The Week Ahead, Part 2: Player Picks
by Neal Thurman on Jan 19, 2012 9:44 AM PST
in Player Picks
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I'm sure you all saw the daunting introduction to Part 1 of The Week Ahead. Hopefully you enjoyed it even if it was slightly off-topic for a fantasy column (since when are my intros NOT off-topic by at least a little bit?). In an effort to give your eyeballs a bit of a rest and make sure I'm not distracting you from your work, friends, family, studies, or whatever else constitutes the things you should be attending to day-to-day before you get to your fantasy team, I'm going to keep the intro to Part 2 brief. So much so that this is it. One paragraph. Good thing I don't get paid by the word.
Without further ado:
Forwards
- Wayne Rooney - Roonaldo loves tormenting Arsenal and his physical brand of playing forward seems tailor-made to make Per Mertesacker's life miserable. With so many other premium forwards having difficult match-ups and/or being unavailable for other reasons (suspension, ACN, etc.) Rooney seems like the guy to me.
- Craig Bellamy - With Liverpool having had a break in mid-week the Welshman's chances of starting seem likely to have gone up. The dire attacking performance against Stoke last weekend only increases his chances. Certainly not a 100% lock to start but he's been productive when he has and he seems far more likely to reward than disappoint.
- Landon Donovan - Everton have a nice match-up and if you need a cheap option at forward then he's a great bet. As has been pointed out elsewhere on the site, he's NOT likely to get you a brace and 25 points but at a cost of 7+ he's very likely to produce value. Don't go overboard with your love but if you want a premium midfielder (Dempsey? Lampard? Bale? VDV?) at the expense of a premium forward then Donovan is a nice option.
- Jon Walters - He's been up and down which makes him a difficult choice but his price is lower than Crouch and his production has been more consistent. Another nice mid-priced option with a great match-up that may enable other things and still have the opportunity for a great return.
- Fernando Torres - For those who don't by my analysis that Chelsea may struggle at Norwich but choose to focus on the fact that Torres was THIS CLOSE to a breakthrough last weekend you could do worse at his current price. I'm sure we'll hear the "Norwich hasn't kept a clean sheet yet this season" chorus as the primary reason that you should like Torres' chances.
- Seb Larsson - He's expensive but I'd imagine that many of you are looking for expensive midfielders to fill the gaps left by Gareth Bale and Rafael van der Vaart who are tough to keep at Manchester City. Larsson is at home against a Swansea team that has been bad on the road. The Swans seem to be improving all-around so I'm not incredibly bullish on the match-up but Larsson has been pretty consistently in limiting the downside and has had some exceptional matches.
- James McClean - If you don't have the money for Larsson and want a productive option for close to half the price in midfield.
- Steven Gerrard - Great match-up, he's had some rest, and the price isn't too high. Hard not to like him in this situation.
- Frank Lampard - You know, in case he gets hit in the knee with the ball and it bounces into the net again.
- Gylfi Sigurdsson - Now that he's not playing Arsenal I can officially declare him among the new crop of soccer crushes currently playing for Swansea (joining Vorm, Rangel, and Graham) AND we didn't get to see what is rumored to be a rocket of a shot in the second half last weekend. If you haven't already, get on-board
- Stephen Ireland - A solid match-up (albeit away from home) for the reborn attacking midfielder. I'm not sure what has happened over the last month or so but he seems to be a different guy that contributed virtually nothing over his first 18 months at Villa.
- Gary Caldwell - @QPR isn't the worst away match to bet on an enabler even if that enabler plays for Wigan. He returned value at the current price against Chelsea last weekend. Just saying.
- NOT Ayala - I hope you've all learned your lesson.
- Oriel Romeu - I don't believe in the Chelsea clean sheet at Norwich but if you do, he's a cheap way to get in on it.
- Philippe Senderos - Quietly having a good season for Fulham at a very reasonable price. A nil-nil outcome at the Cottage isn't out of the question.
- Davide Santon - He's been coming around as well. Tough to take him on the road but this price isn't bad at all.
- Marc Wilson - My guess is that Stoke have the highest probability of a clean sheet at home against West Brom and Wilson is a reasonable way to get in on that action.
- Shane Duffy - For those wondering about the Everton man (OK, kid), he'd be a great option this week BUT Yahoo doesn't have him in their system despite the fact that he was involved in the match last week. Definitely a bummer as Heitinga isn't exactly cheap anymore. If anyone at Yahoo is reading, get to it.
- Tim Howard - THo's price has crept up a bit but the match-up is a solid one and it makes him worth considering.
- Pepe Reina - For a small bump in price over Howard you could go to another great match-up and the other Merseyside keeper. For all their attacking failures, Liverpool have been good at the back this season.
