Week 9 Player Picks

The midweek Champions League ties saw City and Liverpool get their confidence hit a little, Arsenal get away with one and Chelsea continue their impressive run.

There are a few Liverpool picks in my selection as they do have a fixture they will hop to take 3pts from. 

Lukasz Fabianski

Great fixture, great price for the Swansea keeper.  I like the Swans to get to winning ways after a run of defeats but the clean chances may not be a high as you like with the Leicester counter attack. 

Simon Mignolet

Liverpool's defending has been poor but they face a Hull side picking up injuries and are without set piece danger Michael Dawson.  Hard to tell the damage the Real game may have done to their approach.  Sometimes when you are struggling the mind-set becomes focused on keeping it tight and working extra hard off the ball.  This results in those 1-0, 2-0 tight games just to get the clean sheet.  I can see that happening here.

Fraser Forster

The best defensive record in the league and still a nice price.  Perhaps the keeper pick of the week.  Surley will have to work harder in this game than last week.

Ryan Bertrand

A quite phantom day last week with just the 5pts to add to the 6pt clean sheet.  However he is probably one of the most consistent points scorers in defence and a chance to double up with his keeper.

Neil Taylor

Cheapest way into the Swansea defence and scoring around 6pts per game so without a clean sheet meaning you get your value back.

Alberto Moreno

Surprisingly rested at QPR last week the left back looks a natural fantasy player.  I assume he starts this week if fit (help me out pool fans) and likely to spend plenty of time in the Hull half.

Callum Chambers

Served his suspension and back in the gunners starting 11.  Has been a phantom machine without clean sheets and likes a shot from outside the box.  I don't like a clean sheet here, nor do I like the high chance of a yellow card something he needs to work on avoiding.  Great price though.

Seamus Coleman

Hot like mustard (get it?) back in the team last week and served up a goal and clean sheet.  Likely to get forward plenty in this game. 

Leighton Baines

A pair of assists to go with his clean sheet he may be coming into form.  With no Kevin M he should be on all kicks but boy is he expensive.

Younes Kaboul

Safe starter in the Spurs starting 11.  A nice clean sheet chance and a danger at corners where he must be due a goal.

Raheem Sterling

Well rested but odd signs the early season hot form is cooling.  Having said that Hulls lack of pace in defence makes this a great matchup for him.  Played as a forward in the second half against Madrid and could find himself it that role.  If so. Does that increase or decrease his value?

Adam Lallana

Benched midweek so he should be fresh and in Liverpool's starting 11.  Fantastic in his last home game this was the type of game and opponent he was consistently great in last year.  Others will go Sterling so for the second home game in a row those with Lallana could see a bigger return.

Steven Gerrard

Poor old Steven doesn't get many player picks rec's does he these days.  He is however on pens and corners and Rodgers has moved him further forward in some recent games.  Feel's like an old school 20+pt game is due and the opposition is willing defensively.  One for those playing catch up maybe?

Dusan Tadic

Awesome last week, must have this week.

Sadio Mane

One more that looks a natural fantasy favourite in the making.  If 1998 can inform me if he is a certain starter (guess he is) then I may double up on the saints midfield.

Victor Moses

Playing very well under Mark Hughes and the main danger for Stoke on the break.  Done everything but score so far so maybe he ends that run this week?

Santi Cazorla

With 18pts with a yellow card last week are we seeing a return to form of the little magic man.  BIggest concern is with the return of Ramsey he may get moved back to the left hand side of the attack.

Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal have missed him late runs into the box and you have to assume the Sunderland defence at least starts nervous.  Maybe we should wait a week longer but we know how easy he can put together a 20pt game.

Adam Johnson

Real wildcard this.  He has a habit of playing poor, getting dropped, the team fails, he gets back in and goes on a hot streak.  There are better options this week but if you want a fun pick here you go.

Graham Dorrans

WBA are in good form and Dorrans is at the heart of much of their good play.  Palace are not the defensive team of last season and the all-round midfield man could profit.

Chris Brunt

Not making the same volume of runs as a couple seasons ago but supplying plenty of crosses and likes a shot from distance. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson

One more that has gone off the boil a little.  I can understand those of you letting him go with all the options about.  But great matchup and my blind faith in him means a must have for me. 

