Here’s a quick look at the Saturday pre-season matches for Arsenal, Cardiff and Liverpool, taking a quick look at form line up issues and whether the bargains or value players are in the team and showing form
Arsenal 2 Napoli 2
Line ups: Arsenal: Fabianski; Jenkinson (Sagna), Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs; Ramsey, Wilshere; Gnabry (Walcott), Rosicky, Podolski; Giroud.
Subs not used: Martinez, Miquel, Zelalem
Scorers: Giroud 71, Koscielny 85.
Today (Sunday) Arsenal are playing Galatassary so 2 games over 2 days make it inevitable that we wont see a first choice line up until Arsenal play Man city next weekend.
Koscielny was probably the man of the match although Rosicky als played well. Giroud scored again but showed his ususal low chance conversion rate. Jenkinson showed why Sagna is first choice and didnt play well so I expect Sagna to line up at RB in fantasy premier league GW1. Arteta was definitely needed in the middle of the pitch and any chance that Wilshere would play in an advanced position is well gone with him playing here yesterday. Podolski was poor and the left side of the attacking midfield 3 still has a chink open to it. Despite a good game its still hard to see it being held by youngsters Gnabry or Akpom who have both shown good pre-season form. Afetr today its on to Man City in Finland next week and we should have a good idea after that how they will line up in fantasy premier league GW1 after that
Cardiff 1 Chievo 0
Cardiff line up
Marshall; Brayford, John, Kim, Hudson (C) (Caulker 60), Turner, Whittingham, Cowie (Gestede 70), Campbell (Ralls 77), Smith (Taylor 71), Noone. Subs: Richards.Kim scored again! This time again proper opposition who played their best team. By all accounts he was fantastic behind the striker and is now a real option for our fantasy premier league teams. With no game to next week and good opposition this should have been a first choice line up but it caused more confusion on the defensive front. £4.0m Brayford started putting us on alert there. Caulker replaced the captain Hudson, not £4.0m Turner and does that bring him in to play? Apparently the LB Taylor is suspended for GW1 (not recognised by the fantasy premier league site) which is why he wasn’t on and young Declan John played. So loads of confusion there.
To make it worse good £5.5m prospect Cornelius is still out with a minor ankle injury so played no part. Gunnarson is injured and Bellamy didnt play so overall it was a pretty confusing game to work out the fantasy premier leagu GW1 line up.
Apart from Kim, Noone and Whittingham looked good. Seems like were going to have to wait to the home game next week against Bilbao to try and work out who could make an impact in our fantasy premier league team
Liverpool 2 Olympiakos 0
Mignolet – Johnson Enrique Toure Agger – Lucas Allen Gerrard – Sterling Coutinho Aspas
Very interesting this with Rodgers going for what looked like, on the face of it, a 4-3-3 but Allen played in quite an advanced position to confuse that. From a line up perspective fantasy premier league bargain Toure (£5.0m) started again as did Sterling who looks like good value as a cheaper alternative to Coutinho and he is working to push off competition from Alberto and Downing. Still 2 games to go to look at that. With Suarez either sold or suspended and Sturridge struggling to be ready for GW1 Aspas who had a good game by all accounts looks an intriguing gamble at £7.0m. Personally I havent been that impressed in what I’ve seen but with a very easy fixture list it could be an interesting gamble. Allen was involved high up the pitch as the other main player of note. I still cant see him starting.
Thats it. I’m going to try and look at the other 4 Saturday games
