FPL Hints - Gameweek 5

FPLH's GW 5 Team*

Transfers: None

*FPLH reserves the right to change this team at any time. Any changes made will be confirmed on FPLH's Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Team Selection Reasoning:

Last week was a spectacular flop for FPLH.  We sold Bale who finally hit form and brought in RVP (c) who gave us a 1 point cameo.  To top it off, Sterling was purchased but ended up as lost points on the bench.  This week no transfers have been made to offset the -8 hit from the last Gameweek.  All of FPLH's first XI midfielders are at home for GW5 which is a plus.  The selected strikers have difficult but juicy fixtures against top opposition.  As for the goalie and defence, fortunately all are playing at home - so let's hope for an up turn from last week!

Recommended Player for Gameweek 5

Raheem Sterling

(Liverpool)

Why?

Has arguably been Liverpool's best player so far

Rodgers is using him as a first choice winger

Is valued at a very cheap price of 4.6

Starred & assisted in his last match

Cream rising to the top

FPLH's Hot Picks XI for GW 5

Cech (CHE)

Ivanovic (CHE)

Demel (WHA)

Walker (TOT)

Bale (TOT)

Hazard / cpt (CHE)

Michu (SWA)

Sterling (LIV)

Ben Arfa (NEW)

Tevez (MNC)

Van Persie (MNU)

Subs:

Friedel (TOT)

S Taylor (NEW)

Berbatov (FUL)

Ridgewell (WBA)

8/15 Hot Picks' feature in FPLH's GW 5 Team.

FPL Hints - Gameweek 4

FPLH's GW 4 Team*

Transfers (OUT): Kompany, Bale, Pogrebnyak

Transfers (IN): Demel, Sterling, Van Persie

*FPLH reserves the right to change this team at any time. Any changes made will be confirmed on FPLH's Twitter and Facebook accounts.

 Transfers' Justifications:

I very rarely take a -8 hit.  In fact the FPLH Blog team didn't take any -8 hits during the 2011/12 season.  However, put simply, I thought it was a necessity to draft Van Persie into the team - due to his form and Rooney's injury.  I wasn't prepared to sell Podolski or Tevez.  This meant I had to sell an expensive defender and midfielder to fund the Van Persie purchase.  Kompany is expensive and hasn't kept any clean sheets as of yet.  Moreover Bale hasn't done much either.  Thus they were sold.  When I discovered that Liverpool's up-and-coming midfielder Sterling was a 4.5 I knew I had to buy him.  With only 4.0 left, there wasn't much choice for defenders.  But Demel stood out with his 2 clean sheets out of 3 matches.  In the short and long term I would hope for the -8 hit to pay off, will just have to wait and see...

Recommended Player for Gameweek 4

Robin Van Persie

(Man United)

Why?

Rooney is injured, which means Van Persie will be key

Has scored 4 goals in first 3 league matches

Scored 30 league goals last season

Can assist as well as score

Dutch Dynamite

 FPLH's Hot Picks XI for GW 4

de Gea (MNU)

Mertesacker (ARS)

Vidic (MNU)

Ivanovic (CHE)

Hazard (CHE)

Cazarola (ARS)

Michu (SWA)

Fellaini (EVE)

Van Persie / cpt (MNU)

Podolski / vc (ARS)

Tevez (MNC)

Subs:

Cech (CHE)

Sterling (LIV)

Nolan (WHA)

Hangeland (FUL)

10/15 Hot Picks' feature in FPLH's GW 4 Team.

Gameweek 38 Summary

City's late late finish lets them clinch the title in sensational fashion

Michael Thomas move over.  On Sunday we witnessed the most amazing end to a top flight season.  1-0 up you would think that Mancini's men would cruise to a comfortable finish.  Not so as Cisse bagged an equaliser and things then became oddly complicated with Barton's red card.  Mackie defied the odds to make it 1-2.  With 90 minutes on the clock the title was heading to United, but some how City's never say never attitude came to the fore as Dzeko and then Aguero sensationally scored to make it 3-2.  With that City won their first top flight title since 1968 and first ever Premier League title.  QPR didn't get relegated despite the defeat as results elsewhere went in their favour.

United win against Sunderland but fail to win the title

Fergie's men knew that they had to win against Sunderland and hope that QPR could shock City to win the title.  Rooney's solitary goal gave United victory and as the whistle blew at the Stadium of Light, City were 1-2 down with United on course for the title. QPR certainly shocked City till the 90th minute, but it wasn't enough as City claimed victory in injury time.  The title was decided on goal difference. To think that the Reds held an 8 point lead before their failure to defeat Wigan, Everton and City.  Fergie's men end the season trophy-less and will know that they can't afford any more slip ups next season, as City become rampant.

Relegated Rovers end season with defeat at Stamford Bridge

With an eye on the Champions League final, Chelsea rested some of their key players as they were not playing for league position.  Goals from Terry and Meireles ensured a 12th league home victory as Blackburn lost their 11th away match of the season and finished 19th.

Geordies become stuck against terrific Toffees

Newcastle's slight hopes of Champions League football came crashing as they lost to Everton and results went against them elsewhere.  Jelavic got on the score sheet again and helped Everton extend their unbeaten run to 9, where as Newcastle ended the season with back to back defeats.

Villa's bad form continues as Canaries win

Norwich continued their fine season form with victory to allow them to finish 12th.  Unsung hero Grant Holt scored again, before Jackson added a second.  It meant that Villa failed to win in their last 10 matches of the season and ended up in 16th place.  Villa's poor form proved costly and McLeish has subsequently been sacked.

Bolton are relegated after only achieving a draw against Stoke

They battled hard in the end, but it wasn't enough to save them.  A win was a must with the two Davies' giving them some hope, but Walters cancelled them out on each occasion.  Their ultimate failure was their inability to win.  They should have won their penultimate match of the season and they failed again on the final hurdle.  As a consequence Bolton were relegated and will now be in the Championship next season.

Cool Swans add to Liverpool's league woes

Call them Barcelona Lite or Swancelona.  The superlatives to describe Swansea's creative style of play and results are endless.  They were marked for the drop by many at the start of the season yet finish 11th after a 1-0 victory against a timid Liverpool team.  Kenny's men may have won the League Cup and ended up as FA cup runners up, but their league form in turn has been disastrous.  So much so that Dalglish has now been removed as the manager of Liverpool.

