Fantasy Pit Stop 2: End-Season Deciders

Honour or humiliation, which path do you choose?

Taking the chance of this international break, let's have a look on the must-haves so that you can end your fantasy season in style...

In reversed order of importance,

5. Marinho David Luiz

Obviously has great future with Blues.

Simply amazing. He joined Chelsea on the same day with £50m Fernando Torres, and the results? Torres is still waiting for his first goal, but this defender has already scored two!

Still not convinced? Of all four Premier League games he has started with the Blues, he scored two goals, grabbed two man of the match and took full three-points bonus twice. Incredible statistics for a newcomer, honestly.

Solid at the back yet sharp up front. He deserves to be your primary defender to finish the remainder of this fantasy season. Marinho David Luiz.

4. Luis Suarez

Establishing himself as the legend of Anfield in the speed of light.

For your information, Liverpool's league performance in 2011 is the second best - trailing behind leaders Manchester United. If Kenny Dalglish is the one who gets the biggest share of credits, then Suarez must be the second.

Started four and came from the bench once, his performance is even more superior than David Luiz's: two goals, three assists and a total of 32 fantasy points - averaging 6.4 points per game. A great figure especially when he is still yet to produce unproductive fantasy points of two and below.

What's more? His reality performance on the field suggests that he can actually do more than what he is doing in fantasy currently. Just from these five games, he has already committed several goal attempts on posts/bars, completed a world class dribbling skill against Manchester United, and scored a zero angle goal!

Here you have it. Luis Suarez, the Hand of God II.

3. Charlie Adam

Blackpool must have already been relegated by now if not for his presence.

Just returned from suspension, and 15 points is what he rewarded to those who keep him. Who else if not Adam?

In fact, there's no ace in Premier League teams who is more influential than the Tangerine's skipper. Adam is the joint top goalscorer and also top assister of Blackpool. The more incredible statistics? His whopping 43-point bonus - which leaves Tevez (29 bonus points) and others far behind! And with Blackpool still struggling for survival, you can only expect to get more from this Scottish.

A game decider, a set-piece taker, a commander with great vision, an incredibly cheap fantasy midfielder who provides great fantasy returns. Take Charlie Adam in and you will never regret about it.

2. Luis Nani

Too consistent to drop.

56% of fantasy managers do not own Luis Nani, and I wonder why.

Out of 26 matches he played, he has contributed an insurmountable figure of 16 assists. Added with his goals tally of nine, it means that the Portuguese is providing about either a goal or an assist on the average per game! His 23 bonus points don't seem too bad as well.

He might be restricted to play the football that he wants to play by Ferguson, but with so many clinical strikers upfront and a strong back line behind, you can hardly find someone who is more important than Nani in your fantasy team.

Luis Nani - strong and consistent, as Manchester United does.

1. Robin van Persie

Nobody is fearful as him in the Premier League currently.

He only ranked sixth in points per game figure, but that's not quite a good reference. Out of 16 games he played only nine of them exceeded 70 minutes, and if we calculate his points per game based on those nine (where he scored 82 fantasy points), it's a great score of 9.1! Now you understand why I put him first don't you?

The Dutch has been far more influential than skipper Cesc Fabregas since 2011, scoring 11 league goals and 5 assists in only eight league games! Not only that, the Robin Hood of Emirates has also grabbed five three-point bonuses - something that's only matched by Charlie Adam in 2011.

Soccernet described him as "With pace and skill in abundance, this forward can change a game in an instant with his ability to achieve the improbable. He is technically excellent with the vision to unlock a defence too." His fragility has always been the downside of owning him, but with such excellent form, it is a risk that we cannot afford to forgo.

Robin van Persie, the best player in Premier League in the second half of 10/11 season.

Fantasy Pit Stop 1: Part Four

To start reading from PART ONE, click here.

As a reminder, for this pit stop I am going to write about:

1. Some major news/events related to the team;
2. Predicted season finish; and
3. Top three rated fantasy players along with their ratings.

The arrangement of teams will be according to current league rankings, in reverse order.

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Currently in 5th

Tottenham Hotspur

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 5th

We all predict that Tottenham will be much better with the addition of Rafael Van der Vaart, but in reality Tottenham still doesn't reach the new level yet. While Van der Vaart has been stylishly brilliant, his new club's form is very shaky. They won Wolves easily and yet they lost to West Ham the next week without any proper explanation.

