Fantasy Premier League

Monday Morning Manager

Mon Jan 21 04:07PM by Jeremy

This Monday morning, the Manager has mostly been waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And unfortunately for him, the other shoe is the boot of Fernando Torres, one of the best strikers in the league.  It's amazing that almost 50% of teams have Torres in their line-ups.  After all the rotation drama I'm surprised the number is that high.  I certainly fall other side of the divide.  I couldn't take the uncertainty.  And while he's only really exploded twice (maybe three times) this season, he's a consistent 10pt per match performer.  And let's face it, he's a stud. 

The other shoe could also be transfers.  Still nothing of real value.  The best fantasy news is Matty Taylor back in an attacking midfield role.  Granted Bolton are struggling and he's 11.36.  But home to Fulham?  Might be worth it if you can combine him with a "value" (read, cheap) middie.  But where are Podolski and Fred?  Where is Marlon King even?   Is the best we can do a washed up Laurent Robert and James McFadden moving to a struggling Birmingham?  I mean will he even see a set-piece with Larsson doing well there?  Even Viduka has been quiet with the window open.  And that never happens.

But enough about what we won't have in the future.  What about what we don't have in the present?  It was another week, and another set of, as Neal called them, post-deadline injuries.  Last week the Manager lost AJ and Kewell (though Kewell is just a milk carton candidate) and this week it was KRich and SWP.  Richardson is out for three weeks, and that might actually be a boon to me as many teams had him at 4 while I had him at 6.  SWP is a disappointment as he was a difference maker on my team this week.  But what can you do?  As another fantasy guru on another worldwide leading sports website wrote (and I paraphrase), "Just because it didn't work out, doesn't mean it was the wrong pick.  It just means it didn't work out."

So the Manager will try to console himself with those words as he dons his BFAY Villa #7 jersey and root, root, roots for the road team. Hopefully they can keep Torres quiet.  And if they can knock some value off Reina, well that would be a barn door miracle.

Until next week,

The Manager 

(14 user comments)

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User comments

  • (1)

    Hey guys, I know you have "inside contacts" at Yahoo, whats with the lockdown being Wednesday 29th jan, when Villa v Blaclbn is Sat 26th Jan???

    Posted by: petegoddard11996655 on Mon Jan 21 04:38PM | Report abuse
  • (2)

    What do you think of Palacios/Wigan as a cheap middie, and a possible back door bargain?? Compared to Diarra, Savage, Prince Boateng, Dunn, and the rest on the last page of the middie list...?

    Posted by: donegal08 on Mon Jan 21 05:01PM | Report abuse
  • (3)

    had an eye on palacios since he transfered, but I haven't seen him do anything to warrant picking him up for fantasy.

    Posted by: jspitzberg on Mon Jan 21 05:29PM | Report abuse
  • (4)

    He looked good vs. Everton. So did Valencia. Both played the wing. Palacios played the whole 90. He is quick. Beats the other options at that price, it seems...

    Posted by: donegal08 on Mon Jan 21 06:03PM | Report abuse
  • (5)

    Michael Ball/MAC... vs. Derby... whomever... may also be good for the barn door cheap. I grabbed Matt Taylor for Scharner... and moved Ball in w/Senderos, who I poached back when he was quite cheap... Any POV on Schwarzer vs Gordon in net this week??

    Posted by: donegal08 on Mon Jan 21 06:05PM | Report abuse
  • (6)

    petegoddard11996655 , villa v blackburn 30th jan

    Posted by: richard_kgh on Mon Jan 21 07:46PM | Report abuse
  • (7)

    richard_kgh - You're looking at old news. 30 January was the original fixture date. On 10 January, 5 days after AST and BLA both lost their FA Cup matches, the two clubs agreed to move their league match to 26 January. Eleven days later and Yahoo are apparently still unaware of this ...

    Posted by: reverendike on Mon Jan 21 08:00PM | Report abuse
  • (8)

    Torres is a stud, but he's no Henry. He's always parked right in the middle of the pitch, so you can forget about SCs(only 4 so far). He's 11th in corners won, good but not great. I think he's turning into Didier, not Thierry. Which is just fine, but not legendary.

    Posted by: gentrykirby on Mon Jan 21 08:04PM | Report abuse
  • (9)

    half time and this game lacks any emotion. thankfully i will take my 115 points and retire to the sidelines. I don't see Torres being a factor.

    Posted by: domoh on Mon Jan 21 08:51PM | Report abuse
  • (10)

    as it stands, villa 2 - 1 get reina in asap!

    Posted by: petegoddard11996655 on Mon Jan 21 09:33PM | Report abuse