fantasy premier league match analysis gameweek 5 Saturday part 1

Here’s the fantasy premier league match analysis from gameweek 5, Saturday part 1 Liverpool v Southampton, West Ham v Everton and Chelsea v Fulham  focusing on Lineups and fantasy premier league player performance

Lineups and ratings are from the Daily Mail

Liverpool 0 Southampton 1

Liverpool: Mignolet 7: Toure 5, Skrtel 5 (Alberto 72mins), Agger 5 (Enrique 56mins), Sakho 5: Gerrard 6, Lucas 6: Henderson 6, Aspas 5 (Sterling 46mins 5), Moses 7: Sturridge 5.

Subs not used: Jones, Ibe, Kelly, Wisdom.

Southampton: Boruc 8: Clyne 7, Lovren 7 Fonte 7, Shaw 7: Wanyama 7, Schneiderlin 7: Rodriguez (Cork 89mins), Lallana 8 (Ward-Prowse 75mins), Osvaldo 6; Lambert 6 (Davis 61mins 6).

Subs not used: Davies, Ramirez,  Chambers, Hooiveld.

Booked: Clyne.

Goals: Lovren 53.  Assist Lallana

Liverpool went for 4 centrebacks for who knows what reason and cheapie RB Wisdom became an unused sub was the only surprise in the line up.

No changes from last week for Saints and cheapie JWP was again on the bench

The reason I was a little wary of Sturridge as captain was that Liverpool have been overperforming their underlying stats attacking wise and the Saints defence has been very impressive and this game panned out like this.

Liverpool had the possession and were harried high up the pitch which is a hallmark of Southamptons Pochettino side which makes it even more strange why Rodgers played 4 CBs and had the chances to win more comfortably.

Player Comments

Defences

It was embarrassingly comfortable  for the Saints defence.   Another show of their quality.  Home to Crystal palace next week looks like a good clean sheet possibility.  Liverpool on the other hand were not solid.

Sturridge 

It wasn’t the worst performance from Sturridge.  He’s certainly done less and scored.  No reason to panic and sell as he still has 4 goals from 5 games and an 80% consistency rate

Lambert

Another quiet game.  Overall though his underlying stats have been ok but Osvaldo seems to be lessening his game involvement which is hitting him.  This is now only 1 goal in 5 games and a 20% consistency rate which is a sell except for the fact that Palace at home is the next game.  If you’ve persevered this far then its worth continuing at least for that game.

Osvaldo

Still no returns in 300 minutes and I wouldn’t go near him just yet.

West Ham 2 Everton 3

WEST HAM 4-2-3-1: Jaaskelainen 5; O’Brien 6, Reid 7, Collins 6, Rat 6; Morrison 6, Noble 6; Diame 6, Nolan 6 (Taylor 80mins 5), Jarvis 5 (Vaz Te 73mins 6); Maiga 5 (Petric 63mins 6)

Subs not used: Adrian, McCartney, Tomkins, Collison, Taylor

Booked: Morrison, Collins, Noble

Sent off: Noble

Goals: Morrison 31, Noble 76 (PEN)  Nolan Jarvis

EVERTON 4-2-3-1: Howard 6; Coleman 6, Jagielka 6, Distin 6, Baines 8; Barry 6, Osman 6 (Oviedo 52mins 6); Mirallas 7, Barkley 7, Naismith 6 (McCarthy 46mins 6), Jelavic 5 (Lukaku 46mins 8)

Subs not used: Robles, Heitinga, Deulofeu, Stones

Booked: Barkley

Goals: Baines 62, 83, Lukaku 85  Assists:  Barkley 2 Mirrallas

For West Ham Rat took the place of Demel and Maiga held his place.

Only surprise for Everton was that Lukaku started on the bench.

A game that you may have thought would end up as a 0-0.  Despite the amount of goals it was excellent taking of chances rather than a shootout.  Visitors to the site will know how much of a fan I am of Lukaku and he again showed why in my view he will be one of the worlds best strikers in the next few years.  A ridiculous bargain at £7.4m

Player comments

Defences

Statistically both defences did well despite the score.  The game was about chances being taken rather than a shootout.

