Here’s a fantasy premier league pre-season round up of Tuesdays games. I’m a little behind due to other committments at the moment so apologies for the late postig. I’m also behind in the loads of questions I’m getting but I’ll endeavour to answer everyone. Next week I’ll be pumping out articles full time to get everyone ready in the various formats so there will be alot coming
AIK 1 Manchester United 1
Utd line up: Lindegaard (Amos 46), Rafael, Evans (Smalling 53), Vidic, Evra, Anderson, Carrick, Giggs (Bebe 79), Zaha (Welbeck 78), Van Persie, Nani (Henriquez 31).
Sub not used: Jones.
Goal: Henriquez, 68.
Utd are one of the clubs we really dont need to worry about line up wise as with the community shield on the weekend we will see a full strength line up. Its just as well as
Moyes has chopped and changed to the extent where its impossible to predict a first choice side.
Nani and Evans came off with injuries but no prognosis on how long they will be out. Vidic played a whole game and is looking like he will be ready for GW1.
Zaha got the assist and RVP missed a couple of good chances to win is all thats worth reporting. the community shiled should answer all our questions
Dulwich 1 Crystal Palace 4
Palace: Price (Gregory 49), McCarthy (Taylor 46), Ramage (Dymond 46), Wynter (Egbo 77), Jerome Williams (Berkeley-Agyepong 69), Dikgacoi (Boateng 61), Grandin (Gus Sow 61), Garvan (Gray 61), De Silva (Allassani 69), Osman Sow (Kaikai 29, Gayle 46), Appiah (Bolasie 46).
Just what we didnt need for our last pre-season game for Palace a side that wont resemble the GW1 side and 2 goals from new signing Grandin which leaves us in an uncertain position for the CAM role which previously had Garvans name all over it.
The level of opposition means that we can’t really take too much from the form book but goals came from Grandin 2, Williams and Bolasie.
No sgn of Dobbie but Gayle was a 2nd half sub. However the signing of Chamakh if it happens may confuse matters more
Everton 0 Valencia 1
Everton: Robles, Stones(Coleman), Distin, Jagielka, Oviedo, Deulofeu (Mirallas), Gibson (Osman), Naismith (Baines), Barkley, Fellaini, Anichebe (Jelavic).
Admittedly their last game was only 3 days ago but as a last pre-season game you’d hope for clues as to the GW1 line up but this wasn’t really the case. Martinez said pre-season has been to check out players, formations and partnerships. With this line up apart from a couple of obvious exceptions you would say it was a second string. So where does that leave us with £4.5m cheapie Barkley, a gamble and if I had to bet on it at this very ,moment in time I would say he won’t start although its a close run thing between him and Osman for me. I think Martinez at the moment will play Howard – Coleman Distin Jagielka Baines – Gibson Fellaini – Mirallas Pienaar Osman/Barkley – Kone . Pienaars absence was a precaution and Jelavic was withdrawn for a dead leg which didnt sound serious.
One things for sure is that it seems like a back 4 will be used rather than a 3 as he rolled out another back 4. No one really stood out in a game stifled by the humidity.
Einthract Braunschweig 2 Hull 0
Tigers: Steve Harper (Eldin Jakupovic 46), Liam Rosenior (Ahmed Elmohamady 62), James Chester (Curtis Davies 46), Maynor Figueroa, Paul McShane, George Boyd (Yannick Sagbo 72), Stephen Quinn (David Meyler 46), Eric Tie Bi (Robert Koren 46), Robbie Brady (Nick Proschwitz 46), Sone Aluko (Aaron McLean 46), Danny Graham (Matty Fryatt 62).
Sub Not Used: Allan McGregor.
This was a huge amount of interest in this penultimate game for Hull for fantasy premier league managers on the hunt for a bargain. Firstly, Bruce rolled out 4-3-3. Cheapie RB Rosenior started as did James Chester with Figueroa at LB. Brady (the £5.0m midfield option with Koren) played on the left of a front 3 with Danny Graham central and Aluko on the other flank. This makes brady a serious option and the last game against Betis will be very interesting to see how this pans out.
Quinn, who was looking like a £4.5m midfield option, suffered a hamstring injury and now looks unlikely to make the Chelsea GW1 fixture. A huge loss to those fantasy premier league managers looking for a minimum priced bench filler.
The left side of Brady and Figueroa were the stars. Graham again fails to score.
