Here’s the immediate reaction to the fantasy premier league game week 9 Saturday games.

Reading 3 Fulham 3

Reading lined up in 4-4-2 with surprisingly Jason Roberts up front with Pogrebnyak.   MCcarthy held his place in goal and the defence continued  as it has been.  Midfield had a few surprises notably Tabb.

A couple of surprises in the Fulham line up.  The defence was predictable but midfield saw Diarra come in for Sidwell where Baird must have been the favourite to drop out.  Richardson held his place at LM over Ruiz and Kacaniklic.  No surprises up front where Rodallega was behind Berba.

It was a game of substitutes with Ruiz, Robson -Kanu and McLeary all scoring.  The game was amazingly open with a ridiculous amount of clear cut chances especially considering Fulham picked quite a defensive team.  Berba showed his class scoring again, its just whether you think he’s got the fixtures to continue.  I personally don’t with Fulham having Everton H Arsenal A Sunderland H and Stoke A in their next 4.

Possession was 54% Fulham, shots fairly even  with Reading 15/9 to 16/8.

Berba and Rodallega led the shot stats.  Duff, Ruiz and Shorey the chances created. Berba was by far the most influential player for Fulham, no one stood out in that regard for Reading.  The most advanced midfielders were McAnuff for Reading and Duff/Richardson for Fulham.

Arsenal 1 QPR 0

A few surprises for Arsenal with Wilshire returning in the screen with Arteta.   Ramsey held his place with Gervinho dropping to the bench.  Sagna came straight in for Jenkinson and Mertesacker continues to hold his place over Koscielny.  Giroud started up front.

QPR came to attack surprisingly with Hoilett behind Zamora and Taarabt in the team.  To emphasis it even more, SWP came in for the injured Park.  However in the end they did anything but attack.

It was a frustrating day for fantasy premier league owners of Arsenals assets, particularly those who backed Cazorla as captain.  They would have had their head in hands when he missed a sitter from the around the penalty spot on the volley.  Wilshire made a difference to Arsenal giving them those go forward dribbles similar to what Dembele does for Spurs and did for Fulham.    The game was total one way traffic and it was only a matter of time before Arsenal scored.  Mbia did his best to help Arsenal with a crazy sending off.  Owners of Gervinho would have been disturbed to see him stretchered off.  Here’s Wengers words on the subject in team talk

 “It’s an ankle problem and how damaged the ankle is we will have to wait 24 hours to know more but it doesn’t look good.”

To illustrate the dominance possession was 70% Arsenal and shots 21/11 to 4/3 although bizarrely QPR had a couple of good chances to equalise at the end.

Giroud was the only one to make an impression on the shot stats.  Cazorla and Ramsey led the chances created column.  Cazorla and Hoilett were the furtherest forward midfielders.  Cazorla was by far the most influential player but his fantasy premier league owners must be nervous after a game of such little output against a team they dominated so conclusively.  The fixtures aren’t anything to write home about either with Utd away and Spurs at home in the next 3.  Jenkinsons fantasy premier league owners should surely be looking to sell after Sagna came straight in and had such an influential game.  Another blank for Podolski means fantasy premier league owners of him should also think about selling now the golden fixture patch is over.

Wigan 2 West Ham 1

No surprises in the Wigan line up.  West Ham continued with Tomkins in for the injured Demel and McCartney got the nod over O’Brien.  Benayoun also held his place

Football dominated anti football in this game and Wigan were deserved winners.  Maloney,  Boyce and Kone  are the players to get if you fancy Wigan but with Spurs Liverpool and City away in their next 5 its not the right time for me.

Now is the time to sell any West Ham fantasy premier league assets you have with City, Spurs, Utd and Chelsea in the next 6.

Possession was 54% to Wigan.  Shots relatively even with 17/13 to 15/11 to Wigan.  Neither defence performed well with a high number of shots in box conceded by both teams.

Surprisingly a defender Tomkins led the shot stats.  McCarthy the chances created column.  Maloney and Jarvis were the most advanced midfielders. Beausejour and Maloney were the most influential for Wigan.  Carroll for West Ham.

Man City 1 Swansea 0

Richards came in for the injured Zabaleta. Nastasic for the hapless Lescott.  Kolarov also started in what appeared to be LM.  Tevez and Aguero got the nod with Mancini taking no chances on player selection after the fiasco in Amsterdam during the week.