Tottenham regain form to reactivate their Champions League hopes

A comfortable 2-0 win against Fulham in the end secured victory and 4th spot for Spurs.  Their finish could have been all the more easier had they not let their form spiral out of control from mid-February to April.  To think that they held a 11 point lead over Arsenal, yet finished 1 point behind them is remarkable.  Despite finishing 4th Spurs could lose out on a Champions League spot, if Chelsea can secure victory in the Champions League final.

Hodgson's reign at WBA ends in a 5 goal thriller defeat

Arsenal had to work hard to secure 3rd spot as they narrowly beat West Brom 2-3.  Van Persie failed to add to his season's tally, but that didn't stop the Gunners scoring 3. The defeat will not do any damage to WBA.  In the space of a year and a half Hodgson transformed his men from relegation near certainties to a Top 10 team.  As for Arsenal, it will be interesting to see if they can keep hold of Van Persie and secure another Top 4 finish for next season.

Boyce's brace is ace as Wigan hit three past Wolves

Wigan ended their season on a high with a 3-2 victory against Wolves.  The win meant that they won 7 of their last 10 matches and finish 15th, despite being in the bottom 3 for the majority of the season.  Questions remain on whether Martinez will stay as manager at Wigan and if he doesn't will Wigan escape the drop again next season?

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The final Gameweek of the season was bad for the FPLH Blog Team.  Firstly, our recommended player doesn't start, nor is on the bench.  Thus the -4 calculated risk backfires.  Walker hobbles off injured on the 49th minute, which meant that I lost 5 more points.  Caulker and Evans are rooted to my bench and score 14 points between them, where as my choice of Gibbs and Clichy score 1 each.  Apart from my captain Aguero (16) bailing me out, as well as assists from RVP and VDV, nothing good came from my team.  My team slipped in the overall rankings from 73rd to 110th following this awful Gameweek.  Looking on the bright side, the FPLH Blog Team had a decent finish following excellent results in recent weeks.  With hindsight it was job well done considering our recent FPL form and in turn securing a very respectable overall ranking.  In summary, this season has been productive and as a result a high benchmark has been set for next season.

Gameweek 37 Summary

Gunners fail to shoot down Canaries in high scoring stalemate

Arsenal failed to win their fourth consecutive league match following a thrilling encounter against Norwich.  The Gunners led 1-0, then fell back 1-2, then came back to lead 3-2 before Morison scored a late equaliser.  The draw means that Arsenal must win their last match to definitely secure a Champions League spot for next season.

City on course to say "Yaya" to title via win at the Sports Direct Arena

Man City moved one step closer to their first top flight title in decades following a 0-2 victory against Newcastle United.  The first half was close and cagey, but it was Yaya Toure's brace that ultimately unlocked the Geordies defences and led to a famous win for City, with Newcastle's Champions League hopes now remaining slim.

Villans secure survival with draw against Spurs

They may have had a woeful season that made them shock last minute relegation candidates.  However, Aston Villa survived to live another season in the Premier League.  Clark's goal proved crucial in securing a draw, which complements a superior overall goal difference, in comparison to Bolton and QPR.  Spurs will be ruing their luck on how they failed to win the match and like Newcastle, their Champions League hopes still remain uncertain.

Bolton blow two goal lead as they succumb to late draw

So close and yet so far.  Bolton were seconds away from gaining a vital win to put them on points parity with QPR.  Yet Brunt's last minute strike took away 2 points from Bolton.  It means that Bolton must win their final match of the season (Stoke - away) and hope that QPR fail to win their match (Man City - away).

Captain America and his handy "dumbbell" save the day at Craven Cottage

It was Fulham's non-club superhero/captain that saved the day again for them.  Clint Dempsey scored the opener, which was followed by Dembele bagging the second.  The victory was Fulham's second in as many weeks, as Sunderland extended their winless run to seven.

Cisse strikes late as match ceases with much needed win for QPR

The North East's Cisse has been hitting the headlines of late.  But West London's equivalent struck late to deliver the Hoops a sensational victory at home.  QPR must now obtain a draw against City and hope that Bolton fail to win their final match of the season in order to survive.

Wolves secure rare clean sheet in goalless draw against Everton

They may be down and out, but it seems that no one told Wolves about their confirmed relegation.  A 0-0 draw against Everton was their second consecutive unbeaten match and ensures that Wolves are ending the season with some dignity.

United beat Swans as their title hopes hang on a knife edge

Goals from Scholes and Young secured a 2-0 win for United at Old Trafford.  The victory put United back on level points with City.  However, City's superior goal difference means that United will only win the title if they obtain a win against Sunderland (away) and City fail to win against QPR.

Chickens come home to roast as Blackburn lose and get relegated

Blackburn's survival hopes ended in a farce, following a 0-1 defeat to Wigan at Ewood Park.  Constant protest from fans through out the match against their manager and owners, fans on the pitch as well as a cockerel on the pitch summed up the chaos.  The ex-Premier League champions were relegated from the Premier League for a second time in their history as the Latics in turn secured survival.

Lively Liverpool thump Chelsea B team in bounce back win

The Reds may have lost to a triumphant Chelsea in the FA cup final over the weekend.  However, nothing could stop them from trouncing Chelsea in their second encounter in less than a week.  Chelsea lacked many of their first team regulars, yet that was no excuse as they lose 1-4.  The defeat ensures that Chelsea must win the Champions League final to secure entry into Europe's elite competition for next season.

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A decent penultimate Gameweek of the season for me, which ensures that the FPLH Blog Team is now ranked in the Top 100 of FPL, as things stand. A truly remarkable achievement for a team that has consistently performed. Van Persie, my captain, did me proud with 2 goals.  Rosicky, my recommended player for GW 37 bagged an assist.  In addition, de Gea's clean sheet, Clichy's clean sheet/assist, Petrov's goal/assist, Dempsey's goal as well as assists from Rooney and Suarez ensured that the FPLH Blog team scored a decent GW total.  The -4 transfer hit paid off as my transfers scored a gross tally of 16 GW points. However, it was disappointing that van der Vaart (last week's tip) failed against a weakened Villa team.

Looking to Gameweek 38, I may take another -4 hit.  Aguero and Kompany could be potential transfer targets.  Along with Chelsea's on-form Ramires (recently scored in the league, cup final and Champions League semi-final).  I will take my time on deciding my transfers, as the FPLH Blog Team strives to secure a Top 100 FPL ranking out of 2.78M competitors.  I will upload my recommended player for GW 38 shortly. Until then, in the words that Mancini will hope to say to United's hold of the Premier League title... arrivederci!

