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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  • (71)

    lennonaa - have no fear, Torres's pirce just went up to 24!

    Posted by: krokodil_g on Sat Feb 23 06:10PM | Report abuse
  • (72)

    holy cow ... da silva lost his leg ...! taylor should be banned for life. pics at http://scotzine.com/blog/?p=185

    Posted by: dcinsanity on Sat Feb 23 06:34PM | Report abuse
  • (73)

    i meant ankle / foot instead of leg ...

    Posted by: dcinsanity on Sat Feb 23 06:35PM | Report abuse
  • (74)

    i didn't watch the match and it's the first time i'm seeing the incident and it is absolutely horrid. the whole ankle is off the leg. my mom suffered a double fracture in her left ankle back in 2003, she lost her step thanks to a dodgy drain cover. she took half a year to start walking and hasn't starting jogging yet (though the reason for that could be poor fitness). good luck to EdS [it'd be such a waste]

    Posted by: the_great_one2000000 on Sat Feb 23 06:49PM | Report abuse
  • (75)

    horrible challenge, horrible tragedy.... I just hope Eduardo is able to recover enough to walk at this point... it looks sooo, sooooo bad right now though... scary. Something more MUST be done to prevent tackles like this from ever even happening in the first place.... much harsher penalties need to be in place for such reckless and dangerous actions

    Posted by: tomkgustafson on Sat Feb 23 07:13PM | Report abuse
  • (76)

    One of the mist sickening sets of pics, not for the faint of heart. What does the future hold for him, only God Knows.

    Posted by: alwinlourdes on Sat Feb 23 07:31PM | Report abuse
  • (77)

    Just gutted over Eduardo. I sustained a tibia/fibula break that required emergency surgery and external fixation in early 2004. It is an awful and grueling and painful healing over many months. Having been through it and healed well and done a ton of rehab and gone back to some sport even, it's very difficult for me to in good faith believe that anyone could ever return to 100% fitness and strength after such a break. The physical stuff is bad, but it's also psychologically brutal to look down and see your foot hanging funny off your leg. All good thoughts toward Eduardo; he is a tremendous talent and a classy guy just getting started. Let's hope for the best. -Lena

    Posted by: the_burning_pen on Sat Feb 23 09:52PM | Report abuse
  • (78)

    hate you hate you hate you hate you hate you hate you hate you. guess what I am hoping for? I am hoping that there is more in Blackburn than Amanda. :)

    Posted by: jon_wolfsthal on Sat Feb 23 10:36PM | Report abuse
  • (79)

    just wish all my players score this week..wuhuuu...got 8 goals from 4 players.

    Posted by: arief_boy84 on Sun Feb 24 12:57AM | Report abuse
  • (80)

    not trying to take away from the gravity of the eduardo tackle but instant replays always make the tackle look worse. My thoughts go out to him all the same he`s young and a great finisher he has a great future ahead of him once he recovers.

    Posted by: dna_danstarr on Sun Feb 24 01:47AM | Report abuse