Kick-Off: Gameweek 29 Fantasy Preview

Can Suarez extend his lead in the Golden Boot race?

There are very limited games in hand this week with FA Cup stealing the limelight. Let's just try your best to field 11 players and hope for the best, and hopefully you can cope it better this little piece of guidance.

FEATURED: Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur @ Anfield
Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal will not be playing this gameweek, but thankfully there is Tottenham's visit to Liverpool make this gameweek a interesting one at least.

Gareth Bale (£10.6m, 10 pts), scoring 59 points from the last 5 games, will have a direct battle with Luis Suarez (£10.9m, 17 pts) who is on a sky high form as well having just scored a hat-trick against Wigan last week. The battle of aces.

Supporting Bale would be on-form Glyfi Sigurdsson (£7.8m, 5 pts), who played a role as important as Bale in Spurs' 3-0 demolition of Inter Milan just days ago. Joining the cause is Jermaine Defoe (£7.9m, 1 pt) who has fully recovered but may be rested after a full game action in the mid-week.

As for the Merseyside team, Phillippe Coutinho (£6.6m, 10 pts) is expected to start for the Reds again after such a spectacular performance against Wigan. Daniel Sturridge (£7.5m, - pts) is fit again and will definitely split the attention from Suarez if he starts.

The stamina edge the Reds enjoy could be the deciding factor of this match. A home win for me.

Prediction: LIV 2-1 TOT

TEAM FOCUS: Newcastle
The rest of the "big brands" of the Premier League are not featuring on gameweek 29, so let's stick on to the old-timer Newcastle.

Fantasy managers simply cannot ignore Moussa Sissoko (£6.6m, 2 pts) — the latest installment of the Magpies has scored 37 points already in just 5 games. Instant impact.

Yoan Gouffran (£7.0m, 2 pts) is another performing new-joiner, though to a lesser extent. He could burst in this game though.

Prediction: NEW 2-0 STO

PLAYER FOCUS: Lambert
It's tough to perform in this gameweek with such limited options, but having Rickie Lambert (£7.2m) on your side should make things easier.

Against Norwich, the low-profile striker should be able to tap in a goal or two.

GAMEWEEK 29 DREAM TEAM

Elliott

Samba — Yanga-Mbiwa — Enrique

 Bale (VC) — Coutinho — Sissoko — Michu

Suarez (C) — Benteke — Lambert

Subs: Boruc — Snodgrass — Bassong — Olsson

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Kick-Off: Gameweek 23 Fantasy Preview

Theo Walcott signed a new £100,000 a week contract ahead of double gameweek.

No big transfer news so far after Demba Ba and Daniel Sturridge, but perhaps Theo Walcott's decision to stay at Emirates with a new three-and-a-half year deal is as happy as a new blockbuster signing for Arsenal fans. Let's move on to gameweek 23 with another double gameweek awaits.

GAMEWEEK 22 HIGHLIGHTS

• The double-gameweek-ers did not disappoint with Juan Mata (16 pts), Eden Hazard (19 pts), Jason Puncheon (12 pts), Rickie Lambert (14 pts), Frank Lampard (13 pts), Nathaniel Clyne (11 pts) and Cesar Azpilicueta (10 pts) all returning double digit scores. Certainly impressive.
• Robin Van Persie shone again as Manchester United completed the double against Liverpool.
• Tottenham surprisingly failed to beat Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road — a game which Harry Redknapp claimed to be as good as the win against Chelsea last week.

GAMEWEEK 22 TOP SCORERS

1. Eden Hazard (£9.4m, 19 pts): Scored once in each of the two games and got handsomely rewarded with 4 bonus points. Can he carry on and record another impressive streak again?
2. Juan Mata (£10.0m, 16 pts): Completed an assist hat-trick against Stoke but somehow failed to do anything when faced Southampton at Stamford Bridge. Still a very good season holder nonetheless.
3. Rickie Lambert (£6.4m, 14 pts): The most value-to-money fantasy forward did it again with a goal in each of the two games. Superb man to hold for the season.
4. Jimmy Kebe (£4.6m, 13 pts): Took advantage of West Brom's dip of form and got an improbable win for the Royals.
5. Frank Lampard (£8.4m, 13 pts): Continues to impress despite ageing and is definitely attracting the eye of many to acquire his service when summer arrives.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK: Arsenal and West Ham
Similar to last gameweek, there will be a replacement fixtures between Arsenal and West Ham. It's less enticing compared to Chelsea's or Southampton's one, but nonetheless you could do much worse than fielding Arsenal and West Ham players in your fantasy line-up.

FEATURED: Tottenham v Manchester United @ White Hart Lane
The executioner at Old Trafford will now try to execute the Red Devils again at White Hart Lane in their attempt to secure a Champions League spot.

