Week Two Barn Door Team

A bit of analysis, including who is on the bubble, coming soon.

This was my team after the weekend matches, though in truth I do have Riise and Formica held "behind the scenes", as Nik likes to say.  There's obviously a strong Manchester City contingent after yesterday's match.  Aguero was devestating in his 30-minute cameo and I wouldn't expect his playing time to be limited going forward.  Silva was the straw that stirred the drink, and Richards and Toure were sometimes the most advanced players on the pitch!  They travel to Bolton this weekend (top of the table clash!), and I am still betting against the Trotters.  Yes, I tried that last weekend with Taarabt and DJ Campbell, and no it didn't work out.  Bolton have a settled back five at the moment, even if those players couldn't keep a clean sheet to save their lives last season.  I'm not going to over-react to the QPR match (though maybe I'm over-reacting to the Swansea match?) and I'm going to bet on Citeh to do the business again.

Everton and Aston Villa get strong representation here, with two players apiece. Everton are opening their season and get to do so now at home, against QPR.  Saha is fit and does well when healthy.  Cahill should again play as a withdrawn forward, which is great for a fantasy midfielder.  He's also healthy, and scored for Australia against Wales last week. Mikel Arteta is back for Everton, but I'm not sure he'll start.  Osman is a bit more expensive than Cahill but could also represent a good bet.

Aston Villa are represented after their credible 0-0 draw at Fulham.  Given goes into the team and can hopefully replicate the clean sheet at home against a struggling Rovers side. Rovers played Hanley and N'Zonzi at center back last weekend so N'Zogbia (battle of the N's!) gets the nod in midfield.  Other candidates for the fantasy team would include Darren Bent - LOVE the idea of his running at that makeshift backline) and Warnock - who is back in the team and getting involved going forward as far as I can tell.

Rounding out the team is Luis Suarez, who picked up right where he left off after last season and seems to be a +10 fantasy player.  He should love running at, and around, the Arsenal defence this weekend.  That defence may or may not have Gibbs as he is not "unlikely" to be fit.  I may keep Gibbs at his ridiculously low price, but I may look to gut Bosingwa and bring in two mid-price defenders (back to Riise?) for the combined value.

Season Preview - Everton

Quick Reminder, Real Life

Stop me if you’ve read this before but Everton didn’t start out the season particularly well. Shocking, I know. This time around, it took them a little longer to revert to being a top half team but they got there eventually with a late charge up the table well after there was any chance of them challenging for a Europa Cup spot. Still, they finished 7th in the table which is something for a team that hasn’t spent much money on their squad in a few years. Throw in the injuries to key players like Mikel Arteta, Marouane Fellaini, and Louis Saha (although the latter’s frequent absences can hardly be considered a surprise at this point). Of note during the season, Leighton Baines continued to be exceptional going forward while being a very solid defender on the left. Tim Cahill did what he always does with a brief injury interruption. Jermaine Beckford took a while to adapt to the Prem but ended the season with solid goal numbers that belied the reputation he earned early as “in over his head”. Finally, Seamus Coleman moved into a more regular starting role - split between right midfield and right back - and played pretty well.

Quick Reminder, Fantasy

Baines was an absolute stud with 5 goals and 11 assists and a ton of phantom points for the formats that count those sorts of things. Coleman was the unquestioned value play in the squad since he was listed as a defender but played in midfield more often than anywhere else increasing his chances at both attacking and defending points. Quietly, Osman had a nice run of starts in a more advanced role and good fantasy production late in the season that reminded us that he can be a valuable player if injuries provide an opportunity for regular starts. On the down side, Tim Howard (incredibly inconsistent as a fantasy keeper) and Arteta (not as productive as he used to be and still just as expensive) were disappointing to fantasy managers who fondly remember better seasons from both in the past.

Summer Changes

Everton Team News

Preview: Everton v Reading (19.30)

Saha, who has been troubled with a hamstring injury of late, crashed his Ferrari into a fence on Sunday but David Moyes has included him in his squad to face the Championship side.

