This week is big. Really, really big.
Gameweek 30 review
Solid without being spectacular was the theme in the Dream Team this week as although there were no outrageous individual scores, plenty of players hit double figures and there was scope for a decent score if you played your cards right.
David Silva was the main man after his goal and assist proved decisive in 10-man Manchester City’s victory away at Hull, with the Spaniard’s 14-point haul just good enough to see off Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard and Stoke’s Peter Odemwingie, who managed 13 points apiece.
Gerrard’s Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez was one of a handful of players on 11 points along with our own Seamus Coleman (how about that for a deliberate sliced finish?), Tomas Rosicky, Fabian Delph and Southampton striker Rickie Lambert.
Both Vito Mannone (10) and Scott Dann (8) did well out of the stalemate between Sunderland and Crystal Palace, while Fulham’s Brede Hangeland completed the dream team after his clean sheet and nine points against Newcastle.
J-League
There was more shuffling at the top of the J-League than a pack of cards on a crowded dancefloor on a Saturday night with only the leaders, Barry Curran’s Gambitbeer, remaining in the same position they occupied in the top five last week.
Des Finegan’s The_K_Krew made solid ground after 70 points took them into second place and within 35 points of Barry at the top, with Fintan O’Donoghue’s I’m the Gaffer not far behind in third.
56 points for Paul McInaw’s Poppycock Wednesday brought them back into the top five in fourth with only one point to spare over James Curran’s There’s only one BOD, but so huge is the week to come that it’s impossible to predict whether the same names will still be there this time next week.
J-League Top 5:
- Gambitbeer – Barry Curran: 1,969 points
- The_K_Krew – Des Finegan: 1,934 points
- I’m the Gaffer – Fintan O’Donoghue: 1,925 points
- Poppycock Wednesday – Paul McInaw: 1,919 points
- There’s only one BOD – James Curran: 1,918 points
The one you’ve all been waiting for
We’re no fans of exaggeration at JOE Towers but the upcoming Gameweek in Fantasy Football is big.
It’s bigger than Jesus. It’s bigger than Bigfoot and Big Ben put together. Basically think of the biggest thing you can think of, multiply it by a million and it won’t even come close to the sheer magnitude attached to events in Fantasy Football over the next five days. What did we say about not being fans of exaggeration again?
You will or at least should know the score and if you’re a regular reader of this column you certainly will because we’ve been building up to this weekend for the last month or so. But in short, ten teams – Arsenal, Swansea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle, Everton, West Ham, Hull City, Liverpool and Sunderland – will be in action twice, meaning that there could be an avalanche of points heading your way with the help of some shrewd selection and a little bit of luck.
A lot of managers will still have a wildcard to spare and if they do, now might be a good time to use it. With so many strong teams in action, going for broke on players from title contenders Arsenal and particularly Manchester City (more double Gameweeks to come) and Liverpool (bang in form, handy looking fixtures against Cardiff and Sunderland) might be a worthwhile strategy to pursue.
Why not? If you’re not going to take a bit of a risk with only a few Gameweeks left, when will you?
Outside of usual suspects Suarez and Sturridge for Liverpool, for example, what about Steven Gerrard, who has four goals and 34 points in his last four games? For Man City, how about David Silva, who was in inspired form against Hull and could prove a handful for the Fulham defence at the Etihad?
With three clean sheets in their last four, Wojciech Szczesny and the Arsenal defence are worthy of consideration and with RVP looking like he’s going to be absent for both of Man United’s games, what chance of a resurgence for Wayne Rooney after his excellent showing against Olympiacos in the week?
Those are just a few suggestions and there are a few more below – including a virtual no-brainer as captain’s choice – but of all Gameweeks in Fantasy Football this is one most deserving of your time and not one that should be left until a quarter past eleven on Saturday morning.
Like we said, it’s big.
JOE’s Fantasy Football Picks:
Top Dollar: Yaya Toure (£10.1 million). Remarkably, Toure has never gone more than three games without scoring in the league this season (he has 13 in total) and with five assists, he’s not shy of setting up a few either. With Aguero out and Dzeko and Negredo misfiring, City will be relying on the Ivorian to step up to the plate.
Mid-Range: Laurent Koscielny (£5.7 million). A very low price for the mid-range category but we felt the need to mention at least one member of an Arsenal defence that has been very solid of late, with Koscielny gathering a goal, three clean sheets and 32 points in his last four games.
Bargain Basement: Vito Mannone (£4.5 million). If you’re changing your ‘keeper you could do worse than the former Arsenal man, who has three clean sheets and 36 points from his last five games.
Irish Pick: Seamus Coleman (£6.7 million). Back in the goals last week and with two very winnable games to come, the Donegal native could be primed for a high score over the next few days.
Captain’s Pick: Luis Suarez (£13.1 million). With two goals, four assists and 31 points in his last three games and with Cardiff and Sunderland to come, giving Suarez the metaphorical armband is practically a no-brainer this week.