FPLH's Premier League Manager of the Year

FPLH's Premier League Manager of the Year

With the season coming to a close we are pleased to announce our Premier League Manager of the Year.  It was a tough decision to make as many teams have done better than expected by bucking pre-season predictions.  Notable mentions must to go to Brendan Rodgers for Swansea's Barcelona Lite type football, as well as Paul Lambert's dogged Norwich.  Many slated these two newly promoted teams for the drop yet both are expected to secure comfortable mid-table places.  Wigan's recent improved form has not gone unnoticed under Martinez either.  In addition, credit to Roy Hodgson for continuing his rejuvenation with West Brom and being on the cusp of a Top 10 finish, as the FA finally come calling for him.

But despite the aforementioned names, one manager has truly defied expectation more than most.  Alan Pardew came to Newcastle United following the notorious sacking of Chris Houghton.  This was followed by sales of Carroll, Nolan and Barton during 2011.  Yet the players he bought in to replace the former Geordie favourites has proved to be successful.  Pardew's "French Revolution" signings inspired an unbeaten start to the season.  They proved it was no fluke as they maintained a Top 6 position through out the season.  Newcastle United are now close to securing 4th place and a Champions League spot, following their remarkable 0-2 victory at Stamford Bridge.  Time will tell whether Pardew can retain the same calibre of players and continue the Geordies' fantastic run into the 2012/2013 season.  But for the time being he has done enough to win FPLH's inaugural Premier League Manager of the Year award.  Congratulations.

FPLH's Manager of the Year:

1st - Alan Pardew (Newcastle United)

2nd - Brendan Rodgers (Swansea City)

3rd - Roy Hodgson (West Bromwich Albion)

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!

FPLH's Players of the Season

Best “Alternative” Premier League Player of the Season:

1^st - Clint Dempsey
Overall Reason: Number of goals scored from midfield and impact on team’s results.

2^nd - Tim Krul

Overall Reason: Consistent form and sheer number of clean sheets kept.

3^rd - Grant Holt

Overall Reason: Goals and importance to his team’s survival.

Premier League Player of the Mid-Season (1st Half) - GWs 1-19:

1^st - David Silva

Overall Reason: The play-making match winner that inspired his team to the top.

2^nd - Robin Van Persie

Overall Reason: Goals, goals and goals in saving Arsenal’s reputation and season.

3^rd - Gareth Bale

Overall Reason: Providing the creative spark to Spurs’ outside title challenge

Premier League Player of 2012 (2nd Half of the Season) - GWs 20-38:

1st - Papiss Cisse

Overall Reason: Adapted quickly to his new team’s style of play and scored at will.

2^nd - Gylfi Sigurdsson

Overall Reason: Supplementing Swansea’s ethos and proved to be a match winner.

3^rd - James McClean

Overall Reason: Didn’t start under Bruce, yet proved himself in style under O’Neill.

One for the Future Series – Part IV: Victor Moses (Wigan)

One for the Future Series – Victor Moses

Like Scott Parker last season, some people may find it strange, if somewhat undeserving, to be praising a player at the bottom end of the table. Parker, of course, was relegated with West Ham and the end of the 2010/11 season; however, he also scooped the FWA Footballer of the Year Award. He was awarded for his dedication to the cause in the face of adversity, and so, here is another award for a player who is giving everything as he stares relegation in the face.

Moses is worthy of being one to watch for the future, as at the tender age of 21, he is evidently capable of holding his own in the top division. Despite their current league position, Martinez has got Wigan playing a free-flowing, exciting, passing game. This style of play has been successful in recent weeks due to Moses providing the perfect link between defence and attack.

The young Nigerian can operate as either a left sided, right sided or lone striker. His ability to switch so effortlessly between positions ensures that he is difficult for opposition defenders to mark; freeing up space for his team mates. Following the departure of Charles N’Zogbia to Aston Villa in the summer, Moses has become the focal point for Wigan’s attacking play. He has taken up the mantel as the creative player that sparks something special. This is reflected in his four goals and six assists this season. Although this may not be a spectacular return when compared to other players of a similar ilk, it is still a fair return for a team placed 17th in the table. Had only some of his team mates chipped in with similar statistics, Wigan may have already secured Premier League status for next season.

Despite representing England at every junior age level, Moses opted to play for Nigeria on the international scene. This could prove to be a great loss to England, as he is a natural attacking wide player; a position which has yet to be secured by any of the current squad. It is clear to see from his style that Moses is very comfortable on the ball. He continually makes jinking and darting runs down the flanks, and his rapid pace is a match for any athletic full back.

The only draw-back to his current game is that Moses can be greedy in possession. Like a young Joe Cole used to, Moses sometimes shoots when he should pass, and tries the difficult pass when he should shoot. This is not such a bad weakness to have, though, as it is a sign of confidence, and in time, can be nurtured into a fine strength. Therefore, Moses is definitely one for the future, and do not be surprised of some of the big boys come knocking on Wigan’s door this summer

Written by Sam Balls

Brief Biography:

I am a final year English student at the University of Portsmouth. I am extremely passionate about sport, and my burning ambition is to write for a national newspaper. You can find my blog at: samuelballs.wordpress.com or follow me on twitter: @Sam_Balls

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. 

Gameweek 35 Summary

Cool, Calm and Collected Chelsea Cech Off Van Persie

Following their surprising triumph against Barcelona only a few days earlier, the Blues held their nerves for a credible draw against Arsenal. Cech's five saves were important in maintaining Chelsea's five match unbeaten run and means that Van Persie has only scored one goal from his last seven matches. However the draw leaves Chelsea in 6th place with the daunting realisation that they may have to go all the way and win the Champions League if they are to definitely play in the elite European competition next season.

Black Cats fail to get their claws into Villainous Lions

Coming into this match, both teams had failed to win in their last few league matches. Going out of it, the abysmal winless record continued for both as the match ended in a goalless draw. Villa's inability to win has made them shock last minute relegation candidates as Sunderland's recent poor form is sufficient for them to accept mid-table mediocrity.

Hoilett halts the rot for Rovers

Blackburn ended their five match losing streak with a much needed win at Ewood Park. Goals from Formica and Hoilett were enough to defeat Norwich. Rovers are now three points away from safety and could still be in with a shout for survival. It all now depends on how much they wish to fight until the end.