Nevertheless, we just can't deny how great is Van der Vaart to the team. He adapted the club at god speed and has now replaced Gareth Bale as the most important player in the Tottenham. This is obviously seen in Bale's recent fantasy scores - 2, 5, 2, 2 and 1. One of the most important reason for this is the position of Bale with VDV's presence. Sometimes he has to play as left back - and that effectively reduces his fantasy potential.

Still, with Van der Vaart and Bale combining, Tottenham will remain their status as the black horse, but they will most probably miss the Champions League qualifying next season as the clubs in front are much more superior and experienced.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Rafael Van der Vaart (9/10) - A no-brain pick that is so terrific in offence.
2. Gareth Bale (7.5/10) - A dominant force in Tottenham's left flank. Also a dominant bonus magnet.
3. Jermaine Defoe (7/10) - The chief scorer of Tottenham last season is expected to have some reduction in fantasy score due to the existence of Van der Vaart.

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Currently in 4th

Arsenal

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 4th

Wenger is indeed the most successful manager in overall, but in terms of performance on the pitch, he still has much more to do. Their head to head meetings against all the title contenders had been weak, and that's the reason why the Gunners were far away from title for so many years.

Another reason for their absence of title is the frequent injury of key players. This is especially true for Fabregas where the absence of him will make Arsenal a very much different team. With him around, every Arsenal attackers is a fantasy stud.

On a side note, I love how Chamakh added a new dimension to the team, but he really has to increase his shot accuracy to convince me to buy him.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Francesc Fabregas (9.5/10) - A superb captain with superb vision but flawed with fragility.
2. Theo Walcott (8.5/10) - The little tiger has emerged from slumber to become one of the most dominant fantasy force.
3. Andrey Arshavin (7.5/10) - The big-game type player who has a much better body than most of his team mates.

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Currently in 3rd

Manchester United

News

Coca Cola takes Rooney off cans after allegations - A good reminder to the public to keep your private life clean. Rooney's career at United is in danger because of this.

Predicted Season Finish: 2nd

United needs to thank Ferguson for maintaining the competitiveness of them. With clubs like Manchester City and Chelsea keep ploughing their money in, it's a great achievement for Ferguson to keep United in the first tier of Premier League.

While Rooney is in his career low, it's a relief for the Red Devils to see both Scholes, Nani and Berbatov step forward and maintain United's threat in attack. In terms of defence, Evans is a big problem at the back but fortunately Ferdinand is back now. The rule in fantasy for United's defence is simple - you can buy any of their back four when Vidic is pairing Ferdinand in the middle, but if there's Evans, none of them should be bought.

In my opinion, Manchester United will have a close fight with Manchester City all the way for the second place, but the Red Devils will eventually win.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Luis Nani (9/10) - The Portuguese is stunning in both club and country matches and is slowly closing the gap with Christiano Ronaldo.
2. Dimitar Berbatov (9/10) - With he's as effective as Nani (sometimes even better), he's more susceptible to competition at United.
3. John O'Shea (7/10) - The cheapest defender in United.

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Currently in 2nd

Manchester City

News

The dressing room bust-up - Mancini has been taking a lot of pressure both internally and externally.

Predicted Season Finish: 3rd

City has a lot to prove this season after Al Murbarak's big splash. The multi billion club has more than enough talent to grab a spot to the Champions League, especially when you see the likes like Santa Cruz can only bully the reserves this season.

The club indeed has much potential to challenge for the summit. They have, in my opinion, the best goalkeeper in the world currently - Joe Hart. Their captain, Carlos Tevez, is on his peak since he arrived City last season. Adam Johnson, one of the England's best left footer over the years, has much more to provide than his playing time suggested.

While the kind of players that matches that of a champion team, the cohesion between them is still far from champion and thus I am not expecting them to win the league this season. But they surely will in the years coming.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Carlos Tevez (9/10) - The dominant figure in Manchester. He's fast, he's hardworking, and most importantly, he's lethal.
2. Joe Hart (8/10) - Watch the highlights of him against Tottenham this season and you will realise how great he is.
3. Adam Johnson (7/10) - His superbness is greatly limited by his playing time.

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Currently in 1st

Chelsea

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 1st

You don't often see clubs to score 21 goals in their first five matches. It's considered a tough task even for clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid, whereby La Liga has been pretty much a two horse race.

But Chelsea did it. Malouda and Drogba are the joint league top goal scorer with six goals apiece - the latter even provided five assists. The top five fantasy players from Chelsea have totalled a incredible score of 239 points, which averaged 47.8 points per player!

