Here’s the fantasy premier league news – Thursday 24 January 2013 including Hazard, Lambert, Distin, Diarra, transfers and price rises/falls

Hazard

You cant really start with anything else can you?  I could debate the rights and wrongs of this truly surreal incident but the bottom line is that its a 3 match ban minimum although 1 game will include the weekends FA Cup game.   This does have some upsides with the rotation of Mata looking far less practical as the main beneficiary especially with Moses at ACON.

Paul Lambert

Good news for fantasy premier league managers Paul Lambert gets the clubs backing.  The potential for thrashings everytime they play away will hopefully remain so keep an eye on all their away fixtures.

Distin

Signed a new 1 year extension with Everton. This show of faith by Moyes in the defender added to the fact that he’s played the last 11 and Everton have now got 2 clean sheets in a row plus a good schedule over the next 6 games starting with a home game to WBA in GW24.  In addition he’s £5.3m by far the best value of the Everton defence.

Diarra

Fulham CDM out for 3-4 weeks according to reports.  Good news for fantasy premier league managers holding £4.7m Karagounis and the more expensive Sidwell at £5.1m

Transfers

Its like a repeat of yesterday with Newcastle signing another French player in

• Massadio Haidara of Nancy

The 20 year old French u21 international LB has started 43 games for Nancy in the last 3 years with 3 assists coming from those games.  Its hard to see him taking Santon’s place and it seems a little late in the transfer window for Santon to be going although there have been rumours so keep an eye out as he should be a bargain if you ignore the fact that Newcastle have only got 3 clean sheets all season.  Its a no for me unless its a £4.0m price and Santon leaves in the transfer window and Williamson stops playing, then I might consider him.

price rises and falls

price rises

Federici RDG 4.4
Mignolet SUN 5.3

Davies SWA 4.3
Sagna ARS 5.2
O’Brien WHU 4.6

Walcott ARS 9.4
De Guzman SWA 5.8

Lukaku WBA 6.6
Dzeko MCI 7.5
Pogrebnyak RDG 4.4

Federici and Mignolet are the surprising ones.  There are far cheaper options in the defence than them and Mignolet is only slightly cheaper than Gibbs and De Gea who are both much better buys.  Sagna is a little surprising given his poor performance on the weekend although in the context of Arsenal he is cheap and if Jenkinson didn’t replace him yesterday against west ham he’s got to be safe. O’Brien looks dear compared to Demel although with injuries he is certain of his place compared to Demel who has competition from Tomkins when Collins is back.  Demel also had a nightmare against arsenal and I can really see him losing his place but the west ham defence doesn’t warrant that price to me.

price falls
Steer NOR 3.9 0.1

Senderos FUL 4.7 0.1
Baird FUL 4.1 0.1
Riise FUL 5.3 0.1
Wilkinson STK 4.3 0.1
Figueroa WIG 4.3 0.1
Garrido NOR 4.7 0.1

Ireland AVL 5.0 0.1
Yaya Toure MCI 7.7 0.1
Arteta ARS 7.6 0.1
Guilherme SOU 4.7 0.1
Lallana SOU 5.6 0.1
Gera WBA 4.9 0.1
Kightly STK 5.2 0.1
Granero QPR 5.2 0.1

Cisse QPR 5.8 0.1
Benteke AVL 6.5 0.1
Burke AVL 4.3 0.1
Berbatov FUL 7.0 0.1
Hernandez MUN 6.9 0.1
Defoe TOT 8.2 0.1
Mirallas EVE 6.8 0.1

Surprising ones are Mirallas who’s just coming back to fitness, Defoe who will have a short term benefit with Adebayor at ACON and Benteke who I totally don’t understand.