Lukaku

Despite only coming on at half time when he totally transformed the game,  he scored the winner and had the best underlying stats including shooting stats and pen box touches and only Mirrallas was more involved.  Is a steal at £7.4m and if the Hull defence can score 3 goals against Newcastle I dread to think what Lukaku will do to them next week

Mirallas 

Finally returned with an assist and again had good stats and was always involved.  The returns aren’t enough for me to keep faith though but if you do own him I don’t think home to Newcastle as the next game is the time to sell.

Nolan

First return since the opening day.  Can score against weak opposition but not the most consistent returner that’s for sure.  Away to Hull next is not the time to sell though in my book

Morrison

2 starts in a row and finished the game this time.  Despite the very fortuitous goal  though he did very little.  Whether he will continue to start is another question when downing and Cole return next week.  The Noble sending off may help though.  If you’re willing to take some gametime risk he offers more upside than just about anyone else in his price now that JWP seems a bench option.

Barkley 

Speaking of successful cheapies.  First returns since the opening day.  was fantastic in the advanced central position and now it seems hard to imagine him dropping out of the side.  Him and Brady are clearly emerging as the best bets around the £5.0m range with Whittingham and Redmond in the group behind.

Baines

Today he was definitely worth the £2.5m more than Distin costs.  How often he can produce this is the question.  Certanly Lukaku will help the cross coversion.  For me it’s just too much additional funds on a hope of attacking returns.

Chelsea 2 Fulham 0

Chelsea: Cech 6; Ivanovic 8, Cahill 7, Terry 7, Cole 6; Ramires 6, Mikel 7; Schurrle 6 (Lampard 79), Oscar 7, Hazard 7 (De Bruyne 85); Eto’o 6 (Torres 64, 6).

Subs not used: Schwarzer, Essien, Willian, Azpilicueta.

Goals: Oscar 52, Mikel 85.  Assists Terry Eto’o

Fulham: Stockdale 5; Riether 5, Amorebieta 6, Hangeland 6, Richardson 6; Duff 6 (Taarabt 64, 6), Parker 6, Sidwell 6,  Kacaniklic 5 (Tue Na Bangna 72, 5); Kasami 6 (Rodallega 85); Bent 5.

Subs not used: Etheridge, Senderos, Karagounis, Zverotic.

Well after all the wondering about the line up in the end it was pretty much only Lampard away from what I would call his first team

No real surprise in the Fulham line up

You know you’re struggling when the commentator says that Fulham have been “obstinate” in this game.  I’ve eaten Marshmallows that are more obstinate than this Fulham team.  Taarabt, Ruiz and Berba are hardly going to be pressing from the front are they and Fulham were helped in the defensive sense with the absence of all 3 of these from the starting line up.  In the end though Chelsea found a way through.

Player comments 

Defences

The Chelsea defence were totally untroubled apart from a one on one which Darren Bent spurned.  The Fulham goal was statistically under siege but  it was still pretty hard work.

Hazard

Loads of touches but no penetration and another game with no attacking output whatsover and no underlying stats to give anyone any hope.  Mourinho blames it on the groups of defenders as he calls them surrounding him whenever he gets the ball restricting space between the lines but Chelsea just aren’t moving the ball with any pace whatsover for me .  Considering some of the opposition 1 assist in 5 games is just ridiculous.  A sell if there ever was one before they face a tricky game away to Spurs in GW6.

Lampard

He’s better value than ever but rotation will be inevitable now that Mikel seems to have Mourinho’s trust as the CDM that is defensively disciplined and that may mean Lampard and Ramires share the double pivot that has more freedom.

Oscar

2 goals in 5 games and although a 40% consistency return is not ideal a fantasy premier league point every 13 minutes is fairly impressive to say the least.  Totally has the trust of Mourinho in the number 10 position and now looks a real option as positionally he should  have so many more clear cut chances than Hazard.  I wouldn’t look to do it until the away game against Norwich in GW7 as away to Spurs will be a difficult match

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