Elegant Eagles' goal not enough to down Swift Swans

Bolton were denied three points at home as they fight to avoid the drop. A draw seemed to be the inevitable outcome as Bolton's home record hasn't been that great this season, which was complemented by Swansea's poor away performances.  And so it ended in a 1-1 draw. See below for the outcome of Bolton's second GW 35 match...

Pog Riises and Sends Martinez's men back to the drawing board

Wigan came back down to reality with defeat at Craven Cottage, following back-to-back victories against Arsenal and United. Goals from Pogrebnyak and Senderos were enough to secure three points for Fulham, despite Boyce's goal for the Latics. With 3 games to go Wigan are 3 points above the relegation zone and must avoid complacency to avoid being dragged back down to the drop zone.

Geordies order Cab ride for Stoke in three goal rout

Newcastle continued to defy the odds as they recorded their sixth consecutive league victory with a comfortable win against Stoke. A brace from Cabaye and yet another goal from Cisse ensured that the Geordies remain 3 points above 5th spot and only 3 points away from 3rd. Never in their wildest dreams could the Toon Army have imagined such a tantalising scenario at the start of the season, of Champions League football within touching distance...

"Queen Kenny's" six appeal saves the day at Loftus Road

Half a dozen saves from QPR's goalkeer, along with an Adel Taarabt goal secured three unlikely points against fellow Londoners Tottenham. Taarabt may have got himself sent off later in the match but that wasn't enough for Spurs to score. The win leaves QPR 3 points safely above 18th place with 3 matches remaining.

Moyes' Boys shock Fergie's foxes in 8 Goal Thriller

He may have been at Everton for 10 years in a trophyless reign, but Moyes showed that his shoestring budget team can from time to time raise their game against the big teams. A win for United would have semi-sealed the title race. At 0-1 down they were in trouble. At 3-1 up they were cruising. Even at 4-2 up they were cruising. But perhaps United became complacement? With 7 minutes of time left, Everton blew open the title race with two late goals to finish the match 4-4. United may be regretting their poor defending and missed chances, but will have to avoid defeat in GW 36 at City to prevent losing complete momentum in the title race.

Hodgson comes back to Anfield and piles more misery on Liverpool

He may have been sacked in an unjust manner last season, but since then he has prospered and Liverpool have stagnated. This proved to be the case as West Brom defeated a wasteful Liverpool team at Anfield for the first time in 45 years. The once formidable Liverpool have unfortunately relegated themselves to the status of a cup team this season. Talking of relegation, Liverpool would be right in the mire if you look at the Premier League table from January 2012. The victory was West Brom's 3rd from their last 4 matches and puts them only 1 point away from Liverpool.

City beat and relegate Wolves (as well as reducing league lead)

Mancini's men made the most of United's lost two points at Old Trafford by picking three points of their own at the Molineux Stadium. Their 0-2 victory, courtesy of goals from Aguero and Nasri, automatically relegated a Wolves team whose fate seemed sealed weeks before. City will now hope to beat United in GW 36 and win their remaining matches to stand any chance of winning the Premier League.

and finally...

Eagles and Pets plunge Villa into relegation Dog Fight

Aston Villa may have been lacking three of their key players (Collins - injury, "Stan" Petrov - Illnes and Bent - injury), but this was no excuse to lose to a struggling Bolton team. Warnock's goal gave Villa some hope for victory. But that lasted seconds, as complacency set in and withing three minutes Villa were 1-2 down. The defeat means they have only won one match in their last ten where as Bolton now remain one point away from safety with a game in hand.

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A mixed gameweek for me. On the one hand 8 of my starting XI scored 2 points or less. No one from my defence kept a clean sheet other than Gibbs whose points will not count as he was unfortunately my third substitute. On the other other hand, Rooney's two goals complimented nicely with my GW 35 captain/endorsement Martin Petrov's assist and goal which added respectability to my score. Looking to DGW 36, I already have made one change by replacing the injured Walcott. I am willing to take a -4 for the first time in almost three months to accomodate another DGW player. RVP could surprisingly be axed from my team. His turnover of 1 goal in 7 matches has been unimpressive when the cheaper likes of Jelavic and Cisse (who have two matches in DGW 36) have scored freely. I will provide thought to my second transfer before carrying it out. I will upload my recommened player for Gameweek 36 shortly. Until next time ciao!

Gameweek 34 Summary

Tevez hat-trick inspires Sky Blues to rain down heavily on Canaries

Man City scored their tenth goal in two matches as they smashed 6 past Norwich. 5 goals from City's Argentinian strikers showed their potent capability. It only serves to raise questions as to how well City could have done had Tevez been fully available and played through out the season.

Wolves succeed in rare goalless stalemate at the Stadium of Light

Sunderland failed to inflict defeat on a wounded Wolves team that had lost seven matches in a row. The goalless draw was Wolves' first clean sheet in 31 matches. The result will only act as a consolation prize for Wolves as they look to make the best of a dire situation in their relegation battle.

"Siggy Stardust" shines as Swansea rumble ragged Rovers

Blackburn lost their fifth match in a row courtesy of a three goal rout by Swansea. Sigurdsson once again got on the score sheet, with an impressive seventh goal from fourteen matches, as the Swans secured their first win in five matches and passed the magical 40 point mark (now on 42 points).

Baggies bag a goal to beat beleaguered Hoops

QPR's woeful away form continued as they lost at The Hawthorns. West Brom could have scored more had Kenny not made vital saves for QPR. The Hoops remain two points above the relegation zone, though 18th placed Bolton have two games in hand.

Four-goal United are triumphant and reinforce their intent for the title

Man United bounced back from their humiliating defeat to Wigan with a comfortable win against Villa at Old Trafford. They probably should have scored more than four goals had their players not missed a number of easy chances. United maintain their five point lead against City and will now be looking for victory against Everton at home.

Lethal Latics shoot down Gunners with shock victory at The Emirates

Wigan recorded their first ever away win against Arsenal, in part due to their unexpected brace of goals in the first ten minutes of the match. A lacklustre Arsenal should have hit back with more goals, yet failed to and instead raised more questions about their vulnerability. The Latics are now five points above the relegation zone (unbeaten in 8 of their last 10 matches), a remarkable achievement considering their poor form earlier in the season.

