Here’s the first part of our fantasy premier league preseason catch up for the weekend games of 2nd and 3rd of August . We’ll look at the lineups and what that could mean for GW1. We’ll also look to identify those players undervalued for their position in their team as well as the outright bargains. We’ll tell you who’s in form and give our estimate of the potential GW1 lineups. The teams covered in part 1 are Arsenal, Villa, Burnley, Chelsea, Everton, Leicester and Liverpool
Fantasy premier league preseason – The weekend of 2 & 3 August games – Part 1
Arsenal 5 Benfica 1
Arsenal 0 Monaco 1
Arsenal: Martinez, Chambers, Bellerin, Monreal (sub: Miquel, 73), Gibbs, Rosicky (Coquelin, 59), Flamini (Wilshere, 59), Ramsey (Arteta, 59), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Cazorla, 46), Sanogo (Akpom, 73), Campbell (Sanchez, 73).
Arsenal: Szczesny 6; Debuchy 6.5 (Bellerin 90), Chambers 7 (Miquel 46, 5.5), Koscielny 6, Monreal 6; Ramsey 7, Arteta 5.5, Wilshere 6.5 (Zelalem 73, 6); Sanchez 7 (Flamini 73, 6), Giroud 5.5 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 46, 6), Cazorla 6 (Akpom 73, 6).
Subs: Flamini, Coquelin, Zelalem, Akpom, Bellerín, Hayden, Martinez. (ratings from the Daily Mail)
Goals: Sanogo 4 Campbell 1
The games were notable for the 4 Sanogo goals as well as the debut of Sanchez and £4.5m cheapie Callum Chambers starting and playing well in both games at CB. With Vermaelen injured and possibly on the way out he could be a surprise short term inclusion before Mertesacker is fit. Campbell also scored and impreseed.
The Monaco game ironically probably represented the full Arsenal team better than the Benfica game. Represented as a 4-3-3 with Cazorla and Sanchez either side of Giroud it was actually more like a 4-2-3-1 with Ramsey playing further forward. However Sanchez played virtually as a Walcott type striker/winger and was sharp and with lots of promise apart from not being fit yet. He also played the lone forward role when Giroud was subbed. Debuchy also looked promising going forward and with linked up play with Sanchez. Ramsey was getting forward at every opportunity and also looked promising for GW1. The Community shield next week should nail the GW1 lineup.
form in preseason: Sanogo
Potential value players: If Chambers starts for Mertesacker he is a short term Bargain at £4.5m. The Ox at £6.5m is the value if he can get in the side
GW1 potential lineup: Szczesny – Debuchy, Gibbs/Monreal, Koscielny , Vermaelen/Chambers – Arteta, Ramsey – Cazorla, Sanchez, Wilshere/The Ox – Giroud
Groningen 4 Aston Villa 1
Aston Villa: Given, Baker (sub: Herd 73), Clark (Stevens), Weimann (N’Zogbia, 69), Agbonlahor (Grealish, 73), Westwood (Gardner, 73), Delph (El Ahmadi, 69), Richardson, Bent (Bacuna, 69), Hutton, Senderos (Okore, 69).
Goal: NZogbia
Villa played poorly and spent most of the game camped in their own half in a poor performance. Lambert played 4-2-3-1 with Hutton at RB, Clark LB and the CBs Senderos and Baker. Richardson played behind Bent but without effect. NZogbia and his free kick were the only highlight. Vlaar watched but was not involved
Form players in preseason: Bent and NZogbia
Potential value players: Richardson as a mid at £5.0m if he can stake a place and Bent at £5.0m if he starts for 3-5-2
Potential GW1 lineup: Guzan – Bacuna/Hutton, 2 of Baker/Clark/Herd/Senderos/Vlaar – Westwood, Delph, Bacuna/ElAhamadi – Weiman, Bent, Agbonlahor
Blackpool 0 Burnley 1
Burnley: Cisak (sub: Gilks, 46), Lafferty (O’Neill, 73), Shackell (Duff, 46), Long, Reid (Trippier, 65), Wallace (Gilchrist, 82), Marney (Hewitt, 73), Jones (Mee, 62), Taylor (Arfield, 46), Barnes (Ings, 65), Sordell (Jutkiewicz, 68).
Goal: Sordell
A game dominated by Burnely against a team more noted for their inability to get a full sqaud together. The 2nd half team probably more closely represented the first choice team
form players in pre-season: Jutkiewicz and Sordell
Value players: Duff as a defender at £4.0m. Marney and Jones as £4.5m FPL midfield benchwarmers. Sordell/Jutkiewicz as £5.0m 3-5-2 fillers. Gilks as a £4.0m GK with Heaton innjured
Potential GW1 lineup: Heaton/Gilks – Trippier, Mee, Duff, Shackell – Kightly/Taylor, Arfield, Jones, Marney – Ings, Jutkiewicz/Sordell.
