Recommended Player for Gameweek 37

Recommended Player for Gameweek 37 - Tomas Rosicky (Arsenal)

Can Arsenal's "Mozart" produce another master class?

After my recent successful endorsements of Petrov (17 points, GW35) and van der Vaart (22 points, GW36), I have decided to endorse another midfielder.  My recommended player for Gameweek 37 may come as a mild surprise, nonetheless I am endorsing Arsenal's Thomas Rosicky.

He may not have played many matches in the first half of the season, but Rosicky has recently shone signs of his world class talent in a reinvigorated Arsenal team.  The Czech international has started 10 of Arsenal's last 11 matches, which have included him creating two assists and scoring a goal.  He is a playmaker by nature.  This proven attribute forms the essence of his raw footballing ability.

With injuries to Arteta and Walcott, I believe Rosicky will play a more attacking role in the final two game weeks, which could lead to his involvement in potential assists or goals in Arsenal's remaining two matches.  This seems all the more possible especially considering his team's remaining fixtures:

Norwich (H) - They have conceded 1.83 goals on average whilst playing away this season.

West Brom (A) - They have conceded 1.06 goals on average whilst playing at home this season.

Norwich have recorded 9 defeats away. West Brom have recorded 9 defeats at home.

Arsenal on average have scored 1.89 goals per league match this season.  With this and the above in mind, the Gunners could potentially score at least 3-4 goals in their remaining two matches.  Rosicky could orchestrate this as he will have to play a more integral midfield role.

He has scored a respectable 20 goal in 85 matches for his country.  There is a strong probability for him to add to his goal scoring tally due to the aforementioned reasons.  Purchasing him would in-effect require you taking a calculated risk, but at 5.7 he is a steal purchase.  Surely his natural football talent and quasi-musical on-pitch rhythm is unquestionable?

I will post My GW 37 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) at least a night before the Gameweek commences.

Gameweek 36 Summary

Jela and Fella inspire Everton to four goal win

Everton continued scoring four goals in a match for a third consecutive week with a 4-0 win over Fulham.  Jelavic's brace was key in allowing Everton to extend their unbeaten run to 6 matches and add misery to Fulham's woeful away record.

Stoke suppress Gunners into stalemate

Arsenal failed to win a third consecutive match in a row, despite Van Persie's opener.  It was cancelled out by Crouch as Stoke grinded out a well deserved draw.  It means that the Gunner need to remain their last two matches if they are to secure 3rd spot in the league.

Davies' double levels honours at the Stadium of Light

Bolton extended their unbeaten run to 3 matches, courtesy of assists from Ricketts and Petrov.  The 2-2 draw ensured that Bolton remain in the relegation zone (albeit marginally), where as Sunderland have now failed to win in 6 consecutive matches.

Wolves come back to level from the brink in a 8 goal thriller

They may have already been relegated, but no one told Connor's men to stop playing football.  4-1 up, Swansea should have cruised to victory. But a pressure-free Wolves defied the odds and scored 3 deserved come back goals.  The draw can only serve to instil some pride in Wolves, but their fans must wonder where their missing passion was a few weeks ago?

Foster's heroics keeps Villa at bay in Midlands derby

West Brom continued their good run of form with a credible goalless draw.  They have now secured 10 points from their last 5 matches.  However, Villa's failure to score has ensured that they have scored only 1 goal in their last 4 matches and remain dangerously close to the relegation zone.

Lightning Latics strike out high flying Geordies in comfortable victory

As recent as a month ago, many slated Wigan for the drop.  Yet shock wins over Arsenal and United showed their battling resilience.  This sensationally continued with a 4-0 win against Newcastle.  It means that the Latics have won 5 of their last 7 matches, which in turn ended Newcastle's 6 match winning run.

Sensational Suarez scores three for Liverpool at Carrow Road

Liverpool may have played dire football this season, but their Uruguayan striker rekindled some of their former glory with a winning hat-trick against Norwich.  It was the Canaries 3rd consecutive defeat and was Liverpool's second win in three matches.