Rangers 1 Newcastle 1
Newcastle: Krul (Elliot 46); Debuchy, Taylor, Coloccini (Yanga-Mbiwa 73), Santon (Dummett 64); Tiote (Anita 73), Cabaye (Gosling 80); Ben Arfa (Gouffran 46), Sissoko (Marveaux 64), Gutierrez (Ameobi 80); Cisse (Ameobi 73) Newcastle played 4-2-3-1 with a back 4 that has only 1 position where there isn’t clarity over who will start and thats at CB where Yiang Mwbia may start instead of Taylor. Tiotea and Cabaye in the double pivot and Cisse leading the line in front of HBA Jonas and Sissoko not playing deep . That could very well be the line up as Remy has a calf injury which casts doubt over his starting potential. Unfortunately for me only in the doubtful CB position is there any value. Everyone else to me is too expsensive.
A last minute equaliser from Shola Ameobi tied it up. No perormances of note. Cabaye was heavily involved and HBA threatened.
One more game this weekend at home to Braga
Real Sociedad 1 Norwich 1
NORWICH CITY: Bunn; Whittaker, Turner (R Bennett 67), Martin (c), Olsson (Garrido 63); Snodgrass (E Bennett 80), Howson, Johnson (Hoolahan 63), Redmond; Fer (Tettey 83); van Wolfswinkel (Hooper 80). Subs not used: Nash (GK), Ayala, Butterfield, Becchio.GOALS: Norwich City – Ricky van Wolfswinkel (12)
With Bassong still injured Whittaker went to RB and Martin CB. I dont think Whittaker will start when Bassong is fit. Martin will be RB and Olsson is my choice for LB. Attacking midfielder Redmond starts again and having played the majority of Preseason games looks a good bet to start at £5.0m with an attacking philosophy. Fer is suspended for the first game by the way.
RVW started and played 80 minutes impressively before being subbed. He could have had more. Redmond and Snodgrass had good games as well.
1 more game home to Panathanikos this weekend before fantasy premier league GW1
Cork 0 WBA 6
WBA: Foster (Myhill 65); Reid, McAuley (Ridgewell 65), Dawson, Popov; Dorrans (Roofe 77), Mulumbu, Yacob (Morrison HT), Brunt (Rosenberg 65); Anelka (Jones 77), Long (c) (Berahino 65).
GOALS: ALBION – Anelka (25, 47 & 63), Dorrans (44 & 73), Long 48).
West Brom lined up in a 4-4-2. The front line defence of last year isn’t good value at all in my mind, costing a minimum of £5.0m. Ii the line up above Dawson is £4.0m and Popov £4.5m but with the new signing of Lugano plus Olsson I can’t see Dawson starting and Ridgewell was ahead of Popov last season and I can’t see that changing either. I’m not a huge fan of the WBA defence. Good clean sheet record last year but against underlying shooting and big chance stats which werent good. Its £4.5m or nothing for me from the defence.
In the midfield Yacob and Mulumbu should always play. Yacob at £4.5m does have 2 point bench filler material although with no goals and no assists last year thats all you’ll get. Morrison will also always play and he’s not bad value at £6.0m. If Clarke reverts to his favoured 4-2-3-1 of last year then Morrison should play centrally behind the striker. Dorrans is a player I like though and at £5.0m he’s a real home and away cheap midfield rotation if we can be sure of game time.
Up front Anelka is the player getting all the goals and all the fantasy premier league manager attention and rightly so at £5.5m. Last year right from the off I was raving about Lukaku and while I was saying this guys going to be one of the worlds best strikers one day, Clarke was saying you’ll rotate with Shane Long son. Thats my only worry with Anelka because at £5.5m he’s an absolute bargain.
Anelka and Dorrans were the stars. Anelka getting 3 making a total of 6 in pre-season and Dorrans getting 2.
1 more pre-season game for WBA on the weekend home to Bologna
Braga 1 West Ham 0
West Ham: Arain DEmel Rat Collins Tomkins Diarra Diame Taylor Vaz te Collison Maiga
Having just played the day before the line up was functional and nothing can really be taken from it. West Ham have another game on the weekend and that will be the test.
In defence were looking for £4.5m Collins to start and that looks good at the moment. In midfield all fantasy premier league managers eyes are on £4.5m attacking midfield bargain Ravel Morrison at £4.5m. West Ham have the best 6 starting fixtures of any team in my mind and he would be a great asset if he has security of game time. The weekend is the test for him.
Up front £7.5m Carroll is the best option although a little expensive. It now seems, according to Big Sam, that he wont be fit for GW1 which leaves Vaz te £5.5m and Maiga £5.0m as the possibilities. Personally I think Vaz Te will play but there are better £5.5m striking options than him.
Thats it apologies again for its lateness
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