Ross Barkley

Surprise to see him straight back into the team.  Gave a man of the match performance last time with 11 fantasy points in 65 minutes.  He should be too much for Burnley's midfield.  Careful that he doesn't start tonight though.

Christian Eriksen

Two goals in two but he may have gone under the radar a little.  Maybe be too expensive for you but the form and fixture combo is spot on.

Erik Lamela

Not getting the fantasy points he has deserved and well overdue that first goal. 

Nacer Chadli

The spurs midfield option that is taking all the shots.  Not sure any of us have caught his goals and when we pick him he trolls us.  Price right and fixture is tasty.

Angel Di Maria

Awesome player both in real world and fantasy.  If fit even the fantastic Chelsea defence may not put you off.  

Cesc Fabregas

Based on the formation Utd have been using Cesc will have all the room in the world and Cesc should score well.

Eden Hazard

Big match player really coming into form.  Likely to be given too much space or get clattered by Rafeal.  Pen taker in a game where the utd defence may be so stretched he gets one.

Leroy Fer

Fer was on corners against Liverpool and twice hit the woodwork from open play.  Likely to be involved in any positive attacks and as we saw in his Norwich days he can rack up points.  Little bit a of a wildcard pick for those brave enough.

Sergio Aguero

The league best player beat Spurs on his own and of course I dropped him on Friday due to cost.  City cannot afford a slip up and with Chelsea facing a tricky away tie they will hope to close the gap this week.  He has to start and Pellegrini will need to cross his fingers Kun's hamstrings hold up over the next few weeks with them in a battle to progress in the Champions League.  He won't be in my side, I missed picking him up on the BD but I would probably have not picked him anyhow.  Our third awesome player on the list

Mario Balotelli

Picked him last week and he flopped for me.  A great point of discussion in this weeks 7 questions he was taken of half time midweek when looking as off form as he can be.  It may be due to my poor picks this season but I start to feel if I drop him he will start and blooming score twice.  The fixture is great but he is so off form the head says avoid.  What do the pool fans think?

Rickie Lambert

Will he start?  Should he start?  With Mario hooked HT you have to feel Lambert has earned the chance to start a couple of games.  Certainly the lone forward role suits him much better than Mario and surely Rodgers will realise that soon.  If he does he will increase the value of the pool midfield support.  So after Mario's poor performance midweek I ask the question again?

Graziano Pelle

Considering he is new to the league he is in quite incredible form.  Many of you had him and will hold him this week.  Stokes defenders may have the abilities to deal with him better than Newcastle/Sunderland but it is a plum combination of fixture and form for him.

Saido Berahino

Has scored in three league games in a row and reminding me very much of Jemain Defoe type. Palace are not watertight in defence anymore and WBA will certainly create chances.  Has penalties in his locker as well.

Wilfried Bony

Starting to find last season's form and if you don't go Siggy you should go Bony.  Has pentalty duties and surely will get 4 or 5 good chances this weekend against a Leicester side that cannot avoid giving teams chances to score.

Romelu Lukaku

The troll now has providers in Barkley, Coleman and Baines back and faces a Burnley side that will struggle with his power and pace.  Many of you will still be sensitive to picking him and this is a classic troll type game.  Maybe as his form is picking up and as he clearly is a confidence player you may get rewarded by showing a little more faith.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Surprisingly left benched against City he hasn't got gong this season.  Newcastle are limping along at the moment but I expect a spurs backlash at some point.  K2 does often disappoint with his fantasy scores but then every so often he racks up the multi SOT and adds a couple of goals to go with.  If you like the fixture then he tempts.

Diego Costa

Groin or bad tummy, kept fit for the Utd game? who knows.  I would not put it past Jose having kept him under wraps for two more straightforward ties.  No pressure for me as I sold him after holding him at 9m.  If I had him at 5 I would risk starting him with strong bench cover.   

Alexis Sanchez

Flying form and the gunner star player.  Not sure he can keep producing but he will be on direct kicks and will be Arsenals main weapon against a Sunderland defence that won't enjoy seeing him on the team sheet.

There you have it a selection, who do you currently have on your week 9 side with the clock ticking.

Stall