Manchester United's has won all but one home Premier League game this season, and will seek to offer the revenge to Tottenham this time. Robin Van Persie (£14.1m, 6 pts) has been superb all season, and is the main reason why United have only lost 2 league points in the last 10 games. The Dutch, along with the just recovered Wayne Rooney (£11.8m, - pts), will be the main threat to Tottenham's defence.

Spurs will not surrender easily nonetheless, with Gareth Bale (£9.8m, 6 pts) the biggest challenge to Rafael Da Silva (£6.0m, 2 pts) down the left flank. Interesting match-up to see. Jermaine Defoe (£8.3m, 2 pts) will also be ready to provide the finishing touch as usual this season, especially with Emmanuel Adebayor's (£9.0m, 2 pts) departure to play African Cup of Nations.

Big showdown, but I think United will win as Spurs have not been doing great against the top sides this season both home and away — the first round victory is the only exception.

Prediction: TOT 1-2 MUN

TEAM FOCUS: Arsenal
It's all about Theo Walcott (£9.2m, 2 pts) in this gameweek, with the prospect to gain a lot of points through this double gameweek. The hybrid winger/forward will definitely play a pivotal part in the Gunners attempt to topple Chelsea at Stamford Bridge — which the Blues have only won once in their last 7 Premier League games — before playing an easier fixture against West Ham at home.

Santi Cazorla (£9.6m, 2 pts) and Lukas Podolski (£8.3m, 1 pt) are the two other popular attacking options you should consider, while Kieran Gibbs (£5.7m, 1 pt) is the best bet you can think of at the back.

Prediction: CHE 1-1 ARS, ARS 3-0 WHU

PLAYER FOCUS: Suarez
Luis Suarez (£10.4m, 2 pts) has some special affection for Norwich — he definitely loves to score against the Canaries and should bang in one or two again this time.

GAMEWEEK 23 DREAM TEAM

Jaaskelainen

Demel — Zabaleta — Gibbs

 Joe Cole — Cazorla — Gerrard — Michu — Walcott (C)

Suarez (VC) — Tevez

Subs: Federici — Lukaku —  Ben Davies — Bramble

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Kick-Off: Gameweek 19 Fantasy Preview

Six Chelsea players on last gameweek's dream team. How many do you own?

A not less than impressive gameweek 18 action featuring Chelsea's 8-goal demolition over Aston Villa, which Juan Mata (£9.5m, 6 pts) and Fernando Torres (£9.6m, 6 pts) both failed to register double digit scores. Weird, just weird.

GAMEWEEK 18 HIGHLIGHTS

• Manchester City managed to close down the gap to 4 points against Manchester United after Gareth Barry (£5.3m, 11 pts) scored a last minute goal to secure 3 points for the home side and left Reading stuck at the last place on the league table on Christmas. They are certainly playing more and more like a champion team — playing averagely and yet able to take three points into their bag.
• Manchester United, on the other hand, were held draw by Swansea — who have been doing so well against the top sides this season. The bright spot was, of course, the brawl between Robin Van Persie (£13.9m, 4 pts) and Ashley Williams (£4.8m, 4 pts), where the defender attempted to clear the ball but ended up striking the ball to Van Persie's face at close range.
• Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard (£9.3m, 17 pts) seems to be very hype in this festive season as he led his side to a 4-0 victory against Fulham. Stewart Downing (£5.7m, 11 pts) did surprisingly well this time as he scored his first Premier League goal, as well as first Premier League assist, for the Reds since joining the club last summer.

GAMEWEEK 18 TOP SCORERS

1. Steven Gerrard (£9.3m, 17 pts): His killer pass simply owns.
2. Ramires (£6.2m, 14 pts): Featured as a supersub and did not disappoint with his locomotive-style run. Two goals in 30 minutes, that is simply incredible.
3. Martin Skrtel (£5.9m, 13 pts): One thing unique about Liverpool defenders is that their best back four are all good at going forward. He just showed that again.
4. Eden Hazard (£9.5m, 13 pts): Recorded his first double digit gameweek after his price returned to his season starting value. Perhaps it's time to get him in again.
5. Steven Pienaar (£6.6m, 13 pts): He's in one hell kind of form with 28 points in last 3 gameweeks. Can he continue to take charge of Everton's offence in the absence of suspended Marouane Fellaini (£7.5m, - pts)?

FEATURED: Manchester United v Newcastle @ Old Trafford
The Magpies will certainly have a tough Boxing Day as they visit to Old Trafford tomorrow.

Newcastle are historically Manchester United's bully suspects, and have never won at Old Trafford since 1972 — that's an incredible 40 years.

Robin Van Persie is the favourite to lead the line again, though one might wonder the possibility of resting him, and/or possibly Wayne Rooney (£12.0m, 1 pt) by Sir Alex Ferguson and deploy Javier Hernandez (£6.9m, 1 pt) and/or Danny Welbeck (£7.8m, - pts) instead.