Terrific Torres rediscovers league form in rout of QPR

Suarez wasn't the only Spanish speaker that scored a hat-trick in the Premier League this week.  Torres carried his mid-week European form into the league by scoring three past Kenny.  In the end Chelsea's 6 goals helped extend their unbeaten league run to 6, with QPR still close to the relegation zone.

Wonderful Walker free kick aids Spurs to victory over Rovers

Spurs ended their 3 match winless streak with a much needed victory against Blackburn.  Their opener was scored by van der Vaart, before Walker scored a superb second via a Brazilianesque free kick.  The defeat was Rovers' 7th in 8 matches and keeps them stuck in the drop zone.

"Noisy neighbours" turn up the volume with Iron Man leading the way

In what was billed as the most important Manchester derby in history, it was the blue side that seized the moment and won.  City's captain and resident "Iron Man" Kompany scored the only goal of the match, in which United failed to register a single shot on target.  The result ensured that both teams are now level on points, with City having a higher goal difference as two matches remain to decide the title.

Cottagers humble woeful Liverpool with a shock victory at Anfield

Fulham returned back to Merseyside in the space of a few days as they played a weakend Liverpool team that was resting players for the FA Cup final.  Skrtel's own goal secured victory for Fulham who recorded a rare and famous away victory at Anfield.  It was only Fulham's 4th away league win of the season, with only their 12th goal from 18 away league matches.

Stoke Stalemate Part II at the Britannia Stadium

The Potters hosted Everton, as the match ended with another home draw.  Crouch scored for a second consecutive week (albeit an own goal this time), with Jerome leveling the match for the home team.  Stoke have now failed to win in 4 league matches as Everton extend their unbeaten run to 7.

Super Cisse seizes hearts and minds with victorious wonder goals at Stamford Bridge

Newcastle refused to worry about their shock 0-4 loss to Wigan as they were faced with the daunting task of playing Champions League spot rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.  With the Blues having an eye on the FA Cup and Champions League final, they too were under pressure to perform on the night.  However, it was that man, Newcastle's new number 9 who stole the show.  Everything he touches turns into goals! If his first goal wasn't enough to wow the crowd, his sensational injury time second stunned Chelsea fans into silence.  The defeat for Chelsea puts them 4 points a drift from 4th and means they will need to win the Champions League final to qualify for that competition next season.  As for Newcastle, they are now faced with the job of playing City at home in a match that could decide the title and fourth spot.

'Arry refuses to "Luka" away or park the "van" as  Bale & Co. "Ade" Spurs to victory

He may not have got the England job (let alone an interview for it!), but it seems that this in turn has helped Spurs go back to stringing consecutive victories.  A brace of assists from Bale, a brace of goals from Adebayor with VDV and Modric chipping in was enough for a resolute 1-4 victory against Bolton.  The result means that Spurs are level on points with Newcastle (but retain a superior goal difference), where as Bolton remain in the relegation zone based upon their goal difference respectively.

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I dont often (if ever) say this... but I had a FANTASTIC GAMEWEEK! The double gameweek only served to multiply the number of points that my team accrued.  Firstly my recommended player and captain did good for me with two goals and an assist.  Secondly, my other transfer proved to be a master stroke with Walker scoring a goal and keeping a clean sheet.  Moreover, RVP scoring and a Suarez hat-trick, along with other points ensured that I scored over 80 GW points for the first time this season.  Not only that, but my team has surpassed all expectations and scored well over 100 points!  The significance of this points haul means that my blog team is now truly ranked among the higher echelons of FPL this season.  The remaining two Gameweeks will decide whether I can retain such an elite position.  Looking ahead I will almost certainly make a transfer, yet remain undecided as of yet on who to sell and buy.  I will upload my recommended player for GW 37 shortly.  I hope you all had a good gameweek.  Until next time, Ciao!

Recommended Player for Gameweek 36

Recommended Player for Gameweek 36 - Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham)

Time to buck up?

