Fantasy Football Insider – Gameweek 35: Squeaky bum time

In this week’s insider, JOE looks at just who is in top form as the Premier League season enters the final stretch.

By Conor Heneghan

Fantasy Football (In association with Champion Sports)

Gameweek 34 review

It’s fair to say we’ve been surprised by what the fantasy football league has thrown at us at times this year, but the make-up of the dream team for Gameweek 34 takes the biscuit. In my absence last week, Emmet Purcell alerted readers to the fact that there was a pretty low profile double gameweek considering that the teams in action twice were Stoke City, Fulham, Bolton and Wolves.

We envisaged that maybe one or two players from those teams might step up to the plate, but NEVER thought that as many of nine players from Fulham and Stoke would feature on the highest scoring XI.

The odd men out? The highest points contributor of the week was none other than Liverpool utility player Maxi Rodriguez, whose impact at Anfield all season has been ghost-like.

A Maxi Rodriguez hat-trick. Where did that come from?

Rodriguez repaid the Scousers for all of his non-performances this season with a hat-trick against Birmingham that yielded 21 points. The other man was Sunderland midfield tyro Jordan Henderson, who benefited from a well-earned rest given to him by Steve Bruce and returned against Wigan with a two goal and 21-point haul.

One of our recommendations for last week, Fulham’s Clint Dempsey, repaid our faith in him with 18 points, while his teammates Mark Schwarzer (9), Brede Hangeland (14), Danny Murphy (11) and Eidur Gudjohnsen (10) also delivered impressive returns.

Stoke, meanwhile, who are coming along nicely ahead of their FA Cup Final date with Manchester City next month, were well worth your investment last week, with Ryan Shawcross (13), Robert Huth (10), Jermaine Pennant (16) and Kenwyne Jones (14) all reaching double figures.

Champion J-League

Leader of the Champion J-League, Shane Halligan, must be positively shitting himself at this late stage of the season as his once unassailable lead has dropped to only nine points. Stephen Fox’s Makin Up D Numbers* have been, well, making up the numbers and he must seriously fancy his chances of usurping the league leader with only four gameweeks to go.

The chasing pack, led by Keith Donnelly’s UpDown FC, are still well within reach, but will have to an awful lot between now and the end of the season if they are going to cause an upset. As hinted at in last week’s insider, JOE contributor Frankie McCann wiped the floor with the rest of the J-League in April, coming out on top by a massive 18 points.

To distance ourselves from accusations of bias and cronyism, however, we have rewarded Frankie for his efforts with a good hearty pat on the back and the prize of a Premier League replica jersey will instead go to the team in second place, the disturbingly titled Wet dream team, managed by Niall O’Sullivan, who incidentally won the same prize back in December. Some people have all the luck.

Champion J-League Top 5

1.       Hal’s Allstars – Shane Halligan: 1969 points

2.       Makin Up D Numbers* - Stephen Fox 1960 points

3.       UpDown FC – Keith Donnelly: 1927 points

4.       Wet dream team – Niall O’Sullivan: 1914 points

5.       Team of Gary Breens – John Murphy: 1901 points

Scouting for Goals – Martin Kelly: 1901 points

What to look out for this week and JOE's Fantasy Football Picks

What to look out for this week

With so much at stake at this late stage of the season, trying to predict what way things are going to go is a very dangerous game indeed.

Last weekend’s fixtures were a prime example, with Manchester United narrowly avoiding what could have been a crucial loss of two points against Everton thanks to Chicharito’s late show, while the pressure finally became too much for Arsenal, who blew their already slim title hopes with an almost inevitable collapse against Bolton.

In fantasy football terms, however, it seems there are certain individuals you can set your watch by at the moment.

Take Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt (£9.2 million), for example. The facially challenged Dutchman has returned 63 points from his last six games thanks to seven goals, two assists and eight bonus points. Although categorised as a midfielder, Kuyt steps into the attack in the absence of either Andy Carroll or Luis Suarez and with Carroll currently struggling with a knee injury, he may well remain up front until the season’s end.

Seamless

Given how seamlessly Antonio Valencia has returned to the Manchester United side since recovering from a sickening ankle injury, you’d swear he’d never been away. His inclusion in the team for the Champions League games against Chelsea and Schalke indicates that Fergie trusts him over Nani for the big games.

Valencia and Nani both thank the man above for the bounty of a goal against Fulham

United have two of them coming up against Arsenal and Chelsea in the league and Valencia is likely to play a big part. With an impressive 29 points in four starts since returning from injury, he’s worth a punt at just under £8 million.

At the other end of the table, few have been doing the business with the consistency of West Brom’s Peter Odemwingie in recent weeks. We’re fond of the Nigerian in JOE towers and have recommended him in the past, but he’s been on fire of late with three goals, four assists and six bonus points in his last four games. At just £5.4 million, he’s a snip and you’d fancy him to bag one against Villa in the Midlands derby this weekend.

JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks

Top Dollar: Frank Lampard (£13.0 million). It hasn’t been the most vintage of campaigns for Fat Frank, but two goals and five bonus points in his last three games would suggest that there’s life in the old dog yet.

Mid Range: Dirk Kuyt (£9.2 million). As mentioned above, Kuyt has been in prolific form of late and a home tie against Newcastle United looks like an ideal opportunity to extend his good run.

Bargain Basement: Kenwyne Jones (£6.4 million). Perhaps a little pricey for bargain basement territory, but Jones has been central to Stoke’s magnificent form of late, with three goals in his last three league games. The big man will relish coming up against a Blackpool side with the worst defensive record in the league this weekend.

Irish Pick: Seamus Coleman (£5.3 million). Despite losing out to Man U last week, Coleman still notched up six points as he was withdrawn shortly before the United winner. Coincidence, perhaps? Anyway, despite the defeat, the Toffees have been on a magnificent run and should have enough for Wigan at the DW this weekend.

Captain’s Pick: Dirk Kuyt (£9.2 million). With four of the top five in action against each other and Man City still Tevez-less, we reckon Kuyt is the safest option as skipper.