Marouane Fellaini is a major doubt, however, after aggravating an ankle injury in Saturday's Premier League victory over Sunderland and a decision on his fitness will not be made until closer to kick-off.

Jermaine Beckford could miss out because of a groin problem, while the fitness of Tim Cahill and Victor Anichebe will also be checked before Moyes names his starting line-up.

Paying attention to the team news as Everton are 2-gamers next week (@NUFC, BRM) providing this FA Cup tie doesn't require a replay.

UPDATE:  Everton team: Howard Neville Baines Jagielka Bilyaletdinov Saha Arteta Distin Osman Coleman Rodwell

Injuries and Suspensions

Premier League team news - ESPN Soccernet

Here are my fantasy-related thoughts on the injury news which can be found in more detail on the other side of the link above.

• Smalling In - With Rio and Evans out, Smalling will deputize at CB.  #ChinkInArmor
• de Jong Doubtful - There may be more goals than you think in this match with Rio and de Jong both potentially out. #WeakenedSpines
  
• Saha Out - He made it easy on managers who were contemplating keeping him for the one match week by injuring himself significantly. #Fragile
• Luiz Starts - Unless he's a disaster, you have to think this will be CHE's preferred defensive group ACole - JT - Luiz - Ivanovic. #NoRotationPlease
• Bale/VDV/Modric Out - Crouch is doubtful as well plus long term injuries to King, Woody, and Kaboul.  Not good times.  #IsThisSpursOrArsenal?
• Kelly Passed Fit - For those holding Kelly, it looks like he'll at least get LIV's one match this week. #Recovered
• RSC Healthy - We'll see how long it lasts but file this away as one to pay attention to over the weekend. #BDWatch
• Martins Included - With Martins included in the squad, there is still uncertainty about how much he'll play in the first match against Stoke. #TwoMonthLayoff
• ARS Injuries - RvP is healthy (shocking so quickly after bowing out of Holland squad), Djourou back, Diaby/Sicky out.  #AllGoodNews

Join us bright and early for the Manchester Derby Live Chat right here on this very web page.  We'll stick around for Arsenal and all of the other matches after that.  Have a great weekend if we don't see you on the chat, comments section, Twitter (@nealjthurman and @jspitzberg), Facebook, or well, you get the idea.

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.

Season Preview: Everton

Overall Outlook - I'll start the preview with the fact that I like Everton.  They have a quality team that tries to play entertaining football.  They manage their team within a budget that is supported by the revenue the club can generate.  They have a few of my favorite players in Tim Howard and Mikel Arteta and gave credibility to Landon Donovan's career which previous had "big fish in a small pond" written all over it.  It pains me to say this but last season was about as good as it is going to get for Everton in the current Premier League climate.  They'll likely finish somewhere between 6th and 9th depending on how Liverpool, Villa, Citeh, and Spurs perform against talent and expectations.  The chances of them taking the next step up the table when even a player like Donovan is out of their financial reach seems pretty slim.  Basically, expect more of the same from Everton unless something dramatic happens.

Where were we?

Ah, yes...

It's hard to come back from international break. But re-focus we must. So to get us all up to speed - and yes, there are games today so no due dilligence can start in earnest until tomorrow - let's look at my O'Hara issue. ;-)

I have O'Hara at 4.23 and he's averaging 5 points per match. However, he's ineligible to play against Spurs this weekend and he's being played in a more withdrawn role in the midfield. So naturally I'm desperate to sell. But 4.23 doesn't get you very far. Good news then that Rooney is a doubt for the Bolton match. Well, maybe not as he's expected to train with United this week. But still, the door is open! So between Rooney and O'Hara I have 22.77 to spend. What are my options?

