fantasy premier league match analysis – GW4 Saturday part 1

Here’s my fantasy premier league match analysis for Saturday including Sunderland v Arsenal, Spurs v Norwich, Everton v Chelsea and Man Utd v Palace.

Sunderland 1 Arsenal 3

Line ups and ratings from the Daily Mail

Sunderland (4-2-4): Westwood 7; Celustka 6, Diakite 5, Roberge 6, Colback 6; Vaughan 5 (Gardner 46, 8) Ki 6; Johnson 7, Fletcher 6 (Wickham 77), Altidore 6, Mavrias 5 (Borini 72, 6).

Subs not used: Brown, Larsson, Cuellar, Mannone.

Goal: Gardner 48 (pen) Assist Johnson

Booked: Gardner.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Szczesny 6; Jenkinson 7, Sagna 6, Koscielny 7, Gibbs 7; Flamini 7, Wilshere 7; Ozil 9 (Vermaelen 80), Ramsey 8, Walcott 6 (Monreal 88); Giroud 7 (Akpon 90+3).

Subs not used: Frimpong, Miyaichi, Akpon, Gnabry, Fabianski. Booked: Flamini, Sagna.

Goals: Giroud 11, Ramsey 67, 76.  Assists Jenkinson Ozil Giroud

Comments

Defence

A very open game with neither defence performing well.  Flamini sat deep but Ramsey who in theory was there as the additional screening midfielder was going forward often

Giroud 

A goal and an assist and great shooting stats

Walcott

Did everything but score with numerous chances.  had more pen box touches than anyone and the most advanced position.  I’m still positive about his prospects but he’s definitely 2nd fantasy premier league choice to Giroud

Ozil

An assist which interestingly produced a bonus point and created clear cut chances all over the place.  Very little shooting and didn’t get in to the box much which is the drawback.  Walcott and Giroud are fantasy premier league better options for me

Ramsey

Interesting one this.  Deep average position few pen box touches but still got into the box very effectively and had good shooting stats.  if you play Sky sports Fantasy football he’s a must but I still cant see returns on a consistent basis and where and even if he plays (amazing when you think of current form)  when Cazorla and Arteta return is the question

Everton 1 Chelsea 0

Everton (4-2-3-1): Howard 6: Coleman 8, Jagielka 7, Distin 7, Baines 8: Osman 6, Barry 8: Mirallas 7 (Deulofeu 90mins), Barkley 9, Jelavic 6 (McCarthy 66mins 6): Naismith 7 (Stones 89mins).

Subs not used: Robles, Heitinga, Oviedo, Gueye.

Goal: Naismith 45+1  Assist Jelavic

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 7: Ivanovic 6, Luiz 5, Terry 7, Cole 5 (Torres 69mins 4): Mikel 5, Ramires 6: Schurrle 6 (Lampard 57mins 6), Mata 5 (Oscar 57mins 5), Hazard 7: Eto’o 5.

Subs not used: Schwarzer (GK), Essien, De Bruyne, Cahill.

Booked: Ivanovic, Hazard, Luiz, Mikel.

A simple game to summarise.  It was an absolute Chelsea siege and how they didn’t score is beyond me.  the Chelsea defence definitely wasn’t as secure as it should have been for an average price of £6.5m and Everton had a good few chances

Comment

Eto’o

Had so many chances it was ridiculous and should have scored

Hazard

Very disappointing.  Alot of touches and involvement but absolutely no output shooting wise or creating chances.  Didn’t get in to the box at all and a very deep average position.  Next game is home to Fulham though so don’t sell yet

Lampard

Only had 37 minutes and didn’t achieve much.  A deep position and no pen box touches makes it difficult for me to think of him as a fantasy premier league player any more

Ramires

Only other player who looked like scoring in a good box to box performance.  Created chances as well. Too deep a starting position for me though to be a fantasy premier league option.

Barkley

Fairly neat and tidy but this means nothing in fantasy premier league and he had no shots and virtually no creativity.  Has to be looked at in the context of the game and his price though and no reason to sell.