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On paper this was a fantastic GW for me.  My Blog Team regained its placing among the Global Top 500-ish by having almost double the average GW score.  This was all the more decent as I bagged an impressive 77 points from only 9 active GW players.  26 of those points came from my GW captain, Wayne Rooney.  But I must also lament at the fact that I was within touching distancing of smashing the "80 points in a GW barrier", which has become a final frontier for me this season.  All I needed was for either Van Persie or Walcott to assist or score, yet shockingly they failed to do so against a plucky Wigan team.  Perhaps I should have taken a -4 hit and sold the injured Gibbs for another defender? 

To top things off my team sensationally crashed out of an invitational quasi-Champions League competition at the quarter-finals stage, following the completion of the second leg, despite my team being a top seeded dark horse.  C'est la vie.  Looking to GW 35, I will almost certainly buy a Bolton player for their DGW.  I was thinking of buying a Villa player in addition but will give them a miss and focus on Bolton as they also have a DGW in GW 36.  It will be a tough call on who to purchase but I have an idea as to who it may be.  I will reveal the appropriate purchase in due course, coinciding with my recommended player of the week.  Until then, aurevoir!

Gameweek 33 Summary

Sublime Toffees stick four past Sunderland

Moyes may have rested Baines and Jelavic (with a view to their FA Cup match over the weekend), but that didn't stop Everton winning in style. They have rarely scored more than a goal per match this season, yet victory over Sunderland ensured that they recorded their third win from their last four league matches.

Who needs Messi when you have "Bessi" bolting away!

Ben Arfa ("Bessi!") helped secure three more points for the Geordies and continued to show his class with a "Maradonnesque" wonder goal. This was complimented by Cisse scoring his eight consecutive goal from five. It means that Bolton are back in the relegation zone, where as Newcastle have now won their last five league matches and are now on equal points with Tottenham.

Bennett's bullet makes Spurs "Sick as a Parrot"

Spurs did their Champions League hopes no favours with a shock home defeat to Norwich. Redknapp may have rested players like Moyes due to the FA Cup Semi Finals but it back fired for Tottenham with a pointless loss. It's amazing to think that they were shock title challengers as recently as early March, but have only won one in their last eight.

Draw at Villa Park - Huth have thought it?

With a mid-table match up it was not surprising that this fixture would end up as a draw. Huth scored his second goal in as many games before Weimann equalised for Villa. The match had no impact on the Premier League as a whole, but Villa would hope to gain a few more points so as to avoid being last minute relegation candidates.

Dempsey equalises late against Chelsea and becomes Captain Planet!

I keep on calling him "Captain America", but how else could you describe an American player that regularly saves the day for a mediocre Premier League team? "Captain Planet" perhaps? Lampard put Chelsea in front before Dempsey scored his 16th Premier League goal of the season. Such was its significance that it has impacted on Chelsea's Champions League hopes with them now trailing Newcastle and Tottenham by two points.

Five Goal Thriller at Ewood Park goes against Rovers

Liverpool took a quick 0-2 lead in this match courtesy of Maxi Rodriguez. But that was only the start of things to come. Doni got himself sent off as Yakubu missed a penalty. Yakubu then made up for the miss by scoring two goals to level things up. With 90 minutes on the clock and the match deep into injury time it should have finished 2-2. Unfortunately Carroll didn't read the script and scored a much needed winner for Liverpool and plunged Rovers back into the relegation zone.

Tevez inspires City Slickers to victory against West Brom

With City trailing United by 8 points, this match appeared to be an exhibition match at best on paper. But it wasn't so as City hammered four past West Brom, courtesy of Tevez starting his first City match of 2012. Not only did he start, he scored, along with Aguero and Silva. The win proved to be crucial following the outcome of United's surprise result against Wigan...

Malaysian Born Scotsman's goal gives Latics famous victory over United

He may not have started for Wigan for the majority of this season and it's a surprise to think why. Shaun Maloney scored a life line of a goal that enabled Wigan to jump out of the relegation zone. The goal also reactivated the title race, by reducing United's lead to 5 points His winner came against a United team that won eight league matches in a row. But the Latics are a team on form with a credible three wins out of four, despite their league positioning.

Arsenal gun down 10-man Wolves

Van Persie scored his first goal in four matches to ensure that Arsenal further secured their hold of third spot. Walcott and Benayoun also got on the score sheet as Arsenal pummeled Wolves to their seventh consecutive league defeat and put them nine points away from safety.

Super Hoops score three for much needed win

QPR secured a crucial victory against visitors Swansea in a match they could not afford to lose. The win was their third in five matches and gives them a two point cushion from the dreaded 18th place. The defeat on the other hand was Brendan Rodgers fourth defeat in a row and is a far cry from the Swans' fantastic form from earlier in the season.

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On two fronts I had a relatively good Gameweek, but that was about it really. My recommended player of GW 33 did well, as did my captain (Robin Van Persie). But I believe it could have been so much better had Gibbs not picked up a knock (a clean sheet lost as Arsenal didn't concede), if Suarez wasn't rested (Liverpool scored 3) and if Wigan didn't score (de Gea in goal and Evans in defence). The aforementioned hiccups led me to lose approximately 20ish points, but on the upside at least it could have been far worse as 8 of my players (after auto-subs) scored 2 points or less. 

It was a good call by me to sell Walcott for Bale, as Bale only scored 2 points and would have been a disaster for me had I kept him. Looking at the truncated GW 34 I have already made a transfer to ensure that I do not get hit by the lack of fixtures. I am even willing to take my first -4 hit since December provided I can justify a long-term transfer from GW 34 onwards. But this is not the time to panic buy or panic sell. I will post my recommended player for GW 34 shortly. Until next time, adios!

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. 

Gameweek 31 Summary

"Four"nando Torres inspires Chelsea to win

Fernando Torres ended a six month league goal drought by scoring against Aston Villa.  He also bagged two assists, which complemented Ivanonic's brace of goals.  The defeat for Villa means that they have only won one match in their last eight.

(PS - Get Well Soon Stiliyan "Stan" Petrov)

Super Sub Anichebe makes West Brom look like Anchovies!

Everton secured their second consecutive victory in a row after defeating West Brom at Goodison Park.  It was a third defeat in four for the Baggies whose form has dipped of late.

Captain America saves the day at Craven Cottage

Clint Dempsey returned to match winning ways after scoring and assisting Fulham to victory over Norwich.  It ended Fulham's three game winless streak and has pushed their home win-rate to 50%.