On the back Nemanja Vidic (£6.6m, 2 pts) is fully fit once again and played until the whistle was blown against Swansea last Sunday and should therefore lead the line again this time.

Newcastle has lost all of their last 3 Premier League away tie and I expect that to continue. Demba Ba (£8.3m, 2 pts) might of course blast one or two goals behind the line, but I don't think that's going to stop the Red Devils from reaping points from their favourite prey in the Premier League.

Prediction: MUN 3-1 NEW

TEAM FOCUS: Tottenham
It's unlucky that Aston Villa will face Tottenham after a calamitous defeat at Stamford Bridge.

Gareth Bale (£9.5m, 3 pts) is fit to war again so expect the floodgate to reopen at Villa Park. Jermaine Defoe (£8.4m, 2 pts) is more than happy to see him return as he had scored no goals in his absence.

I think Christian Benteke (£6.7m, 2 pts) surely has something up his sleeves so let's focus on Tottenham's offensive players instead of their defence.

Prediction: AST 1-3 TOT

PLAYER FOCUS: Pienaar
Steven Pienaar is in wonderful form in the absence of Fellaini, so expect him to get up and running again against Wigan at Goodison Park.

GAMEWEEK 19 DREAM TEAM

Hart

Vidic — Ivanovic — Baines

 Michu — Pienaar — Mata  — Bale (VC)

Defoe — Van Persie (C) — Suarez

Subs: Begovic — Gaston Ramirez —  Nelsen — Fonte

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Kick-Off: Gameweek 16 Fantasy Preview

The Blues' three musketeers failed to bring their team to the round of 16 despite a emphatic victory.

Chelsea won 6-1 in their last Champions League fixture of the season, sitting only third in group standings as Manchester City couldn't even qualify for Europa League after yet another loss, ending only with 3 points without a victory. Is English influence on Europe football diminishing?

GAMEWEEK 15 HIGHLIGHTS

• Rafa Benitez got only 1 point in his first 3 games for Chelsea after a poor defeat against West Ham. What an embarrassing record.
• Chelsea's London rivals, Arsenal didn't fare well too as a defeat to Swansea at home marked a poor run of only 1 victory in their last 6 Premier League games.
• Manchester United needed to come from behind again to win in a 7-goal thriller at Madejski but the win nonetheless extended their lead to three points as Manchester City failed to win against Everton.
• Luis Suarez (£10.4m, 1 pt) is going to serve for one-match suspension after collecting his fifth yellow of the season against Southampton.

GAMEWEEK 15 TOP SCORERS

1. Michu (£7.8m, 16 pts): After some period of silence, the Spaniard rediscovers his goalscoring form with 4 goals in 4 games. Expect the buy bandwagon to return.
2. Wayne Rooney (£11.8m, 16 pts): Unfortunately to Robin Van Persie's (£13.8m, 6 pts) owners, Rooney is still the primary penalty taker of the team. Certainly needs drag the battle to determine who's the boss at Old Trafford.
3. Daniel Agger (£6.4m, 15 pts): 31 points in his last 4 FPL games, which include 6 bonus points. The Dane is certainly showing some fine form here and the upcoming fixtures look pretty fantasy friendly too.
4. Jermaine Defoe (£8.3m, 13 pts): Don't look like he will lose his position as Spurs' first choice forward as least for this season. Solid pick.
5. Demba Ba (£8.2m, 13 pts): Scored an important brace to end Newcastle's poor run of 4 consecutive defeats. Looks awesomely consistent as his maximum goal drought is only 2 league matches so far.

DOUBLE GAMEWEEK: Sunderland and Reading

This double gameweek has little meaning actually, as both teams do not have any big scorers. Still, start their players if you happen to own them anyway as 180 minutes of action will give you 4 points even if they don't contribute any goals, assists or clean sheets.

FEATURED: Manchester City v Manchester United @ Etihad
The battle for top comes in a pretty critical moment as City host United at home.

The gap between the Manchesters is now 3 points wide, and a win is much needed for City to ensure that this is still at least a two-horse race. The battle for the forward spots is pretty intense now, though I am pretty sure that Sergio Aguero (£11.0, 1 pt) will pin down one of the places to play against the Red Devils. David Silva (£9.4m, 2 pts) is a much more rotation-proof figure in City's offence, but he may not be fit enough to play following a hamstring injury.

For the away side, injury is plaguing the midfielders so expect Wayne Rooney to play in the hole supporting Robin Van Persie and Javier Hernandez (£7.5m, - pts) or Danny Welbeck (£7.8, 1 pt) upfront.

I am not too convince about City winning at home with such mediocre form recently, so I guess I will vote for a draw.

Prediction: MCI 1-1 MUN

TEAM FOCUS: Chelsea
Martin O'Neill's team is struggling recently and it presents a great chance for Rafa Benitez to grab his first Premier League win as Chelsea's manager.