• Keep the both. Maybe not the worst idea ever. Take the hit this week but know that points are coming.
• Keep Rooney and sell O'Hara for Kightly.  I like this option because I feel like I would be buying low on Kightly.  Surely his playing time will only increase and last week's -2 will be seen as an anomoly.
• Blow them both up and replace them with two mid-priced players with good match-ups this week.  This is the fun option because of how wide open it is.  Who might those options be?  Let's take a look.
  
  At forward:
  
  • Saha  - home to a poor-traveling Wolves team.
  • Diamanti - West Ham aren't in good form, but Diamanti is taking kicks and getting points regardless.
  • Bellamy - Robinho not back yet, and Bellamy's form would probably keep him out of the side anyway.  At up-and-down Wigan.
    
  • Defoe - wait for word on his hand injury and thus his prospects to start, but playing at another of his old clubs he'll want to get on the scoresheet.
  • A.Johnson - home to Hull. 'nuff said.
    
  
  At middie:
  
  • Benayoun - If Gerrard is hurt, Benny is Liverpool's most creative player and even @Sunderland, there could be goals.
  • Giggs - bit of a reach in price, but rested he should star against Bolton.  Especially if Rooney is limited.
  • Geovanni - much like last season, he's at the heart of whatever Hull do (and yes, that's damning with faint praise).
  • Lennon - @Pompey
  • Osman or Cahill - @Wolves
  • Andy Reid - facing Liverpool, but taking kicks for Sunderland and averaging 10 points per match.
  • Dunn - home to Burnley, though this is a local derby so it takes a bit of the shine off
  • Gera or Duff - home to Hull. 'nuff said.  Well one more thing, Dempsey is injured so they're more assured spots.
    

Honestly, I'm at a loss right now. Anyone have any thoughts?

Nipping rumors in the bud

Louis Saha's management company has rubbished claims that the Manchester United striker will be out of action for six months.

They say the Frenchman should be back for the start of the new season, and that claims from a former adviser called Ranko Stojic, saying he might not play until December, were unfounded.

Viduka Closing In On Toon Move

Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka is understood to have agreed in principle to join north-east rivals Newcastle.

His 19 goals last season - seven of them in his last five starts - were key to Boro's successful fight against relegation from the Barclays Premiership and took his tally for the club to 42 in 100 appearances, 20 of them as a substitute. [emphasis mine -j.]

That's the key. Viduka plays hard when his next payday is the issue. So you invariably get goals from him in August, December, and April. Then he'll go quiet for months at a time. I sure hope Big Sam realizes this. Maybe they'll structure his contract in such a way that he only gets paid when he scores. Or they'll make him sign a series of short-term (like a month at a time) deals. Anything they can do to keep him focused.

Now, is Big Sam going to bring his 4-3-3 to Newcastle? Viduka is certainly the mold of the big center forward he likes. See Davies, Kevin. (As an aside, what would Big Sam have done with Shearer? Wow. Imagine his glee at having the original at his disposal.) But are Owen and Martins the wide attackers he wants? Certainly Duff and Milner would be naturals. In fact, wouldn't a front line of Duff, Viduka, and Milner playing in front of Parker, Barton, and Butt suit Sam nicely? It would be like Bolton but with better quality players. But how do you leave out £17 million worth of striker? Going to be interesting, especially for fantasy managers, how Big Sam works it out.

And can we start the Speed to Newcastle rumours right here and now? He's a former and still much beloved player. He knows and thrives under Allardyce's system. Makes much more sense to me that Sam would go back to Bolton for Speed, rather than Nolan or Diouf.

As for Boro, they now have to replace (and hopefully for them, increase) Viduka's goal tally. Perhaps they should be looking for a bit more mobility to complement Yakubu. In fact, they might just have to replace Yakubu too if his on again, off again relationship with the Nigerian national team is on again for January's African Nations Cup. I think they could do worse than look to prise Louis Saha AND Alan Smith from Manchester United. That would give them the options they would want, and by offering for both players, might sweeten the deal for ManU who have already spent a ton of money, but are still looking for another striker themselves.