 2-1 win over Sunderland with a calf strain and with several other midfielders absent Redknapp was desperately hoping the Dutchman would recover.
Gareth Bale, who scored a hat-trick last time Spurs were in the city, when they lost 4-3 to Inter in the group phase, misses the game with a back injury and Jermaine Jenas is suspended.
Luka Modric is struggling to make the starting side as he recovers from an operation to remove his appendix less than two weeks ago.
And...
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will not be "stupid" by rushing back midfielder Samir Nasri for Wednesday's Champions League last 16 first-leg match against Barcelona, the Frenchman said on Monday.
"I will not take a crazy gamble," Wenger said of his compatriot Nasri, who he admitted is "physically ready" after a two-week layoff with a hamstring injury.
"He has worked very hard in the last week...just there is a risk to have a setback," Wenger added on the club's website (www.arsenal.com) before saying Nasri would have tests on Monday and Tuesday.
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has no fresh injury worries as his side search for a third successive Barclays Premier League win against Newcastle on Tuesday night...
Former Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins could start again while Cameron Jerome is also in contention. McLeish has a full squad to choose from with the exception of long-term injury victims James McFadden and Scott Dann.
Tweets of Interest
This one's for @nealjthurman, the latest to be sucked into the wonderful world of Twitter.
You can follow me @jspitzberg and get your fantasy Premier League news at Fantasy EPL Twitter List, which is featured to the right.
Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale, and Luka Modric all out of the trip to Sunderland.
http://xrl.in/77h0
FFScout
Louis Saha has a hamstring injury and will not play for Everton this weekend. http://bit.ly/KpgS4
physioroom
David Luiz will get a full debut for Chelsea when they travel to Fulham on Valentines night. http://tinyurl.com/63ajxzw
fantasyleague
INJURY NEWS: Cesc and RVP recovered from illness and fit to face Wolves. http://www.arsenal.com/pressconferencedigest
Arsenal
INJURY NEWS: Djourou is fit, Denilson back, Rosicky unavailable, Diaby banned: http://www.arsenal.com/pressconferencedigest
Arsenal
Ferdinand and Evans miss the Manchester derby, city are expected to be unchanged. http://tinyurl.com/5uy2te7
fantasyleague
You can follow me @jspitzberg and get your fantasy Premier League news at Fantasy EPL Twitter List, which is featured to the right.
On Bale
Well, I said nice things about Spurs (deservedly) and ManYoo (also deservedly) and wasn't particularly enamored with Arsenal's performance despite their win and yet the shouts of "you're biased" still came ringing in the comments section of "First Impressions and Second Thoughts." Honestly, I'm coming to enjoy it a bit so keep it up. To the extent that I have time, I'll continue to discuss my (non-biased) rationale for my opinions. The main subject of displeasure this time around was the fact that I called out Bale as still not being fantasy value on a weekend where the Bale fantasy apologists were still glowing from his 29 point, 2 goal effort. For those who still don't believe me that you should have sold him weeks ago despite this past weekend's outburst, here are the numbers:
Since Bale's last major outburst in Week 2 (33.5 points), he has been averaging 10 points/match and has cost approximately 15. Over the course of 11 matches, you've gotten approximately 110 points from him at the combined cost of about 165. For those of you who had Bale from the beginning of the season, you got those same 110 points for a cost of about 132. So, what else could you have had for your money over that stretch that leads me to believe that you should have spent differently?
Since Bale's last major outburst in Week 2 (33.5 points), he has been averaging 10 points/match and has cost approximately 15. Over the course of 11 matches, you've gotten approximately 110 points from him at the combined cost of about 165. For those of you who had Bale from the beginning of the season, you got those same 110 points for a cost of about 132. So, what else could you have had for your money over that stretch that leads me to believe that you should have spent differently?
Midweek Review - Day One
Day One in the books, and I'm as happy as Sylvie in the photo above. 46 points from Begovic, Van Der Vaart and Gyan. Day Two looks to me much more interesting, with the Manchester derby very much at the forefront - including the Nani's possible early return from injury.
But first a brief look back at yesterday.
Headlines
Nani and Fletcher to miss Wolves clash
Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled Nani and Darren Fletcher out of Saturday's Premier League encounter with Wolves.
The pair both picked up injuries during the3-0 win over Bursaspor in Turkey.
And whilst it is hoped the damage is not too serious, it is enough to keep two of Ferguson's most important players out of a key domestic encounter.
"Unfortunately, Nani has a groin injury and is out for Saturday," confirmed Ferguson.
Balotelli looking to reach the top
Balotelli endured a disappointing first Barclays Premier League start in the defeat to Wolves on Saturday, but could get another chance to impress in Thursday's Europa League clash with Lech Poznan if he shakes off a knock to the thigh in time.
Two weeks out for Joe Cole
Joe Cole will be out for two weeks following the hamstring injury he sustained in Liverpool's 1-0 win over Bolton on Sunday...