The Blues thrashed Nordsjaelland 6-1 in the Champions League, with Fernando Torres (£9.4m, 5 pts) rediscovering his form by scoring 2 goals. That could serve as a great momentum for him to get back on the scoring track.

Juan Mata (£9.5m, 7 pts) also scored a goal against Nordsjaelland and will be hopeful to replicate his scoring form too.

Benitez should really start winning to avoid premature axing by Roman Abramovich...

Prediction: SUN 0-2 CHE

PLAYER FOCUS: Michu
Michu has been very streaky so far this season, so he may go with full ammunition this weekend and bag one goal or two again against Norwich.

GAMEWEEK 16 DREAM TEAM

Cesar

Sean Morrison — Mertesacker — Cuellar

 Gardner — McAnuff— Michu (C) — Mata

Le Fondre — Berbatov — Torres (VC)

Subs: Gazzaniga — Lallana —  Rangel — Nelsen 

Can't wait to get more? Like FPLZ official Facebook page to get the latest updates regularly!

Kick-Off: Gameweek 14 Fantasy Preview

"I rule!"

It'll be a short one, as I'm short of time in weekdays. So let's begin!

GAMEWEEK 13 HIGHLIGHTS

• West Brom went third in the league standings after a 4-2 away win against Sunderland. Not showy, but definitely effective in delivering results.
• The Manchesters swapped places again as City failed to win at Stamford Bridge.
• After a strong start, Everton now only got 1 victory in their last 5 league games after being frustrated at home by Norwich.
• 8 teams on clean sheet this gameweek, possibly hinting the beginning of the "winter effect" in the Premier League. You may want to shift some budget to defence to capitalise on the usually weaker offence during the next one to two months.

GAMEWEEK 13 TOP SCORERS

1. Jordi Gomez (£5.2m, 20 pts): Unbelievable hat-trick. Only scored 6 fantasy points prior to this, and thus doesn't seem to be a good choice.
2. Stephane Sessegnon (£7.3m, 13 pts): He now scored 20 points in his last 2 games. He has shown us what he is capable last season, and this might just be the indicator of better things to come.
3. Jermaine Defoe (£7.8m, 12 pts): As good as usual this season, which will continue to frustrate Emmanuel Adebayor's (£9.0m, - pts) chances at this team.
4. Gaston Ramirez (£6.0m, 12 pts): It might took too long for the most expensive signing of Southampton of all time to deliver his value, but to be late it's better than to not come at all.
5. Adam Lallana (£6.1m, 11 pts): Have been pretty consistent and is considered one of the best mid-budget midfielder around.
6. Jonny Evans (£5.8m, 11 pts): Exposed to a lot of bench time and so does not seem to be a good pick yet.

FEATURED: Everton v Arsenal @ Goodison Park
Everton will like to escape their point dropping frustration as Arsenal pay a visit to Goodison Park in a head-to-head battle for fifth.

Marouane Fellaini (£7.6m, - pts) will return from suspension and provide the much needed strength to dominate the Gunners. Can the quartet of Arsenal — Santi Cazorla (£9.5m, 3 pts), Lukas Podolski (£8.2m, 2 pts), Olivier Giroud (£8.4m, 2 pts) and Theo Walcott (£8.7m, - pts) — break the duck this time?

Prediction: EVE 2-1 ARS

TEAM FOCUS: Manchester City
Yes, Wigan have just recorded a sensational victory last Saturday, but I don't think City are ready to slip here when they are trailing against Manchester United already. Carlos Tevez (£9.5m, 1 pt) and Sergio Aguero (£11.0m, 2 pts) are as usual the best pick.

Prediction: WIG 0-3 MCI

PLAYER FOCUS: Sessegnon
It might take some time for Queens Park Rangers to recover from their misery, so Sessegnon may be able to capitalise on that and make it three in a row (3 goals in 3 games).

GAMEWEEK 14 DREAM TEAM

Begovic

Kompany — Shawcross — Rafael

Sessegnon (VC) — Fellaini — Lallana — Bale

Tevez (C) — Van Persie — Suarez

Subs: Gazzaniga — Adam —  Clark — Garrido

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Kick-Off: Gameweek 11 Fantasy Preview

Is this the end for Roberto Mancini?

So Manchester City are 99% certain to exit UEFA Champions League after a 2-2 draw against Ajax. Group stage exit for two consecutive seasons for the champions of England. What a big humiliation.