Gameweek 36 is a "Double Gameweek", consisting of 14 matches. With this in mind I have decided to endorse a player whose team is involved in two matches. Not only that, but a player who is capable of making an impact. My recommended player for Gameweek 36 is Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart. Of course Spurs' league form has been woeful of late with only 2 wins from their last 10 matches. This is quite a remarkable down turn for a team that were effectively outside title challengers as recent as mid-February.

However, I believe that Tottenham will do their best to not let things slip further in their pursuit for 4th position in the Premier League. Van der Vaart started the season in electric fashion with 6 goals to his name by Gameweek 10. Since then he has only added a paltry 3 goals to that tally.  Injuries, indifferent form, being rested and subbed off regularly hasn't helped his on-field performances. The time for excuses has to stop. I believe Tottenham can stop the rot, especially considering their GW 36 opponents:

Match 1 of DGW 36 - Blackburn (H):

Rovers have conceded 41 goals on their travels in 17 matches this season (2.4 goals per match).

Match 2 of DGW 36 - Bolton (A):

Wanderers have conceded 33 goals at home in 17 matches this season (1.94 goals per match).

(Even after DGW 36, Spurs have decent fixtures at hand, with Villa away and Fulham at home).

Indeed, it must be noted that both Bolton and Blackburn are battling against relegation. During this time of the season you would want to avoid playing such teams as they have everything to play for, when it comes to top-flight survival. But remember, Tottenham's season hasn't ended yet. Would they really want to let a Champions League spot slip away with defeats against minor opponents? Definitely not. Spurs haven't packed it all in yet and will do their utmost to win both of their DGW 36 matches.

Admittedly, it will be a semi-calculated risk in picking Van der Vaart due to Spurs' recent run and his personal form of late. But it is time for him to up his game. Aside from Tottenham he has played for the likes of Ajax and Real Madrid which highlights his world class pedigree. In addition to this, he has 93 caps to his name, along with a World Cup finalist medal. A player of his calibre can inspire Spurs' rejuvenation.  DGW 36 provides a perfect opportunity for him and his club. A good performance is overdue from Rafael van der Vaart and now is surely the time for an upturn in Spurs' fortunes.

I will post My GW 36 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) at least a night before the Gameweek commences. 

Recommended Player for Gameweek 35

Recommended Player for Gameweek 35 - Martin Petrov (Bolton)

Will he entertain us with goals?

After my 2 point fail from a player battling against relegation a few weeks back, I have decided to take a calculated risk and endorse another player in a similar situation.  My recommended player for Gameweek 35 is Bolton's Martin Petrov.  He may not have been a prolific goalscorer this season, but he is arguably Bolton's most important midfielder.  He has only scored 2 goals this season with 6 assists.  Petrov probably should have done a lot better, but what else can you do in a struggling team that has lacked creativity and a natural goal poacher upfront?

Admittedly his last two matches were 2 pointers against a dogged Fulham (H) and high flying Newcastle (A) respectively.  Though prior to that he managed a goal and an assist in the last two matches of March.  To give you some peace of mind he has started Bolton's last five matches, which is a rarity for a midfield that has been squad rotated and ravaged by injury.  Crucially, Bolton's next 4 fixtures are played over the next 2 Gameweeks.  This means that they have two consecutive Double Gameweeks (DGWs) that should act as an incentive for you to purchase him as follows:

DGW 1 - GW 35:

Swansea (H) - They have conceded 1.76 goals on average away. 

High potential for Bolton to score 1-2 goals.

Aston Villa (A) - They have conceded 1.38 goals on average at home. 

High potential for Bolton to score at least 1 goal.

DGW 2 - GW 36:

Blackburn (H) - They have conceded 2.41 goals on average away.  

High potential for Bolton to score at least 2 goals.

Tottenham (A) - They have conceded 1.00 goal on average at home.  

Some potential for Bolton to score at least 1 goal.

