With Chelsea looking good for the title and with a handy-looking run-in, is Samuel Eto’o worth a punt up front?
Gameweek 29 review
With only ten teams in action at the weekend, it was always going to be slim enough pickings in the Fantasy Football department, but at least Man United fans can take solace in what must be their biggest representation in the best XI this season.
United had four players in the Dream Team this week, led by the king of ridiculous facial expressions Phil Jones with 14 points after a goal and a clean sheet against West Brom, while there was also room for Wayne Rooney (12), Rafael (11) and ‘keeper David de Gea with seven points.
None of that quartet achieved the status as top scorer, however, with that accolade going to Steven Caulker, who scored twice and got the maximum bonus points in Cardiff’s win over Fulham for a 17-point haul overall.
In just 15 minutes against Spurs, Demba Ba scored twice and earned 12 points, one point more than fellow Chelsea forward Samuel Eto’o and three more than Eden Hazard, with Norwich’s Bradley Johnson (10), Cardiff’s Jordan Mutch (10) and Southampton’s Luke Shaw (8) making up the best XI.
J-League
Considering the circumstances, huge kudos must go to J-League leader Barry Curran, whose Gambitbeer side managed a very impressive 65 points this week, despite the lack of a full programme of fixtures.
It’s that kind of managerial nous that has Barry in 11th place in the world in Fantasy Football and, more importantly as far as we’re concerned, in first place in the J-League with a comfortable 46-point lead over Adrian Marnane’s Michu at De Gea Bar in second place.
James Curran’s There’s Only One BOD have come from relative obscurity to take third spot a further 12 points back with Noel Brady’s Cavan Commandos and Des Finegan’s The K_Krew holding onto fourth and fifth place respectively.
J-League Top 5:
- Gambitbeer – Barry Curran: 1,927 points
- Michu at De Gea Bar – Adrian Marnane: 1,881 points
- There’s Only One BOD – James Curran: 1,869 points
- Cavan Commandos – Noel Brady: 1,866 points
- The K_Krew – Des Finegan: 1,864 points
Chelsea’s goal threat tangled up in Eto’o
Jose Mourinho’s style of football hasn’t always helped and hasn’t exactly made it a dream for a striker to play in, but there is no doubt that Chelsea would be in a stronger position that they are currently in if they had the real world class striker they are more than likely to acquire in the summer.
Nobody who has auditioned for the role as the focal point ahead of an attacking midfield triumvirate has been in any way convincing to date, but without figuring too strongly radar, Samuel Eto’o has turned out to be pretty influential in recent weeks.
When your own manager is joking about you being a few years older than you actually are, it’s not hard to see that Eto’o doesn’t exactly have a long-term future at Stamford Bridge, but he could have a huge role to play in the short-term, before the aforementioned big-money signing arrives in the summer.
Eto’s has pretty much established himself as Chelsea’s main striker since the turn of the year and though he is in no way prolific – one goal in six games since his hat-trick against Man United in January – he has been racking the points to the extent that he has averaged just short of seven points a game over the last seven games. Granted that’s nothing spectacular, but it’s not bad all the same.
As well as that, Chelsea have a pretty kind-looking run of fixtures between now and the end of the season in their favour. Games against Arsenal and Liverpool look tricky, but apart from that they play Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Stoke, Swansea, Sunderland and Norwich between now and May, where opportunities for goals should be in plentiful supply.
Any move for Eto’o should be delayed until after the mahoosive Gameweek 31 next time around – Chelsea being one of the few clubs who don’t have two games – but at £8.2 million, he could be a decent option when squeaky bum time arrives and the Special One needs a favour or two from a man who has served him well in the past.
JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks:
Top Dollar: Eden Hazard (£11.2 million). Another goal last weekend took his tally for the season to 13 and with 45 points in the last five games alone, he’s bang in form ahead of the trip to Villa Park this weekend.
Mid-Range: Edin Dzeko (£6.6 million). Unlike Hazard he’s not exactly bang in form, but we expect a backlash from City after the Barcelona defeat, Aguero isn’t quite fully fit and Hull conceded four at home last time out.
Bargain Basement: Bradley Johnson (£4.4 million). With a goal, an assist and 19 points in his last three games, Johnson is doing his best to keep Norwich’s survival hopes alive.
Irish Pick: Seamus Coleman (£6.6 million). With a home clash against relegation-threatened Cardiff, we’d be confident of a clean sheet from Coleman and maybe even a goal or an assist thrown into the bargain as a bonus.
Captain’s Pick: Luis Suarez (£13.1 million). It’s a real toughie this week but when in doubt, you go for your most reliable performer and that has to be 23-goal, 19-assist Luis Suarez, even at Old Trafford.