That pretty much summarises the performance of Chelsea. Superb, terrific and effective. They will lose surprisingly at times, but that won't stop them from crowning the champion again.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Didier Drogba (10/10) - He scores a lot, assists a lot, takes a lot of bonus, and is from a top class team. What else can you hope for?
2. Florent Malouda (9/10) - The French is playing happily at Chelsea with his great touch of goal.
3. Ashley Cole (8.5/10) - The only first class fantasy defender that worthes his price.

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Fantasy Pit Stop 1's Best XI

Hart

Elmohamady - Alex - Ashley Cole

Nani - Van der Vaart - Adam - Malouda

Berbatov - Drogba - Odemwingie

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That's all for the quick review. Hope you enjoy it. Goodbye.

Fantasy Pit Stop 1: Part Three

To start reading from PART ONE, click here.

As a reminder, for this pit stop I am going to write about:

1. Some major news/events related to the team;
2. Predicted season finish; and
3. Top three rated fantasy players along with their ratings.

The arrangement of teams will be according to current league rankings, in reverse order.

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Currently in 10th

Fulham

News
Zamora aiming a February/March return - The usual glass feet. All the best for him.

Predicted Season Finish: 10th

Mark Hughes has indeed changed Fulham for better. They are more adventurous going forward now, while maintaining their trademark defence. The thing that the new Fulham manager has really impressed me is that Fulham now really work as a team and there is no specific reliance on any players.

As a low budget team, I think the rank of 10th is rather great and reasonable for the Cottagers.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Bobby Zamora (7/10) - The target man of Fulham is fantasy wise effective but constantly plagued by injuries.
2. Clinton Dempsey (7/10) - One of the best American footballer currently.
3. Brede Hangeland (6.5) - The chief commander of Fulham's defence is quite expensive now.

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Currently in 9th

Blackpool

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 18th

Blackpool fans may be ecstatic about their ranking currently, but the football season has still a long way to go. I particularly aren't that surprise for their current ranking. They have the gift of luck in terms of fixtures for facing Wigan and Liverpool in the right time.

For me Blackpool is like Burnley of the last season - they come with a thick layer of mystery, but as the pages of the calendar are tore, they are slowly dissected. Their performance gets poorer and poorer and eventually the team may relegate.

Nevertheless, I can't deny how great Charlie Adam is as a leader. It is not exaggerate to say that he single-handedly took Blackpool to the Premier League.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Charlie Adam (8.5/10) - Cheap, has good scoring and assist record, and is the primary bonus scorer of the team.
2. Matthew Gilks (6.5/10) - Definitely one of the busiest keeper in the league.
3. N/A

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Currently in 8th

Aston Villa

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 6th

Martin O'Neill's early exit does brought some little "chaos" to the club, but fortunately now there's Gerard Houllier - a more credible, more experienced manager than the former. I believe the French manager will be able to take the team to greater heights, especially in European match-ups.

As the squad has more or less the same strength as last year, I think they will end the season in more or less the same ranking.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Marc Albrighton (7.5/10) - A winger less than £5.0m from a upper half team. Certainly a valuable addition to your squad.
2. Ashley Young (7/10) - The ace of the team with some great free kick skills.
3. Luke Young (6.5/10) - The cheapest defender of the team with a guaranteed starting spot.

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Currently in 7th

Stoke City

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 16th

Defence has been the main ingredient for Stoke's survival in top-flight league, but I don't think that will last long. The defenders have been far from their best for a long time, while Delap the grenadier is losing his effectively as teams start to understand their tactics.

But well, I think Tony Pulis himself knows that and therefore splashes £8m for the Potters' record buying Kenwyne Jones. I believe Brittannia will remain as one of the Premier League stadium next season because Mr Jones will use goals to cover Stoke's defence.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Matthew Etherington (7.5/10) - The commander of the team who has been superb since last season.
2. Kenwyne Jones (7/10) - He will have all the time to prove himself at Stoke.
3. N/A

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Currently in 6th

West Bromwich Albion

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 14th

The Baggies had been in the Premiership-Championship elevator over the past decade, but I expect them to stay this season mainly because of Odemwingie. He has been great until know and is a constant threat to any defenders.

Combined with Brunt, Olsson and Scharner who all has Premier League experience, West Brom should undergo a very nice season under Robert Di Matteo.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Peter Odemwingie (9/10) - He's still new at West Brom, but he's already the star.
2. Chris Brunt (7/10) - He has good experience in the league and decent attacking capabilities.
3. N/A

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To be continued in PART FOUR.