Bolton's average home scoring record for this season: 1.19 goals per match
Bolton's average away scoring record for this season: 1.06 goals per match

With the above in mind it's possible for Bolton to score approximately 4-6 goals over the next four matches/two gameweeks.  If that is the case, I believe that Petrov may at the very least be involved in some of those goals as an assister or scorer.  The 33 year old Bulgarian international is no stranger to scoring goals (see video).  He has scored a respectable 19 goals in 89 matches for Bulgaria (21.3% strike rate) and has had similar success earlier in his club career with 31 league goals in 126 matches for Vfl Wolfsburg (24.6% strike rate).

Of course, it will be hard for Petrov to replicate his former high strike rates at his age.  But sometimes when a team is under pressure and is battling against relegation their decent players' true class emerges, regardless of age.  I believe Petrov will play a pivotal role in Bolton's next few matches.  At 5.1 he is a steal and won't harm your funds too much.  Sometimes it takes a small investment to provide a big return.  This could be your final chance to do so for this FPL season...

I will post My GW 35 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) at least a night before the Gameweek commences. 

Truncated GW and Double GWs Alert (Gameweeks 34-36)

Truncated and Double Gameweeks Alert (GWs 34-36)

As you may know, the next three Gameweeks will be slightly different than usual due to the FA Cup and re-scheduled fixtures. With this in mind it is best you plan ahead with transfers, alongside your captain and vice-captain picks.

The changes are as follows:

Gameweek 34 - Truncated/Shortened

Not Playing:
Liverpool, Everton, Newcastle, Bolton, Chelsea, Stoke, Tottenham and Fulham

Gameweek 35 - Double Gameweek

Aston Villa and Bolton are due to be involved in three fixtures (two matches each) as follows:

Aston Villa v Sunderland
Bolton v Swansea
Aston Villa v Bolton

Gameweek 36 - Double Gameweek

Liverpool, Everton, Newcastle, Chelsea, Stoke, Tottenham and Fulham are due to be involved in ten fixtures (two matches each) as follows:

Everton v Fulham
Stoke v Arsenal
Wigan v Newcastle
Norwich v Liverpool
Chelsea v QPR
Tottenham v Blackburn
Liverpool v Fulham
Stoke v Everton
Chelsea v Newcastle
Bolton v Tottenham

Recommended Player for Gameweek 34

Recommended Player for Gameweek 34 - James McClean (Sunderland)

James McClean, pre-Sunderland, 2011.

(Shirt Number 11 and scores the opener)

Sunderland's league form may be patchy of late, but that will not stop me endorsing a player from the Black Cats.  My recommended player for Gameweek 34 is Sunderland's James McClean.  The Irish international didn't start a single league match this season under Steve Bruce and had to wait until the start of 2012 (Gameweek 19) courtesy of Martin O'Neill's stewardship.  Since then he has started every single league match and has scored 4 and assisted 3 in 15 matches.  He has tended to do well at home as well as against weak or mediocre teams as is evident with the following:

GW 20 - Wigan (A) - scored a goal

GW 22 - Swansea (H) - assisted a goal

GW 23 - Norwich (H) - assisted a goal

GW 24 - Stoke (A) - scored a goal

GW 25 -  Arsenal (H) scored a goal

GW 30 - QPR (H) scored and assisted a goal

With the above in mind, I believe that he should do well at home versus a dire Wolves team that has been conceding approximately 3 goals a match under the interim management of Terry Connor.  In fact the next few Gameweek seem reasonable for Sunderland as follows:

GW 34 - Wolves (H)

GW 35 - Aston Villa (A)

GW 36 - Bolton (H)

At 5.0, McClean is an absolute bargain, a steal purchase.  He has the highest points per game average (4.4) for any player priced at 5.5 or less.  This makes him an automatic must have, especially to play against weaker opposition or as a first sub bench warmer at the very least.  Of course he hasn't scored or assisted regularly of late.  But against a Wolves team leaking goals at will what is to stop him getting on the score sheet again?

I will post My GW 34 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) a night before the Gameweek commences.

