AM's Week 33 Player Picks

We still have two massive games to come today before Week 32 is completed but the busy Easter period means we have to pick another team pretty sharpish - the Week 33 deadline is Monday (tomorrow!) at 12:00 BST.

Now it's very difficult to recommend players because we have little idea who will be playing - managers will rotate their teams and make use of their squad to avoid burn-out or injury with FA Cup and Champions League fixtures on the horizon - and we won't get much confirmed news before the deadline as many of press conference will take place after the deadline. The uncertainty is frustrating because there are some really nice match-ups to chose from.

Arsenal have the best fixture as they travel to poor Wolves, in-form Newcastle are at home to struggling Bolton, Manchester United have a tough but winnable game at Wigan Athletic, Manchester City are at home to West Brom and Tottenham are at home to Norwich.

I've got a feeling Aston Villa could beat Stoke at home, I'm tipping Everton at home to Sunderland and if Liverpool play like they did against Villa then with a little more luck they could beat Blackburn, but a draw wouldn't surprise me. However, Chelsea have a very tough trip to Fulham and Swansea (who aren't great on the road) travel to relegation fighting Queens Park Rangers so these two fixtures looking like draws.

The uncertainty means I wouldn't go crazy dumping your discounts for players you think might get a game as you could end up with the double agony of losing the discount and getting a big fat zero. Be sensible for the most part and perhaps take a couple of risks if you have slots free.

These are the players I'm considering ...

KEEPERS
Given - As mentioned I think Villa could win this one and Given looked in great form against Liverpool.
Robinson - PRob is less risky at home and Liverpool don't score a ton of goals so he's the perfect option for the manager on a budget.

DEFENDERS
Santon - The most affordable option if you fancy a Newcastle clean sheet.
Ivanovic - I'm holding him at discount and he's not going anywhere
Flanagan - If Agger is ready to start I think he'll continue ahead of Carragher
Baker - The young man is playing really well and still very cheap
Santos - A hunch he'll get a game in place of Gibbs at Wolves
Gallas - Back from injury and has shored up Spurs at the back in the past few games
Man Utd Defenders - Fabio or Smalling could get a game at Wigan, depends on today's line-ups, and they're dirt cheap.

MIDFIELDERS
Bale - Scored twice at Norwich in December and should get quite a lot of space as Norwich like attacking.
Sigurdsson - Pretty much guarantees double figures every week no matter the match-up.
Lennon - Will start against Norwich and is currently a bargain.
Ben Arfa - Finally showing his quality on a consistent basis, at home to Bolton.
Gerrard - He was His crosses were outstanding against Villa and he should've got a couple of assist, I can see a big week coming soon.
Oxlade-Chamberlain - If he doesn't start today I think Wenger will throw him to the Wolves.
A.Johnson - Same as the Ox; if he doesn't start today I'd expect him to get a run out against WBA.
Gibson - SHOOT!
Man Utd Midfielders - Depends on today's line-ups, whoever doesn't start today out of Valencia, Nani, Young, Park & Giggs will probably get a game at Wigan.

STRIKERS
Van Persie - I'm paying top dollar for him and I'm expecting two goals minimum at Wolves
P. Cisse - In irresistible form, I'm still hurting from the fact I dropped him @6 and then again @13, and both times he followed up with 2 goals.
Tevez - The stage is set for him to start this one or at least get a decent cameo from the bench, costs 5.75
Jelavic - Can't stop scoring, looks like Andrei Kanchelskis
Saha - Could get a start as Adebayor looked very tired at Sunderland.
Man Utd Strikers - Knowing Ferguson, Rooney will get a rest at some point, if it's not today then Welbeck, Hernandez & even Berbatov could be options at Wigan.

That's it for the players. I'm currently sitting on 70 points with Valencia & Welbeck to go but I'm well aware both of them could be benched, so it could be another poor week. However, I am very pleased with what I did on the barndoor:

Given, Flanagan, Gallas, Ivanovic, Sigurdsson, Gerrard, Lennon, Valencia, Jelavic, Tevez, van Persie

I think it has a nice balance with lots of goal threat and some clean sheet chances - it will probably stay like that unless I hear something specific about an injury or rest for any of them.

That'll do it - I very much doubt there'll be an injury post but I'll open a Deadline Countdown post tomorrow morning.

How's your team looking?