With a lot of big teams and a lot of big players set to miss games over the coming weeks, some forward planning could really make a difference.
Gameweek 26 review
Some of you have probably just stopped seething after the weather made a bit of a mess of Gameweek 26 but that didn’t stop the players who were in action totting up some very impressive scores indeed.
Every single member of the Dream Team managed double figures last time out, with Emmanuel Adebayor the most impressive of a high-scoring bunch after two goals, one assist and three bonus earned him 16 points in Spurs’ drubbing of a Newcastle side devoid of confidence at the moment.
Next best were Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and West Ham’s James Collins on 15 points, one better than Southampton’s goal-scoring central defender Jose Fonte on 14.
Sturridge’s team-mate Steven Gerrard was one of a quartet of players to score 11 points alongside Spurs’ Nabil Bentaleb, West Ham’s Mohamed Diame and Cardiff ‘keeper David Marshall, with defenders Chico Flores and Branislav Ivanovic and Fulham’s Kieran Richardson all getting the nod after posting ten points apiece.
J-League:
Despite the clusterf**k brought on by the postponement of a number of Premier League games, the vast majority of managers at the top of the J-League managed to post decent scores this week, apart from Stuart McGoldrick, whose Champions 2013/14 side went from threatening the leaders to clinging onto their place in the top five after a disastrous 28 points.
As a result Barry Curran’s Gambitbeer ended up stretching their lead at the top to a relatively comfortable 21 points over Adrian Marnane’s Michu at De Gea Bar in second, with virtually nothing separating Paul McInaw’s Poppycock Wednesday, Noel Brady’s Cavan Commandos, Brian Ruane’s Dukes of Hazard and the aforementioned Champions 2013/14 from third to fifth place.
J-League Top 5:
- Gambitbeer – Barry Curran: 1,742 points
- Michu at De Gea Bar – Adrian Marnane: 1,721 points
- Poppycock Wednesday – Paul McInaw, Cavan Commandos – Noel Brady: 1,689 points
- Dukes of Hazard – Brian Ruane: 1,688 points
- Champions 2013/14 – Stuart McGoldrick: 1,687 points
Strategic planning required for some messy weeks ahead
You may well have used the January one only a few weeks ago, but if you still have another wildcard to avail of before the season’s out then it is something that could prove very useful over the next few weeks.
The most astute Fantasy Football managers always do a little bit of forward planning and as the Premier League season itself enters what Alex Ferguson would call ‘squeaky bum time’, circumstances may demand that managers engage in rotation to a level that would make Claudio ‘The Tinkerer’ Ranieri blush.
The fixtures this weekend remain unaffected and every team is in action, but that’s not the case in three of the four gameweeks that follow and it’s worth having a look forward before going ahead with any transfers you might be planning to make.
In Gameweek 28 for example, Manchester City, Manchester United, West Brom and Sunderland will all be excused from duty, while in Gameweek 29 there will be eight teams with no games: Manchester City (again), Sunderland (again), Liverpool, Arsenal, Everton, Swansea, Newcastle and Aston Villa.
Essentially, that means that one should take note of the Manchester City players in their squad over the coming weeks because although they will have an extra game along with Manchester United in Gameweek 31, City players will be unable to pick up points in 50 per cent of the next four gameweeks.
On the other hand, Chelsea and Spurs are amongst ten teams who won’t miss a single gameweek during what is a pretty messy period, which makes the likes of a resurgent Branislav Ivanovic, Eden Hazard and Emmanuel Adebayor attractive looking propositions over the next few weeks.
With multiple transfers costing precious points at this stage of the season, there’s only a certain amount a manager can do to try and cope but a little foresight will go a long way over the next month or so. Now, where’s that wildcard again?
JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks:
Top Dollar: Luis Suarez (£13.4 million). With only one goal in five league games, you get the feeling some team is really going to feel Suarez’s wrath sooner rather than later and there’s a good chance it’ll be Swansea at Anfield this weekend.
Mid-Range: Emmanuel Adebayor (£8.2 million). Adebayor must have the scent of a new contract in his nostrils because he’s been in cracking form of late, with three goals in his last two games and five in his last five, during which time he’s recorded an impressive 41 points.
Bargain Basement: Branislav Ivanovic (£6.4 million). The teak-tough defender has burst into life of late, with two goals, one assist, two clean sheets, eight bonus points and 35 points in total in the last three games.
Irish Pick: Shane Long (£5.6 million). Has a record of one goal every two games since joining Hull, so he’s probably due one against Cardiff on Saturday.
Captain’s Pick: Daniel Sturridge (£10.2 million). As we said above, we reckon Suarez is going to end this ‘drought’ of his sooner rather than later, but you can’t argue with the seven goals, two assists and 59 points his strike partner has registered in the last six games.
