HAVING BEEN STARVED of Premier League action in recent days, English football finally recommences this weekend, prompting a flurry of last-minute FF transfers more panicked than Arsene Wenger on deadline day.
Having waited all summer long for the game’s return, no sooner was the season back before it took another bloody break.
And I must say, I’m with Alex Ferguson on this one. International football matches are just meaningless, and until someone can devise some sort of system in which Fantasy Football is integrated into these games, then they’re just a waste of everyone’s time.
Anyhow, if you can still remember your password, these tips might come in handy.
Two players to pick this week:
Edin Dzeko - On one level, having the Bosnian striker in your team represents a risk. City have so many quality strikers at the club that any drop in form will result in the player being relegated to the bench. However, if he continues to perform in the manner that he has started the season, then the likes of Tevez and Balotelli will struggle to get a look in, and he could well become City’s main man. In the short term, he is certainly worth investing in, especially given that he is currently very reasonably priced at £8.8m.
Shay Given – Villa have only conceded one goal so far this season, and I don’t expect that statistic to change when they come up against an Everton side who are patently in decline, as their largely uninspired performances so far have demonstrated. Given was magnificent in midweek for Ireland and with the help of the mighty Richard Dunne and the equally reliable James Collins, the keeper looks a good bet to keep a clean sheet tomorrow.
Two players to avoid this week:
Mikel Arteta – Some of Arsenal’s pre-transfer window signings seemed like panic buys and Arteta is a prime example of Wenger’s increasingly questionable transfer policy. Arsenal’s new signing can perform excellently on occasion, however his lack of consistency, coupled with his persistent injury problems, mean that you should do what Wenger should have done and avoid investing in the overrated Spaniard.
Younes Kaboul – Tottenham’s defence has looked decidedly dodgy in the team’s opening two games, albeit against arguably the best two sides in the league – Man City and United. However, irrespective of the opposition’s quality, conceding eight goals in two games is poor by anyone’s standards. Their defence seemed a lot more solid last season and it’s hardly a coincidence that their recent defensive collapses have coincided with Kaboul being moved from full-back to centre-back. Don’t expect him to last long there.
Predictions for the week:Arsenal 3-1 Swansea
Everton 0-1 Aston Villa
Man City 4-1 Wigan
Stoke 1-2 Liverpool
Sunderland 0-2 Chelsea
Wolves 1-1 Tottenham
Bolton 1-2 Man United
Norwich 2-2 West Brom
Fulham 1-1 Blackburn
QPR 2-1 Newcastle
How my team got on last gameweek: Fairly well – I secured an impressive 95 points. Having Rooney as captain proved to be a masterstroke. Sadly, I wasn’t the only one who thought of this less-than-ingenious idea.
Who’s leading TheScore.ie’s league: Kieran Browne’s ‘Wish I Had Messi’ are currently top, with a total of 223 points. Like myself, Kieran went with the wise move of making Rooney captain, and also benefited from having Ashley Young, who starred in United’s stunning 8-2 win over Arsenal.
Who do you think will perform well/badly this week? Let us know in the comments section below.
