The Matchday Insight : Week 14

Matchday 14 is right upon us and it comes with a champions league's final matchday looming in the horizon. The teams that are still looking to secure qualification for the round of 16 are Man City, United and Chelsea. Mancini is a fantasy managers worst nightmare, making calls that u never expect and always fear. Ferguson's United is not a team that u would really heavily bank on this week with better options available. Villas-Boas's Chelsea have an early kick-off away to Newcastle....what a waste of an early kick-off. Arsenal and Totenham have no other competition really bothering them and the weekend is their priority. Lets see where all this takes us.

Now the fixtures that would tempt u with good reason are:

Man City vs Norwich
Arsenal @ Wigan
Totenham vs Bolton

Predicting ManCity's lineup is impossible, unless u are mancini and reading this blog, which is impossible...so its literally impossible. So what do u do?

They played midweek, so lets start there. The lineup was:
GK Pantilimon
RB Onuoha
CB Savic
CB Touré
LB Zabaleta
MF Hargreaves
MF de Jong (90 mins)
MF Johnson (90mins)
MF Nasri (90mins)
MF Kolarov (32 mins)
ST Dzeko (90 mins)

Sub: Aguero (played 58mins)

Im highlighting only those players that are fantasy worthy.
So most Probable line-up should be.

GK Hart
RB Richards
CB Kompany
CB Lescott
LB Clichy
MF Yaya
MF Silva
MF Barry 
MF Milner
ST Aguero
ST Balotelli (back from suspension)

What worries me is last time when Dzeko played full 90 in the league cup and Balo did not play, When the weekend came 3 days later Mancini decided to give Dzeko another start and Balo was on the bench (The Wolves double header). Similar situation occurred with A. Johnson a week after that.

Last 2 champions league matches Balo has played 172 mins compared to Dzeko's 81 mins and Aguero's 25 mins. Coming up against Bayern would he go for Dzeko keeping in mind what happened last time in that fixture is any ones guess.

So to be on the safer side I suggest u guys stick to Aguero and Silva and not venture into the depths of Mancini's mind. If u really feel u want to bank on City's Attack then Balo is well priced and the more sensible pick than Dzeko. Be warned I have fallen prey to Mancini's rotation so I strongly suggest, play safe.


Arsenal and Totenham are far more straighter affairs with the following picks:

Forwards: RVP(if available at a discount), Adebayor(worth the 20 Well worth the 17.81 with the form after the saturday price correction), Gervinho

Midfielders: Bale(100% if at discounted 16.05, considerable at 20 if VDV not playing), Walcott(at 15.53), VDV if fit. *Edit* VDV is fit to play(upto redknapp now)

Defenders: Vermalean (excellent pick for 6.28 discount or at 8+), Kaboul(At 5.92)

Any 2 to 3 players from that bunch will give u a strong spine for the team.

The Rest of the Lot:

Forwards:
Hernandez has been showing good form since last 2 weeks and if u picked him at 13.74 he's worth a spot.
Rochina is a great enabler this week and could help you create a solid midfield if barndoored at 2.28.
Sturridge two matchdays ago was for 9.5+ points and if thats still the case for you keep it that way.

Midfielders:
O'Hara is a pick I'm loving for this week as his price, his avg., his playing position and matchup are all so favorable.
Ramires was another good barn doored pick at 6.82 is a respectable player and adding consistency of avg. to his reputation.
Larsson is worth a look as he is the sole fantasy provider at sunderland. Just be careful of sunderlands overall performance now that the have lost Steve Bruce also.
Tim Cahill gave his highest output of 8.5 with an assist and a SOT. Can he build on that? Its worth a shout at 9.22 8.80.
* Edit* Ben Arfa is a good enabler at 2.32 ( see early kick off  lineup before deadline for starting spot).

Defenders:
Brown at 3.82 is just heaven and who have him should keep it that way. Enabler.
Traore comes up against WBA at home and is possible he does better than his avg.
Richards tends to play less defense and more offense and City does leak in goals but his avg. is solid although his price is also a pretty solid investment.
Hanley of blackburn has played 180 mins in the last 2 matches. Here hoping for a clean sheet miracle against the free scoring Swansea....not.

Keepers:
DDG is worth keeping at the 5.5+ discount
Sorensen was for 1 point last matchday. He gave 9.5 points. As long as its not negative its positive. At 4.25 dont pick him.
Robinson is at 1.99 but I would suggest to go with the one above. *Edit* Has moved up to 3.31 after price correction so got a bit more tough to pick.
Szczensy and Krul are in the same price range with Krul having a bit of upper hand with chelsea having a miserable run of form.


Good Luck all. Please let me know what you guys think of the picks.