Fantasy Premier League

Fri Oct 20 11:51PM by Jeremy

The time to rise has been engaged
You're better best to rearrange
I'm talking here to me alone
I listen to the finest worksong

This week is picking right up from the mess that was last week that was the mess of the international break.  Who is playing well?  Who will start?  Who will FINISH!? ;-)

So let me unburden myself a bit.  That's what blogs are for right?  And as the Cos says, "If you're not careful, you might learn something before it's done."

I have about half the squad locked down, week in - week out.  Henry, AJ, CRon, blog-favorite Ashley Young (BFAY), and my "3 for under $6 each" defenders.  So that leaves 1 forward, 2 midfielders, and the keeper to be determined by the matchups and prices. (Until this week, the keeper was set with Timmy Ho.  But that was before Carlo became an option at just above $8.  I grabbed him but now he's not likely to play until NEXT week.  So what to do?)

So who has the best matchups?  Everton home to Sheffield Wednesday, and even with a midweek trip to Turkey, Tottenham home to West Ham.

I would love to add Arteta to the squad.  He's a pts machine as he takes Eve's kicks and the occassional PK.  He's been averaging 10pts a match this year, scoring consitently around 10, not 20 one week and nothing the next.  But he's twelve and one-half dollars/units/lindens.  It would be possible to afford him, but it would mean picking up Ballack as the other midfielder, Hilario at keeper, AND a sub-$7 forward/5th middie.  Perhaps not worth the effort.

What about Cahill?  Lot of hype around him these days.  He's playing as a second forward (the rules!) and cheaper than Arteta by about 0.75.   Still means Ballack makes the team, which hasn't exactly been a winning strategy this season.  Besides, I'm not sold on Cahill.  Too much of Paul Scholes in his game.  Either he scores or he he gets you nothing.  Not the type of player I like to field.

What about Osman?  Cheaper still, but not sure he's worth over 10, matchup or not.

So if I'm not going for Eve's attack, what about their defence?  As mentioned, my defender spots are full, so my option is the swallow my pride and move back to THo who amazingly went UP in value after allowing 2 goals in a loss to Boro.  He's 10.62 but facing a team that is yet to score on the road (1 tie, 3 losses).  Of course, having written that and put THo back on the team I've ensured that SHE will win the game 1-0 with their only shot on goal finding the back of the neck.  (SHE fans can send notes of appreciation or cash to Jeremy, San Diego, CA, USA.)

So with that game taken care of (probably backwards and horribly wrong, but still) we turn to the TOT/WHU derby.  Still a forward and midfielders in play.  Murphy is on the team already and below market price so let's keep  him if we can.   Taking kicks, which is always what we look for, and getting forward.  And will perhaps get further forward without Zokora in the lineup as Huddlestone is more of a true holding player (and listed as a defender for all of you looking for a bargain/find!).  Hmmm, with Lennon back too, you might find Jenas and the thrust of TOT's diamond.  But I'll stick with Murphy.

Another early season favorite gone off the boil was Berbatov.  But he's back from injury and scored one and created another in midweek.  And after a quiet match @Villa, he's just 7.25.  Easy enough to move to him with other options like RvP and Kuyt questionable to start and both Dutch strikers on the road. 

Now, one spot left to fill in the midfield and just 7 to spend.  Krancjar, Lennon, Convey, Routledge. Ballack?   Not ready to go there.  My best pick so far this year had been not picking Ballack yet.  I'll give it a week.  Even if he sky-rockets in value, well I'll be sad to have missed the points but he'll still be attainable.  Lennon - little end product to his game to this point (and yes, that's what I'd been saying about Bentley until about 10 days ago) and I already have TOT covered.  Convey and Krancjar have bad matchups, though I will be watching Krancjar.  If I had more balls I would put my money where my blog is and pick him.  But I don't.  So that leaves the Killer, Kevin Kilbane.  I like this on paper.  Taking kicks for an improving (relative, I know) Wigan side and at home to Man Citeh who don't travel well at all.  9 goals allowed already.

Now I've fallen for this before and got hit with a -1 from Killer's game @BLA.  But his other Wigan games have been b/w 5 and 10 points, even though last week's points all came from standing on the ball that Baines RIPPED past EvdS.  But this way, when he gets sent off for a terrible challenge on Trabelsi, I'll at least get the foul suffered as a hedge against the red card. 

Another chance has been engaged
To throw Thoreau and rearrange
You are following this time
I beg you not beg to rhyme

So that's it, eh?  Henry, AJ, Berba, CRon, BFAY, Murph, Killer Kilbane, Trabelsi, FabAu, ACole, THo.  Really nervous about not being more invested in Everton's attack.  Trying to convince myself that SHE are going to be hard to break down, but not doing that good of a job of it.  Come on you Blades?

Other hopes... that ManU/Liv lives down to recent history and we get a scrappy, low-scoring affair.  A lot of people are getting very invested in this game (mostly on the home side) and it's another game where a few goals could leave me in a fantasy hole... that you never bet for or against Bolton, no matter how hot a hand (foot?) David Bentley has... that Thierry Henry starts playing up to his price tag...  

So what to take from all of this?  Well, maybe we don't know what the hell we're writing about, but doesn't it make you feel better knowing that there is a lot of (too much, way too much) thought going into it? 

Take your instinct by the reins
Your better best to rearrange
What we want and what we need
Has been confused

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