Thrilling Draw at Etihad dents City's title hopes

Sunderland ended City's 100% winning home record in a match which they could have won.  After securing the lead and extending it to 1-3 (in part due to Larsson's goals and Sessegnon's assists) a famous victory seemed inevitable.  But late goals from Balotelli and Kolarov prevented that.  City's failure to win further dented their title hopes.

Arsenal become "Taraabt" and lose to QPR in London Derby

QPR ended the Gunners' 7 match winning streak with a shock result at Loftus Road.  Walcott's solitary goal for Arsenal wasn't enough as Taarabt and Diakite sensationally scored their first ever Premier League goals and secured an unlikely win for QPR.

Alcaraz gives Wigan hope to escape from the Premier League's Alcatraz!

The Latics won only their second home win out of sixteen this season with a much needed victory against Stoke.  Goals from Alcaraz and Moses ensures that Wigan still have some hope of escaping the relegation zone.

Trotters stamp all over relegation bound Wolves

Wolves lost their fifth consecutive match in a row as Bolton scored three goals at the Molineux Stadium.  Goals from Alonso, Petrov and K Davies secured the win for Bolton and has pushed Wolves six points away from safety.

Liverpool fail to "Cisse" Newcastle's sublime run of form

Newcastle added to Liverpool's recent misery courtesy of Demba Cisse's brace of goals.  He has now extended his tally to 7 goals in 7 matches as Liverpool lost their sixth league match in seven.

Plucky Swans downed by Sharp Spurs

Tottenham ended their five run winless streak with a triumphant win against Swansea.  Goals from Adebayor and Van der Vaart were sufficient, despite Sigurdsson's initial equaliser.

Dogged Rovers silenced by "A-Tonic-of-Valencia"

For 80 minutes of the Blackburn v United match you would have been witness to a somewhat lop sided see-saw match where Rovers on occasion pushed for an unthinkable win.  However, Valencia's goal and assist ended Rovers' resilience.  The result meant that Blackburn re-entered the relegation zone and allowed United to extend their lead over City to 5 points.

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An abject Gameweek for me.  To record my joint third worst GW score (48 points) of the season and be knocked out of the FPL cup when I had form on my side leaves me with a sour feeling.  Crucially, I had one extra free transfer that I could have used which remained unused.  Would I have brought in Valencia with hindsight?  Of course.  Will I be buying him now? No.  Would I have captained Dempsey instead of Rooney? Yes.  Will I be captaining Dempsey in GW 32? Probably not.  On a brighter note I still have that extra free transfer that I will probably save for an upcoming Double Gameweek (DGW).  In terms of transfers I have already made one which I will reveal later in the week.  I still have confidence in my team and don't intend to ditch the majority of the squad any time soon.  With this in mind I will be posting my recommended player for GW 32 shortly, until then stay tuned.

Gameweek 30 Summary

Cechmate? Not so, as teams settle for Stalemate at Stamford Bridge

Saturday's match was a quasi-must win for Tottenham (looking to regain third spot) and Chelsea (looking to take fourth spot).  Unfortunately for both teams neither could deliver a knock out blow to outdo the other and in turn has allowed fourth spot to remain up for grabs.

Gunbelievable!

Arsenal's good form persisted as they recorded their seventh league win in a row.  Gibbs scored his first goal for Arsenal who opened up the floodgates for Walcott and Arteta to also get on the score sheet against Aston Villa.  All this without Van Persie scoring a goal for a second consecutive match.

Have you had your "Wheaterbix"?

Bolton did Owen Coyle and Fabrice Muamba proud as they defeated Blackburn and moved out of the relegation zone.  Both of their goals came from David Wheater.  The victory was Bolton's eighth of the league season and shows that Rovers still have plenty of work to do from now to the end of the seaon.

The Malaysian-born Scotsman silences The Kop.

Shaun Maloney's erratic Wigan career revived itself as he scored a crucial penalty that led to Wigan's shock away win at Anfield.  This was a miserable result for Liverpool who lost 2-3 to QPR in their last match and has left Kenny Dalgish with many questions to answer.

Woeful Wolves "Holted" by Canaries

Wolves slumped to their fourth consecutive league defeat in a row.  Jarvis's goal was in vain as Holt scored twice (and was later sent off) to outdo Wolves.  They remain only four points away from escape to safety, though in a nihilistic sense they have readied themselves for the inevitability of relegation.

Does it really take Taiwo to Tango?

QPR visited the Stadium of Light in the hope of replicating their sensational victory against Liverpool during the week.  However goals from Sessegnon, McClean and Bendtner saw the Black Cats home and dry instead.  QPR's only reply was a goal from defender/dead-ball specialist Taiwo as his teammates failed to find the back of the net.

Sweet Toffee at The Liberty

Everton ended a two match losing streak as they defeated on-form Swansea.  New signing Jelavic continued to flourish with his goal scoring contribution as did their defensive rock Leighton Baines.  The result leaves both teams 10+ points away from a Europa League spot and ensures that they must settle for mid-table boredom.

"Crouch"-ing Tiger Hidden Dragon!

Man City's title challenge was dealt another blow as they failed to gain victory at the Britannia Stadium.  Yaya Toure got them on the scoresheet, yet it was route-one football that prevailed.  Stoke's long ball style of play was rewarded as Begovic's long goal kick went to Crouch, then to Pennant and back to Crouch for a sensational volley (and arguably the goal of the season).

Magpies given 'Arfa chance for Champions League qualification

Newcastle continued to remain unbeaten on Sundays this season courtesy of all goals and assists from Ben Arfa and Cisse v West Brom.  The former is proving to be a fantastic impact player and the latter highlighting himself as another quality Pardew signing.  It means Newcastle amazingly remain in the hunt for fourth place after results went their way in other matches.

Plucky Fulham Roo missed chances against triumphant United

High flying Man United may have been free scoring of late, but they were restricted to only one goal by a resilient Fulham at Old Trafford. Wayne Rooney scored the only goal of the game.  Had Fulham not been denied a controversial non-penalty decision that went against them they could have ended the match with even honours.  The narrow victory ensures that United extend their lead over City.

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I have to say folks that I had a fantastic GW, though with a couple of hiccups to boot.  Let me get the drawbacks out of the way first. The GW didn't start to well for me after my subs Ekotto and Friedel kept a surprising defensive clean sheet versus Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.  This proved to be problematic for me after my first team choices of Reina and Enrique conceded two goals and only managed two points between them at home to relegation bound Wigan.  A net 10 point defensive loss.  However, all this was forgotten after my recommended player for GW 30, Kieran Gibbs, bagged a goal and a clean sheet. 