GAMEWEEK 10 TOP SCORERS

1. Marouane Fellaini (£7.2m, 15 pts): The Belgian has scored 5 Premier League goals already this term after blasting two against Fulham last week. In superb form and looks to be a season-long pick.
2. Peter Odemwingie (£6.9m, 13 pts): Played a one-man-show against Southampton. Don't get hyped on him so fast though.
3. Kaspar Gorkss (£3.9m, 11 pts): Scored 16 points in last 2 games. Nonetheless I won't invest on any Reading players at the moment unless they can sort something out and start to rack up some league points.
4. Ben Watson (£5.2m, 11 pts): His fantasy score last gameweek is almost double of what he had so far before last gameweek. Never is a good fantasy asset.
5. Bradley Johnson (£4.7m, 11 pts): Another rare member in the gameweek top scorers' list. Scored 2 points in 8 out of 10 fantasy fixtures, which suggests that you would need to wait very long for him to replicate such a good gameweek.
6. Victor Moses (£6.3m, 11 pts): An influential game despite the draw, but will never have the chance to become a regular starter unless Juan Mata (£9.4m, - pts) or Eden Hazard (£10.3m, 2 pts) suffers a long-term injury.

FEATURED: Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur @ Etihad
Chelsea against Liverpool is probably the more intense rivalry, but let's turn our head to Manchester, where defending champion Manchester City welcome Tottenham in a more evenly matched battle.

Roberto Mancini is one of the favourites to become the first Premier League manager to be sacked this season, and another season of premature Champions League exit did not help him neither. A win against Tottenham would be crucial to boost his chance to stay with the Blue Moons.

Sergio Aguero (£11.1m, 1 pt) scored one for City in their draw to Ajax and could be the scorer again against Tottenham, though Carlos Tevez (£9.5m, 2 pts) remains the cheaper and better pick compared to his compatriot.

On the other side, Tottenham have been going up and down in the last few games as they bounced quickly to defeat Maribor 3-1 in Europa League after a shocking defeat to Wigan at White Hart Lane. Jermaine Defoe (£8.1m, 1 pt) scored a hat-trick in the Europa Cup tie, which will definitely attract interest from fantasy managers as he formed a dynamic partnership with Gareth Bale (£9.8m, 2 pts) who remains one of the most threatening players in the Premier League.

A pretty tricky match to predict, but I guess I will stick to the Lillywhites and hope for a surprise defeat for the defending champions.

Prediction: MCI 1-3 TOT

TEAM FOCUS: Manchester United
After some long series of hectic match-ups Manchester United will finally be blessed with mid-to-bottom table opponents in the coming gameweeks, and they will begin with Aston Villa as their starter.

Robin Van Persie (£13.6m, 8 pts) continues to be FPL's hot pick and is owned by 35% of fantasy managers despite his ludicrous price tag. The Dutch forward scored yet again in United's Champions League victory against Braga, which simply shows that why he is so expensive compared to the rest of FPL players.

Wayne Rooney (£11.8m, 2 pts) redeemed himself from the spot after missing one against Arsenal last week, though his fantasy scoring ability is still some distance away from RvP. A little pricey in my opinion.

Defensively I am not so fancy about them keeping a clean sheets, but Rafael Da Silva (£6.2m, 5 pts) has been pretty effectively offensive from the back and worth every penny he costs.

Should be an easy game for Ferguson's team.

Prediction: AST 1-3 MUN

PLAYER FOCUS: Lambert
All eyes will fall on St Mary's Stadium this Saturday as Nigel Adkins may face his final Premier League game for Southampton this season, should he lose. He will be determined to create miracles and his hopes will fall under Rickie Lambert's (£6.1m, 2 pts) shoulders. Swansea won't be a tough opponent for him, having failed to secure any clean sheets for 8 consecutive league games.

Pavel Pogrebnyak (£4.7m, - pts) would be another forward to look at this weekend as Reading hosts leaky Norwich.

GAMEWEEK 11 DREAM TEAM

Begovic

Rafael — Shawcross — A Santos

Kightly — Fellaini — McAnuff — Bale

Van Persie (C) —  Ba (VC) — Suarez

Subs: Al-Habsi — Lallana —  G. Cameron — Gorkss

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Kick-Off: Gameweek 10 Fantasy Preview

Theo Walcott was the main hero in Arsenal's 7-5 victory over Reading.

A crazy League Cup round as we saw 2 astonishing games played which include Arsenal's unbelievable 4 goal comeback against Reading and Chelsea's extra-time revenge against Manchester United in a 9-goal-thriller. Absolute stunners but let's return to Premier League as we prepare for gameweek 10 of FPL:

GAMEWEEK 9 TOP SCORERS

1. Robin Van Persie (£13.4m, 12 pts): Second consecutive double-digit gameweek score now for the Dutch forward. Simply one class above of the rest of the Premier League forwards.
2. Bryan Ruiz (£5.8m, 11 pts): He said that he can fill the void left by Mousa Dembele (£6.1m, - pts) and Clint Dempsey (£9.2m, 9 pts). Quite good so far.
3. Mikel Arteta (£7.7m 11 pts): First double-digit gameweek for the Spaniard this season. Playing in such a deep position, he doesn't look likely to carry forward his scoring momentum.
4. Michael Turner (£4.2m, 11 pts): His last gameweek's score has made him more than double his season's score. Definitely not a man to hold until Norwich find some good defence at the back.
5. Gareth Bale (£9.6m, 10 pts): 12 bonus points in the last 5 games he had played. A season-long pick for me.

