Fantasy Premier League

Finally, something that makes sense

Tue Jan 08 06:15PM by Jeremy

Reading FC's Leroy Lita

Not sure if there is even a modicum of truth to the rumour, but this is the first bit of transfer "news" that struck me as sensible:

"Roy Keane is once again getting an itchy trigger finger at the controls of Niall Quinn's rubbish Sunderland signing machine - and will splash £7m on Stephen Hunt, long linked with the club, and his Reading team-mate Leroy Lita. That £11m on Kenwyne Jones and Michael Chopra just wasn't enough."

Well, not the Hunt part.  He's too valuable to Reading and probably a bit superfluous for Sunderland.  I don't beleive for a second that he's going anywhere.

But Lita... now there's a transfer I can get behind.  Sunderland NEED a striker to play with Jones. And Lita is fourth choice behind Kitson, Doyle, and Long.  Lita is a streaky player, but for a time last season he achieved "I can't believe I'm losing to this guy" status.  And all snark aside, "£11m on Kenwyne Jones and Michael Chopra" just wasn't enough. They need another, better striker to get them the goals to stay up.  Look at what Jon Stead did for Rovers (but not Sheff Utd) or Dugarry did for BRM before that.  One purple patch for Lita, one run of say 4 goals in 6 matches could save them from relegation.

And for Yahoo! Fantasy, Lita is already in the system so we'd be able to pick him right away.  Which is nice.

Amongst the other bottom-of-the-table clubs, Derby look to have completed Robert's signing and are in negotiations with Robbie Savage.  I don't think they can do anything to save themselves, but they are certainly going to make the second half of the season more interesting!  And for fantasy manager, perhaps a bit more profitable -- they'll score more goals, but likely conceed more as well.  Cha-ching!

(12 user comments)

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User comments

  • (1)

    what is the over under for yellow cards by Savage at Derby. He rarely gets a red, but LOTS OF JEAUNE.

    Posted by: jon_wolfsthal on Tue Jan 08 08:57PM | Report abuse
  • (2)

    Based on his history and Yahoo's pricing model esp. regarding how they've handled players who have left the EPL and returned a year or two later, Robert is not going to be cheap. My guess is that he'll be 14+ and not in the 4-9 range that brand new players are assigned.

    Posted by: ruintrigued on Tue Jan 08 09:48PM | Report abuse
  • (3)

    Actually, Yahoo has been inconsistent when pricing players who return to the Premiership after missing the previous season. In some cases, a player's point total from the season-before-last has been given a somewhat reduced weighting; in other cases it has been ignored completely and the player has been assigned the default price. I'm guessing Robert's treatment might be similar to Owen, and he could be assigned an initial price about 2-3 units above the default. The real question is how long a delay will we need to endure before Yahoo gets around to adding Robert to the database ...

    Posted by: reverendike on Wed Jan 09 12:39AM | Report abuse
  • (4)

    So, out of Faubert, Bullard ( is he ready to play now ?), and Robert, which seem like the best bet to everyone as a cheap middie ? And does Robert coming into the Derby line-up jeopardize the minutes Barnes has been getting ?

    Posted by: kolia30355 on Wed Jan 09 04:28AM | Report abuse
  • (5)

    Guys, Laurent Robert has not played for 2 years or so. For a player of his age, 2 years without playing is a very long time. I personally don't think he will deliver. If he is priced around 8-9, then i think you should spent your money elsewhere.

    Posted by: klegallo76 on Wed Jan 09 01:51PM | Report abuse
  • (6)

    re (5) it is not 2 years since he played "Laurent signed for Spanish La Liga side Levante UD on 11 July 2006 on a free transfer from Benfica. He played thirteen games before the season ended, twelve of those were incomplete (with one red card), scoring no goals." I won't be picking him in the forseeable future though.

    Posted by: petegoddard11996655 on Wed Jan 09 02:09PM | Report abuse
  • (7)

    ...as long as LRobert is initially priced below 10, and gets a start, its alwez worth to take a gamble on him.For one he's notoriously the type of player who shoots anywhere and everywhere!! And most of them are on target if not going in(or balooning wayward to the crowds).He'll Sir Bobby even lamented him for shooting all the time even when other players are in better scoring positions.Go figure!

    Posted by: noorafa on Wed Jan 09 02:15PM | Report abuse
  • (8)

    re (6) Well, he was not playing for Benfica and played 10 minutes every now and then for Levante, the @#$%piest club in Spain. For your info, he wanted to go back to France and did not manage to find a club. It says a lot about how he is rated now...

    Posted by: klegallo76 on Wed Jan 09 02:27PM | Report abuse
  • (9)

    I'm seeing pretty strong rumors of Matty Taylor to Reading, so it's possible that Hunt or Shorey would move if that goes through, but it would also likely be at the end of the month since Pompey have no players left at the moment. But I don't know why Reading would be selling anyone to a relegation rival, or selling anyone who is a regular at all, since they really need to bring in some quality in addition to what they've already got.

    Posted by: jddunn13 on Wed Jan 09 06:36PM | Report abuse
  • (10)

    My current team is loaded with Blackburn defenders(Warnock, Nelsen, Friedel, and just because he's a guaranteed cheap 0, Mokoena), in hopes that Anelka is no longer with Bolton. If he is not transferred by Friday, should I stick with Blackburn for a CS, or seek defensive help elsewhere?

    Posted by: begavett on Wed Jan 09 06:45PM | Report abuse