Many people are starting to believe that QPR might just pull off what once looked like a very unlikely escape and if they can do it, their players will pick up plenty of points along the way.
Gameweek 29 review
With a host of teams and big name players out of action, for most managers last weekend the captaincy was a toss-up between Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale, who both featured in the Dream Team this week with 12 and eight points respectively.
Neither player managed to come in as top scorer, however, with that honour going to the very unlikely figure of Andros Townsend, who scored a goal, provided two assists and also claimed the three point bonus for a 16-point haul following QPR’s victory over Sunderland.
Jan Vertonghen was next on 14 points after his double at Anfield, while Townsend’s team-mate Loic Remy also featured after a goal and a two-point bonus translated to eight points for the Frenchman.
Eight points was also the total managed by Stewart Downing, Jonathan Walters and Norwich’s Michael Turner, Gabby Agbonlahor went one better with nine, while there was also room in the Dream Team for Southampton duo Artur Boruc (13) and Jos Hooiveld (6).
J-League
Although it was once ridiculously tight at the top, like the Premier League itself, the race for the J-League is now beginning to look like a race for second spot thanks to the dominance of Darren McCann’s Dazzleros at the top.
68 points from Darren this week was enough to extend his lead over Martin Hanway’s Marty’s Muppets to 44 points, with Mickey Hanrahan’s Shawn Michaels Babes the only other team in the league to top 1,800 points overall.
Andy Twomey’s Athtransa lie 13 points behind Martin in fourth place while Neil Gallagher’s Smallville Crowes and Barry McCabe’s Breffni Blues are tied in fifth place a good distance behind the rest of the ‘Big Four’ in the J-League.
J-League Top 5:
- Dazzleros – Darren McCann: 1,854 points
- Marty’s Muppets – Martin Hanway: 1,810 points
- Shawn Michaels Babes – Mickey Hanrahan: 1,807 points
- Athtrasna – Andy Twomey: 1,794 points
- Smallville Crowes – Neil Farragher, Breffni Blues – Barry McCabe: 1,781 points
Miracle on Loftus Road?
Whether it’s because of the players they signed, the money at their disposal or the fact that ‘Arry Houdini ties in nicely to any headlines relating to an escape of some sort, there were plenty of observers who thought that the arrival of Redknapp would inspire a revival at QPR and enough points to enable them to beat the drop.
With some shocking performances and rumours of holiday drinking binges in Dubai it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the Rs since Redknapp’s arrival, but after their results in the last two games, their fans are starting to believe that they can just about cling onto their Premier League status.
What Redknapp certainly has done is made QPR a lot more stable at the back than they had been previously and aside from a tonking at Swansea and a home defeat to the league leaders, they haven’t conceded more than one goal in the New Year and that run includes games against Chelsea, Spurs and Manchester City.
The performances of Julio Cesar (£5.0 million) have been inspired at times and providing he can recover from a recent knock fairly quickly, he’s not a bad choice between the sticks. In front of him, Clint Hill (£4.3 million) has been Redknapp’s most reliable option in the back four, while Armand Traore (£4.8 million) is pretty much guaranteed as a 90-minute man whenever he’s fit.
Adel Taarabt (£5.7 million) hasn’t played in weeks and hadn’t produced anything of note for a good while beforehand, but given the mercurial type of character he is, you get the feeling there will be a week between now and the end of the season when he runs riot with a goal and a couple of assists.
A goal and a couple of assists is exactly what Andros Townsend (£4.4 million) managed against Sunderland last week, while up front Loic Remy (£5.9 million) has been delivering the goals – two in his last two games, three in four starts overall – that Peter Odemwingie must have promised before he ended up stranded in the club car park.
JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks:
Top Dollar: Wayne Rooney (£11.9 million). Putting aside doubts about his future at Man United for a minute, Rooney has four goals and two assists in his last four league starts and will be going up against a Reading side who are lacking both confidence and a manager at Old Trafford this weekend.
Mid-Range: Jan Vertonghen (£6.3 million). His brace against Liverpool took his league tally to four this season and that game came on the back of a man of the match showing against Arsenal the previous weekend. The Belgian is hitting form at just the right time for Spurs’ Champions League charge.
Bargain Basement: Matija Nastasic (£5.4 million). His performances have gone slightly under the radar this season but he’s pretty much a regular in a City side with the best defence in the league and with two clean sheets in their last two outings.
Irish Pick: Jonathan Walters (£6.3 million). Finally put his penalty nightmare behind him against Newcastle last time out and a goal or at least a good performance would be a nice boost ahead of Stockholm this day week.
Captain’s Pick: Luis Suarez (£11.1 million). In flying form at the moment with five goals, three assists, eight out of a possible nine bonus points and 43 points in total in the last three games. The Southampton defence will be quaking in their boots.