Gibbs's success was supplemented nicely by an assist and clean sheet from Jonny Evans and a goal from my GW captain Wayne Rooney.  Thus ensuring that I scored 60+ points during a GW with a low average score.  It ensures that my blog team has successfully entered into the Global 500 of FPL's overall rankings.  Looking to GW 31 I intend to maintain my run of form with a possible change or two.  Following Scholes being benched I may consider replacing him with Bolton's Miyaichi.  Moreover, with Liverpool's woes I could choose to replace Reina with De Gea.  All this requires more thought.  In the meantime, feel free to also follow FPL Hints on Twitter.  Until next time, ciao!

Gameweek 28 Summary

Jumping Through Hoops

Bolton were the victors in their important relegation battle match against QPR as they won 2-1. Goals from Pratley and Klasnic ensured that Bolton moved out of the relegation zone and QPR sunk into it.

Villans to Heroes

Aston Villa ended their 5-match winless streak courtesy of Weimann's goal, which denied Fulham a fourth consecutive league win. It means that Villa will not be shock last-minute candidates for the relegation battle and will end the season in the mid-table doldrums.

Does it really Mata?

Rome wasn't built in a day. Nor will Roman's Chelsea. A post-AVB Chelsea secured a glib one-nil home victory, in part due to Mata and Drogba's link up in the solitary goal of the match.

Black Cats feast on Liver Birds

Sunderland got back to winning ways thanks to Bendtner's goal, in another "one-goal" Premier League match of the Gameweek. The win against Liverpool proved to be all the more remarkable as they were missing Club Captain Cattermole and In-house Talisman Sessegnon, due to suspensions.

Wolves Easy Prey for Dogged Rovers

In another match associated with the relegation battle, Blackburn showed their pedigree with a decent 0-2 away victory. This has allowed them to move 3 points away from the bottom three and consigned Wolves to their third defeat in four league matches.

Toffees Blunted Spurs

'Arry's Men may be third in the table, but there is no excuse for them to lose a third consecutive league match against a team that lacks goals. Tottenham are still comfortably secure in a Champions League spot, but will not be happy with their recent poor form.

Roo-tiful United on Song

It's a matter of fact, When Rooney does well, United do well. He often scores in spurts and 7 goals in his last 4 league matches shows that he can score when it matters, at the business end of the season. The victory against WBA has ensured a change at the top of the table...

Swans Soar over the Blue Sky

City's five month hold of the top spot finally came to a crashing end with a sensational defeat at the Liberty Stadium. Swansea's impressive home record and team ethic came up tops against the big spending Citizens. Whether City can pick themselves up and bounce back (with difficult upcoming fixtures) remains to be seen.

Ruddy 'Eck!

Wigan showed some defiance in forcing Norwich's goal keeper to make 6 saves, as they secured a point against the Canaries. Wigan may remain bottom of the table, but they have the peace of mind that they are only 2 points away from the much savoured 17th place.

Late-Late Show at The Emirates

Pardew's "bold" team selection failed despite Ben Arfa's early goal, which was cancelled immediately by an equaliser from Arsenal's "Super Man/Van". United were on course for a respectable draw against the Gunners, until they struck another Premier League injury time winner. It means that Arsenal are now only 1 point behind 3rd placed Tottenham and the Geordies remote Champions League hopes have finally been extinguished.

Merseyside Derby Blues

The match which made this Gameweek a "Double Gameweek" was a one-sided affair. With Everton having an eye on their FA Cup match over the weekend, Moyes (celebrating his 10-year anniversary at the club) fielded a slightly weaker team which ultimately succumbed to a 3-0 defeat. A Gerrard hat-trick and key support act from Suarez enabled the Kop to return to winning ways in the league.

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I have to say that I had a very decent Gameweek.  3 goals and 2 assists from my strikers complemented 3 clean sheets from my defence to ensure that I scored 70+ points for a second consecutive Gameweek.  This has allowed my overall ranking to soar to new heights. My Double Gameweek (DGW) Liverpool players were key to this, by contributing to approximately 50% of my GW score.  This was despite the fact that my four-man midfield could only muster 9 points between them.  My long-term planned wildcard investments paid off for this Gameweek.  Such was their success that I don't intend to carry out any transfers for GW 29.  With only 10 matches remaining for the season you would expect the better players to maintain or regain form.  But if there is a lesson that we have learnt from this season it is that you should never underestimate the underdog(s)!  I will post my recommended player for Gameweek 29 (with confirmation of my captain, vice captain and Gameweek 29 team) in due course.  Until then adios!

(Non-Transfer Window) Wildcard & Changes Made

Please Note: (Extra Last Minute Change Made - See below)

After much contemplation I have decided to use my non-transfer window wildcard.  My changes are based on a number of factors with arguably one of the most important being upcoming fixtures.  So here are my final wildcard changes (reasons included):

Graham (OUT) / Rooney (IN)

As much as Graham was a bargain when I bought him at 4.9, his fixtures are not going to get any easier.  Instead I have decided to invest in a rejuvenated Wayne Rooney who has easier fixtures at hand.  Arguably, Rooney has more incentive to score as United are challenging for the title, where as Swansea are simply stuck in mid-table mediocrity.

.Aguero (OUT) / Suarez (IN)

I was dissapointed that Aguero didn't score more during City' easy run of fixtures.  He has also became a squad rotation risk with his omission last week coinciding with the steady rehabilitation of Tevez.  As for Suarez, my decision to pick him is due in part to the DGW and Liverpool's easier upcoming fixtures, rather than his form.

Silva (OUT) / Scholes (IN)

Again like his teammate a similar story.  Silva had an easy run of fixtures yet failed to capitalise on them.  He has been lacking on goals and assists of late.  I just couldn't bare to have a 10.0M+ under-performing player in the team.  As for his replacement, Scholes, that may come as a surprise to some.  Scholes came out of retirement to provide cover for injuries and yet has shown that class is permanent with his decent displays (including two goals).  At 5.3 he is a steal and a risky differential.  But with United's re-reliance on him I am happy to take him on board.