Recommended Player for Gameweek 33

Recommended Player for Gameweek 33 - Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Coming of Age?

He has shown more consistency than usual in recent matches and is finally conveying his true class.  My recommended player for Gameweek 33 is Arsenal's Theo Walcott.  His shock inclusion into the 2006 England World Cup squad and shock exclusion from the 2010 England World Cup squad sums up the inconsistency that once surrounded his nascent career.

But with the departure of Fabregas and Nasri, I believe he has matured and truly come of age.  Of course he had a slow start to the season, with a paltry 1 goal and 1 assist in the first 9 matches in a transitional team.  But since Arsenal's emphatic 3-5 cricket score victory at Stamford Bridge, Walcott's proven skills have without a doubt converted into regular match winning performances.  This is evident with his 3 goals and 4 assists in his last 9 matches that has included him facing the likes of Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Man City.  It is interesting to note that Arsenal have won 8 of their last 9 matches and it's no coincidence that Walcott has aided their rejuvenation.

Aside from his form, Arsenal's upcoming two fixtures* are another reason as to why you should select him, as follows:

GW 33 - Wolves (A)

GW 34** - Wigan (H)

*I am planning to keep him in my team for the next two Gameweeks but may replace him with a player involved in a Double Gameweek in Gameweek 35 or Gameweek 36.

**GW 34 is a truncated gameweek where only six Premier League matches are taking place.

The 23 year old is still remarkably young enough to play for the British Olympic Football Team, despite obtaining his first senior cap 6 years ago as a teenager.  At 9.4 he is reasonably priced when compared to Lampard (11.0), Gerrard (9.9) and Silva (9.5).  Considering his regular attacking output and prowess of scoring and creating goals, he should probably be valued at 10.0+ easily, which makes him value for money.

In the unlikely event that he fails to perform in Arsenal's next two matches you could always replace him with a player that is involved with a Double Gameweek (GWs 35 or GW 36).  If you still doubt him, please don't.  I believe that Walcott will continue to perform in the remaining part of the season and will probably be one of England's integral players at Euro 2012.  Is that not reason enough for you to sign him?

I will post My GW 33 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) a night before the Gameweek commences. 

Recommended Player for Gameweek 32

Recommended Player for Gameweek 32 - David de Gea (Man United)

Many labelled him a £20M flop earlier in the season, but he has defied critics and bounced back.  My recommended player for Gameweek 32 is Manchester United's David de Gea.  Of course I probably should have bought and tipped him a few weeks back.  But I had to be cautious after his previous below par form. 

As of now he has kept an impressive 4 consecutive clean sheets in the Premier League, courtesy of his rejuvenated confidence.  In total he has kept 9 clean sheets from 22 league matches.  I am fairly certain he will continue to improve and build upon his clean sheet record, especially due to United's upcoming fixtures:

Gameweek 32 - QPR (H) - High Clean Sheet Possibility

Gameweek 33 - Wigan (A) - High Clean Sheet Possibility

Gameweek 34 - Aston Villa (H) - High Clean Sheet Possibility

Gameweek 35 - Everton (H) - High Clean Sheet Possibility

As is evident from above, the next 4 fixtures possess a decent United clean sheet possibility in each of those matches.  At 6.2 De Gea is not cheap, but not excessively priced either.  He is surprisingly only the 7th most selected goalie in FPL despite United being top of the league. 

The 21 year old Spaniard currently has no senior international caps to his name, but will almost certainly be a mainstay in the national team for the future.  With United currently topping the league, surely they will strive to keep more clean sheets and park the bus as often as possible when taking the lead in their remaining matches?

I will post My GW 32 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) a night before the Gameweek commences.

Recommended Player for Gameweek 31

Recommended Player for Gameweek 31 - Ryo Miyaichi (Bolton / on-loan from Arsenal)

All Eyes on Him - The Start of a Sun Rise?