Fantasy Pit Stop 1: Part Two

To start reading from PART ONE, click here.

As a reminder, for this pit stop I am going to write about:

1. Some major news/events related to the team;
2. Predicted season finish; and
3. Top three rated fantasy players along with their ratings.

The arrangement of teams will be according to current league rankings, in reverse order.

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Currently in 15th

Newcastle United

News
Ben Arfa out for six months but Nigel de Jong escapes from any FA punishments - Bad, bad tackle. Poor Ben Arfa.

Predicted Season Finish: 15th

Newcastle is a team with a rich history. It's squad isn't that rich though. The team is still backboned by the old faces like Nolan, Barton and Gutierrez, while the news faces don't have much calibre to make some big differences aside from Hatem Ben Arfa - who is currently suffered from a serious injury.

However, I don't think the team will repeat their fortune two years ago - where they were relegated. Newcastle is in a better shape now - most notably the vast improvements of Carroll. The 6-0 victory against Aston Villa doesn't have much element of fluke. They might struggle in the relegation zone for a small part of the season, but at the end they should be able to reach the shore.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Andrew Carroll (8/10) - Great third striker with high potential.
2. Joey Barton (7/10) - The "bad boy" has been less violent and more effective on the pitch.
3. Kevin Nolan (6.5/10) - One of the important force in the Magpies' attack.

Honourable mention: Hatem Ben Arfa (8/10) - A very talented winger. Very unfortunate for him to be sidelined.

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Currently in 14th

Wigan Athletic

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 19th

I like how Roberto Martinez implements his offensive team play, but that doesn't always work out especially against a much superior opposition. The Latics have only two victories up till now - one against the so fluctuating Tottenham and another against the poorer Wolves - none are convincing.

While they do have some great additions this season - particularly goalkeeper Al Habsi and defender Alcaraz, I don't think that will be enough for them to stay. Barring N'Zogbia, the rest of the midfielders are particularly weak in terms of Premiership standards.

As their fixtures get tougher and tougher in the final third of the season, I think Wigan will eventually collapse and the lads will meet Wolves next year in the Championship.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Hugo Rodallega (7/10) - A quite productive strike force.
2. Charles N'Zogbia (7/10) - Had some furious times with the club but things should start settle and he should start performing.
3. Antolin Alcaraz (5.5/10) - One of the quality signings of Wigan this season. However, you need to be wary of the number of emphatic defeats that Wigan will face.

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Currently in 13th

Blackburn Rovers

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 13th

They don't play pretty football, but it's fine as long as they get the results. Blackburn is a tough opposition no matter what team you are due to their aggressive approach in defence. They have all the chances to sneak away with points against tougher oppositions.

With a pack of quality defenders with offensive capabilities, added with some evenly matched strikers in a strong competition, I predict that the Rovers will end the season quite comfortably.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Christopher Samba (7/10) - A decent defender with a decent scoring record.
2. Paul Robinson (5.5/10) - Not the best keeper in the league, but he'll give you quite an amount of saves.
3. Nikola Kalinic (5.5/10) - Has a steady start this season.

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Currently in 12th

Bolton Wanderers

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 11th

Bolton might have almost the same team from last season, but still it's much better. Owen Coyle coaches the team right from start of the season, Elmander on form, Martin Petrov activating the attack... all these signs show that the club is in a good shape.

The club has all the strength to remain on the Premier League and finish with a good ranking.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Johan Elmander (7.5/10) - A sudden burst of form has made him the top fantasy choice of Bolton.
2. Martin Petrov (7/10) - He's capable of doing a lot of damage from attack.
3. Kevin Davies (6.5/10) - Still the leader of Bolton with potential to grab plenty of bonus points.

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Currently in 11th

Sunderland

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 9th

It's interesting to see that five out of six Premier League goals of Sunderland were from Darren Bent, with another from new signing Asamoah Gyan. But will that pose a threat for Sunderland's survival? Absolutely not.

The Black Cats is still the team who can frustrate any tougher opponents. They actually get better with the arrival of Elmohamady. The Egyptian defender is very proactive in surging forward and has become the "Glen Johnson" of the season. Combined with the usual faces like Bent and Henderson, Sunderland will enjoy their best top-flight finish over the past decade.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Ahmed Elmohamady (8.5/10) - A constant threat from the back of the flank. Has been impressive so far.
2. Darren Bent (8/10) - One of the all time fantasy favourite that you should start against any opposition.
3. Jordan Henderson (7/10) - The 20-year-old midfielder is a promising gem.

