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How’s Your Fantasy Season Going? Improve it with these tips!

Published by Ian John on December 4, 2009

Is your fantasy football season going a bit like mine? Woefully?

Yes it’s not been the best of seasons for the mighty Cheesy Wotsits. Languishing in mid-lower table obscurity, we have become the Blackburn Rovers of the fantasy league, that despite a team that has at times this season boasted the likes of Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and the mighty Wade Elliott.

Things weren’t helped by my classic decision to go with Frederic Piquionne when he did absolutely nothing and then to drop him when he actually started playing for Pompey. I seem to have an unerring ability to select Craig Bellamy in games when he does bugger all, and yet drop him when he has a stormer, such as when he did at Old Trafford.

I’ve had some good days though. Fabregas and Torres (when fit, which is sadly not often enough) have scored well for me and I’m really chuffed to have both of Burnley’s Graham Alexander and Wade Elliot on my team. However I seem to have picked the wrong defender in Joleon Lescott (I knew I should have gone with Richard Dunne) and it would be nice of Geovani and James Milner could score a goal or two for me now and then.

Consistency however hasn’t been my friend, so perhaps I am not the best person to be giving advice on picking a fantasy team, but here goes anyway. Here is the team I’d select, if I could, based on this weekend’s games in the EPL. Please bear in mind that I have selected this team with no recourse to a players value or any specific league rules, but these are just the players who I think will have a big weekend this weekend, based on a traditional 4-4-2 formation;

Goalkeeper : Manuel Almunia (Arsenal) – With Manchester United and Chelsea having unfavourable match ups and the stingy Stoke defence being tested by Arsenal at the Emirates, I think Manuel Almunia should have the best of things for keepers. Second Choice : Chris Kirkland (Wigan) : Home to a rather toothless Birmingham shouldn’t be too problematic, even for the erratic Wigan.

Defenders : Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Thomas Vermaelen (Arsenal), Graham Alexander (Burnley), Chris Samba (Blackburn) : Cole and Vermaelen are always worth considering due to their creative and goal threat and Alexander’s worth considering due to his penalties and the fact Burnley are looking much improved away from home. Samba is the interesting pick, based solely on his aerial threat and the fact that Liverpool’s marking from set pieces has been absolute saggy pants for most of the season. Second Choice : Richard Dunne (Aston Villa) Has scored very well this season and a home game to Hull should see him score a few more.

Midfielders : Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Darren Fletcher (Man Utd), Ryan Giggs (Manchester United), Frank Lampard (Chelsea) : Not the most awe inspiring selection of midfielders really is it but you cannot go far wrong with any of them. Fabregas and Fletcher, along with Lampard, have been the in form and high scoring midfielders in the Premier League this season and they are always worthy of consideration, especially this weekend given their favourable match ups. Giggs is another who I’ve selected on form, but also because he has an excellent scoring record against West Ham. Second Choice : James Milner (Aston Villa) : Very talented and should score a lot more goals than he should. He may get a couple against Hull at the weekend.

Attackers : Hugo Rodallega (Wigan Athletic), Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa) : Rodallega’s form is patchy but he looks to have the skills and ability to cause Birmingham a lot of problems at the DW-ego Stadium. Agbonlahor will fancy his chances even against a Hull who’s recent form is much improved, but his pace will be a problem for Hull’s somewhat one paced defenders. Second Choice : Didier Drogba or Nicolas Anelka (both Chelsea) : If Man City’s defence cannot handle David N’Gog and the Hull City attack, it’s hard not to fear for them against either Drogba or Anelka in full flow.

Well, whatever your team, I hope you have good luck this fantasy weekend!

Oh and check back later for a special two piece article on tonights FIFA World Cup Finals Draw minute by minute…

Image Courtesy of ***Ipure*** at Flickr.com

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