With Gameweek 31 upon us I didn't think that I would be endorsing a player from a team battling against relegation.  However with some valid reasons at hand I have decided to endorse Bolton's Ryo Miyaich (on loan from Arsenal).  He follows in the footsteps of Daniel Sturridge who was the on-loan sensation for Bolton last season and Jack Wilshere from the year before.

The Japanese international has played an integral part in reviving the fortunes of Bolton.  In fact two back-to-back victories from the last couple of Gameweeks has ensured that Bolton are out of the relegation zone for the time being.  This was in large part due to him assisting a goal in each of those matches.  Looking ahead, Bolton have a good run of upcoming fixtures as follows:

GW 31 - Wolves (A)
GW 32 - Fulham (H)
GW 33 - Newcastle (A)
GW 34 - No Bolton fixture
GW 35 - Swansea (H) / Aston Villa (A) - Double Gameweek for Bolton
GW 36 - Sunderland (A) / Tottenham (H) - Double Gameweek for Bolton
GW 37 - West Bron (H)
GW 38 - Stoke (A)

Most significantly, it must be noted that Bolton have two double gameweeks coming up which bodes well for transferring him in.  He is only selected by 0.7% of FPL managers which naturally makes him a differential.  Against a Wolves team in free fall decline (5 defeats in their last 6) what is to stop him from scoring a goal?  After all Miyaichi has already shown his capability of scoring in a Bolton shirt during the FA cup.

At 4.9 he is definitely a steal purchase.  He may not have had first team opportunities at Arsenal, but during his last loan spell (at Feyenoord) he scored 3 goals in 12 matches.  Aged 19 he is showing promise of developing into a very decent footballer.  In the words of a top football journalist that I liaised with recently "he certainly has the talent". The opportunity to save Bolton (and make a name for himself in doing so) could help Miyaichi prosper into a world class player.  So what are you waiting for?  Buy him!

I will post My GW 31 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain for GW 31) a night before the Gameweek commences.

Recommended Player for Gameweek 30

Recommended Player for Gameweek 30 - Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal)

 Gibbs in action versus Tottenham

Differentials count with points at a premium during this stage of the season. I have decided to endorse an up-and-coming England international for Gameweek 30 who is selected by a relatively small amount of FPL managers.  If he doesn't make the Euro 2012 England squad he will almost certainly play for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.  It's Arsenal's Kieran Gibbs.

Aged 22 and with two caps already to his name he should have played more matches for club and country had injuries not temporarily affected his nascent career.  In spite of this the left back has impressed many and could be Ashley Cole's natural successor in the England team.  Priced at 5.2 he is a steal when compared to other Top 4 teams' defenders.  Moreover Arsenal's decent upcoming fixtures put him in good stead as a credible defensive option in your team:

GW 30: Aston Villa (H) - Strong clean sheet potential*
GW 31: QPR (A) - Moderate clean sheet potential*
GW 32: Man City (H)
GW 33: Wolves (A) - Strong clean sheet potential*
GW 34: Wigan (H) - Strong clean sheet potential*

(*four of the five fixtures are winnable with a high clean sheet potential)

Of course you may be put off by his lack of games for Arsenal this season, but this was primarily due to injury not on poor performance.  I believe a fully fit Kieran Gibbs (as he is now) is Arsenal's first choice left back.  In fact he has started Arsenal's last four matches.  Arsenal have won all of those matches.  With no cup competitions to distract them why would Wenger decide to bench an injury-free Kieran Gibbs? 

He has only been selected by 1.2% of FPL gamers which naturally makes him a differential.  I would advise the purchase of Gibbs provided that you have at least three established defenders in your team.  It's not worth risking the sale of a decent defender for him.  But without a doubt his price, raw talent and Arsenal's upcoming fixtures make him a tantalising prospect!

I will post My GW 30 Blog Team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain for GW 30) a night before the Gameweek commences.