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To be continued in PART THREE.

Fantasy Pit Stop 1: Part One

Since there's a two weeks break for internationals, it will be no harm for me to write some short fantasy reviews for now. For this pit stop I am going to write about:

1. Some major news/events related to the team;
2. Predicted season finish; and
3. Top three rated fantasy players along with their ratings.

The arrangement of teams will be according to current league rankings, in reverse order.

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Currently in 20th

West Ham United

News
Bid to take over Olympic Stadium - A good thing for the club's finance.

Predicted Season Finish: 17th
Despite an awful start, I think West Ham will stay in the Premier League for at least another season. The early run of four defeats with three goals conceded each may just be an adjustment period for their new coach Avram Grant.

Of course, it can't be helped  that they have Robert Green, one of the silliest goalkeeper in England's history and also a group of under-par defenders, but that weakness can be made up by their offence. Scott Parker is quite a spiritual figure of West Ham who plays the same character as Steven Gerrard in Liverpool, while the partnership of Obinna and Piquionne is looking better and better. It will only be even better when Carlton Cole finds back his touch.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Victor Obinna (6.5/10) - There must be something inside a player loaned from Internazionale and he's slowly showing it.
2. Scott Parker (6.5/10) - A superstar look-alike midfielder who is indeed the star of the team.
3. Frederic Piquionne (6/10) - He has become more decent recently. Still not a good buy though.

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Currently in 19th

Wolverhampton Wanderers

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 20th

It's quite a mess for Mick McCarthy's team. The Wolves are yet to win since their season opener and I think this kind of form will sustain throughout the season. The return of Stephen Hunt might help a bit, but still, I think it's the end of their fairytale.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Stephen Hunt (5.5/10) - He's a creative talent, but Wolves is quite a reserved team for him.
2. Steven Fletcher (5/10) - He was quite influential for Burnley last year but has a limited playing time currently.
3. Matthew Jarvis (5/10) - Occasionally collects bonus.

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Currently in 18th

Liverpool

News
The court battle between RBS and Hicks and co - A crucial fight for Liverpool's future.

Predicted Season Finish: 8th

A big club in a big trouble. It's not a surprise, as this is the long term effect of ownership by the notorious G&H.

However, I expect things to start to turn around after the takeover by NESV, which is owned by another American but has passion in sports. This will at least provide a stable financial platform for the Reds and the players should be able to concentrate more on the pitch.

Still, Hodgson will need to revise his tactics. Fulham tactics certainly doesn't suite Liverpool at all. Glen Johnson is all the while clumsy with his more contained position, while Poulsen's Italian approach is totally unsuitable in England. Liverpool needs to be more offensive in order to make out the best from Torres, Gerrard and co.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Steven Gerrard (8/10) - He steps out every time the team needs him. The team needs to get better though before you buy him.
2. Fernando Torres (7.5/10) - He is a better choice than Gerrard if he can stay out of injury.
3. Joe Cole (6.5/10) - He will need to communicate with his mates better on the pitch in order to fully utilise his creativity.

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Currently in 17th

Everton

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 7th

Everton repeated their poor season start, but we all know they will bounce back into the upper half when the season ends. They have too much of quality to stay at the relegation zone and the likes of Arteta, Cahill and Pienaar won't fail them for too long. Their strikers will need to buck up though, as they are still goalless in the league currently.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Mikel Arteta (8/10) - I'm surprised why he is still without any assists although his passes are very good this season. A superb bonus magnet as well.
2. Tim Cahill (7.5/10) - The header king has already trademarked himself in the Premier League.
3. Seamus Coleman (6.5/10) - He's securing his position on the right back. Comes at a surprisingly cheap price.

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Currently in 16th

Birmingham City

News - N/A

Predicted Season Finish: 12th

As one of the clubs with the most solid defence, Birmingham should be free from any relegation threats. There's no Joe Hart at the back this season but Ben Foster at least does a decent job. With the same tough team added with some new faces in the offence, they will finish the season with a good position again.

Top Three Fantasy Players:

1. Ben Foster (7.5/10) - Unarguably the best keeper under £5.0m in FPL.
2. Scott Dann (7/10) - One of the cheaper choice of Birmingham defenders.
3. Barry Ferguson (7/10) - Still as mighty as ever in collecting bonus points.

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To be continued in PART TWO.