Swansea continued with Michu up front and the rest of the side unchanged which means Graham and Dyer on the bench.

Manchester City squeaked through although it was a surprisingly good performance from Swansea.  Swanseas fixtures are not great with Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal in their next 6.  However Michu’s performance must have given his fantasy premier league owners a lot of faith.  The defence with cheapie Davies at LB also performed well.  For City much sold in fantasy premier league Tevez was terrific in contrast to Aguero who was quiet.  Nasri has failed really to grasp his chance in midfield and it was another clean sheet and good statistical performance for the much maligned defence.  Shame you have to invest so much to get a reliable piece of it.

The basic match stats were a testament to how competitive Swansea were.  Possession was even Swansea sneaking it at 51%.  Shots saw City 10/5 to Swanseas 9/5.

Tevez easily led the shot stats with Michu next.  No stand out in the chances created column. Nasri and Pablo were the most advanced midfielders.  Tevez and Routledge were the most influential players for each team.

City’s fixtures are reasonable and its just a case of who to pick due to rotation.  Out of the Capital One and soon to be out of the Champions League and the need for it could reduce.  Personally Tevez continues to look a good choice as did Silva before his injury.  The defence is worth investing in and probably Hart is the best route at the moment although maybe someone will nail a spot once the need for rotation diminishes.

The fixtures are too tricky for me and Swansea.  Michu looks the best bet though

Aston Villa 1 Norwich 1

Bent was again dropped for Villa although Lambert played 2 up front with goal shy agbonlahor starting.

For Norwich Holt seems to have got his place back for Norwich.  The defence looks settled although the midfield continues being rotated. Snodgrass who has featured positively in the shooting stats was on the bench.  The game was fairly even until the mindless sending off of LB Bennett for Villa. Norwich should have then gone on to win against the 10 men but couldn’t take their chances.  The much maligned Turner showed his historic goal thereat with the equaliser.  The defence statistically performed very well and as i have said have performed well inbetween the 3 thrashings they have had.  They’re  worth a cheapie filler if you have the transfers spare.

Benteke easily had the best shooting stats but with United City and Arsenal in their next 4 after a trip to Sunderland you shouldnt be touching anyine in the Villa team

Hoolahan was 2nd in the shooting stats .  He got an assist and led the chances created column but should have scored from his position behind Grant Holt.  Norwich have a mixed run to come and Hoolahan and Holt look the best investments at the moment

Albrighton and Pilkington were the most advanced midfielders for each team. Hoolahan and Benteke were easily each teams most influential players.

Stoke 0 Sunderland 0

No surprises in either teams line up.

Investment in the stoke defence is an absolute must at the moment. They are statistically the best defence out of the elite sides despite their tough stats and they have fantastic fixtures.   Their defence here was excellent.  Probably the best route is Shawcross at £5.0m although Cameron is cheaper at £4.5m he’s not nailed on as a starter.  If you play the Sky game by the way then Kightly is available as a defender and is an absolute  must have.    Wilson was injured and it didn’t look good.  Initially a suspected broken leg although there’s also some reports that it was a ankle issue.  Here’s what Pulis said in teamtalk.com which isnt quite so doom laden

“He’s been sent straight off to hospital so we will wait and see. We’re hoping fingers crossed that there’s nothing really critical but we won’t know until later on.

“The one thing I will say, there was no challenge involved there. I think Marc’s done that himself.”

Sunderland got an undeserved clean sheet and while they do have very good fixtures their defence statistically has been poor although there is plenty of value there for a punt.  Cuellar at £4.5m is the best option.

Huth probably had the best shooting stats where no one stood out.  Kightly had loads of shots but nothing on target.  No one stood out in the chances created column.  Kightly was the most advanced midfielder and interestingly Walters seems to be playing further back and his average position was far deeper.  For Sunderland Johnson was the most advanced midfielder.

Kightly was the most influential player for Stoke, fletcher for Sunderland although that never translated itself in to shots for Fletcher.

Both sides are intriguing prospects with very good fixtures coming up.  Yet its hard to look past the Stoke defence as the only option.  To me Kightly and Crouch seem to be the best attacking options, Walters being a little disappointing.

For Sunderland Fletcher lacks shots for me but maybe worth a put for the fixtures.  Johnson or Sessgenon have yet to convince   The defence is worth a punt for fixtures but really has very bad stats so it is a gamble.

Thats it I absolutely need Bale to perform today to avoid falling further behind.