Recommended Player for Gameweek 29

Recommended Player for Gameweek 29 - Wayne Rooney (Man United)

With the red side of Manchester on form and on top, my recommended player for Gameweek 29 is an obvious choice, it's Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. A world class talent, he is the type of player that scores goals in patches, especially this season, as is evident with the following:

GWs 1-5: 9 goals in 5 matches (including 2 hat-tricks)

GWs 6-14: 0 goals in 8 matches

GWs 15-17: 4 goals in 3 matches

GWs 18-23: 0 goals in 5 matches

GWs 24-28: 7 goals in 4 matches

Despite going through periods without a goal this season he has notched an impressive 20 league goals with 6 assists. 10 Gameweeks remains for this season and there is no reason why his goal scoring exploits should stop now, especially due to United's remaining upcoming fixtures:

GW 29 - Wolves (A) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 30 - Fulham (H) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 31 - Blackburn (A) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 32 - QPR (H) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 33 - Wigan (A) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 34 - Aston Villa (H) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 35 - Everton (H) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 36 - Man City (A) - Scoreable
GW 37 - Swansea (H) - Winnable/Scoreable
GW 38 - Sunderland (A) - Winnable/Scoreable

With the remarkable run of fixtures still due to be played United are more than capable of winning at least 9 out of the 10 matches. They are only due to face one top 6 team which is their neighbours/title challengers. Such is United's current form and decent remaining run that I believe Manchester United will win the 2011/2012 Premier League title, provided Rooney and other key United players stay fit.

At 12.4 he is not cheap, but definitely worth buying immediately if you haven't already purchased him. Out of all of United's strikers he is the least likely to be squad rotated, especially due to the arrival of the business end of the season. The England international may not be a prolific scorer for his country, but at club level (in all competitions) he boasts a strike rate near enough to 50%. This is incredible for a player that isn't a one dimensional goal poacher, but rather a playmaker, goal scorer and overall creative force wrapped into one.

England don't have a Ronaldo or a Messi, but they do have Wazza (Rooney), who isn't too far behind them on the talent front. He may not score 50 goals a season, but without a doubt he is the most talented English footballer of his generation. He is far from perfect, yet has sought vindication and redemption every time he garners on-field/off-field controversey. When he is fit and scoring goals you would be crazy not to have in your team! I ask you, are you sane or one of the crazy ones?

I will post My GW 29 blog team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) a night before the Gameweek commences.

Recommended Player for Gameweek 28

Recommended Player for Gameweek 28 - Luis Suarez (Liverpool)

 

With Gameweek 28 being a “Double Gameweek” (DGW), I have decided to endorse a player influenced by the aforementioned FPL anomaly.  My recommended player for Gameweek 28 is Liverpool’s Luis Suarez. 

There is no question about his controversial nature.  To be honest with you I dislike and condemn him for a number of reasons, ranging from his deliberate hand ball versus Ghana during the 2010 World Cup (which ultimately led to their exit), as well as his disgraceful abuse of Patrice Evra (that led to Suarez’s 8 match ban).  But in spite of that, I must remain unbiased.  He remains the most feasible Everton or Liverpool player to have him in your FPL team for this DGW. 

Firstly, even though he was prohibited from playing in the Premier League from mid-December to the end of January, he remains Liverpool’s top league goal scorer with 6 goals (jointly with Bellamy).  He is a natural goal poacher with 26 goals in 52 for Uruguay’s national team, as well as 81 league goals from 110 matches for Ajax.

Even though Liverpool lost to Arsenal last week, I believe that Liverpool’s League Cup win has instilled a feel good factor within the team.  Crucially, Liverpool’s DGW fixtures are against teams that concede on average at least a goal a game as follows:

Sunderland (A) – Conceded 13 goals in 13 home matches this season (1.00).  Conceded 18 goals in 14 away matches this season (1.28).

Everton (H) – Conceded 15 goals in 13 away matches this season (1.15). Conceded 13 goals in 13 home matches this season (1.00).

