Captain Ryan Nelsen is doubtful for the match against West Ham on Saturday at Ewood Park.

The New Zealand central defender may be rested after suffering stiffness in his troubled hamstring.

Nelsen came off at the start of the second half against City and was replaced by Zurab Khizanishvili.

Hughes said: "Ryan's mobility was being affected but we are not too concerned.

"As with all long-term injuries sometimes you get little niggles after an operation."

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I'm sure this match is on everyone's radar for the weekend.  Neal is sure to pimp MGP and BFDB.  But before you go and put big money down

Season Preview; Arsenal - Chelsea

Season Preview; Derby - Liverpool

Season Preview; Manchester City - Portsmouth

Season Preview; Reading - Wigan

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Manchester City

Jeremy's take:

The SGE era has just begun in the blue half of Manchester and the season may just have come too soon. No question that there are lots of new players for fantasy managers to choose from. And so far most of the arrivals have been attackers -- Petrov, Bianchi, Geovanni, and soon possibly Elano. However, it remains to be seen how these new pieces will fit together and whether or not they will click, and how they

Think Dailly is wishing him a happy birthday?

Paul Konchesky became new Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez's fifth signing of the summer after he penned a four-year contract and ended his anguish at West Ham.

Konchesky's future at Upton Park looked uncertain when his former Charlton boss Alan Curbishley arrived last season and he made just four appearances after Alan Pardew's exit in December.

Konch has always been a bit of a fantasy gamble. He's a good crosser of the ball, good at set pieces, and will (surprisingly unwillingly) play in midfield. However he has a horrible disciplinary record.

After THAT performance yesterday, how can I NOT post something?

First, I have to comment on the curse of all fantasy managers.  As anyone who has been reading the blog knows, I'm a Gooner and that is my first loyalty.  That said, fantasy football creates situations where you pit your favored club against the best interests of your fantasy team.  Case in point, I sold Henry (and RvP) to make way for the Rovers quartet of McCarthy, BFDB, MGP, and Friedel.  Great move as it turns out becausee MGP and Friedel got almost 60 points between them and (presumably) have another match to play.

On the

As Neal noted in the MDOT, I was away this weekend.  So I'm only just now getting up to speed with the week that was.  That being said, here are some "early" reactions:

Zaki should not be sold based on matchups. I'm not too upset with having moved him out of my team - okay I'm gutted! - but it was defensible between playing @LIV and his being an injury doubt.  But he's +10 the rest of the way.  I don't want to make that mistake again.

Last year, Fulham were widely quoted to be top of the table - had games only lasted 70 mins.  Well this year, Liverpool would be in a Spurs-like crisis without

Just when you thought it was safe to get back into the water...

Charlton's in-form striker Darren Bent will be out for four weeks after suffering a knee injury against Aston Villa.

Bent has scored nine goals this season, two of which came in the Addicks last two outings.

"We're all gutted. The other players must show they can cope without him," a club source told the Daily Mirror.

New manager Alan Pardew is expected to sign a new striker during the transfer window as he looks to stave off relegation fears.

That striker better be Pel-freakin'-a if Charlton are to have any chance of staying in

The Manager doesn't know whether to cry or wind his watch. 

Just one match in the books so far and the rest to come tomorrow and Wednesday.  But there has been so much football, and so much transfer speculation... so much sound and fury.   But what does it signify?

What does it mean that Citeh were taken apart by Sheffield United?  It is certainly unsettling that for the n-th game running they looked horrible in possession.  Seemingly all teams have to do is man-mark Elano and shift the defence over to pay attention to Petrov on the left.  SGE tried to overcome that by moving MPet to the

"It looks like Eboue will not be back," said Wenger.

"I don't know about Hleb, Djourou and Henry, but Adebayor will be out.

"We have a few uncertainties from Sheffield United - Robin van Persie got a knock on his ankle and Julio Baptista will be out. He had a kick and has a bad ankle.

"We have to assess the situation as late as possible.

"Alexander Hleb has a chance and I will see with Henry."

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Return of the King?