Here’s my view of the best picks for transfer window 3 which opens on 28/1/2013 in Sun Dream Team. I’m currently 19,583 overall out of the estimated 1 million sun dream team managers. Its a relatively short gap between windows to the end of March so read this in sonjunction with my best fixtures article under under the Sun Dream team category on the site.
GK
Alhabsi – Begovic (All £1.5m)
There seems little point in spending alot here given the lack of star man awards and points scored for GKs generally so save it for elsewhere in your team. The trick is to pick a team that doesn’t conceded too many which is why I’ve gone for Begovic of Stoke. They’ve had their wobbles recently but they’re still the best of the non elite defensive teams. The wobbles should even work for them and Pulis will want to get back to what they do best. Al Habsi is the exception to the rule in this as he is a great shot stopper and there’s no one like Shawcross in the team to suck away Sun Dream Team star man awards. Last season he had 20 7+ ratings which show what the Sun Dream team think of him. He’s also 6th in the goal keeper points rankings despite not having the extra games and Wigans defensive record
DEF
Ivanovic (5.0m) Baines (£5.5m) Gibbs (£3.5m) G Johnson (£4.0m) Zabaleta (£4.0m) Rafael £4.0m) Vertonghen (£4.5m)
With points being deducted for goals conceded above the first one then you need to put players from the best defensive teams in the league. Above are the best from the title and top 4 chasing teams
Ivanovic has goals and 7’s plus star man awards in his locker, scores goals and is also versatile. He’s the the best bet for the Chelsea defence which should pick up points in the Europa league which as interim manager trying to prove a point I think Benitez will try and win. All Chelsea players will be rotated even Cole in the Europa league but Ivanovic seems the best bet
Gibbs overlapping runs are catching the eye with Sun Dream team and to me he’s the best bet in the Arsenal team
Everton have barely had a clean sheet but Baines is practically a winger and takes free kicks and pens and is a proven Sun Dream Team performer. Everton have good defensive stats and clean sheets will come.
Speaking of practically a winger, Rafael remains the best Utd choice with everyone being rotated except Evra who’s just not wotrth the extra £2m . With Vidic back the clean sheets will come.
The defensive stats are improving for Spurs and the Sun Dream Team seem to love Vertonghen so he’s the Spurs player of choice and the most consistently selected. AVB wants to win the Europa league so he will be consistently selected.
Liverpool are another team in the Europa League and Johnson is the best attacking defender in the league in my view
City are the best defensive team by a mile in my book and there will be many clean sheets to come before the end of the season. All the defence except the over priced Kompany will be rotated but with Maicon and Richards injured with no return date Zabaleta has the position sewn up
Huth (£2.0m) Clyne (£1.0m) Ben Davies (£1.5m) Caulker (£2.5m) Azpilicueta £3.0m)
Huth is good value in the performing Stoke defence and historically has a strong eye for goal. Clyne is an attacking force in an improving Southampton defence. Swansea have started to show their defensive mettle and Davies is great value within that. Chico is also the same price but attracts cards a little more. Caulker is the value gamble in the Spurs defence. Apart from maybe Vertonghen the Spurs CBs are rotated heavily but Caulker has still got some reasonable game time. All the Chelsea defence will be rotated regularly so why not have someone like Azpilicueta who’s £2m cheaper than everyone else.
Midfield
Mata (£5.5m) Fellaini (£3.5) Cazorla(£4.0m) Walcott (£5.0m) Michu (£2.0m) Bale (£5.0m) Silva (£6.5m) Gerrard (£6.0m)
Heres the first tier in my mind:
Mata – The number 1 scoring midfielder. Directs the team around the pitch and heavily involved in the game. The sort of player Sun Dream Team loves and this is shown with the most Star Man awards. Its worth having Chelsea coverage in your team and he’s the best pick. helped by the Hazard ban as rotation
Fellaini some risk in this as he isn’t as dominant as he was early season but is at a good price.
Cazorla – Great value. Runs the Arsenal team. You just need to choose between him and Walcott for your team
Walcott – great results playing as a striker but will the emergence of Giroud push him to the flank and limit his worth
Michu – A cut price revelation. can he keep it up is the only question.
Bale – Possibly the star midfielder of the premier league with his driving runs. An eye catching player who should get the Sun dream team awards. the Europa League is a big bonus as well.
Silva – one of the players of the season last year and he will be back after a quiet start. Shown what he can do in the recent Fulham game and with Nasri out of form should play a major part in the remaining games.
Gerrard – has shown great form recently and is a player heavily involved in Liverpools play. They’re also in the Europa league
In my mind this is really where your midfield choices should come from. I don’t really see any other bargains coming to the fore.
Strikers
RVP (£8.0m) Aguero (£7.0m) Suarez (£6.0m) Rooney (£7.5m) Ba (£3.5m)
RVP and Rooney if you want Utd coverage are probably the best options. They have very good fixtures and the midfield will be subject to extreme rotation. RVP and Rooney though will be the mainstays of the attack. RVP is my choice though.
Suarez looks like he will drop a little deeper behind Sturridge and although that didn’t effect him in the Norwich game its difficult to see him producing the same returns. Its also hard to assess whether he will play in the Europa League. Rodgers will want to win it but also Suarez’s early season game time means he’s likely to be rested in my view.
Ba is amazing value but cant play in the Europa league and will be subject to rotation but should score heavily as the main striker given Torres form
Aguero – total quality. Will be the main man with everyone rotated around him
Lambert Fletcher and Lukaku(both £2.5m) Dzeko £4.5m) Sturridge (£3.5m)
3 cheaper options and 2 punts. Lambert is heavily involved in Southamptons play and also has penalty duties. Saints don’t have the best of fixtures though and are out of the FA Cup plus there’s a new manager to digest.
Sunderland do have good fixtures to the next window but again are out of the FA Cup. Fletcher has overperformed in my mind so its a fixture gamble to me.
Lukakau is amazingly only 19 and will be one of the worlds best strikers in the coming years. Seems to have nailed down the striker position after being heavily rotated. The fixtures are horrible though and they are out of the FA cup so its a gamble.
Dzeko is only a game time gamble because if he plays he will score. Not in the Europa league and chasing Man U for the tile means Mancini will naturally rotate less so its whether you think he will be picked over Tevez. It’s too much of a gamble for me.
Sturridge. Liverpools fixtures aren’t great in the premier league but they are in the FA cup and the Europa league and Sturridge with Gerrard and Suarez as providers will score. He is a finisher only though which will count against him in the star man and 7 awards.
OK hope that gives some food for thought. Remember the window opens on the 28th and closes on the 2nd. Leave your transfers as late as possible to avoid injuries after you’ve done your transfer. Stay here as there are more articles to come on transfer window 3.
