Here’s the fantasy premier league analysis of the Arsenal Spurs game and the Norwich Utd game
Arsenal 5 Spurs 2
scorers and assists
Goals scored
Mertesacker
Walcott
Santi Cazorla
Podolski
Giroud
Assists
Walcott
Chamberlain
Santi Cazorla
Podolski
Goals scored
Bale
Adebayor
Assists
Sandro
Defoe
Line up commentary: Szczesny started instead of Mannone and Wilshire returned instead of Coquelin. Apart from that everything else was predictable. For Spurs Naughton came in at LB with Caulker injured which was a surprise given Walcott was the opposition and Bale the cover. AVB played 2 up front with both Adebayor and Defoe starting up front at the expense of Dempsey
brief match comments: What was looking like a fascinating contest was ruined by Adebayor getting him self sent off. Spurs tried to get back in to the match but were just picked off by Arsenal
possession: 56% Arsenal
match shots: 13/10 to 6/4
defensive stats: great defensive stats from Arsenal. Very Poor from spurs
best shooting stats: Giroud by a mile. Then Walcott
pen box touches: Walcott then Giroud
most chances created: No one stood out very spread around
most forward midfielders for each team: Walcott by a mile and Bale
most involved players in attacking areas for each team: Cazorla and Bale
player commentary: The game was ruined by the sending off so its difficult to take the performances seriously. For Arsenal Giroud was fantastic and in my mind is probably the best Arsenal coverage if you have room with your strikers. arsenal now have good fixtures and he’s only 1% owned? Cazorla and Walcott got great returns but didn’t really have the shooting or chances created stats to justify the returns. Either of those 2 are probably the best option if you don’t have room in your font line for Giroud. Walcott’s understanding with Giroud and Girouds prowess in the air certainly is worth a gamble. Podolski is owned by far more fantasy premier league matches than Giroud but although he scored didn’t really show he had come out of a quiet returning or stat period. The defence is still a viable option in my mind with Sagna the best option at £5.4m.
For Spurs, the mass selling of Defoe was premature as he lined up in a 4-4-2 and will now play at least 3 games. He got an assist to show for his trouble but really was not a threat. The fixtures in my mind don’t justify his inclusion.
Bale scored from outside the box and his stats were ordinary not really justifying the return. Again hard games to come but this means nothing to Bale who performs good or bad fixtures and is in the best shooting stats for the season and the last 6. So there’s never any reason to panic sell. the draw back is that he’s just not a captain option.
The Spurs defence I would stay away from during the difficult fixtures to come. Caulker at £4.8m is pretty good value no matter what the fixtures though when he returns
Norwich 1 Man Utd 0
scorers and assists
Goals scored
Pilkington
Assists
Garrido
Line up commentary: No surprises in the Norwich line up. De Gea had an illness so Lindegaard came in. Evans remained injured so Smalling started. Carrick and Giggs were surprisingly picked instead of Cleverly and Scholes and SAF kept his promise of starting Hernandez. Rooney was injured and RVP’s international break “injury” miraculously cleared up.
brief match comments: Without Rooney and with RVP playing the deeper of the 2 strikers Man Utd never looked like breaking Norwich defence down. Norwich packed the centre and Utd’s crossing and passing was abysmal. Utd never looked like scoring
possession: 51% Utd. A shocking stat for a team like Utd chasing the game
match shots: 10/5/to 12/9
defensive stats: Norwich had very few chances so the stat performance by Utd was good. Norwich’s were poor in terms of shots but crucially Utd never really had a good scoring chance.
best shooting stats: Young and RVP then Pilkington. RVP was not at his ruthless best.
pen box touches: Young and Welbeck. Disturbingly RVP was well down the order.
most chances created: Giggs and Hoolahan
most forward midfielders for each team: Valencia and Snodgrass
most involved players in attacking areas for each team: Snodgrass and Giggs
player commentary: Fantasy premier league owners of RVP will have watched this game with RVP behind Hernandez with a lot of worry. The importance of Rooney behind RVP was extremely evident. RVP isnt his 2011 version statistically and against a Norwich defence which I did warn about (but not take my own warning) he struggled. His stats weren’t actually that bad and he just wasn’t clinical on the day except the set up with him behind the striker is not where you want him. However Utd have great fixtures and really who else do you have for coverage. Valencia really wasn’t at his best today and he doesn’t score so your really looking at an assist based player nothing else. The defence is a good option but with no guaranteed game time anywhere. Rafael is nearly as expensive as Evra.
For Norwich, the defence I am saying is “no mugs” came true. I hope fellow geeks took the advice that I didnt! Turner at £4.2m is the best bet as he has attacking prospects as well. In my mind there’s no value anywhere else as Norwich don’t score enough.