Fantasy Premier League

Matchday Open Thread

Sat Feb 23 06:32AM by Jeremy

Manchester United's Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring a goal against Middlesbrough during their English Premier League football match at Old Trafford in Manchester

The best laid plans. 

Two weeks ago (it seems longer ago than that, doesn't it?) I put K2, Koumas, and Benjani on the barn door.  To afford that I've been living with a big red "In order to receive scoring for this week's matches, you must have selected a player for all 11 positions." hanging over my head.

[aside:  Getting drunk on Friday night and passing out with less than your full complement of players is known as "pulling a Spealman".  Be sure to look for that in the upcoming blog dictionary.  Seriously.] 

[one more aside:  All the thanks in the world to my sister for getting married over the FA Cup semifinal weekend rather than forcing me to beg, borrow, and steal internet access on the road.] 

Where were we?  Oh, yeah... sitting with too much money invested in too few players.  So I've worked out my line-up.  Cutting here.  Trimming there.  I need to keep K2.  He's been in incredible form.  Probably one of the best streaks we ever seen from a striker not initialed TH or RVN.  Then the news comes out of N London that Adebayor is doubtful with a stiff neck.  Now we know he's stubborn, but that's ridiculous.  Just what I didn't need.  Granted he's likely to start.  And he's likely to do well against a stuggling Birmingham side.  But I can too easily see the other side.  He needs a break after the CL match (and miss).  Brm kept Arsenal in check at Highbury, sorry Emirates, last month.  Arsenal are showing a fragile streak and traveling to Birmingham might be the last thing they need.  And I just remember their trip to Sheffield United last season where even with Jagielka in net, RvP skying their best chance when he was my sure thing that week...

So K2 is gone.  I hope I can sleep better with Rooney in the team, but I probably won't.  In last month's demolition of NUFC, ManU scored six and Rooney only collected a booking.  I could drop from Rooney to Torres... home to Boro, two matches next week, always scores at Anfield, even if he only plays twenty minutes of the match.  That gives me the money to upgrade the Mok to a real defender.  But he's home to goal-shy Bolton and could be in line for a sub cs [again, look for the upcoming dictionary].  

So here's hoping that Rooney can break out of what seems like a prolonged slump.  Here's hoping that Tevez and Ronaldo can pitch in.  And that Muntari and Defoe put a hurting on Sunderland with with added bonus of Gordon getting cheaper before their trip to Derby.

What are you hoping for?  Let us know in this, your matchday open thread. 

(105 user comments)

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User comments

  • (41)

    Faddy with the brace and the Arsenal B side continues to be a thorn in Arsenal's side - crazy stuff. No reason for Clichy not to have cleared that ball faster. There should be a massive stupidity penalty in the fantasy game for situations like that.

    Posted by: neal_thurman on Sat Feb 23 02:50PM | Report abuse
  • (42)

    And somewhere in Manchester, a whiskey-nosed Scotsman is laughing.

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Sat Feb 23 02:54PM | Report abuse
  • (43)

    Neither Walcott nor Babel are sure starters, but both start today. My inclination toward Babel for next week is that even if he doesn't start, he should get some decent playing time between the two games.

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Sat Feb 23 02:57PM | Report abuse
  • (44)

    But did I just barndoor Theo? Heck, yeah. Lock and load in case Babel picks up an injury or looks wretched today.

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Sat Feb 23 02:59PM | Report abuse
  • (45)

    (43) somewhere in newcastle i would say at this stage

    Posted by: u2keogh on Sat Feb 23 03:00PM | Report abuse
  • (46)

    I think Toon may be in for a rough afternoon! Glad I moved Flamini for Scholesy after all! Tevez better play 90 minutes. I need both to have big games. (Some real cheap options at striker next week - WHam's trio [CCole/Ashton/Zamora, if fit], Alves, Prica, now Walcott/Bendtner, and Babel (for you, 43!) could make it a week to go w/midfielders) Murphy may be a better pick than Jones vs. Derby. I may stay away from that one altogether, though.

    Posted by: donegal08 on Sat Feb 23 03:01PM | Report abuse
  • (47)

    Not that I'm buying him, although for next week would be the time to do it, I notice that Derby's keeper Roy Carroll isn't in the system.

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Sat Feb 23 03:03PM | Report abuse
  • (48)

    Khizanishvili is another cheap poach. Ditto Parnaby, who started today. And Sonko/Reading, who gets the odd SOT. To free up pts for midfielders...

    Posted by: donegal08 on Sat Feb 23 03:04PM | Report abuse
  • (49)

    Go BORO!!!! Rafa loes this one, he may simply go into hiding, hey?!

    Posted by: donegal08 on Sat Feb 23 03:11PM | Report abuse
  • (50)

    That ought to bring Reina's price down a bit.

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Sat Feb 23 03:25PM | Report abuse