FEATURED: Manchester United v Arsenal @ Old Trafford
Premier League continues to get hot this week with Manchester United hosting Arsenal at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils currently sit second on the league after a controversial victory over Chelsea last week. Nonetheless, they fumbled in Capital One Cup tie against the same team in a dramatic match-up.

Robin Van Persie will play for the first time against his old club since his transfer saga, but he won't be kind to Arsene Wenger for sure and will continue be the main goal threat for Manchester United, with Wayne Rooney (£11.8m, 1 pt) continue to provide world class support to last season's Golden Boot winner.

Shinji Kagawa (£8.1m, -  pts ) is still a few weeks away from recovery while Chris Smalling (£5.3m, - pts) could be back to boost Sir Alex Ferguson's options at the back for this important tie.

On the other side, the Gunners have been pretty quiet in front of goal but that ended on League Cup tie against Reading, where they scored 7 goals. Santi Cazorla (£9.5m, 3 pts) and Lukas Podolski (£9.5m, 2 pts) continued to be the best bets at Arsenal, while Jack Wilshere (£6.4m, 3 pts) could be handed another league start again after starting last weekend against Queens Park Rangers. Not so sure about his fantasy value though.

Should be a pretty open play, with the Red Devils enjoying their home advantage and send Arsenal back home with a defeat. Don't expect another 8-2 though.

Prediction: MUN 3-1 ARS

TEAM FOCUS: Tottenham Hotspur
They will play at White Hart Lane against Wigan so you could do much worse than getting Tottenham's players and captain their stars.

Gareth Bale (£9.7m, 10 pts) is the obvious captain pick for this week with his explosive speed the main weapon to break the Latics' defence. Clint Dempsey (£9.2m, 9 pts) is another man you can consider as his starting place is now for him to lose after some consistent run of form.

Upfront Jermaine Defoe (£8.0m, 5 pts) should continue to be Andre Villas-Boas' trusted choice, though Emmanuel Adebayor (£9.0m, - pts) could spoil the party as he recovers from illness.

A fair chance to grab a clean sheet too, with Steven Caulker (£4.8m, 2 pts) providing cheap access to Tottenham's backline. He is in legal troubles though, so be cautious.

Prediction: TOT 3-0 WIG

PLAYER FOCUS: Tevez
Manchester City will travel to Boleyn Ground this week. They will have no League Cup fixtures after being eliminated on late September, so Carlos Tevez (£9.5m, 9 pts) will be full of stamina to produce some nice results.

Shane Long (£6.1m, 1 pt) is struggling to shrug off injury problems, so Romelu Lukaku (£6.4m, 9 pts) could start again and get some good scores against Southampton.

GAMEWEEK 10 DREAM TEAM

Hart

O'Shea — Caulker — Ivanovic

Gerrard — Hoilett — Mata — Bale (C)

Tevez (VC) —  Fletcher — Defoe

Subs: Guzan — McAnuff —  G. Cameron — Wisdom

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Kick-Off: Gameweek 5 Fantasy Preview

Michael Carrick celebrated the only goal against Galatasaray.

European fixtures took place this midweek and players who played will certainly face stamina problems. Be prepared for unanticipated squad rotations.

GAMEWEEK 4 TOP SCORERS

1. Alexander Buttner (£5.5m, 17 pts): Great game by the Dutch as Patrice Evra's (£7.0m, 0 pts) position is threatened much earlier than expected. One of the man to scout but it is quite risky to own him at the moment.
2. Yao Gervinho (£7.3m, 15 pts): A sudden bombastic performance by the Ivorian. Doesn't look like a good fantasy prospect yet, especially when he only did averagely last season.
3. Matthew Lowton (£4.5m, 14 pts): Another erratic score like Gervinho. I do not recommend any Aston Villa defenders  at this moment unless they can tighten up the back line a bit.
4. Dimitar Berbatov (£7.1m, 13 pts): The new ace at Craven Cottage. One of the best third fantasy man up front at the moment.
5. Demba Ba (£7.7m, 12 pts): Man in fury. His potential will pretty much depend on Alan Pardew's tactical plan though.

FEATURED: Liverpool v Manchester United @ Anfield
Liverpool aim to get their first victory of the season as they await Manchester United's challenge at Anfield.

Justice seems to reach the doorsteps of Hillsborough victims finally after latest release of evidence last Wednesday, claiming that part of the deaths could be avoided if the police and emergency services authorities were more efficient. Definitely a very emotional moment for the players and supporters.

Jonjo Shelvey (£5.3m) scored a brace in Liverpool's 5-3 victory over Young Boys and could push for a start against Manchester United but Luis Suarez (£9.4m) and Raheem Sterling (£4.6m) should be the main threat of Liverpool again. The back-line seriously needs to be tightened up though if they are to sustain United's extravagant offence led by Robin Van Persie (£13.5m) and co. Big, big challenge.

