Season Preview: West Ham United

Overall Outlook - It's been quite some time since I felt like I had any idea what the people assembling the Hammers roster are thinking.  It seems that every year they go out of their way to overstock one or two positions where they really didn't need any more support in the first place.  This year the overstocking seems to be coming at strikers who aren't target players.  With Franco [ed note. Franco was released at the end of last season], Diamanti, and Sears already on the books to vie for time opposite Carlton Cole they have now added Frederic Piquionne and Miralem Sulejmani and are rumored to be after Yakubu as well.  Hard to know why they'd be doing that when there are other positions that are in need of more help perhaps anywhere and everywhere across the back line which is adequate but hardly rock solid.

Late Fitness Test

Ok... let's head around the country and around the league and look at the matches this weekend. Along the way I'll try to justify explain my team selection. Hopefully we can spark some thought and maybe a little debate.... after the jump.

Monday Morning Manager

Gallagher, Andrews, Nelsen and Robinson before the match.

Counting the cost of Friday's trades, after the jump.

Blog Roundtable

Talking Chelsea and two-gamers with my friend, and fantasy football newbie, Tundra United.  After the jump.

Monday Morning Manager

Good week for me -- great Saturday then gave most of it back on Sunday. 107 points with five 2-gamers. Not that I'm expecting much from them.  More on that after the jump.

Early Doors

As we edge closer and closer to decision day, I am becoming increasingly frustrated with my line-up and frantic in my trade ideas. I think you'll see from the roundtable - after the jump - that I've come to a conclusion, but that Neal is sensibly (and probably in my best interests) trying to talk me back from it.

But before we get to that, just a few other items of note.

1. I want to remind everyone that I'm tagging what I read using the 'fantasyepl' tag on Delicious. You can see the latest on Delicious or down the center column. Mostly it's small injury and form related news that doesn't warrant a full post (and/or will likely be covered in TWA or I&S posts) but that could be relevant for your team selection. For example:

• Warnock doubt for Villa
• Everton FC left sweating on Louis Saha’s fitness
• Jensen doubt
• Fabianski out. Mannone/Almunia?
• "Bent should be alright for the weekend"

2. I've started a Twitter list of English Premier League and specifically fantasy English Premier League sources. Feel free to follow it, and more importantly feel free to suggest other feeds to add. You can reach me at @jspitzberg or in the comments section of this blog. Or on the Fantasy English Premier League Facebook page, etc... You get the idea.

3. My basketball site, iHoops.com is coming out of the gate. Check it out if you are interested in youth basketball in the United States or are looking for tips/drills/advice on how to play the game and play the game better anywhere in the world.

Now, on with the fun...