- Paddy Kenny - Home to Wigan is a solid time to take a risk on someone and when he costs 1.39 that makes it much easier.
- Simon Mignolet - Despite my growing Swansea love I can't deny the recent history that shows their attacking futility on the road. Mignolet is pretty expensive but he might be the beneficiary of said futility.
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rooney or ronaldo?
Haha NIk you said Roonaldo!?!
Neal is the writer but the reference will be deliberate – Roonaldo is a common nickname for Rooney :)
by Nik Argiropoulos on Jan 19, 2012 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
Unfortunate, maybe
But strange? ;-)
by Jeremy Spitzberg on Jan 19, 2012 1:27 PM PST up reply actions
Odd, strange, weird, uncanny
Of all the players to pick when I settle on 11, there’s normally 8 of the 11 on Neal’s list and 5 on AMs
Although that may explain why you need a microscope to see where I am in the blog leagues.
NOT Ayala . LOL
strongly agree with you.
$1 produce nothing is acceptable, but get negative points continuously is unacceptable.
Help please
Hi folks
Seeking a little help with a decision I have a feeling is not going to go my way whatever I do…
I have VdV/Bellamy but want to change to Lampard/Donovan
Option 1 or Option 2?
Krul Wheater Romeu Clark Silva Valencia Gerrard VDV RVP Aguero Bellamy is current…
What should I do?!
neither
to many risks with bellamy not a sure starter. lampard was lucky and did nothing. chelsea do not do much away from home. why not do dempsey and donovan
by gregandtonic on Jan 19, 2012 8:17 PM PST up reply actions
Romeu
to Woodgate, since Chelsea away Norwich not likely to have clean cheet
or
to Savic, since last match he was in form
by Malonemuscle on Jan 19, 2012 8:18 PM PST up reply actions
Taking chances
Krul
Verm Baines(clark) Shotton(Wilson)
Silva Sigurdsson VDV Gerrard(Bale)
Kun Donovan Helguson(Dzeko)
A bit different from others…but i got 5-6 pk taker there…& also i like the team…players in bracket are held behind the scene
And Caldwell played against City last weekend
torres?
some people just never learn …… #shakehead
so no one is picking fletcher or sessegon or ireland
i am liking my chances more seeing all of the larsson hype, just like the gerrard, must have pick, last week that AM started. i hope everyone picks larsson and gets 6 points. last week i had pedersen in my team and friday everyone screamed that i needed a manure player, so in came valencia. that was a 10 points swing.
I have fletch and sess! :)
by kendomedalaha on Jan 20, 2012 10:55 AM PST via iPhone app up reply actions
we might
be the only ones with fletcher and sessegnon. lets hope it works out for us.
by gregandtonic on Jan 20, 2012 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
Szczseny as Goalkeeper Pick
I would suggest you pick Szczesny as Goalkeeper.
Other than Man City, Arsenal have the least goals conceded at home.
They are atrocious away, but at Home they are quite good.
Better value than Howard, Mignolet , Reina or Kenny.
Don't sell Wes Brown yet !!!!!!
News just in on Wes Brown fitness – looks like he will play ….
No Love for McEachron?
At 1.01 surely he deserves a mention?
Week 21: Krul - Vermaelen Rangel Clark - Silva HBA Valencia Ramires - RVP Adebayor Aguero
Need ur suggestion
P. Kenny
W. Brown
L. Baines
? <—(any sugges 5.05 left)
Ramires
S. Gerrard
F. Lampard
G. Sigurdsson
L. Donovan
C. Bellamy
F. Torres
Pick?
Larsson and Torres or Gerrard and Dzeko
I’m leaning toward the latter but could be swayed if anyone can give me a decent argument.
Torres – Bleh but cheap and good match up. Larsson could be great.
Dzeko – I presume he starts and I got him on BD. Gerrard good match up with rest.
not sure about dzeko
sold him this week in anticipation of balotelli returning. wouldn’t think he’d do exceptionally well against spurs anyway, even if he did get the start.
like gerrard and larsson. torres is a complete mystery. other strikers you might consider in that price range include (don’t laugh) crouch or walters facing west brom at home.
by Mount Prospect Wednesday on Jan 20, 2012 10:14 AM PST up reply actions
Why so hot for Rooney
I know, I know, he likes to score against Arsenal but other than that, it is not like they are playing a bottom team…
by Sanitizer007 on Jan 20, 2012 4:53 PM PST up reply actions
For me, I’ve got a lot of players on discount and had the money to spend on a premium player. In that price range, the other options are Nani and Bale, neither of which I think will perform as well as Rooney. He looked lively in the last game despite missing a penalty and I think he’s the best pick of the premium players this week. In addition, Sessegnon has been great under MON, so I believe that combination will be better than Bale against the top team in the league and Torres against anyone.
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