Alexander Buttner (£5.5m) may start ahead of Patrice Evra (£7.0m) — who did poorly in Champions League — again. He certainly needs to do more to get good fantasy points again though. Shinji Kagawa (£8.6m) assisted Michael Carrick (£5.9m) in the Red Devils' Champions League win against Galatasaray — a man to watch.

As exciting as always despite the increased gap between them. Nonetheless, I don't think United can grab a win here as Liverpool always play at higher levels against greater oppositions.

Prediction: LIV 1-1 MUN

TEAM FOCUS: Tottenham
Tottenham will be hoping to get start their winning streak after breaking their victory duck against Reading, and a home game against Queens Park Rangers presents a great opportunity to do so.

Jermaine Defoe (£7.6m) should be the first pick against with Emmanuel Adebayor (£9.4m) suffering an injury. Great chance for a brace of goals again for the English. Another man who is expected to perform is Gareth Bale (£9.3m), who finally opened his goal account last gameweek against Reading.

Defensive wise they are also quite probable to get their first clean sheet of the season, so while I am not encouraging you to get their defenders (especially when they face Manchester United next gameweek), you should play them this gameweek if you have any of them in your fantasy team.

PLAYER FOCUS: Ba
Demba Ba (£7.7m) is certainly the man to watch, having scored both goals in the Magpies draw against Everton. A little bit risky with him missing the Europa League tie against Maritimo possibly due to recent disputes, but nonetheless a risk worth to be taken in my opinion.

Also on my radar is West Brom's Romelu Lukaku (£6.5m), who should start following Peter Odemwingie's suspension. He definitely has the quality to shine, just like what he had shown against Liverpool.

GAMEWEEK 5 DREAM TEAM

Foster

Walker — Ivanovic — Demel

Hazard (C) — Morrison — Ben Arfa — Bale

Torres — Defoe (VC) — Berbatov

Subs: Jaaskelainen — Puncheon —  McAuley — Santon

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Monday Mirror: Ba's Brilliance

Demba Ba on fire with 2 goals in just 45 minutes of action.

Interesting game at Goodison Park as we saw Demba Ba equalised twice to earn a point for Newcastle. Here are some of my notes:

• Demba Ba (£7.7m, 12 pts) blasted both goals for Newcastle and responded perfectly to Alan Pardew's decision to bench him. The striker is clearly furious though with his agent threatened to take Ba away from Newcastle if he continues to sit on the bench.
• On the other hand, Papiss Cisse (£9.3m, 2pts) continued his goalless streak, and made Alan Pardew's decision to start him instead of Ba a ridicule.
• Meanwhile, Leighton Baines (£7.1m, 9 pts) scored his second goal of the season and accumulated 7 bonus points already this season, as he highlighted to us the benefits of owning a high-end fantasy defender. Solid.
• Also on the scoresheet was Steven Pienaar (£6.6m, 7 pts), who shows good value to money so far and is capable to provide consistently in offence.
• Marouane Fellaini (£6.9m, 1 pt) on the other hand has reduced fantasy potential as predicted with Kevin Mirallas (£7.4m, 2pts) started alongside Nikica Jelavic (£8.5m, 1 pt) on yesterday night. Jelavic was subbed out with an injury nonetheless, so Fellaini could still play in an advanced role for a few gameweeks more.
• On Sunday we saw Gareth Bale (£9.3m, 11 pts) went on full throttle as Tottenham claimed their first victory of the season, crushing Reading 3-1.
• Jermaine Defoe (£7.6m, 9 pts) got the nod to start again ahead of Emmanuel Adebayor (£9.4m, 0 pts) and repaid Andre Villas-Boas' faith handsomely with 2 goals. Does Adebayor still have value fantasy wise? Pretty negative at the moment.
• Brad Friedel (£5.5m, 2 pts) continued to start ahead of Hugo Lloris (£6.0m, 0 pts), and it surely left us wondering why the French keeper was being bought at the first place.

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Sunday Aftermath: Aguero Injury Woes

The most vice-captained fantasy player, Sergio Aguero, ended up with only 1 point.

After such a fascinating Saturday matchday, Sunday games came with equal excitements as well. Here are some big scenes:

• Sergio Aguero (£11.5m) went injured with only 11 minutes of action against Southampton (1 point). Big, bad news for about 30% of fantasy managers as they will need to make a forced transfer following his injury. A wildcard may as well ready to be used for some of the managers.
• Also failing to deliver was David Silva (£10.0m), who missed a penalty in a terrible fashion. He scored nothing for this gameweek, which is definitely a big butthurt to his owners.
• Meanwhile, Aguero's teammate and compatriot Carlos Tevez (£9.0m) proved to be as pivotal as before at Manchester City. He scored the opener goal against the Saints and with Aguero injured, his starting spot is pretty much secured for the next few weeks.
• Samir Nasri (£8.5m) was the star performer with 12 fantasy points (which include 3 bonus points). He might as well lock a place in Mancini's starting XI with such performance.
• I am greatly impressed by Nigel Adkins - he brought in 2 substitutes who brought immediate goals. Almost beaten the Premier League Champions last year. Splendid. Rickie Lambert (£6.0m) did not start, which surprised me, but scored a goal nonetheless.
• On the other game we saw Eden Hazard (£9.5m) provided all 2 assists in Chelsea's victory over Wigan. It's Hazard 1-0 Mata (£9.5m) then.
• Branislav Ivanovic (£6.5m) got 15 points thanks to his opening goal, while Frank Lampard (£9.0m) scored from the spot - he is still an important player for the Blues.
• As for the late Saturday game, Andre Villas-Boas had a poor start as Demba Ba (£7.5m) and Hatem Ben Arfa (£7.0m) combined to send Tottenham Hotspur in misery.
• Jermaine Defoe (£7.5m) scored only goal for the visitors though, and that is an encouraging sign to own him.

FPLZ 2012/13 Season Preview: Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR F.C.

Spurs with their new home and away kit for 2012/13 season.

You can download the full analyzed squad data here.

Password: http://p-fplz.blogspot.com/

Last Season: Unlucky
They got the fourth place, but without the qualification for Champions League. Tottenham Hotspur can consider themselves unlucky as Chelsea won UEFA Champions League for the first time, which effectively blocked their way to the top-flight European tournament this season. It was still a good season anyway, as they had gone very close to the leading duo at one point, showing great competitiveness and potential as title contenders.

This Summer: Massive Changes
Harry Redknapp was sacked for some unknown reason and replaced by Andre Villas-Boas, who failed a big time at Chelsea. A very questionable move by Daniel Levy seriously.

Swansea's successful loanee Gylfi Sigurdsson and former Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen are the ones who have joined the club currently, with players such as Vedran Corluka, Niko Kranjcar, Louis Saha, Ryan Nelsen and Steven Pienaar all heading the opposite direction.

Upcoming Season: Insecure
With such a big change in the management, it is hard to predict Tottenham's new season. The change in manager will certainly bring in a lot of uncertainty, especially when Redknapp had brought so much of stability and achievement at White Hart Lane. The first month will surely give us an indication whether Villas-Boas will succeed or flop for the second time in Premier League.

Bale's stats last
season.

Speedy Speed Boy: Bale (FI: 0.699)
Aged 23, Gareth Bale (£9.5m) is definitely one of the best talent across the European continent right now, thanks to his excellent speed and explosiveness, precise ball delivery, and his decent aerial threat.

Having played 3216 minutes last season, Bale managed to record his best fantasy record so far with 195 points. Don't be surprised if he breaks the 200 point milestone this season - he still has plenty of room to grow.

The bad news unfortunately for Bale is that he limped off during the pre-season game with Liverpool, after a dangerous tackle from Charlie Adam, who is renowned for his sloppy defence.

Van der Vaart's historical P90.

Super Poacher: Van der Vaart (FI: 0.547)
Rafael Van der Vaart (£9.0m) actually has the ability to achive a 200-point season easily, but his injuries were limiting his potential to do so.

The Dutch has P90 of 6.50 last season which ranked first among his teammates, but playing minutes of only 2314 meant that he only ranked third in terms of aggregate scores. During the season before the last one he played 2222 minutes, which was even lesser.

I have no doubts about Van der Vaart's flair and goal poaching ability, so let's hope that he can be less injury-plagued this season and score more fantasy points. His price tag of £9.0m resembles a good bargain when compared to his scoring ability.

On Fire: Sigurdsson (FI: 1.240)
It was just half a good season, and Glyfi Sigurdsson (£9.0m) has become freaking expensive at the price of £9.0m, on par with his new teammate Rafael Van der Vaart.

However, the Icelandic is on sublime form during Tottenham's pre-season tour, scoring 2 goals and 3 assists in his first 4 games for the North London club. His set piece ability is a marvelous addition to Andre Villas-Boas's squad, and that really justifies his high price tag.

Defoe's FPL historical data.

Affordable: Defoe (FI: 0.340)
Jermaine Defoe (£7.5m) spent more time on the bench than on the pitch last season, but with Villas-Boas struggling to find a new forward for the team, he should become the team's first choice forward this season.

His best fantasy season record is 150 points - not too great, but good enough for his price, as long as he doesn't injure that often. Tottenham's offensive approach will definitely help him to rack up a good amount of points.

Super Budget Prospect: Kane (FI: N/A)
Tottenham manager is struggling to find a new striker for the team, but that may become a great fortune to fantasy managers as he will need to deploy Harry Kane (£4.5m) more often than not in this coming season.

The 19-year-old English scored 8 goals for Milwall last season, and can be a hit this season with his ludicrous price of £4.5m.

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