That means Cole will miss out on facing his old club Chelsea at Anfield on Sunday.
Injured Fabregas out of Arsenal's trip to Donetsk
Arsenal will not risk skipper Cesc Fabregas against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Wednesday after the Spaniard strained a hamstring against West Ham United at the weekend...
"Cesc will not travel," Wenger told Arsenal's website (www.arsenal.com). "It's a mixture of caution and his hamstring. We cannot take the gamble. He has a good chance to play (against Newcastle) on Sunday but tomorrow would be a risk."
Alex Song is also doubtful for the Group H clash with a calf strain, as are Andrei Arshavin and Denilson who have groin injuries.
Spurs make it White Hot Lane for holders Inter
Spurs fans were buoyed before kickoff when Van der Vaart was declared fit after tweaking a hamstring on Saturday.
Besides scoring the opening goal he was also at the heart of most of Spurs attacks during a 45-minute appearance before going off at halftime.
========
I know what you're thinking... "What does all this mean?"
And I wish I had good answers. Nani's situation is the most troublesome for me. Van Der Vaart I have so cheaply that it's worth keeping him even if he is out for a game or two. But Nani, while I have him at a discount, is still a significant investment and I'm leaning towards selling him. Not only will he miss the match against Wolves, but there are midweek games (a new gameweek for Y!, however) so you wonder if he'll be fit to play in the Manchester derby on Wednesday. Fabregas is seemingly likely to play so is a good investment, but maybe Nasri is a better bet - he's healthier [at time of writing] and has been scoring well for fantasy. We'll see if he plays, and if so how he fares, in the Ukraine today.
As for the man of the moment, Gareth Bale, he hasn't transferred his Champions League form to the Premier League recently. But if Van Der Vaart does miss any time then Bale could be right back on set-piece duty and the offense will once again run through him on the left rather than Van Der Vaart through the middle. Playing at Bolton and then home to Sunderland is a bit of mixed bag, especially after yesterday's exertions. But I might consider backing him, even at just under 15.
On Modric
Apparently I struck a nerve with my assessment of Spurs and the talent on their roster with my "First Impressions..." column on Sunday. Equally apparent is the fact that Spurs supporters (at least I assume that's who would be most likely to disagree with my assessment) don't have a terribly realistic view of the players employed by their club.
Here's the harsh reality, Spurs have three and a half players who would even be in contention for a spot with one of the other contenders in the "Big Four" of Chelsea, Arsenal, ManYoo, and Citeh. Here's the list:
Bale - Given the form he's shown since the turn of 2010, he'd contend for a spot just about anywhere in the world.
van der Vaart - Wouldn't start at Chelsea over Lamps/FloMal/Essien. Not sure how he'd fit with Cesc at Arsenal but has the talent to find a way into the side over Arsh. Would fit somewhere into the rotation with Citeh but wouldn't be a sure-fire starter. Would be an obvious upgrade over/replacement for Scholes at ManYoo.
Gomes - He'd start at Arsenal but that's about it. If he returns to his form of the latter half of last season then he's probably about equivalent of EvdS, a step below Cech and two steps below Hart.
King - I call this a half because if he were healthy, he'd start for any of the contenders other than perhaps Chelsea. That said, he's rarely healthy so in the real world, he'd be a reserve held out for big matches on the big teams.
As they say on PTI, that's it, that's the list. One player who would start for all of their rivals. Two players who would only be a clear upgrade for one of their four big rivals (VDV for United and Gomes for Arsenal). One potentially great player who isn't reliable enough to really be considered a starter at Spurs or anywhere else. Outside of that, you have a lot of adequate players. Let's face it, there's a reason that you don't hear much about the moneybags teams either domestically or elsewhere in Europe sniffing around the Spurs roster. The real strength of Spurs roster is that they have depth of solid players which, especially over the course of a long Premier League season, is enough to distance them from the likes of Villa or Everton who probably have equivalent first team talent but can't survive dips in form or an injury crisis without a significant drop in talent.
If you think I'm mis-estimating one of more players on the Spurs roster vs. their counterparts from other teams, I'd love to see the analysis in the comments section. What Spurs player(s) would take the place of someone from one of the other "Big Four" teams?
Cheers - Neal
Here's the harsh reality, Spurs have three and a half players who would even be in contention for a spot with one of the other contenders in the "Big Four" of Chelsea, Arsenal, ManYoo, and Citeh. Here's the list:
Bale - Given the form he's shown since the turn of 2010, he'd contend for a spot just about anywhere in the world.
van der Vaart - Wouldn't start at Chelsea over Lamps/FloMal/Essien. Not sure how he'd fit with Cesc at Arsenal but has the talent to find a way into the side over Arsh. Would fit somewhere into the rotation with Citeh but wouldn't be a sure-fire starter. Would be an obvious upgrade over/replacement for Scholes at ManYoo.
Gomes - He'd start at Arsenal but that's about it. If he returns to his form of the latter half of last season then he's probably about equivalent of EvdS, a step below Cech and two steps below Hart.