Kightly and Vokes are currently on the injured list
Werder Bremen 3 Chelsea 0
Chelsea: Courtois (Cech 46), Azpilicueta (Boga 70), Zouma (Cahill 46), Terry (Baker 76), Luis (Ivanovic 46), Van Ginkel (Mikel 46), Matic, Salah (Hazard 57), Fabregas, Torres (Ake 57), Costa (Drogba 46).
Subs not used: Chalobah, Christensen, Solanke.
Chelsea played 4-2-3-1. Van Ginkel and Matic as the double pivot with Fabregas pushed up. Drogba played his first game and Hazard got his first 33 minutes. Very little positive to report apart from some saves from Courtois. Hazard looked unsurprisingly very rusty and worringly Luis was poor. Costa had little service but battled hard. With Oscar, Ramires, Willian and Schurrle turning up this week the GW1 lineup assumes they wont start.
form players in preseason: Terry, Costa, Fabregas
Potential value players: Luis at £6.0m is the value in defence. Salah if he can start is the value in midfield until fitness of the sqaud is up.
Potential GW1 Lineup: Courtois/Cech – Azpilicueta/Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry – Matic, Van Ginkel/Mikel – Hazard, Salah, Fabregas
Everton 1 Porto 1
Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard (Robles), Hibbert, Jagielka (Stones 54), Alcaraz (Distin 46), Baines (Browning 54), Osman (c) (McAleny 86), Barry, McGeady (Hope 85), Barkley (Besic 46), Pienaar (McCarthy 46), Naismith (Hope 86). Subs: Kennedy, Lundstram, Duffy.
Goal: Naismith
Besic made his debut and Lukaku was unveiled as a transfer. Coleman continues to carry an injury. Mairallas still yet to appear. The first half team was close to a first team with the players around. Naismith looked good and finished well with his only chance but is only temporarily filling Lukakus boots. Besic was excellent and used the ball well as well as putiing in some full blooded tackles.
Form players in preseason: Naismith
Potential value players: Possibly only Osman at £5.5m although keeping his place may be tricky
Potential GW1 lineup: Howard – Coleman, Baines, Stones/Distin, Jagielka – Barry, McCarthy – Pienaar, 2 from Barkley, Mirallas, Osman – Lukaku
Preston 1 Leicester 1
Leicester City: Schmeichel , De Laet (sub: McCourt, 78), Wasilewski (Morgan, 70), Moore (Kennedy, 70), Konchesky, James (King, 70), Drinkwater (Hammond, 70); Knockaert (Albrighton, 70), Taylor-Fletcher (Nugent, 62), Vardy (Mahrez, 34), Ulloa (Wood, 62).
Goal: Moore
A mixed side that didn’t help GW1 selection. City were “off the pace” according to the manager with only the CB goal scorer and again Gary Taylor Fletcher as a number 10 showed any form.
Form players in preseason: Nugent and Gary Taylor Fletcher
Potential value players: Upson after another no show looks unlikely to start as a £4.0m cheapie in defence. However that does give potential to 2 other £4.0m cheapie CBs in Moore and Wasilewski. £4.5m cheapie Mid Albrighton also looks good value. Nugent at £5.5m in 3-5-2 looks good value rotating with a Southampton mid, say £5.0m Davis. If Taylor Fletcher can get in the side he is a bargain at £4.5m as a mid
Potential GW1 lineup: Schmeichel – De Laet, Morgan, Wasilewski/Moore, Konchesky/Schlupp – 2 of James/ Drinkwater/Hammond – Knockaert, Albrighton, Taylor-Fletcher Nugent.
Liverpool 2 Milan 0
LIVERPOOL: Mignolet, Kelly, Toure, Coates, Robinson, Lucas, Henderson, Allen, Lambert, Ibe, Sterling.
Subs: Jones, Johnson, Enrique, Gerrard, Coutinho, Sakho, Can, Suso, Coady, Skrtel, Peterson.
Another mixed lineup. Markovic, Lallana, Borini and Flanagan are all injury absentees. Sturridge had injury issues from this game but is expected to be fit for GW1. Henderson, Allen, Sterling and especially young Ibe were the form players in this game. Lambert struggled and missed a penalty.
Form players in preseason: Sterling, Coutinho, Henderson and Ibe
Potential value players: Markovic at £7.5m and Lambert at the same price if they can get into the side. Needs 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 formations respectively to have a chance but bother are outsiders at the moment
Potential GW1 lineup: Mignolet – Johnson, Enrique/Moreno if he joins, Skrtel, Lovren – Gerrard, Henderson – Coutinho, Sterling, Markovic – Sturridge. At 4-3-3 Sterling and Markovic either side of Sturridge and Emre Can in a midfield 3. 4-4-2 take out Markovic or Coutinho for Lambert
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