Here’s the fantasy premier league news for November 1 2012 including Wilson/Wilkinson, Gervinho, Demel, Nani, Game week 16 and price rises/falls

Marc Wilson/Andy Wilkinson

Out for 3 months with a broken leg.  Article on the Stoke website says Wilko will play at LB.  He’s not going to get you any goals, assists or bonus points but probably will get you the odd  yellow card but at £4.4m you cant really complain.  You can otherwise go for Cameron for £4.5m who’s nailed on for RB.  If you have the funds stretch to Shawcross at £5.0m and if youre rolling in cash Huth at £5.5m but a Stoke defender (or GK) at the moment is an essential.  Here’s some quotes from the site:
“It’s totally down to the gaffer who he thinks is best suited to come in and play at left back, but I am definitely ready to step in if he feels I am the best option,” the Stone-born defender said.

“I will play anywhere on the field and I have played at left back before, so it wouldn’t be something that is totally new to me.

“I have predominantly played at right back over the past couple of years, but I wouldn’t be fazed by playing on the left hand side.”

He added: “It’s hugely unfortunate for Willo to pick up an injury like this, because he has been playing so well in that position over the past couple of seasons. In fact, I would go as far as to say he has been arguably our most consistent performer.”

Even better is a tweet from the official Stoke twitter feed today.

TP confirms that Andy Wilkinson is likely to return to the side to replace the injured Marc Wilson on Saturday.

Gervinho

Out for 4 weeks.  Good news for fantasy premier league owners of Giroud although after Gervinho’s inept performance against Schalke he probably wasn’t going to play striker again.  Otherwise its the Ox or Walcott after his Reading heroics who will get in to the 3 advanced midfielders probably behind Giroud. The Gervinho benefit for Giroud is balanced out by the fact that Walcott was so good maybe he even could play striker?  He’s still relatively expensive at £8.7m but if he played striker it would be a different story.

Demel

West ham cheapie defender Demel is injured for a couple of more weeks according to big Sam as reported in clubcall.  Big sam is hoping he will be fit for Stoke on November 19.  If youre able to sell him then do so as no one should own a West ham defender at the moment if they can help it.  The likely benificary will probably continue to be Tomkins who is a similar price at £4.2m but with good attacking potential judging by the chances and his goal last week.  Still fixtures are too tough for fantasy premier league managers to be considering West Ham assets

Nani

You never really know if Valencia, Young  Nani or Giggs will be rolled out on the Utd flanks for any game.  Well maybe there’s one less possibility after last night when SAF absolutely slated Nani.  Here’s his comments in the Daily Mail:

Ferguson said: ‘We gave the ball away for the third goal having been in complete control of the match at that point.
‘All we needed to do was see the game out with good possession.
‘Nani is experienced but he’s a player who wants to beat men and I often discourage him from that.
‘In that situation, if we’d kept the ball at the corner flag, the game’s over.

SAF is always one to hold a grudge so Valencia and Young fantasy premier league owners should rest a bit easier after this.

GW16 sunderland and Reading play twice

Sunderland are home to Chelsea and Reading.  Reading are away to Southampton and Sunderland.  I wouldnt start loading up on either of these teams and none looks to house any captain options at the moment but worth thinking about before you sell a player.  For Sunderland, Cuellar is really the only player to consider at the moment while for Reading its McAnuff or Pogrebnyak only although the fixtures aren’t particularly exciting in this game week.

Price rises/falls

15 price rises with Mata the only £0.2m rise.

Too many £0.1 falls to mention.  No £0.2m falls.