King - I call this a half because if he were healthy, he'd start for any of the contenders other than perhaps Chelsea. That said, he's rarely healthy so in the real world, he'd be a reserve held out for big matches on the big teams.
As they say on PTI, that's it, that's the list. One player who would start for all of their rivals. Two players who would only be a clear upgrade for one of their four big rivals (VDV for United and Gomes for Arsenal). One potentially great player who isn't reliable enough to really be considered a starter at Spurs or anywhere else. Outside of that, you have a lot of adequate players. Let's face it, there's a reason that you don't hear much about the moneybags teams either domestically or elsewhere in Europe sniffing around the Spurs roster. The real strength of Spurs roster is that they have depth of solid players which, especially over the course of a long Premier League season, is enough to distance them from the likes of Villa or Everton who probably have equivalent first team talent but can't survive dips in form or an injury crisis without a significant drop in talent.
If you think I'm mis-estimating one of more players on the Spurs roster vs. their counterparts from other teams, I'd love to see the analysis in the comments section. What Spurs player(s) would take the place of someone from one of the other "Big Four" teams?
Cheers - Neal
Rafael van der Vaart Vaart is Upset
Like her husband, Sylvie seems very comfortable on the bench.
Rafael van der Vaart Vaart is upset at his treatment by Holland coach Bert van Marwijk | The Sun |Sport|Football
"I gave everything. Also I was playing in a position which is not comfortable for me, I'm not a left winger."
Good news for fantasy managers with Gareth Bale in their side.
... and at this point, isn't that the large marjority of us?
Season Preview: Tottenham
Huddlestone blow for Spurs
Tottenham have been rocked by the news that has suffered ankle ligament damage.I just realized why 'Arry recalled Jake Livermore from loan and not Jamie O'Hara. He's going to move Modric infield and play Bale on the left wing!
Huddlestone picked up the problem when he was challenged by John Heitinga during Spurs' 2-1 victory over Everton on Sunday.
The midfielder could not complete the match and left White Hart Lane in a protective boot.
The extent of the injury has now become more clear and Huddlestone will next consult a specialist as he faces up to a period on the sidelines.
I'm doomed.
The crazy thing is that, if this is true, Bale would be 11.47 well spent. I'd just be competing with everyone who has him at 2-something. Which, it looks like I'll be doing regardless. That's like gifting your opponents another player of the Jarvis/Lee/Bullard caliber in ADDITION to the ten points per week Bale is likely to put up over and above any defender in that spot.
I'm doomed.
Mike, Neal... save this link for future reference.
Early Doors
It's still more than a week away from the end of the current game week, but it's not too early to count the cost of the "hectic festive period" (TM English Football Punditry Ltd) and see what team news is available ahead of the weekend's FA Cup matches.
Bassong to Spurs seems to be on
Teamates now
Football365 | All The News | Football News | BASSONG EXPLAINS NEWCASTLE EXIT
Looks like it's happening for Spurs and Bassong. Here are a few quick thoughts.
1) Nice move for Spurs as they need a young, healthy, high quality centre back with upside.
2) You have to wonder why Arsenal wasn't interested at this price - throwing an additional £16M for Bassong and Chamakh seems like a reasonable use of their K2 & Toure money. Maybe the rumored deal for Migueal Veloso is really on and that is going to suck up the cash.
3) For fantasy purposes my assumption is that Spurs start the season with Bale on the left, Corluka and Bassong in the middle, and Hutton on the right with Corluka moving to the left to supplant Bale if/when one of Spurs oft-injured CBs returns to health. Could make Bale an interesting play until he is sent back to the bench. Not sure he'll ever live up to his first fantasy season but at 6.12 it's worth thinking about.
Spurs Swoop For Kaboul
I don't think anyone would be surprised if Kaboul is a started sooner rather than later. Certainly at the beginning of the season he will be needed to partner Dawson as King recovers. But if King can stay healthy, Dawson just might find himself on the bench.Tottenham have announced the signing of France Under-21 defender Younes Kaboul from Auxerre.
Spurs fought off competition elsewhere in Europe to sign the 21-year-old, who was rated at around £8million.
And the way Spurs are looking, Kaboul might just join Bale on the +10 list come the new fantasy season.
Spurs Complete Bale Deal
Tottenham have confirmed the signing of Wales left-back Gareth Bale from Southampton in a deal which could be worth up to £10million to the Hampshire club.
Bale put himself in the spotlight at the start of the season with a stunning free-kick against Derby, followed up with another set-piece against Coventry three days later.A defender who can play as a winger (on a team that could use some spark from the left side of midfield) and who takes kicks. Be still my beating heart! Ladies and gentlemen, I'm happy to present to you the first name off my list.
He is the youngest player to be capped by Wales and despite being deployed at full-back so far in his fledgling career, has been tipped to emulate Ryan Giggs if he is developed into a winger.
Bale +10!
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