Of course it must be noted that Liverpool have had an abysmal record of infrequently scoring more than 2 goals per game this season.  But I ask you, if they are going to score during DGW surely it will be from the boot/head/heel/hand of their joint top scorer and goal poacher?  Don’t base your reasons for not picking him on Liverpool’s previous three league results, after all they were against top 4 opposition (Tottenham, Man United and Arsenal respectively ).  If it makes any difference, their remaining matches appear to be a lot easier, winnable or scoreable, as follows:

GW 29 – QPR (A) – Winnable
GW 30 – Wigan (H) – Winnable
GW 31 – Newcastle (A) – Scoreable
GW 32 – Aston Villa (H) – Winnable
GW 33 – Blackburn (A) – Winnable
GW 34 – Fulham (H) – Winnable
GW 35 – West Brom (H) – Winnable
GW 36 – Norwich (A) – Scoreable
GW 37 – Chelsea (H) – Scoreable
GW 38 – Swansea (A) – Scoreable

At 9.3 Suarez isn’t cheap, but far cheaper than RVP, Aguero and Rooney.  With Suarez you have the peace of mind that as one of Liverpool’s few first-team strikers, he is less prone to being squad rotated than Liverpool’s bloated midfield.  Liverpool may have sewed up a Europa League spot for next season with their League Cup win and are 10 points adrift of a Champions League spot, but surely they won’t “Kop Out” from playing some decent football? Ultimately, on paper at least, Suarez is a good pick for the remainder of the season, not just for DGW.  It begs the question, will Liverpool score or win more regularly with Suarez and their remaining Premier League fixtures?

I will post My GW 28 blog team (with confirmation of my selected captain and vice-captain) a night before the Gameweek commences.

Recommended Player for Gameweek 26

Recommended Player for Gameweek 26 - Ashley Cole (Chelsea)

After taking time out from FPL, due to the FA cup weekend, I have decided to endorse a mildly surprising pick.  My recommended player for Gameweek 26 is Chelsea's Ashley Cole.  Ok, so Chelsea are going through a bit of a temporary slump and a crisis.  We know that it's not FPL 2009-2010 (When Cole scored 4 and assisted 4 during the season).  And we know that Chelsea are on a five game winless streak in all senior competitions, with AVB on the brink.  We are also fully aware that Ashley Cole is a publicised love rat.  But let us put that all to one side and see the contemporary footballing facts at hand.  Ashley Cole is only selected by 7.9% of FPL gamers and could be a differential for your team.  

Amazingly a staggering 20% of FPL gamers have selected his teammate Gary Cahill even though he has only started one Premier League match for Chelsea.  The fact of the matter is that Chelsea are known for their squad rotation policy but Ashley Cole has been their nailed on first choice left back for years.  Of course he hasn't scored a Premier League goal this season (or last season), but he still possesses attacking prowess with a credible 6 assists thus far.  Under Mourinho Chelsea were known for their regular maintenance of clean sheets, but AVB's Chelsea have only kept 6 paltry league clean sheets out of 25.  I believe that despite them being under pressure they have a good chance to turn things around and keep a few more clean sheets, especially with the following upcoming fixtures:

Bolton (H)
West Brom (A)
Stoke (H)

The 31 year old is an accomplished international with 93 caps to his name.  At 7.1 Ashley Cole is not cheap (though cheaper than his injured teammate John Terry).  But at least with him you have the peace of mind that he is less prone to be squad rotated than the mercurial likes of his other comrades - Ivanovic, Bosingwa, Luiz or Cahill.  If you already have another Chelsea defender in your team, don't buy Ashley Cole.  But if you are looking to purchase a Chelsea defender and willing to spend a bit, then do consider him.  I only purchased Ashley Cole as a like-for-like replacement for John Terry who according to media outlets is injured for up to eight weeks.  Don't over think it and do ignore Chelsea's recent poor form.  Surely things can only get better for them?

My captain for Gameweek 26 will be Sergio Aguero and my vice captain will be David Silva.

Transfers: John Terry (OUT) / Ashley Cole (IN)

My GW team can be found here within 12 hours of the first Saturday Premier League kick off.