Mirallas 

I talked the guy up in pre-season and although hasn’t returned although underlying stats were good to date.  They were ok here in the context of the opposition although if you were planning on selling this should have been the game to do so.  Next game away to West ham wont be easy but  maybe the next exit point is after GW6 when Everton are home to Newcastle and before going away to City

Tottenham 2 Norwich 0

Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-2-1): Lloris 6, Walker 6, Dawson 7, Vertonghen 7, Rose 8, Dembele 7 (Lamela 81), Paulinho 8, Townsend 7, Eriksen 8 (Holtby 70), Sigurdsson 8 (Sandro 78), Soldado 6

Substitutes not used: Kaboul, Naughton, Defoe, Friedel

Scorer: Sigurdsson 28, 49  Assists: Paulino Eriksen
Booked: Lloris

Norwich City (4-4-2): Ruddy 6, Whittaker 6, Turner 6, Bassong 6, Garrido 6, Snodgrass 6, Fer 6, Johnson 6 (Howson 64), Redmond 6 (Tettey 73), Elmander 6 (Pilkington 73), van Wolfswinkel 6

Substitutes not used: Martin, Hooper, Bunn, Olsson

Booked: Johnson, Garrido, Elmander

Cheapies Whittaker and Redmond kept their places for Norwich.  Elmander held his over Hooper and Hoolahan.  Siggy came in for Chadli and Townsend held his place over Lamela.

Spurs changed their formation to 4-2-3-1 and were far more dangerous with Eriksen sitting just behind Soldado.  Siggy came in on the left for Chadli and showed us why he was so dangerous a couple of seasons ago for Swansea

Comment

Defences

Spurs defence again was excellent even if they were up against a team that were primarily interested in defending them selves.  Norwich were ok at best defensively.

Siggy

The star with some lethal finishing.  Didn’t get in to the box much or shoot that much but when he did was lethal.  Definitely worth monitoring

Soldado

Had enough chances and got into the box enough to suggest this was just an unlucky day.  Not a very involved striker in the build up interestingly.  Rriksen will really help

Eriksen

Good all round debut.  Supported Soldado with an average position close to him.  Good set piece involvement and created chances topped off with the assist.  got in to the box well but didn’t shoot as much as i would have expected.  Promising start

Paulino

4-2-3-1 doesn’t really suit Paulino as he has much more defensive responsibility.  Had a deep average position, didnt get into the box or shoot hardly and his assist was pretty much the only attacking output.  He’s a sell for me

Redmond

The cheapie had a very quiet game which was pretty much expected and hopefully he was on your bench.

Man Utd 2 Crystal Palace 0

Man United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Fabio 7, Ferdinand 6, Vidic 6, Evra 7; Anderson 6 (Fellaini 61mins 6), Carrick 7; Valencia 6, Rooney 7, Young 6 (Januzaj 66mins 6); Van Persie 6 (Hernandez 77mins 6).

Subs not used: Amos, Evans, Cleverley, Zaha.

Booked: Young.

Goals: Van Persie 45 pen, Rooney 81.  Assists:  Young Januzaj

Crystal Palace (4-3-2-1): Speroni 7; Mariappa 7, Gabbidon 7, Delaney 7, Moxey 7; Dikgacoi 6, Jedinak 6, Puncheon 6;  Gayle 6 (Jerome 63mins 6), Campana 6 (Guedioura 58mins 6); Chamakh 6 (Kebe 74mins 6).

Subs not used: Alexander, O’Keefe, Bannan, Phillips.

Booked: Chamakh, Moxey.

Sent off: Dikgacoi.

Rooney in the United line up was the surprise story as well as Fellaini on the bench.  Fabio surprisingly started at RB.  Don’t think that will last that long though.  Mariappa surprisingly came in for cheapie RB Ward otherwise no surprises for Palace.

A game that United made heavy work of as Palace sat deep.  Utd seemed  intent on pressing high up the pitch to get the ball back in palace’s defensive third as the main form of attack.

Comments 

Defences

Excellent stats from Utd.  Palace conceded alot of shots.

RVP

Had a mountain of chances to score from open play and the pen box stat was ridiculous.  There will be mutterings of sell with the City derby match coming but with WBA at home in GW6 and continuing good underlying stats and Rooney as creator for me there’s no need to panic.  Only black cloud is the lack of chances being created for others which was a real string to his bow last year.

Rooney 

Best shooting stats and pen boxtouches except for RVP, but created the most chances and scored. Very pleasing result.  Is he an alternative to RVP for a £3.5m saving.  not for me yet.  RVP being further up the pitch, pen and set duties still make him the no 1 choice for me.

Fellaini

Took up a CDM position which is where I think he will play and rules him out of fantasy premier league contention for me.

Chamakh

£5.1m cheapie was hopefully on your bench if you have him.  Did nothing although its not these games you would buy him for to be fair.  Gayle at the same price and with pen duties is looking more of a threat

That’s it for part 1 the rest will come later

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