This week Suarez gets his own section (not to mention a very slightly different font) - next week they might have to reinvent the scoring system or just tell everyone who hasn't had him since at least week 6 not to bother anymore. The only downside to his scintillating form (4 spectacular goals and an assist against Hull last week and a goal and two assists versus Wham in case you've been hiding under Iraq (Arrested Development joke - kinda)) is that Liverpool may have to bench him to stave off interest from Real Madrid. Just ask Spurs - if only Bale had played every other game at left back...
Topical jokes are overrated
Buy Low
Jonjo Shelvey (5.6)
Shelvey never quite got going at Liverpool but I'm always fantasy keen on players with great promise who don't immediately catch fire and move to slightly smaller clubs in the same league - Lukaku, Adel Taraabt and Jermain Defoe when he moved to Portsmouth are just some examples of this. Shelvey has two goals in his last three games, only costs 5.6 and with Michu, Vazquez and Bony all sidelined, Jonjo could be used as a more attacking option for Laudrup's Swans who boshed 3 past Newcastle last week and have decent fixtures until the January transfer window.
Seamus Coleman (5.9)
Coleman has been a great option all season and most fantasy owners who know their stuff will have him already but a goal against Stoke followed by a clean sheet and two bonus points at Old Trafford should be enough to push his ownership even higher than it currently is at 34.3%. So so cheap for a marauding full back who is sometimes moved onto the wing, after January he should really be owned by everyone.
Leroy Fer (5.9)
3 goals in 5 games is a terrific return for a midfielder priced at a mere 5.9. OK so he was pretty much fantasy useless for the first 10 weeks of the season but three home fixtures out of the next four and high on life after a goal and an assist last week, he might just surprise you by proving to be more than a flash-in-the-pan.
Jermain Defoe (7.9)
I must be mad telling you to buy Defoe, right? Soldado is the number one guy in the long run, right? And he's still pretty pricey on account of his high starting price, right?! Well hear me out 'cause I'm gonna hit you with some cold hard facts -
Defoe has played the full 90 in Spurs' last two league games. Defoe LOVES scoring goals. He hates passing and shoots more than is polite or necessary. He also looked sharp against The Black Cats, pinging the bar twice. Soldado started on Thursday in the Wafer Cup (admittedly bagging a hat-trick but forget that for a second).
And here's the kicker - with the January wildcard coming up, why not take a punt? If you transfer out Soldado and he reverts to being the numero uno, you've only lost out on a few weeks of him scoring two points and you can put him back in for free if you want. Take a punt - Defoe could be a sleeper keeper.
Sell High
Mesut Ozil (10.3)
This is a tough one. I'm having to get rid of Mesut so I can ship in Suarez for the effete Soldado. 22 points in his last two games and, you know, being world class and all that is great - but his next two fixtures are both against top 4 teams (Man City (A), Chelsea (H)). He'll probably still get points in those games but with Ramsey out there and nearly 3 cheaper and Aguero and Suarez scoring double figure points for fun weekly, it's a pretty obvious choice.
Samir Nasri (8.3)
This depends hugely on your budget and Man City coverage but one of Nasri and Navas has to go so Silva can play (isn't it annoying how they can only play 11 players?) You'd put money on it being Navas at this point but with City having more depth than an American fizzy drink cup and Navas in decent form, there's no way to be sure of who'll be starting over the next few weeks - in fact it will likely be one against Arsenal and another at Fulham. Do you really want a player who might not start and, if so, will probably come on as a sub in a cagey game against the league leaders? No, you do not.
Buy Anyway
Just in case you need reminding - buy Suarez. Buy Aguero.
Wayne Rooney (11.1)
His suspension for the Newcastle match last weekend apart, Rooney has been in terrific form and with RVP unfit, he is their main man and perhaps Moyes' only hope of recapturing the winning ways to which Red Devils fans have become accustomed. United have Aston Village, Wham and Dull as their following three fixtures. Warm up your armband and prepare for points galore.
Fool's Gold
It looks so good but no touchy!
Oviedo (4.4)
You couldn't wait to put Oviedo in when you saw how he played against United and Arsenal. Then you couldn't find him on the website. That's because in many formats he is erroneously listed as a midfielder, which isn't as appealing for obvious reasons. The final nail in his fantasy coffin is that Baines is sure to go straight back in as soon as he's fit. Nothing to see here - move along please.
Gerard Deulofeu (5.4)
Some may like the idea of a striker with 17 points in his last 3 games who is only owned by 1.0% of teams and plays for an Everton side that seem to be clicking right now. The more astute managers among you will look at his playing time (12 minutes and 22 minutes in his last two games and only one game where he played a half or more all season) and recoil in horror.
"He's played how many minutes?!"
Ravel Morrison (5.1)
Morrison does immense tekkers - check out his Youtubby training feats if you don't believe.
Usually this alone would be reason enough for me to put him in but Peter Jones' advert has had the reverse of its desired effect on me and I've come over all Grinchy. I'm therefore in a pessimistic mood and the fact that Morrison doesn't regularly start combined with the Hammer's ineffectuality at scoring goals means picking one of their players in fantasy is a recipe for lump of coal, not a Christmas Cracker. Sorry Ravel - it's not you it's me.
Head to Head
Quick-fire round - Do these transfers and trade up.
There's always money in the carefully selected and undervalued fantasy football transfer targets
Buy
K. Walker (6.1) for John Terry (6.6)
McAuley (5.5) for Lovren (5.8)
Ramsey (7.6) for Yaya Toure (9.6)
Ramsey (7.6) and Silva (9.1) for Nasri (8.3) and Ozil (10.3)
Benteke (8.8) for Lukaku (8.4)
Remy (8.2) for Soldado (8.6)
Suarez (12.8) and Lukaku (8.4) for RVP (13.7) and Sturridge (9.2)