Sessegnon (OUT) / Bale (IN)

I got rid of Bale in January and how I regret it.  I thought with Spurs' harder fixtures he may not get as many points yet he continued to do well.  I am glad to welcome him back, especially with Spurs' easier upcoming fixtures in the last 8 weeks.  As for Sessegnon, he did well for me whilst I had him, but his red card and combination of Sunderland's dipping form has led me to axe him.  Don't worry though, as another Sunderland player has been recruited.

Barton (OUT) / McClean (IN)

I am still at a loss to describe why I thought it was sensible to buy Joey Barton.  He showed no real form when I bought him.  I suppose the reason was due to QPR's short-term good run of fixtures which ended with Barton not making an impact.  As for McClean, I have been aiming to purchase him in my team for a while, but I already had Sess.  With Sess now suspended I am happy to cash in on a cheaper alternative that provides attacking prowess and budget quality in one hit.

Cole (OUT) / Martin (IN)

How the so-called former formidables have fallen.  There was a time when Chelsea kept clean sheets on a regular basis.  But not so this season.  I only drafted Cole in as I felt he was a nailed on first team starter with easy fixtures.  But I decided it wasn't worth having such an expensive defender from a team that has conceded more than they should.  His replacement is the little-known Russell Martin of Norwich City.  At 4.3, he has 2 goals and 2 assists to his name and to top things off he has favourable fixtures coming up.

Richards (OUT) / Enrique (IN)

It is mind boggling to think how a player of Richards' quality is rotated so much.  This wasn't the case earlier in the season, when he was a nailed on first team starter.  He recently sat out a lot of City's easier fixtures that led me to decide he must go, despite his proven track record.  His departure sees the return of Enrique to my team.  With DGW and Liverpool's easier fixtures, Enrique's 5.8 value and class makes sense to me.

Lindegaard (OUT) / Friedel (IN)

I was gutted when Lindegaard got injured as it disrupted my Lind/Vorm combo.  De Gea has reclaimed the goalie's jersey during this time.  As a result I have ditched the injured Lindegaard with Premier League legend Brad Friedel.  It is my intention to deploy Friedel during GWs 31-38, when Spurs get a good run of fixtures.

Vorm (OUT) / Hart (IN)

It was difficult to get rid of Vorm, but I feel Hart's good run of recent form is too good to ignore.  Hart is more expensive but I believe his class is shining through as City's title challenge intensifies.  Having said that, I could get rid of Hart after GW 31 to re-sign Vorm or a cheap keeper in-order to free up funds to bolster my outfield.

Extra Last-Minute Change Made:

Hart (OUT) / Reina (IN)

I think it makes sense to pick Reina as a goalkeeper over Hart due to Liverpool's easier fixture schedule, after DGW than City.  It's as simple as that.  I shall rotate between Friedel and Reina.  Crazy or a stroke of genius?  Only time will tell...

Alert: Good Run of Fixtures - The Final Countdown

Alert: Good Run of Fixtures- The Final Countdown

With only 11 Gameweeks left for the season it becomes ever more important to prioritise transfers based upon upcoming fixtures.  I have identified three teams that have a good run of fixtures.  They are as follows:

Manchester United
- Current League position 2nd
- Good Run Forecast: GWs 28-38
- 10 out of 11 Winnable Matches

GW 28 – West Brom (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 29 – Wolves (A) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 30 – Fulham (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 31 – Blackburn (A) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 32 – QPR (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 33 – Wigan (A) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 34 – Aston Villa (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 35 – Everton (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 36 – Man City (A) – Scoreable
GW 37 – Swansea (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 38 - Sunderland (A) - Winnable

Tottenham:
- Current League position 3rd
- Good Run Forecast: GWs 31-38
- 6 out of 8 Winnable Matches

GW 31 – Swansea (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 32 – Sunderland (A) – Scoreable
GW 33 – Norwich (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 34 – Bolton (A) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 35 – QPR (A) – Winnable
GW 36 – Blackburn (H) – Winnable/Clean Sheet Potential
GW 37 – Aston Villa (A) – Scoreable
GW 38 – Fulham (H) – Winnable

Liverpool:
- Current League position 7th
- Good Run Forecast: GWs 29-38
- 6 out of 10 Winnable Matches

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

Gameweek 26 Summary

In a week when Liverpool scraped through and won the League Cup (a pointless competition) v Cardiff, exciting Premiership matches stole the limelight.  Newcastle threw away a 2-0 lead to draw against Wolves at home.  Spurs also threw away a 0-2 lead, as under-fire Arsenal fired five past poor old Brad Friedel.  AVB's Chelsea ended their winless streak with a comfortable win at home v Bolton.  On-form West Brom deflated former on-form Sunderland by a four goal cricket score margin. 

Man City as expected beat Blackburn, where as United's old timers turned back the time and secured a valuable win against the Canaries at Carrow Road.  Swansea's bad run of league form continued against Stoke with a 2-0 defeat, as QPR's relegation worries continued with a 0-1 defeat to Fulham.  Finally, Wigan's match v Aston Villa was a damp squib with the top flight's only goalless match of the gameweek.

I have to say folks that I got a lot of stick for endorsing Ashley Cole for this gameweek.  Fortunately he didn't let me down and as projected he kept a clean sheet v Bolton.  Of course, Cahill would have been better in terms of cost and Luiz's goal further highlights his attacking threat.  But I still stand by Ashley Cole, as he is irreplaceable for Chelsea as a left back.  Though I may cash him in for a cheaper Chelsea defender if I wish to free up funds.  As for my gameweek, it was very mixed.  My recommended player (Cole), captain (Aguero) and vice-captain (Silva) all did reasonably well (collectively scoring almost half of my GW points). 

I lost out on 6 points with Micah Richards not starting for a second consecutive week.  This has given me reason to replace him.  Moreover, Vorm's injury/illness meant that I lost at least 2 more defensive points, as my back up goalkeeper (Lindegaard) was also injured.  Joey Barton has been a major let down in his last three easy-ish matches and is now ear marked for the FPL dustbin.  Fortunately I have my wildcard still at hand and may be tempted to use it very soon to make relevant changes.

Here are some players for you to consider as you plan your next transfer:

David Luiz (6.3) - 2 goals in his last 3 matches

(away to West Brom next).

Joe Hart (6.8) - 3 clean sheets from 3 matches.

(at home to Bolton next).

Peter Odemwingie (7.2) - 5 goals from his last 2 matches

(at home to Chelsea next).

James Morrison (5.3) - 1 goal and 2 assists from his last 2 matches

(at home to Chelsea next).