Five Questions for EPL Week 2: Time For A Reality Cech At Arsenal?

Question 1: Did we overvalue Arsenal, or was it just a bad day for Petr Cech?

Before the season began, Roy Keane made the comment that the Gunners seemed more concerned with "selfies and six packs than winning the title". It turns out he may have been onto something. Many of us chose Petr Čech as a top-three GK for the week, and some of us added to our misery by loading up on Arsenal defenders. While the Arsenal attack looked dangerous, Cech and the back line were very poor. The former Chelsea keeper was directly responsible for the first goal he conceded, probably should have done better on the second, and had only two saves on the day. To compound matters, the defense made multiple errors and seemed a step behind. It could very well be a one-match result and a bit of a wake up call, but it is also possible that Arsenal's defense, especially Cech, was valued a bit too high. It took a long time last season for Arsenal to get things going, so a win against Crystal Palace will be vital this weekend. Will you give them another chance this weekend against a side that they (again) should beat?

Question 2: Will the big name players step up this weekend?

This weekend was one of those times where you wish you'd stayed away from the guys with the highest cost. In the official Premier League game, the top two GK in price and popularity--Courtois and Cech--combined to lose a point. The three costliest defenders scored two combined points. In the midfield, only one of the six most expensive midfielders (David Silva, with six points) scored more than three points. And then we have the strikers--not counting the injured Daniel Sturridge, the top five strikers cost a combined 54 million....and combined for zero goals and zero assists. Does this mean we should dump all the big guns? They cost the most for a reason--they have a history of scoring a lot of points. However, if you feel a cheaper option will continue to perform well, it might we worth cutting costs a bit. It can pay off in the long run (in some formats) with increase budget for the season, and will allow you to get a cheaper player before his price goes up. Will you stick with your costly players, or cut a few and hope to get them on a discount next week?

Question 3: Are Yaya Toure and Vincent Kompany back?

Last season, Vincent Kompany went from a fantasy stud to a fantasy dud. He scored only 66 points on the campaign (compared to 177 for John Terry) in the BPL official game, while Yaya Toure had a drop in performance compared to years past, with ten goals but just one assist. Monday, they showed that they might be returning to their old selves. Kompany was a rock in the back, and combined with his terrific run for City's third goal he scored almost twenty percent of his points from last season.  Meanwhile, Yaya Toure had a brace before halftime, and his movement and play had West Brom on their heels much of the match. An in-form Kompany increases the value of Joe Hart and his fellow defenders, but if Yaya is returning to the terror in the midfield of his earlier seasons, the likes of Kun Aguero, David Silva, and Raheem Sterling become even more attractive options. Do you plan on adding Kompany and Yaya, or do you need to see it a few more weeks before you trust them again?

Question 4: Will Leicester & West Ham players continue to be excellent fantasy options under their new managers?

If you were one of the shrewd managers to grab Leicester midfielders Riyad Mahrez or Marc Albrighton, you are probably grinning from ear to ear. Likewise, Adrian, Cheikhou Kouyaté, and Mauro Zarate have some owners feeling terrific right about now. But will they continue to be great values? Yes, but not necessarily for the whole season. After the two teams face each other this weekend, Leicester City faces Bournemouth, Aston Villa, and Stoke City, three very winnable matches. West Ham's schedule is not quite as favorable, although they also have Bournemouth and Newcastle in the following three weeks. While they might continue to perform well, the players on both teams might be buy-low, sell-high candidates. Keep an eye on their price and cash in before the two sides begin to run into the bigger sides. Do you think Leicester and West Ham players will continue to be solid values?

Question 5: How will Friday Night Football impact the fantasy game?

PLEASE SET YOUR LINEUPS BEFORE FRIDAY AFTERNOON!!! This public service announcement is brought to you by the many faces of Phil Jones (it never gets old)

That's right, it's Friday Night Football! Or in my case, Friday afternoon football. Or Friday morning football, if you live on the west coast. Due to unique circumstances, we will have a Friday match this week. This means it is important to make sure your rosters are ready on Friday morning. This also means managers will have one less day to pick out lineup hints while sifting through Jose Mourinho's conspiracy theories in his press conferences, one less day to figure out just what Louis Van Gaal is actually talking about, and one less day to figure out if injured players  While this is a one-off this season, it's good practice for next year, when ten matches per season will be played on Friday nights. How do you plan to ensure you do not miss the deadline, and what are your thoughts on a Friday match?